1 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,920 S1: World War two and the Holocaust. Everyone knows what happened 2 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:15,800 S1: to Jews living in Germany, Poland, Hungary or Romania. But 3 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,240 S1: the untold story of Jews in Bulgaria is one you've 4 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:22,000 S1: got to hear. Just ahead, we'll share the odyssey of 5 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,360 S1: a Jewish rabbi and an Orthodox priest who teamed up 6 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:29,320 S1: to save 50,000 lives. It's an amazing story. Welcome to 7 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:32,159 S1: the land and the book with our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer, 8 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:35,839 S1: noted Old Testament scholar, Middle East expert. I'm John Gager, 9 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,960 S1: and Romans 116 reminds us that the gospel is to 10 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,800 S1: the Jew first and also to the Gentile. But how 11 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:44,520 S1: do you share the gospel with a Jewish person? Because 12 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:48,560 S1: of cultural, historical, and religious differences, it's sometimes challenging to 13 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:53,080 S1: navigate a gospel conversation with someone from a Jewish background. 14 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,920 S1: You ever wondered how the professionals do it? 15 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:58,639 S2: And to answer that question, our friends at Life in 16 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,830 S2: Messiah want one Amelia samples of the tracks their staff 17 00:01:01,870 --> 00:01:05,069 S2: use as they share the gospel. This will serve a 18 00:01:05,110 --> 00:01:08,510 S2: dual purpose of equipping you with methods of presenting the gospel, 19 00:01:08,670 --> 00:01:11,590 S2: while also supplying you with tracks you can share with 20 00:01:11,590 --> 00:01:14,750 S2: your Jewish friends and neighbors. Life in Messiah's Prayer is 21 00:01:14,750 --> 00:01:17,350 S2: that these tracks will help further the spread of the 22 00:01:17,390 --> 00:01:21,190 S2: gospel among the Jewish people. To receive this helpful assortment 23 00:01:21,190 --> 00:01:23,510 S2: of tracks, all you need to do is visit Life 24 00:01:23,510 --> 00:01:26,750 S2: in Messiah org and click on the radio button for 25 00:01:26,750 --> 00:01:31,869 S2: more information. And that's life in Messiah. Don't miss out 26 00:01:31,870 --> 00:01:33,669 S2: on this great opportunity. 27 00:01:33,990 --> 00:01:36,470 S1: All right, let's swing our focus now toward current events 28 00:01:36,470 --> 00:01:39,309 S1: in the Middle East. With the war between Israel and 29 00:01:39,310 --> 00:01:42,950 S1: Iran now in the rear view mirror. Early speculation is 30 00:01:42,950 --> 00:01:46,270 S1: finally giving way to a more fact based analysis of 31 00:01:46,270 --> 00:01:49,590 S1: what really took place. What do we know so far? Charlie? 32 00:01:49,870 --> 00:01:53,390 S2: Well, Israel released an official summary of their operation. It 33 00:01:53,390 --> 00:01:57,350 S2: began with intelligence gathering that showed Iran was rapidly enriching 34 00:01:57,350 --> 00:02:00,660 S2: uranium to the 60% level, which would allow them to 35 00:02:00,660 --> 00:02:04,380 S2: produce multiple nuclear bombs in a very short period of time. 36 00:02:04,740 --> 00:02:09,139 S2: Intelligence also uncovered Iran's plans to advance nuclear weapon research, 37 00:02:09,300 --> 00:02:12,340 S2: as well as plans to triple its supply of missiles 38 00:02:12,340 --> 00:02:16,780 S2: from 2500 to 8000. Israel's opening strike allowed them to 39 00:02:16,820 --> 00:02:21,739 S2: achieve complete surprise and establish air superiority over Iran. During 40 00:02:21,740 --> 00:02:25,940 S2: those next 12 days, Israel flew 1200 missions, striking over 41 00:02:25,940 --> 00:02:30,020 S2: 900 targets. Israel destroyed over half of Iran's ground to 42 00:02:30,060 --> 00:02:33,340 S2: ground missile launchers and about a thousand missiles before they 43 00:02:33,340 --> 00:02:37,980 S2: could be launched. They also eliminated 30 senior Iranian defense officials, 44 00:02:37,980 --> 00:02:41,700 S2: including the top three commanders and at least 14 top 45 00:02:41,700 --> 00:02:47,299 S2: nuclear scientists. Iran launched 550 missiles at Israel. Most were 46 00:02:47,300 --> 00:02:52,019 S2: shot down, but 31 impacted population areas, killing 28 and 47 00:02:52,020 --> 00:02:55,859 S2: leaving about 9000 homeless because of the apartment buildings that 48 00:02:55,860 --> 00:02:59,890 S2: were hit. Iran also launched over a thousand drones at Israel, 49 00:02:59,889 --> 00:03:02,410 S2: although only one made it through and hit a house. 50 00:03:02,690 --> 00:03:05,649 S2: There's been a debate over the ultimate success of Israel's 51 00:03:05,650 --> 00:03:09,530 S2: attack in stopping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Now, it's 52 00:03:09,530 --> 00:03:13,049 S2: not yet known what happened to the nearly £900 of 53 00:03:13,090 --> 00:03:16,890 S2: uranium enriched to 60%. Did it get buried under the 54 00:03:16,889 --> 00:03:20,169 S2: rubble of the facilities, or did Iran manage to spirited 55 00:03:20,169 --> 00:03:23,609 S2: away and hide it? And right now, no one really knows. 56 00:03:23,810 --> 00:03:27,169 S2: Despite reports that Iran could resume enriching uranium within a 57 00:03:27,169 --> 00:03:30,450 S2: few months, it appears that most of their centrifuge production 58 00:03:30,450 --> 00:03:34,290 S2: lines were destroyed, so their ability to enrich uranium will 59 00:03:34,290 --> 00:03:39,170 S2: be greatly reduced. More significantly, their ability to convert enriched 60 00:03:39,210 --> 00:03:42,970 S2: uranium gas back into a solid metal form, which is 61 00:03:42,970 --> 00:03:47,890 S2: necessary for assembling a warhead, was destroyed. This bottleneck alone 62 00:03:47,890 --> 00:03:51,850 S2: could set Iran's nuclear program back years. And even as 63 00:03:51,890 --> 00:03:56,040 S2: Iran vows to reconstruct its nuclear program, their economy was 64 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:59,960 S2: already hurting because of all the sanctions. Israel has also 65 00:03:59,960 --> 00:04:02,280 S2: started rebuilding, though it will take time for them to 66 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:05,520 S2: repair the hospital in Beersheba, as well as the apartments 67 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,520 S2: and other buildings that were damaged. But in the end, 68 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:11,400 S2: Israel really scored a major victory in this attack. 69 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:14,960 S1: What impact will the end of war have on the 70 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,440 S1: conflict with Gaza and with the rest of the Middle East? 71 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:22,680 S2: Well, this week could see some dramatic announcements. Both President 72 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,880 S2: Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu would like to have the 73 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:28,800 S2: hostilities in Gaza come to an end. That will be 74 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,440 S2: a key topic in their meeting Monday in Washington. A 75 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:34,920 S2: proposal on the table is for a 60 day cease 76 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:38,760 S2: fire that would include the release of ten hostages and 77 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:42,600 S2: 18 deceased ones in phases during that time, leaving an 78 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:47,720 S2: additional ten hostages and 12 deceased still in Gaza. Israel 79 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,880 S2: has apparently agreed to an American demand that the talks 80 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:54,940 S2: will lead to the war's complete end. Some coalition members, though, 81 00:04:54,980 --> 00:04:57,820 S2: oppose that deal. They want the fighting to continue until 82 00:04:57,820 --> 00:05:01,860 S2: Hamas is eliminated. Hamas has demanded that any deal lead 83 00:05:01,860 --> 00:05:04,500 S2: to a complete end to the fighting, which in theory 84 00:05:04,500 --> 00:05:07,820 S2: could allow them to remain in Gaza. Now, a second 85 00:05:07,820 --> 00:05:11,420 S2: topic on the agenda this Monday will be the Abraham Accords. 86 00:05:11,660 --> 00:05:15,339 S2: Trump and Netanyahu both want the Abraham Accords to expand 87 00:05:15,339 --> 00:05:19,380 S2: to include Saudi Arabia and Syria. Saudi Arabia has said 88 00:05:19,380 --> 00:05:22,780 S2: removing Hamas from Gaza and developing a pathway to a 89 00:05:22,779 --> 00:05:27,900 S2: Palestinian state are conditions for normalization with Israel. An agreement 90 00:05:27,900 --> 00:05:31,260 S2: with Syria could formally end years of hostilities between the 91 00:05:31,260 --> 00:05:35,180 S2: two countries and allow Israel to keep the Golan Heights. Now, 92 00:05:35,180 --> 00:05:38,060 S2: a third topic that will be discussed will be Iran. 93 00:05:38,339 --> 00:05:40,659 S2: Israel would like the U.S. to give the green light 94 00:05:40,660 --> 00:05:44,820 S2: for future Israeli attacks on Iran, should they become necessary. 95 00:05:45,180 --> 00:05:49,620 S2: Of all those issues, the demand for Palestinian statehood and 96 00:05:49,620 --> 00:05:52,620 S2: what to do with Hamas and Gaza are probably the 97 00:05:52,620 --> 00:05:56,890 S2: most difficult right now. It's unclear how they can be resolved, 98 00:05:56,930 --> 00:05:59,050 S2: how we'll have to wait and see what comes out 99 00:05:59,050 --> 00:06:01,810 S2: of the meetings in Washington on Monday. 