WEBVTT - My Brother’s Keeper 0:00:07.910 --> 0:00:11.660 You saw their faces on posters as hostages, and then 0:00:11.660 --> 0:00:14.210 you saw them making their way through the jeering Hamas 0:00:14.210 --> 0:00:17.780 crowds released after more than a year in captivity. But 0:00:17.780 --> 0:00:21.290 what secrets do these Israeli hostages hold? What scars do 0:00:21.290 --> 0:00:24.439 they bear? Coming up, we'll get insights from an expert. 0:00:24.470 --> 0:00:28.460 Who knows? Plus, our devotional takes you into Hezekiah's famous 0:00:28.460 --> 0:00:32.060 water tunnel. And we'll connect with more of your Bible questions, too. 0:00:32.090 --> 0:00:35.269 Welcome to the land and the book. I'm John Gager 0:00:35.270 --> 0:00:37.400 and our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer, is out of the 0:00:37.400 --> 0:00:40.790 studio on assignment for the next two weeks, but before 0:00:40.790 --> 0:00:43.220 he left, he was kind enough to share his thoughts 0:00:43.220 --> 0:00:45.170 with you and me about the headlines coming out of 0:00:45.170 --> 0:00:47.120 the Middle East this week, and we'll get to all 0:00:47.150 --> 0:00:50.510 of that and more. First, though, Passover will soon be 0:00:50.510 --> 0:00:53.570 upon us, right? And one of the traditional Passover questions 0:00:53.600 --> 0:00:57.500 is what makes this night different from all others? Well, 0:00:57.500 --> 0:01:00.410 Passover is an important biblical holiday that has great meaning 0:01:00.410 --> 0:01:03.320 for Jewish people and for believers in Jesus. And this 0:01:03.320 --> 0:01:06.080 is a great question to ask. Now, if you want 0:01:06.110 --> 0:01:09.199 to learn more about what makes Passover so very special. 0:01:09.230 --> 0:01:12.380 Our friends at Life in Messiah are offering to mail 0:01:12.380 --> 0:01:15.679 you a free copy of their Messianic Passover Haggadah. This 0:01:15.680 --> 0:01:18.529 is a booklet that will lead you through the celebration 0:01:18.530 --> 0:01:22.280 of Passover to see the rich connections to Jesus, our Messiah, 0:01:22.280 --> 0:01:25.100 and the Last Supper. You'll also receive a link for 0:01:25.100 --> 0:01:28.790 an interactive Passover Seder video with the Haggadah and the 0:01:28.790 --> 0:01:31.970 video together. You can really celebrate Passover this year with 0:01:31.970 --> 0:01:34.760 your family and friends. Now, to get this free offer, 0:01:34.760 --> 0:01:38.090 just go to Life in messiah.org and click on the 0:01:38.090 --> 0:01:40.970 Moody Radio button. You'll see there to learn more and 0:01:40.970 --> 0:01:45.860 to request your copy. Again, that's life in messiah.org. All right. 0:01:45.860 --> 0:01:47.690 Let's take a look at current events based in the 0:01:47.690 --> 0:01:50.420 Middle East. This week. The debate over the future of 0:01:50.420 --> 0:01:55.370 Hamas and the Palestinians in Gaza continues, even as negotiations 0:01:55.400 --> 0:01:58.460 get underway for the next phase of the hostage deal 0:01:58.490 --> 0:02:01.160 amid calls for renewed fighting. What do we need to 0:02:01.190 --> 0:02:05.090 know about all these discussions? Well, Charlie Dyer suggests we 0:02:05.090 --> 0:02:07.730 need to start by saying that when dealing with Hamas, 0:02:07.730 --> 0:02:12.619 anything is possible. They've broken virtually every promise they've made 0:02:12.620 --> 0:02:15.920 in the hostage negotiations, even trying to pass off the 0:02:15.919 --> 0:02:19.160 wrong body for the mother that they had brutally killed 0:02:19.160 --> 0:02:22.010 along with her two sons. The first phase of the 0:02:22.010 --> 0:02:25.250 hostage deal is scheduled to expire today. And and there's 0:02:25.250 --> 0:02:27.589 been some concern over whether the second phase will actually 0:02:27.590 --> 0:02:31.520 even continue. Now, if no agreement is reached, Israel has 0:02:31.520 --> 0:02:34.250 said it will resume the war. However, there's been a 0:02:34.250 --> 0:02:37.070 bit of optimism over the past week because of two issues. 0:02:37.070 --> 0:02:40.760 The first is Ramadan, which just began Friday night. Now, 0:02:40.790 --> 0:02:43.910 Hamas would prefer not to resume fighting right now, since 0:02:43.910 --> 0:02:47.420 during Ramadan they're to refrain from eating and drinking during 0:02:47.419 --> 0:02:50.059 the day, and this could make it more difficult physically 0:02:50.060 --> 0:02:53.240 to fight while also making them more vulnerable to attack 0:02:53.240 --> 0:02:55.700 at night when they stay up after dark to break 0:02:55.730 --> 0:02:58.550 their fast. the second reason that they would like the 0:02:58.550 --> 0:03:01.130 cease fire to continue is that they want more aid 0:03:01.130 --> 0:03:05.420 convoys into Gaza, including the heavy equipment being sent in 0:03:05.450 --> 0:03:08.600 to clear rubble. Well, the hostages are their ace in 0:03:08.600 --> 0:03:10.910 the hole, no doubt about that. And the thing that 0:03:10.910 --> 0:03:13.610 kept Israel from being more aggressive in trying to root 0:03:13.610 --> 0:03:16.340 them out. But right now, Hamas has been willing to 0:03:16.340 --> 0:03:19.160 give up at least some hostages to buy time to 0:03:19.190 --> 0:03:23.270 regroup and rearm. Still, don't expect them to willingly give 0:03:23.300 --> 0:03:27.919 up all hostages or to cede power and control over Gaza. 0:03:27.919 --> 0:03:31.790 At the same time, Israel's anger over Hamas's brutal murders 0:03:31.790 --> 0:03:35.330 of Shiri Bibas and her two young children is palpable. 0:03:35.330 --> 0:03:39.080 And if fighting does resume, Israel is strongly united in 0:03:39.080 --> 0:03:42.800 wanting to eliminate Hamas once and for all. The struggle 0:03:42.800 --> 0:03:45.560 over what Gaza will look like the day after all 0:03:45.560 --> 0:03:48.320 the fighting ends is still very much up in the air. 0:03:48.350 --> 0:03:52.070 By and large, Israel embraces President Trump's proposal, while also 0:03:52.070 --> 0:03:54.440 surrounding Arab nations and much of the rest of the 0:03:54.440 --> 0:03:57.320 world does not. Hopefully some of this can even be 0:03:57.320 --> 0:04:00.080 sorted out during Ramadan. While most, if not all, of 0:04:00.080 --> 0:04:05.030 the remaining hostages are released. Story number two Egypt has 0:04:05.030 --> 0:04:08.000 been beefing up its armed forces along its border with 0:04:08.000 --> 0:04:10.070 Israel and Gaza. And you have to wonder, is this 0:04:10.070 --> 0:04:13.370 a defensive move on their part or an offensive one? 0:04:13.370 --> 0:04:16.700 And how concerned should Israel be? Well, in spite of 0:04:16.700 --> 0:04:20.690 some breathless reports suggesting a possible prelude to war, Doctor 0:04:20.690 --> 0:04:24.049 Dyer suggests this seems to be something far less ominous. 0:04:24.080 --> 0:04:28.400 Back in 2018, Israel gave Egypt permission to almost double 0:04:28.400 --> 0:04:31.730 its forces in Sinai to put down or fight Islamic 0:04:31.730 --> 0:04:35.180 extremists in the area, and at the same time, Egypt 0:04:35.180 --> 0:04:38.840 has given Israel permission to conduct airstrikes in the Sinai 0:04:38.839 --> 0:04:42.710 at smuggling targets. Two things are likely behind the current 0:04:42.710 --> 0:04:46.100 increase in Egyptian forces. First, it might be partly in 0:04:46.100 --> 0:04:50.480 response to Israel's occupying of the Philadelphi corridor between Gaza 0:04:50.480 --> 0:04:54.440 and Egypt, which Israel took over in spite of Egypt's objections. 0:04:54.470 --> 0:04:57.979 Moving Egyptian forces closer to the border would be seen 0:04:57.980 --> 0:05:01.219 as a popular move by Egyptians to protect their country 0:05:01.250 --> 0:05:04.729 should Israel move into Egyptian territory, which, by the way, 0:05:04.730 --> 0:05:08.479 Israel isn't planning to do. Second, the force could be 0:05:08.480 --> 0:05:11.540 there to guard against any plan to open the border, 0:05:11.540 --> 0:05:14.540 to allow hundreds of thousands of Gazans to flee across 0:05:14.540 --> 0:05:18.679 into Egypt. Allowing Hamas terrorists into Egypt would pose a 0:05:18.680 --> 0:05:21.950 real threat to the current government in Egypt, which overthrew 0:05:21.950 --> 0:05:25.940 the previous Muslim Brotherhood Islamic government. Until the issue of 0:05:25.940 --> 0:05:29.450 Hamas and the people of Gaza is resolved, the uncertainty 0:05:29.480 --> 0:05:32.900 will continue to keep Egypt on its toes. But right now, 0:05:32.900 --> 0:05:36.349 this isn't a prelude to an Egyptian attack against Israel, 0:05:36.350 --> 0:05:39.140 that much we know from Moody Radio. This is the 0:05:39.140 --> 0:05:41.539 land and the book. I'm John Geiger. If you joined 0:05:41.540 --> 0:05:44.870 us midstream, our host, doctor Charlie Dyer, out on assignment. 