1 00:00:08,030 --> 00:00:12,110 S1: Everybody has a story, something to teach us about life. 2 00:00:12,110 --> 00:00:14,930 S1: So from A to Z, get ready to meet some 3 00:00:14,930 --> 00:00:18,800 S1: of the Bible's heroes, villains, and ordinary people. And as 4 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:21,380 S1: you get to know the God these people encountered, your 5 00:00:21,380 --> 00:00:24,290 S1: own story will be better too. Welcome again to the 6 00:00:24,290 --> 00:00:27,320 S1: land and the book. Our host is the widely respected 7 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:30,860 S1: Middle East expert and author Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John 8 00:00:30,860 --> 00:00:34,220 S1: Gager and Charlie. Last week we presented listeners with a 9 00:00:34,220 --> 00:00:37,790 S1: book blast drawing our winner, by the way, Isobel Lundin 10 00:00:37,820 --> 00:00:41,360 S1: from Billings, Montana. Charlie, maybe you could share an excerpt 11 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:43,160 S1: from Isobel's email. I'd be. 12 00:00:43,190 --> 00:00:45,560 S2: Happy to. John. She said, I think the most important 13 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:47,809 S2: thing I gained this year from listening to the land 14 00:00:47,810 --> 00:00:50,750 S2: in the book was becoming better educated to be able 15 00:00:50,750 --> 00:00:54,230 S2: to speak up against anti-Semitism, and seeing the importance of 16 00:00:54,230 --> 00:00:58,100 S2: writing to appointed and elected officials and those running for office, 17 00:00:58,130 --> 00:01:02,570 S2: urging them to support Israel and speak up to denounce anti-Semitism. 18 00:01:02,570 --> 00:01:04,490 S1: And we'll look forward to doing another one of our 19 00:01:04,490 --> 00:01:07,970 S1: famous book blast events in the near future. Stay tuned. 20 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:11,690 S1: Right now, though, Israel in the news forever. It seems 21 00:01:11,690 --> 00:01:14,360 S1: this past year and as we know, the Bible is 22 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:18,080 S1: jam packed with end times prophecies about epic world events, 23 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:21,380 S1: the regathering of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland, 24 00:01:21,380 --> 00:01:24,530 S1: and Jesus return. It's crucial for us as believers to 25 00:01:24,530 --> 00:01:28,100 S1: have a proper understanding of Bible prophecy. So our view 26 00:01:28,100 --> 00:01:31,610 S1: of the future is shaped by Scripture, not today's headlines. 27 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:33,589 S2: Yeah, and with that in mind, our friends at Life 28 00:01:33,590 --> 00:01:36,980 S2: and Messiah have published a book titled God, Israel and 29 00:01:36,980 --> 00:01:39,680 S2: Bible Prophecy, and they're offering it to listeners of the 30 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:42,620 S2: land in the book for a limited time. This informative 31 00:01:42,650 --> 00:01:46,069 S2: book is focused on providing readers with a deeper understanding 32 00:01:46,069 --> 00:01:49,520 S2: and greater appreciation of what God has in store for 33 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,940 S2: Israel and the nations by digging into what the scriptures 34 00:01:52,970 --> 00:01:55,700 S2: say about these issues. Now, if you're interested in learning 35 00:01:55,700 --> 00:01:58,970 S2: more about what God has in store, visit Life in 36 00:01:58,970 --> 00:02:02,060 S2: Messiah org and click on the Moody Radio button there 37 00:02:02,060 --> 00:02:05,900 S2: to find out how you can receive your copy of God, 38 00:02:05,900 --> 00:02:10,340 S2: Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org. 39 00:02:10,550 --> 00:02:12,950 S1: And now a look at current events from the Middle East. 40 00:02:12,980 --> 00:02:17,000 S1: Reports from the Middle East keep vacillating between uneasy peace, 41 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:21,230 S1: limited attacks and all out war as Iran and Hezbollah 42 00:02:21,230 --> 00:02:24,739 S1: face off against Israel. So what exactly has been happening 43 00:02:24,740 --> 00:02:27,169 S1: and what might we expect in the coming days? 44 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:30,020 S2: Well, you know, looking at all the contradictory reports, it's 45 00:02:30,020 --> 00:02:33,019 S2: pretty clear no one really knows at any given moment 46 00:02:33,020 --> 00:02:35,929 S2: what the leaders of Iran and Hezbollah are planning to do. 47 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:38,780 S2: They both say they'll strike Israel to punish it for 48 00:02:38,780 --> 00:02:41,660 S2: attacks in their countries, but at the same time, they 49 00:02:41,660 --> 00:02:44,000 S2: don't want to do something that could bring the U.S. 50 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,840 S2: and Israel against them militarily to cause them greater military 51 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:51,320 S2: or economic harm. So what can we expect? Well, for 52 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:53,600 S2: the past two weeks, the world has watched for Iran 53 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,930 S2: and Hezbollah to launch an imminent attack, and it could 54 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:00,320 S2: still come at any time, even before this program actually airs. 55 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:03,620 S2: But it's also possible both countries are looking for some 56 00:03:03,620 --> 00:03:06,170 S2: sort of excuse to back away from an attack, at 57 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:10,429 S2: least for now. The ceasefire and hostage negotiations that just 58 00:03:10,460 --> 00:03:14,359 S2: resumed between Israel and Hamas could furnish them with that excuse. 59 00:03:14,389 --> 00:03:17,720 S2: Both countries have said they wouldn't attack if Israel agrees 60 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:20,690 S2: to a ceasefire with Hamas. Now, this could be a 61 00:03:20,690 --> 00:03:24,740 S2: ploy to force Israel to accept specific cease fire conditions 62 00:03:24,740 --> 00:03:28,549 S2: that would otherwise be rejected. Now, if there is an attack, 63 00:03:28,550 --> 00:03:31,790 S2: both Iran and Hezbollah could attack together, though even that 64 00:03:31,790 --> 00:03:35,089 S2: isn't a given, and the attack could extend over days. 65 00:03:35,090 --> 00:03:37,550 S2: Though again, the scope of the attack and the length 66 00:03:37,550 --> 00:03:41,060 S2: of it will only become clear if or when it unfolds. 67 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:44,180 S2: Listening to all the threats being made by Iran and Hezbollah, though, 68 00:03:44,180 --> 00:03:46,730 S2: reminds me of the threat against the King of Israel 69 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:49,490 S2: by the King of Syria back in first Kings 20. 70 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:52,580 S2: He threatened the total annihilation of the northern Kingdom of 71 00:03:52,580 --> 00:03:55,520 S2: Israel and their capital, Samaria. And he said, May the 72 00:03:55,580 --> 00:03:58,160 S2: gods deal with me, be it ever so severely. If 73 00:03:58,190 --> 00:04:01,190 S2: enough dust remains in Samaria to give each of my 74 00:04:01,190 --> 00:04:03,740 S2: men a handful. In essence, he said, we're going to 75 00:04:03,770 --> 00:04:06,500 S2: annihilate you. The response of the King of Israel is 76 00:04:06,530 --> 00:04:09,290 S2: a good reminder why a leader shouldn't boast about what 77 00:04:09,290 --> 00:04:12,230 S2: he's going to do before the fight even begins. King 78 00:04:12,260 --> 00:04:14,960 S2: Ahab said to him, tell him, let him who girds 79 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:17,839 S2: on his armor not boast like those who take it off. 80 00:04:17,870 --> 00:04:21,409 S2: In other words, don't get too overconfident before the battle starts. 81 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,810 S2: Only the one who remains standing in the end gets 82 00:04:23,810 --> 00:04:27,650 S2: to boast. The bottom line application don't bet against Israel 83 00:04:27,650 --> 00:04:29,120 S2: in any future fight. 84 00:04:29,270 --> 00:04:31,850 S1: All right. And as you mentioned, Charlie, Israel and Hamas 85 00:04:31,850 --> 00:04:35,930 S1: have once again resumed indirect negotiations over a cease fire 86 00:04:35,930 --> 00:04:39,799 S1: and hostage deal. What brought about the resumption in negotiations? 87 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:43,130 S1: I'm curious. And what are the prospects for a successful outcome? 88 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:47,060 S2: Well, the negotiations resumed after the U.S. and Qatar and 89 00:04:47,060 --> 00:04:50,719 S2: Egypt released a statement pressuring both Israel and Hamas to 90 00:04:50,750 --> 00:04:54,229 S2: resume talks. The pressure being placed on Israel by the U.S. 91 00:04:54,260 --> 00:04:57,870 S2: is quite intense, especially with the US providing so much 92 00:04:57,900 --> 00:05:01,799 S2: military backing for Israel against Iran and Hezbollah. But as 93 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,070 S2: the talks began, both sides were continuing to play a 94 00:05:05,070 --> 00:05:08,100 S2: deadly game of chess, if you will. Conflicting reports were 95 00:05:08,100 --> 00:05:11,849 S2: circulating that Hamas is desperate to conclude a deal, and 96 00:05:11,850 --> 00:05:14,430 S2: that Sinwar has no desire at all to reach a deal. 97 00:05:14,430 --> 00:05:17,400 S2: It's hard to get any further apart between. Those reports 98 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,460 S2: were also leaked, saying the deal was ready to be signed, 99 00:05:20,490 --> 00:05:23,670 S2: while other reports said Hamas wants the mediation to be 100 00:05:23,670 --> 00:05:26,880 S2: based on past talks and wasn't even planning on attending 101 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,030 S2: the negotiations. So what do we know right now? Well, 102 00:05:30,029 --> 00:05:32,909 S2: we know Sinwar, the new leader of Hamas, wants to 103 00:05:32,940 --> 00:05:36,750 S2: prolong negotiations as long as possible. He believes his goals 104 00:05:36,750 --> 00:05:39,600 S2: are being accomplished right now. He's turning the world against 105 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:44,880 S2: Israel while keeping Israel from reaching a military victory in Gaza. Apparently, 106 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:48,270 S2: Israel believes it's drawing the noose tighter around sinwar by 107 00:05:48,270 --> 00:05:53,280 S2: continuing to eliminate Hamas's leadership and degrading its area of operation. 