WEBVTT - People in Scripture Who Memorized Scripture 0:00:07.190 --> 0:00:07.310 I'm. 0:00:08.150 --> 0:00:11.300 Sure you've heard. You're supposed to memorize the Bible. What 0:00:11.300 --> 0:00:14.000 about the people in the pages of Scripture? Did they 0:00:14.000 --> 0:00:17.900 memorize whatever portions of the Bible they had back then? Ha! 0:00:17.930 --> 0:00:21.349 Just ahead, a fascinating look at people in Scripture who 0:00:21.380 --> 0:00:24.980 memorize scripture. We've got some compelling examples for you and 0:00:24.980 --> 0:00:28.730 some bonus tips for your own Bible memory as well. Plus, 0:00:28.730 --> 0:00:31.340 all the news from the Middle East here on the 0:00:31.340 --> 0:00:34.490 land and the book. Thanks for connecting with us today. 0:00:34.490 --> 0:00:36.979 I'm John Gager and our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer is 0:00:36.979 --> 0:00:39.830 out on assignment, but he's still in touch with us 0:00:39.830 --> 0:00:42.260 and shared his thoughts about the news stories that have 0:00:42.260 --> 0:00:44.960 come out of the Middle East this week. But first, 0:00:44.960 --> 0:00:47.690 Passover will soon be upon us. And one of the 0:00:47.690 --> 0:00:51.260 traditional Passover questions is what makes this night different from 0:00:51.260 --> 0:00:55.460 all others? Passover is an important biblical holiday with huge 0:00:55.460 --> 0:00:59.060 meaning for Jewish people and believers in Jesus. And if 0:00:59.060 --> 0:01:01.970 you want to learn more about what makes Passover so special, 0:01:02.000 --> 0:01:04.550 our friends at Life and Messiah are offering to mail 0:01:04.550 --> 0:01:08.179 you a free copy of their Messianic Passover Haggadah. This 0:01:08.180 --> 0:01:10.940 is a booklet that will lead you through the celebration 0:01:10.940 --> 0:01:14.869 of Passover to see the rich connections to Jesus, our Messiah, 0:01:14.870 --> 0:01:18.170 and the Last Supper. You'll also receive a link for 0:01:18.170 --> 0:01:21.620 an interactive Passover Seder video, and with the Haggadah and 0:01:21.620 --> 0:01:24.680 the video together, you can really celebrate Passover this year 0:01:24.680 --> 0:01:27.740 with your family and friends. And to get this free offer, 0:01:27.740 --> 0:01:31.490 just go to life in Messiah. Org and click on 0:01:31.490 --> 0:01:33.920 the Moody Radio button there to find out more and 0:01:33.920 --> 0:01:39.860 request your copy. Again, that's life in messiah.org. All right, 0:01:39.860 --> 0:01:42.500 let's swing our focus toward current events from the Middle East. 0:01:42.500 --> 0:01:47.210 The threatened attack against Iran by Israel and possibly the U.S. 0:01:47.240 --> 0:01:51.440 is already impacting Iran. What preparations are they taking and 0:01:51.440 --> 0:01:55.880 how serious is the threat of such an attack actually happening? Well, 0:01:55.880 --> 0:01:58.820 in spite of their bluster and bravado, Charlie suggests that 0:01:58.850 --> 0:02:02.450 Iran appears to be very concerned about a threatened attack. 0:02:02.480 --> 0:02:05.540 As we mentioned before, they were apparently secretly rushing to 0:02:05.570 --> 0:02:09.649 develop the technology to produce several basic or crude nuclear 0:02:09.650 --> 0:02:13.010 weapons just as quickly as possible. Now, the bombs don't 0:02:13.010 --> 0:02:16.130 need to be ultra powerful or sophisticated. They simply need 0:02:16.130 --> 0:02:19.130 to be small enough to mount on a missile and 0:02:19.130 --> 0:02:22.489 deliver to a target. In threatening a small country like Israel, 0:02:22.520 --> 0:02:25.550 having a nuclear weapon that could be launched against Tel Aviv, 0:02:25.580 --> 0:02:30.230 for example, could deter Israel from responding to future Iranian threats. 0:02:30.260 --> 0:02:34.400 The ayatollah also suggested there should be no negotiations with 0:02:34.400 --> 0:02:37.429 the U.S. because of the apparent threats, but he apparently 0:02:37.430 --> 0:02:39.890 left the door open to talks with the understanding that 0:02:39.889 --> 0:02:43.730 they do not include any threats of attack. Iran also 0:02:43.730 --> 0:02:48.020 launched its first drone carrier. The former container vessel has 0:02:48.020 --> 0:02:50.930 been equipped with a runway for launching drones, and it 0:02:50.930 --> 0:02:55.010 can also operate helicopters. This gives Iran more flexibility in 0:02:55.010 --> 0:02:59.060 launch locations, however, it's also unclear how vulnerable the ship 0:02:59.060 --> 0:03:02.270 will be. Should it stray too far from home waters. 0:03:02.270 --> 0:03:04.970 But to the main question being asked here, how serious 0:03:05.000 --> 0:03:08.869 is the actual threat of an attack? President Trump posted 0:03:08.870 --> 0:03:12.320 an online message saying reports that the United States, working 0:03:12.320 --> 0:03:15.230 in conjunction with Israel, is going to blow Iran into 0:03:15.230 --> 0:03:20.330 smithereens are greatly exaggerated. However, it is unclear what is 0:03:20.330 --> 0:03:22.520 his final word on the subject. Or is this simply 0:03:22.520 --> 0:03:26.419 a way to try to coax Iran into negotiations? President 0:03:26.450 --> 0:03:30.050 Trump has made it clear that Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons. 0:03:30.050 --> 0:03:33.020 The breakout time for Iran to actually build a nuclear 0:03:33.050 --> 0:03:37.010 bomb once they start is likely measured in weeks, not months. 0:03:37.010 --> 0:03:39.860 So the US and Israel are likely both preparing a 0:03:39.860 --> 0:03:44.000 response should they receive intelligence suggesting Iran is moving forward. 0:03:44.510 --> 0:03:48.440 Story number two. President Trump has proposed a trade corridor 0:03:48.470 --> 0:03:52.550 linking India to Europe and the U.S. through Israel. Now, 0:03:52.580 --> 0:03:55.490 what would such a trade corridor accomplish and is it 0:03:55.490 --> 0:03:58.460 even feasible? Well, Doctor Dyer told me he thinks that 0:03:58.460 --> 0:04:02.420 most in the US really didn't grasp the strategic significance 0:04:02.420 --> 0:04:05.060 of this proposal. So let me share some of the background. 0:04:05.090 --> 0:04:08.390 The US and China are in an economic war, no 0:04:08.390 --> 0:04:11.060 doubt about it. China has been using its Belt and 0:04:11.060 --> 0:04:14.090 Road Initiative to try to carve out its own worldwide 0:04:14.090 --> 0:04:18.170 connections to diminish US influence. At the same time, the 0:04:18.170 --> 0:04:20.839 Houthis have created a force in the Red sea that 0:04:20.839 --> 0:04:24.560 is disrupting trade and commerce through the Suez Canal. That's 0:04:24.560 --> 0:04:27.529 increasing the price of everything from goods to oil coming 0:04:27.529 --> 0:04:30.470 from Asia to the west. China has also tried to 0:04:30.500 --> 0:04:34.010 gain influence in the Panama Canal, another major choke point 0:04:34.010 --> 0:04:38.510 for world commerce. India is a major counterbalance to China, 0:04:38.510 --> 0:04:41.179 and at the same time, a peace treaty between the 0:04:41.180 --> 0:04:44.390 Gulf states and Israel and a route through them connecting 0:04:44.390 --> 0:04:47.840 the Arabian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea could bypass the 0:04:47.839 --> 0:04:51.890 Houthis and their attempt to block the Red sea as 0:04:51.890 --> 0:04:55.130 envisioned by President Trump. This new trade route would run 0:04:55.130 --> 0:04:58.340 from India to Israel and onward to Italy in the U.S., 0:04:58.339 --> 0:05:03.050 and would include seaports, rail lines, and undersea cables. Now 0:05:03.050 --> 0:05:05.839 the question is, is it feasible? The short answer is 0:05:05.839 --> 0:05:09.530 that it is. Though it will face some obstacles. For example, 0:05:09.560 --> 0:05:12.440 China will not stand idly by and allow India to 0:05:12.470 --> 0:05:15.830 become the dominant power in Southeast Asia, though they don't 0:05:15.830 --> 0:05:19.490 have the military capability to project power and control through 0:05:19.490 --> 0:05:23.660 the area. Iran is one other potential block for the project, 0:05:23.690 --> 0:05:26.750 like the Houthis in the Red sea. Iran sits at 0:05:26.750 --> 0:05:29.210 the narrow band between the Gulf of Oman and the 0:05:29.210 --> 0:05:33.739 Persian Gulf. They've blocked oil shipments there before. However, a 0:05:33.740 --> 0:05:37.100 road and rail link through the United Arab Emirates, through 0:05:37.100 --> 0:05:40.790 Saudi Arabia and Jordan to Israel's port at Ashdod could 0:05:40.790 --> 0:05:44.630 help bypass that blocking point. Now, the major stumbling block 0:05:44.630 --> 0:05:47.510 to such a deal remains lack of a peace treaty 0:05:47.510 --> 0:05:51.770 between Saudi Arabia and Israel. But while Europe and the U.S. 0:05:51.770 --> 0:05:54.560 have in the past tried to force a deal on 0:05:54.560 --> 0:05:58.370 Israel because of pressure from the oil producing states. President 0:05:58.400 --> 0:06:00.980 Trump is presenting a vision for a