0:05:44.870 --> 0:05:47.690 But he shared his perspectives on the week's news and 0:05:47.690 --> 0:05:50.900 headlines that we're sharing with you now. Last weekend and 0:05:50.900 --> 0:05:54.850 into this past Monday, Israel experienced another winter storm, this 0:05:54.850 --> 0:05:58.270 one named coral. What impact did the storm have on Israel, 0:05:58.270 --> 0:06:02.650 you wonder? Well, unfortunately, the impact Israel was hoping for 0:06:02.680 --> 0:06:07.779 a nice extended soaking rain didn't really happen. Instead, coral 0:06:07.779 --> 0:06:12.010 brought mainly unseasonably low temperatures, frost in some areas and 0:06:12.010 --> 0:06:15.520 strong winds, but only a little rain and a dusting 0:06:15.550 --> 0:06:18.729 of snow up in the higher elevations. Now the Sea 0:06:18.760 --> 0:06:22.390 of Galilee crept a few inches higher, though it's still 0:06:22.390 --> 0:06:25.479 nearly eight feet below the upper red line, which is 0:06:25.480 --> 0:06:28.570 full capacity. So they're down quite a bit. And while 0:06:28.570 --> 0:06:31.270 it's still possible for more rainfall this month, right now 0:06:31.270 --> 0:06:33.730 it's looking like this year is turning out to be 0:06:33.730 --> 0:06:38.410 significantly below average in terms of rainfall. The impact won't 0:06:38.410 --> 0:06:41.560 be as great on Israel because of their desalination plants, 0:06:41.560 --> 0:06:45.610 but countries like Jordan, countries like Iran, were already experiencing 0:06:45.610 --> 0:06:49.450 water shortages. So we'll see what happens there. This winter 0:06:49.450 --> 0:06:51.969 has seen the lowest amount of rainfall in Jordan. Get 0:06:51.970 --> 0:06:57.370 this now. In 65 years in Iran, rainfall across 29 0:06:57.370 --> 0:07:02.140 provinces has dropped by a third since October. This follows 0:07:02.140 --> 0:07:05.739 a year of weather extremes, including heavy flooding in the 0:07:05.740 --> 0:07:09.580 central and southeastern regions of the country. Egypt has always 0:07:09.580 --> 0:07:12.160 been known as the gift of the Nile, right? But 0:07:12.160 --> 0:07:16.360 they're also experiencing a rapidly increasing gap between the Nile's 0:07:16.360 --> 0:07:22.510 limited resources and the country's rapidly increasing population. 95% of 0:07:22.510 --> 0:07:26.110 Egypt is desert, with virtually all of the country's 114 0:07:26.110 --> 0:07:29.920 million people living along both banks of the Nile River. 0:07:30.010 --> 0:07:34.870 Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is threatening to cut into 0:07:34.870 --> 0:07:38.200 Egypt's supply of water from the Nile. Simply put, they're 0:07:38.200 --> 0:07:41.170 running out of water, and any increase in rainfall in 0:07:41.170 --> 0:07:45.640 the region will not really impact Egypt. As someone has observed, 0:07:45.640 --> 0:07:48.130 the next year in the Middle East could end up 0:07:48.130 --> 0:07:53.530 being over water. Stay tuned. Our fourth story, a recently 0:07:53.530 --> 0:07:57.940 translated Old Babylonian flood tablet, adds new dimensions to the 0:07:57.940 --> 0:08:00.820 debate over Noah's Ark. What, if anything, can we learn 0:08:00.820 --> 0:08:03.880 from this tablet? Well, let's start with the most important lesson. 0:08:03.880 --> 0:08:07.120 Charlie says this tablet, along with others discovered in that region, 0:08:07.150 --> 0:08:10.570 align with the Bible in describing a flood that destroyed 0:08:10.570 --> 0:08:14.740 the world, apart from those individuals who entered into a boat. Now, 0:08:14.740 --> 0:08:16.720 I believe all the stories are pointing back to a 0:08:16.750 --> 0:08:20.770 historical reality, that there really was a universal flood that 0:08:20.770 --> 0:08:24.190 destroyed all of humanity except Noah and his family. This 0:08:24.190 --> 0:08:27.460 new flood tablet had some other details that also align 0:08:27.490 --> 0:08:30.610 with the biblical account on two major points. First, it 0:08:30.640 --> 0:08:34.090 records that God gave the hero of the story detailed 0:08:34.090 --> 0:08:37.660 instructions on how to build and waterproof an ark or 0:08:37.660 --> 0:08:41.290 ship to survive the flood. And second, it reports that 0:08:41.290 --> 0:08:44.410 the animals came into the ark two by two. Now 0:08:44.410 --> 0:08:46.570 that's remarkable. But at the same time, we need to 0:08:46.570 --> 0:08:50.920 remember one key fact the Bible records the event as 0:08:50.920 --> 0:08:54.610 it actually happened. While these other accounts record the event 0:08:54.610 --> 0:08:59.110 as it was passed down between subsequent generations, and as 0:08:59.110 --> 0:09:02.470 it was passed down, many of the details became corrupted. 0:09:02.470 --> 0:09:05.170 For example, the Ark and the new flood tablet is 0:09:05.170 --> 0:09:09.940 round and shaped like the small round boats used in Mesopotamia. 0:09:09.970 --> 0:09:12.849 That's what they knew as a boat. But this boat 0:09:12.850 --> 0:09:17.920 was 230ft in diameter, with 20 foot high walls. It 0:09:17.920 --> 0:09:21.280 would definitely not have withstood a severe flood with all 0:09:21.280 --> 0:09:24.040 the wind, the waves and the rain. Well, the best 0:09:24.040 --> 0:09:27.580 lesson here is the reality that the multiple flood accounts 0:09:27.610 --> 0:09:29.950 serve as a reminder that there must have been an 0:09:29.950 --> 0:09:33.790 actual flood that really did occur, in which God saved 0:09:33.790 --> 0:09:38.020 individuals and animals by having them build an ark. And 0:09:38.020 --> 0:09:40.240 the second lesson is that the details in most of 0:09:40.240 --> 0:09:44.290 these other accounts depart from reality, as the writers try 0:09:44.320 --> 0:09:47.979 to visualize the events through their own experiences. Thus, the 0:09:48.010 --> 0:09:50.740 arc looks like a giant version of the little boats 0:09:50.740 --> 0:09:53.679 that they were using on the water. But the biblical 0:09:53.679 --> 0:09:57.130 account describes in great detail a vessel that had never 0:09:57.130 --> 0:10:01.390 existed and that wasn't in existence afterward either. But that 0:10:01.390 --> 0:10:03.940 is so exact that we can build a replica today 0:10:03.940 --> 0:10:06.670 and know that it could float, and that it could 0:10:06.670 --> 0:10:10.360 hold Noah and his family and all those animals. When 0:10:10.360 --> 0:10:12.820 you think about it, it has the ring of reality 0:10:12.820 --> 0:10:15.910 to it, doesn't it? And that's a look at current events. 0:10:15.940 --> 0:10:18.280 You know, we'd love for you to check out our podcast. 0:10:18.309 --> 0:10:20.650 You'll find it at our page, The land and the 0:10:20.650 --> 0:10:24.819 book org. That podcast, you can enjoy yourself and share 0:10:24.820 --> 0:10:26.679 it with a friend as well. It's a great way 0:10:26.679 --> 0:10:29.439 to grow this program and and to encourage others about 0:10:29.440 --> 0:10:32.710 what you're learning. Our Facebook page is always available to you. 0:10:32.740 --> 0:10:35.380 Lots of great photos and things that Charlie posts there 0:10:35.380 --> 0:10:37.990 week after week as well. We welcome you to email 0:10:37.990 --> 0:10:40.180 your Bible question to us. You know you can't help it, 0:10:40.179 --> 0:10:42.460 but open up your copy of the scriptures and bump 0:10:42.460 --> 0:10:44.950 into something that makes you wonder. Scratch your head. Makes 0:10:44.950 --> 0:10:47.510 you ponder. Why not get an answer to that question 0:10:47.510 --> 0:10:52.250 when you email us at The Land and the book@moody.edu. 0:10:52.280 --> 0:10:56.690 That's the land and the book@moody.edu. And while you're in 0:10:56.690 --> 0:10:58.940 the writing mood, we'd love to hear how the program 0:10:58.940 --> 0:11:01.849 helps you or encourages you. Again, write to us at 0:11:01.850 --> 0:11:07.520 the Land and the book@moody.edu. Well, what do former Israeli 0:11:07.550 --> 0:11:11.360 hostages deal with now? So many questions, so many scars, 0:11:11.360 --> 0:11:13.670 so many things to think about. It's a conversation we're 0:11:13.670 --> 0:11:15.620 going to have next here on the land and the book. 0:11:15.650 --> 0:11:18.140 You won't hear it anywhere else, so stick around for 0:11:18.140 --> 0:11:19.219 more right here on. 0:11:19.220 --> 0:11:20.810 The land and the book. 0:11:34.910 --> 0:11:39.320 You saw their faces on posters as hostages, and then 0:11:39.320 --> 0:11:41.900 you saw them making their way through the jeering Hamas 0:11:41.900 --> 0:11:45.809 crowds released after more than a year in captivity back 0:11:45.809 --> 0:11:49.199 to Israel. But what secrets do they hold? What scars 0:11:49.200 --> 0:11:52.530 do they bear? We'll get insights from an expert. Who knows? 