108 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:57,240 S2: One example from this last week illustrates both aspects. Israel 109 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:00,150 S2: attacked a mosque connected to a school where dozens of 110 00:06:00,150 --> 00:06:03,690 S2: Hamas fighters were gathered, along with a senior Hamas leader. 111 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:06,900 S2: Hamas reported that Israel had attacked a school, killing almost 112 00:06:06,900 --> 00:06:11,610 S2: 100 civilians, including women and children. The report was uncritically 113 00:06:11,610 --> 00:06:15,180 S2: picked up and broadcast by news media, bringing still more 114 00:06:15,180 --> 00:06:21,000 S2: worldwide condemnation on Israel. Israel responded by identifying, along with photos, 115 00:06:21,029 --> 00:06:24,900 S2: 31 Hamas fighters who were killed, proving Israel apparently has 116 00:06:24,900 --> 00:06:28,200 S2: very good intelligence in terms of who was in the building. 117 00:06:28,230 --> 00:06:31,380 S2: They also provided aerial footage showing that the bombs used 118 00:06:31,380 --> 00:06:34,440 S2: did not hit the school complex, just the building where 119 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,020 S2: these fighters had gathered. Now, in light of all this, 120 00:06:37,050 --> 00:06:40,799 S2: what are the expected outcomes for these negotiations? Ultimately, it's 121 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,980 S2: anyone's guess. The US is pushing to reach an agreement 122 00:06:43,980 --> 00:06:48,510 S2: because they feel that could defuse the current conflict. Netanyahu's 123 00:06:48,510 --> 00:06:51,510 S2: caught between pressure from our country and pressure from the 124 00:06:51,510 --> 00:06:54,820 S2: far right parties in his own coalition, and Sinwar is 125 00:06:54,820 --> 00:06:58,660 S2: caught between his continuing political success against Israel and his 126 00:06:58,660 --> 00:07:02,710 S2: shrinking chances of remaining alive if the conflict continues. The 127 00:07:02,710 --> 00:07:06,339 S2: real question in these negotiations is which side will blink first, 128 00:07:06,339 --> 00:07:09,310 S2: or will it once again all fall apart? 129 00:07:09,339 --> 00:07:12,190 S1: That's doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Gager. This is the 130 00:07:12,190 --> 00:07:15,220 S1: land and the book from Moody Radio on segment one, 131 00:07:15,250 --> 00:07:17,740 S1: a look at current events from the Middle East. A 132 00:07:17,740 --> 00:07:22,150 S1: 3300 year old Canaanite shipwreck was discovered off Israel's coast. 133 00:07:22,180 --> 00:07:24,760 S1: What makes this discovery unique, Charlie? 134 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:28,210 S2: Well, two items make this discovery so unique. The first 135 00:07:28,210 --> 00:07:31,720 S2: is that this is the oldest intact shipwreck discovered in 136 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:34,690 S2: the eastern Mediterranean, dating to around the time of the 137 00:07:34,690 --> 00:07:38,020 S2: beginning of the period of the judges in Israel. And 138 00:07:38,020 --> 00:07:40,300 S2: the second thing that makes it unique is the fact 139 00:07:40,300 --> 00:07:42,820 S2: that it was discovered so far from land. It was 140 00:07:42,820 --> 00:07:47,110 S2: found by a ship searching for natural gas 56 miles 141 00:07:47,110 --> 00:07:50,230 S2: off the coast, in water more than a mile deep. 142 00:07:50,260 --> 00:07:53,640 S2: The ship contained hundreds of clay storage jars. Two were 143 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:57,179 S2: brought to the surface using a submersible robot. Because the 144 00:07:57,180 --> 00:08:01,650 S2: wreckage is so deep, it's remained relatively undisturbed. The one 145 00:08:01,650 --> 00:08:04,710 S2: intriguing question the discovery has raised is this why was 146 00:08:04,710 --> 00:08:08,370 S2: the ship so far from shore, literally over the horizon 147 00:08:08,370 --> 00:08:12,090 S2: and out of sight of any land? Archaeologists have suggested 148 00:08:12,090 --> 00:08:15,090 S2: this might show that the ancient navigators were more advanced 149 00:08:15,090 --> 00:08:18,780 S2: than what had been assumed, possibly using celestial bodies to 150 00:08:18,810 --> 00:08:21,990 S2: determine their position on the open sea, rather than always 151 00:08:21,990 --> 00:08:24,600 S2: sailing within sight of land. However, there might be a 152 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:27,570 S2: more mundane possibility the ship could have been caught in 153 00:08:27,570 --> 00:08:30,840 S2: a sudden storm and pushed out into the sea before 154 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,960 S2: it could reach shore. In Ezekiel 27, he describes the 155 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,570 S2: city of tyre as a ship of state and pictures 156 00:08:36,570 --> 00:08:39,600 S2: God destroying it just like a fierce storm destroying a 157 00:08:39,630 --> 00:08:42,150 S2: literal ship on the sea. And that's what might have 158 00:08:42,150 --> 00:08:44,910 S2: happened to this ship. It could also illustrate the storms 159 00:08:44,910 --> 00:08:47,460 S2: that struck ships on on which Jonah was, and the 160 00:08:47,460 --> 00:08:50,760 S2: Apostle Paul when they sailed said later. A sudden, violent 161 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:53,010 S2: storm pushing a ship away from land and out into 162 00:08:53,010 --> 00:08:56,160 S2: the open sea would have been frightening, and this particular 163 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:59,250 S2: ship ended up 56 miles from land when it finally 164 00:08:59,250 --> 00:08:59,880 S2: went down. 165 00:08:59,910 --> 00:09:02,940 S1: Any thoughts as to the contents of the clay jars? 166 00:09:03,179 --> 00:09:05,310 S2: They have not said anything yet, and I suspect that's 167 00:09:05,309 --> 00:09:07,260 S2: going to be something they'll be studying in detail in 168 00:09:07,260 --> 00:09:08,250 S2: the next months. 169 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:12,719 S1: Israeli scientists have turned a common parasite into a brain healer. 170 00:09:12,750 --> 00:09:16,440 S1: Sounds intriguing. Tell us about this latest innovation out of 171 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:17,970 S1: amazing Israel. Yeah. 172 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,330 S2: One problem with people suffering from neurological diseases is the 173 00:09:21,330 --> 00:09:24,630 S2: difficulty in delivering drugs into the brain through that blood 174 00:09:24,660 --> 00:09:27,780 S2: brain barrier, and that's where these Israeli scientists came up 175 00:09:27,780 --> 00:09:32,940 S2: with the idea of using Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite sometimes 176 00:09:32,940 --> 00:09:36,240 S2: called the cat parasite. Now, the parasite only reproduces in 177 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:39,840 S2: the guts of cats, but it's highly effective in infecting humans. 178 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:43,140 S2: About one third of the global population have been infected 179 00:09:43,140 --> 00:09:45,690 S2: at some point in time. The parasite is able to 180 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,990 S2: penetrate the human brain via the blood brain barrier, where 181 00:09:48,990 --> 00:09:52,020 S2: it remains in a dormant state. Well, the scientists genetically 182 00:09:52,020 --> 00:09:56,309 S2: engineered the parasite to enable it to secrete therapeutic proteins 183 00:09:56,309 --> 00:09:59,910 S2: using laboratory animals. They were able to demonstrate that injecting 184 00:09:59,910 --> 00:10:03,600 S2: the parasite into the subjects enabled the beneficial proteins to 185 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,600 S2: reach the brain. They've now set up a company called 186 00:10:06,630 --> 00:10:10,410 S2: Epius Pharma to develop ways to implement the discovery of 187 00:10:10,410 --> 00:10:13,980 S2: this drug delivery and genetic editing process. The name they 188 00:10:13,980 --> 00:10:17,189 S2: used for that company seems appropriate, since in Greek mythology, 189 00:10:17,220 --> 00:10:20,490 S2: Epius was the man who crafted the Trojan horse. Their 190 00:10:20,490 --> 00:10:25,080 S2: first project is to tackle Rett syndrome, a debilitating neurological disorder. 191 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:27,630 S2: But all in all, Jon, this is yet another discovery 192 00:10:27,630 --> 00:10:32,520 S2: with amazing potential coming our way from, of course, amazing Israel. 193 00:10:32,550 --> 00:10:34,920 S1: Thank you. Charlie, what I love about the guest we've 194 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:37,290 S1: got coming in our next segment is our focus on 195 00:10:37,290 --> 00:10:40,890 S1: the Bible's heroes, villains, and ordinary people. These are names 196 00:10:40,890 --> 00:10:43,380 S1: that don't often hear about from the Bible. You're about 197 00:10:43,380 --> 00:10:45,450 S1: to hear from them as we continue here on the 198 00:10:45,450 --> 00:11:03,510 S1: land and the book. Everybody has a story, something to 199 00:11:03,540 --> 00:11:06,870 S1: teach us about life. So from A to Z, get 200 00:11:06,870 --> 00:11:10,650 S1: ready to meet 125 of the thousands of heroes and 201 00:11:10,650 --> 00:11:13,709 S1: villains and ordinary people in the Bible, and we'll get 202 00:11:13,710 --> 00:11:16,500 S1: to know the God these people encountered, so your own 203 00:11:16,500 --> 00:11:19,170 S1: story will be better. Hey, welcome to the second of 204 00:11:19,170 --> 00:11:23,280 S1: four segments on the Land and the book. I'm John Gager, 205 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:25,589 S1: and before we dive into the stories of some great 206 00:11:25,590 --> 00:11:28,410 S1: Bible characters, let's you and I think about the stories 207 00:11:28,410 --> 00:11:31,709 S1: of our unsaved Jewish friends. How could we love them 208 00:11:31,710 --> 00:11:35,040 S1: more strategically for Christ? Think with me for just a moment. 