deal in which 0:06:00.980 --> 0:06:04.849 everyone who participates comes out on top, and that's a 0:06:04.850 --> 0:06:08.720 great incentive to get everyone to buy into it. If 0:06:08.750 --> 0:06:11.180 you joined us midstream, you're listening to The Land and 0:06:11.180 --> 0:06:14.240 the book. I'm John Gager, and in this opening segment, 0:06:14.240 --> 0:06:17.150 we're looking at current events based in the Middle East. 0:06:17.180 --> 0:06:20.330 Our expert and host, Doctor Charlie Dyer, returns next week 0:06:20.330 --> 0:06:22.789 from his assignment. But let's continue now with our look 0:06:22.820 --> 0:06:26.420 at the top stories. Number three, watching the interaction of 0:06:26.420 --> 0:06:29.660 all the countries and groups in the Middle East is 0:06:29.660 --> 0:06:33.020 like watching the ever shifting shapes in a kaleidoscope. So 0:06:33.020 --> 0:06:34.250 what do you say we take a kind of a 0:06:34.250 --> 0:06:38.360 walk around the latest events in places like Syria, Turkey 0:06:38.360 --> 0:06:42.500 and Saudi Arabia? Here we go. In Syria, the army 0:06:42.500 --> 0:06:45.620 that is now aligned with the new administration has openly 0:06:45.620 --> 0:06:49.520 fought with Hezbollah. Hezbollah tried to advance into a stronghold 0:06:49.520 --> 0:06:52.839 they previously held in Syria, but were repulsed by the 0:06:52.839 --> 0:06:56.050 Syrian Army. The Syrian Army then entered a town on 0:06:56.050 --> 0:06:59.230 the Lebanese side of the border, forcing the Hezbollah forces 0:06:59.230 --> 0:07:02.740 to retreat further into Lebanon. Now there's no love lost 0:07:02.740 --> 0:07:06.370 between the Sunni forces now controlling Syria and the Shiite 0:07:06.400 --> 0:07:10.420 Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon, supported by Iran. This border war 0:07:10.450 --> 0:07:14.800 could become more active as Iran tries to resupply Hezbollah. 0:07:15.010 --> 0:07:18.340 Iran and Turkey are also vying for control in the region. 0:07:18.370 --> 0:07:22.000 Turkey's President Erdogan is claiming that Iran is planning to 0:07:22.030 --> 0:07:24.850 send drones to the Kurds in Syria to fight against 0:07:24.880 --> 0:07:28.450 Turkish forces. Now, the Kurds had been our ally, but 0:07:28.450 --> 0:07:31.360 in their fight against Turkey, they will apparently seek help 0:07:31.360 --> 0:07:35.650 from any source willing to provide arms. Meanwhile, Turkey is 0:07:35.650 --> 0:07:38.380 trying to build a modern version of the Ottoman Empire 0:07:38.380 --> 0:07:41.890 with their brand of a Sunni religious caliphate controlling the 0:07:41.890 --> 0:07:46.300 region from Istanbul. And Turkey's influence in Syria could bring 0:07:46.300 --> 0:07:49.570 it into conflict with Israel should Turkish forces end up 0:07:49.570 --> 0:07:53.980 on Israel's northern border. This is especially troubling given Turkey's 0:07:53.980 --> 0:07:58.270 ideological alignment with groups like the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and 0:07:58.270 --> 0:08:03.100 even the jihadist al-Nusra group now controlling Syria. Saudi Arabia 0:08:03.100 --> 0:08:05.290 would also like to be a major regional player in 0:08:05.290 --> 0:08:08.020 the Middle East. They don't have the population of Turkey 0:08:08.020 --> 0:08:12.280 or Iran, but they do have incredible oil wealth and 0:08:12.280 --> 0:08:15.910 closer connections to the Sunni Arab states and to the west. 0:08:15.940 --> 0:08:18.610 Saudi Arabia would also like to be a major player 0:08:18.610 --> 0:08:22.420 in a regional security arrangement between the Gulf states, Israel, 0:08:22.420 --> 0:08:25.960 and the United States. The Abraham Accords are the initial 0:08:25.990 --> 0:08:28.780 basis for such an agreement. But the main sticking point 0:08:28.780 --> 0:08:32.380 is the issue of a Palestinian state. So can a 0:08:32.380 --> 0:08:37.000 trade alliance like the one just mentioned help overcome those obstacles? Well, 0:08:37.000 --> 0:08:40.240 I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Story 0:08:40.270 --> 0:08:44.589 number four. Archaeologists in Egypt have announced the discovery of 0:08:44.590 --> 0:08:48.099 the lost tomb of Pharaoh Thutmose the second. Maybe you're 0:08:48.100 --> 0:08:52.840 curious what exactly was discovered and how significant is this find? Well, 0:08:52.840 --> 0:08:56.440 it turns out the actual discovery isn't nearly as spectacular 0:08:56.440 --> 0:09:00.310 as that of the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun back in 1922. 0:09:00.340 --> 0:09:03.940 There was no sarcophagus or golden face mask or other 0:09:03.940 --> 0:09:09.100 hoard of chariots, beds, jewelry or intact alabaster jars. Truthfully, 0:09:09.100 --> 0:09:11.770 the tomb was in a poor state of preservation, apparently 0:09:11.770 --> 0:09:15.340 because of flood damage shortly after the king's death. However, 0:09:15.340 --> 0:09:19.360 fragments of alabaster vases, along with texts and paint fragments 0:09:19.360 --> 0:09:22.900 were discovered, and they helped identify the tomb as that 0:09:22.900 --> 0:09:26.020 of Pharaoh Thutmose the second, whose mummy had been discovered 0:09:26.020 --> 0:09:29.710 in the 1800s. Now, what makes this find significant, at 0:09:29.740 --> 0:09:31.270 least for those of us who take the book of 0:09:31.270 --> 0:09:34.540 Exodus literally, is that throughout, most of the second plays 0:09:34.540 --> 0:09:37.270 a minor role in the time of Israel. In Egypt, 0:09:37.300 --> 0:09:40.540 his father, Thutmose the first, would seem to be the 0:09:40.540 --> 0:09:43.360 pharaoh who gave the order to kill the Hebrew boys 0:09:43.360 --> 0:09:46.510 that were born. Thutmose the second was then married to 0:09:46.540 --> 0:09:50.380 his sister Hatshepsut. Now follow this. She is likely the 0:09:50.380 --> 0:09:55.240 pharaoh's daughter, the very one who rescued and raised Moses. Well, 0:09:55.240 --> 0:09:57.459 there's a lot more details to this whole story, but 0:09:57.460 --> 0:10:00.430 the bottom line is this discovery might simply be the 0:10:00.429 --> 0:10:03.130 tomb of a minor pharaoh, but it does help fill 0:10:03.130 --> 0:10:05.770 in the details of the account of the first 40 0:10:05.770 --> 0:10:09.189 years of Moses life in Exodus one and two. Boy, 0:10:09.190 --> 0:10:11.500 that is amazing, right? Hey, we'd love for you to 0:10:11.530 --> 0:10:15.070 visit our website, The land and the book. Org where 0:10:15.070 --> 0:10:17.830 you can access our podcast. A great tool to stay 0:10:17.830 --> 0:10:19.660 in touch throughout the week, and a neat way to 0:10:19.690 --> 0:10:22.240 share this ministry with a friend. Somebody who doesn't live 0:10:22.240 --> 0:10:25.300 anywhere near a radio station that carries the program. So 0:10:25.300 --> 0:10:29.320 check out the podcast at the Land and the book. Org. Also, 0:10:29.320 --> 0:10:32.050 we'd love for you to email your question. That question 0:10:32.050 --> 0:10:34.870 that's been nagging you as you go through Scripture and wonder, 0:10:34.870 --> 0:10:38.770 what's that there for? Email your question to the land 0:10:38.770 --> 0:10:44.530 and the book@moody.edu. Just ahead, a fascinating look at people 0:10:44.530 --> 0:10:48.190 in Scripture who memorize scripture. We've got some compelling examples 0:10:48.190 --> 0:10:51.250 for you, and some bonus tips for your own Bible 0:10:51.250 --> 0:11:09.130 memory as well. On the land and the book. Oh sure, 0:11:09.130 --> 0:11:11.980 you've heard you're supposed to memorize the Bible, but what 0:11:11.980 --> 0:11:14.860 about the people in the pages of Scripture itself? Did 0:11:14.860 --> 0:11:18.160 any of them memorize whatever portions of the Bible they 0:11:18.160 --> 0:11:21.640 had back then? Coming up, a fascinating look at people 0:11:21.640 --> 0:11:25.300 in Scripture who memorized Scripture. We've got some pretty compelling 0:11:25.330 --> 0:11:28.540 examples for you and some bonus tips as well. A 0:11:28.540 --> 0:11:31.420 welcome to the second segment of Moody Radio's broadcast The 0:11:31.420 --> 0:11:34.900 Land and the book. I'm John Gager, inviting you to 0:11:34.929 --> 0:11:37.600 envision with me what it might look like to take 0:11:37.600 --> 0:11:41.380 just another step in walking with your Jewish friend or co-worker. 0:11:41.770 --> 0:11:44.589 So I've noticed in the past that when I try 0:11:44.620 --> 0:11:48.939 to bring up Messiah Yeshua with a Jewish friend. Invariably, 0:11:48.940 --> 0:11:52.870 the conversation comes to a screeching halt. It's not like 0:11:52.870 --> 0:11:56.200 there's an openness toward further discussion, even when there's a 0:11:56.200 --> 0:11:59.890 friendship that pre-exists. What's going on? Let me ask Justin 0:11:59.890 --> 0:12:02.470 Cronin of Chosen People Ministries. What's going on? 0:12:02.500 --> 0:12:04.810 Yeah, John, I think we need to understand that it's 0:12:04.809 --> 0:12:07.840 been drilled into the hearts and minds of Jewish people 0:12:08.110 --> 0:12:13.000 for decades, for centuries, that Jesus is not for Jews. 0:12:13.000 --> 0:12:16.960 And if a Jewish person were to embrace Jesus as 0:12:16.990 --> 0:12:21.160 their Messiah, they're going to be rejected by their family, 0:12:21.160 --> 0:12:25.780 by their closest friends. And so when they weigh the cost, 0:12:25.780 --> 0:12:28.540 their immediate thought is, no, I'm not going to lose 0:12:28.540 --> 0:12:31.449 those friendships. I'm not going to lose my respect, if 0:12:31.450 --> 0:12:33.100 you will, within my community. 