100 00:06:01,850 --> 00:06:04,050 S1: You're listening to the first of four segments in a 101 00:06:04,050 --> 00:06:07,289 S1: broadcast we call The Land and the book very Middle 102 00:06:07,290 --> 00:06:09,930 S1: East focused. And our host is Doctor Charlie Dyer, who's 103 00:06:09,930 --> 00:06:13,330 S1: traveled there nearly a hundred times. I'm John Gieger. This 104 00:06:13,330 --> 00:06:16,970 S1: is story number three. In our continuing look at current events. 105 00:06:17,210 --> 00:06:22,570 S1: In 2005, Egypt began construction on the Grand Egyptian Museum, 106 00:06:22,810 --> 00:06:26,409 S1: originally scheduled to open in 2012. The project has faced 107 00:06:26,410 --> 00:06:29,610 S1: more than a decade of delays. What's the latest on 108 00:06:29,610 --> 00:06:32,210 S1: when this new museum will finally be open? 109 00:06:32,450 --> 00:06:34,810 S2: Well, John, let me start with the positive. When this 110 00:06:34,810 --> 00:06:39,250 S2: museum is fully open, it will be spectacular. The overcrowded 111 00:06:39,250 --> 00:06:42,530 S2: museum in downtown Cairo, which I loved. It was like 112 00:06:42,529 --> 00:06:45,810 S2: going through grandma's attic, except with King Tut being one 113 00:06:45,810 --> 00:06:47,969 S2: of the pieces that's in there. Well, that's going to 114 00:06:47,970 --> 00:06:51,450 S2: be replaced with this magnificent building which is located near 115 00:06:51,450 --> 00:06:55,640 S2: the pyramids. Unfortunately, the project has been plagued by a 116 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:59,120 S2: series of delays, including the Arab Spring, the uprising that 117 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:02,880 S2: started and then followed by Covid and then a financial crisis. 118 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:08,400 S2: It finally opened partially in October 2024, but some of 119 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:12,560 S2: the main exhibits, like the Tutankhamun treasures, are still located 120 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:16,080 S2: in the old museum at that time. When it first opened, 121 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:21,000 S2: they announced the museum would be fully open on July 3rd, 2025. 122 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:25,120 S2: This past week, but then on June 14th, an announcement 123 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:28,320 S2: was posted on the museum's website saying the opening has 124 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:31,880 S2: once again been delayed, this time till the fourth quarter 125 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:35,920 S2: of 2025. No explanation was given. Well, that puts it, 126 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:39,640 S2: at least in theory, sometime between October and December of 127 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:43,720 S2: this year. But their inability to meet past deadlines doesn't 128 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:47,280 S2: instill confidence in those wanting to plan a trip when 129 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:50,440 S2: the museum is open. The treasures on display in Egypt 130 00:07:50,510 --> 00:07:53,590 S2: are simply amazing. And the new museum, it's going to 131 00:07:53,590 --> 00:07:57,950 S2: provide some much needed space right now. G the Grand 132 00:07:57,950 --> 00:08:01,950 S2: Egyptian Museum is still a gem in the rough, but 133 00:08:01,990 --> 00:08:04,870 S2: hopefully and I say that hopefully it will be polished 134 00:08:04,870 --> 00:08:07,830 S2: and ready for display before the end of the year. 135 00:08:08,110 --> 00:08:10,030 S2: And when it's ready, I think it will be one 136 00:08:10,030 --> 00:08:12,630 S2: of the truly great museums in the world, and it 137 00:08:12,630 --> 00:08:14,670 S2: really will be one of the top things to visit 138 00:08:14,670 --> 00:08:16,110 S2: if someone goes to Egypt. 139 00:08:16,150 --> 00:08:18,430 S1: Charlie, it sounds wonderful, but I think, is it not 140 00:08:18,430 --> 00:08:22,150 S1: true that the global concern regarding security of a basic 141 00:08:22,190 --> 00:08:27,550 S1: American or any other citizen visiting there is a top concern? 142 00:08:28,030 --> 00:08:29,830 S2: Well, it is, and I say it this way. You know, 143 00:08:29,870 --> 00:08:32,510 S2: when you go to Israel or go to some other countries, uh, 144 00:08:32,510 --> 00:08:35,750 S2: there are, uh, struggles between the Israelis and the Arabs 145 00:08:35,750 --> 00:08:38,670 S2: or between other groups. But the tourists weren't the subject 146 00:08:38,670 --> 00:08:42,030 S2: of attack in Egypt. They've had a history of attacking 147 00:08:42,070 --> 00:08:45,750 S2: tourists because tourism is such a vital part of the economy. Uh, 148 00:08:45,750 --> 00:08:48,070 S2: the last couple of years it's been relatively safe. But 149 00:08:48,070 --> 00:08:50,780 S2: that still is a problem, and certainly this will make 150 00:08:50,780 --> 00:08:53,300 S2: it one of the targets for terrorists who want to 151 00:08:53,300 --> 00:08:55,100 S2: try and bring the Egyptian government down. 152 00:08:55,620 --> 00:08:59,740 S1: How safe is your financial information online? Did the recent 153 00:08:59,740 --> 00:09:05,140 S1: discovery of 16 billion passwords and credentials released online make 154 00:09:05,140 --> 00:09:09,300 S1: you nervous? Well, an Israeli startup called Unibeam believe they 155 00:09:09,300 --> 00:09:13,060 S1: have the answer. Tell us about this company from Amazing Israel. 156 00:09:13,340 --> 00:09:15,620 S2: Yeah. Did it make us nervous while I was changing 157 00:09:15,620 --> 00:09:18,740 S2: passwords like crazy as a result of that announcement? And 158 00:09:18,740 --> 00:09:20,460 S2: my wife would just like to get her hands around 159 00:09:20,460 --> 00:09:24,140 S2: the necks of those who released them. But companies are 160 00:09:24,140 --> 00:09:27,060 S2: working overtime to try and stop the theft of data. 161 00:09:27,340 --> 00:09:30,820 S2: And sometimes that involves real money being taken away from 162 00:09:30,820 --> 00:09:35,220 S2: unsuspecting individuals. Now, if you bank or shop online, you've 163 00:09:35,220 --> 00:09:39,260 S2: probably experienced two factor authentication and the use of one 164 00:09:39,300 --> 00:09:42,100 S2: time passwords to prove you are who you claim to 165 00:09:42,100 --> 00:09:45,260 S2: be when logging into your account. But cyber criminals are 166 00:09:45,260 --> 00:09:48,450 S2: also working overtime to stay one step ahead. and one 167 00:09:48,450 --> 00:09:52,490 S2: of their latest attacks involves SIM swapping. They trick your 168 00:09:52,490 --> 00:09:55,650 S2: mobile phone carrier into transferring your phone number to a 169 00:09:55,650 --> 00:09:59,690 S2: SIM card they control, allowing them to intercept calls and texts, 170 00:09:59,690 --> 00:10:03,290 S2: including those two factor authentication codes sent to your number, 171 00:10:03,290 --> 00:10:05,809 S2: which then lets them into your account. And that's where 172 00:10:05,850 --> 00:10:09,650 S2: Israeli startup Unibeam comes in. Using the security built into 173 00:10:09,690 --> 00:10:13,250 S2: every mobile phone SIM card, they link a person's identity 174 00:10:13,250 --> 00:10:16,170 S2: to the actual phone number, the SIM card ID, and 175 00:10:16,170 --> 00:10:19,210 S2: the actual mobile device ID. A person might try to 176 00:10:19,250 --> 00:10:21,210 S2: steal your phone number, but if they don't have your 177 00:10:21,210 --> 00:10:24,970 S2: actual SIM card and your mobile device, they can't break 178 00:10:24,970 --> 00:10:28,970 S2: into your account. Unibeam has developed this authentication system that 179 00:10:28,970 --> 00:10:32,770 S2: banks and other financial institutions can purchase and implement, to 180 00:10:32,809 --> 00:10:35,650 S2: make it impossible for someone to steal your identity by 181 00:10:35,650 --> 00:10:38,890 S2: hijacking your phone number. And that sounds like another great 182 00:10:38,890 --> 00:10:41,650 S2: idea coming our way from Amazing Israel. 183 00:10:41,650 --> 00:10:44,490 S1: Thank you Charlie. Sure appreciate your attention to current events 184 00:10:44,490 --> 00:10:47,199 S1: in the Middle East. Always a great segment. a second 185 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:49,040 S1: one coming your way. As we sit down and talk 186 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:52,079 S1: about what happened in the nation of Bulgaria during World 187 00:10:52,080 --> 00:11:10,360 S1: War two. An amazing rescue story. Next. Some heroes are 188 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:13,760 S1: in the spotlight. Others are hidden. You're about to meet 189 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:18,000 S1: some lesser known folks whose bravery saved countless Jewish lives 190 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,920 S1: during the Holocaust of World War Two. This is the 191 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:24,000 S1: land and the book. I'm John Yeager, and before we 192 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,839 S1: launch into today's story, let's think about ways that you 193 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:29,120 S1: and I can show the love of Christ to Jewish 194 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:34,880 S1: friends right in our own neighborhood. Antisemitism is a growing problem, 195 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:37,280 S1: but is it a fit subject for you and your 196 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:41,280 S1: Jewish friend for conversation? Roy Schwarz of Chosen People Ministries, 197 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:42,160 S1: what say you? 198 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:44,680 S3: Well, I would say it's an opportunity to say, what 199 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:48,060 S3: do you think is the cause of anti-Semitism? And you 200 00:11:48,059 --> 00:11:51,660 S3: could say from my perspective, the cause of anti-Semitism is 201 00:11:51,660 --> 00:11:55,660 S3: the world, the flesh and the devil. All three things 202 00:11:55,660 --> 00:11:59,700 S3: despise God and are at work against God. God has 203 00:11:59,700 --> 00:12:02,660 S3: chosen the Jewish people for a purpose and for a reason, 204 00:12:02,980 --> 00:12:06,819 S3: and they ultimately will be the ones that will lead 205 00:12:06,820 --> 00:12:10,900 S3: the world to righteousness and to the Messiah, and to 206 00:12:10,940 --> 00:12:14,620 S3: be a nation where God will bring all the nations 207 00:12:14,620 --> 00:12:18,140 S3: of the world to celebrate his appointed times. And so 208 00:12:18,179 --> 00:12:24,500 S3: anti-Semitism is a movement by the devil organizing the world system, 209 00:12:24,500 --> 00:12:29,819 S3: as well as the fleshly nature of man to oppose 210 00:12:29,860 --> 00:12:33,380 S3: God's will for the world. His will will be done. 211 00:12:33,380 --> 00:12:37,380 S3: But the enemy is using the world, the flesh and 212 00:12:37,380 --> 00:12:40,780 S3: the devil. And I might add that sometimes we as Christians, 213 00:12:40,780 --> 00:12:47,890 S3: because we are fleshly, We become unwitting tools of the enemy. 