1 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:10,840 S1: He was the first Hebrew prophet to have a biblical 2 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:14,400 S1: book named for him, living in the eighth century BC. 3 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:18,160 S1: He accurately foretold the destruction of the northern Kingdom of Israel. 4 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,040 S1: His name was Amos, often called a prophet of doom, 5 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:24,160 S1: and when you begin to read his prophecy, it doesn't 6 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,000 S1: take long to realize why. So what can we learn 7 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,240 S1: from him today? Well, more than you think. Welcome to 8 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:32,680 S1: the land and the book. Our host is noted Old 9 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:36,600 S1: Testament scholar and Middle East expert, Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm 10 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:38,839 S1: John Gager, and like you, I'm looking forward to that 11 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:42,280 S1: compelling conversation about the prophet Amos. Right now, though, a 12 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:46,200 S1: question what does Passover mean for us as believers in Jesus? 13 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:48,960 S1: Some might remember the story from the book of Exodus, 14 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:51,199 S1: but there's a whole lot more to it. Did you know, 15 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:54,760 S1: for example, that the Last Supper was actually a Passover meal? 16 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:58,560 S1: Not only did Jesus and his disciples celebrate Passover, it 17 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,630 S1: also foreshadowed his death on the cross for our redemption. 18 00:01:01,950 --> 00:01:04,590 S2: Absolutely right, John. And Jewish people have been keeping the 19 00:01:04,590 --> 00:01:07,990 S2: feast of Passover for thousands of years now. Understanding the 20 00:01:07,990 --> 00:01:11,230 S2: history and importance of this holiday will help you better 21 00:01:11,230 --> 00:01:14,030 S2: connect with your Jewish friends and neighbors. And what better 22 00:01:14,030 --> 00:01:16,910 S2: way is there to learn about Passover than to experience 23 00:01:16,910 --> 00:01:21,429 S2: a Passover Seder yourself? If you've never celebrated Passover, our 24 00:01:21,430 --> 00:01:24,030 S2: friends at Life in Messiah would love to partner with 25 00:01:24,030 --> 00:01:27,670 S2: you in hosting a Seder experience. Every year, their staff 26 00:01:27,709 --> 00:01:31,910 S2: engage churches and small groups in an interactive Messiah in 27 00:01:31,910 --> 00:01:35,750 S2: the Passover Seder, allowing participants to taste and see the 28 00:01:35,750 --> 00:01:39,309 S2: redemption story. If you're interested in having someone come lead 29 00:01:39,310 --> 00:01:43,230 S2: a Seder in your area, visit Life in Messiah Org 30 00:01:43,350 --> 00:01:45,709 S2: and click on the radio button there to learn more. 31 00:01:45,870 --> 00:01:49,070 S2: That's life in messiah.org. 32 00:01:49,270 --> 00:01:50,870 S1: If you're new to the land of the book, this 33 00:01:50,870 --> 00:01:53,190 S1: opening segment is always a look at current events from 34 00:01:53,190 --> 00:01:55,590 S1: the Middle East and of course, the number one story. 35 00:01:55,590 --> 00:01:59,860 S1: This week, negotiators have raced to complete a hostage deal 36 00:02:00,140 --> 00:02:04,260 S1: between Israel and Hamas before the inauguration of President Trump. Charlie, 37 00:02:04,260 --> 00:02:07,260 S1: why such urgency after more than a year of slow 38 00:02:07,260 --> 00:02:11,140 S1: progress or no progress? And will a final deal really 39 00:02:11,139 --> 00:02:12,060 S1: be implemented? 40 00:02:12,380 --> 00:02:15,660 S2: Yeah. The urgency came following threats by President Trump to 41 00:02:15,700 --> 00:02:18,660 S2: unleash the power of the U.S. on Hamas if they 42 00:02:18,660 --> 00:02:21,980 S2: failed to agree to a deal, along with pressure on 43 00:02:21,980 --> 00:02:26,220 S2: Israel to demonstrate more flexibility. As this past week began, 44 00:02:26,220 --> 00:02:28,460 S2: a hostage deal was said to be in the final 45 00:02:28,460 --> 00:02:31,740 S2: stages and imminent. But through Tuesday, the deal was still 46 00:02:31,740 --> 00:02:34,260 S2: in flux. In fact, there were some real hiccups that 47 00:02:34,260 --> 00:02:37,820 S2: seemed to be coming in. However, a breakthrough apparently came 48 00:02:37,820 --> 00:02:41,460 S2: early Wednesday once the deal is signed. It's possible that 49 00:02:41,460 --> 00:02:45,459 S2: the first hostages could be released as early as Sunday, 50 00:02:45,460 --> 00:02:48,580 S2: just before the inauguration, but that's not the end of 51 00:02:48,580 --> 00:02:51,780 S2: the story. The reality is that even after a deal 52 00:02:51,820 --> 00:02:55,820 S2: goes into effect, all the hostages won't be released immediately. 53 00:02:56,260 --> 00:02:59,889 S2: The reported deal calls for a six week ceasefire during 54 00:02:59,889 --> 00:03:04,570 S2: the first phase. Hamas will gradually release 33 hostages, including 55 00:03:04,570 --> 00:03:08,130 S2: all the captive female soldiers, other women being held, men 56 00:03:08,130 --> 00:03:10,570 S2: over the age of 50 and those who are severely 57 00:03:10,570 --> 00:03:14,410 S2: sick and wounded. Israel believes most of the 33 are alive, 58 00:03:14,410 --> 00:03:18,770 S2: but some are probably not. In return, Israel will release 59 00:03:18,770 --> 00:03:25,450 S2: about 1000 Palestinian security prisoners, including 190 terrorists. Israeli forces 60 00:03:25,450 --> 00:03:28,770 S2: would remain along the Gaza-egypt border and would control an 61 00:03:28,770 --> 00:03:32,730 S2: 800 metre buffer zone along the Gaza Israel border, but 62 00:03:32,730 --> 00:03:36,930 S2: their forces would gradually withdraw from population centers in Gaza. 63 00:03:37,370 --> 00:03:40,330 S2: Three Israeli hostages are to be released the first day 64 00:03:40,330 --> 00:03:43,250 S2: of the deal, with a few more being released weekly 65 00:03:43,250 --> 00:03:46,810 S2: during that six week period. On day 16 of this deal, 66 00:03:47,050 --> 00:03:49,520 S2: talks would then finally begin on the remaining 1 or 67 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:52,930 S2: 2 phases. The second phase is to include additional hostage 68 00:03:52,930 --> 00:03:57,120 S2: releases and further IDF withdrawals from Gaza, and the third 69 00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,640 S2: phase is to focus on the release of all remaining 70 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:04,040 S2: hostages and complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza area. A 71 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:06,880 S2: still unknown is what the plan will be for Gaza 72 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,280 S2: once the fighting stops. Hamas has been busy recruiting new 73 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:13,320 S2: fighters to replace those who have been killed. Their goal 74 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:16,719 S2: is to stay in power. Israel is insisting that Hamas 75 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:20,200 S2: not remain in control of Gaza. The US is proposing 76 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,880 S2: that a reformed Palestinian Authority lead Gaza with the help 77 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:27,480 S2: of yet to be named international partners. So it looks 78 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:31,160 S2: like this preliminary deal will go into effect before President 79 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:34,279 S2: Trump takes office. But a final deal won't be completed 80 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,320 S2: until all the hostages have been returned home. And a 81 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:40,520 S2: plan for rebuilding Gaza and eliminating the threat of future 82 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:43,960 S2: Hamas attacks has been implemented. And all that could take 83 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,760 S2: months or even possibly years. 84 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:50,000 S1: Charlie, it seems to me that most people are saying, okay, 85 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,880 S1: let's say that a deal is reached and everything is 86 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,099 S1: signed and and maybe even the first stage of that 87 00:04:56,100 --> 00:05:01,580 S1: begins to happen. But the possibility of further attacks, explosions, bombs, 88 00:05:02,020 --> 00:05:05,859 S1: you know, how does that hamper the further unrolling of 89 00:05:05,900 --> 00:05:07,219 S1: that whole thing? 