0:11:52.559 --> 0:11:56.250 Next from Moody Radio. This is the land and the book. 0:11:56.280 --> 0:11:58.859 I'm John Gager. Glad you've joined us for the second 0:11:58.860 --> 0:12:01.620 segment of our broadcast. I want to introduce you to 0:12:01.650 --> 0:12:05.429 today's guest. Rabbi Steven Weil began his career as a 0:12:05.429 --> 0:12:08.760 pulpit rabbi, first serving at the Young Israel of Oak 0:12:08.760 --> 0:12:12.960 Park in Detroit, Michigan, and then at Congregation Beth Jacob 0:12:12.960 --> 0:12:16.979 in Beverly Hills, California. In 2009, he assumed the position 0:12:16.980 --> 0:12:20.910 of Senior Managing Director of the Orthodox Union, leading their 0:12:20.910 --> 0:12:25.559 institutional advancement and community engagement efforts. In 2020, he was 0:12:25.559 --> 0:12:28.439 appointed Chief Executive Officer of the friends of the Israel 0:12:28.440 --> 0:12:33.569 Defense Forces as an internationally recognized scholar and lecturer. Rabbi 0:12:33.570 --> 0:12:37.110 Weil has lectured in over 50 communities throughout North America 0:12:37.110 --> 0:12:40.470 and more than 15 countries across Europe, the Middle East 0:12:40.470 --> 0:12:43.560 and South Africa. Well, we're really glad to have you 0:12:43.559 --> 0:12:46.530 join us today on the land and the book. Welcome, 0:12:46.530 --> 0:12:47.520 Rabbi Weil. 0:12:47.670 --> 0:12:49.800 It's an honor to be with you on the land 0:12:49.800 --> 0:12:52.170 in the book. And I want to thank you very much. 0:12:52.200 --> 0:12:54.330 Well, I have to ask right off the bat. You, 0:12:54.330 --> 0:12:57.510 I understand, have a child that is in the Israel 0:12:57.510 --> 0:13:00.570 Defense Forces right now. What is that like to be 0:13:00.570 --> 0:13:03.870 a parent of somebody who's involved with the IDF? 0:13:04.140 --> 0:13:08.160 It's been a challenging two years. In fact, my daughter's 0:13:08.160 --> 0:13:11.130 roommate was actually killed during the war. Good friend and 0:13:11.130 --> 0:13:14.820 a roommate, a young woman from Dunwoody, Georgia. So it's 0:13:14.820 --> 0:13:15.900 been very challenging. 0:13:15.929 --> 0:13:16.980 Yeah. For sure. 0:13:17.010 --> 0:13:20.670 How have your perspectives been changed, or at least influenced 0:13:20.670 --> 0:13:23.490 by first hand accounts that you hear from having a 0:13:23.490 --> 0:13:24.750 soldier in the family? 0:13:25.200 --> 0:13:26.160 Well, I would. 0:13:26.160 --> 0:13:28.950 Say the following. I think that the challenge they face, 0:13:28.950 --> 0:13:32.850 even though what we've seen in Lebanon and Syria, is 0:13:32.850 --> 0:13:35.400 nothing short of miraculous in terms of what they've been 0:13:35.400 --> 0:13:38.280 able to accomplish and the way they've been able to 0:13:38.280 --> 0:13:43.020 respond and rebound from October 7th, 2023. That's on the 0:13:43.020 --> 0:13:46.050 one hand, but I think the challenge is moving forward 0:13:46.080 --> 0:13:49.530 are twofold. One is, is that you're going to have 0:13:49.530 --> 0:13:54.090 a lot of these young people that will have PTSD issues, 0:13:54.090 --> 0:13:57.720 all kinds of challenges, because the brutality of this war, 0:13:57.750 --> 0:14:02.160 the way Hamas uses human shields, the activities that they 0:14:02.160 --> 0:14:06.480 did on October 7th that are undescribable. And that's going 0:14:06.510 --> 0:14:09.390 to be a challenge for them. Yeah, that's one factor. 0:14:09.420 --> 0:14:11.760 I think the other factor is, is that you're going 0:14:11.790 --> 0:14:15.360 to go from an army that was relying on intelligence 0:14:15.360 --> 0:14:18.689 and technology, and you saw the success of that in 0:14:18.690 --> 0:14:23.460 Lebanon and Syria. But there's no substitute for foot soldiers. 0:14:23.460 --> 0:14:26.610 If there had been one brigade on the Gaza border. 0:14:26.640 --> 0:14:29.520 October 7th, there were a couple of battalions, but had 0:14:29.520 --> 0:14:32.670 there been an additional brigade, that would have never happened. 0:14:32.850 --> 0:14:36.240 And it's going to change the need, for instance, going 0:14:36.240 --> 0:14:39.060 from two years and eight months of mandatory service to 0:14:39.090 --> 0:14:42.870 three years, young men and young women in their 20s 0:14:42.900 --> 0:14:45.660 and early 30s. In 2025 are going to have to 0:14:45.660 --> 0:14:48.870 be doing two months of reserves. Now think about that 0:14:48.870 --> 0:14:51.900 as an employer, right? You're going to be missing your 0:14:51.900 --> 0:14:55.740 young staff for a significant part of the year. So 0:14:55.770 --> 0:14:59.820 there are some real challenges ahead. On the other hand, 0:14:59.850 --> 0:15:03.000 Israel is probably safer today than it's been in the 0:15:03.000 --> 0:15:04.680 last 20, 25 years. 0:15:04.710 --> 0:15:05.130 Sure. 0:15:05.160 --> 0:15:09.030 Yeah, absolutely. Well, we're here to talk about the hostages 0:15:09.060 --> 0:15:12.390 as our main focus, 251 of them who have been 0:15:12.420 --> 0:15:15.660 at the epicenter of a drama that began, as you say, 0:15:15.660 --> 0:15:20.280 back on October the 7th, 2023. What do you think, Rabbi? 0:15:20.310 --> 0:15:25.380 Americans maybe not quite understand about the taking of those hostages. 0:15:26.250 --> 0:15:30.300 The brutality and the abuse in terms of how they 0:15:30.300 --> 0:15:34.170 were treated is very significant. I'll give you just a 0:15:34.170 --> 0:15:38.280 couple of statistics. The hostages that were released during a 0:15:38.280 --> 0:15:44.700 temporary cease fire in November of 23 of those hostages, 80% 0:15:44.700 --> 0:15:48.840 of them were not sexually or physically abused. 20% were, 0:15:48.840 --> 0:15:53.550 but 100% of them were emotionally abused in just some 0:15:53.550 --> 0:15:58.770 very evil, horrific ways. And the ramifications of that, you know, 0:15:58.800 --> 0:16:01.470 in terms of how they lead their lives moving forward 0:16:01.500 --> 0:16:03.780 and have had the chance to sit with many of them, 0:16:03.780 --> 0:16:06.270 as well as to sit with the team of psychologists 0:16:06.270 --> 0:16:09.330 that's working with them to try to mainstream them back 0:16:09.330 --> 0:16:12.900 into regular civilian life. Those are things that are going 0:16:12.930 --> 0:16:14.430 to bear with them for years. 0:16:14.460 --> 0:16:15.060 Yeah. 0:16:15.180 --> 0:16:18.300 Rabbi Steven Weil is the chief executive officer of the 0:16:18.300 --> 0:16:21.690 friends of the Israel Defense Forces. I'm John Geiger. This 0:16:21.690 --> 0:16:24.540 is the land and the book. We hear bits and 0:16:24.540 --> 0:16:27.810 pieces of information about the lives of the hostages while 0:16:27.810 --> 0:16:30.660 living in Gaza. But specifics have been very few and 0:16:30.660 --> 0:16:33.330 far between. I can only assume that's because this is 0:16:33.330 --> 0:16:36.090 very much an active, hostile action underway. 0:16:36.090 --> 0:16:38.160 Your thoughts? Yeah. 0:16:38.460 --> 0:16:42.480 Just one other fact that's interesting is that those hostages 0:16:42.480 --> 0:16:47.070 that have transitioned back to any sense of normalcy, the 0:16:47.070 --> 0:16:49.950 ones that have done the best, is when they were 0:16:49.950 --> 0:16:53.280 held as a group, not as an individual, in isolation. 0:16:53.940 --> 0:16:55.800 None of them were allowed to speak. I'll give you 0:16:55.800 --> 0:16:58.230 an example. Many of the hostages who've been released in 0:16:58.230 --> 0:17:02.910 23 hostages have been released now in 2025. Many of 0:17:02.910 --> 0:17:06.120 them took 4 or 5 days before they stopped whispering. 0:17:06.119 --> 0:17:08.040 They weren't allowed to speak out loud. 0:17:08.070 --> 0:17:08.429 Wow. 0:17:08.460 --> 0:17:11.010 Some of them were not allowed to speak in Hebrew. 0:17:11.040 --> 0:17:13.830 You know, but those who at least were in captivity 0:17:13.830 --> 0:17:17.520 with others, they had each other to strengthen each other. 0:17:17.670 --> 0:17:21.570 One of the young women who was released in 2025, 0:17:21.600 --> 0:17:24.750 you know, she observed, the fast of Yom Kippur, the 0:17:24.750 --> 0:17:28.080 holiest day of the year. She observed the fast on 0:17:28.080 --> 0:17:30.119 the ninth of AV. How she was able to keep 0:17:30.119 --> 0:17:32.790 a calendar and know the days is also shows something 0:17:32.820 --> 0:17:36.450 incredible for a 19 year old young woman. And so 0:17:36.450 --> 0:17:39.630 those have done better as well. Believe it or not, 0:17:39.630 --> 0:17:42.450 I think we've all heard that term the Stockholm syndrome. 