214 00:12:48,250 --> 00:12:51,290 S1: Words of caution and some good advice from Roy Schwartz 215 00:12:51,450 --> 00:12:57,410 S1: with Chosen People Ministries. Thanks. World War two and the Holocaust. 216 00:12:57,570 --> 00:13:01,050 S1: Everyone knows what happened to Jews living in Germany, Poland, 217 00:13:01,090 --> 00:13:04,530 S1: Hungary or Romania. But the untold story of Jews in 218 00:13:04,530 --> 00:13:07,929 S1: Bulgaria is our focus today, and helping us tell that 219 00:13:07,929 --> 00:13:11,410 S1: story is Avi Mizrahi. Avi was born and raised in 220 00:13:11,410 --> 00:13:14,250 S1: Tel Aviv. He served in the Israeli Air Force and 221 00:13:14,250 --> 00:13:17,809 S1: also served as a reservist with the Israel Defense Forces. 222 00:13:18,210 --> 00:13:22,010 S1: Avi is also the founding pastor of Adonai Roy Congregation 223 00:13:22,250 --> 00:13:26,490 S1: and the visionary behind Dugit Outreach Ministries. His passion is 224 00:13:26,490 --> 00:13:29,290 S1: to share the gospel with Israelis and to help believers 225 00:13:29,290 --> 00:13:33,250 S1: grow in their faith. Avi has co-written legacy of Hope, 226 00:13:33,290 --> 00:13:35,570 S1: A welcome to the land and the book. Avi. 227 00:13:36,090 --> 00:13:37,329 S4: Thank you. Thank you. 228 00:13:37,570 --> 00:13:40,370 S1: So take us to Bulgaria at the outbreak of World 229 00:13:40,370 --> 00:13:44,120 S1: War Two. According to your book, there were about 50,000 230 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:47,080 S1: Jewish people living there then, and I'm assuming that they're 231 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:50,559 S1: involved in all levels of society. And to that point, 232 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:53,760 S1: living for the most part, harmoniously with their non-Jewish neighbors. 233 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:55,800 S1: Is that accurate, or how would you correct that? 234 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:58,760 S4: Yeah, there was a good relationship between the Jews in 235 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:00,959 S4: Bulgaria and the Christians in Bulgaria. 236 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:03,840 S1: And in your book, you reference a law that was 237 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,760 S1: ultimately presented by the Bulgarian government. Ironically, it was called 238 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,280 S1: the law for the protection of the nation. Yet somebody 239 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:14,000 S1: pointed out in a newspaper editorial, it was actually a 240 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:17,640 S1: means of oppression and persecution of the Jewish minority in 241 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:21,200 S1: the land. And for this, Stefan mentioned in your book, 242 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:25,440 S1: was publicly slandered and received all kinds of threats. Explain 243 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:26,480 S1: just a bit more here. 244 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:30,800 S4: Yeah, well, when the Nazis took over Europe and they 245 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:36,320 S4: came to Bulgaria, they enforced their laws where they took 246 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:39,040 S4: all the rights from the Jews and Jews had to 247 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:43,550 S4: wear the yellow star. For example, my grandfather. He had 248 00:14:43,550 --> 00:14:47,670 S4: a business in downtown Sofia, and the Nazis kicked him 249 00:14:47,670 --> 00:14:51,550 S4: out and took over his business. And basically, the Jews 250 00:14:52,230 --> 00:14:55,190 S4: were ostracized. They were like they had no rights. They 251 00:14:55,190 --> 00:14:57,430 S4: could not have a business. They couldn't be lawyers, they 252 00:14:57,430 --> 00:15:00,590 S4: couldn't be teachers. And they were treated very bad by 253 00:15:00,590 --> 00:15:03,630 S4: the Nazis. That's what they did. Wherever they went all 254 00:15:03,630 --> 00:15:06,550 S4: over Europe. And that's what they did also in Bulgaria. 255 00:15:07,190 --> 00:15:09,830 S1: In reading the book, I noticed that the persecution of 256 00:15:09,830 --> 00:15:13,550 S1: Jewish people was a gradual thing, a process that took 257 00:15:13,550 --> 00:15:16,550 S1: root over time. Do you see a parallel in the 258 00:15:16,550 --> 00:15:19,830 S1: United States and in other places with regard to the 259 00:15:19,830 --> 00:15:21,390 S1: rise of anti-Semitism? 260 00:15:21,790 --> 00:15:25,150 S4: Very good question. After the war broke a year and 261 00:15:25,150 --> 00:15:28,110 S4: a half ago in Israel with Gaza, and we have 262 00:15:28,110 --> 00:15:31,350 S4: seen all over the world the rise of anti-Semitism and 263 00:15:31,350 --> 00:15:36,310 S4: anti-Semitic slogans and riots against Jews. It really reminded us 264 00:15:36,310 --> 00:15:39,350 S4: what happened in the early 30s, before the Second World War, 265 00:15:39,670 --> 00:15:43,700 S4: as the Nazis came to power, the same evil spirit 266 00:15:43,700 --> 00:15:49,380 S4: coming against the Jews and anti-Semitism. Now it's called anti-Israel. And, uh, 267 00:15:49,540 --> 00:15:52,860 S4: we see definitely a parallel between those years and now. 268 00:15:53,540 --> 00:15:57,700 S1: Legacy of Hope offers readers a gripping and inspiring testament 269 00:15:57,700 --> 00:16:01,260 S1: to resilience, faith, and divine protection. We're talking with the 270 00:16:01,260 --> 00:16:05,660 S1: book's co-author, Avi Mizrachi, here on the land and the book. Well, 271 00:16:05,660 --> 00:16:09,180 S1: your story points out that Bulgarian politicians eventually committed to 272 00:16:09,220 --> 00:16:11,860 S1: what the Nazis called the Final Solution at the end 273 00:16:11,860 --> 00:16:15,220 S1: of 1941. Describe what that actually meant. 274 00:16:15,940 --> 00:16:21,180 S4: Well, the Nazis, the leaders met in Wannsee. It's a 275 00:16:21,300 --> 00:16:24,980 S4: well-known place in Germany. And that's where they made the 276 00:16:24,980 --> 00:16:29,060 S4: decision that, uh, we need to kill this Jewish race 277 00:16:29,100 --> 00:16:32,700 S4: as quickly as possible and eliminate them from all over 278 00:16:32,700 --> 00:16:35,500 S4: Europe and all over the world. And that's where they 279 00:16:35,500 --> 00:16:38,940 S4: start looking. Every country. How many Jews live and collected 280 00:16:39,050 --> 00:16:43,210 S4: those numbers and names with a purpose to send them 281 00:16:43,210 --> 00:16:46,930 S4: all to Auschwitz, to be gassed and murdered and slaughtered. 282 00:16:47,610 --> 00:16:51,250 S1: You know, looking back, people would rightly ask, why would 283 00:16:51,290 --> 00:16:54,570 S1: Bulgarian leaders agree to such an evil plan? 284 00:16:55,290 --> 00:16:58,050 S4: That's a good question. Well, it was evil. There was 285 00:16:58,050 --> 00:17:01,250 S4: darkness over Europe during the Second World War with the Nazis. 286 00:17:01,770 --> 00:17:04,010 S4: But what's good is that the church and the leaders 287 00:17:04,010 --> 00:17:07,730 S4: of the church of the Orthodox Church in Bulgaria, they 288 00:17:07,730 --> 00:17:12,169 S4: rose up, especially the Metropolitan, who is the bishop of Sofia, 289 00:17:12,369 --> 00:17:16,290 S4: Metropolitan Stefan. He rose up because he was a vulnerable believer, 290 00:17:16,330 --> 00:17:21,090 S4: follower of Christ. And he believed the Bible. And he said, no, 291 00:17:21,090 --> 00:17:23,689 S4: we need to stand with our Jewish brothers and we 292 00:17:23,690 --> 00:17:26,130 S4: need to do everything we can to save them from 293 00:17:26,130 --> 00:17:30,369 S4: being slaughtered. We're talking about 50,000 Jews who lived in 294 00:17:30,369 --> 00:17:31,490 S4: Bulgaria at that time. 295 00:17:31,690 --> 00:17:35,370 S1: Yeah. This is the land and the book. I'm John Yeager, 296 00:17:35,410 --> 00:17:40,480 S1: joined today by Avi Miss Rocky. Okay, you mentioned Metropolitan Stefan. 297 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:43,840 S1: So help me understand the meaning of the word Metropolitan. 298 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:46,240 S1: We think of the word city when we hear that 299 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:48,840 S1: word metropolitan. What is his status, his role in the 300 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:49,800 S1: church at the time? 301 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:52,320 S4: At that time, he was the head of the church. 