90 00:05:07,260 --> 00:05:10,100 S2: You've just hit the heart of the matter. In reality, 91 00:05:10,339 --> 00:05:15,219 S2: Israel doesn't trust Hamas. Hamas is wary of Israel. And 92 00:05:15,220 --> 00:05:17,820 S2: the past experience has been that any deal that was 93 00:05:17,820 --> 00:05:21,140 S2: agreed to often fell apart before the thing was finally 94 00:05:21,140 --> 00:05:24,299 S2: implemented or rolled out. So right now, until the last 95 00:05:24,300 --> 00:05:27,020 S2: hostage comes out, nobody will know for sure if it's 96 00:05:27,020 --> 00:05:28,300 S2: going to happen or not. 97 00:05:28,420 --> 00:05:30,779 S1: You're listening to The Land and the book with Doctor 98 00:05:30,779 --> 00:05:34,300 S1: Charlie Dyer. I'm John Gager. As President Trump prepares to 99 00:05:34,300 --> 00:05:37,700 S1: assume office, what other long range impact could the new 100 00:05:37,700 --> 00:05:39,820 S1: administration have on the Middle East? 101 00:05:40,060 --> 00:05:42,020 S2: You know, depending on which side you're on, you'll hear 102 00:05:42,020 --> 00:05:43,860 S2: people say there's either going to be this great sense 103 00:05:43,860 --> 00:05:46,860 S2: of hope and optimism, or there's a heightened sense of 104 00:05:46,860 --> 00:05:51,300 S2: danger and gloom. The reality is, the new administration likely 105 00:05:51,339 --> 00:05:55,810 S2: won't have as profound an impact as either side is assuming, though, 106 00:05:55,970 --> 00:05:59,490 S2: make no mistake, President Trump will make an impact. Many 107 00:05:59,490 --> 00:06:02,170 S2: in Israel hope that he'll issue an ultimatum to Iran 108 00:06:02,290 --> 00:06:05,529 S2: to give up its nuclear program or face a combined U.S. 109 00:06:05,570 --> 00:06:09,810 S2: Israel assault on its nuclear facilities. And while that's possible, 110 00:06:09,810 --> 00:06:12,290 S2: it seems more likely that he'll try to push Iran 111 00:06:12,410 --> 00:06:15,450 S2: to enter into some kind of a new nuclear agreement 112 00:06:15,450 --> 00:06:17,730 S2: that would be less than Israel would like, but would 113 00:06:17,730 --> 00:06:21,450 S2: require more concessions than Iran would prefer to make. Now, 114 00:06:21,450 --> 00:06:24,489 S2: I also look for Trump to recharge the Abraham Accords 115 00:06:24,490 --> 00:06:27,570 S2: by pushing hard for a peace treaty between Israel and 116 00:06:27,570 --> 00:06:30,650 S2: Saudi Arabia to bring that to pass. Look for him 117 00:06:30,650 --> 00:06:34,610 S2: to pressure Prime Minister Netanyahu to make some concessions on 118 00:06:34,610 --> 00:06:39,409 S2: a Palestinian pathway to limited statehood, whatever that might look like. 119 00:06:39,850 --> 00:06:43,409 S2: The Palestinian Authority is struggling financially and is also fighting 120 00:06:43,410 --> 00:06:47,050 S2: to put down its own rebellion from Hamas and Islamic Jihad. 121 00:06:47,410 --> 00:06:50,570 S2: Trump could use this situation to get the Palestinian Authority 122 00:06:50,570 --> 00:06:53,719 S2: to dial back its demands in return for its own 123 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:57,080 S2: long term security. Finally, watch to see if Trump can 124 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:59,880 S2: push for a cessation of hostilities in. I think both 125 00:06:59,880 --> 00:07:02,240 S2: Europe and the Middle East. He'll try to broker a 126 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,239 S2: deal between Russia and Ukraine that would give both sides 127 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:07,640 S2: a way to back away from the fighting, while still 128 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:10,280 S2: saving face, and watch for him to put pressure on 129 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:13,080 S2: Iran and the Houthis to end all long range rocket 130 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,400 S2: and drone attacks against Israel and against shipping in the 131 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:19,720 S2: Red sea. Now, will all this result in lasting peace? 132 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:23,240 S2: Probably not. But even a temporary lull in all these 133 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:25,920 S2: conflicts would be a blessing. You know, in first Timothy two, 134 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,760 S2: we're told to pray for those in authority so that 135 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:31,840 S2: we may live peaceful and quiet lives. Paul says that 136 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:34,240 S2: pleases God and helps people come to a knowledge of 137 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,000 S2: the truth for the sake of the gospel. Let's pray 138 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,280 S2: for peace, however temporary and imperfect it might be. 139 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:44,320 S1: The Red Sea-dead Sea Water project we've talked about before 140 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,960 S1: between Israel and Jordan is dead, but in its place, 141 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:51,150 S1: France just signed a new Red sea C project with 142 00:07:51,150 --> 00:07:54,190 S1: Jordan to build a massive desalination plant. What are the 143 00:07:54,190 --> 00:07:55,590 S1: details of the new project? 144 00:07:55,830 --> 00:07:57,750 S2: Well, the plan is for a French company to build 145 00:07:57,750 --> 00:08:00,870 S2: a massive desalination plant near Aqaba in the Red sea, 146 00:08:01,070 --> 00:08:05,150 S2: and to lay over 275 miles of pipeline to transport 147 00:08:05,150 --> 00:08:07,990 S2: that water from the Red sea up to Amman. The 148 00:08:07,990 --> 00:08:13,550 S2: plant will produce 300,000,000m³ of desalinated water annually. That's enough 149 00:08:13,550 --> 00:08:16,830 S2: to meet the needs of 3 to 4 million Jordanians. 150 00:08:16,990 --> 00:08:21,350 S2: It will increase Jordan's available water supply by almost 60%. 151 00:08:21,710 --> 00:08:24,630 S2: The project, expected to take about four years and cost 152 00:08:24,630 --> 00:08:28,630 S2: $5 billion, will be built on a concession basis. The 153 00:08:28,630 --> 00:08:31,950 S2: company will finance, build and then operate the plant for 154 00:08:31,950 --> 00:08:36,589 S2: 26 years, after which ownership will be transferred to Jordan. Now, 155 00:08:36,590 --> 00:08:38,590 S2: about a third of the energy to run the plant 156 00:08:38,590 --> 00:08:42,990 S2: will be generated using renewable resources. The original project between 157 00:08:42,990 --> 00:08:45,630 S2: Jordan and Israel agreed to, by the way, Jon, back 158 00:08:45,630 --> 00:08:49,820 S2: in 2013. Wow. Would have also provided water to help 159 00:08:49,820 --> 00:08:53,179 S2: restore the Dead Sea, while also sharing renewable energy and 160 00:08:53,179 --> 00:08:57,060 S2: desalinated water between the two countries. Well, that project, along 161 00:08:57,059 --> 00:09:00,979 S2: with a similar water for electricity deal brokered by the UAE, 162 00:09:01,020 --> 00:09:04,660 S2: were both shelved by Jordan in 2021, in response to 163 00:09:04,700 --> 00:09:08,780 S2: popular anger in that country over Israel. Jordan is still 164 00:09:08,780 --> 00:09:12,460 S2: receiving water from Israel as part of the 1994 peace 165 00:09:12,460 --> 00:09:15,699 S2: treaty between the two countries. Right now, though, it's unclear 166 00:09:15,700 --> 00:09:19,020 S2: if that will continue in light of Jordan's chilly relations 167 00:09:19,020 --> 00:09:19,780 S2: with Israel. 168 00:09:20,300 --> 00:09:24,860 S1: Story number four. Hatzalah, Israel's volunteer emergency response service, has 169 00:09:24,860 --> 00:09:27,740 S1: teamed up with former members of the Israeli Army Intelligence 170 00:09:27,740 --> 00:09:32,620 S1: Service to create an artificial intelligence system to predict medical emergencies. 171 00:09:32,940 --> 00:09:36,179 S1: How does this latest innovation from Amazing Israel actually work? 172 00:09:36,220 --> 00:09:40,060 S2: Well, this system, which is already operational, used artificial intelligence 173 00:09:40,059 --> 00:09:44,580 S2: technology to analyze 18 years of EMS data to create 174 00:09:44,620 --> 00:09:49,410 S2: city specific predictive models taking into account factors like weather conditions, 175 00:09:49,490 --> 00:09:52,609 S2: terrain and time of day, and then using a proactive 176 00:09:52,610 --> 00:09:57,210 S2: rather than reactive model. The system repositions emergency responders to 177 00:09:57,290 --> 00:10:01,850 S2: areas identified as high risk before potential accidents occur. During 178 00:10:01,850 --> 00:10:05,370 S2: the three month pilot program, the system achieved an 85% 179 00:10:05,370 --> 00:10:10,010 S2: accuracy rate in predicting locations and times of emergency events. 180 00:10:10,330 --> 00:10:14,089 S2: They're using the system to strategically position personnel and equipment 181 00:10:14,090 --> 00:10:17,130 S2: before an incident happens. As time goes on, they expect 182 00:10:17,130 --> 00:10:20,690 S2: the system to become even more accurate. Now, using artificial 183 00:10:20,690 --> 00:10:24,850 S2: intelligence to predict the time and location of medical emergencies, 184 00:10:24,850 --> 00:10:27,930 S2: and then to position emergency resources so they can respond 185 00:10:27,929 --> 00:10:30,329 S2: as quickly as possible. Well, that's a system that could 186 00:10:30,330 --> 00:10:34,089 S2: prove to be another extremely helpful import for our country 187 00:10:34,090 --> 00:10:35,290 S2: from amazing Israel. 188 00:10:35,330 --> 00:10:39,370 S1: Yeah, that's a fascinating way of handling medical emergencies. Thank you, Charlie, 189 00:10:39,370 --> 00:10:41,570 S1: for that update on current events in the Middle East. 190 00:10:41,770 --> 00:10:45,730 S1: Coming up, a conversation with Jennifer Rothschild about the prophet Amos. 191 00:10:45,809 --> 00:10:48,000 S1: What does his life have to do with yours today? 192 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:50,920 S1: More than you might think. Fascinating insights all coming up 193 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:53,680 S1: on our next segment here on Moody Radio's The Land. 194 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:54,439 UU: And the book. 195 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:11,960 S1: He was the first Hebrew prophet to have a biblical 196 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:15,200 S1: book named for him, living in the eighth century. He 197 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:18,359 S1: accurately foretold the destruction of the northern Kingdom of Israel. 