209 00:11:35,309 --> 00:11:37,800 S1: So you would like to have a conversation with your 210 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:40,830 S1: Jewish friend, and you'd like that conversation to be centered 211 00:11:40,830 --> 00:11:43,859 S1: on Jesus and your Christian faith. But you're kind of 212 00:11:43,890 --> 00:11:46,630 S1: nervous because they might just ask a question that you 213 00:11:46,660 --> 00:11:50,590 S1: cannot answer. What then? Greg Savitt, what do you say? 214 00:11:50,650 --> 00:11:54,160 S3: Well, by your faith in Jesus, the New Testament that 215 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:59,260 S3: has over 250 direct quotes and 880 allusions, you will 216 00:11:59,260 --> 00:12:03,370 S3: know more about the Bible than they will. And if 217 00:12:03,370 --> 00:12:06,309 S3: they ask a question, go to the gospel of Google. 218 00:12:06,340 --> 00:12:09,250 S3: Look it up right there on your phone, and if 219 00:12:09,250 --> 00:12:12,640 S3: you don't have an answer, I would go and research 220 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:16,150 S3: them and find them the next day and say, I 221 00:12:16,179 --> 00:12:18,370 S3: found the answer that you were looking for, and then 222 00:12:18,370 --> 00:12:22,059 S3: you can sit down and have a conversation. Jewish people 223 00:12:22,059 --> 00:12:25,150 S3: will respect you more if you say, I really don't 224 00:12:25,150 --> 00:12:28,089 S3: know that. That's a great question, as opposed to you 225 00:12:28,090 --> 00:12:31,090 S3: just flying by the seat of your pants and giving 226 00:12:31,090 --> 00:12:34,150 S3: them an answer that really you don't know anything about. 227 00:12:34,150 --> 00:12:37,660 S3: So it's okay to say I don't understand and to 228 00:12:37,690 --> 00:12:38,830 S3: get back to them. 229 00:12:38,860 --> 00:12:42,040 S1: Greg Savitt is with Rock of Israel and joins us 230 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:46,410 S1: with insights here on the land and the book. Woodrow 231 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:49,890 S1: Michael Kroll is an evangelical preacher and radio host. For 232 00:12:49,890 --> 00:12:53,580 S1: many years, he served as the president and Bible teacher 233 00:12:53,580 --> 00:12:57,390 S1: for the international Back to the Bible Radio and Television Ministry. 234 00:12:57,390 --> 00:12:59,580 S1: That's where I had the privilege of linking up with him, 235 00:12:59,580 --> 00:13:02,340 S1: and before that he was president of Davis College in 236 00:13:02,340 --> 00:13:05,910 S1: Johnson City, New York. In addition to preaching and teaching, 237 00:13:05,910 --> 00:13:08,939 S1: Doctor Kroll is quite a writer, having authored more than 238 00:13:08,940 --> 00:13:12,810 S1: 50 books expounding on the Bible and Christian living. And 239 00:13:12,809 --> 00:13:15,689 S1: one of those books is a devotional called people in 240 00:13:15,690 --> 00:13:17,580 S1: the Bible. And though it's been out for a while, 241 00:13:17,580 --> 00:13:20,880 S1: the message is timeless. So it's a real pleasure to 242 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:24,150 S1: welcome Doctor Woodrow Kroll to the land and the book. 243 00:13:24,150 --> 00:13:25,020 S1: Good to have you. 244 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:26,790 S4: Thank you so much, John. 245 00:13:26,820 --> 00:13:30,809 S1: Hey, how did you choose the 125 Bible characters? Out 246 00:13:30,809 --> 00:13:33,330 S1: of all the thousands that are in Scripture. 247 00:13:33,809 --> 00:13:38,040 S4: Uh, process of elimination, I've got maybe 250 or so, 248 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:40,530 S4: and I said, I have to cut this down to 249 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:45,689 S4: a readable size. And so I chose not necessarily the 250 00:13:45,690 --> 00:13:50,460 S4: most popular or most well known, but characters that had 251 00:13:50,460 --> 00:13:54,660 S4: stories sometimes that nobody even knows their story. And I 252 00:13:54,660 --> 00:13:57,030 S4: wanted to tell that story. So that's how I chose 253 00:13:57,030 --> 00:13:58,710 S4: those 50 characters. 254 00:13:58,740 --> 00:14:02,790 S1: Any surprises for you personally in this journey of researching 255 00:14:02,790 --> 00:14:04,920 S1: all those Bible figures, you had to have invested a 256 00:14:04,950 --> 00:14:05,910 S1: lot of time. 257 00:14:06,270 --> 00:14:10,589 S4: Yes. And over the course of the years, I have 258 00:14:10,590 --> 00:14:13,890 S4: picked out characters in the Bible to do maybe a 259 00:14:13,890 --> 00:14:19,860 S4: series of messages on them, characters who had just terrific 260 00:14:19,860 --> 00:14:23,880 S4: stories behind them, terrific stories of their life or how 261 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:27,660 S4: they died or how they lived. And yet, these are 262 00:14:27,660 --> 00:14:30,900 S4: the kind of people that don't make the top five 263 00:14:30,900 --> 00:14:34,440 S4: or top 100 list. Some of them are names people 264 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:37,440 S4: would never even recognize, and yet they're in the Bible 265 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:41,610 S4: and they have a story of God's grace in their lives. 266 00:14:41,740 --> 00:14:46,420 S1: Pastor, radio host, college president, writer. Doctor Woodrow Kroll is 267 00:14:46,420 --> 00:14:49,000 S1: all of these. He's also a great friend and the 268 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:52,210 S1: author of people in the Bible. I'm John Gager. You're 269 00:14:52,210 --> 00:14:55,330 S1: listening to The Land and the book. I noted that 270 00:14:55,330 --> 00:14:59,950 S1: you've included some villains in this collection. Some might ask why? 271 00:15:00,220 --> 00:15:03,190 S4: Well, there are people in the Bible, too, and not 272 00:15:03,190 --> 00:15:07,090 S4: everybody who is mentioned in the Bible was a great hero. 273 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:09,760 S4: There were a lot of great villains in the Bible, 274 00:15:09,790 --> 00:15:13,810 S4: men and women, I might add. And they have a 275 00:15:13,810 --> 00:15:18,400 S4: story to tell of their evil, or perhaps sometimes their 276 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:22,420 S4: attempted evil. Uh, the good guys of the Bible. So 277 00:15:22,420 --> 00:15:26,890 S4: their story is important because we learn from their stories 278 00:15:26,890 --> 00:15:32,080 S4: how to watch out for wicked people or wicked intent 279 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:35,770 S4: from people today. So it's important that they're included in 280 00:15:35,770 --> 00:15:36,910 S4: the book as well. 281 00:15:36,940 --> 00:15:40,180 S1: You know, one of my intriguing Bible characters for me 282 00:15:40,210 --> 00:15:44,260 S1: personally is King Saul. I just feel so sad for 283 00:15:44,260 --> 00:15:47,530 S1: the way he ended. I mean, nobody had a brighter start, 284 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:50,680 S1: a better start, a more likely success story ahead of 285 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:53,830 S1: him than Saul. And yet it just all fell apart. 286 00:15:53,860 --> 00:15:57,670 S4: Yeah, it's a shame. Affected his family as well. His 287 00:15:57,670 --> 00:16:02,950 S4: sons died with him. Even David's best friend Jonathan. And 288 00:16:02,950 --> 00:16:07,690 S4: Saul's life is a life that should have had certainly 289 00:16:07,690 --> 00:16:10,690 S4: had had more promise than it ended with, and should 290 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:15,250 S4: have had a better conclusion. Except I think pride or 291 00:16:15,250 --> 00:16:19,300 S4: jealousy got in his way. David, you know, they were 292 00:16:19,300 --> 00:16:23,110 S4: saying that Saul killed his thousands and David's ten thousands 293 00:16:23,110 --> 00:16:25,930 S4: and and it's just got to him. Here was this 294 00:16:25,930 --> 00:16:30,250 S4: young prince that God had anointed. And Saul knew it, 295 00:16:30,250 --> 00:16:33,100 S4: but he didn't want to give up the throne. Certainly. 296 00:16:33,100 --> 00:16:37,240 S4: And his actions toward David and toward even the people 297 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:41,650 S4: of the Empire Are clearly indicated that something was wrong 298 00:16:41,650 --> 00:16:44,170 S4: with Saul in the end of his life. 299 00:16:44,290 --> 00:16:48,520 S1: Well, name 1 or 2 lesser known Bible characters that 300 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:50,440 S1: you look forward to meeting in heaven. And what is 301 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:52,390 S1: it about them that fascinates you? 302 00:16:52,900 --> 00:16:57,370 S4: Well, there are probably a dozen that their names are 303 00:16:57,370 --> 00:17:00,790 S4: not household names. One of my favorites is a guy 304 00:17:00,820 --> 00:17:06,909 S4: named Itai. Itai was a hero, but in the true 305 00:17:06,910 --> 00:17:10,600 S4: sense of the word, an unknown hero. He was from 306 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:14,350 S4: the city of Gath, so he's called a Gittite. That's 307 00:17:14,350 --> 00:17:18,399 S4: what you call people from Gath. And Itai befriended David 308 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:23,260 S4: and helped David in times of his need. And yet 309 00:17:23,260 --> 00:17:25,570 S4: you find out in the end of the story that 310 00:17:25,570 --> 00:17:29,859 S4: he comes from the same town that Goliath comes from. 311 00:17:29,859 --> 00:17:34,120 S4: So here's a man who clearly should have been an 312 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:37,090 S4: enemy of David, and yet he ends up being David's 313 00:17:37,090 --> 00:17:39,940 S4: great friend and deliverer on occasion. 