0:12:33.130 --> 0:12:33.700 My standing. 0:12:33.730 --> 0:12:36.730 And my standing. And so it's just an immediate reaction 0:12:36.730 --> 0:12:38.619 of nope, not interested, don't want to go there. I 0:12:38.620 --> 0:12:41.949 don't want to deal with that pain or that struggle 0:12:41.950 --> 0:12:45.600 that might come as a result of even considering that 0:12:45.600 --> 0:12:47.250 Jesus might be the Messiah. 0:12:47.280 --> 0:12:50.310 So what's a reasonable response to that? Well, just. And 0:12:50.309 --> 0:12:52.829 I will have to pick that up in a conversation 0:12:52.830 --> 0:12:55.890 in the future. Justin Crone is with Chosen People Ministries 0:12:55.890 --> 0:12:58.770 and joins us today on the Land and the book. 0:12:59.880 --> 0:13:03.660 Professor Tom Meyer, the Bible Memory Man, is a guest 0:13:03.660 --> 0:13:07.110 speaker at churches and conferences where he presents the Bible 0:13:07.110 --> 0:13:11.429 spoken dramatically from memory in an engaging and powerful manner. 0:13:11.460 --> 0:13:15.000 Tom is also a professor at Shasta Bible College and 0:13:15.000 --> 0:13:18.689 the author of the Memorization Study Bible. He's become kind 0:13:18.690 --> 0:13:21.360 of a fan favorite here on the program. So welcome 0:13:21.360 --> 0:13:23.520 back to the land and the book. Tom. 0:13:23.520 --> 0:13:25.470 Thank you. Great to be back. 0:13:25.500 --> 0:13:30.450 Well, the notion of people in Scripture, memorizing scripture goes 0:13:30.450 --> 0:13:32.730 all the way back to the Israelites. Take us to 0:13:32.760 --> 0:13:37.020 Joshua chapter one and the scene that unfolds there. Tom. 0:13:37.140 --> 0:13:40.260 Well, that's a great place to start. You know, we 0:13:40.260 --> 0:13:44.910 have these verses in Deuteronomy that remind us of the 0:13:44.940 --> 0:13:49.050 the family educational structure where we had verses in the 0:13:49.080 --> 0:13:51.630 Torah like, you know, repeat them again and again to 0:13:51.660 --> 0:13:53.910 your children. Talk about them when you're at home, while 0:13:53.910 --> 0:13:57.089 you're on the road, when you're getting up from Deuteronomy six, 0:13:57.090 --> 0:14:00.600 as you know. And so with this knowledge that the 0:14:00.600 --> 0:14:02.340 children of Israel now have, of the word of the 0:14:02.340 --> 0:14:06.360 living God, and just about to enter into Canaan, Joshua 0:14:06.360 --> 0:14:10.380 receives a divine revelation. And that is the instruction that 0:14:10.380 --> 0:14:12.720 this book of the law shall not depart out of 0:14:12.720 --> 0:14:15.390 your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night, 0:14:15.390 --> 0:14:17.309 that you may be able to do according to all 0:14:17.340 --> 0:14:20.190 that is written therein. Then shall you make your ways prosperous, 0:14:20.190 --> 0:14:23.100 then shall you will have good success. So once that 0:14:23.100 --> 0:14:25.020 seven year war, when you do the math, it's the 0:14:25.020 --> 0:14:27.450 conquest of seven years. You can deduce that from chapter 0:14:27.450 --> 0:14:30.300 14 of Joshua. But after that seven year war, these 0:14:30.300 --> 0:14:33.840 unconquered Canaanites that you're living next to are quote unquote, 0:14:33.870 --> 0:14:36.300 going to work with. They don't think in practice like 0:14:36.300 --> 0:14:38.970 you do. And in order for the ancient Israelites not 0:14:38.970 --> 0:14:41.520 to become like them, they were to do what? To 0:14:41.580 --> 0:14:43.680 have this book of the law not depart out of 0:14:43.710 --> 0:14:46.140 their mouth. To have those words that their parents taught 0:14:46.140 --> 0:14:48.300 them when they were children, that they repeated to them 0:14:48.300 --> 0:14:50.970 over and over and over again, would have dwelt inside them, 0:14:50.970 --> 0:14:52.740 and they would make the right choice when no one 0:14:52.740 --> 0:14:56.460 is looking. Well, except God. That they would obey God's law. 0:14:56.490 --> 0:14:59.520 Well, we see the command for a lifestyle of memorizing 0:14:59.520 --> 0:15:02.550 scripture as far back as the book of Deuteronomy. Take 0:15:02.550 --> 0:15:03.300 us there. 0:15:03.420 --> 0:15:05.850 It's true. Like I touched on earlier, you know, we 0:15:05.850 --> 0:15:08.730 have that famous verse from chapter six, which is kind 0:15:08.730 --> 0:15:11.610 of repeated again in chapter 11 where we have these, 0:15:11.640 --> 0:15:16.320 these admonitions again and again to recite God's instructions from memory, 0:15:16.320 --> 0:15:18.960 lest they be forgotten. And it's so easy to forget, 0:15:18.960 --> 0:15:21.180 isn't it? I mean, that's why the ancient Israelites, even 0:15:21.180 --> 0:15:23.370 to this day, some of them wear tassels, don't they? 0:15:23.400 --> 0:15:23.970 That's right. 0:15:24.000 --> 0:15:26.910 And it's so easy to forget, because behind these wondrous 0:15:26.940 --> 0:15:30.990 acts like, you know, the exodus out of Egypt and etcetera, right? 0:15:31.020 --> 0:15:33.960 So the loving, faithful and fearful God who doesn't change, 0:15:33.960 --> 0:15:38.280 and these accounts of God's deliverance, these works of Yahweh, 0:15:38.310 --> 0:15:41.590 were to be taught to all generations. This is the 0:15:41.590 --> 0:15:44.440 basis for godly living. This is the basis for obedience. 0:15:44.470 --> 0:15:47.740 This is our God. And then, you know, then they 0:15:47.740 --> 0:15:50.380 could speak. And God spake all these words, saying, I 0:15:50.410 --> 0:15:51.910 am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of 0:15:51.910 --> 0:15:54.310 the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, etc. 0:15:54.340 --> 0:15:57.070 because they were there, they were eyewitnesses. Many of them 0:15:57.070 --> 0:15:59.530 were right at the giving of the Torah. And so 0:15:59.530 --> 0:16:02.530 whether it's in Deuteronomy with this emphasis, like we touched 0:16:02.560 --> 0:16:05.560 on right in chapter six and 11 with the family education, 0:16:05.560 --> 0:16:08.800 or whether it's after that event in the wilderness wanderings 0:16:08.800 --> 0:16:10.750 and about to enter into the back door of Canaan 0:16:10.750 --> 0:16:13.600 and attack Jericho from beginning to end, is that the 0:16:13.600 --> 0:16:18.640 spiritual condition of people's hearts was was most important to God. 0:16:18.640 --> 0:16:20.950 And having the word hidden in the heart, of course, 0:16:20.950 --> 0:16:22.510 is the best way not to sin against them. As 0:16:22.510 --> 0:16:23.920 David would later say. 0:16:24.100 --> 0:16:28.420 People in Scripture who memorized scripture, that's our conversation on 0:16:28.420 --> 0:16:31.240 the land and the book with professor Tom Meyer, the 0:16:31.240 --> 0:16:34.480 Bible Memory man. You know, David himself offered us one 0:16:34.480 --> 0:16:37.510 of the most famous statements about Scripture memory in Psalm 0:16:37.510 --> 0:16:40.560 119 verse 111. Some of our listeners can quote it, 0:16:40.560 --> 0:16:42.090 but why don't you take us there, Tom? 0:16:42.120 --> 0:16:45.240 That's a great passage to go to, John. Remember to 0:16:45.270 --> 0:16:48.240 start in verse nine where it says wherewithal, or how 0:16:48.270 --> 0:16:50.640 shall the young man cleanse his way? That's the million 0:16:50.670 --> 0:16:52.410 dollar question that we want for us and our kids 0:16:52.410 --> 0:16:54.660 and our grandkids, right? Right. How do we clean our way? 0:16:54.690 --> 0:16:56.280 How do we walk with the Lord? How do we 0:16:56.280 --> 0:16:59.400 walk in the spirit, etc.? Wherewithal? Or how shall men 0:16:59.400 --> 0:17:02.340 cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word, 0:17:02.340 --> 0:17:05.070 with my whole heart? O let me not wander from 0:17:05.070 --> 0:17:07.230 thy commandments. And here we go, the famous one. Thy 0:17:07.230 --> 0:17:09.120 word have I hid in my heart that I might 0:17:09.119 --> 0:17:11.909 not sin against thee. So that's the number one reason why, 0:17:11.910 --> 0:17:14.969 whether we live in the economy, the era of the 0:17:14.970 --> 0:17:17.639 children of Israel way back when, or the church today, 0:17:17.670 --> 0:17:20.400 God's people have always been instructed to hide His word 0:17:20.400 --> 0:17:23.400 in their heart, so they don't sin against him. And 0:17:23.400 --> 0:17:25.050 God has, as you know, John, he has no greater 0:17:25.050 --> 0:17:27.900 joy than his children walk in truth, just like we 0:17:27.930 --> 0:17:29.580 who are parents have no greater joy than when our 0:17:29.580 --> 0:17:32.520 children walk in truth. And what greater truth to walk 0:17:32.520 --> 0:17:34.020 in than the light of his word? 0:17:34.320 --> 0:17:37.889 King Solomon was big on Scripture memory. Where do we 0:17:37.920 --> 0:17:39.570 find the evidence for that, Tom? 0:17:39.930 --> 0:17:42.330 Yeah, he does seem to be big on his scripture memory, 0:17:42.330 --> 0:17:44.490 but when he got older, it seemed maybe like it 0:17:44.490 --> 0:17:46.919 didn't stick as much as it did right when he 0:17:46.920 --> 0:17:49.290 was younger. You know, and that's a warning to us, right? 