198 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:21,960 S1: His name was Amos. Now Amos is often called a 199 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:24,760 S1: prophet of doom, and when you begin to read his prophecy, 200 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:28,320 S1: it doesn't take long to realize. Boy, that nickname fits. 201 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:31,559 S1: On the surface, his prophecy doesn't sound like a happy 202 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:34,560 S1: formula for the good life. So what would Amos want 203 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:36,960 S1: you and me to know about life? What do you 204 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:39,760 S1: say we explore that together next? Hey. Welcome back to 205 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:42,400 S1: the land and the book. I'm John Gieger, and before 206 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:44,960 S1: we meet today's guest, let's give some thought to a 207 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,819 S1: new idea for loving the Jewish people that God has 208 00:11:47,820 --> 00:11:51,140 S1: brought into our lives. When it comes to reaching out 209 00:11:51,140 --> 00:11:54,219 S1: to our Jewish friends and witnessing to them, most of 210 00:11:54,220 --> 00:11:56,940 S1: us are excuse factories. We've got all kinds of reasons 211 00:11:56,940 --> 00:12:00,660 S1: why we can't, including we crank out twisted theology that 212 00:12:00,660 --> 00:12:02,900 S1: says something like, do we really need to share the 213 00:12:02,900 --> 00:12:06,060 S1: gospel with Jewish people? When Paul apparently teaches that they're 214 00:12:06,059 --> 00:12:09,100 S1: all going to be saved one day anyhow, let's ask 215 00:12:09,140 --> 00:12:11,620 S1: Levi Hazen with life in Messiah, what do you think? 216 00:12:11,900 --> 00:12:14,820 S3: Well, John, some people have twisted Paul's writings in Romans 217 00:12:14,820 --> 00:12:18,620 S3: 1126 where Paul writes that one day all Israel will 218 00:12:18,620 --> 00:12:20,939 S3: be saved, and they've taken that, and they've said, well, 219 00:12:20,940 --> 00:12:24,260 S3: this means all Jewish people will be saved for all time, 220 00:12:24,260 --> 00:12:26,860 S3: going back to the furthest point in history. So there's 221 00:12:26,860 --> 00:12:29,500 S3: no need to evangelize them. But this is clearly a 222 00:12:29,500 --> 00:12:32,340 S3: twisting of what Paul himself and all the rest of 223 00:12:32,340 --> 00:12:36,819 S3: the New Testament authors taught. Also, Jesus taught, and it's 224 00:12:36,820 --> 00:12:39,740 S3: recorded in John 14 six that he is the way, 225 00:12:39,740 --> 00:12:41,940 S3: the truth, and the life, and no one comes to 226 00:12:41,980 --> 00:12:44,730 S3: the father except through him. And guess who he was 227 00:12:44,730 --> 00:12:47,210 S3: talking to when he delivered that message? A group of 228 00:12:47,210 --> 00:12:51,050 S3: Jewish people. So Jewish people absolutely need Jesus even today. 229 00:12:51,690 --> 00:12:54,569 S3: In Romans 1126, what Paul is saying there is that 230 00:12:54,570 --> 00:12:57,970 S3: there's a future day. Even the prophets talk about this. 231 00:12:58,090 --> 00:13:01,250 S3: When all Israel will welcome the Messiah, and whoever is 232 00:13:01,250 --> 00:13:03,490 S3: alive at that time will believe in him. 233 00:13:03,610 --> 00:13:06,610 S1: Levi Hazen is with life in Messiah and joins us 234 00:13:06,610 --> 00:13:10,530 S1: today on the land and the book at the age 235 00:13:10,530 --> 00:13:14,610 S1: of 15. Jennifer was diagnosed with a rare degenerative eye 236 00:13:14,650 --> 00:13:17,810 S1: disease that would eventually steal her sight. Her dreams of 237 00:13:17,809 --> 00:13:21,170 S1: becoming an artist and cartoonist faded, but that was just 238 00:13:21,170 --> 00:13:24,490 S1: the beginning of her story. Words and music have replaced 239 00:13:24,490 --> 00:13:28,250 S1: her canvas and palette for more than 30 years. Jennifer 240 00:13:28,250 --> 00:13:31,610 S1: Rothschild has been featured on the Today Show, Doctor Phil, 241 00:13:31,650 --> 00:13:35,090 S1: ABC's Good Morning America and the Billy Graham television special, 242 00:13:35,290 --> 00:13:39,050 S1: plus other national TV and radio programs. She's written 19 243 00:13:39,050 --> 00:13:42,880 S1: books and Bible studies, including her video based Bible study, Amos. 244 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:45,719 S1: An invitation to the good life. Hey, thank you for 245 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,520 S1: connecting with us today on the land and the book. Jennifer. 246 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:51,959 S4: Oh, man, I love this, John. I love talking about Amos. 247 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:53,120 S4: Let's make him famous. 248 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:56,320 S1: Let's do it. Well, the opening chapters of Amos plunge 249 00:13:56,320 --> 00:14:00,240 S1: us into visions of God's judgment on Israel's neighbors, Judah 250 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:04,000 S1: and Israel. From there, we read about Israel's guilt and punishment. 251 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,400 S1: So to me, this doesn't sound like a happy, happy 252 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:08,360 S1: joy joy kind of book, is it? 253 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:11,199 S4: No. In fact, when I first presented it to my 254 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:13,400 S4: publisher that I wanted to write about Amos, you could 255 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:16,559 S4: have heard crickets in the room. It's just not like 256 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:19,440 S4: one of the most popular books. Because you're right. Just 257 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:22,360 S4: like you said earlier, we think it's all about doom 258 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:25,320 S4: and gloom. And here's why. There is a good bit 259 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:28,880 S4: of condemnation in the book of Amos, and rightly so. 260 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,520 S4: So yeah, God is condemning Israel and Judah's neighbors. But 261 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:36,040 S4: then God really does, you know, move toward his own people. 262 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:40,800 S4: And there's some condemnation toward Israel and Judah. But here's why. 263 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,390 S4: This is an is an invitation to the good life 264 00:14:43,670 --> 00:14:46,030 S4: because as I read Amos, I was like, well, all 265 00:14:46,030 --> 00:14:48,950 S4: these condemnations. I mean, how in the world can we 266 00:14:48,950 --> 00:14:51,990 S4: want to look at that? Well, the Lord showed me 267 00:14:52,110 --> 00:14:57,470 S4: that all of that condemnation could have been avoided if 268 00:14:57,510 --> 00:15:02,470 S4: Israel had just sought God. So I flipped every condemnation 269 00:15:02,470 --> 00:15:05,630 S4: upside down and made it an invitation to seek God 270 00:15:05,750 --> 00:15:09,270 S4: in these different ways, and therefore avoiding that condemnation, but 271 00:15:09,270 --> 00:15:12,790 S4: more importantly, living our best life ever, living the good life. 272 00:15:12,790 --> 00:15:15,070 S4: Because the good life is the good life. 273 00:15:15,350 --> 00:15:17,590 S1: Well, introduce us to Amos, the man. What do we 274 00:15:17,590 --> 00:15:19,310 S1: know about him and his life? 275 00:15:19,910 --> 00:15:21,830 S4: Well, what I love about Amos is he's not very 276 00:15:21,830 --> 00:15:24,190 S4: different than you and me. You know, he's just not. 277 00:15:24,190 --> 00:15:27,630 S4: He's ordinary. He was not a prophet or a son 278 00:15:27,630 --> 00:15:29,750 S4: of a prophet, as he said. He was just an 279 00:15:29,750 --> 00:15:33,350 S4: ordinary guy. He was a fig farmer. He was a shepherd. 280 00:15:33,350 --> 00:15:36,430 S4: And he was probably what we would consider maybe, you know, 281 00:15:36,470 --> 00:15:39,550 S4: not very educated. We don't really know. But what we 282 00:15:39,550 --> 00:15:41,500 S4: know is that he that he was ordinary, not who 283 00:15:41,500 --> 00:15:43,980 S4: you'd expect to step up and do this thing. So 284 00:15:43,980 --> 00:15:46,780 S4: he lived in Judah. He's just doing his thing, minding 285 00:15:46,780 --> 00:15:49,460 S4: his business, doing his ordinary life. Like, if it were today, 286 00:15:49,620 --> 00:15:51,900 S4: it'd be like going to work or going to Walmart. 287 00:15:52,300 --> 00:15:55,420 S4: And the Lord called him to go north to his 288 00:15:55,420 --> 00:15:58,300 S4: neighbors in Israel, because he was in Judah, to his 289 00:15:58,300 --> 00:16:02,860 S4: neighbors in Israel, and to preach to these neighbors about 290 00:16:02,900 --> 00:16:06,420 S4: God's love for them, God asking them to get back 291 00:16:06,420 --> 00:16:09,980 S4: on the path where he had originally wanted them to be. 292 00:16:10,380 --> 00:16:13,660 S4: And what's interesting about it, John, is I think what 293 00:16:13,660 --> 00:16:17,260 S4: happened is we see how extraordinary Amos was when he 294 00:16:17,260 --> 00:16:19,860 S4: stepped out to do what God called him to do. 295 00:16:19,900 --> 00:16:22,180 S4: Because if you read Amos, I mean, once you can 296 00:16:22,180 --> 00:16:25,060 S4: get past all the fury and blustery ness of it, 297 00:16:25,060 --> 00:16:27,940 S4: you realize, man, the guy was a genius. And I 298 00:16:27,940 --> 00:16:32,140 S4: think all of us have within us this incredible capacity 299 00:16:32,580 --> 00:16:35,980 S4: to communicate what God wants us to communicate, to be 300 00:16:35,980 --> 00:16:37,540 S4: who he's called us to be when we just step 301 00:16:37,540 --> 00:16:40,410 S4: up and do it. So like in Amos, you hear laments, 302 00:16:40,410 --> 00:16:44,410 S4: you hear doxologies you hear this like legal argument, you 303 00:16:44,410 --> 00:16:49,010 S4: hear this beautiful poetry, like it's amazing the capacity Amos 304 00:16:49,010 --> 00:16:50,090 S4: had to communicate. 