314 00:17:39,970 --> 00:17:43,300 S1: All right. How about another lesser known Bible character? I 315 00:17:43,300 --> 00:17:46,119 S1: like that one that you're looking forward to hanging out 316 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:47,650 S1: with once we're in glory. 317 00:17:48,070 --> 00:17:52,660 S4: Well, of course, there are people like Barzillai, who was 318 00:17:52,690 --> 00:17:56,350 S4: a man who helped David cross the Jordan River when 319 00:17:56,350 --> 00:18:00,370 S4: he was on the run from his son Absalom. Barzillai 320 00:18:00,369 --> 00:18:04,689 S4: was a relatively wealthy man. He helped David when he 321 00:18:04,690 --> 00:18:08,320 S4: crossed over the Jordan into Transjordan. Then he helped him 322 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:13,629 S4: back into the land after David's son was dethroned and 323 00:18:13,630 --> 00:18:16,359 S4: David was going back to the throne. He's one of 324 00:18:16,359 --> 00:18:20,500 S4: those great characters. And then there are some people like Martha. 325 00:18:20,500 --> 00:18:24,340 S4: We know her name. We know what she does, but 326 00:18:24,340 --> 00:18:27,400 S4: we don't know what her connection to the Lord really 327 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:31,690 S4: is and the family from which she comes. So Martha 328 00:18:31,690 --> 00:18:35,170 S4: is better known, but still a story all on her 329 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:40,389 S4: own Because while Jesus said that Mary chose the better part, 330 00:18:40,540 --> 00:18:44,020 S4: Martha was still very important in this story, an important 331 00:18:44,020 --> 00:18:45,850 S4: role model for us today. 332 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:47,770 S1: Well, and the thing about Martha is, if you read 333 00:18:47,770 --> 00:18:52,030 S1: the account, it says that Martha welcomed Jesus into the home. 334 00:18:52,030 --> 00:18:54,220 S1: It wasn't Mary, it was Martha. And I think there's 335 00:18:54,220 --> 00:18:56,470 S1: something to be said for that sense of hospitality. 336 00:18:56,500 --> 00:19:00,369 S4: Yes. And, you know, Martha had certain questions for Jesus. 337 00:19:00,369 --> 00:19:03,730 S4: And it shows us, I think, that when you're on 338 00:19:03,730 --> 00:19:07,240 S4: a good basis with the Lord Jesus, when you're, uh, 339 00:19:07,270 --> 00:19:11,560 S4: you know, you're all prayed up and all repented up, uh, 340 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:16,090 S4: when you're living a life that's pure and wholesome and 341 00:19:16,090 --> 00:19:18,340 S4: something comes into your life and you want to question 342 00:19:18,340 --> 00:19:21,010 S4: the Lord about it, that's okay. You know, it's all 343 00:19:21,010 --> 00:19:25,000 S4: right to ask the Lord why didn't this happen? But 344 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:27,909 S4: we have to be willing to accept the answer. And 345 00:19:27,910 --> 00:19:31,690 S4: apparently Martha was. Because she's the one who welcomed Jesus 346 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:32,859 S4: into the house. 347 00:19:32,980 --> 00:19:37,300 S1: How does studying Bible characters enhance our walk with Christ. 348 00:19:38,020 --> 00:19:40,180 S4: Well, there are people like we are, you know, and 349 00:19:40,180 --> 00:19:43,150 S4: we have a tendency because they're in the Bible story. 350 00:19:43,150 --> 00:19:46,420 S4: We have a tendency to think these are untouchables. These 351 00:19:46,420 --> 00:19:49,780 S4: are these are people. I could never be a David. Well, 352 00:19:49,780 --> 00:19:53,050 S4: it's true, I never could be a David. But that 353 00:19:53,050 --> 00:19:57,970 S4: doesn't mean that I can't employ in my life some 354 00:19:57,970 --> 00:20:01,119 S4: of the character qualities I see in David. And the 355 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:05,620 S4: same thing is true for Moses or Abraham or the disciples. 356 00:20:05,619 --> 00:20:09,520 S4: Certainly the Lord Jesus and I want to incorporate in 357 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:13,990 S4: my life my daily living, some of the hero qualities 358 00:20:13,990 --> 00:20:16,929 S4: that I find in these unsung heroes. 359 00:20:16,930 --> 00:20:19,810 S1: If you've joined us midstream, this is the land and 360 00:20:19,810 --> 00:20:23,440 S1: the book. I'm John Gager, our guest, Doctor Woodrow Kroll, 361 00:20:23,470 --> 00:20:26,680 S1: a man I've admired for decades. We're talking about people 362 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:29,679 S1: in the Bible. Answer the skeptic who says, look, we 363 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:33,250 S1: don't really need to dig into people. These lesser characters, particularly. 364 00:20:33,250 --> 00:20:36,940 S1: We know plenty about the Bible. People that quote really matter. 365 00:20:37,030 --> 00:20:40,960 S4: Yeah, it all depends on your perspective. I think if 366 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:46,090 S4: you want to fly 37,000ft over the land, you choose 367 00:20:46,090 --> 00:20:49,000 S4: a jet. If you want to get down into the land, 368 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,149 S4: you probably go by train or by car. Both of 369 00:20:52,150 --> 00:20:56,200 S4: those are important. We use both trains cars and we 370 00:20:56,200 --> 00:21:00,639 S4: use jets to get around. But by digging down into 371 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:05,530 S4: these people, we get stories and lessons from those stories 372 00:21:05,530 --> 00:21:09,850 S4: that you don't get at 37,000ft. So it's important to 373 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:13,330 S4: have that high overview of the Bible. Learn as much 374 00:21:13,330 --> 00:21:16,869 S4: as we can. Genesis to revelation, but then to drill 375 00:21:16,869 --> 00:21:20,560 S4: down in some characters to learn even more of what 376 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:24,040 S4: we could not get by flying high over the Bible. 377 00:21:24,070 --> 00:21:27,459 S1: All right, here's a personal confession and a request for advice. 378 00:21:27,460 --> 00:21:28,540 S1: Are you ready for this? 379 00:21:28,570 --> 00:21:29,200 S5: Sure. 380 00:21:29,230 --> 00:21:32,109 S1: My my tendency I've noticed over the years is to 381 00:21:32,140 --> 00:21:35,140 S1: set these great men and women of the Bible on 382 00:21:35,140 --> 00:21:38,080 S1: a pedestal, and I'm sad when I go on to 383 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:41,710 S1: read that they've messed up. You mentioned David. Wonderful guy 384 00:21:41,710 --> 00:21:45,760 S1: and we all knew what he ultimately got into. I 385 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:49,660 S1: suspect there are two lessons here. First, only Jesus belongs 386 00:21:49,660 --> 00:21:53,200 S1: on a pedestal. And second, since my life is flawed, 387 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:56,260 S1: I shouldn't be surprised that they were flawed as well. 388 00:21:56,290 --> 00:21:57,310 S1: What are your thoughts? 389 00:21:57,490 --> 00:22:02,200 S4: Yeah, that's certainly true. When we think of, let's say, 390 00:22:02,230 --> 00:22:06,580 S4: David's life, when we think of his life, David clearly 391 00:22:06,580 --> 00:22:10,030 S4: loved the Lord. I mean, he he was walking more 392 00:22:10,030 --> 00:22:15,520 S4: closely with his God than most Christians do today. However, 393 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:19,240 S4: he also was a human being, and his human qualities 394 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:22,659 S4: overtook him on a number of occasions, the worst of which, 395 00:22:22,690 --> 00:22:26,680 S4: of course, was the affair with Bathsheba. However, if you 396 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:29,950 S4: go far enough in David's story, you see that he 397 00:22:29,950 --> 00:22:34,179 S4: repented of that sin. He even wrote Psalm 51 as 398 00:22:34,180 --> 00:22:38,950 S4: a written confession and repentance of his sin with Bathsheba. 399 00:22:38,950 --> 00:22:43,300 S4: And here's a man who learned how to live, how 400 00:22:43,300 --> 00:22:46,390 S4: to sin, and then how to repent of that sin 401 00:22:46,390 --> 00:22:49,300 S4: and live again. And I think we learn so much 402 00:22:49,300 --> 00:22:52,450 S4: from him and all the characters of the Bible. 403 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:55,570 S1: And I think the fact that these flawed women and 404 00:22:55,570 --> 00:22:58,540 S1: men were still used of God, that ought to be 405 00:22:58,540 --> 00:23:01,300 S1: a great source of encouragement to us. Develop that thought 406 00:23:01,300 --> 00:23:02,859 S1: just a bit further, Doctor Crowell. 407 00:23:02,890 --> 00:23:06,520 S4: Sure. Uh, you know, we we have to remember that 408 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:09,970 S4: we are nobody, uh, those that others set on a 409 00:23:09,970 --> 00:23:15,159 S4: pedestal still are nobodies. You know, I, I loved my 410 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:19,690 S4: time in Christian radio. I have a binder, probably. Oh, 411 00:23:19,690 --> 00:23:24,189 S4: an inch and a quarter thick of single spaced comments 412 00:23:24,190 --> 00:23:27,820 S4: from people when I retired from radio. And, you know, 413 00:23:27,820 --> 00:23:32,480 S4: they're just such delightful people, those who listen to Christian radio. However, 414 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:34,700 S4: if they set me on a pedestal, they need to 415 00:23:34,700 --> 00:23:38,240 S4: know that I grew up on a chicken farm. You know, I, 416 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:43,220 S4: I caught chickens at night just to help our families survive. 417 00:23:43,220 --> 00:23:47,690 S4: And my life is no different from anyone else's life 418 00:23:47,690 --> 00:23:50,929 S4: and anyone else that we might put on a pedestal. 