302 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,320 S4: He was the bishop of the whole church, all the 303 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:57,640 S4: churches in Bulgaria. And he had a great influence on 304 00:17:57,640 --> 00:18:01,600 S4: all the churches and other places. And he called the 305 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:04,520 S4: all the leaders. When the Nazis came to Bulgaria, he 306 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:08,480 S4: called all the leaders into Sofia and told them, God 307 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:11,320 S4: is calling us in such a time as this. According 308 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:14,720 S4: to Romans 910 and 11, who knows that God wants 309 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:17,520 S4: to use us to welcome the window, to open the 310 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,240 S4: churches and welcome the Jews, and we need to provoke 311 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:23,359 S4: them to jealousy. And he had a heart for God, 312 00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:25,440 S4: and he had a heart for the people of Israel. 313 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:28,479 S4: And he said, we need to issue them. Even a 314 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:31,240 S4: certificate of baptism will do that, so that the Nazis 315 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:33,040 S4: will not take them and kill them. He was a 316 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:36,790 S4: very strong believer and a protector of the Jewish people. 317 00:18:37,030 --> 00:18:39,909 S1: He was not alone in this fight. Introduce us to 318 00:18:39,950 --> 00:18:42,190 S1: a rabbi named Daniel Zion. 319 00:18:42,750 --> 00:18:46,510 S4: Yes. They became a good friend even before the Second 320 00:18:46,510 --> 00:18:49,230 S4: World War. In the 30s, he became a good friend 321 00:18:49,230 --> 00:18:51,590 S4: of Rabbi Daniel Zion. And it was because he loved 322 00:18:51,590 --> 00:18:53,990 S4: the Jewish people. So he became a friend. They will 323 00:18:53,990 --> 00:18:57,270 S4: meet together, and of course, they will argue theology and 324 00:18:57,270 --> 00:18:57,990 S4: all those things. 325 00:18:58,030 --> 00:18:58,510 S1: Right. 326 00:18:58,910 --> 00:19:01,950 S4: And in fact, he gave him once a whole Bible 327 00:19:01,950 --> 00:19:05,109 S4: in Bulgarian. And Rabbi Daniel saw that he saw the 328 00:19:05,109 --> 00:19:07,429 S4: New Testament. He taught the New Testament and threw it 329 00:19:07,430 --> 00:19:10,109 S4: on the floor and said, Now I'll read your scriptures, 330 00:19:10,109 --> 00:19:14,350 S4: which is only the Old Testament. But because of the friendship, 331 00:19:14,390 --> 00:19:18,430 S4: Metropolitan Stefan said, Rabbi, don't do this to my scriptures. 332 00:19:18,790 --> 00:19:22,350 S4: So out of respect and because of relationship, he picked 333 00:19:22,350 --> 00:19:24,790 S4: up the New Testament and put it on a bookshelf 334 00:19:25,230 --> 00:19:28,670 S4: and they continued their relationship. But one morning Rabbi Danielson 335 00:19:28,670 --> 00:19:31,869 S4: was praying and he saw a vision of a white 336 00:19:31,869 --> 00:19:35,450 S4: person and a light, and it really scared him. He 337 00:19:35,450 --> 00:19:37,330 S4: didn't know what to do, so he went to Stefan 338 00:19:37,330 --> 00:19:40,290 S4: and asked him, what do you think now? Stefan already 339 00:19:40,290 --> 00:19:42,850 S4: knew because he'd been praying for him. Yes, he said, well, 340 00:19:42,850 --> 00:19:45,810 S4: next time it shows up, why don't you say Hineni, 341 00:19:45,850 --> 00:19:48,970 S4: here I am. Who are you? And Robert said, well, 342 00:19:49,010 --> 00:19:52,050 S4: that's a good thing. Yeah. The next morning, again he 343 00:19:52,050 --> 00:19:55,410 S4: prayed a vision and he saw a person, a light 344 00:19:55,410 --> 00:19:59,650 S4: from a person coming. Bright light. So he asked Hineni, 345 00:19:59,690 --> 00:20:04,209 S4: who are you? And? And the person said, I'm Yeshua, 346 00:20:04,250 --> 00:20:05,210 S4: your Messiah. 347 00:20:05,369 --> 00:20:08,450 S1: Hmm. And what was rabbi's response to that? 348 00:20:08,970 --> 00:20:12,770 S4: The fear of God fell upon him and he realized 349 00:20:12,770 --> 00:20:17,090 S4: that Yeshua Jesus is the Messiah. So he went to 350 00:20:17,090 --> 00:20:20,570 S4: his bookshelf to pick up that New Testament that months ago, 351 00:20:20,570 --> 00:20:22,689 S4: he threw it on the floor. He picked it up 352 00:20:22,690 --> 00:20:25,370 S4: the New Testament and opened to Matthew chapter one and 353 00:20:25,369 --> 00:20:27,850 S4: start reading it. And he said, oh, this is the 354 00:20:27,850 --> 00:20:30,810 S4: Son of death, the genealogy of Jesus. This is Jewish. 355 00:20:30,810 --> 00:20:33,370 S4: This is a Jewish book written by Jews. And he 356 00:20:33,369 --> 00:20:36,480 S4: was amazed. So he read the New Testament and realized 357 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:41,040 S4: that indeed, Yeshua Jesus is the promised Messiah and he 358 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:42,080 S4: became a believer. 359 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:44,960 S1: Wow, what a story of conversion right in the middle 360 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:47,119 S1: of the tensions of World War Two. And that's an 361 00:20:47,119 --> 00:20:51,360 S1: inspiring story. And yet this whole drama is still playing out. 362 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:55,160 S1: So what became of the Rabbi? What became of Metropolitan Stefan, 363 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:58,480 S1: and how did these two ultimately work toward the the 364 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:01,960 S1: rescue of these 50,000 Jews in Bulgaria? What happened next? 365 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,879 S4: This was totally the plan of God and the grace 366 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:09,199 S4: of God because they became friends, close friends, and they 367 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:14,000 S4: became believers even before 1939 when the Second World War started, 368 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:18,000 S4: when when Hitler invaded Poland. So they became friends. And 369 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:21,800 S4: when this happened, they made an agreement that Rabbi Danielson, 370 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:25,680 S4: who was the chief rabbi of Bulgaria, and Metropolitan Stefan, 371 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:27,640 S4: who was the bishop of the whole church, and they 372 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:31,600 S4: made an agreement like an agreement, like a covenant, saying, 373 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,110 S4: we're going to stand together. We're going to fight the 374 00:21:34,109 --> 00:21:36,669 S4: evil one. We're going to pray, and we'll do everything 375 00:21:36,670 --> 00:21:40,270 S4: we can to stop. And we have definitely the church 376 00:21:40,270 --> 00:21:43,070 S4: rising up to stand with the Jewish people and not 377 00:21:43,109 --> 00:21:46,629 S4: hand over their 50,000 Jews. That King Boris at that 378 00:21:46,630 --> 00:21:50,070 S4: time promised to give it to Hitler. And that's how 379 00:21:50,070 --> 00:21:51,109 S4: they work together. 380 00:21:51,270 --> 00:21:54,949 S1: It's a rescue drama of lesser known heroes showing uncommon 381 00:21:54,950 --> 00:21:57,910 S1: bravery today on the land. And the book where we're 382 00:21:57,910 --> 00:22:00,710 S1: enjoying a conversation with Avi Mizrachi. Well, it's one thing 383 00:22:00,710 --> 00:22:04,149 S1: to have this passion, this common bond in Christ, but 384 00:22:04,190 --> 00:22:06,510 S1: quite another to pull off what they did. So what 385 00:22:06,510 --> 00:22:11,230 S1: was the actual doing that spared these 50,000 Jews? What 386 00:22:11,230 --> 00:22:11,830 S1: did they do? 387 00:22:12,830 --> 00:22:17,510 S4: For example, they saw Metropolitan Stefan. He called all the 388 00:22:17,510 --> 00:22:20,390 S4: leaders of all the churches in Bulgaria and Bulgaria to 389 00:22:20,430 --> 00:22:23,710 S4: Sofia and told them, we must stand with the Jews. 390 00:22:23,750 --> 00:22:26,070 S4: And according to the scriptures. And he will quote Romans 391 00:22:26,109 --> 00:22:29,590 S4: 910 and 11. Okay. That does not cast away his 392 00:22:29,590 --> 00:22:33,380 S4: people They for such a time as this. They were 393 00:22:33,420 --> 00:22:35,780 S4: by their rejection salvation come to the nations. But now 394 00:22:35,780 --> 00:22:37,700 S4: it's time for us to provoke them to jealousy and 395 00:22:37,700 --> 00:22:39,780 S4: love them into the Kingdom of God. We need to 396 00:22:39,780 --> 00:22:42,859 S4: stand with our brothers because they are cold. They are 397 00:22:42,859 --> 00:22:44,780 S4: the chosen people and we need to stand with them. 398 00:22:45,100 --> 00:22:48,660 S4: He understood that and really mobilized the church to stand 399 00:22:48,660 --> 00:22:52,659 S4: with the Jews, the same way Robert called for prayer 400 00:22:52,660 --> 00:22:56,020 S4: in the synagogue. And the people will pray there and 401 00:22:56,020 --> 00:23:00,020 S4: then they had they even had a special day of demonstration. 