305 00:16:50,210 --> 00:16:54,530 S1: Jennifer Rothschild is an author, speaker, podcast host, and founder 306 00:16:54,530 --> 00:16:57,330 S1: of Fresh Grounded Faith events for women. She has written 307 00:16:57,330 --> 00:16:59,970 S1: 19 books and Bible studies. And I should mention that 308 00:16:59,970 --> 00:17:03,050 S1: this is a video based Bible study that also offers 309 00:17:03,050 --> 00:17:06,450 S1: a printed study guide. And how does this book work 310 00:17:06,450 --> 00:17:07,850 S1: with your video series? Jennifer. 311 00:17:08,330 --> 00:17:10,610 S4: Well, what you would do is I've divided the book 312 00:17:10,609 --> 00:17:13,250 S4: of Amos, even though there's nine chapters, I've divided it 313 00:17:13,250 --> 00:17:17,170 S4: into seven invitations. So every like you could do a 314 00:17:17,170 --> 00:17:19,729 S4: study during the week. And then at the end of 315 00:17:19,770 --> 00:17:22,370 S4: that first week of study, you would watch a video 316 00:17:22,369 --> 00:17:26,290 S4: where I show up on your screen and teach. And 317 00:17:26,290 --> 00:17:27,889 S4: what we do is we review a little bit of 318 00:17:27,890 --> 00:17:31,129 S4: what we've learned, but instead I also offer the same 319 00:17:31,170 --> 00:17:33,929 S4: kind of teaching from a different angle. And what I 320 00:17:33,930 --> 00:17:37,290 S4: love about it, John, it's super relevant because that's one 321 00:17:37,290 --> 00:17:39,000 S4: of the of the things about Amos. When I first 322 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,720 S4: read it, I was like, Lord, why would anyone today 323 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:45,440 S4: want to read about Amos? You know? Well, there's so 324 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:47,920 S4: much in it that relates to us today about the 325 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:51,480 S4: power of humility, about how God calls us to live 326 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:55,240 S4: justly because that represents his character. And even the Book 327 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:59,080 S4: of Amos, with all of the bluster, ends with hope. 328 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:01,359 S4: You know that God's going to rebuild the broken things 329 00:18:01,359 --> 00:18:04,680 S4: and restore all the lost things. So every week as 330 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:07,680 S4: we study Amos together, I'll show up on video and 331 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:10,600 S4: give you that reminder of how this matters today. 332 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:13,719 S1: And you do it in such a perky, friendly way. Uh, 333 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:16,480 S1: even the tough stuff goes down well. Thank you for that. 334 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:18,800 S1: And if you're just joining us, this is the land 335 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,240 S1: in the book. I'm John Geiger. Our guest today is 336 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:26,320 S1: Jennifer Rothschild, who founded Women's Ministry Net in 1998, an 337 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:30,080 S1: online leadership resource platform to provide resources to women in 338 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:33,040 S1: the local church. You talk about the good life as 339 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:35,199 S1: well as the God life. Is there a difference? How 340 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:36,119 S1: do you define them? 341 00:18:36,790 --> 00:18:39,630 S4: Well, before I studied Amos, I might have thought there 342 00:18:39,630 --> 00:18:42,750 S4: was a difference. But in Amos chapter five, the Lord 343 00:18:42,790 --> 00:18:46,030 S4: talks to his people in Israel through Amos, and he 344 00:18:46,030 --> 00:18:52,350 S4: basically says, seek me and live. Stop seeking other idols. 345 00:18:52,390 --> 00:18:55,590 S4: Seek me and live. And so when I have begun 346 00:18:55,590 --> 00:18:58,390 S4: to realize anything that I think is good outside of 347 00:18:58,390 --> 00:19:02,710 S4: God is a lesser good, and the only really way 348 00:19:02,710 --> 00:19:06,149 S4: to experience the good life that our hearts were made for, 349 00:19:06,270 --> 00:19:09,150 S4: that our souls long for, is to seek God with 350 00:19:09,150 --> 00:19:11,950 S4: our whole heart. Because when we do, then we're living 351 00:19:11,950 --> 00:19:14,990 S4: according to his word, according to his will. We're experiencing 352 00:19:14,990 --> 00:19:19,710 S4: humility where there's freedom. We're experiencing faithfulness where there is 353 00:19:19,710 --> 00:19:23,430 S4: such a liberty in just loving God with abandon. And 354 00:19:23,430 --> 00:19:26,310 S4: so really, that's our best life. It's not in the 355 00:19:26,310 --> 00:19:29,950 S4: accumulation of things or in the importance of keeping our 356 00:19:29,990 --> 00:19:33,030 S4: own sense of identity or pride. It's losing ourselves so 357 00:19:33,030 --> 00:19:35,810 S4: that we find our life in God. So, Yeah. John, 358 00:19:35,810 --> 00:19:37,890 S4: I don't think there's a difference. I think the only 359 00:19:37,890 --> 00:19:39,530 S4: really good life is the God life. 360 00:19:39,930 --> 00:19:43,930 S1: You say that every condemnation of Amos serves as an invitation, 361 00:19:43,930 --> 00:19:46,449 S1: a cry for us to seek God and live. What 362 00:19:46,450 --> 00:19:48,810 S1: exactly do you mean? Maybe you could give us an example. 363 00:19:49,530 --> 00:19:52,169 S4: So, like in Amos chapter four. And if no one 364 00:19:52,170 --> 00:19:54,209 S4: has ever read the Book of Amos, that would be 365 00:19:54,210 --> 00:19:57,570 S4: a very fun place to start because it's all about 366 00:19:57,570 --> 00:20:01,890 S4: the cows. Okay, so I'll give you this example. So 367 00:20:02,050 --> 00:20:05,689 S4: Israel had been really oppressing their people instead of living 368 00:20:05,690 --> 00:20:09,370 S4: according to their identity and calling a rescued people who 369 00:20:09,369 --> 00:20:13,410 S4: rescued others. Oh my goodness, they were exploiting others. And 370 00:20:13,410 --> 00:20:16,410 S4: so God opens up through Amos and he says in 371 00:20:16,410 --> 00:20:21,130 S4: chapter four, woe, basically, woe to you cows of Bashan 372 00:20:21,170 --> 00:20:27,570 S4: who oppress the poor. You women who live unjustly. And 373 00:20:27,570 --> 00:20:31,410 S4: you say to your husbands, bring me a drink. Okay, 374 00:20:31,450 --> 00:20:35,760 S4: now this is very colorful language. Whereas of course, if 375 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:37,960 S4: any person called a woman a cow today, that would 376 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:42,119 S4: be highly offensive. And so yeah, John, it was offensive, 377 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:44,440 S4: but not in the same way we see it as offensive. 378 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:46,600 S4: This was in the Golan Heights, what is today the 379 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:50,240 S4: Golan Heights. And it's known as a place with lush pasture. 380 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:52,680 S4: And their cows were just the best. Like that's where 381 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:55,760 S4: the steaks came from. And so what he's basically saying 382 00:20:55,760 --> 00:21:00,440 S4: to these women of Israel, hey, you're indulging yourself. You've 383 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:04,480 S4: got everything. And at the same time you're saying, serve 384 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:09,959 S4: me and you are exploiting others. So God is inviting them. Know, 385 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:15,960 S4: stop receiving and give because live humbly. Humility, we think, 386 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:20,439 S4: is often just an attitude. You know, humility is an action. 387 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:24,080 S4: So when we truly live humble. Oh my gosh, it 388 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:25,800 S4: shows up. I remember one time, John, I was in 389 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:29,800 S4: the airport. And because I'm blind, traveling alone is super challenging. 390 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:33,670 S4: In this particular night I was at the last gate. 391 00:21:33,710 --> 00:21:35,710 S4: You could tell this flight was about to be cancelled. 