419 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:55,910 S4: That's a mistake because we are people who have feet 420 00:23:55,910 --> 00:23:59,720 S4: of clay. We're going to mess up, and we're going 421 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:02,450 S4: to have to learn how to ask God to forgive 422 00:24:02,450 --> 00:24:05,900 S4: us and move on from when we messed up, to 423 00:24:05,930 --> 00:24:09,050 S4: when we can do something very vital for the Lord. 424 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:12,560 S1: In addition to preaching and teaching, Doctor Woodrow Kroll is 425 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:15,500 S1: quite a writer with more than 50 books to his credit. 426 00:24:15,530 --> 00:24:18,620 S1: One of those books, a devotional called people in the Bible. 427 00:24:18,619 --> 00:24:21,320 S1: That's our focus today on the land and the book. 428 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:23,990 S1: What kind of a message do you think these people 429 00:24:23,990 --> 00:24:26,420 S1: in the Bible would have for us, the living? What 430 00:24:26,420 --> 00:24:29,510 S1: would they want us to know or think or do. 431 00:24:29,990 --> 00:24:33,379 S4: Well, a lot of them messed up as we've talked about. 432 00:24:33,410 --> 00:24:37,429 S4: A lot of them were in situations of their own making, 433 00:24:37,430 --> 00:24:41,870 S4: and they had to learn how to handle failure, how 434 00:24:41,869 --> 00:24:45,530 S4: to handle mistakes. We do too. I mean, we we 435 00:24:45,530 --> 00:24:48,439 S4: mess up and we do this very same things that 436 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:52,190 S4: some of these people in the Bible do, their stories. 437 00:24:52,190 --> 00:24:55,700 S4: If the story ends well, that is to say, if 438 00:24:55,700 --> 00:24:58,850 S4: they get right with God and they get back in 439 00:24:58,850 --> 00:25:01,520 S4: the saddle, so to speak, so that they can actually 440 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:05,450 S4: be a part of the army of God. If that happens, 441 00:25:05,450 --> 00:25:08,030 S4: we need to look at their lives and find out 442 00:25:08,030 --> 00:25:10,369 S4: how did they do that? You know, how did God 443 00:25:10,369 --> 00:25:13,310 S4: use them? What did God do to bring them back? 444 00:25:13,310 --> 00:25:17,210 S4: Because we need that so often in our own lives. 445 00:25:17,210 --> 00:25:20,090 S4: And if they didn't mess up, if they if they 446 00:25:20,090 --> 00:25:23,869 S4: lived a life that was exemplary, we have to ask ourselves, 447 00:25:23,869 --> 00:25:27,680 S4: what is the character quality in this person that I 448 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:31,520 S4: need in my life. And from that we learn how 449 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:33,500 S4: to live a life of the Lord. 450 00:25:33,530 --> 00:25:35,990 S1: Well, that's great advice. And there's more in the book. 451 00:25:35,990 --> 00:25:38,389 S1: People in the Bible, a link to that and to 452 00:25:38,420 --> 00:25:43,730 S1: Doctor Krull's ministry at our website, the land and the book. Org. Well, 453 00:25:43,730 --> 00:25:46,189 S1: in our next segment, Doctor Charlie Dyer is back to 454 00:25:46,220 --> 00:25:48,950 S1: answer Bible questions. And Doctor Crowell, I'm looking forward to 455 00:25:48,980 --> 00:25:51,260 S1: connecting again in the future. Thanks for your time. 456 00:25:51,290 --> 00:25:53,030 S5: Thank you John. My pleasure. 457 00:25:53,060 --> 00:26:08,840 S1: More to come on the land and the book. Thanks 458 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:10,669 S1: for staying with us here at The Land and the 459 00:26:10,670 --> 00:26:13,520 S1: book with our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Gager, 460 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:16,430 S1: and we love this next segment because it's all about you, 461 00:26:16,460 --> 00:26:20,660 S1: your thoughts, your wonderings as you wander through Scripture. No 462 00:26:20,660 --> 00:26:23,149 S1: shortage of questions come to mind. Right, Charlie? Oh, I. 463 00:26:23,150 --> 00:26:26,119 S2: Love it, John. You're exactly right. When we read the Bible, 464 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:28,280 S2: It's amazing what questions it raises in our mind, and 465 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:30,800 S2: answering them gets us even deeper into the Bible. 466 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:32,780 S1: Well, Israel has been in the news a lot over 467 00:26:32,780 --> 00:26:34,880 S1: the past year and as we know, the Bible is 468 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:39,230 S1: jam packed with end times prophecies about epic world events, 469 00:26:39,230 --> 00:26:43,070 S1: the regathering of the Jewish people to their homeland, Jesus returned. 470 00:26:43,070 --> 00:26:45,410 S1: And it is really crucial, it seems to me that 471 00:26:45,410 --> 00:26:49,040 S1: believers have a proper understanding of Bible prophecy. So our 472 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:51,650 S1: view of the future is shaped by Scripture, not just 473 00:26:51,650 --> 00:26:53,149 S1: today's headlines. What do you think? 474 00:26:53,180 --> 00:26:55,639 S2: I agree completely, and with that in mind, our friends 475 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:58,970 S2: at Life and Messiah have published a book titled God, 476 00:26:58,970 --> 00:27:02,330 S2: Israel and Bible Prophecy, and they're offering it to listeners 477 00:27:02,330 --> 00:27:04,550 S2: of the land in the book for a limited time. 478 00:27:04,550 --> 00:27:08,330 S2: This informative book is focused on providing readers with a 479 00:27:08,330 --> 00:27:12,080 S2: deeper understanding and greater appreciation for what God has in 480 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:15,050 S2: store for Israel and the nations by digging into what 481 00:27:15,050 --> 00:27:18,080 S2: the scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're interested 482 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:21,050 S2: in learning more about what God has in store, visit 483 00:27:21,050 --> 00:27:25,070 S2: Life in messiah.org and click on the Moody Radio button. 484 00:27:25,070 --> 00:27:27,530 S2: To find out how you can receive your free copy 485 00:27:27,530 --> 00:27:33,530 S2: of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org. 486 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:37,550 S1: And now drum roll please. Question number one for today's 487 00:27:37,550 --> 00:27:40,580 S1: segment it's Jeff. He says based on your understanding of 488 00:27:40,580 --> 00:27:45,619 S1: Old and New Testament prophecies, specifically second Thessalonians two verse four, 489 00:27:45,619 --> 00:27:48,950 S1: how likely do you believe it is that current events 490 00:27:48,950 --> 00:27:51,740 S1: in Israel are a precursor to the end times? 491 00:27:51,770 --> 00:27:54,800 S2: Well, I do find Bible prophecy something that people really 492 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:57,590 S2: ought to study, but in light of that, my answer 493 00:27:57,590 --> 00:28:00,320 S2: might be surprising. I think an honest answer is that 494 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:02,810 S2: we don't know if current events are a precursor to 495 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:05,750 S2: the end times, and we won't know until the day 496 00:28:05,780 --> 00:28:08,780 S2: God removes the church from the earth and resumes working 497 00:28:08,780 --> 00:28:12,380 S2: to fulfill his program and his promises for Israel. I 498 00:28:12,380 --> 00:28:14,510 S2: think that's the main point Paul is making there in 499 00:28:14,510 --> 00:28:17,540 S2: second Thessalonians two. Actually, in verses 1 to 8, the 500 00:28:17,540 --> 00:28:20,840 S2: Thessalonians believed that the day of the Lord had already arrived, 501 00:28:20,840 --> 00:28:24,440 S2: and Paul reminds them of specific events connected with that 502 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,320 S2: day that hadn't been fulfilled, and he says he'd already 503 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:30,530 S2: explained this to them earlier. Now, I do believe we 504 00:28:30,530 --> 00:28:33,709 S2: might be seeing God setting the stage for the end times. 505 00:28:33,710 --> 00:28:37,939 S2: For example, the Antichrist, to fulfill Daniel 927 has to 506 00:28:37,970 --> 00:28:40,430 S2: confirm a covenant with the many. It says for a 507 00:28:40,430 --> 00:28:42,920 S2: seven year period, and to do that, Israel needs to 508 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:45,440 S2: be back in the land. And I do see Israel 509 00:28:45,470 --> 00:28:47,900 S2: back in the land as a milestone event. It took 510 00:28:47,900 --> 00:28:51,440 S2: place in 1948, and by the middle of that future 511 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:54,739 S2: seven year period, it says a functioning temple needs to 512 00:28:54,740 --> 00:28:56,840 S2: be in place. In fact, at least 3 or 4 513 00:28:56,840 --> 00:28:59,870 S2: different places in the scriptures, it mentions that temple that's 514 00:28:59,870 --> 00:29:02,450 S2: going to be there. Now, this suggests that Israel also 515 00:29:02,450 --> 00:29:04,370 S2: has to be back in the land and needs to 516 00:29:04,370 --> 00:29:07,100 S2: be rebuilding that temple, which could be part of God 517 00:29:07,130 --> 00:29:10,460 S2: setting the stage. But again, I believe the next event 518 00:29:10,460 --> 00:29:13,430 S2: to be fulfilled is the removal of the church from earth. 519 00:29:13,430 --> 00:29:16,100 S2: That will be followed by the resumption of God's program 520 00:29:16,100 --> 00:29:18,800 S2: for the nation of Israel. So what we're seeing could 521 00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:22,040 S2: be a precursor to God resuming his program. But I 522 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:24,560 S2: don't think we can say with absolute certainty that what 523 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:27,680 S2: we're seeing today is being the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, 524 00:29:27,710 --> 00:29:31,160 S2: since nothing needs to happen prior to God's return for 525 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:32,240 S2: his church. Boy that's. 526 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:35,660 S1: Encouraging. Thank you Charlie. Todd takes us to two Samuel eight, 527 00:29:35,690 --> 00:29:39,440 S1: verse 18, where we read that David's sons were priests. 