402 00:23:00,300 --> 00:23:03,820 S4: And the Nazis arrested Rabbi Daniel Zion and put him 403 00:23:03,820 --> 00:23:06,660 S4: in a work camp and really beat him up and 404 00:23:06,660 --> 00:23:10,220 S4: things like that. But the church opened their churches and 405 00:23:10,220 --> 00:23:13,060 S4: they said, If Jews run to us, we're going to 406 00:23:13,060 --> 00:23:16,260 S4: go and accept them and open our doors. And if 407 00:23:16,260 --> 00:23:18,780 S4: the Nazis will try to take them, we'll issue even 408 00:23:18,820 --> 00:23:21,899 S4: a certificate of baptism saying, no, they are part of 409 00:23:21,900 --> 00:23:24,020 S4: the church and we will not let them take the Jews. 410 00:23:25,020 --> 00:23:28,060 S4: They were very eminent. They they wrote letters to the 411 00:23:28,060 --> 00:23:32,490 S4: parliament they met with high places in the government. They 412 00:23:32,490 --> 00:23:35,050 S4: even met with King Boris. The King of Bulgaria at 413 00:23:35,050 --> 00:23:38,330 S4: that time, they handed him a letter. They went to 414 00:23:38,330 --> 00:23:40,370 S4: him without an appointment. You know, he could have really 415 00:23:40,369 --> 00:23:42,889 S4: put him in jail, but somehow he accepted them. So 416 00:23:43,170 --> 00:23:46,410 S4: Rabbi Daniel Zion and Metropolitan Stefan went to see the king, 417 00:23:46,730 --> 00:23:48,930 S4: and they told him, King Boris, you know, if you 418 00:23:48,970 --> 00:23:52,210 S4: cooperate with the Nazis, God will require their blood from 419 00:23:52,210 --> 00:23:56,010 S4: your hands. Don't cooperate with them. And they really brought 420 00:23:56,010 --> 00:23:59,010 S4: the fear of God upon King Boris. And from that 421 00:23:59,010 --> 00:24:01,649 S4: point on, he changed his mind and decided not to 422 00:24:01,650 --> 00:24:02,770 S4: cooperate with the Nazis. 423 00:24:03,090 --> 00:24:06,609 S1: And thus 50,000 lives were saved. Amazing. So in the end, 424 00:24:06,650 --> 00:24:08,609 S1: if I'm hearing you right, it was a combination of 425 00:24:08,650 --> 00:24:11,770 S1: of a letter writing campaign. It was meetings with highly 426 00:24:11,770 --> 00:24:15,370 S1: placed government officials. It was the issuance of certificates of 427 00:24:15,369 --> 00:24:18,570 S1: baptism which made these people off limits to the Nazis. 428 00:24:18,570 --> 00:24:21,570 S1: It was a combination of things that resulted in their deliverance, 429 00:24:21,570 --> 00:24:24,050 S1: all of it to the glory of God and a 430 00:24:24,050 --> 00:24:26,890 S1: tribute to the the great courage of these two men, 431 00:24:26,890 --> 00:24:31,520 S1: Metropolitan Stefan and Rabbi Daniel Zion. What a fabulous story. 432 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:35,679 S4: Yes. And I'll just say this. In 1943, Hitler sent 433 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:38,560 S4: the trains three times. Three times he sent the trains 434 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:41,440 S4: to Bulgaria to collect the Jews. To make a long 435 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:45,440 S4: story short, three times those trains went back to Berlin 436 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:48,920 S4: and to Auschwitz. Empty because the church to the Jews 437 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:50,520 S4: and said, no, we're not going to let you have 438 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:53,800 S4: the Jews. And 50,000 Jews were rescued from being killed. 439 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,800 S1: But to me, that says the church today has a 440 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:59,840 S1: capacity to make a stand, the ability to make a 441 00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:03,240 S1: loud noise and to stand up against anti-Semitism and evil 442 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:04,280 S1: of all kinds. Right? 443 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:07,200 S4: That's right. I believe in the one you meant the 444 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:10,520 S4: Jew and non-Jew. When we followers of true followers and 445 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:14,440 S4: disciples of Jesus, of Yeshua and we stand together in 446 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:17,600 S4: prayer and we win by, we overcome the evil by 447 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:20,160 S4: the word of our testimonies, by the blood of the lamb, 448 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:22,520 S4: and willing to lay down our lives for the gospel. 449 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:25,120 S1: Well, there's a lot more to this story, including some 450 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:27,550 S1: great photos as well that you can track in the 451 00:25:27,550 --> 00:25:31,389 S1: book legacy of Hope Hidden Heroes from Generation to Generation. 452 00:25:31,430 --> 00:25:34,510 S1: The story you probably haven't heard but probably need to hear. 453 00:25:34,670 --> 00:25:36,869 S1: We'll post a link to that book at our website. 454 00:25:36,910 --> 00:25:41,150 S1: The land and the book. Avi, thank you so much 455 00:25:41,190 --> 00:25:43,990 S1: for digging into this story, for making it come alive. 456 00:25:44,310 --> 00:25:46,030 S1: We appreciate you visiting with us. 457 00:25:46,350 --> 00:25:48,350 S5: Thank you very much, sir. God bless you. 458 00:25:48,350 --> 00:25:51,470 S1: And you as well. It's a visit with Gerald Peterman 459 00:25:51,470 --> 00:25:54,710 S1: next to answer your Bible questions here on the land 460 00:25:54,710 --> 00:26:08,350 S1: and the book. Hope your day is going well. This 461 00:26:08,350 --> 00:26:10,550 S1: is the land and the book. I'm John Gager. It's 462 00:26:10,550 --> 00:26:12,830 S1: about to get better for you because I think you'll 463 00:26:12,830 --> 00:26:14,790 S1: be intrigued as you hear the questions that have come 464 00:26:14,790 --> 00:26:17,310 S1: in from listeners all across the country who opened their 465 00:26:17,310 --> 00:26:20,149 S1: Bibles just like you do, and wonder some of the 466 00:26:20,150 --> 00:26:22,909 S1: same things that you do, or maybe something slightly different. 467 00:26:23,270 --> 00:26:25,270 S1: Those questions being addressed, of course, by the one and 468 00:26:25,270 --> 00:26:28,700 S1: only Doctor Gerald Peterman of the Moody Bible Institute faculty 469 00:26:28,740 --> 00:26:30,980 S1: who's enjoying his summer, aren't you, sir? 470 00:26:31,020 --> 00:26:32,580 S6: I certainly am. Yeah. 471 00:26:33,340 --> 00:26:37,139 S1: Something to celebrate. Well. Romans 116 says the gospel is 472 00:26:37,140 --> 00:26:39,820 S1: to the Jew first and also to the Gentile. But 473 00:26:40,020 --> 00:26:42,820 S1: how do you share the gospel with a Jewish person? 474 00:26:42,820 --> 00:26:46,460 S1: Because of cultural, historical and religious differences. It sometimes kind 475 00:26:46,460 --> 00:26:50,300 S1: of challenging to navigate a gospel conversation with someone from 476 00:26:50,300 --> 00:26:53,820 S1: a Jewish background. You ever wonder how the quote professionals 477 00:26:53,820 --> 00:26:54,420 S1: do this? 478 00:26:54,780 --> 00:26:57,780 S6: To answer this question, our friends at Life and Messiah 479 00:26:57,820 --> 00:27:00,900 S6: want to mail you samples of the tracks their staff 480 00:27:00,940 --> 00:27:03,540 S6: use as they share the gospel. This will serve a 481 00:27:03,580 --> 00:27:07,380 S6: dual purpose of equipping you with methods of presenting the gospel, 482 00:27:07,380 --> 00:27:10,100 S6: and also supplying you with tracks you can share with 483 00:27:10,100 --> 00:27:13,260 S6: your Jewish friends and neighbors. Life in Messiah's Prayer is 484 00:27:13,260 --> 00:27:15,260 S6: that these tracks will help further the spread of the 485 00:27:15,300 --> 00:27:19,300 S6: gospel among the Jewish people. To receive this helpful assortment 486 00:27:19,300 --> 00:27:22,100 S6: of tracks, all you need to do is visit Life 487 00:27:22,100 --> 00:27:26,450 S6: in Messiah and click on the Moody Radio button for 488 00:27:26,450 --> 00:27:30,489 S6: more information. That's life and Messiah. Don't miss out on 489 00:27:30,490 --> 00:27:31,690 S6: this great opportunity. 490 00:27:32,650 --> 00:27:35,850 S1: Gayle kicks off our Q&A segment today with a question 491 00:27:35,850 --> 00:27:39,970 S1: about the chosen TV series. She says the number of 492 00:27:39,970 --> 00:27:44,330 S1: Christians endorsing that show is disheartening. The Mormon aspect alone 493 00:27:44,330 --> 00:27:47,210 S1: should be a red flag. Why are you endorsing it? 494 00:27:47,250 --> 00:27:48,690 S1: And of course, there are people who are saying, wow, 495 00:27:48,730 --> 00:27:51,409 S1: what Mormon? What? Red flag. Help us out here. 496 00:27:51,690 --> 00:27:54,890 S6: Well, I appreciate Gayle's question, and I understand that The 497 00:27:54,890 --> 00:28:00,090 S6: Chosen has some mixed reviews. Now, I personally don't endorse 498 00:28:00,090 --> 00:28:03,450 S6: the show. If by endorse we mean I think the 499 00:28:03,450 --> 00:28:07,729 S6: show always and only communicates biblical events and words. It 500 00:28:07,730 --> 00:28:11,730 S6: doesn't do that. Many times the dialogue in the show 501 00:28:11,770 --> 00:28:14,450 S6: is drawn straight from Scripture and I think that's good. 502 00:28:14,570 --> 00:28:17,889 S6: Other times, the dialogue and even the characters are made 503 00:28:17,890 --> 00:28:20,090 S6: up by the writers of the show. I understand how 504 00:28:20,090 --> 00:28:25,070 S6: that works because something very similar happens with modern Christian songs. 505 00:28:25,070 --> 00:28:28,350 S6: They don't just quote scripture or modern Christian books. They 506 00:28:28,350 --> 00:28:32,030 S6: don't always just simply quote scripture. So I think since 507 00:28:32,030 --> 00:28:35,990 S6: there are many times when the dialogue of the chosen 508 00:28:35,990 --> 00:28:38,190 S6: is straight from the Word of God, I think God 509 00:28:38,190 --> 00:28:41,630 S6: can use it if he chooses to, and he might 510 00:28:41,630 --> 00:28:44,150 S6: even choose to use the portions that are made up 511 00:28:44,470 --> 00:28:48,430 S6: or might not. I'm willing to leave that whole thing 512 00:28:48,470 --> 00:28:51,230 S6: to him who endorses it or who doesn't. I don't 513 00:28:51,230 --> 00:28:54,790 S6: think is the primary issue. Is it faithful to Scripture? 514 00:28:54,790 --> 00:28:56,390 S6: I think is the primary issue? 