0:17:49.320 --> 0:17:52.290 Even the devil can quote scripture, right? Yeah. He quotes 0:17:52.290 --> 0:17:55.230 Psalm 91, doesn't he? And Matthew chapter four, I believe 0:17:55.260 --> 0:17:58.650 when he's tempting the Lord Jesus. But you're right. Solomon 0:17:58.650 --> 0:18:01.889 was a product in many ways of his environment. That 0:18:01.890 --> 0:18:03.869 is to say, he lived in a world where the 0:18:03.869 --> 0:18:08.250 student was the son and the teacher's the father. That 0:18:08.280 --> 0:18:11.400 kind of mindset. And so we have that phraseology or 0:18:11.400 --> 0:18:14.970 proverbs a lot like my son, write these words upon 0:18:14.970 --> 0:18:18.990 the table of thine heart. Well that's perfect. There it is. 0:18:19.260 --> 0:18:22.139 Write these words on the tablet, depending on your translation 0:18:22.140 --> 0:18:24.420 of your heart, because the author knows that the heart 0:18:24.420 --> 0:18:26.670 is the inner control center of the person, you know, 0:18:26.670 --> 0:18:28.560 the heart is the part of us that the Lord 0:18:28.590 --> 0:18:30.780 is most concerned with, because out of it come all 0:18:30.780 --> 0:18:34.500 the issues of life, and with a well-stocked heart, full 0:18:34.500 --> 0:18:38.459 of Torah, of the oracles of the living God. Then ideally, 0:18:38.640 --> 0:18:40.020 we won't sin against him. 0:18:40.260 --> 0:18:43.500 Professor Tom Meyer, the Bible Memory man, is a guest 0:18:43.500 --> 0:18:46.949 speaker at churches and conferences where he presents the Bible 0:18:46.980 --> 0:18:51.240 spoken dramatically from memory in an engaging and powerful manner. 0:18:51.270 --> 0:18:53.820 Hey Tom, let's switch gears and move into the New 0:18:53.820 --> 0:18:58.139 Testament in Matthew 538. Jesus told everyday people in the 0:18:58.140 --> 0:19:01.710 first century, you have heard that it was said, sounds 0:19:01.710 --> 0:19:05.850 to me like he's referring to commonly known scripture. Your thoughts? 0:19:06.240 --> 0:19:08.280 It is true, John. You know, they lived in a 0:19:08.280 --> 0:19:10.950 world so much different than ours, didn't they? In many ways, yes, 0:19:10.950 --> 0:19:14.250 it's the same God yesterday, today and forever. Right? But 0:19:14.250 --> 0:19:15.570 on the other hand, they lived on the other side 0:19:15.570 --> 0:19:18.600 of the world in an oral world. We live in 0:19:18.600 --> 0:19:21.179 a in a written world in many regards. You know, 0:19:21.180 --> 0:19:25.109 so these people in the first century way obviously before then. Right. 0:19:25.140 --> 0:19:27.510 The only way to get access to the word of 0:19:27.510 --> 0:19:31.200 the living God is to hear it read aloud in 0:19:31.200 --> 0:19:33.570 a church service. Once the church is born on Pentecost, 0:19:33.570 --> 0:19:37.340 or one of the the high holy feasts in the temple, 0:19:37.340 --> 0:19:39.889 as you know, three times a year. But by going 0:19:39.920 --> 0:19:43.460 to those events at the temple, you know, Josephus says 0:19:43.460 --> 0:19:46.340 that they know the Word of God better than their 0:19:46.340 --> 0:19:49.400 own name. And so these people, the Lord Jesus is 0:19:49.400 --> 0:19:53.000 talking to, they're not fools. These people are well versed, 0:19:53.030 --> 0:19:55.190 even though they live far away from Jerusalem in the Galilee. 0:19:55.220 --> 0:19:59.030 You know, they're well versed in the history of God's people. 0:19:59.030 --> 0:20:01.760 And they knew his word. And when you have verses 0:20:01.760 --> 0:20:03.229 like that, it goes to show us that we have 0:20:03.230 --> 0:20:05.810 people like King David, right. Who's a king who memorized 0:20:05.840 --> 0:20:08.510 God's Word. We have prophets, right, who memorize God's Word. 0:20:08.510 --> 0:20:11.390 And we have common people here, perfect, right, who hide 0:20:11.390 --> 0:20:13.010 God's Word in their heart, just like us. 0:20:13.100 --> 0:20:17.900 Paul was probably the Scripture memory overachiever of his day. 0:20:18.170 --> 0:20:21.920 Paul quotes Luke's Gospel in first Timothy 518, but there's 0:20:21.920 --> 0:20:23.899 a whole lot more than that. Take us, for example, 0:20:23.900 --> 0:20:26.960 to Colossians 116. If I'm not being too specific to 0:20:26.990 --> 0:20:27.859 draw on that. 0:20:28.340 --> 0:20:34.940 Well, um, there are almost like 300 Quotes. Just like 0:20:34.970 --> 0:20:36.890 direct quotes from what I can count from the Old 0:20:36.920 --> 0:20:39.619 Testament in the New Testament. Okay, by the author. So 0:20:39.619 --> 0:20:42.140 that means the authors had all of those quotes memorized 0:20:42.170 --> 0:20:44.780 when the Holy Spirit inspired them to move them along. 0:20:44.780 --> 0:20:47.630 What they wrote, they wrote it without error, but they 0:20:47.630 --> 0:20:50.030 used their own personality and backgrounds to draw upon all 0:20:50.030 --> 0:20:52.550 those memorized verses that they had, and no one was 0:20:52.550 --> 0:20:54.650 better at that, like you said, than than Paul, who 0:20:54.650 --> 0:20:57.230 sat at the feet of Gamaliel. Right. As a young 0:20:57.230 --> 0:20:59.119 Jewish student. Right. He would have known the Torah backwards 0:20:59.119 --> 0:21:01.369 and forwards, up and down, left and right. And he 0:21:01.369 --> 0:21:03.260 brought that skill set, didn't he? 0:21:03.410 --> 0:21:05.570 I just want to look at this. Verse 16. It says, 0:21:05.570 --> 0:21:08.360 for by him all things were created in heaven and 0:21:08.390 --> 0:21:12.590 on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or 0:21:12.590 --> 0:21:16.130 rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and 0:21:16.130 --> 0:21:18.800 for him. And that would include Scripture itself. 0:21:18.859 --> 0:21:21.290 It would 100%. But I was thinking more along the 0:21:21.290 --> 0:21:22.850 lines of like 316. 0:21:22.880 --> 0:21:24.860 Okay, go for 316 then. Yeah. 0:21:25.400 --> 0:21:27.500 Because that's the one that says that's a good one too. 0:21:27.530 --> 0:21:29.570 You mentioned, but that the command to let the word 0:21:29.570 --> 0:21:33.710 of Christ dwell in you. You know the word richly? 0:21:33.740 --> 0:21:34.310 Yeah. 0:21:34.340 --> 0:21:36.290 Where do we let the word of Christ dwell richly 0:21:36.320 --> 0:21:41.030 on our phone? No. On our bookshelf? No. In your heart. 0:21:41.030 --> 0:21:44.810 In us. And then, as you know, he says it 0:21:44.810 --> 0:21:46.850 a different way, doesn't he, in Ephesians, when he commands 0:21:46.850 --> 0:21:49.520 us to to speak to one another in psalms and 0:21:49.520 --> 0:21:53.690 hymns and spiritual songs. So during our downtime, when we're 0:21:53.690 --> 0:21:56.359 standing in line at the store, whether we're in traffic 0:21:56.359 --> 0:21:59.030 or whatever, one of the best ways to redeem that 0:21:59.030 --> 0:22:02.060 time is not only to pray, to let our requests 0:22:02.090 --> 0:22:04.970 be made known unto God, but also during that downtime 0:22:04.970 --> 0:22:07.399 is to speak to ourselves in psalms and hymns and 0:22:07.400 --> 0:22:10.609 spiritual songs, and by doing that by reciting the Word 0:22:10.609 --> 0:22:12.800 of God to ourselves, it puts the mind of the 0:22:12.800 --> 0:22:15.619 living God right there. And we don't always act on 0:22:15.619 --> 0:22:17.900 what we know to be true. We know it's more 0:22:17.900 --> 0:22:20.600 precious than rubies. We know it's more to be desired 0:22:20.600 --> 0:22:24.830 than anything. It's more precious than gold. The Word of God. Right? 0:22:24.830 --> 0:22:27.410 And to be able in that downtime, to have that 0:22:27.410 --> 0:22:29.300 and reach and think on it and dwell on it, 0:22:29.300 --> 0:22:32.060 you do it all the time. You understand how it works, right? 0:22:32.090 --> 0:22:33.440 The benefits are amazing. 0:22:33.470 --> 0:22:37.220 Yeah. For sure. In Ephesians 519, Paul commands believers to 0:22:37.250 --> 0:22:41.900 be speaking to yourself in Psalms. We've referenced this, uh, 0:22:41.930 --> 0:22:44.180 you know, wouldn't you love to know how much scripture 0:22:44.180 --> 0:22:45.350 Paul memorized? 