528 00:29:39,470 --> 00:29:41,900 S1: He wants to know how could this be, since David 529 00:29:41,900 --> 00:29:44,810 S1: was not a Levite or a descendant of Aaron? 530 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:48,260 S2: Yeah. And the Hebrew word used in Second Samuel 818 531 00:29:48,260 --> 00:29:52,040 S2: that describes David's sons is indeed Kohanim, which is the 532 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:55,190 S2: normal Hebrew word for priests. However, in this case, it's 533 00:29:55,190 --> 00:29:58,010 S2: likely the reality that the word is being used in 534 00:29:58,010 --> 00:30:00,740 S2: a less common sense to refer to some type of 535 00:30:00,740 --> 00:30:03,950 S2: royal advisor. You know, the new American standard translates it 536 00:30:03,950 --> 00:30:08,060 S2: as chief ministers. The NIV translates it their royal advisors. 537 00:30:08,300 --> 00:30:10,580 S2: We do something similar in English, by the way. We 538 00:30:10,580 --> 00:30:13,490 S2: use the word minister to refer to a high government 539 00:30:13,490 --> 00:30:16,430 S2: official as well as a member of the clergy. Now, 540 00:30:16,460 --> 00:30:18,469 S2: some might say, well, Charlie, it sounds like you're just 541 00:30:18,470 --> 00:30:20,510 S2: doing that as a cop out, but I believe it's 542 00:30:20,510 --> 00:30:25,320 S2: supported by a parallel passage in First Chronicles 1817. The 543 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:28,710 S2: two sons are said to be chiefs at the king's side, 544 00:30:28,710 --> 00:30:31,710 S2: or chief officials at the king's side, and the Hebrew 545 00:30:31,740 --> 00:30:34,410 S2: word used there is richon, which has the idea of 546 00:30:34,410 --> 00:30:37,350 S2: first or chief. It literally says the sons of David 547 00:30:37,380 --> 00:30:40,140 S2: were first by the hand of the king. So the 548 00:30:40,140 --> 00:30:42,630 S2: parallel passage makes it clear that the two sons were 549 00:30:42,630 --> 00:30:46,830 S2: functioning as chief court advisers, and not as priests or 550 00:30:46,830 --> 00:30:48,150 S2: religious officials. 551 00:30:48,180 --> 00:30:50,970 S1: Question now from Robert. Is there any evidence that the 552 00:30:50,970 --> 00:30:54,900 S1: Achaeans were expelled from temple worship in Jerusalem because of 553 00:30:54,930 --> 00:30:59,340 S1: their endorsement of unapproved texts like Enoch and Jubilees? 554 00:30:59,370 --> 00:31:02,040 S2: Yeah, I don't know of any evidence that would suggest this. 555 00:31:02,070 --> 00:31:05,520 S2: Josephus describes the scenes, and he does say at one point, 556 00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:08,580 S2: the Essenes do not offer sacrifices because they have more 557 00:31:08,580 --> 00:31:12,000 S2: pure lustrations of their own, on which account they are 558 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:14,820 S2: excluded from the common court of the temple, but offer 559 00:31:14,820 --> 00:31:19,050 S2: their sacrifices themselves. But this exclusion he's talking about relates 560 00:31:19,050 --> 00:31:23,220 S2: to sacrifices, not to the non-canonical books of the Bible. 561 00:31:23,250 --> 00:31:26,880 S2: In fact, Josephus and another ancient writer, Philo, suggest the 562 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:30,540 S2: Essenes were admired for their piety and generosity. So the 563 00:31:30,540 --> 00:31:33,090 S2: only negative I can find is the one from Josephus 564 00:31:33,090 --> 00:31:37,170 S2: relating to not offering sacrifices. It doesn't relate to those 565 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:38,820 S2: extra biblical books. 566 00:31:38,820 --> 00:31:41,100 S1: Thanks for listening to the land and the book today 567 00:31:41,100 --> 00:31:44,670 S1: where we're looking at questions from the Bible. Your questions, 568 00:31:44,670 --> 00:31:48,480 S1: questions also about prophecy, questions about Israel itself. They're all 569 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:53,969 S1: welcome when you email us at The Land and the book@moody.edu. 570 00:31:54,150 --> 00:31:57,000 S1: Here's a question about prophecy. It seems to be fairly 571 00:31:57,000 --> 00:32:00,330 S1: well documented that Muslims who control the Temple Mount treat 572 00:32:00,330 --> 00:32:02,730 S1: the dome of the Rock as if it were Solomon's 573 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:06,180 S1: Third Temple. Do you think there's any possibility that Israel 574 00:32:06,180 --> 00:32:10,200 S1: or the rabbis in Israel will or could ever recognize 575 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:13,080 S1: the dome of the Rock as their own temple? 576 00:32:13,110 --> 00:32:16,050 S2: Well, you know, from the earliest Islamic times, up until 577 00:32:16,050 --> 00:32:19,040 S2: the establishment of the State of Israel, Muslim sources were 578 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:22,250 S2: virtually unanimous in stating that the Temple Mount area of 579 00:32:22,250 --> 00:32:26,540 S2: the Haram al-Sharif is where Solomon's Temple once stood. However, 580 00:32:26,540 --> 00:32:29,150 S2: after the beginning of the modern state of Israel, especially 581 00:32:29,150 --> 00:32:33,320 S2: since after Israel captured the city in 1967, Muslims have 582 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:36,590 S2: been adamant in insisting that the Jews have no historical 583 00:32:36,590 --> 00:32:39,800 S2: connection to Jerusalem or the Temple Mount. But now, to 584 00:32:39,830 --> 00:32:43,160 S2: answer the question specifically, I do not believe the rabbis 585 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:46,100 S2: would ever recognize the dome of the Rock as the temple. 586 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:50,390 S2: They have solid historical information on the dimensions of the temple, 587 00:32:50,390 --> 00:32:53,360 S2: and the dome of the Rock just doesn't match. I 588 00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:56,300 S2: read Biblical Archaeology Review. I don't recall in there being 589 00:32:56,300 --> 00:33:00,170 S2: an article where Muslims were trying to simulate temple practices, 590 00:33:00,170 --> 00:33:03,650 S2: but even if they were, those practices wouldn't match those 591 00:33:03,650 --> 00:33:06,770 S2: that existed in Solomon's Temple or in the one at 592 00:33:06,770 --> 00:33:08,060 S2: the time of Jesus. 593 00:33:08,090 --> 00:33:11,810 S1: This listener says it's clear that various different Islamic tribes 594 00:33:11,810 --> 00:33:15,290 S1: conquered Judea or Palaestina, or whatever the Romans used to 595 00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:17,910 S1: call it in the seven hundreds. And and this had 596 00:33:17,910 --> 00:33:21,720 S1: a negative impact on the Jewish inhabitants as well. Do 597 00:33:21,720 --> 00:33:24,960 S1: you cover the administrative practices of the different occupiers since 598 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:27,540 S1: 700 AD in your new book? 599 00:33:27,570 --> 00:33:29,760 S2: Yeah, and most of what new book? Well, the new 600 00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:31,320 S2: book is the one that's coming out in October. Who 601 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:33,570 S2: Owns the land? And I talked with this fellow about 602 00:33:33,570 --> 00:33:35,790 S2: it in the book. I do deal briefly with the 603 00:33:35,790 --> 00:33:38,790 S2: groups that controlled the region during the Islamic period. However, 604 00:33:38,790 --> 00:33:41,970 S2: I do so only in passing and without really covering 605 00:33:41,970 --> 00:33:45,570 S2: the different administrative practices. For example, there is a short 606 00:33:45,570 --> 00:33:48,060 S2: section that talks about the Arabs conquest of the Holy 607 00:33:48,090 --> 00:33:50,850 S2: Land and how it began a period of nearly 13 608 00:33:50,850 --> 00:33:54,600 S2: centuries of Muslim rule. But the Arabs themselves only controlled 609 00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:57,930 S2: the area about five of those centuries. Arab control ended 610 00:33:57,930 --> 00:34:01,800 S2: when the Seljuk Turks took Jerusalem in 1071, and then 611 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:04,800 S2: it passed between different Muslim groups until the Ottomans finally 612 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:07,560 S2: controlled it, and that ended in World War One. Now 613 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:10,680 S2: it's a confusing period for most in the West, and 614 00:34:10,710 --> 00:34:13,380 S2: I try in the book not to get too technical 615 00:34:13,380 --> 00:34:16,259 S2: or I'll put everybody to sleep, but there are other 616 00:34:16,260 --> 00:34:18,540 S2: good sources available, and I have a lot of footnotes 617 00:34:18,540 --> 00:34:20,220 S2: in there that direct people to them. 618 00:34:20,310 --> 00:34:22,649 S1: Well, here's a question from Charles. He says. I've read 619 00:34:22,650 --> 00:34:26,040 S1: Jesus quote in John ten verses 34 through 36, where 620 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:30,360 S1: he answers the blasphemy charges by quoting Psalm 82, verse six. 621 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:34,140 S1: The God's mentioned there, though, are what he's confused was 622 00:34:34,140 --> 00:34:37,319 S1: this first verse referring to celestial beings who is being 623 00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:40,200 S1: called God's? Is verse six referring to men? Help us 624 00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:41,339 S1: unpack this, Charlie. 