0:17:42.660 --> 0:17:46.650 There were a few cases where, because most hostages were 0:17:46.650 --> 0:17:49.320 not kept in large groups, they were either kept in 0:17:49.320 --> 0:17:52.440 isolation or they were kept in small groups of three. 0:17:52.440 --> 0:17:56.070 And what happened was there were a few cases where 0:17:56.070 --> 0:18:00.240 it was there were Hamas affiliated civilians that were controlling them, 0:18:00.240 --> 0:18:03.930 and a couple of cases where they actually treated them 0:18:03.930 --> 0:18:06.570 like a pseudo human being. They didn't treat them worse 0:18:06.570 --> 0:18:10.290 than you would treat an animal. And in those cases, 0:18:10.290 --> 0:18:15.660 they also transitioned a little bit better. They transitioned to 0:18:15.690 --> 0:18:20.160 a greater degree because their sense of of humanity, you know, 0:18:20.190 --> 0:18:23.760 at least existed during their time of captivity. That's not 0:18:23.760 --> 0:18:25.050 true for most of them. 0:18:25.320 --> 0:18:28.350 Last March, our host, Charlie Dyer and his wife Kathy, 0:18:28.350 --> 0:18:31.290 along with me and my wife Diana, we traveled to Israel, 0:18:31.290 --> 0:18:34.440 and there we met with the families of several hostages 0:18:34.440 --> 0:18:38.010 and the agony on their faces and in their voices 0:18:38.010 --> 0:18:41.129 made it difficult to sleep. And ever since then, you know, 0:18:41.160 --> 0:18:45.060 to most Americans, these hostages were just faces. But to us, 0:18:45.060 --> 0:18:48.480 they were. They were like friends. Every news report, every update, 0:18:48.480 --> 0:18:52.230 every photo or video that we saw. We looked for 0:18:52.230 --> 0:18:55.830 our loved ones and we prayed for them. Talk about 0:18:55.830 --> 0:18:59.580 the role of of connection in understanding the hardships that 0:18:59.580 --> 0:19:02.010 these families have gone through as they wait for their 0:19:02.010 --> 0:19:02.910 loved ones. 0:19:03.540 --> 0:19:06.090 I'll give you an example. We've you know, we've met 0:19:06.090 --> 0:19:08.700 with many of the parents or spouses of those who 0:19:08.730 --> 0:19:12.480 are being held, you and I, if the phone rings. Okay. 0:19:12.510 --> 0:19:14.730 The phone is ringing. You know, if I'm in a meeting, 0:19:14.760 --> 0:19:18.300 we'll return the call later. Every time the phone rings, 0:19:18.300 --> 0:19:21.629 they're in a state of trauma. Because is this going 0:19:21.630 --> 0:19:25.170 to be the army notifying them that their loved one 0:19:25.170 --> 0:19:27.600 is no longer alive? In the case of the Army, 0:19:27.600 --> 0:19:30.000 they don't do that. They do that in person. But 0:19:30.000 --> 0:19:32.640 just a phone ringing that you and I take for 0:19:32.640 --> 0:19:36.260 granted is a traumatic experience for them every time that 0:19:36.260 --> 0:19:37.220 it happens. 0:19:37.430 --> 0:19:40.520 What kind of secrets about Hamas do you think these 0:19:40.520 --> 0:19:42.379 former hostages hold? 0:19:43.550 --> 0:19:44.090 Um. 0:19:44.119 --> 0:19:48.080 Little children, you know, 4 or 5, seven, eight year 0:19:48.109 --> 0:19:52.280 old children in Gaza. Every time they mention the word 0:19:52.310 --> 0:19:56.060 Jew or Israel, they spit. You know, you've got little 0:19:56.060 --> 0:19:59.810 children treating hostages, you know, worse than you treat the 0:19:59.810 --> 0:20:04.070 most wild animal that exists. It's just, you know, no 0:20:04.070 --> 0:20:07.070 human being is prepared for something like that. And no 0:20:07.100 --> 0:20:09.740 human being is prepared to see that another human being 0:20:09.740 --> 0:20:13.370 is so bereft of decency of humanity that they act 0:20:13.369 --> 0:20:17.119 that way, and that they've so poisoned the next generation, 0:20:17.119 --> 0:20:20.660 the children of Gaza, you know, they subscribe. Not all 0:20:20.660 --> 0:20:24.110 of them, but I would say 70% of the population 0:20:24.230 --> 0:20:29.060 believes in a dimension of Islam known as the Muslim Brotherhood. 0:20:29.090 --> 0:20:33.350 What is the Muslim Brotherhood? That any Christian or Jew 0:20:33.380 --> 0:20:37.969 who's on a land that at one time was islamically controlled. 0:20:37.970 --> 0:20:42.470 For instance, the Balkan states, for instance, southern Spain, Andalusia, 0:20:42.500 --> 0:20:46.460 central Spain, Castile. That has to be Muslim land. It's 0:20:46.460 --> 0:20:49.850 not just Israel. And they don't believe that in a 0:20:49.850 --> 0:20:53.119 theoretical sense. They believe that in an active sense that 0:20:53.119 --> 0:20:55.670 the most important thing they can do on this earth 0:20:55.700 --> 0:20:59.480 is rid infidels, rid Jews and Christians from land that 0:20:59.480 --> 0:21:02.570 they deemed to be Muslim land. And that's their religion. 0:21:02.570 --> 0:21:07.160 That's not the typical Sunni Muslim on this earth. It isn't. 0:21:07.490 --> 0:21:10.100 But that is the theology of the Muslim Brotherhood, which 0:21:10.100 --> 0:21:12.980 is why they've been expelled from Saudi Arabia, expelled from 0:21:12.980 --> 0:21:17.810 the Emirates. They're illegal in Egypt, but yet in Gaza, 0:21:17.810 --> 0:21:19.969 with the support of Qatar and with the support of 0:21:19.970 --> 0:21:23.389 Turkey in Gaza, that is the theology. And that's what 0:21:23.390 --> 0:21:26.660 they believe in. And it's a vicious, vicious theology. 0:21:26.750 --> 0:21:29.390 This is the land and the book. I'm John Gager, 0:21:29.390 --> 0:21:32.240 and if you joined us midstream, we're talking with Rabbi 0:21:32.270 --> 0:21:36.379 Steven Weil about the state of the Israeli hostages taken 0:21:36.380 --> 0:21:38.480 by Hamas. What do you think will be the greatest 0:21:38.480 --> 0:21:43.310 factors in determining the success of their transition back, to quote, 0:21:43.340 --> 0:21:46.400 normal life? I mean, can it ever be that way again? 0:21:47.210 --> 0:21:50.390 I would say there's two factors. One thing about Israel, 0:21:50.390 --> 0:21:53.510 it's a big family. It's a small country, but it's 0:21:53.510 --> 0:21:56.150 a big family. And the love there that they have 0:21:56.180 --> 0:21:59.210 for each other and the support, you know, whether it's 0:21:59.240 --> 0:22:03.350 the extended family structure, whether it's the community structure, it's 0:22:03.350 --> 0:22:07.040 very significant in America. You don't see that outside of 0:22:07.040 --> 0:22:10.730 a church or outside of a synagogue community. But in Israel, 0:22:10.730 --> 0:22:14.030 it's just part of life. So there's an incredible network 0:22:14.030 --> 0:22:16.730 and support system. And the other part of it is, 0:22:16.730 --> 0:22:21.440 is that they have psychologists who are designated for each 0:22:21.440 --> 0:22:25.820 of the hostages to do serious therapy to support them. 0:22:25.820 --> 0:22:30.770 And many of these hostages have transitioned fairly well. Now, 0:22:30.800 --> 0:22:35.150 the hostages that are coming out in 2025. We don't 0:22:35.150 --> 0:22:37.160 have data yet. And we you know, we won't know 0:22:37.160 --> 0:22:41.090 that for months and months. But, um, there is an 0:22:41.090 --> 0:22:46.580 incredible support system, an incredible network and incredible love. And 0:22:46.580 --> 0:22:48.590 that love is so tangible. 0:22:48.619 --> 0:22:48.919 Yeah. 0:22:48.950 --> 0:22:52.429 And faith is a major factor. The faith is a 0:22:52.430 --> 0:22:56.090 major factor. And it's a country where the majority of 0:22:56.090 --> 0:22:59.660 the people have a very serious faith in God, very 0:22:59.660 --> 0:23:04.460 serious tradition of religion. And in that sense, those will 0:23:04.460 --> 0:23:07.760 help in a very significant way over the course of 0:23:07.760 --> 0:23:08.600 the years. 0:23:09.109 --> 0:23:12.410 In addition to that, what kinds of tools do caregivers, 0:23:12.410 --> 0:23:16.609 professional and non-professional, have to help in the recovery process? 0:23:17.690 --> 0:23:20.660 Probably I you know, and please push. If I'm not 0:23:20.660 --> 0:23:23.270 being clear, I would say it's it's the therapy. I 0:23:23.270 --> 0:23:26.090 think it's the ability to listen. I think it's the 0:23:26.090 --> 0:23:29.840 ability to give space to the hostages. You know, everyone 0:23:29.840 --> 0:23:34.399 deals with trauma in a different way. And part of 0:23:34.400 --> 0:23:37.820 the challenge, and this is true in general of survivor 0:23:37.820 --> 0:23:41.450 is survivor always asks, why me? In other words, think 0:23:41.450 --> 0:23:44.149 about a Holocaust survivor where the whole family was killed. 0:23:44.180 --> 0:23:47.210 They're haunted the rest of their life with this guilt. 0:23:47.240 --> 0:23:50.480 You know, why did I survive? I wasn't the most righteous. 