0:22:45.859 --> 0:22:47.630 Well, he would be the first one, probably to tell 0:22:47.630 --> 0:22:50.840 you that he would have never counted the verses. I 0:22:50.840 --> 0:22:54.290 know verses don't come in until the 16th century AD, 0:22:54.290 --> 0:22:56.930 and and chapters don't come in until approximately the 12th 0:22:56.930 --> 0:22:59.780 century AD, but still, you know, he was the kind 0:22:59.810 --> 0:23:02.149 of guy you would think, right, who was humble, who 0:23:02.150 --> 0:23:04.310 was meek, right? Who believed in the power of the 0:23:04.310 --> 0:23:07.220 word of God. And that's just it. You know, at 0:23:07.220 --> 0:23:09.859 the early church services, he commanded them in first Timothy 0:23:09.859 --> 0:23:13.580 chapter four, verse 13, until I come to devote yourself 0:23:13.580 --> 0:23:16.850 to the public reading of Scripture, see, even to this 0:23:16.850 --> 0:23:19.190 very day when I lived in Jerusalem for four years, 0:23:19.190 --> 0:23:23.119 I would ask the cantors, the the leaders in the synagogue, 0:23:23.119 --> 0:23:25.310 how did the people memorize to this day in Jerusalem 0:23:25.310 --> 0:23:28.219 and the synagogues? And they would tell me by hearing it, 0:23:28.220 --> 0:23:32.070 read the scriptures, read aloud. So 2000 years later, this 0:23:32.070 --> 0:23:35.550 tradition still exists. So by the public proclamation in first 0:23:35.550 --> 0:23:38.429 Timothy 413 of the scriptures, that's how really in that 0:23:38.430 --> 0:23:40.679 early church period where no one had a copy at home, 0:23:40.680 --> 0:23:42.629 where you could hear the Word of God, where you 0:23:42.630 --> 0:23:45.150 could meditate it, and then you could memorize it. 0:23:45.390 --> 0:23:48.270 Well, is it an overstatement to say that a Christian 0:23:48.270 --> 0:23:52.980 cannot fully please God without an ongoing lifestyle of Scripture memory? 0:23:53.280 --> 0:23:55.590 Oh, I don't know about that. That's a big one there. 0:23:55.830 --> 0:23:57.600 You know, it's like I grew up most of my 0:23:57.600 --> 0:23:59.940 life when all I knew was John 316 and Genesis 0:23:59.970 --> 0:24:01.979 one one, so I was I still please God. But 0:24:01.980 --> 0:24:04.560 I think the way I would put it is I 0:24:04.560 --> 0:24:07.290 was I was not fully equipped. Yeah, but I was 0:24:07.290 --> 0:24:09.720 just left so much on the table. Yes. You know, 0:24:09.720 --> 0:24:11.490 and to have that word in your heart, no matter 0:24:11.490 --> 0:24:13.590 where you are, no matter what you're doing, it not 0:24:13.590 --> 0:24:16.020 only puts the mind of God within reach, it provides 0:24:16.020 --> 0:24:19.140 you with words of comfort for yourself, for others. It 0:24:19.140 --> 0:24:21.420 provides us with our weapon of choice, etc.. 0:24:21.420 --> 0:24:23.820 Well, what's a first step for somebody who says, you know, 0:24:23.850 --> 0:24:25.710 I'm hearing what you're saying. I, you know, I'd like 0:24:25.710 --> 0:24:28.650 to do this. I want to memorize, but I struggle. 0:24:28.670 --> 0:24:31.100 My mind just doesn't seem to be able to retain scripture. 0:24:31.130 --> 0:24:34.460 It doesn't retain anything anymore. What's your counsel for us? 0:24:34.580 --> 0:24:37.760 Join the club. Welcome to humanity. I forget everything all 0:24:37.760 --> 0:24:40.430 the time. I have to write it down. But in 0:24:40.430 --> 0:24:43.219 all seriousness, the best way to go about this ancient 0:24:43.250 --> 0:24:46.520 but all important discipline is the number one. Ask the 0:24:46.520 --> 0:24:49.250 Lord Jesus to help you. Ask for help. I know 0:24:49.250 --> 0:24:51.950 it sounds like. What? No, but seriously, ask him to 0:24:51.980 --> 0:24:54.620 help you. Number one. Number two. Pick something with light 0:24:54.619 --> 0:24:57.800 at the end of the tunnel. Like you memorize some psalms, John? Yes, 0:24:57.830 --> 0:25:01.280 something like that. Something that's doable. Right. And then shoot 0:25:01.280 --> 0:25:03.830 for 1 or 2 verses a week and you'll see 0:25:03.830 --> 0:25:06.709 that it's difficult. Okay. It's hard. It's like exercising. And 0:25:06.710 --> 0:25:08.810 then some people do it when the new year starts, 0:25:08.840 --> 0:25:10.400 you know they don't want to do it, but they're 0:25:10.400 --> 0:25:12.590 glad they've done it down the road. Right. Because they 0:25:12.590 --> 0:25:15.320 see the results. And this is just bodily exercise which 0:25:15.320 --> 0:25:20.900 profits little. Okay. Start memorizing chapters, verses, etc. and you'll 0:25:20.900 --> 0:25:24.410 see over time how it's going to have more of 0:25:24.410 --> 0:25:26.750 the mind of Christ in you. It'll transform your thinking. 0:25:26.780 --> 0:25:30.679 It'll transform your practice. It will make you hopefully a 0:25:30.680 --> 0:25:34.310 better father, a better friend, a better, etc. because you 0:25:34.310 --> 0:25:35.899 have more of that mind of Christ in you. 0:25:35.930 --> 0:25:36.470 Yes. 0:25:36.800 --> 0:25:39.290 Well, that's a great encouragement, Tom, for all of us. 0:25:39.290 --> 0:25:42.020 And I thank you for your insights. People in Scripture 0:25:42.020 --> 0:25:45.530 who memorize Scripture. We're talking today with Tom Meyer, who's 0:25:45.560 --> 0:25:48.320 kind of the Bible memory man. Thanks for your conversation, Tom. 0:25:48.350 --> 0:25:49.040 Thank you. 0:25:49.070 --> 0:25:51.020 Coming up on the land and the book, we're looking 0:25:51.020 --> 0:25:53.660 at a fresh set of Bible questions. Stick around for 0:25:53.660 --> 0:26:07.220 more on the land and the book. Here at the 0:26:07.220 --> 0:26:09.950 land of the book, we really love what we do, 0:26:09.950 --> 0:26:12.170 and we really love it when people like you make 0:26:12.170 --> 0:26:15.200 the effort to send your Bible questions our way, because 0:26:15.200 --> 0:26:18.050 there's nothing better than wrestling with some of these issues 0:26:18.050 --> 0:26:20.989 and in most cases, finding some answers. Of course, we 0:26:20.990 --> 0:26:23.720 can't find an answer to every single question you might have, 0:26:23.750 --> 0:26:25.790 but there's an awful lot of it that we can. Hi, 0:26:25.790 --> 0:26:28.190 I'm John Gager sitting with me in the studio, doctor 0:26:28.190 --> 0:26:32.359 Gerald Peterman of the Moody Bible Institute. Faculty capable and qualified. 0:26:32.359 --> 0:26:36.110 He's got plenty of enthusiasm and his Bible is open. 0:26:36.109 --> 0:26:39.560 And let's get right to our questions after I talk 0:26:39.560 --> 0:26:42.320 to you about a Seder. What does Passover mean for 0:26:42.320 --> 0:26:45.560 us as believers in Jesus? Some might remember the story 0:26:45.560 --> 0:26:47.480 from the book of Exodus, but there's a whole lot 0:26:47.480 --> 0:26:50.060 more to it. You know, the Last Supper was really 0:26:50.060 --> 0:26:52.850 a Passover meal. And not only did Jesus and his 0:26:52.850 --> 0:26:56.840 disciples celebrate Passover, it also foreshadowed his death on the 0:26:56.840 --> 0:27:00.020 cross for our redemption. Jewish people, of course, have been 0:27:00.020 --> 0:27:03.410 observing the feast of Passover for thousands of years. So 0:27:03.440 --> 0:27:06.740 understanding the history, the importance of this holiday will help 0:27:06.740 --> 0:27:09.980 us better connect with our Jewish friends and neighbors. Boy, 0:27:09.980 --> 0:27:12.649 what better way is there to learn about Passover than 0:27:12.650 --> 0:27:18.050 to experience a Passover Seder yourself? If you've never celebrated Passover? Well, 0:27:18.050 --> 0:27:20.389 our friends at Life in Messiah would love to partner 0:27:20.390 --> 0:27:24.260 with you in hosting a Seder experience. Every year their 0:27:24.260 --> 0:27:28.460 staff engaged churches and small groups in an interactive Messiah 0:27:28.460 --> 0:27:32.150 in the Passover Seder, allowing participants to taste and see 0:27:32.150 --> 0:27:35.240 the redemption story. And if you're interested in having somebody 0:27:35.240 --> 0:27:37.700 come to lead a Seder in your area, your church, 0:27:37.730 --> 0:27:40.940 visit life in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody 0:27:40.970 --> 0:27:46.130 Radio button there to learn more. That's life in messiah.org. 0:27:46.160 --> 0:27:47.629 Ready for our first question? 0:27:47.630 --> 0:27:48.440 Yes, sir. 0:27:48.470 --> 0:27:51.260 This one from Peggy, who is currently in a Bible 0:27:51.260 --> 0:27:54.410 study about heaven. And she says one of the Catholic 0:27:54.410 --> 0:27:57.199 ladies at our study brought up the Apostle's Creed and 0:27:57.200 --> 0:28:01.340 the part that says Jesus descended into hell. Since Jesus 0:28:01.369 --> 0:28:05.060 is God and hell is separation from God. I commented 0:28:05.060 --> 0:28:07.340 that perhaps there's a different meaning to that part of 0:28:07.340 --> 0:28:10.609 the Apostle's Creed. Another person tied this in with revelation 0:28:10.609 --> 0:28:14.209 118 and said, Jesus descended to hell to get the 0:28:14.240 --> 0:28:16.520 keys to free the saints who had been waiting to 0:28:16.550 --> 0:28:19.040 go to heaven. Is there any scripture to back up 0:28:19.040 --> 0:28:20.270 any of these thoughts? 