625 00:34:41,370 --> 00:34:43,290 S2: Yeah, and this is going to sound a bit convoluted, 626 00:34:43,290 --> 00:34:46,380 S2: so bear with me. I first start with the Psalm 82, 627 00:34:46,530 --> 00:34:49,080 S2: the passage that Jesus is quoting, and the psalmist is 628 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:52,260 S2: drawing a parallel between God as the ultimate judge and 629 00:34:52,260 --> 00:34:55,260 S2: the wicked rulers or judges in his day, who set 630 00:34:55,260 --> 00:34:57,750 S2: themselves up almost as having the power of life and 631 00:34:57,750 --> 00:35:01,469 S2: death over others like God, these human judges saw themselves 632 00:35:01,469 --> 00:35:05,400 S2: as gods, lowercase g there, since they possess the power 633 00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:08,100 S2: to impact the lives of others. And the psalmist then 634 00:35:08,100 --> 00:35:11,370 S2: asks God, you know, the ultimate judge, the capital G God, 635 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:14,310 S2: to call them to account for their actions. But here 636 00:35:14,310 --> 00:35:17,970 S2: in another passages like Exodus 22 eight, the Hebrew word 637 00:35:17,969 --> 00:35:21,930 S2: Elohim gods can indeed sometimes be used to refer to 638 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:25,830 S2: human judges. Now, in John ten, Jesus is answering Jews 639 00:35:25,830 --> 00:35:28,440 S2: who want to stone him for blasphemy. They're accusing him 640 00:35:28,469 --> 00:35:31,380 S2: of breaking God's law by claiming to be one with God. 641 00:35:31,410 --> 00:35:34,589 S2: Jesus points out that in the law itself, referring to 642 00:35:34,620 --> 00:35:37,440 S2: the whole Old Testament, not just the mosaic law, that 643 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:40,140 S2: God is the ultimate judge and he could refer to 644 00:35:40,170 --> 00:35:43,650 S2: human judges as gods in the sense of being expected 645 00:35:43,650 --> 00:35:46,200 S2: to carry out his work on earth. And his argument 646 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:48,239 S2: goes something like this if the Word of God can 647 00:35:48,239 --> 00:35:51,029 S2: call human judges gods because of the work they were 648 00:35:51,030 --> 00:35:53,640 S2: claiming to do for God, then how could the religious 649 00:35:53,640 --> 00:35:57,180 S2: leaders in Jesus's day accuse him of blasphemy for claiming 650 00:35:57,210 --> 00:36:00,270 S2: to be God's son while also doing God's work on earth? 651 00:36:00,300 --> 00:36:02,640 S2: In essence, he's using the Word of God to blunt 652 00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:05,520 S2: their argument they were trying to make against him. 653 00:36:05,550 --> 00:36:08,549 S1: One last question from Terry. I would appreciate knowing what 654 00:36:08,550 --> 00:36:11,790 S1: your description of the Kingdom of God is. Any thoughts? 655 00:36:11,820 --> 00:36:14,970 S2: Yeah, I take the kingdom of God to be, especially 656 00:36:14,969 --> 00:36:16,590 S2: in the book of Matthew, to refer to the coming 657 00:36:16,590 --> 00:36:19,739 S2: Messianic Kingdom. We also would call it the Millennial Kingdom. 658 00:36:19,770 --> 00:36:22,590 S2: You know, in the Lord's Prayer, Jesus said, your kingdom come, 659 00:36:22,590 --> 00:36:24,750 S2: your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 660 00:36:24,780 --> 00:36:27,720 S2: That second part of the phrase explains the first. That is, 661 00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:30,510 S2: when God's kingdom comes. It's when God is ruling on 662 00:36:30,510 --> 00:36:32,880 S2: earth as he has been in heaven. And Jesus will 663 00:36:32,880 --> 00:36:35,100 S2: do that when he rules from David's throne over the 664 00:36:35,100 --> 00:36:36,089 S2: entire earth. 665 00:36:36,120 --> 00:36:38,370 S1: Well, we promised you there'd be a lot of variety 666 00:36:38,370 --> 00:36:40,770 S1: in these questions, and boy, there always is. Thank you 667 00:36:40,770 --> 00:36:43,169 S1: for sharing yours with us when you email us at 668 00:36:43,170 --> 00:36:48,240 S1: The Land and the book@moody.edu. Another segment to come. It's 669 00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:51,359 S1: Charlie Dyer's devotional next, right here on the land and 670 00:36:51,360 --> 00:37:05,940 S1: the book. You know, the older I get, the more 671 00:37:05,940 --> 00:37:08,670 S1: I have to write things down. I've taken to doing that. 672 00:37:08,670 --> 00:37:11,759 S1: Typically on my phone, I get 17 different apps that 673 00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:14,440 S1: let me write down lists of to do things. But 674 00:37:14,440 --> 00:37:15,940 S1: this is the land in the book. And we're not 675 00:37:15,940 --> 00:37:20,080 S1: about lists per se. We are about God's Book of Remembrance. 676 00:37:20,110 --> 00:37:22,150 S1: That's a list of sorts, right, Charlie? 677 00:37:22,150 --> 00:37:23,140 S2: It is John. 678 00:37:23,170 --> 00:37:26,800 S1: And that's the focus as Charlie continues his interesting devotional series, 679 00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:29,379 S1: 3/16 of the Bible. We're going to get to that 680 00:37:29,380 --> 00:37:32,049 S1: after we listen to this testimony from an Israel traveler. 681 00:37:32,080 --> 00:37:33,130 S1: Check this out. 682 00:37:36,940 --> 00:37:40,810 S6: The desert was the biggest thrill for me, and I 683 00:37:40,810 --> 00:37:43,150 S6: think it may be because I've spent the last several 684 00:37:43,150 --> 00:37:46,990 S6: months reading and studying the life of Abraham. So to 685 00:37:47,020 --> 00:37:50,020 S6: go there and to see the Negev, and to see 686 00:37:50,050 --> 00:37:53,410 S6: the land that he lived in, and to see Beersheba, 687 00:37:53,410 --> 00:37:57,970 S6: to see the wealth that's located there. And to me, 688 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:00,759 S6: it made the Bible so much richer. And I'll give 689 00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:03,040 S6: you just a small example. But one of the things 690 00:38:03,040 --> 00:38:05,290 S6: we learned was about camels. And we would see camels 691 00:38:05,290 --> 00:38:08,200 S6: in the desert. And our tour guide, who was excellent, 692 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:12,030 S6: mentioned that camels would drink about ten buckets of water. 693 00:38:12,060 --> 00:38:14,550 S6: And then she directed us to point it out to 694 00:38:14,670 --> 00:38:18,120 S6: Abraham's servant, who went to the well and was told, 695 00:38:18,150 --> 00:38:21,120 S6: you know that look for the woman who would not 696 00:38:21,120 --> 00:38:23,430 S6: only offer water to you, but for your camels. Well, 697 00:38:23,430 --> 00:38:26,220 S6: I went back to the Scripture that night and read 698 00:38:26,219 --> 00:38:29,550 S6: that scripture. Do you know that Abraham's servant had ten camels? 699 00:38:29,550 --> 00:38:31,830 S6: Do you know that each camel would have drunk ten 700 00:38:31,830 --> 00:38:36,870 S6: buckets of water? So Rebecca served 100 gallons of water 701 00:38:36,870 --> 00:38:39,930 S6: to the camel. Now to me it makes the scripture 702 00:38:39,930 --> 00:38:43,650 S6: so much richer. And that's one of 100 examples I 703 00:38:43,650 --> 00:38:44,580 S6: could give you. 704 00:38:46,230 --> 00:38:48,870 S1: Charlie, I've been intrigued with where you've taken us in 705 00:38:48,870 --> 00:38:52,259 S1: your three sixteens of the Bible. Where are we headed today? 706 00:38:52,290 --> 00:38:55,830 S2: Well, today we're heading to Malachi. Uh, but I got 707 00:38:55,830 --> 00:38:57,960 S2: to back up just a second. It's week three of 708 00:38:57,960 --> 00:39:01,080 S2: our five week series on these famous 316 of the Bible. 709 00:39:01,080 --> 00:39:03,660 S2: And our destination today is going to be the city 710 00:39:03,660 --> 00:39:06,899 S2: of Jerusalem and the last book of the Old Testament. Now, 711 00:39:06,900 --> 00:39:09,060 S2: when I was growing up, John, I really thought the 712 00:39:09,060 --> 00:39:12,180 S2: prophet who wrote this book was named Malachi. And no, 713 00:39:12,180 --> 00:39:13,950 S2: I didn't hear the old joke about him being the 714 00:39:13,980 --> 00:39:18,030 S2: Italian prophet in our little corner of northeast Pennsylvania. There 715 00:39:18,030 --> 00:39:21,930 S2: was a children's television program called Hatchi Malachi that featured 716 00:39:21,930 --> 00:39:24,600 S2: Miss Judy. The name of the program actually came from 717 00:39:24,600 --> 00:39:27,060 S2: a song of the same name that was recorded by 718 00:39:27,060 --> 00:39:30,510 S2: Rosemary Clooney back in the early 1950s. But if the 719 00:39:30,540 --> 00:39:33,330 S2: make believe Hatchi Malachi was a wonderful place that you 720 00:39:33,330 --> 00:39:36,390 S2: really should see, as the opening line said, then the 721 00:39:36,390 --> 00:39:40,050 S2: real life prophet named Malachi, not Malachi, lived in a 722 00:39:40,050 --> 00:39:43,740 S2: far less wonderful time and place. The Jewish exiles were 723 00:39:43,739 --> 00:39:46,890 S2: back in Jerusalem and the temple had been rebuilt. But 724 00:39:46,890 --> 00:39:51,120 S2: the halcyon days of Haggai, Zechariah, Ezra, and even Nehemiah 725 00:39:51,150 --> 00:39:54,270 S2: seemed like a distant memory. The first three of those 726 00:39:54,270 --> 00:39:57,359 S2: had already passed from the scene, and Nehemiah had returned 727 00:39:57,360 --> 00:40:01,410 S2: to Persia. Sadly, in his absence, the people slipped back 728 00:40:01,410 --> 00:40:05,040 S2: into the same sinful patterns as before, and now their 729 00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:09,600 S2: actions were matched by an attitude of arrogance, Apathy and cynicism. 730 00:40:09,600 --> 00:40:12,660 S2: In the first three chapters of his book, Malachi carries 731 00:40:12,660 --> 00:40:15,750 S2: on a running debate between God and the people. God 732 00:40:15,750 --> 00:40:19,470 S2: makes a statement only to have the people question its truthfulness. 733 00:40:19,469 --> 00:40:22,500 S2: I have loved you, says the Lord. But you ask, 734 00:40:22,500 --> 00:40:25,590 S2: how have you loved us? God rebukes the priests for 735 00:40:25,590 --> 00:40:28,589 S2: showing contempt for his name, but they respond, how have 736 00:40:28,590 --> 00:40:31,410 S2: we showed contempt for your name? God says that they 737 00:40:31,410 --> 00:40:33,900 S2: have done so by offering defiled food on the altar. 