0:23:50.480 --> 0:23:53.120 I wasn't the kindest, you know. And there's that. We 0:23:53.119 --> 0:23:55.940 call it survivor guilt. And I think you'll see that'll 0:23:55.970 --> 0:23:57.409 be a factor as well. 0:23:57.950 --> 0:24:00.439 I want to go back to a figure. You used 0:24:00.440 --> 0:24:02.750 to talk about some of the hostages that have previously 0:24:02.750 --> 0:24:07.310 been released, 80% not sexually or physically abused, but 20% 0:24:07.310 --> 0:24:10.640 of them certainly sexually abused. Physically abused. Do you think 0:24:10.640 --> 0:24:13.070 those numbers are going to be typical for the entire 0:24:13.070 --> 0:24:16.010 group of hostages yet to be released? 0:24:16.580 --> 0:24:19.460 I think the numbers will be much worse of those 0:24:19.490 --> 0:24:20.510 yet to be released. 0:24:20.540 --> 0:24:21.649 Why do you say that? 0:24:21.710 --> 0:24:24.470 Because of the duration of time that they're there. And 0:24:24.470 --> 0:24:28.460 as the first group that was released were either liberated 0:24:28.460 --> 0:24:31.520 by the army or in a cease fire. Those were 0:24:31.520 --> 0:24:35.780 50 some days we're looking at. Hostages came out in 0:24:35.780 --> 0:24:39.680 January and came out in February that were in captivity 0:24:39.710 --> 0:24:46.280 for 470, 480, 490 days. Very, very different situation. 0:24:46.310 --> 0:24:46.909 Yeah. 0:24:47.330 --> 0:24:50.119 Well, in 30s, what do you think listeners could or 0:24:50.119 --> 0:24:53.420 should do to help in this situation? We feel helpless, 0:24:53.420 --> 0:24:56.030 but our hearts go out to these families. What can 0:24:56.060 --> 0:24:56.750 we do? 0:24:57.470 --> 0:25:01.160 Well, you know, your prayers are very crucial. Number one. 0:25:01.580 --> 0:25:06.740 Number two is being an advocate for Israel, because Israel 0:25:06.740 --> 0:25:08.900 is not just about Israel, and it's not just about 0:25:08.900 --> 0:25:11.750 the Jews. It's really on the front line of what 0:25:11.750 --> 0:25:14.209 the 21st century is going to look like. Will it 0:25:14.210 --> 0:25:18.409 be a century of barbarism, of the justification of evil, 0:25:18.440 --> 0:25:21.230 or will it be a century of justice, of decency 0:25:21.230 --> 0:25:24.410 and morality? And that is what Israel is, and that's 0:25:24.410 --> 0:25:28.820 what Israel represents. But in many media and many campuses 0:25:28.820 --> 0:25:32.510 across America. There's such a perversion of facts, such a 0:25:32.510 --> 0:25:35.750 perversion of the truth. And to be an advocate is very, 0:25:35.750 --> 0:25:37.100 very significant. 0:25:37.250 --> 0:25:41.210 That's Rabbi Steven Weil, chief executive officer of the friends 0:25:41.210 --> 0:25:43.910 of the Israel Defense Forces. A link to his website. 0:25:43.910 --> 0:25:47.210 When you visit ours at the land and the book. Org. 0:25:47.240 --> 0:25:48.500 Thanks for your time, sir. 0:25:48.619 --> 0:25:50.240 Thank you very much, John. 0:25:50.270 --> 0:25:52.310 And we're looking at a brand new set of Bible 0:25:52.310 --> 0:25:55.010 questions and answers that's coming up in our next segment 0:25:55.010 --> 0:26:08.510 right here. There's just no two ways about it. The 0:26:08.510 --> 0:26:12.230 Bible is an absolutely amazing book. You could read it 0:26:12.230 --> 0:26:14.899 and reread it and read it 400 times in a 0:26:14.900 --> 0:26:18.440 row and not run out of wonder and more importantly, 0:26:18.440 --> 0:26:20.840 perhaps not run out of questions. What do you do 0:26:20.840 --> 0:26:23.210 with them? Well, we suggest you shove them our way. 0:26:23.210 --> 0:26:25.940 This is the land and the book. I'm John Gager 0:26:25.970 --> 0:26:28.790 joined in studio now by Doctor Gerald Peterman, who's about 0:26:28.790 --> 0:26:31.910 to answer some questions that have come in via email. First, though, 0:26:31.910 --> 0:26:35.030 this quick thought what does Passover mean for us as 0:26:35.030 --> 0:26:37.970 believers in Jesus? Some might remember the story from the 0:26:37.970 --> 0:26:40.340 book of Exodus, but there's so much more to it. 0:26:40.369 --> 0:26:42.230 Did you know that the Last Supper was actually a 0:26:42.230 --> 0:26:46.459 Passover meal? Not only did Jesus and his disciples celebrate Passover, 0:26:46.460 --> 0:26:49.970 it also foreshadowed his death on the cross for our redemption. 0:26:50.000 --> 0:26:52.429 Jewish people, of course, have been observing the feast of 0:26:52.430 --> 0:26:56.780 Passover for thousands of years. Understanding the history and importance 0:26:56.780 --> 0:26:58.580 of this holiday will help you better connect with your 0:26:58.580 --> 0:27:01.430 Jewish friends and neighbors. And boy, what better way is 0:27:01.430 --> 0:27:05.300 there to learn about Passover than to experience a Passover 0:27:05.330 --> 0:27:09.530 Seder yourself if you have never celebrated Passover? Our friends 0:27:09.530 --> 0:27:11.960 at Life in Messiah would love to partner with you 0:27:11.960 --> 0:27:15.650 in hosting a Seder experience. Every year, their staff engage 0:27:15.650 --> 0:27:19.220 churches and small groups in an interactive Messiah in the 0:27:19.220 --> 0:27:23.990 Passover Seder, allowing participants to taste and see the redemption story. 0:27:24.020 --> 0:27:26.570 If you're interested in having somebody come to lead a 0:27:26.600 --> 0:27:30.439 Seder in your area, visit Life in Messiah. Org and 0:27:30.440 --> 0:27:32.600 click on the Moody Radio button there to learn more. 0:27:32.630 --> 0:27:36.800 That's life in messiah.org. Well, it's always good to see 0:27:36.800 --> 0:27:39.830 the very smiling, very competent Doctor Gerald Peterman, professor of 0:27:39.830 --> 0:27:42.500 Bible at the Moody Bible Institute in our studio. Ready 0:27:42.500 --> 0:27:43.610 to go, are you, sir? 0:27:43.640 --> 0:27:46.369 Yes. And I'm giving a big amen to your encouraging 0:27:46.369 --> 0:27:48.980 people to go to a Seder. It's wonderful. All right. 0:27:49.010 --> 0:27:51.080 Good for that. You know, we had a Seder at 0:27:51.080 --> 0:27:55.100 our church, and boy, what an awesome experience that was. 0:27:55.100 --> 0:27:58.100 So anyway, yeah, I agree with you. Let's get to 0:27:58.130 --> 0:28:00.919 Avis's question. She says. I'm asking about the locations of 0:28:00.920 --> 0:28:04.459 the four rivers of the Garden of Eden. Tigris and 0:28:04.460 --> 0:28:07.430 Euphrates are familiar. The East of the Eden study by 0:28:07.430 --> 0:28:11.150 Sandra Richter shows the pishon in Arabia next to Egypt. 0:28:11.180 --> 0:28:14.930 My Harpercollins dictionary says the Gihon and Kush, which is 0:28:14.930 --> 0:28:18.139 now Ethiopia. My Bible class was surprised by that. To 0:28:18.170 --> 0:28:20.630 think that the Garden of Eden was that large. And, 0:28:20.660 --> 0:28:22.879 you know, I have no problem with it extending to Ethiopia. 0:28:22.880 --> 0:28:25.780 But can you confirm the locations of the rivers or 0:28:25.780 --> 0:28:27.880 add any comments from my Bible class? 0:28:27.910 --> 0:28:30.129 Oh yeah, I'm so glad you're looking into this. You 0:28:30.130 --> 0:28:34.540 have your rivers, correct? Pishon, Gihon, Tigris and Euphrates and 0:28:34.540 --> 0:28:37.720 the rivers do cover a lot of territory. Let's go 0:28:37.720 --> 0:28:39.940 back to Genesis two and we're going to start at 0:28:39.940 --> 0:28:43.150 verse eight. It says, and the Lord God planted a 0:28:43.150 --> 0:28:46.840 garden in Eden in the east. And there he put 0:28:46.840 --> 0:28:50.320 the man whom he had formed. So there is the garden. 0:28:50.320 --> 0:28:53.710 It is in Eden, and Eden is said to be 0:28:53.710 --> 0:28:55.930 in the east. So it looks like Eden is actually 0:28:55.930 --> 0:28:59.740 larger than the garden, because the garden is planted in Eden, 0:28:59.770 --> 0:29:03.190 not said to be Eden. And if we keep reading on, 0:29:03.190 --> 0:29:05.290 here's what we find in verse ten. And the river 0:29:05.290 --> 0:29:08.350 flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there 0:29:08.350 --> 0:29:11.170 it divided and became four rivers. And then in verses 0:29:11.170 --> 0:29:13.690 11 to 14 we read about the places where the 0:29:13.690 --> 0:29:17.440 four rivers go, including Havilah, Cush, Assyria. So rather than 0:29:17.470 --> 0:29:20.890 saying that the garden itself extends as far as javelin, 0:29:20.890 --> 0:29:22.510 Kush and Assyria, I think it's better to say that 0:29:22.510 --> 0:29:25.840 we don't know how much land the garden covered, but 0:29:25.840 --> 0:29:29.620 that the river that flowed through it watered a vast territory. 0:29:29.830 --> 0:29:31.719 So we're talking about a big chunk of land. The 0:29:31.720 --> 0:29:33.219 Garden of Eden was not a little thing. 