0:28:20.300 --> 0:28:23.389 Creeds are very important, and there are creeds in and 0:28:23.390 --> 0:28:25.929 outside of Scripture, and the Apostles Creed is one of 0:28:25.930 --> 0:28:28.090 the oldest ones. But we should keep in mind that 0:28:28.090 --> 0:28:30.790 the Creed developed over the course of time in the 0:28:30.790 --> 0:28:34.060 early church. So the Apostles Creed is first developed in 0:28:34.060 --> 0:28:37.090 the second century, and then it's changed and transformed. And 0:28:37.090 --> 0:28:39.790 the oldest written version of that creed is called the 0:28:39.790 --> 0:28:44.410 Old Roman Creed, that dates to around 340 A.D., and 0:28:44.410 --> 0:28:48.100 this oldest version makes no reference to a descent into hell. 0:28:48.130 --> 0:28:50.620 The descent into hell was added to the Creed about 0:28:50.620 --> 0:28:53.140 a century later, and the Book of Common Prayer, used 0:28:53.140 --> 0:28:56.860 by the Anglican Church uses the old version of the 0:28:56.860 --> 0:28:59.320 Creed without the descent into hell. So I just want 0:28:59.350 --> 0:29:02.380 to say that not all Christians believe in a descent 0:29:02.380 --> 0:29:06.640 into hell, and no passage of Scripture specifically mentions one. 0:29:06.640 --> 0:29:10.300 Yet a verse that sometimes used is Ephesians four eight 0:29:10.330 --> 0:29:14.080 and nine. They say, therefore it says, when he ascended 0:29:14.080 --> 0:29:18.250 on high, he led host captives, and then he gave 0:29:18.280 --> 0:29:20.770 gifts to men in saying he ascended, what does it 0:29:20.770 --> 0:29:24.190 mean but that he also descended to the lower regions, 0:29:24.190 --> 0:29:28.750 that is the earth. Here the descent is coming down 0:29:28.750 --> 0:29:32.739 from heaven to earth in becoming human. Now about our 0:29:32.740 --> 0:29:35.650 Lord Jesus freeing people from hell. There are very good 0:29:35.650 --> 0:29:38.770 reasons to believe that rather than going to hell temporarily 0:29:38.770 --> 0:29:41.680 when God's people die, they go instead to a place 0:29:41.680 --> 0:29:45.580 of comfort and blessing. Let me mention a couple of these. 0:29:45.580 --> 0:29:49.510 In Luke 16, our Lord tells a parable about the 0:29:49.510 --> 0:29:52.000 rich man and Lazarus. I suggest you read it. It 0:29:52.000 --> 0:29:55.180 is wonderful. After the death of the rich man, he 0:29:55.180 --> 0:29:58.240 goes to a place of torment and punishment. But Lazarus 0:29:58.270 --> 0:30:02.800 goes to a place of comfort next to Abraham. Likewise, 0:30:02.800 --> 0:30:06.040 in Luke, Jesus promises to the thief on the cross 0:30:06.040 --> 0:30:09.430 that at death he will be with Jesus in Paradise 0:30:09.430 --> 0:30:13.479 that day. And in Philippians one, Paul says that at 0:30:13.480 --> 0:30:17.950 death he will be with Christ. Now, as for the keys, 0:30:17.950 --> 0:30:21.790 this passage is revelation one, verses 17 and 18. I'm 0:30:21.790 --> 0:30:24.910 going to read that. Then I saw him. I fell 0:30:24.940 --> 0:30:27.220 at his feet as though dead. But he laid his 0:30:27.220 --> 0:30:30.370 hand on me, saying, fear not. I am the first 0:30:30.370 --> 0:30:34.120 and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold, 0:30:34.120 --> 0:30:38.230 I am alive forevermore. I have the keys of death 0:30:38.230 --> 0:30:42.880 and Hades. When one has keys, one has power and authority. 0:30:42.910 --> 0:30:47.230 So death and hell have no power over Jesus. He 0:30:47.230 --> 0:30:49.360 has power over them. 0:30:49.390 --> 0:30:52.300 That's Doctor Gerald Peterman, who's happy to answer your Bible 0:30:52.300 --> 0:30:57.580 questions with an email to the land and the book@moody.edu. 0:30:57.610 --> 0:31:00.520 Helen talks about a friend who was studying Joshua at 0:31:00.520 --> 0:31:02.830 the end of his life. He's challenging the people to 0:31:02.860 --> 0:31:05.200 continue to follow the true God, and he set up 0:31:05.200 --> 0:31:07.810 a stone of witness. And she was thinking about Jesus 0:31:07.810 --> 0:31:10.420 on Palm Sunday when he said that if the people 0:31:10.420 --> 0:31:13.810 were quiet, even the rocks would cry out. And she 0:31:13.810 --> 0:31:15.880 wonders if he was referring to the stones of witness 0:31:15.910 --> 0:31:18.370 in the Old Testament. I'd never taken it that way, 0:31:18.370 --> 0:31:20.590 but I was curious. Do we know if there were 0:31:20.590 --> 0:31:24.250 any stones of witness near where Jesus was when he 0:31:24.250 --> 0:31:24.940 said that? 0:31:25.240 --> 0:31:27.580 It's hard to say that so many centuries have passed 0:31:27.580 --> 0:31:30.460 with comings and goings and buildings and war. There's no 0:31:30.460 --> 0:31:33.130 evidence of ancient witness stones like the ones set up 0:31:33.130 --> 0:31:35.980 at the time of Joshua. But if you've ever traveled 0:31:35.980 --> 0:31:37.990 in Israel, and I hope you get a chance to 0:31:38.020 --> 0:31:40.360 do that, then you know that the territory can be 0:31:40.360 --> 0:31:44.470 very rocky, very uneven, very difficult. And as our Lord 0:31:44.470 --> 0:31:48.040 is coming in to Jerusalem in Luke 19, this is 0:31:48.040 --> 0:31:51.280 the triumphal entry. This is the passage we're talking about. 0:31:51.280 --> 0:31:55.330 The Pharisees hear the crowd saying about Jesus, Blessed is 0:31:55.330 --> 0:31:57.490 the King who comes in the name of the Lord. 0:31:57.490 --> 0:32:01.150 And they say, teacher, rebuke your disciples. And Jesus says 0:32:01.150 --> 0:32:04.600 in response, I tell you, if they keep silent, the 0:32:04.600 --> 0:32:07.840 stones will cry out. There will be stones all around 0:32:07.870 --> 0:32:11.350 on the path. And again, when our Lord is tempted 0:32:11.380 --> 0:32:15.340 by the devil, he says, if you're the Son of God, 0:32:15.370 --> 0:32:18.520 command these stones to become bread, because they're just all 0:32:18.520 --> 0:32:21.610 over the place. Right. So it's very rocky territory. 0:32:21.640 --> 0:32:24.640 Okay. This is the land in the book from Moody 0:32:24.640 --> 0:32:28.390 Radio doctor Gerald Peterman answering our Bible questions like this 0:32:28.390 --> 0:32:30.820 one from Mary, who takes us to second Samuel 12, 0:32:30.850 --> 0:32:34.540 verse eight, where Nathan tells David what God said of David, 0:32:34.540 --> 0:32:37.810 I gave your master's house to you and your master's 0:32:37.810 --> 0:32:40.450 wives into your arms, and I gave you the house 0:32:40.450 --> 0:32:43.060 of Israel and Judah. And if that wasn't enough, I 0:32:43.060 --> 0:32:45.490 would have given you even more. She wants to know 0:32:45.520 --> 0:32:48.640 is this verse saying that God gave David more than 0:32:48.640 --> 0:32:52.420 one wife, and that he approved of David's polygamy? Doesn't 0:32:52.420 --> 0:32:57.070 Romans 325 indicate that God passed over some sins, particularly 0:32:57.070 --> 0:32:59.860 that of adultery, among Old Testament saints? 0:32:59.890 --> 0:33:03.100 Oh, thanks so much for the question. God did not 0:33:03.100 --> 0:33:06.790 and does not approve of polygamy during the time period 0:33:06.790 --> 0:33:10.420 of Israel's kings, God was tolerating it. One of the 0:33:10.420 --> 0:33:13.240 reasons that Saul's family comes to David is that that 0:33:13.240 --> 0:33:17.620 family needs a provider and a protector. Saul dies, all 0:33:17.620 --> 0:33:20.590 of Saul's sons die in war. Who's going to take 0:33:20.590 --> 0:33:23.110 care of the family? So the family comes to David 0:33:23.110 --> 0:33:26.080 so he can be their protector. But again, God does 0:33:26.080 --> 0:33:29.470 not approve of multiple wives. We know this. We know 0:33:29.470 --> 0:33:33.940 this from Deuteronomy 17. In Deuteronomy 17, we hear this Israel, 0:33:33.940 --> 0:33:35.920 when you go into the land and you want a king, 0:33:35.920 --> 0:33:39.100 this is what the king should do. The king should 0:33:39.100 --> 0:33:45.550 not multiply wives for himself. Deuteronomy 1717. So monogamy, one husband, 0:33:45.580 --> 0:33:49.330 one wife has always been God's pattern. We see that 0:33:49.330 --> 0:33:51.820 in Ephesians five. We see that in the book of Proverbs. 0:33:51.820 --> 0:33:54.040 And of course we see it in Genesis one and two. 0:33:54.070 --> 0:33:57.940 Now there was also a question about Romans 325 about 0:33:57.940 --> 0:34:02.050 God passing over sins. This is an important passage, so 0:34:02.050 --> 0:34:05.350 let's read it in its context. Verses 24 and 25 0:34:05.380 --> 0:34:08.290 say we were justified by his grace as a gift 0:34:08.320 --> 0:34:11.500 through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God 0:34:11.500 --> 0:34:14.380 put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be 0:34:14.380 --> 0:34:18.850 received by faith. This is to show God's righteousness, because 0:34:18.850 --> 0:34:23.590 in his divine forbearance he passed over former sins. The 0:34:23.590 --> 0:34:26.890 passing over former sins is not punishing them to the 0:34:26.890 --> 0:34:31.360 degree they deserved. Old Testament sacrifices did not punish our 0:34:31.360 --> 0:34:34.600 sins to the degree they deserved that punishment. All of 0:34:34.600 --> 0:34:35.920 it went on. Jesus. 