515 00:28:56,430 --> 00:29:00,260 S1: Yeah. Thanks for that thoughtful answer. Rona asks. With 300 516 00:29:00,260 --> 00:29:03,670 S1: to 400 years between Rahab and Ruth, is there any 517 00:29:03,670 --> 00:29:07,550 S1: way to know the missing information about how Rahab could 518 00:29:07,550 --> 00:29:09,990 S1: be the mother of Boaz? Was she actually a great 519 00:29:09,990 --> 00:29:11,270 S1: grandmother of Boaz? 520 00:29:11,710 --> 00:29:14,110 S6: I think Rona is moving in a really good direction. 521 00:29:14,110 --> 00:29:17,670 S6: I'm glad she's asking this. Apparently she's been reading Matthew 522 00:29:17,710 --> 00:29:21,910 S6: chapter one, so good job. Keep in mind that genealogies 523 00:29:21,910 --> 00:29:25,380 S6: in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, genealogies 524 00:29:25,380 --> 00:29:29,620 S6: are selective. The writer chooses generations to talk about, and 525 00:29:29,620 --> 00:29:32,620 S6: he chooses them with a purpose. If you read Matthew one, 526 00:29:32,660 --> 00:29:35,780 S6: you read Luke three. They both have genealogies of Jesus, 527 00:29:35,780 --> 00:29:38,540 S6: but they're very different. So I think the short answer 528 00:29:38,540 --> 00:29:43,860 S6: is yes, Rahab is an ancestor. Boaz probably a great 529 00:29:43,860 --> 00:29:46,700 S6: grandmother or a grandmother, but it's hard to know the 530 00:29:46,700 --> 00:29:47,780 S6: rest of the details. 531 00:29:48,060 --> 00:29:50,180 S1: You're listening to the Land and the book. It's our 532 00:29:50,180 --> 00:29:53,020 S1: question and answer segment, and you should know right away 533 00:29:53,020 --> 00:29:56,180 S1: that your question is welcome any old time. If you 534 00:29:56,180 --> 00:29:57,900 S1: just send us an email, we'll get back to you 535 00:29:57,940 --> 00:30:00,940 S1: with a personalized answer and then put your question in 536 00:30:00,940 --> 00:30:04,540 S1: our queue for a future broadcast. Our email address to 537 00:30:04,580 --> 00:30:09,020 S1: connect is the land and the book at the land, 538 00:30:09,020 --> 00:30:14,860 S1: and the book at Moody's. In Genesis 614, the NASB 539 00:30:15,100 --> 00:30:17,900 S1: version of the Bible says, make for yourself an ark 540 00:30:17,940 --> 00:30:21,370 S1: of gopher wood. Okay. This is God's instructions to Noah. 541 00:30:21,370 --> 00:30:24,090 S1: He goes on, you should make the ark with compartments 542 00:30:24,090 --> 00:30:27,650 S1: and cover it inside and out with pitch. Carol says 543 00:30:27,650 --> 00:30:30,170 S1: it appears that the ark should look black if it 544 00:30:30,170 --> 00:30:32,930 S1: was painted inside and out with pitch. You know, we 545 00:30:32,930 --> 00:30:35,370 S1: say pitch black. Can you tell me if the ark 546 00:30:35,370 --> 00:30:38,450 S1: was painted inside and out with a black pitch? Or 547 00:30:38,450 --> 00:30:40,450 S1: was the pitch some other color? 548 00:30:40,930 --> 00:30:43,410 S6: I really love the question, but I'm afraid I cannot 549 00:30:43,410 --> 00:30:47,090 S6: answer it. Almost certainly. The pitch is dark, very dark, 550 00:30:47,090 --> 00:30:50,290 S6: maybe black, maybe a very dark brown, and it must 551 00:30:50,290 --> 00:30:52,850 S6: cover the whole boat. Thus, as far as I can 552 00:30:52,850 --> 00:30:55,290 S6: take it. In other words, if you look at a 553 00:30:55,290 --> 00:30:58,489 S6: children's storybook about the Ark, almost certainly we see it 554 00:30:58,490 --> 00:31:00,650 S6: as it's planks and we see the seams. 555 00:31:00,930 --> 00:31:02,250 S1: The beautiful wood grain. 556 00:31:02,290 --> 00:31:05,450 S6: Beautiful wood grain, almost certainly all that was covered. Thanks 557 00:31:05,490 --> 00:31:08,250 S6: be to God to make it waterproof so it would 558 00:31:08,250 --> 00:31:10,090 S6: keep Noah and his family safe. 559 00:31:10,090 --> 00:31:11,890 S1: But the actual color? Not so sure. 560 00:31:11,930 --> 00:31:13,130 S6: Hard to know. Yes. 561 00:31:13,850 --> 00:31:16,890 S1: Andrew takes us to Isaiah 817, where it says, I 562 00:31:16,890 --> 00:31:20,400 S1: will wait for the Lord who is hiding his face 563 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:22,760 S1: from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. 564 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:25,520 S1: And Andrew wants to know how can God hide? 565 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:28,920 S6: I'm so glad Andrew brings this question, because I've often 566 00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:34,080 S6: thought about this and reread Isaiah and reread Isaiah. God 567 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:38,479 S6: hiding himself is a relational term. That is, when we 568 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:41,320 S6: are idolatrous, when God's people turn away from him, when 569 00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:46,120 S6: they're deep in sin, he turns away, metaphorically speaking, relationally speaking. 570 00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:49,080 S6: That's a kind of way of distancing. So now we 571 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:54,560 S6: should repent. Now we should seek him. Actually, God mentions 572 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:59,400 S6: several times in Isaiah this kind of hiding. Isaiah 4515 573 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:02,440 S6: is another one. The prophet says, truly you are a 574 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:05,880 S6: God who hides himself. In Isaiah 59 two, the prophet 575 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:09,440 S6: says about Israel, your sins have hidden his face from you. 576 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:13,240 S6: You know what's very interesting about this is in John's Gospel, 577 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:18,910 S6: it's the only gospel where Jesus is said to hide himself. 578 00:32:19,270 --> 00:32:22,710 S6: You remember in John chapter eight when our Lord says, 579 00:32:22,710 --> 00:32:26,670 S6: Before Abraham was, I am. And you know, the hostile 580 00:32:26,670 --> 00:32:31,590 S6: crowd picks up stones to stone him, and he hides himself. 581 00:32:31,590 --> 00:32:35,590 S6: That is, he turns away from the relationship because of sin. 582 00:32:35,630 --> 00:32:37,150 S6: God sometimes does this. 583 00:32:37,510 --> 00:32:39,870 S1: It seems to me that those Isaiah references, though, are 584 00:32:39,870 --> 00:32:42,070 S1: not so much about a physical game of hide and 585 00:32:42,070 --> 00:32:44,910 S1: seek as it is a a withdrawing of of one's 586 00:32:44,910 --> 00:32:47,710 S1: connectedness and blessing. Yes, rapport. Would that be fair? 587 00:32:47,750 --> 00:32:51,710 S6: Exactly right. Thanks for that way of describing it, John. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. 588 00:32:52,270 --> 00:32:54,870 S1: Okay, let's go on to Glenn's question. Many times on 589 00:32:54,870 --> 00:32:57,550 S1: the program, I've heard you mention to the Jew first 590 00:32:57,550 --> 00:33:01,110 S1: and also to the Greek from Romans 116. So what 591 00:33:01,110 --> 00:33:02,830 S1: is the first all about here? 592 00:33:03,350 --> 00:33:06,510 S6: So I really appreciate Glenn's question. I take it that 593 00:33:06,550 --> 00:33:10,510 S6: in part, Paul's theology of Jew first does get worked out. 594 00:33:10,870 --> 00:33:13,150 S6: Just read the book of acts. When he goes into 595 00:33:13,150 --> 00:33:15,350 S6: a new city, he goes to synagogue first. This is 596 00:33:15,350 --> 00:33:18,380 S6: one way it works out. But I think there's another 597 00:33:18,380 --> 00:33:21,060 S6: way it happens. And I really like how Michael Vanlandingham 598 00:33:21,060 --> 00:33:23,300 S6: has talked about this in the Moody Bible Commentary. He 599 00:33:23,300 --> 00:33:28,739 S6: says first is not just historical, but it's also theological, 600 00:33:28,780 --> 00:33:33,420 S6: because the gospel of a Jewish Messiah, the gospel of 601 00:33:33,540 --> 00:33:37,340 S6: an incarnate Jewish man who'd been becomes king of Israel 602 00:33:37,340 --> 00:33:40,180 S6: that is deeply rooted in the Old Testament. And so 603 00:33:40,180 --> 00:33:44,900 S6: it fits Jewish people first before it fits Gentiles like me. 604 00:33:45,220 --> 00:33:47,780 S6: So for the Jew first is the gospel is just 605 00:33:47,780 --> 00:33:49,740 S6: well suited to Jewish people. 606 00:33:50,340 --> 00:33:54,140 S1: Pete asks. After Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead, 607 00:33:54,140 --> 00:33:57,220 S1: he made two statements to two of his followers. First, 608 00:33:57,220 --> 00:34:00,340 S1: in John 20 verse 17, Jesus says to Mary, do 609 00:34:00,340 --> 00:34:02,980 S1: not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended 610 00:34:02,980 --> 00:34:05,540 S1: to my father, but go to my brethren, and say 611 00:34:05,540 --> 00:34:08,380 S1: to them, I am ascending to my father and your father, 612 00:34:08,380 --> 00:34:11,140 S1: and to my God and your God. But then eight 613 00:34:11,140 --> 00:34:14,540 S1: days later in John 20, verse 27, he said to Thomas, 614 00:34:14,540 --> 00:34:17,770 S1: reach your finger here and look at my hands and 615 00:34:17,770 --> 00:34:20,130 S1: reach your hand there and put it into my side. 616 00:34:20,170 --> 00:34:24,570 S1: Do not be unbelieving, but believing. And the third thing is, 617 00:34:24,570 --> 00:34:27,370 S1: did Jesus ascend between these two meetings? 