0:29:33.220 --> 0:29:34.300 Not a little thing. 0:29:34.330 --> 0:29:35.860 You know, we go to Israel and we go to 0:29:35.890 --> 0:29:39.520 the Garden of Gethsemane. Well, the Garden of Eden was way, 0:29:39.550 --> 0:29:42.010 way bigger than that, you're saying? Right. Possibly hundreds of. 0:29:42.010 --> 0:29:43.840 Miles. Possibly hundreds of miles. 0:29:43.870 --> 0:29:46.720 Nancy has a question for us. How did God provide 0:29:46.720 --> 0:29:51.130 the very rare ingredients for incense ordered in Exodus 30, 0:29:51.160 --> 0:29:54.430 verse 40? She says, I looked it up and found 0:29:54.430 --> 0:29:58.120 that Ankia comes from sea snails. I know with God 0:29:58.120 --> 0:30:00.490 all things are possible, but sea snails. 0:30:00.850 --> 0:30:06.310 Isn't God amazing? The best theory about the incense mentioned 0:30:06.340 --> 0:30:08.740 there in Exodus 30 is that stoked is probably from 0:30:08.740 --> 0:30:12.490 the sap of the storax tree, and Galbanum is a 0:30:12.490 --> 0:30:16.210 gum resin that comes from Ferula gummosa plants. And these 0:30:16.210 --> 0:30:19.090 are all native to the Mediterranean, so they'd be easy 0:30:19.090 --> 0:30:22.040 to find. Now let's go to Annika. This is a 0:30:22.040 --> 0:30:25.640 species of marine mollusk. As you mentioned, they're called Strombus. 0:30:25.640 --> 0:30:27.980 And they can be found in one, I guess the 0:30:27.980 --> 0:30:31.670 Red sea. So that's the eastern border of Egypt. And 0:30:31.700 --> 0:30:34.010 of course, the Israelites had to pass through the Red 0:30:34.040 --> 0:30:37.340 sea with no water, right, to get to the Promised Land. 0:30:37.340 --> 0:30:40.040 Maybe they even picked some up on the way. So 0:30:40.040 --> 0:30:41.990 God provided. 0:30:42.020 --> 0:30:46.550 Interesting. Ali is question. We toured Israel 18 months ago. 0:30:46.580 --> 0:30:49.580 Our tour guide spoke of living in Ashdod with no 0:30:49.580 --> 0:30:53.720 bomb shelter because that's all he could afford. Here's the question. 0:30:53.720 --> 0:30:57.410 With so many Jews migrating to Israel, where are they 0:30:57.410 --> 0:30:58.190 all living? 0:30:58.700 --> 0:31:00.590 It's a great question. I'm going to read an answer 0:31:00.590 --> 0:31:02.870 provided by Charlie Dyer and it goes like this. The 0:31:02.870 --> 0:31:06.740 short answer is Israel is living all over. Okay. Ashkelon. 0:31:06.770 --> 0:31:10.610 Ashdod have expanded greatly. Some of the older apartment buildings 0:31:10.610 --> 0:31:13.430 in some towns don't have bomb shelters, but most of 0:31:13.430 --> 0:31:16.459 the new construction does. And when John and I were 0:31:16.460 --> 0:31:18.950 in Israel in March, we visited the apartment of a 0:31:18.950 --> 0:31:21.490 friend who lives in Ascalon, just seven miles from the 0:31:21.490 --> 0:31:24.490 Gaza border. And we actually did some recording in the 0:31:24.520 --> 0:31:27.340 so-called safe room in their apartment, which had a blast 0:31:27.340 --> 0:31:30.040 door and a heavy metal plate that could slide over 0:31:30.040 --> 0:31:33.550 the window. Older apartments don't have this, but newer ones do. 0:31:33.580 --> 0:31:37.330 Other modern towns have developed in Israel all over the place, 0:31:37.330 --> 0:31:40.630 with safe rooms and bomb shelters. These include small cities 0:31:40.630 --> 0:31:46.210 like Har Gilo, Har Homa, Ma'aleh Adumim, Givat Shaul, Pisgat 0:31:46.240 --> 0:31:49.900 Ze'ev which are really bedroom communities to Jerusalem. And we 0:31:49.900 --> 0:31:52.150 could go on and on and on. Israel is doing 0:31:52.150 --> 0:31:55.390 a lot of building furiously to keep up with its 0:31:55.390 --> 0:31:59.620 population growth. And while some towns along the border of Gaza, 0:31:59.650 --> 0:32:02.500 like Ashkelon and Ashdod, were impacted by the war, many 0:32:02.500 --> 0:32:05.920 others were not. In the north, there's been much growth 0:32:05.920 --> 0:32:10.390 around the area of Haifa, Jezreel Valley, Nazareth, Tiberius and 0:32:10.390 --> 0:32:13.330 other towns. So Israel is a really small country, and 0:32:13.330 --> 0:32:15.940 it's under a lot of pressure to build because the 0:32:15.940 --> 0:32:18.340 population is expanding and expanding. 0:32:18.370 --> 0:32:20.620 Yeah, people sometimes think of Israel and they equate it with, 0:32:20.650 --> 0:32:23.410 you know, O little town of Bethlehem, you know thy 0:32:23.410 --> 0:32:28.150 dreamless streets. Well, there aren't too many dreamless streets these days. Right. 0:32:28.390 --> 0:32:31.420 They're alive with jackhammers and cranes and construction workers. And 0:32:31.420 --> 0:32:35.470 everywhere you turn, you're seeing something new being built. So that's. 0:32:35.470 --> 0:32:38.260 That's the short answer to that question. Thank you. You're 0:32:38.260 --> 0:32:41.110 listening to The Land and the book from Moody Radio. 0:32:41.140 --> 0:32:44.590 I'm John Gager. Doctor Gerald Peterman welcomes your questions any 0:32:44.620 --> 0:32:49.240 time at the land and the book at Moody dot. Edu. 0:32:49.270 --> 0:32:53.170 That's the land and the book at Moody dot. Edu. 0:32:53.200 --> 0:32:56.140 Eric takes us to Second Chronicles 20, verse 12, where 0:32:56.140 --> 0:32:59.230 it says, we do not know what to do, but 0:32:59.230 --> 0:33:02.590 our eyes are on you. Well, how does a person 0:33:02.590 --> 0:33:05.410 keep their eyes on the Lord? Is this simply a 0:33:05.410 --> 0:33:07.240 matter of praying? What's the deal here? 0:33:07.270 --> 0:33:08.980 Well, this is a really good thing for us to 0:33:09.010 --> 0:33:13.030 think about. So let's go to Second Chronicles 20. In 0:33:13.030 --> 0:33:16.330 verse one, we find that a large army of Moabites 0:33:16.330 --> 0:33:21.310 and ammonites. Ammonites come to fight against Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, 0:33:21.310 --> 0:33:23.680 and the king prays, and the last part of the 0:33:23.680 --> 0:33:27.370 prayer he says, God, we are powerless before this vast 0:33:27.400 --> 0:33:29.800 number that comes to fight against us. We do not 0:33:29.800 --> 0:33:33.730 know what to do, but we look to you. So 0:33:33.730 --> 0:33:36.700 I take it that, as Eric said, looking to God 0:33:36.700 --> 0:33:39.370 entails praying to God. But looking to God, I think, 0:33:39.370 --> 0:33:44.770 also entails anticipating that he will help us because we 0:33:44.770 --> 0:33:48.520 need his help. I'm reminded of something very similar in 0:33:48.520 --> 0:33:53.170 Psalm 123. It says, behold, as the eyes of servants 0:33:53.200 --> 0:33:55.360 look to the hand of their master, as the eyes 0:33:55.360 --> 0:33:57.190 of the maid, servant to the hand of her mistress. 0:33:57.190 --> 0:34:00.760 So our eyes look to the Lord our God, till 0:34:00.760 --> 0:34:03.460 he has mercy on us. I think looking to the 0:34:03.460 --> 0:34:06.820 Lord means trusting him and anticipating his work on our behalf. 0:34:06.850 --> 0:34:09.790 You know this phrase, anticipating his help takes me to 0:34:09.820 --> 0:34:12.730 Ephesians chapter six, where we're given the list of the 0:34:12.730 --> 0:34:15.040 armor that we're supposed to be wearing. And one of 0:34:15.040 --> 0:34:17.680 the pieces, of course, is the helmet of Salvation. Doctor 0:34:17.680 --> 0:34:20.770 Fred Dickerson, who is the former chairman of the theology 0:34:20.770 --> 0:34:23.680 department here at Moody Bible Institute, said to me that 0:34:23.680 --> 0:34:26.410 that this is a lot more than just knowing you're saved. 0:34:26.440 --> 0:34:29.740 He's saying the helmet of salvation should cue us to 0:34:29.770 --> 0:34:31.660 expect his deliverance. 