0:34:36.219 --> 0:34:39.520 Eric takes us to Proverbs 18, which speaks about the 0:34:39.520 --> 0:34:43.299 mouth and the power of our words. Proverbs 18 verses 0:34:43.300 --> 0:34:45.850 seven and 21. Eric wants to know, is the writer 0:34:45.850 --> 0:34:48.610 referring to words coming from the mouth as having the 0:34:48.610 --> 0:34:51.460 potential to be harmful for your soul, as well as 0:34:51.460 --> 0:34:54.730 bringing forth good results or bad results in the lives 0:34:54.730 --> 0:34:55.420 of others? 0:34:55.450 --> 0:34:58.540 Yes, that is so right. Words have the potential to 0:34:58.540 --> 0:35:01.870 be very helpful and very destructive. I'm sure many of 0:35:01.870 --> 0:35:05.440 our listeners have experienced that. A harsh and critical word 0:35:05.440 --> 0:35:08.590 spoken in anger can be very discouraging or cause a 0:35:08.590 --> 0:35:12.010 rift in a relationship, but a timely word of encouragement 0:35:12.010 --> 0:35:15.180 can be just what is needed for someone who's discouraged, 0:35:15.180 --> 0:35:19.140 I'm reminded of James chapter three. The tongue is a fire, 0:35:19.170 --> 0:35:22.710 a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, 0:35:22.710 --> 0:35:25.380 staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course 0:35:25.380 --> 0:35:28.589 of life for every kind of beast and bird or 0:35:28.590 --> 0:35:31.799 reptile or sea creature can be tamed and has been 0:35:31.800 --> 0:35:35.730 tamed by man. But no human being can tame the tongue. 0:35:35.730 --> 0:35:39.120 It's a restless evil, full of deadly poisons. So we 0:35:39.120 --> 0:35:42.570 should be very careful. Speech is a gift of God. 0:35:42.570 --> 0:35:46.319 Restless, full of deadly poison. That's our tongues. Wow. Good morning. 0:35:46.320 --> 0:35:49.380 Good words. There. Thank you, Doctor Peterman. Talk about the 0:35:49.380 --> 0:35:52.529 value of an interlinear Bible as we search through these 0:35:52.530 --> 0:35:54.840 questions that we've got. What is an interlinear Bible? Somebody 0:35:54.840 --> 0:35:55.440 might ask. 0:35:55.469 --> 0:35:59.700 An interlinear is where you have your first language. Say 0:35:59.700 --> 0:36:02.640 your first language is English an English translation. And then 0:36:02.640 --> 0:36:04.590 right below it or right above it, you have the 0:36:04.590 --> 0:36:07.500 original language, whether that language is Greek or Hebrew. So 0:36:07.500 --> 0:36:09.540 you can kind of see how they're related. So you 0:36:09.540 --> 0:36:11.460 can kind of begin to get a feel for your 0:36:11.460 --> 0:36:15.029 Bible's original languages by way of using your interlinear. 0:36:15.060 --> 0:36:17.460 So an interlinear Bible, if you were to purchase one, 0:36:17.460 --> 0:36:21.660 is quite expensive. However, I routinely use one online. If 0:36:21.690 --> 0:36:24.839 you just do a Google search for Interlinear Bible Bingo, 0:36:24.870 --> 0:36:26.220 you're in and you're having fun. 0:36:26.219 --> 0:36:28.680 Oh, absolutely. And they're going to be several web pages 0:36:28.680 --> 0:36:29.700 where you can access these. 0:36:29.700 --> 0:36:31.590 So it's a great way to study the Bible for 0:36:31.590 --> 0:36:35.819 yourself and get to the original languages for yourself. So 0:36:35.820 --> 0:36:39.300 check out Interlinear Bible next time you're online. Well, we've 0:36:39.300 --> 0:36:41.340 got another segment to come on the broadcast. Want to 0:36:41.340 --> 0:36:44.040 say thank you to Gerald Peterman, who returns next week 0:36:44.040 --> 0:36:46.799 with Charlie Dyer is back with his devotional next here 0:36:46.800 --> 0:37:02.010 on the land and the book. If you like the 0:37:02.010 --> 0:37:05.010 book of Isaiah, I do. We're headed there next here 0:37:05.010 --> 0:37:07.410 on the land and the book. Welcome back to this 0:37:07.410 --> 0:37:10.590 fourth and final segment. It's Charlie Dyer's devotional. Charlie, I'm 0:37:10.590 --> 0:37:14.370 intrigued with your title, Shebna Tomb. I'm saying to myself, 0:37:14.370 --> 0:37:17.460 who is Shebna? Where is his tomb and why should 0:37:17.460 --> 0:37:18.420 we care so much? 0:37:18.450 --> 0:37:20.250 Yeah, and I think most people are going. Yeah, I 0:37:20.250 --> 0:37:22.980 don't recall that name either. Hopefully by the time we're done, 0:37:23.280 --> 0:37:24.960 it'll be unforgettable for them. 0:37:24.989 --> 0:37:27.509 All right. Let's pause first, though, and check in with 0:37:27.540 --> 0:37:30.600 an Israel traveler who has an experience that they want 0:37:30.630 --> 0:37:32.730 to relate to us now in this testimony. 0:37:36.719 --> 0:37:41.430 This was an amazing trip. It just brings the Bible 0:37:41.430 --> 0:37:45.120 to life. When I teach the children about places in 0:37:45.120 --> 0:37:49.140 the Bible, I can relate to them and tell them 0:37:49.140 --> 0:37:53.670 where they've been and it. I've also known and learned 0:37:53.670 --> 0:37:57.660 a lot that the wilderness is not a group of trees, 0:37:57.660 --> 0:38:03.480 and it's just amazing how awesome the country of Israel 0:38:03.480 --> 0:38:08.700 is and just brings the Bible to life and really 0:38:08.700 --> 0:38:09.660 enjoy it. 0:38:09.690 --> 0:38:12.630 My name is Anne, and I would just like to 0:38:12.660 --> 0:38:16.020 say in my 40 some odd years of studying the 0:38:16.020 --> 0:38:19.980 Bible in a Bible teaching church, I never realized what 0:38:19.980 --> 0:38:24.540 the wilderness really looked like. And on this trip, to 0:38:24.570 --> 0:38:28.680 see that, and to know that Naomi and Ruth traveled 0:38:28.680 --> 0:38:32.100 over that land and that Christ was in the wilderness. 0:38:32.100 --> 0:38:36.210 And just to see the difference in what I thought 0:38:36.210 --> 0:38:41.370 was some area that had green trees and everything, and 0:38:41.370 --> 0:38:46.140 to know that it's dry rocks, hard and such a 0:38:46.140 --> 0:38:50.520 hard land to travel over. It just was very moving 0:38:50.550 --> 0:38:51.300 to me. 0:38:53.310 --> 0:38:57.900 All right. We're continuing your series 11 inscriptions in the Bible. Right, Charlie? 0:38:57.900 --> 0:39:00.270 That's right, John. And we've reached the fourth week in 0:39:00.300 --> 0:39:05.009 that series. We're exploring written inscriptions uncovered by archaeologists that 0:39:05.010 --> 0:39:08.730 provide insight into our understanding of God's Word. And today's 0:39:08.730 --> 0:39:12.330 inscription takes us to the British Museum. Now, I love 0:39:12.330 --> 0:39:15.839 exploring the British Museum. It's a virtual treasure trove of 0:39:15.840 --> 0:39:20.100 artifacts tracing the history of civilization through the ages. We 0:39:20.100 --> 0:39:22.830 could spend days here looking at all the different pieces, 0:39:22.830 --> 0:39:25.799 but today we're heading to the upper floor to visit 0:39:25.800 --> 0:39:28.800 the rooms devoted to the Middle East. And our focus 0:39:28.800 --> 0:39:32.009 is an object that can easily be missed because it's 0:39:32.010 --> 0:39:35.070 positioned just to the left and near the top of 0:39:35.070 --> 0:39:38.940 the doorway leading into room 57. Now pause here with 0:39:38.940 --> 0:39:41.130 me and look up at this rough hewn piece of 0:39:41.130 --> 0:39:44.910 limestone just above our heads. That piece of stone was 0:39:44.910 --> 0:39:47.310 hacked from the entrance to a tomb on the Mount 0:39:47.310 --> 0:39:50.430 of Olives, just across the Kidron Valley from the original 0:39:50.430 --> 0:39:52.890 city of David. You can see that it has an 0:39:52.890 --> 0:39:56.760 inscription written in the ancient Hebrew script, and which was 0:39:56.760 --> 0:40:00.899 partially destroyed when someone cut through the limestone to expand 0:40:00.900 --> 0:40:04.140 the opening into the tomb. Now, do I detect a 0:40:04.140 --> 0:40:07.890 look of disappointment on your face? There are many fascinating 0:40:07.920 --> 0:40:10.470 objects here in the museum, and I get the impression 0:40:10.469 --> 0:40:14.310 that this piece of limestone, with its chiseled inscription, doesn't 0:40:14.310 --> 0:40:18.300 seem that interesting. And from watching others walk through the museum, 0:40:18.300 --> 0:40:21.120 I know you're not alone. Most don't even stop to 0:40:21.150 --> 0:40:23.700 look up at the piece, and those who do barely 0:40:23.700 --> 0:40:26.820 give it a fleeting glance. But that begs the question, 0:40:26.820 --> 0:40:29.609 so what are we doing here? Looking at it? Well, 0:40:29.610 --> 0:40:32.370 for those who stop to read the translation and who 0:40:32.400 --> 0:40:35.640 know the Bible, this inscribed piece of limestone has a 0:40:35.640 --> 0:40:39.450 fascinating story to tell. As I said before, this three 0:40:39.480 --> 0:40:42.720 lined inscription was carved into the rock over the entrance 0:40:42.719 --> 0:40:45.750 to a tomb just across from the city of David. 