618 00:34:27,410 --> 00:34:29,970 S6: I'm really happy that Pete is really thinking and asking 619 00:34:29,969 --> 00:34:33,370 S6: really good questions. So we've got three things that we 620 00:34:33,370 --> 00:34:37,170 S6: need to respond to. First, what's going on with Jesus 621 00:34:37,170 --> 00:34:40,250 S6: and Mary outside the tomb? I don't think our Lord 622 00:34:40,250 --> 00:34:44,570 S6: is being harsh. I think he's saying something like, let's 623 00:34:44,570 --> 00:34:47,569 S6: stop the hug for now because you have a task. 624 00:34:47,610 --> 00:34:50,410 S6: You're the only one who's seen me alive. Now you 625 00:34:50,410 --> 00:34:53,770 S6: should go tell the others. So let's stop that affection 626 00:34:53,770 --> 00:34:57,490 S6: for this moment so you can get on that task. 627 00:34:57,650 --> 00:35:03,210 S6: But then later, Jesus welcomes Thomas, touching him. Why is that? Well, 628 00:35:03,250 --> 00:35:06,530 S6: because Jesus is omniscient and he knows what Thomas said 629 00:35:06,530 --> 00:35:09,569 S6: he needed. Whether we think Thomas should have said that 630 00:35:09,570 --> 00:35:13,610 S6: or not is irrelevant, right? Jesus sometimes gives us things 631 00:35:13,610 --> 00:35:15,950 S6: that we think we need. And so this is how 632 00:35:15,950 --> 00:35:20,190 S6: our Lord invites him to touch me. Don't be unbelieving, 633 00:35:20,190 --> 00:35:23,629 S6: but be believing now. Peter has the third question does 634 00:35:23,630 --> 00:35:27,190 S6: the ascension happen in that eight days between the encounter 635 00:35:27,190 --> 00:35:29,790 S6: with Mary and the encounter with Thomas? I think the 636 00:35:29,790 --> 00:35:32,230 S6: answer is no. I think the answer is no, because 637 00:35:32,270 --> 00:35:37,070 S6: our Lord several times talks about things as present tense 638 00:35:37,070 --> 00:35:40,109 S6: when they are pending, when they're the next thing on 639 00:35:40,110 --> 00:35:43,509 S6: his agenda. So this is the way he's speaking in 640 00:35:43,510 --> 00:35:46,110 S6: John's gospel. The next thing he's going to be doing 641 00:35:46,630 --> 00:35:49,629 S6: is ascending. But that ascension, as we know from other 642 00:35:49,630 --> 00:35:54,510 S6: places in Scripture, happens some many days after the resurrection, 643 00:35:54,510 --> 00:35:56,230 S6: not between these two appearances. 644 00:35:56,510 --> 00:35:59,350 S1: I want to go back to Thomas and his demand, 645 00:35:59,390 --> 00:36:02,630 S1: you know, to to see and touch Jesus. And and, 646 00:36:02,750 --> 00:36:04,230 S1: you know, I think he's gotten a bum rap. We 647 00:36:04,230 --> 00:36:07,390 S1: call him Doubting Thomas, but we so easily dismiss the 648 00:36:07,390 --> 00:36:09,109 S1: fact that he was the only one who wasn't there 649 00:36:09,110 --> 00:36:11,750 S1: when the disciples were. They had the advantage of seeing 650 00:36:11,750 --> 00:36:15,100 S1: him and they already had their touch moment perhaps themselves. 651 00:36:15,100 --> 00:36:17,140 S1: So unfair, I think, to beat up on Thomas. What 652 00:36:17,140 --> 00:36:17,339 S1: do you. 653 00:36:17,340 --> 00:36:19,339 S6: Think? I think it's unfair to beat up on Thomas. 654 00:36:19,620 --> 00:36:22,500 S6: But on the other hand, our Lord does say it's 655 00:36:22,500 --> 00:36:24,740 S6: better to believe even if you don't see. 656 00:36:24,780 --> 00:36:25,300 S1: Yes. 657 00:36:25,340 --> 00:36:28,460 S6: So I want to be somewhere in between, you know. Yeah. 658 00:36:28,460 --> 00:36:31,140 S6: I think Thomas often gets a bad rap. He indeed does. 659 00:36:31,460 --> 00:36:33,060 S1: And that's a look at some of the questions that 660 00:36:33,060 --> 00:36:35,460 S1: have come in. We're looking for yours. Email us at 661 00:36:35,500 --> 00:36:40,100 S1: the land and the book at Moody's. Well, don't go away. 662 00:36:40,100 --> 00:36:42,460 S1: We've got a great devotional from our host, Charlie Dyer. 663 00:36:42,500 --> 00:36:58,660 S1: It's next. Welcome back to the land and the book. 664 00:36:58,700 --> 00:37:02,260 S1: Does anybody remember the very colorful character on TV, Mr. T? 665 00:37:02,500 --> 00:37:06,380 S1: I do remember his favorite saying, I pity the fool. Well, 666 00:37:06,380 --> 00:37:10,980 S1: what's more foolish than a fool? Actually, there is an answer. And, Charlie, 667 00:37:10,980 --> 00:37:12,770 S1: that's the basis of today's devotional. 668 00:37:12,850 --> 00:37:13,850 S2: It is John. 669 00:37:13,890 --> 00:37:16,129 S1: All right. I can't imagine where we're going, but I'll 670 00:37:16,130 --> 00:37:19,009 S1: look forward to that after we hear this Holy Land experience. 671 00:37:19,010 --> 00:37:20,370 S1: Check out this testimonial. 672 00:37:24,850 --> 00:37:27,969 S7: I've been to the Holy Land twice and some of 673 00:37:27,969 --> 00:37:30,610 S7: the surrounding area. And for me, as I think a 674 00:37:30,650 --> 00:37:33,450 S7: lot of people who have been there, it's like taking 675 00:37:33,450 --> 00:37:36,170 S7: the Bible from black and white and making it color. 676 00:37:36,210 --> 00:37:39,290 S7: It really comes to life. Um, sitting in the Garden 677 00:37:39,330 --> 00:37:43,129 S7: of Gethsemane, uh, one evening, as we were praying and 678 00:37:43,130 --> 00:37:47,569 S7: talking about to partake of the Lord's Supper, it really 679 00:37:47,570 --> 00:37:52,170 S7: became apparent to me, as my Lord that night was saying, uh, father, 680 00:37:52,170 --> 00:37:53,930 S7: not my will, but thine be done if you can 681 00:37:53,930 --> 00:37:56,330 S7: take this cup from me. And there I was, sitting 682 00:37:56,330 --> 00:38:00,089 S7: in the same area, saying, Dear father, don't take this 683 00:38:00,090 --> 00:38:02,330 S7: cup from me, but let me have this cup. And 684 00:38:02,690 --> 00:38:06,250 S7: just how the the land becomes such an alive thing and, 685 00:38:06,570 --> 00:38:09,410 S7: and fills in a lot of the gaps in Scripture. 686 00:38:09,450 --> 00:38:12,960 S7: It's a very, very powerful a very meaningful experience to 687 00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:15,480 S7: be able to go and to walk where Jesus walked. 688 00:38:15,840 --> 00:38:18,280 S8: I have never been to Israel, but I was in Egypt, 689 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:21,439 S8: in Jordan, and I sort of got to trace the 690 00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:27,000 S8: same path that Moses traced. I went through the Sinai desert, 691 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:31,239 S8: over the Red sea, up Jordan, and ended up in 692 00:38:31,239 --> 00:38:35,759 S8: the Jordan River and on Mount Nebo. Um, and we 693 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:38,640 S8: weren't allowed to go into Israel because there was a 694 00:38:38,920 --> 00:38:43,479 S8: State Department warning on Israel at the time. But I 695 00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:46,160 S8: got to basically see the same perspective that Moses had, 696 00:38:46,200 --> 00:38:48,920 S8: and to look out over the land from Mount Nebo 697 00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:51,200 S8: and see the beauty of it from afar. And it 698 00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:55,480 S8: was just a remarkable experience to yearn for the land 699 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:58,000 S8: and and to be so close to it, but not 700 00:38:58,000 --> 00:39:00,360 S8: to be able to go in as Moses did and 701 00:39:00,400 --> 00:39:02,959 S8: just to be in that part of the country. 702 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:07,399 S1: All right. Nobody wants to be a fool, but you 703 00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:10,950 S1: can be even more foolish than a fool, I guess. Charlie, 704 00:39:10,950 --> 00:39:12,110 S1: what do you got for us today? 705 00:39:12,430 --> 00:39:15,510 S2: Well. Thanks, John. In fact, this is even older than Mr. T. 706 00:39:15,989 --> 00:39:19,270 S2: Years ago, Bing Crosby sang a song called Would You 707 00:39:19,270 --> 00:39:21,990 S2: Like to Swing on a star? Well, the song focused 708 00:39:21,989 --> 00:39:24,830 S2: on the importance of education, and I still remember some 709 00:39:24,830 --> 00:39:27,270 S2: of the lyrics. A mule is an animal with long, 710 00:39:27,310 --> 00:39:30,430 S2: funny ears. He kicks up at anything he hears. His 711 00:39:30,430 --> 00:39:33,149 S2: back is brawny, but his brain is weak. He's just 712 00:39:33,150 --> 00:39:36,189 S2: plain stupid with a stubborn streak. And by the way, 713 00:39:36,190 --> 00:39:38,430 S2: if you hate to go to school, you may grow 714 00:39:38,430 --> 00:39:41,549 S2: up to be a mule. A great song, but is 715 00:39:41,550 --> 00:39:44,910 S2: it true? Does school keep someone from growing up to 716 00:39:44,950 --> 00:39:48,910 S2: be stubborn and stupid? Well. Not necessarily. Look at what's 717 00:39:48,910 --> 00:39:51,910 S2: happening in some of our universities today. Many seem to 718 00:39:51,910 --> 00:39:56,430 S2: be focused more on indoctrination than actual education. And even 719 00:39:56,430 --> 00:39:59,830 S2: in those that don't, there's a vast difference between knowledge 720 00:39:59,830 --> 00:40:04,390 S2: and wisdom. Education can help a person become more knowledgeable, 721 00:40:04,390 --> 00:40:07,669 S2: but it won't necessarily make the person any wiser. The 722 00:40:07,780 --> 00:40:12,460 S2: Bible distinguishes between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge refers to the facts, 723 00:40:12,460 --> 00:40:16,860 S2: you know. Wisdom to the skills necessary to live life successfully. 724 00:40:17,140 --> 00:40:19,700 S2: To be wise is to understand that God is in 725 00:40:19,700 --> 00:40:21,900 S2: charge of the world, and that we need to align 726 00:40:21,900 --> 00:40:25,420 S2: our lives to God's standards. In the Bible, a fool 727 00:40:25,420 --> 00:40:29,180 S2: isn't someone without knowledge. It's someone who refuses to submit 728 00:40:29,180 --> 00:40:32,540 S2: to God, who believes he or she is somehow smarter 729 00:40:32,540 --> 00:40:37,060 S2: than God. The Book of Proverbs is God's textbook on wisdom. 