0:34:31.690 --> 0:34:35.980 Right, right, exactly. We have our mind set on anticipating 0:34:35.980 --> 0:34:37.180 his deliverance for us. 0:34:37.210 --> 0:34:40.089 That's great. That's a much broader picture. Thanks for bringing 0:34:40.090 --> 0:34:45.100 that to our attention. Let's go to Diana's question. Josiah's son, Jehoahaz, 0:34:45.130 --> 0:34:49.000 is his youngest son. According to first Chronicles 315, he 0:34:49.000 --> 0:34:52.299 became king when he was 23. Yet Zedekiah, who was 0:34:52.300 --> 0:34:58.330 older than Jehoahaz, became king 11.5 years after Jehoahaz. And 0:34:58.330 --> 0:35:00.640 he was 21 years old when he became king. The 0:35:00.640 --> 0:35:03.549 math doesn't work. Can you untie this for me? 0:35:03.580 --> 0:35:06.129 Well, the genealogies are really difficult. And I should say 0:35:06.130 --> 0:35:08.859 up front. I've pondered over this one and prayed over it, 0:35:08.860 --> 0:35:11.380 and I don't have a really good answer, but let 0:35:11.380 --> 0:35:13.330 me just mention a couple of things along the way. 0:35:13.330 --> 0:35:16.420 We can start with First Chronicles 315 and we find 0:35:16.450 --> 0:35:23.440 King Josiah's sons Johanan, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, and Shallum. Now Shallum 0:35:23.440 --> 0:35:26.529 is also called Jehoahaz. Now to get details on when 0:35:26.530 --> 0:35:28.629 they reigned and how many years. We go to two 0:35:28.660 --> 0:35:31.779 Kings 23 and 24, and we find out. We put 0:35:31.780 --> 0:35:33.969 all those numbers together, and we find that there was 0:35:33.969 --> 0:35:39.009 reigns of 19.5 years. So indeed, it's rather strange. We 0:35:39.040 --> 0:35:42.790 don't have enough information to draw the conclusion. Why did 0:35:42.790 --> 0:35:44.890 this happen? But I'll just point out one thing that's 0:35:44.890 --> 0:35:47.620 a little bit odd. Here you have the youngest son 0:35:48.040 --> 0:35:50.379 who is the first to become king. That's a very 0:35:50.380 --> 0:35:52.780 strange thing. So I'm not quite sure how to put 0:35:52.780 --> 0:35:55.810 this together. It's a great question. Um, I haven't quite 0:35:55.810 --> 0:35:56.739 solved it yet. 0:35:56.770 --> 0:35:58.600 All right. And there are some questions that are just 0:35:58.600 --> 0:36:00.250 plain like that. We're not going to try and tell 0:36:00.250 --> 0:36:02.379 you we've got the answers if we don't. But your 0:36:02.380 --> 0:36:05.560 question is welcome when you email us at The Land 0:36:05.560 --> 0:36:12.220 and the book@moody.edu the land and the book@moody.edu, we'd love 0:36:12.219 --> 0:36:14.460 for you to visit our website. The land and the book. 0:36:14.700 --> 0:36:17.010 Org and when there, we'd really like it. If you 0:36:17.040 --> 0:36:18.870 checked out our podcast, it's a great way for you 0:36:18.870 --> 0:36:21.239 to listen to this program again at your own convenience, 0:36:21.239 --> 0:36:23.790 and it's a great tool for introducing us to your 0:36:23.790 --> 0:36:26.730 friends who maybe don't live anywhere near a radio station 0:36:26.730 --> 0:36:28.710 that carries the land in the book. So look for 0:36:28.739 --> 0:36:31.859 that podcast, use it yourself, and share it with a friend. 0:36:31.890 --> 0:36:33.989 Would you do that? Thank you for doing that at 0:36:33.989 --> 0:36:38.520 the land and the book.org. Well, it's Charlie Dyer's devotional 0:36:38.520 --> 0:36:41.069 and it's coming up next right here on the land 0:36:41.070 --> 0:36:56.670 and the book. Welcome back to the land and the book. 0:36:56.670 --> 0:36:59.640 I'm John Gager, and for a whole lot of Israel travelers, 0:36:59.670 --> 0:37:03.600 a visit through Hezekiah's tunnel is a truly memorable moment, 0:37:03.600 --> 0:37:06.660 I think. Speaking of memorable moments, Charlie, one of our 0:37:06.660 --> 0:37:10.230 more unusual interviews ever on this broadcast took place when 0:37:10.230 --> 0:37:13.379 Dan Anderson and I were walking through Hezekiah's tunnel with 0:37:13.380 --> 0:37:16.890 a guide and sloshing through that water. We just recorded 0:37:16.890 --> 0:37:19.950 a conversation, even in the dark at times. But your 0:37:19.950 --> 0:37:22.440 devotional is taking us there today as well. Is that true? 0:37:22.469 --> 0:37:24.030 It is exactly right. In fact, we're all going to 0:37:24.030 --> 0:37:25.770 head to Hezekiah's tunnel today. 0:37:25.800 --> 0:37:27.540 All right, so we all get to take that walk. 0:37:27.540 --> 0:37:29.670 I look forward to that after we pause for a 0:37:29.670 --> 0:37:33.000 testimony from a traveler who has these thoughts about their 0:37:33.000 --> 0:37:34.200 visit to Israel. 0:37:38.100 --> 0:37:43.230 This is Val from Texas, and it has been so 0:37:43.260 --> 0:37:47.310 enlightening to be here in the Holy Land to see 0:37:47.340 --> 0:37:53.069 just exactly how Jesus could have traveled from town to town, 0:37:53.070 --> 0:37:58.470 and been welcomed by the people who were hospitable to 0:37:58.500 --> 0:38:02.669 him and stay in their homes to see this just 0:38:02.670 --> 0:38:06.210 made it so real. And then to be on the 0:38:06.239 --> 0:38:11.040 Sea of Galilee and think of Jesus Just walking on 0:38:11.070 --> 0:38:15.060 that water out to a boat, and in the evenings 0:38:15.060 --> 0:38:19.080 we would have these quick winds that would come up, 0:38:19.080 --> 0:38:23.850 and you would definitely see a difference in how that 0:38:23.850 --> 0:38:28.469 could happen. On the Sea of Galilee when Jesus was 0:38:28.469 --> 0:38:33.120 there in the boat, asleep. So, so many things that 0:38:33.120 --> 0:38:37.500 I've read in the Bible for years started really making 0:38:37.500 --> 0:38:41.400 sense and coming together for me. And that's been thrilling. 0:38:41.400 --> 0:38:42.720 Just thrilling. 0:38:44.430 --> 0:38:48.720 Hezekiah's tunnel. Boy, it's a fascinating achievement. And Charlie, I'm 0:38:48.719 --> 0:38:50.520 looking forward to what you have to share with us. 0:38:50.550 --> 0:38:53.430 Well, thanks, John. This is week three. In my 11 0:38:53.460 --> 0:38:57.360 week series, I've called 11 inscriptions to the Bible. We're 0:38:57.360 --> 0:39:01.470 exploring written inscriptions uncovered by archaeologists that give us new 0:39:01.469 --> 0:39:04.350 insight into our understanding of the Bible. And this week, 0:39:04.350 --> 0:39:06.960 I hope you brought along your bathing suit, flip flops, 0:39:06.960 --> 0:39:10.709 and flashlight because our journey today is taking us through 0:39:10.710 --> 0:39:14.940 a 2700 year old tunnel carved under the city of Jerusalem, 0:39:14.940 --> 0:39:18.060 and our watery trek begins at the Gihon Spring, the 0:39:18.060 --> 0:39:21.540 original water supply for the city. Now watch your step 0:39:21.540 --> 0:39:24.270 getting into the water. It'll feel cold at first, but 0:39:24.270 --> 0:39:28.020 you'll quickly get used to it. The rectangular opening looks small, 0:39:28.020 --> 0:39:30.450 and there are a few places inside where the ceiling 0:39:30.450 --> 0:39:32.729 is a bit low and where the water will be 0:39:32.730 --> 0:39:35.220 mid thigh deep, but most of the way it won't 0:39:35.219 --> 0:39:38.370 be that high. Okay, it's time to turn on your flashlights. 0:39:38.370 --> 0:39:41.100 Here we go. Now, as we slosh our way through 0:39:41.100 --> 0:39:43.320 the tunnel, let me tell you a little bit about it. 0:39:43.350 --> 0:39:46.439 It snakes under the original city of David, and comes 0:39:46.440 --> 0:39:48.840 out in the Central Valley between the original part of 0:39:48.840 --> 0:39:51.540 the city and the larger hill to the west that 0:39:51.540 --> 0:39:54.540 became part of the city during the reign of King Hezekiah. 0:39:54.570 --> 0:39:57.660 In fact, the tunnel and a major wall placed around 0:39:57.660 --> 0:40:01.410 the western hill were part of Hezekiah's preparations to help 0:40:01.440 --> 0:40:04.649 fight off an attack against Jerusalem by the Assyrian army. 0:40:04.650 --> 0:40:07.110 But I'm getting ahead of myself. The purpose for the 0:40:07.110 --> 0:40:09.880 tunnel was to block off the original entrance to the 0:40:09.880 --> 0:40:13.089 Gihon Spring, and then to divert the water inside the 0:40:13.090 --> 0:40:15.969 city to the Pool of Siloam to provide an easily 0:40:15.969 --> 0:40:19.989 accessible water supply for the people of Jerusalem. The project 0:40:19.989 --> 0:40:23.649 was actually an amazing engineering feat. Two teams of workers 0:40:23.650 --> 0:40:27.700 started on opposite ends and snaked their way toward each other, 0:40:27.730 --> 0:40:32.170 ultimately digging a channel that was 1800 feet long. In fact, 0:40:32.170 --> 0:40:35.590 the compiler of Second Kings summarized the reign of Hezekiah 0:40:35.620 --> 0:40:38.500 this way. Now, the rest of the acts of Hezekiah 0:40:38.500 --> 0:40:40.839 and all his might, and how he made the pool 0:40:40.840 --> 0:40:43.719 and the conduit, and brought water into the city, are 0:40:43.719 --> 0:40:46.000 they not written in the book of the Chronicles of 0:40:46.000 --> 0:40:48.910 the Kings of Judah? And the Book of Second Chronicles 0:40:48.910 --> 0:40:52.330 repeats that theme. It was Hezekiah who stopped the upper 0:40:52.330 --> 0:40:55.000 outlet of the waters of Gijon and directed them to 0:40:55.030 --> 0:40:57.910 the west side of the city of David. This tunnel 0:40:57.910 --> 0:41:01.270 was an amazing engineering feat, built to provide security for 0:41:01.270 --> 0:41:03.850 the city. It was part of a series of elaborate 0:41:03.850 --> 0:41:08.640 preparations to protect Jerusalem from attack by Assyria. The same 0:41:08.640 --> 0:41:12.450 chapter of Second Chronicles records the other defensive measures taken 0:41:12.450 --> 0:41:16.650 by King Hezekiah and his military advisers. Now, when Hezekiah 0:41:16.680 --> 0:41:19.140 saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to 0:41:19.170 --> 0:41:22.410 make war on Jerusalem, he decided with his officers and 0:41:22.410 --> 0:41:25.080 his warriors to cut off the supply of water from 0:41:25.080 --> 0:41:28.469 the springs which were outside the city, and they helped him, 0:41:28.469 --> 0:41:30.960 and he took courage and rebuilt all the wall that 0:41:30.960 --> 0:41:33.660 had been broken down, and erected towers on it, and 0:41:33.660 --> 0:41:36.810 built another outside wall, and made weapons and shields in 0:41:36.810 --> 0:41:40.830 great number. You can see the checklist of military preparations. 