0:40:45.780 --> 0:40:49.319 It was discovered by a French archaeologist and eventually made 0:40:49.320 --> 0:40:53.910 its way into the British Museum. Later, an Israeli epigraphist, 0:40:53.940 --> 0:40:57.930 a person who specializes in studying inscriptions, determined that the 0:40:57.930 --> 0:41:01.110 style of writing was the same as the inscription found 0:41:01.110 --> 0:41:04.590 in Hezekiah's tunnel, meaning it was written about the same 0:41:04.590 --> 0:41:09.239 time he reconstructed the inscription to read as follows. This 0:41:09.239 --> 0:41:12.989 is the tomb of Shebna Yahu, the royal steward. There 0:41:12.989 --> 0:41:16.200 is no silver or gold here, only his bones and 0:41:16.200 --> 0:41:19.020 the bones of his maidservant. With him cursed be the 0:41:19.020 --> 0:41:22.050 man who opens this. A part of the person's name 0:41:22.050 --> 0:41:25.469 was missing, but there are two clues as to his identity. 0:41:25.500 --> 0:41:28.350 The last part of his name was Yah or Yahoo, 0:41:28.380 --> 0:41:32.219 the covenant name of God, and the individual identified himself 0:41:32.219 --> 0:41:36.090 as the royal steward. The royal steward was the treasurer, 0:41:36.090 --> 0:41:40.320 or in today's terms, the comptroller or CFO. He's the 0:41:40.320 --> 0:41:43.620 one who controlled the royal purse strings of Judah. And 0:41:43.620 --> 0:41:47.219 those clues, along with the dating of the inscription, narrowed 0:41:47.219 --> 0:41:49.800 down the search for the identity of this person to 0:41:49.830 --> 0:41:53.190 just one man in the Bible, a man named Shebna 0:41:53.190 --> 0:41:57.089 or Shebna Yahu. And we learn about Shebna and his 0:41:57.090 --> 0:42:01.109 tomb in Isaiah 22. Last week we looked at Isaiah's 0:42:01.110 --> 0:42:03.750 message to Hezekiah and the people of Judah as they 0:42:03.780 --> 0:42:07.690 were making preparations to defend themselves against a threatened attack 0:42:07.690 --> 0:42:10.870 by Assyria. It was a time of national calamity, a 0:42:10.870 --> 0:42:14.710 time when people needed to. Refocus their priorities and turn 0:42:14.710 --> 0:42:17.710 to God for help. But one of the major stumbling 0:42:17.710 --> 0:42:21.460 blocks was a self-centered, materialistic. What's in it for me 0:42:21.460 --> 0:42:24.400 attitude that stretched all the way up into the royal 0:42:24.400 --> 0:42:28.210 court and the royal steward, Shebna was perhaps one of 0:42:28.210 --> 0:42:31.450 the most flagrant examples of everything that was wrong with 0:42:31.450 --> 0:42:35.890 the country. Here's the message Isaiah had for Shebna. Thus 0:42:35.890 --> 0:42:38.950 says the Lord God of hosts, come, go to this 0:42:38.950 --> 0:42:42.340 steward to Shebna, who's in charge of the royal household. 0:42:42.340 --> 0:42:45.040 What right do you have here? And whom do you 0:42:45.040 --> 0:42:47.980 have here that you have hewn a tomb for yourself here? 0:42:47.980 --> 0:42:51.610 You who carve a resting place for yourself in the rock. 0:42:51.790 --> 0:42:56.950 The nation was on its last legs militarily, economically and spiritually, 0:42:56.950 --> 0:43:00.250 and Shebna was spending all his time working on a 0:43:00.250 --> 0:43:04.090 lasting monument to himself at a time when Judah needed 0:43:04.130 --> 0:43:07.610 trusted leaders, the head of the royal household was acting 0:43:07.610 --> 0:43:12.140 like some pharaoh, diverting resources to build himself a tomb. 0:43:12.170 --> 0:43:17.239 God's judgement was very direct and appropriate. God announced through 0:43:17.239 --> 0:43:20.719 Isaiah that Shebna would be deposed from his office and 0:43:20.719 --> 0:43:24.320 taken captive into a foreign country, where he would die. 0:43:24.350 --> 0:43:28.399 All Shebna plans for a fancy burial would be for naught. 0:43:28.430 --> 0:43:30.710 He wouldn't be using the tomb he had spent so 0:43:30.710 --> 0:43:33.710 much time preparing, and the only part of his memorial 0:43:33.739 --> 0:43:36.920 to himself that would survive the ages would be the 0:43:36.920 --> 0:43:40.520 inscription over the doorway, with most of his name chiseled 0:43:40.520 --> 0:43:43.729 out by someone thousands of years later who had no 0:43:43.730 --> 0:43:47.180 idea what he was defacing. Now take another look at 0:43:47.180 --> 0:43:51.140 the carving. It's not particularly pretty or dramatic, but it 0:43:51.140 --> 0:43:54.469 fills in the blanks on why God had Isaiah condemn 0:43:54.469 --> 0:43:58.400 this royal steward named Shebna. But what lessons can we 0:43:58.400 --> 0:44:01.790 take with us as we leave here today? I'd like 0:44:01.790 --> 0:44:05.900 to suggest to first. Like Shebna, we also live in 0:44:05.900 --> 0:44:10.340 uncertain times economically, spiritually and morally. These are times that 0:44:10.340 --> 0:44:13.640 call for dedication and sacrifice on the part of all 0:44:13.670 --> 0:44:16.580 who claim to be followers of Christ. But way too 0:44:16.580 --> 0:44:20.270 many Christians are spending their time and their resources on 0:44:20.270 --> 0:44:24.320 only themselves. God is looking for faithful stewards and that 0:44:24.320 --> 0:44:29.630 involves using our resources wisely for him. Second, Isaiah ends 0:44:29.630 --> 0:44:34.489 this section by announcing Shebna replacement, Eliakim. God then says 0:44:34.489 --> 0:44:37.460 to this new faithful steward, I will set the key 0:44:37.489 --> 0:44:40.279 of the house of David on his shoulder. When he opens, 0:44:40.280 --> 0:44:42.919 no one will shut, and when he shuts, no one 0:44:42.920 --> 0:44:45.140 will open, and I will drive him like a peg 0:44:45.140 --> 0:44:48.410 in a firm place. It's no accident that this same 0:44:48.410 --> 0:44:51.589 imagery was used later in the Book of Revelation to 0:44:51.620 --> 0:44:55.520 describe Jesus as Jesus spoke to the church in Philadelphia, 0:44:55.550 --> 0:44:59.480 a church which also faced difficult times, he described himself 0:44:59.480 --> 0:45:02.840 this way he who is holy, who is true, who 0:45:02.840 --> 0:45:05.240 has the key of David, who opens and no one 0:45:05.239 --> 0:45:07.550 will shut, and who shuts, and no one opens, says 0:45:07.550 --> 0:45:10.670 this I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before 0:45:10.670 --> 0:45:13.340 you an open door which no one can shut, because 0:45:13.340 --> 0:45:15.259 you have a little power, and have kept my word, 0:45:15.260 --> 0:45:19.310 and have not denied my name. The ultimate faithful servant 0:45:19.310 --> 0:45:22.190 is Jesus, and he's promised to help and protect those 0:45:22.190 --> 0:45:24.890 of us who are committed to being faithful to him 0:45:24.890 --> 0:45:29.240 in spite of circumstances. The museum is getting ready to close, 0:45:29.239 --> 0:45:31.850 so it's time to leave. But look back at the 0:45:31.850 --> 0:45:36.560 Shebna inscription one last time and ask yourself this what 0:45:36.560 --> 0:45:39.650 kind of steward am I being with all that God 0:45:39.650 --> 0:45:43.219 has given to me? Am I building a monument to myself, 0:45:43.250 --> 0:45:46.400 or am I using the resources he's entrusted to me 0:45:46.400 --> 0:45:50.210 to make an eternal difference for him? Let's make sure 0:45:50.210 --> 0:45:53.690 we don't end up like Shebna. If you'd like to 0:45:53.690 --> 0:45:57.530 see photos of this three lined Shebna inscription on display 0:45:57.530 --> 0:46:01.170 in the British Museum along with the explanatory sign. Be 0:46:01.170 --> 0:46:02.850 sure to head over to our land in the book 0:46:02.880 --> 0:46:06.240 Facebook page where I'll post those pictures. 0:46:06.270 --> 0:46:08.460 Thank you Charlie. You know, there's something about seeing it 0:46:08.460 --> 0:46:11.400 for yourself that just brings it all alive. This is 0:46:11.400 --> 0:46:13.770 not just a, you know, two dimensional. It's three dimensional. 0:46:13.770 --> 0:46:16.620 It's real. It happened. Charlie, thank you for bringing our 0:46:16.620 --> 0:46:19.380 attention to this great story. If it's been a while 0:46:19.380 --> 0:46:21.419 since you've written us, we'd love to hear from you. 0:46:21.450 --> 0:46:23.790 Connect with you. Find out how God is using the 0:46:23.790 --> 0:46:26.730 program in your life. We're just a quick email away. 0:46:26.760 --> 0:46:29.430 Here's how you write to us at The Land and 0:46:29.430 --> 0:46:37.290 the book@moody.edu. That's the land and the book@moody.edu. Also visit 0:46:37.290 --> 0:46:40.650 our website, The land and the book org where you 0:46:40.650 --> 0:46:44.070 can check out today's guest, past guests, future programs, and more. 0:46:44.100 --> 0:46:48.450 That's the land and the book.org. Thanks for your company. 0:46:48.450 --> 0:46:51.060 Appreciate having you along today. The land and the book 0:46:51.060 --> 0:46:53.759 is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody 0:46:53.760 --> 0:46:54.989 Bible Institute.