738 00:40:33,930 --> 00:40:38,040 S2: Their response? How have we defiled you? The debate continues 739 00:40:38,070 --> 00:40:41,670 S2: ad nauseam. You wearied the Lord with your words. How 740 00:40:41,700 --> 00:40:43,859 S2: have we wearied him? You need to return to the 741 00:40:43,860 --> 00:40:46,230 S2: Lord so he can return to you. How are we 742 00:40:46,260 --> 00:40:50,070 S2: to return? You've robbed God. How have we robbed you? 743 00:40:50,100 --> 00:40:53,370 S2: You've said harsh things against God. What have we said 744 00:40:53,370 --> 00:40:57,359 S2: against you? In each round of this debate, Malachi delivers 745 00:40:57,390 --> 00:41:00,960 S2: God's answer to their sarcastic question. So what had they 746 00:41:00,989 --> 00:41:04,830 S2: done wrong? In spite of God's love and faithfulness to them, 747 00:41:04,830 --> 00:41:08,820 S2: the people had cheated God. They violated God's covenant and 748 00:41:08,820 --> 00:41:11,790 S2: had broken faith with God and with their own spouses. 749 00:41:11,820 --> 00:41:15,660 S2: They didn't trust his promise, justice, and redemption. Instead, they 750 00:41:15,660 --> 00:41:19,260 S2: were cheating God by withholding what rightfully belonged to him. 751 00:41:19,260 --> 00:41:21,930 S2: And through it all, they were displaying an attitude of 752 00:41:21,930 --> 00:41:27,210 S2: self-centered arrogance. The people's arrogance and disrespect reached its climax 753 00:41:27,210 --> 00:41:30,239 S2: in the middle of chapter three. God tells them that 754 00:41:30,239 --> 00:41:34,500 S2: they have said harsh things against him, literally. God says 755 00:41:34,500 --> 00:41:38,070 S2: they are hard against me. Your words. The word for 756 00:41:38,070 --> 00:41:40,920 S2: hard or harsh has the idea of trying to overpower 757 00:41:40,950 --> 00:41:44,640 S2: or prevail against. In their arrogance, they were actually telling 758 00:41:44,640 --> 00:41:49,770 S2: God he wasn't worth serving. Malachi explains why you have 759 00:41:49,770 --> 00:41:52,799 S2: said it is futile to serve God. What did we 760 00:41:52,830 --> 00:41:56,430 S2: gain by carrying out his requirements? They had reached the 761 00:41:56,430 --> 00:42:00,750 S2: point where they were calling those who were arrogant blessed. Why? 762 00:42:00,780 --> 00:42:05,310 S2: Because Malachi says they felt the evildoers prosper. And even 763 00:42:05,310 --> 00:42:09,000 S2: those who challenge God escape. Don't miss what these people 764 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:13,469 S2: were saying, because it's crucial for understanding Malachi 316, the 765 00:42:13,469 --> 00:42:16,860 S2: very next verse. In their arrogance, the people were saying, 766 00:42:16,860 --> 00:42:19,740 S2: in effect, what's in it for me? I don't see 767 00:42:19,739 --> 00:42:22,830 S2: any advantage in trying to obey God or follow him. 768 00:42:22,860 --> 00:42:26,489 S2: Only suckers do that. Life is what you make of it. 769 00:42:26,489 --> 00:42:28,560 S2: So I'm going to grab for everything I can and 770 00:42:28,560 --> 00:42:33,810 S2: make sure I take care of number one. Me. Sound familiar? 771 00:42:34,050 --> 00:42:37,830 S2: That self-centered sense of arrogance and entitlement is as true 772 00:42:37,830 --> 00:42:40,950 S2: today as it was during the days of Malachi. Their 773 00:42:40,950 --> 00:42:44,790 S2: inflated sense of self-importance saw meeting their own wants and 774 00:42:44,790 --> 00:42:48,630 S2: needs as being far more important than humbly submitting to God. 775 00:42:48,630 --> 00:42:50,730 S2: And at least for a time, it looked like those 776 00:42:50,730 --> 00:42:53,520 S2: who put themselves ahead of God were in fact coming 777 00:42:53,520 --> 00:42:56,640 S2: out on top. They were the ones prospering. They were 778 00:42:56,640 --> 00:43:00,989 S2: the champs making those who put God first look like chumps. 779 00:43:01,020 --> 00:43:05,230 S2: But that's when we come to Malachi 316. Listen to 780 00:43:05,260 --> 00:43:08,920 S2: what the prophet wrote. Then those who feared the Lord 781 00:43:08,950 --> 00:43:12,219 S2: talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. 782 00:43:12,250 --> 00:43:15,370 S2: A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning 783 00:43:15,370 --> 00:43:18,940 S2: those who feared the Lord and honored his name. Now 784 00:43:18,940 --> 00:43:22,060 S2: I see three parts to this verse. First, there were 785 00:43:22,060 --> 00:43:25,120 S2: still some who chose to put God first. They might 786 00:43:25,120 --> 00:43:27,759 S2: only have been a remnant, but they were still present. 787 00:43:27,790 --> 00:43:31,570 S2: They saw the majority heading in one direction, but they 788 00:43:31,570 --> 00:43:35,379 S2: decided to continue following God's ways, even if that path 789 00:43:35,410 --> 00:43:40,359 S2: seemed almost deserted. And yet they weren't alone. This faithful 790 00:43:40,360 --> 00:43:43,960 S2: remnant talked with each other. They encouraged one another to 791 00:43:43,989 --> 00:43:48,040 S2: remain faithful, to stay true to God. Never underestimate the 792 00:43:48,040 --> 00:43:52,540 S2: importance of gathering with other like minded individuals to provide 793 00:43:52,540 --> 00:43:56,350 S2: mutual encouragement. As the writer of Hebrews put it, let 794 00:43:56,350 --> 00:43:59,080 S2: us not give up meeting together, as some are in 795 00:43:59,080 --> 00:44:01,870 S2: the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another, 796 00:44:01,870 --> 00:44:04,900 S2: and all the more so as you see the day approaching. 797 00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:07,600 S2: The next part of the verse is just as important, 798 00:44:07,600 --> 00:44:11,860 S2: perhaps even more so. And the Lord listened and heard. 799 00:44:11,890 --> 00:44:15,670 S2: God took special notice of those who feared or revered 800 00:44:15,670 --> 00:44:19,120 S2: him in a special way. Like the 7000 who hadn't 801 00:44:19,120 --> 00:44:21,520 S2: bowed the knee to Baal in the times of Elijah, 802 00:44:21,550 --> 00:44:25,210 S2: God knew those who were still faithful. He paid special 803 00:44:25,210 --> 00:44:28,899 S2: attention to them. There are times when you might feel alone, 804 00:44:28,900 --> 00:44:32,110 S2: but if you placed God front and center in your life, 805 00:44:32,140 --> 00:44:34,810 S2: you can be confident that he will never leave you 806 00:44:34,840 --> 00:44:38,770 S2: nor forsake you. And finally, Malachi reports that a scroll 807 00:44:38,770 --> 00:44:42,250 S2: of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who 808 00:44:42,280 --> 00:44:45,339 S2: feared the Lord and honored his name. Now the image 809 00:44:45,340 --> 00:44:48,550 S2: is of God as the divine King, having his angelic 810 00:44:48,550 --> 00:44:52,840 S2: scribes record in his heavenly archive the names of those 811 00:44:52,840 --> 00:44:56,200 S2: who are still faithful. But when Mordecai uncovered a plot 812 00:44:56,200 --> 00:44:59,620 S2: against the king of Persia and reported it, Esther 223 813 00:44:59,620 --> 00:45:02,290 S2: says the event was recorded in the book of the 814 00:45:02,320 --> 00:45:05,350 S2: Annals in the presence of the King. And though nothing 815 00:45:05,350 --> 00:45:09,460 S2: happened immediately, at just the right moment, Mordecai was rewarded 816 00:45:09,460 --> 00:45:12,400 S2: for his faithful deed. In the same way, God is 817 00:45:12,400 --> 00:45:15,610 S2: keeping a record of those who remain faithful in spite 818 00:45:15,610 --> 00:45:19,180 S2: of what others might choose to do. Malachi ends his 819 00:45:19,180 --> 00:45:22,090 S2: book with God's special promise to those who make it 820 00:45:22,090 --> 00:45:25,420 S2: into his book. They will be mine, says the Lord Almighty. 821 00:45:25,420 --> 00:45:27,850 S2: In the day when I make up my treasured possession, 822 00:45:27,850 --> 00:45:31,029 S2: I will spare them. Just as in comparison a man 823 00:45:31,060 --> 00:45:33,880 S2: spares his son who serves him. And you will again 824 00:45:33,910 --> 00:45:36,879 S2: see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between 825 00:45:36,880 --> 00:45:40,120 S2: those who serve God and those who do not. So 826 00:45:40,120 --> 00:45:42,700 S2: what can we take home with us from our visit 827 00:45:42,700 --> 00:45:47,800 S2: to Malachi 316? Once again, I see two important lessons. First, 828 00:45:47,800 --> 00:45:50,650 S2: we need to distinguish between what we see now and 829 00:45:50,650 --> 00:45:53,770 S2: what God says is still coming. It often does seem 830 00:45:53,770 --> 00:45:57,160 S2: as if those who practice sin, rebellion, and selfishness are 831 00:45:57,160 --> 00:45:59,320 S2: the ones who are getting ahead, while those who put 832 00:45:59,350 --> 00:46:02,710 S2: God first fall behind. But we need to remember that 833 00:46:02,710 --> 00:46:05,440 S2: God is keeping detailed records and that the end of 834 00:46:05,440 --> 00:46:08,680 S2: the story hasn't yet unfolded. There is a day coming 835 00:46:08,680 --> 00:46:11,980 S2: when God will open his heavenly annals to reward those 836 00:46:11,980 --> 00:46:14,890 S2: who remain faithful. And second, we need to remember the 837 00:46:14,890 --> 00:46:18,310 S2: importance of encouraging our fellow believers to remain faithful and 838 00:46:18,310 --> 00:46:22,270 S2: stay the course. Malachi 316 is a reminder to fear God, 839 00:46:22,270 --> 00:46:26,590 S2: encourage the saints, and focus on his eternal reward. 840 00:46:26,739 --> 00:46:29,049 S1: Boy, I think that's a reminder we need today as well. 841 00:46:29,050 --> 00:46:29,950 S1: Thank you Charlie. 842 00:46:30,130 --> 00:46:30,790 S2: You're welcome. 843 00:46:30,820 --> 00:46:32,920 S1: Lots to think about, and maybe you'd like to hear 844 00:46:32,920 --> 00:46:35,500 S1: today's program again or share it with a friend. We 845 00:46:35,500 --> 00:46:38,589 S1: encourage you to do that. It's available at the Land 846 00:46:38,590 --> 00:46:41,560 S1: and the book. Org. Check out our podcast at the 847 00:46:41,560 --> 00:46:46,060 S1: Land and the book.org. Thanks for making us a part 848 00:46:46,090 --> 00:46:49,030 S1: of your day. I'm John Gager for our host, Charlie Dyer. 849 00:46:49,060 --> 00:46:52,330 S1: The land and the book is a production of Moody Radio, 850 00:46:52,360 --> 00:46:55,060 S1: a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.