0:41:40.860 --> 0:41:45.839 New pool ready? Check. Tunnel almost complete? Check. New walls 0:41:45.840 --> 0:41:50.760 and towers. Ready? Check. Bows, arrows, sling stone shields and swords. 0:41:50.760 --> 0:41:54.390 All prepared? Check. Once the tunnel was finished and its 0:41:54.420 --> 0:41:57.569 water flowing into the city, they would be ready. They 0:41:57.570 --> 0:42:00.030 were so excited when the two groups of workers finally 0:42:00.030 --> 0:42:02.790 connected with one another, that they chiseled a plaque into 0:42:02.790 --> 0:42:06.029 the tunnel recording the event. The water flowed from the 0:42:06.030 --> 0:42:09.719 source of the pool for 1200 cubits, and 100 cubits 0:42:09.719 --> 0:42:11.910 was the height of the stone over the head of 0:42:11.910 --> 0:42:16.200 the stonecutters. This plaque was discovered in the 1800s, cut 0:42:16.200 --> 0:42:19.950 from the rock and taken to the Istanbul Archaeology Museum, 0:42:19.950 --> 0:42:23.520 where it is still on display today. A replica has 0:42:23.520 --> 0:42:26.850 since been fashioned and placed inside the tunnel to show 0:42:26.850 --> 0:42:30.299 visitors where the original carving was discovered. The people of 0:42:30.300 --> 0:42:33.090 Judah had done everything possible to get ready for the 0:42:33.090 --> 0:42:36.270 coming battle with the Assyrians, or at least that's what 0:42:36.270 --> 0:42:39.300 they thought. But then the prophet Isaiah stood to address 0:42:39.300 --> 0:42:42.000 the crowd. He first took note of the arrival of 0:42:42.000 --> 0:42:46.109 the Assyrian forces with their chariots and horses. Your choices. 0:42:46.110 --> 0:42:48.690 Valleys are full of chariots, and the horsemen take up 0:42:48.690 --> 0:42:52.739 fixed positions at the gate. Isaiah then reminded them that 0:42:52.739 --> 0:42:55.740 a large number of Judah's cities and towns had already 0:42:55.739 --> 0:42:59.730 been captured by the Assyrians, and he removed the defenses 0:42:59.730 --> 0:43:03.690 of Judah. But Isaiah reserved his greatest rebuke for how 0:43:03.690 --> 0:43:07.640 the people had responded to the impending threat. In that day, 0:43:07.640 --> 0:43:10.190 you depended on the weapons of the house of the forest, 0:43:10.190 --> 0:43:12.200 and you saw that the breaches in the wall of 0:43:12.200 --> 0:43:14.630 the city of David were many, and you collected the 0:43:14.630 --> 0:43:17.569 waters of the lower pool. Then you counted the houses 0:43:17.570 --> 0:43:21.440 of Jerusalem, and you tore down houses to fortify the wall, 0:43:21.440 --> 0:43:24.050 and you made a reservoir between the two walls for 0:43:24.050 --> 0:43:27.410 the waters of the old pool. What exactly are you 0:43:27.440 --> 0:43:31.100 trusting in to protect yourself from the Assyrians, your weapons, 0:43:31.100 --> 0:43:35.960 your new walls, your updated water supply. Isaiah ends by 0:43:35.989 --> 0:43:39.710 focusing on the one item that people hadn't thought to strengthen. 0:43:39.950 --> 0:43:42.229 But you did not depend on him who made it. 0:43:42.260 --> 0:43:45.410 Nor did you take into consideration him who planned it 0:43:45.410 --> 0:43:48.620 long ago. They had been so busy focusing on how 0:43:48.620 --> 0:43:51.410 they could stop the Assyrians, they forgot to turn to 0:43:51.440 --> 0:43:54.410 the Lord to ask for his help. In fact, it 0:43:54.410 --> 0:43:58.100 wasn't until the Assyrians reached the outskirts of Jerusalem and 0:43:58.100 --> 0:44:01.310 handed their terms of surrender to Hezekiah that he finally 0:44:01.310 --> 0:44:05.220 went to the temple to seek God's assistance, and in response, 0:44:05.250 --> 0:44:09.569 God sent the angel of the Lord to kill 185,000 0:44:09.600 --> 0:44:14.070 Assyrian soldiers. The city was saved, but it wasn't because 0:44:14.070 --> 0:44:18.780 of their weapons or their walls or their new water supply. Well, 0:44:18.780 --> 0:44:21.480 we've reached the spot where the original inscription was carved 0:44:21.480 --> 0:44:24.060 into the wall of the tunnel. As you can see, 0:44:24.060 --> 0:44:26.790 they've placed this copy of the original, along with an 0:44:26.790 --> 0:44:30.630 explanatory plaque here on the wall. We're almost to the 0:44:30.630 --> 0:44:32.550 end of the tunnel, but as we get ready to 0:44:32.580 --> 0:44:35.610 climb out, dry off our feet and look over the 0:44:35.610 --> 0:44:39.180 I hiked Hezekiah Tunnel t shirts that are offered for sale. 0:44:39.210 --> 0:44:42.690 What spiritual lesson can we carry away with us from 0:44:42.690 --> 0:44:46.320 our time here in the tunnel? Looking at the reproduction 0:44:46.320 --> 0:44:50.910 of the inscription carved by Hezekiah's workers more than 2700 0:44:50.910 --> 0:44:54.270 years ago, perhaps the key lesson for us is the 0:44:54.270 --> 0:44:58.710 one raised by Isaiah in chapter 22. Everyone faces problems, 0:44:58.710 --> 0:45:02.840 difficulties and challenges in life, but what sets people apart 0:45:02.840 --> 0:45:06.170 is where they turn for answers to those problems. They 0:45:06.170 --> 0:45:08.390 can try to do it all by themselves. We just 0:45:08.390 --> 0:45:12.650 need more weapons, bigger walls, more dependable water. Or they 0:45:12.650 --> 0:45:14.989 can choose to seek out the God of the universe 0:45:14.989 --> 0:45:18.560 who has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. 0:45:18.620 --> 0:45:21.740 It took a while, but thankfully Hezekiah and the people 0:45:21.739 --> 0:45:25.520 of Jerusalem finally turned to God and discovered he didn't 0:45:25.520 --> 0:45:29.600 need their weapons, walls, or water to fight his battles. 0:45:29.600 --> 0:45:33.050 So how about you? What enemy are you facing today? 0:45:33.080 --> 0:45:35.719 You can choose to wear yourself out, hoping you can 0:45:35.719 --> 0:45:38.750 do enough to make it through the crisis. Or you 0:45:38.750 --> 0:45:40.730 can choose to turn your troubles over to the God 0:45:40.730 --> 0:45:44.060 of the universe and let him handle them. The choice 0:45:44.060 --> 0:45:47.060 is yours, but the plaque on the wall of Hezekiah's 0:45:47.090 --> 0:45:50.000 tunnel is a good reminder to let God resolve your 0:45:50.000 --> 0:45:54.320 problems and spare yourself a lot of pain, aggravation, and 0:45:54.320 --> 0:45:57.320 heartache in the process. And if you'd like to see 0:45:57.350 --> 0:46:00.710 photos of the original plaque in the Istanbul Museum or 0:46:00.710 --> 0:46:04.759 photos of the copy from inside Hezekiah's tunnel in Jerusalem. Well, 0:46:04.760 --> 0:46:07.009 just head over to the land and the book Facebook 0:46:07.010 --> 0:46:09.710 page where I've posted them, and you'll be able to 0:46:09.710 --> 0:46:10.850 see what they look like. 0:46:10.880 --> 0:46:13.520 Nothing like seeing that for yourself. Thank you for posting 0:46:13.520 --> 0:46:16.670 those photos, Charlie, for doing that research and bringing this 0:46:16.670 --> 0:46:19.430 story to life for us. Our website is The Land 0:46:19.430 --> 0:46:21.710 and the book org, and we're anxious for you to 0:46:21.739 --> 0:46:24.589 visit there because that's the gateway to everything we have 0:46:24.590 --> 0:46:27.590 to offer you, including our podcast. It's a great way 0:46:27.590 --> 0:46:29.900 to stay connected, to share us with friends who aren't 0:46:29.900 --> 0:46:33.050 able to listen to the broadcast on a traditional radio station, 0:46:33.050 --> 0:46:34.850 and a neat way for you to hear it all 0:46:34.850 --> 0:46:38.060 again yourself. Check out the podcast at the Land and 0:46:38.060 --> 0:46:41.900 the book.org. Looks like our time is just about up. 0:46:41.900 --> 0:46:43.670 I want to say thank you to you for listening 0:46:43.700 --> 0:46:46.280 to this station, for carrying the broadcast to our host, 0:46:46.280 --> 0:46:49.730 Charlie Dyer, and to our producer, Dan Anderson. I'm John Geiger. 0:46:49.760 --> 0:46:52.580 The land and the book is a production of Moody Radio, 0:46:52.610 --> 0:46:55.040 a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.