730 00:40:37,180 --> 00:40:39,900 S2: It explains how life works and how we need to 731 00:40:39,900 --> 00:40:44,460 S2: respond to our destination. Today is Proverbs 26. The first 732 00:40:44,460 --> 00:40:48,460 S2: 11 verses are a series of comparative statements about the fool. 733 00:40:48,780 --> 00:40:52,020 S2: Solomon begins by explaining the danger of honoring a fool 734 00:40:52,420 --> 00:40:55,820 S2: like snow and summer, and like rain and harvest. So 735 00:40:55,820 --> 00:40:59,100 S2: honor is not fitting for a fool. Israel can get 736 00:40:59,100 --> 00:41:01,980 S2: snow during the wet winter months, but snow in the 737 00:41:02,020 --> 00:41:04,899 S2: summer is just out of place. The land is too 738 00:41:04,900 --> 00:41:09,650 S2: hot and too dry. snow and summer is inappropriate, and 739 00:41:09,650 --> 00:41:13,210 S2: rain during harvest was even worse. The winter rains have 740 00:41:13,210 --> 00:41:16,969 S2: ended by harvest season. Farmers didn't want rain during the 741 00:41:16,969 --> 00:41:20,930 S2: harvest because it would damage their crops. Rain at harvest 742 00:41:20,930 --> 00:41:25,010 S2: wasn't just inappropriate, it was dangerous. And so is honoring 743 00:41:25,010 --> 00:41:28,650 S2: those who oppose God. In verse eight, Solomon also spoke 744 00:41:28,650 --> 00:41:31,489 S2: about honoring a fool. There he said, such honor was 745 00:41:31,489 --> 00:41:36,169 S2: not only inappropriate and dangerous, it was also ineffective. Like 746 00:41:36,170 --> 00:41:38,890 S2: one who binds a stone in a sling. So is 747 00:41:38,890 --> 00:41:41,850 S2: he who gives honor to a fool. Imagine what would 748 00:41:41,890 --> 00:41:44,810 S2: have happened to David if he had tied the stone 749 00:41:44,810 --> 00:41:47,649 S2: to the inside of his sling before he faced Goliath? 750 00:41:48,090 --> 00:41:51,210 S2: As Goliath charged, he would have twirled the sling, taken aim, 751 00:41:51,210 --> 00:41:53,770 S2: let go of the one end, and then watched as 752 00:41:53,770 --> 00:41:56,969 S2: the stone stayed inside the sling. The story would have 753 00:41:56,969 --> 00:42:00,770 S2: had a different ending. Honoring a fool doesn't help him 754 00:42:00,770 --> 00:42:04,370 S2: and it just might end up hurting you. Solomon has 755 00:42:04,370 --> 00:42:07,400 S2: several other colorful descriptions of the fool. He says we 756 00:42:07,440 --> 00:42:10,279 S2: don't need to get upset by a foolish person's threats, 757 00:42:10,280 --> 00:42:12,759 S2: which he compares to a bird swooping this way and 758 00:42:12,760 --> 00:42:16,239 S2: that while never actually landing. A fool shoots off his 759 00:42:16,239 --> 00:42:20,000 S2: mouth so often that his words are no longer taken seriously. 760 00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:23,359 S2: Fools never seem to get it until they experience the 761 00:42:23,360 --> 00:42:26,719 S2: consequences of their actions. Just as someone might use a 762 00:42:26,760 --> 00:42:28,920 S2: whip or bridle to get a horse or donkey to 763 00:42:28,960 --> 00:42:31,480 S2: move in the right direction, so it seems as if 764 00:42:31,480 --> 00:42:34,920 S2: personal consequences, like a rod on the back, was the 765 00:42:34,920 --> 00:42:37,560 S2: only way to get a fool to pay attention. Two 766 00:42:37,560 --> 00:42:40,400 S2: of my favorite proverbs appear next. They show why we 767 00:42:40,400 --> 00:42:44,440 S2: need to view wisdom literature like Proverbs as principles showing 768 00:42:44,440 --> 00:42:49,160 S2: how life generally works rather than as ironclad promises. Verses 769 00:42:49,160 --> 00:42:51,520 S2: four and five actually seem to be saying just the 770 00:42:51,520 --> 00:42:54,640 S2: opposite of each other. Do not answer a fool according 771 00:42:54,680 --> 00:42:58,200 S2: to his folly, lest you also be like him. Answer 772 00:42:58,200 --> 00:43:00,959 S2: a fool as his folly deserves, lest he be wise 773 00:43:00,960 --> 00:43:04,120 S2: in his own eyes. Well, sometimes the best response to 774 00:43:04,260 --> 00:43:07,260 S2: a fool is to ignore him rather than lashing back. 775 00:43:07,660 --> 00:43:10,540 S2: But other times an answer is needed, lest the fool 776 00:43:10,540 --> 00:43:14,980 S2: think his argument has validity. Which response is most appropriate? Well, 777 00:43:14,980 --> 00:43:18,180 S2: it depends on the circumstances. And that's why both proverbs 778 00:43:18,180 --> 00:43:21,459 S2: are necessary. Well, thus far Solomon has painted a very 779 00:43:21,460 --> 00:43:25,700 S2: bleak picture of the fool. Honoring a fool is inappropriate, dangerous, 780 00:43:25,700 --> 00:43:29,220 S2: and ineffective. A fool needs to be ignored or challenged 781 00:43:29,219 --> 00:43:32,940 S2: based on the specific circumstances. A fool doesn't add value 782 00:43:32,940 --> 00:43:36,259 S2: to a conversation and can actually complicate things if his 783 00:43:36,260 --> 00:43:40,739 S2: advice is followed. Fools are undependable and seemingly incapable of 784 00:43:40,739 --> 00:43:44,739 S2: learning from past mistakes. Wow. At this point, we feel 785 00:43:44,739 --> 00:43:47,100 S2: like a fool is the bottom of the barrel the 786 00:43:47,100 --> 00:43:51,500 S2: ultimate example of stupidity? The person Bing Crosby was singing about. 787 00:43:51,739 --> 00:43:55,739 S2: And yet, in many ways, that's an accurate assessment. But 788 00:43:55,739 --> 00:43:59,220 S2: that's why I find verse 12 so amazing. Having shown 789 00:43:59,219 --> 00:44:03,170 S2: how destructive a fool really is, Solomon then describes someone 790 00:44:03,170 --> 00:44:06,450 S2: who's even more foolish than a fool. Do you see 791 00:44:06,450 --> 00:44:09,450 S2: a man wise in his own eyes? There's more hope 792 00:44:09,450 --> 00:44:12,250 S2: for a fool than for someone who thinks he's smarter 793 00:44:12,250 --> 00:44:15,649 S2: than he really is. But what does Proverbs 26 have 794 00:44:15,650 --> 00:44:18,770 S2: to do with us today? Well, I'm glad you asked. 795 00:44:19,130 --> 00:44:21,370 S2: We live in a time when many believe the words 796 00:44:21,370 --> 00:44:25,689 S2: of the Bible are passé, antiquated, out of date. They 797 00:44:25,690 --> 00:44:28,890 S2: say that those who believe the Bible are troglodytes, members 798 00:44:28,890 --> 00:44:33,969 S2: of the Flat Earth Society. Impediments to true progress. Don't 799 00:44:33,969 --> 00:44:37,090 S2: believe it. Even if everyone else seems to be heading 800 00:44:37,090 --> 00:44:40,690 S2: in the same direction, if that direction runs contrary to 801 00:44:40,730 --> 00:44:43,730 S2: what God has said in His word, then don't join 802 00:44:43,730 --> 00:44:48,210 S2: the parade. Jesus said it best. Enter by the narrow gate, 803 00:44:48,210 --> 00:44:50,650 S2: for the gate is wide, and the way is broad 804 00:44:50,690 --> 00:44:53,689 S2: that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter 805 00:44:53,690 --> 00:44:56,089 S2: by it. But the gate is small, and the way 806 00:44:56,090 --> 00:44:58,969 S2: is narrow that leads to life, and few are those 807 00:44:58,969 --> 00:45:02,439 S2: who find it. Stick with the standards laid out by 808 00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:05,359 S2: God and His Word. The pathway might appear to be 809 00:45:05,360 --> 00:45:09,400 S2: narrow and the number of travelers relatively few, but the 810 00:45:09,400 --> 00:45:13,480 S2: destination to which it leads makes the journey worthwhile. And 811 00:45:13,480 --> 00:45:16,879 S2: those who walk on that pathway are wise. 812 00:45:17,480 --> 00:45:20,520 S1: Thank you Charlie. Great insights there from Proverbs. And you know, 813 00:45:20,560 --> 00:45:23,560 S1: a lot of times we ignore what is so obvious 814 00:45:23,560 --> 00:45:26,080 S1: in the Proverbs. It seems to me. It's amazing how 815 00:45:26,080 --> 00:45:28,880 S1: we think we have better wisdom sometimes when God Himself 816 00:45:28,880 --> 00:45:32,320 S1: has clearly spoken. We we have a better way. We think. Right, Charlie? 817 00:45:32,480 --> 00:45:35,640 S2: That's exactly right, John. And yet, in the end, God 818 00:45:35,640 --> 00:45:37,239 S2: is always proven correct. 819 00:45:37,280 --> 00:45:40,839 S1: Yeah. Well, Charlie, talk about the importance of connecting with 820 00:45:40,840 --> 00:45:44,960 S1: this station on a personal level with perhaps an encouraging card, 821 00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:47,520 S1: email or letter even. 822 00:45:47,560 --> 00:45:50,560 S2: Oh, absolutely. John. Yeah. The station that you're listening to 823 00:45:50,640 --> 00:45:53,560 S2: right now puts us on by faith. They hope that 824 00:45:53,560 --> 00:45:56,400 S2: we're making an impact on people's lives, but they don't know. 825 00:45:56,560 --> 00:45:58,200 S2: And one of the ways they can get to know 826 00:45:58,200 --> 00:46:00,239 S2: is if you take time right now to give them 827 00:46:00,310 --> 00:46:02,430 S2: a call, write an email or send a letter to 828 00:46:02,469 --> 00:46:04,670 S2: them just to let them know how much you appreciate 829 00:46:04,670 --> 00:46:06,589 S2: the land in the book and the impact it has 830 00:46:06,590 --> 00:46:08,830 S2: on your life. That will help them know that the 831 00:46:08,830 --> 00:46:11,310 S2: program is effective and it will be an encouragement to 832 00:46:11,350 --> 00:46:12,590 S2: them at the same time. 833 00:46:12,630 --> 00:46:14,950 S1: Yeah, you know, the older I get, the more I 834 00:46:14,950 --> 00:46:18,590 S1: tend to value a handwritten note. There's something about it. 835 00:46:18,590 --> 00:46:21,150 S1: And as you look back in history, even in modern times, 836 00:46:21,150 --> 00:46:24,350 S1: the great communicators seem to connect best, make the biggest 837 00:46:24,350 --> 00:46:27,790 S1: impact with a handwritten note, and I think you'll have 838 00:46:27,790 --> 00:46:29,790 S1: more influence than you know if you'll take the time 839 00:46:29,790 --> 00:46:32,310 S1: to do that. So thanks for letting others know about 840 00:46:32,310 --> 00:46:35,550 S1: your appreciation for the land of the book, specifically letting 841 00:46:35,550 --> 00:46:38,589 S1: the people at this station know. Well, thanks for your 842 00:46:38,590 --> 00:46:41,550 S1: time today. Always great to connect with you on behalf 843 00:46:41,550 --> 00:46:44,990 S1: of our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer, our producer, Dan Anderson, 844 00:46:44,989 --> 00:46:47,670 S1: I'm John Geiger, inviting you back next week for another 845 00:46:47,670 --> 00:46:50,469 S1: edition of The Land and the book The Land. And 846 00:46:50,469 --> 00:46:53,270 S1: the book is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry 847 00:46:53,270 --> 00:46:54,910 S1: of Moody Bible Institute.