392 00:21:35,750 --> 00:21:38,310 S4: It had been a bad night. Bad weather. And so 393 00:21:38,430 --> 00:21:41,830 S4: this gentleman from the airlines walks me to this one gate. 394 00:21:41,990 --> 00:21:44,190 S4: There's a couple of people sitting near me when he 395 00:21:44,230 --> 00:21:47,870 S4: sits me down and they engage me in conversation. This 396 00:21:47,869 --> 00:21:50,190 S4: gentleman does, and he's with his wife, and he says 397 00:21:50,190 --> 00:21:51,910 S4: something about where are you trying to get to? I 398 00:21:51,910 --> 00:21:54,110 S4: tell him, and he asks why? I tell him I'm 399 00:21:54,109 --> 00:21:56,430 S4: about to go speak at this Christian conference. Well, it's 400 00:21:56,430 --> 00:22:01,869 S4: clearly obvious that I'm blind. I'm traveling alone. And he says, 401 00:22:01,869 --> 00:22:04,389 S4: oh my goodness, do you know? And then he starts 402 00:22:04,390 --> 00:22:08,790 S4: naming all these Christian quote unquote celebrities, you know, because 403 00:22:08,790 --> 00:22:10,630 S4: he thinks I'm a speaker, I'm an author. I must 404 00:22:10,630 --> 00:22:14,310 S4: know all these quote unquote celebrities. And I'm like, you know, well, yeah, 405 00:22:14,350 --> 00:22:16,429 S4: I've met or no, I don't know. And like, he 406 00:22:16,430 --> 00:22:18,630 S4: was very enamored by the whole thing. Well, then there's 407 00:22:18,630 --> 00:22:22,830 S4: this announcement that the gate has changed. And literally this 408 00:22:22,830 --> 00:22:25,550 S4: Christian brother of mine and his wife jump out of 409 00:22:25,550 --> 00:22:28,870 S4: their chairs. He looks at me and he says, good luck. 410 00:22:29,670 --> 00:22:33,180 S4: And he runs off. So there I am, left by 411 00:22:33,180 --> 00:22:36,219 S4: myself in the airport, and I had just been studying 412 00:22:36,580 --> 00:22:40,140 S4: these cows and the importance of how God invites us 413 00:22:40,140 --> 00:22:42,580 S4: to serve others and live humbly. And I was like, 414 00:22:42,700 --> 00:22:46,900 S4: oh my goodness, what a picture of how humility is 415 00:22:46,900 --> 00:22:50,740 S4: in action. It's like when we're really humble, unlike those 416 00:22:50,740 --> 00:22:54,740 S4: cows who are saying, husband, bring me a drink. We're 417 00:22:54,740 --> 00:22:58,980 S4: looking around us and saying, thirsty world, how can I 418 00:22:58,980 --> 00:23:02,660 S4: bring you a drink? Yeah. You know, woman traveling alone. 419 00:23:02,660 --> 00:23:04,660 S4: How can I walk you to the next gate, even 420 00:23:04,660 --> 00:23:08,020 S4: though I might feel awkward? And so that's what I'm 421 00:23:08,020 --> 00:23:13,500 S4: learning from Amos. That these are invitations to really live 422 00:23:13,500 --> 00:23:16,220 S4: our best life. And living humbly is one of the 423 00:23:16,220 --> 00:23:18,580 S4: invitations in the book of Amos today. 424 00:23:18,580 --> 00:23:20,260 S1: On the land and the book, we're honored to bring 425 00:23:20,260 --> 00:23:23,780 S1: you a conversation with Jennifer Rothschild. She's created the video 426 00:23:23,780 --> 00:23:26,859 S1: and study book series titled Amos An Invitation to the 427 00:23:26,859 --> 00:23:30,370 S1: Good Life. One unexpected facet of the teaching leads us 428 00:23:30,369 --> 00:23:34,290 S1: to the idea of breaking hope, stealing habits to reverse 429 00:23:34,369 --> 00:23:36,490 S1: self-defeating choices. Elaborate. 430 00:23:37,050 --> 00:23:41,170 S4: Well, so our self-defeating choices are these. When we are seeking, 431 00:23:41,609 --> 00:23:44,169 S4: like in Amos, it would be called when you're seeking Bethel, 432 00:23:44,330 --> 00:23:51,010 S4: when you're seeking these other sources for identity, they become idolatry. 433 00:23:51,609 --> 00:23:54,929 S4: So that is a self-defeating habit. So for me, for 434 00:23:54,930 --> 00:23:57,169 S4: anyone listening, I'm not going to assign this to them. 435 00:23:57,170 --> 00:23:59,650 S4: But I'll just say for me, like sometimes I let 436 00:23:59,650 --> 00:24:02,450 S4: my insecurity be the first thing to walk in the room. 437 00:24:02,490 --> 00:24:05,970 S4: You know, and it's like, see me, notice me, help me, 438 00:24:06,130 --> 00:24:10,770 S4: serve me. Or maybe I'm just really having a bad day. 439 00:24:10,770 --> 00:24:15,970 S4: And instead of seeking a thoughtful remedy to my bad day, 440 00:24:16,690 --> 00:24:21,129 S4: to muse, muse to think on something that is good 441 00:24:21,130 --> 00:24:24,970 S4: or godly, I seek amusement. Instead. I will pull out 442 00:24:24,970 --> 00:24:28,290 S4: my phone. I will start scrolling. I'll find a podcast. 443 00:24:28,290 --> 00:24:31,080 S4: I'll talk to ChatGPT about all the things that I 444 00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:32,800 S4: need to learn about that can make me feel better. 445 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:37,800 S4: And I soothe the boredom. Or I seek to be distracted, 446 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:42,040 S4: or I try to find encouragement for my discouragement from 447 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:46,120 S4: every other source. Those are self-defeating habits. That is not 448 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:49,600 S4: very different than what Israel did. And what happens is 449 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:53,520 S4: we trade in this identity that we've been given in 450 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:59,200 S4: Christ as his chosen children. We trade that identity in 451 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:03,440 S4: for a false God that never serves us. And ultimately, 452 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:05,440 S4: let's just be honest, here's a hard word. But let's 453 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:09,160 S4: be honest. Idolatry begins with I. It begins with I. 454 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:12,800 S4: It's all about me. And when self tries to serve self, 455 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,439 S4: self becomes defeated. And so that's the kind of thing 456 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:17,880 S4: I'm talking about. And we learn in Amos that live 457 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:21,920 S4: in the godlike means you accept the invitations to sacrifice, 458 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:24,240 S4: and it leads really, John, to hope? 459 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:26,880 S1: Well, there's a whole lot more to explore and we've 460 00:25:27,070 --> 00:25:30,950 S1: just scratched the surface as the as the old adage goes. 461 00:25:31,109 --> 00:25:32,830 S1: But I invite you to check it out for yourself. 462 00:25:32,869 --> 00:25:34,869 S1: Amos an introduction to the Good Life a link at 463 00:25:34,869 --> 00:25:38,629 S1: our website. The land and the book org, where you 464 00:25:38,630 --> 00:25:41,350 S1: also find a link to Jennifer's website as well. Thank 465 00:25:41,350 --> 00:25:43,310 S1: you so much for this conversation. Love to have you 466 00:25:43,310 --> 00:25:45,270 S1: back again. Maybe we could talk about heaven then. 467 00:25:45,470 --> 00:25:47,990 S4: Oh yeah, let's go to heaven together, John. Okay, we'll 468 00:25:47,990 --> 00:25:48,510 S4: do that. 469 00:25:48,550 --> 00:25:51,109 S1: Sounds good. Thank you. Coming up on the land of 470 00:25:51,109 --> 00:25:53,030 S1: the book, a fresh set of Bible questions. I'm looking 471 00:25:53,030 --> 00:26:08,030 S1: forward to checking those out with you right here. 66 472 00:26:08,030 --> 00:26:11,110 S1: books in your Bible. And every single one of them 473 00:26:11,109 --> 00:26:14,270 S1: just might prompt questions as you read them. Hi, I'm 474 00:26:14,270 --> 00:26:16,189 S1: John Gager. This is the land and the book and 475 00:26:16,190 --> 00:26:18,709 S1: this segment. You know what it's all about. It's questions 476 00:26:18,710 --> 00:26:21,469 S1: and answers and lots of questions have come in. We're 477 00:26:21,470 --> 00:26:23,630 S1: going to look forward to getting into those. First though, 478 00:26:23,630 --> 00:26:27,180 S1: this quick thought, what does Passover mean for us as 479 00:26:27,180 --> 00:26:30,500 S1: believers in Jesus? Some might remember the story from the 480 00:26:30,500 --> 00:26:33,260 S1: book of Exodus, but there's so much more to it. 481 00:26:33,500 --> 00:26:35,780 S1: For example, did you know that the Last Supper was 482 00:26:35,780 --> 00:26:39,020 S1: actually a Passover meal? Not only did Jesus and his 483 00:26:39,020 --> 00:26:42,659 S1: disciples celebrate Passover, it also foreshadowed his death on the 484 00:26:42,660 --> 00:26:45,899 S1: cross for our redemption. Jewish people have been observing the 485 00:26:45,900 --> 00:26:49,540 S1: feast of Passover for thousands of years, and understanding the 486 00:26:49,540 --> 00:26:52,300 S1: history and importance of this holiday will help you better 487 00:26:52,300 --> 00:26:55,300 S1: connect with your Jewish friends and neighbors. And what better 488 00:26:55,300 --> 00:26:58,700 S1: way is there to learn about Passover than to experience 489 00:26:58,700 --> 00:27:02,859 S1: a Passover Seder yourself? If you've never celebrated Passover, you 490 00:27:02,859 --> 00:27:05,459 S1: know our friends at Life in Messiah would love to 491 00:27:05,500 --> 00:27:08,660 S1: partner with you, your church, your study group in hosting 492 00:27:08,660 --> 00:27:12,260 S1: a Seder experience. Every year, their staff engage churches and 493 00:27:12,260 --> 00:27:17,020 S1: small groups in an interactive Messiah in the Passover Seder, 494 00:27:17,020 --> 00:27:20,979 S1: allowing participants to taste to see the redemption story. And 495 00:27:20,980 --> 00:27:23,660 S1: if you're interested in having somebody come lead a Seder 496 00:27:23,660 --> 00:27:27,729 S1: in your area, Just visit Life in Messiah org and 497 00:27:27,730 --> 00:27:30,010 S1: click on the Moody Radio button there to learn more. 498 00:27:30,050 --> 00:27:34,490 S1: That's life in messiah.org. We're real excited to welcome Doctor 499 00:27:34,490 --> 00:27:37,810 S1: Gerald Peterman back into the studio. He is field chair 500 00:27:37,810 --> 00:27:41,090 S1: for the Bible major at Moody Bible Institute in the classroom. 501 00:27:41,170 --> 00:27:44,210 S1: He's here to take your questions as well. And are 502 00:27:44,210 --> 00:27:46,730 S1: you ready to dig in? Doctor Peterman. Oh, yeah. All right, 503 00:27:46,730 --> 00:27:49,370 S1: I'm loving it. Let's start with Steve's question. He says 504 00:27:49,369 --> 00:27:53,450 S1: I'm beginning to hear those questioning Christianity say something like this. 505 00:27:53,450 --> 00:27:57,530 S1: Only a narcissist would require people to constantly worship him 506 00:27:57,530 --> 00:28:00,210 S1: before stepping in and saving them from hell. How do 507 00:28:00,210 --> 00:28:04,130 S1: you answer the accusation that God requiring worship makes him 508 00:28:04,130 --> 00:28:06,369 S1: a narcissist? And and how do you answer this without 509 00:28:06,369 --> 00:28:08,850 S1: using the Bible? Since most of those who make this 510 00:28:08,890 --> 00:28:10,889 S1: accusation don't even believe in the Bible. 511 00:28:10,970 --> 00:28:13,810 S5: I appreciate this, I've actually heard people say this. Have you? 512 00:28:13,850 --> 00:28:18,170 S5: But the question really demonstrates a misunderstanding of what narcissism 513 00:28:18,170 --> 00:28:22,010 S5: is and who God is first. A narcissist is somebody 514 00:28:22,010 --> 00:28:25,590 S5: who has an inflated view of himself. But you know, 515 00:28:25,630 --> 00:28:28,070 S5: God is the God of all the universe. You know, 516 00:28:28,109 --> 00:28:30,510 S5: for him to think of his own brilliance and his 517 00:28:30,510 --> 00:28:32,590 S5: power is not an inflated view of himself. 518 00:28:32,670 --> 00:28:33,629 S1: No. It's impossible. 519 00:28:33,670 --> 00:28:37,190 S5: First, God is certainly not a narcissist. But secondly, while 520 00:28:37,190 --> 00:28:39,270 S5: I appreciate Steve wanting to be able to answer this 521 00:28:39,270 --> 00:28:44,070 S5: question without Scripture, the question itself presupposes all sorts of 522 00:28:44,070 --> 00:28:50,710 S5: scriptural categories like saving and worship, right and hell. So 523 00:28:50,710 --> 00:28:54,310 S5: the question itself is using biblical categories, so I'm going 524 00:28:54,310 --> 00:28:57,430 S5: to use them, that is. Sure, the questioner really misunderstands 525 00:28:57,430 --> 00:28:59,430 S5: the plan of salvation. What does Paul tell us in 526 00:28:59,430 --> 00:29:02,910 S5: Romans five eight? God demonstrates his own love for us, 527 00:29:02,910 --> 00:29:05,990 S5: in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 528 00:29:06,270 --> 00:29:08,750 S5: This is not the God who holds us at arm's 529 00:29:08,790 --> 00:29:12,150 S5: length until we're good enough, but who has reached down 530 00:29:12,150 --> 00:29:16,590 S5: to us to save us. Furthermore, Ephesians two eight and 531 00:29:16,590 --> 00:29:19,870 S5: nine worth memorizing. Write for by grace you are saved 532 00:29:19,870 --> 00:29:22,660 S5: through faith. And this is not from yourselves. It is 533 00:29:22,660 --> 00:29:26,980 S5: the gift of God, not by works. So I think 534 00:29:26,980 --> 00:29:31,020 S5: we shouldn't be afraid to answer critics from Scripture itself 535 00:29:31,260 --> 00:29:35,500 S5: and to correct their misunderstandings of Scripture while we're doing that. 536 00:29:35,580 --> 00:29:39,260 S1: Okay, thank you for that clarification. Marge says, I enjoy 537 00:29:39,260 --> 00:29:43,700 S1: your program every Saturday on Kqwb in Houston. Could be 538 00:29:43,700 --> 00:29:46,500 S1: your station airs it on Sundays whenever it is. We're 539 00:29:46,540 --> 00:29:49,060 S1: glad for their giving airspace to the land and the book. 540 00:29:49,060 --> 00:29:53,020 S1: Here's Marge's question. Is there anything regarding Barnabas after he 541 00:29:53,020 --> 00:29:55,700 S1: and Paul split up? It makes me sad that they 542 00:29:55,700 --> 00:29:58,100 S1: had a falling out. Barnabas really helped Paul to get 543 00:29:58,100 --> 00:30:00,780 S1: accepted in the beginning when Paul first started off. What 544 00:30:00,780 --> 00:30:00,979 S1: are your. 545 00:30:00,980 --> 00:30:03,980 S5: Thoughts? Marge is so right. Yeah, I wonder about this myself. 546 00:30:03,980 --> 00:30:07,620 S5: There is a little bit after what happens in acts. 547 00:30:07,620 --> 00:30:10,700 S5: So Paul and Barnabas split up. It's like acts 15, 548 00:30:10,700 --> 00:30:14,180 S5: verse 3839. They have an argument over whether or not 549 00:30:14,220 --> 00:30:17,100 S5: Mark is going to be hanging in there with the ministry. 550 00:30:17,420 --> 00:30:20,690 S5: But then later we find out that Barnabas takes Mistakes 551 00:30:20,690 --> 00:30:23,530 S5: Mark and he takes them to Cyprus to do more ministry. 552 00:30:23,530 --> 00:30:26,530 S5: This is where Barnabas is from. And then even later 553 00:30:26,530 --> 00:30:31,090 S5: in scripture, Colossians 410, Paul says, Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, 554 00:30:31,250 --> 00:30:33,530 S5: and he tells the church that if Mark comes to them, 555 00:30:33,530 --> 00:30:36,690 S5: they should welcome him. In other words, Mark is not 556 00:30:36,690 --> 00:30:39,570 S5: to be rejected, he's to be embraced. And then furthermore, 557 00:30:39,610 --> 00:30:43,490 S5: in Paul's last letter to Timothy four, he tells this 558 00:30:43,490 --> 00:30:47,010 S5: because Mark is helpful to me in the ministry. So 559 00:30:47,010 --> 00:30:50,090 S5: it looks to me like there's a couple of indications 560 00:30:50,090 --> 00:30:53,650 S5: that although they split up Barnabas, which we call that 561 00:30:53,650 --> 00:30:57,930 S5: his mentoring program with Mark was effective. And this is 562 00:30:57,930 --> 00:31:01,770 S5: exactly what we would expect from Barnabas, the son of encouragement. 563 00:31:01,770 --> 00:31:04,930 S1: That's great. Todd asks, what would you say to a 564 00:31:04,930 --> 00:31:07,690 S1: person who claims there is not a future plan for 565 00:31:07,690 --> 00:31:09,930 S1: ethnic Israel, distinct from the church? 566 00:31:10,730 --> 00:31:13,250 S5: Yes, that's a great question too. I would say that 567 00:31:13,250 --> 00:31:15,650 S5: would mean God has broken His word and he will 568 00:31:15,650 --> 00:31:18,770 S5: not do this. To answer this question, we should go 569 00:31:18,850 --> 00:31:22,400 S5: to Romans nine 1011. Of course, we can't quote the 570 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:25,640 S5: whole thing, but the beginning of Romans 11, Paul says this. 571 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:30,160 S5: Has God rejected his people? May it never be. For 572 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:33,560 S5: I myself am an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin. 573 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:38,120 S5: God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. And 574 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:40,440 S5: then he goes on in the rest of the chapter 575 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:44,720 S5: to talk about Israel. Yes, mostly rejecting Messiah. But God 576 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:47,400 S5: has a plan in this, and I'm not. Now I'm 577 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:51,040 S5: dropping into Romans 11, verse 25. Israel has experienced a 578 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:54,560 S5: hardening in part until the full number of Gentiles come in, 579 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:58,920 S5: and so all Israel will be saved. Yes. I'll just 580 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:01,880 S5: drop in here. Now. There is a future for ethnic Israel. 581 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:04,640 S5: All Israel will be saved. And this is my covenant 582 00:32:04,640 --> 00:32:06,960 S5: with them when I take away their sins. Paul is 583 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:12,400 S5: drawing on promises from Isaiah 59, Jeremiah 31. So God 584 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:15,280 S5: has a future for ethnic Israel because he has promises 585 00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:18,000 S5: that have yet to be fulfilled. Let me mention one 586 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:22,430 S5: more thing. Do we want God to keep his promises? 587 00:32:22,670 --> 00:32:25,150 S5: We do. And if we conclude that he has broken 588 00:32:25,150 --> 00:32:28,110 S5: them to Israel, maybe we'll conclude he'll break them for us. 589 00:32:28,310 --> 00:32:30,830 S5: He will not do that. He will keep his promises. 590 00:32:31,670 --> 00:32:34,910 S1: Beth asks. I've heard that Oprah's lineage had Goliath in it, 591 00:32:34,990 --> 00:32:38,110 S1: whereas Ruth's lineage, of course, has David's. That makes a 592 00:32:38,110 --> 00:32:40,030 S1: good story. But is it true? 593 00:32:40,430 --> 00:32:42,110 S5: Oh, that'd be worthy of it. That'd be worthy of 594 00:32:42,110 --> 00:32:44,790 S5: some sort of situation comedy, wouldn't it? I don't think 595 00:32:44,790 --> 00:32:49,310 S5: it's true. I know that some rabbinic tradition teaches this, 596 00:32:49,310 --> 00:32:53,430 S5: but this is not found in Scripture itself. Here's the 597 00:32:53,430 --> 00:32:57,470 S5: primary problem I have with this identification in the book 598 00:32:57,470 --> 00:33:00,910 S5: of Ruth, chapter one, verse four. Ruth and Orpah are 599 00:33:00,910 --> 00:33:06,190 S5: both called Moabite women. Now where is Moab? Moab is 600 00:33:06,190 --> 00:33:09,470 S5: east of the Dead Sea. And then we come to 601 00:33:09,510 --> 00:33:12,469 S5: first Samuel 17 or second Samuel 21. Goliath and his 602 00:33:12,470 --> 00:33:18,100 S5: brothers are specifically identified as Philistines. Now Where is Philistia? 603 00:33:18,140 --> 00:33:22,860 S5: Philistia is a coastal region west of Israel. So they're 604 00:33:22,860 --> 00:33:27,620 S5: coming from two vastly different portions. So it's extremely unlikely 605 00:33:27,620 --> 00:33:28,940 S5: that there is this connection. 606 00:33:29,620 --> 00:33:31,460 S1: A question here from Jim. He says, could you tell 607 00:33:31,460 --> 00:33:34,940 S1: me how the information contained in Genesis came to be? 608 00:33:35,140 --> 00:33:39,020 S1: Might it have been transmitted via Adam to subsequent generations? 609 00:33:39,500 --> 00:33:43,500 S1: Would it be simple supernatural revelation? To whom was it given? Moses. 610 00:33:43,980 --> 00:33:46,140 S5: I wish I knew the answer to that question, but 611 00:33:46,180 --> 00:33:47,900 S5: of course, I do have a couple of things that 612 00:33:47,900 --> 00:33:50,940 S5: can help us. I think that is, we're not told 613 00:33:50,940 --> 00:33:54,380 S5: explicitly how Moses knew this. What we do know is 614 00:33:54,380 --> 00:33:57,100 S5: that Moses is guided by God's Spirit, and he's giving 615 00:33:57,100 --> 00:34:00,500 S5: us his inspired word. But let's remind ourselves of what's 616 00:34:00,500 --> 00:34:04,780 S5: happening in the book of Genesis, and especially the chronologies. 617 00:34:04,780 --> 00:34:10,060 S5: That is, Adam in his life overlaps with Methuselah some 618 00:34:10,060 --> 00:34:15,299 S5: 200 years. And then Noah in his life overlaps with Methuselah, 619 00:34:15,300 --> 00:34:19,169 S5: something like 600 years. So in other words, Noah could 620 00:34:19,210 --> 00:34:23,730 S5: hear all about creation from one generation away. Yes, in 621 00:34:23,730 --> 00:34:26,969 S5: the ancient world, they took their oral tradition, passing on 622 00:34:26,969 --> 00:34:31,770 S5: stories carefully. They took that extremely seriously. So I take 623 00:34:31,770 --> 00:34:34,569 S5: it that Moses not only has the story passed on 624 00:34:34,570 --> 00:34:37,009 S5: from the ancestors, but he also has God's Spirit to 625 00:34:37,050 --> 00:34:39,850 S5: guide him in all the details. So I take it 626 00:34:39,850 --> 00:34:42,170 S5: we can be assured what Moses has given us. 627 00:34:43,050 --> 00:34:46,690 S1: Oliver asks, how old was Saul when he became king 628 00:34:46,690 --> 00:34:48,570 S1: and how long did he reign as king? 629 00:34:49,170 --> 00:34:51,370 S5: We all want to know the answer to that question. 630 00:34:51,610 --> 00:34:55,890 S5: I'm sorry. We come to one Samuel 13, and this 631 00:34:55,890 --> 00:35:00,049 S5: is where the writer of Samuel starts talking about, um, 632 00:35:00,090 --> 00:35:04,610 S5: Saul's reign. And the text says, literally, Saul was years 633 00:35:04,610 --> 00:35:07,690 S5: old when he began to reign, and two years he 634 00:35:07,690 --> 00:35:10,969 S5: reigned over Israel. So we asked this question, how old 635 00:35:10,969 --> 00:35:13,770 S5: was Saul when he started? Because actually, the text doesn't 636 00:35:13,810 --> 00:35:17,310 S5: tell us there's a gap there. Many translations add in. 637 00:35:17,590 --> 00:35:19,350 S5: He was 30 years old when he began to reign. 638 00:35:19,350 --> 00:35:21,910 S5: And he reigned for 42 years. We don't know how 639 00:35:21,989 --> 00:35:25,750 S5: old he was when he started to reign. Um, what 640 00:35:25,750 --> 00:35:28,910 S5: about the length of Saul's time as king? Well, we 641 00:35:28,910 --> 00:35:32,670 S5: know the answer to this question from acts 1321. Paul's 642 00:35:32,670 --> 00:35:37,710 S5: giving a sermon, and Paul says, Saul reigned 40 years. 643 00:35:38,270 --> 00:35:41,029 S5: So when did he begin? We don't know. How long 644 00:35:41,030 --> 00:35:43,390 S5: did he reign? He reigned for 40 years. Is this 645 00:35:43,390 --> 00:35:47,629 S5: a problem with the inerrancy of Scripture? It is not. 646 00:35:48,110 --> 00:35:52,230 S5: It's a problem with manuscripts being passed on somehow. The 647 00:35:52,230 --> 00:35:54,950 S5: date has dropped out. This is not an error in 648 00:35:54,950 --> 00:35:56,190 S5: the original manuscript. 649 00:35:56,430 --> 00:35:58,710 S1: Oliver has a follow up. How old was David when 650 00:35:58,710 --> 00:36:02,190 S1: he was chosen King, and how old when he became king? 651 00:36:02,469 --> 00:36:04,390 S5: Oh well, thankfully we can answer this one a lot 652 00:36:04,390 --> 00:36:10,150 S5: more readily. We're told that, um, David gets anointed, recognized 653 00:36:10,150 --> 00:36:14,060 S5: as king and anointed in first Samuel 16 and 17. 654 00:36:14,100 --> 00:36:17,020 S5: My best guess is that probably David is something like 655 00:36:17,020 --> 00:36:19,540 S5: late teens. He's just a boy, right? He's the youngest 656 00:36:19,540 --> 00:36:21,419 S5: in his family. He's the one that gets put on 657 00:36:21,420 --> 00:36:25,580 S5: shepherding duty. And then we learn from two Samuel five. 658 00:36:26,020 --> 00:36:28,700 S5: David was 30 years old when he became king, and 659 00:36:28,700 --> 00:36:32,020 S5: he reigned 40 years in Hebron. He reigned over Judah 660 00:36:32,020 --> 00:36:34,580 S5: seven years and six months. And in Jerusalem he reigned 661 00:36:34,580 --> 00:36:37,780 S5: over all Israel and Judah for 33 years. So thankfully, 662 00:36:37,780 --> 00:36:38,940 S5: that is straightforward. 663 00:36:39,020 --> 00:36:41,900 S1: That's a great question. Interesting to hear about these dates. 664 00:36:41,900 --> 00:36:44,100 S1: And if you've got a question for us, email us 665 00:36:44,100 --> 00:36:48,379 S1: at the land and the Book at Moody Edu. Charlie 666 00:36:48,420 --> 00:37:04,700 S1: Dyer's devotional is next right here. Whether you're an artist, 667 00:37:04,700 --> 00:37:09,060 S1: an airplane pilot, or a counselor, perspective is everything. But 668 00:37:09,060 --> 00:37:12,570 S1: perspective is everything when we're following Christ as well. Charlie, 669 00:37:12,570 --> 00:37:14,450 S1: where are you going? To take us in today's devotional. 670 00:37:14,690 --> 00:37:17,810 S2: We are heading to Philippians one, a great book and 671 00:37:17,810 --> 00:37:19,250 S2: one of my favorite chapters there. 672 00:37:19,370 --> 00:37:21,890 S1: And some insights on perspective as well. We'll look forward 673 00:37:21,890 --> 00:37:25,050 S1: to that after we take in this Holy Land experience. 674 00:37:25,170 --> 00:37:26,010 S1: Check this out. 675 00:37:30,250 --> 00:37:35,290 S6: Hello, my name is Girvan. I'm from Midlothian, Texas. The 676 00:37:35,290 --> 00:37:38,009 S6: thing I find most significant on our tour here in 677 00:37:38,010 --> 00:37:41,810 S6: Israel is standing on top of Mount Arbel. I enjoy 678 00:37:41,969 --> 00:37:45,730 S6: looking to the north and seeing the coastline and walking 679 00:37:45,730 --> 00:37:49,290 S6: around to all the various sites that are so historical 680 00:37:49,810 --> 00:37:52,770 S6: from the Bible, from the New Testament, to know that 681 00:37:52,770 --> 00:37:55,649 S6: the water is still as level as it was back 682 00:37:55,650 --> 00:38:00,130 S6: then when Christ walked on it. That has not changed. Um, 683 00:38:00,810 --> 00:38:03,050 S6: it thrills me to to look out from that mountain 684 00:38:03,050 --> 00:38:07,130 S6: and see where 90% of his miracles occurred, and know 685 00:38:07,130 --> 00:38:09,370 S6: that that's still relevant today. 686 00:38:10,010 --> 00:38:12,920 S7: My name is Jack Alexander and just have been enthralled 687 00:38:12,920 --> 00:38:16,760 S7: with Israel, loved the Sea of Galilee. And there's something 688 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:20,719 S7: about being here where it's almost like God is inviting 689 00:38:20,719 --> 00:38:24,680 S7: you to his hometown and allowing you to see where 690 00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:27,920 S7: he grew up and where he ministered and where he died. 691 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:32,439 S7: And it just increased the intimacy so much and just 692 00:38:32,440 --> 00:38:34,040 S7: appreciated the time so much. 693 00:38:36,280 --> 00:38:38,319 S1: All right. I love the book of Philippians, and I 694 00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:40,960 S1: bet you do too, Charlie. Uh, we'll let you have 695 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:42,279 S1: at it with today's devotional. 696 00:38:42,600 --> 00:38:45,719 S2: Uh, thanks, John. You know, I remember reading a humorous story, 697 00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:49,400 S2: no doubt fictitious, about a college freshman who ran the 698 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:52,920 S2: 100 meter dash head to head against the school's top 699 00:38:52,960 --> 00:38:56,600 S2: track star. Of course, the track star left the student 700 00:38:56,600 --> 00:38:59,439 S2: in the dust. But when sending an email to his 701 00:38:59,440 --> 00:39:02,480 S2: dad about the experience, the student thought of a creative 702 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:06,120 S2: way to cast the event in the best possible light. Dad, 703 00:39:06,160 --> 00:39:08,840 S2: today I ran in a race that included the school's 704 00:39:08,840 --> 00:39:12,509 S2: top runner. He came in next to last. While I 705 00:39:12,550 --> 00:39:15,669 S2: came in second. Now, you might need to think about 706 00:39:15,670 --> 00:39:18,430 S2: that for just a second, but it does help realize 707 00:39:18,430 --> 00:39:22,149 S2: that there are times in life where perspective is everything. 708 00:39:22,710 --> 00:39:25,510 S2: The same glass can be half full or half empty, 709 00:39:25,710 --> 00:39:29,150 S2: depending on our perspective. And that's why our journey today 710 00:39:29,150 --> 00:39:32,190 S2: is taking us to Philippi. Our ship docked at the 711 00:39:32,190 --> 00:39:35,790 S2: modern port of Kavala, which was called Neapolis, or New 712 00:39:35,790 --> 00:39:39,390 S2: City when Paul, Silas and Luke first arrived there in 713 00:39:39,390 --> 00:39:42,590 S2: acts 16. The three then made the nine mile journey 714 00:39:42,590 --> 00:39:45,469 S2: from the coast to the town of Philippi, walking on 715 00:39:45,469 --> 00:39:48,910 S2: the Via Egnatia, a road that stretched from Rome all 716 00:39:48,910 --> 00:39:53,189 S2: the way to Byzantium, modern day Istanbul. Thankfully, today we're 717 00:39:53,190 --> 00:39:55,950 S2: riding in a bus on a modern highway that follows 718 00:39:55,950 --> 00:39:58,989 S2: the general path of that ancient Roman road. If you 719 00:39:59,030 --> 00:40:01,750 S2: watch out the bus window, you can still see traces 720 00:40:01,750 --> 00:40:05,830 S2: of that 2000 year old highway. Well, we've now arrived 721 00:40:05,830 --> 00:40:08,460 S2: in Philippi. And as you get off the bus, let's 722 00:40:08,460 --> 00:40:11,020 S2: walk up the hill to see the traditional spot where 723 00:40:11,020 --> 00:40:13,779 S2: Paul and Silas were said to have been imprisoned. Whether 724 00:40:13,780 --> 00:40:16,140 S2: or not it's the exact spot is hard to say. 725 00:40:16,500 --> 00:40:19,299 S2: I'm a bit skeptical, but the site does serve as 726 00:40:19,300 --> 00:40:23,300 S2: a reminder of Paul's rather eventful first visit to this city. 727 00:40:23,700 --> 00:40:26,100 S2: Now imagine what it would have been like as a 728 00:40:26,100 --> 00:40:31,339 S2: Christian actually living in Philippi, 11 years after Paul's first visit. 729 00:40:31,660 --> 00:40:34,500 S2: The city itself hasn't changed much. It's still proud of 730 00:40:34,500 --> 00:40:37,219 S2: its heritage and very loyal to Rome and the Emperor. 731 00:40:37,660 --> 00:40:40,100 S2: It was settled by veterans of the Roman army and 732 00:40:40,100 --> 00:40:43,940 S2: officially designated as a Roman colony. The gold mines in 733 00:40:43,940 --> 00:40:47,140 S2: the region have long ago played out, but its location 734 00:40:47,140 --> 00:40:52,060 S2: on the Via Egnatia still keeps the city prosperous. Unfortunately, 735 00:40:52,219 --> 00:40:55,660 S2: the church in Philippi hasn't shared in that wealth. Instead 736 00:40:55,660 --> 00:40:59,180 S2: of honoring or even deifying the emperor, the church was 737 00:40:59,180 --> 00:41:03,100 S2: proclaiming that a Jewish Messiah was God, Savior and King. 738 00:41:03,580 --> 00:41:08,170 S2: In Second Corinthians eight, Paul described the Macedonian churches, including Philippi, 739 00:41:08,489 --> 00:41:14,009 S2: as churches experiencing severe trial and extreme poverty. It's hard 740 00:41:14,010 --> 00:41:18,010 S2: to believe that 11 years have passed since Paul's first visit. 741 00:41:18,010 --> 00:41:21,290 S2: But just this morning, Epaphroditus, one of our own right 742 00:41:21,290 --> 00:41:24,410 S2: from here in Philippi, walked into town with a letter 743 00:41:24,410 --> 00:41:27,850 S2: from Paul himself. We knew Paul was a prisoner in Rome, 744 00:41:27,850 --> 00:41:30,609 S2: and several months ago we collected what funds we could 745 00:41:30,610 --> 00:41:34,850 S2: scrape together to help provide for his support. Epaphroditus was 746 00:41:34,850 --> 00:41:37,610 S2: one of those chosen to deliver the funds. But while 747 00:41:37,610 --> 00:41:41,130 S2: in Rome he became ill and almost died. The report 748 00:41:41,130 --> 00:41:44,610 S2: caused great sadness when we heard it, but whatever sadness 749 00:41:44,610 --> 00:41:47,690 S2: and uncertainty we felt before, it's all been forgotten. Now 750 00:41:47,690 --> 00:41:50,770 S2: that Epaphroditus is back in town and he's holding in 751 00:41:50,770 --> 00:41:53,890 S2: his hand that letter from Paul. The news is quickly 752 00:41:53,890 --> 00:41:56,129 S2: sent to all the members of the church, and now 753 00:41:56,130 --> 00:41:58,850 S2: we're crowded together to hear his report and to have 754 00:41:58,850 --> 00:42:01,649 S2: him read the letter. As we listen to what Paul 755 00:42:01,650 --> 00:42:05,160 S2: has written, his first words take us all by surprise. Rise, 756 00:42:05,520 --> 00:42:09,440 S2: though he's in chains. Paul writes about joy and stresses 757 00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:13,640 S2: that joy comes from putting Jesus first, others second, and 758 00:42:13,640 --> 00:42:18,320 S2: ourselves last. It's the exact opposite of the world's philosophy, 759 00:42:18,480 --> 00:42:21,240 S2: which tells us to always watch out for number one 760 00:42:21,239 --> 00:42:26,279 S2: for ourselves. But viewing life from God's perspective changes everything. 761 00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:30,160 S2: Someone in the gathering speaks up. Wait a minute. Paul 762 00:42:30,160 --> 00:42:32,720 S2: is in prison and he just said, there are people 763 00:42:32,719 --> 00:42:36,239 S2: in Rome pretending to be followers of Christ simply to 764 00:42:36,239 --> 00:42:39,239 S2: make trouble for him. That doesn't make me joyful. It 765 00:42:39,239 --> 00:42:44,360 S2: makes me angry. As if anticipating that objection, Paul answers 766 00:42:44,360 --> 00:42:47,560 S2: that very question. Because of my chains, most of the 767 00:42:47,560 --> 00:42:50,359 S2: brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the 768 00:42:50,360 --> 00:42:54,480 S2: Word of God more courageously and fearlessly. It is true 769 00:42:54,480 --> 00:42:57,719 S2: that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but 770 00:42:57,760 --> 00:43:01,720 S2: others out of good will. The latter do so in love, 771 00:43:01,840 --> 00:43:03,680 S2: knowing that I am put here for the defense of 772 00:43:03,680 --> 00:43:06,899 S2: the of the gospel. The former preached Christ out of 773 00:43:06,900 --> 00:43:10,739 S2: selfish ambition, not sincerely hoping that they can stir up 774 00:43:10,780 --> 00:43:13,980 S2: trouble for me while I am in chains. But what 775 00:43:13,980 --> 00:43:17,779 S2: does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, 776 00:43:17,780 --> 00:43:21,500 S2: whether from false motives or true Christ, is preached. And 777 00:43:21,500 --> 00:43:25,660 S2: because of this I rejoice. Did you catch his point? 778 00:43:26,020 --> 00:43:30,379 S2: In life, perspective is everything. Paul didn't focus on himself. 779 00:43:30,500 --> 00:43:33,500 S2: He wasn't the center of the universe. He focused on 780 00:43:33,500 --> 00:43:37,739 S2: Jesus first. No matter what the motives, Christ was being preached. 781 00:43:37,860 --> 00:43:40,700 S2: And then he focused on others. Most of the believers 782 00:43:40,700 --> 00:43:43,740 S2: in Rome were emboldened because of Paul and had become 783 00:43:43,739 --> 00:43:48,140 S2: fearless in presenting the gospel. Paul isn't presenting a naive, 784 00:43:48,140 --> 00:43:51,540 S2: rose colored glasses view of life. He is demonstrating a 785 00:43:51,540 --> 00:43:55,700 S2: perspective on life that turns the world's values upside down. 786 00:43:56,020 --> 00:43:59,419 S2: Instead of using a microscope to focus inward, Paul turns 787 00:43:59,420 --> 00:44:02,290 S2: the lens into a telescope to focus outward on Word 788 00:44:02,290 --> 00:44:05,890 S2: on Jesus and on others. And the change in perspective 789 00:44:05,890 --> 00:44:09,730 S2: is what produces joy instead of bitterness. Paul continues to 790 00:44:09,730 --> 00:44:13,089 S2: drive the point home. Do nothing out of selfish ambition 791 00:44:13,090 --> 00:44:17,330 S2: or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 792 00:44:17,690 --> 00:44:20,530 S2: Each of you should look not only to your own interests, 793 00:44:20,530 --> 00:44:23,370 S2: but also to the interests of others. And by way 794 00:44:23,370 --> 00:44:27,010 S2: of illustration, Paul provides several examples of what this looks 795 00:44:27,010 --> 00:44:31,890 S2: like in shoe leather, starting with Jesus. Jesus didn't consider 796 00:44:31,890 --> 00:44:35,049 S2: his exalted position with God the Father as something to 797 00:44:35,090 --> 00:44:39,049 S2: cling to, but humbled himself. Paul says, being willing to 798 00:44:39,090 --> 00:44:42,850 S2: die for us on the cross. Paul then uses himself 799 00:44:42,850 --> 00:44:45,569 S2: as an example. But even if I'm being poured out 800 00:44:45,570 --> 00:44:48,770 S2: like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming 801 00:44:48,770 --> 00:44:51,850 S2: from your faith, I'm glad and I rejoice with all 802 00:44:51,850 --> 00:44:55,970 S2: of you. He points to Timothy as a third illustration 803 00:44:55,969 --> 00:44:59,410 S2: of someone who, as he writes, takes a genuine interest 804 00:44:59,410 --> 00:45:04,120 S2: in your welfare while also serving Christ and Paul. And finally, 805 00:45:04,120 --> 00:45:08,200 S2: Paul focuses on Epaphroditus, who, as Paul says, almost died 806 00:45:08,200 --> 00:45:11,399 S2: for the work of Christ, risking his life to make 807 00:45:11,400 --> 00:45:15,120 S2: up for the help you could not give me. Jesus, Paul, 808 00:45:15,480 --> 00:45:20,920 S2: Timothy and Epaphroditus. Four illustrations of the same truth. Well, 809 00:45:20,920 --> 00:45:23,240 S2: it's time for us to return from the first century 810 00:45:23,239 --> 00:45:27,880 S2: to the 21st century, from Philippi to our own hometowns. 811 00:45:27,880 --> 00:45:31,160 S2: But what impact can Paul's words have on your perspective today? 812 00:45:31,800 --> 00:45:36,960 S2: Are you depressed? Angry? Jealous? Fearful? If so, could it 813 00:45:36,960 --> 00:45:39,920 S2: be because your perspective on life begins with a focus 814 00:45:39,920 --> 00:45:43,040 S2: on yourself, a focus on your rights and what you 815 00:45:43,040 --> 00:45:47,560 S2: think you deserve? If so, try turning that microscope into 816 00:45:47,560 --> 00:45:51,440 S2: a telescope. Focus on Jesus and what he's done for you. 817 00:45:51,440 --> 00:45:53,520 S2: Then focus on others and see what you can do 818 00:45:53,520 --> 00:45:56,480 S2: to help meet their needs. As you do. Watch how 819 00:45:56,480 --> 00:45:59,799 S2: God takes care of you. You just might discover that 820 00:45:59,800 --> 00:46:02,870 S2: the real secret to finding joy in life comes from 821 00:46:02,870 --> 00:46:09,989 S2: putting Paul's spiritual acrostic into practice. Joy. Jesus first, others second, 822 00:46:10,230 --> 00:46:15,030 S2: and yourself last. Paul's secret can be yours as well. 823 00:46:15,510 --> 00:46:18,069 S1: Thank you Charlie. Always great to open the Bible with 824 00:46:18,070 --> 00:46:21,270 S1: you and and find out your insights and perspectives on 825 00:46:21,270 --> 00:46:24,350 S1: perspective today in Philippians one. You can hear the entire 826 00:46:24,350 --> 00:46:26,870 S1: program again by the way, at our website, The Land 827 00:46:26,870 --> 00:46:30,390 S1: and the book.org. We encourage you to check that out. 828 00:46:30,550 --> 00:46:33,910 S1: The land and the book. Org. Well, thanks for making 829 00:46:33,950 --> 00:46:36,590 S1: time to be with us today. We appreciate that. Appreciate 830 00:46:36,590 --> 00:46:39,750 S1: your friendship. Appreciate your email as well. Email us with 831 00:46:39,750 --> 00:46:45,470 S1: any thoughts or comments at The Land and the book@moody.edu 832 00:46:45,469 --> 00:46:48,310 S1: on behalf of our host, Charlie Dyer, producer Dan Anderson, 833 00:46:48,310 --> 00:46:50,989 S1: I'm John Gager the land and the book is a 834 00:46:50,989 --> 00:46:54,950 S1: production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.