S1: As Christ followers, we care deeply about what happens to Israel.
S1: Do you ever wonder why some American Jews might appear
S1: to have less interest in what's going on in the
S1: nation of Israel? What do we not understand? Coming up,
S1: we'll take our best shot at understanding the complex relationship
S1: between American Jews and Israel. Plus, we'll cover all the
S1: major stories out of the Middle East. Take time to
S1: answer some pretty interesting Bible questions, and we'll wrap it
S1: all up with a devotional from our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer.
S1: I'm John Geiger, and speaking of Charlie, are you ready
S1: for another adventure together?
S2: I am John, always fun to be with you.
S1: Well, did you know that most Jewish people have never
S1: heard the gospel? Each week we talk about Israel and
S1: the Jewish people. And it's important to remember that they,
S1: like everybody else, need to hear the good news.
S2: And that's why life in Messiah, a ministry that's been
S2: in existence for over 135 years, is devoted to sharing
S2: the gospel with Jewish people around the world. And now
S2: they're offering a gift to moody listeners. This free e-book,
S2: Reaching Jewish People for Messiah, highlights the need for the
S2: gospel among the Jewish people. It will equip you with
S2: practical ways to share the good News with them now.
S2: To receive this free e-book, visit Life in Messiah org
S2: and click on the Moody Radio logo there. Sign up
S2: today to get your copy. That's life in Messiah.
S1: And now a look at current events based in the
S1: Middle East. All of these stories unfolding this past week
S1: and in the coming week, Israel is going to celebrate
S1: two back to back holidays, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut,
S1: the Jewish equivalents of our Memorial Day and Independence Day.
S1: What impact, if any, will the war with Hamas and
S1: the continuing political struggles in Israel have on these celebrations,
S1: do you think?
S2: Well, let me start by saying Memorial Day. Yom Hazikaron
S2: begins this coming Tuesday night and extends through Wednesday. This
S2: is when Israel remembers its fallen soldiers, as well as
S2: those civilians who've been victims of terrorism. And, of course,
S2: the brutal murder of 1200 Israelis back on October 7th,
S2: 2023 is still fresh on everyone's mind. And the death
S2: of 846 soldiers and 69 police officers killed in the
S2: fighting that followed adds to the solemn nature of the day.
S2: Israel is a small country, so virtually everyone knows someone
S2: who's been impacted by war or terrorism. That makes this
S2: an incredibly somber day. It begins Tuesday night at sundown,
S2: when sirens sound across the country for one minute. Everyone
S2: stops what they're doing and stands still to show their
S2: respect and remember the fallen. Cars stop on the highways
S2: and drivers get out to stand beside them. A ceremony
S2: is then held at the Western Wall that night. The
S2: next day, a siren sounds at 11 a.m. for two
S2: minutes and again the country comes to a halt. At
S2: 7 p.m., another state ceremony takes place at Mount Herzl,
S2: which is Israel's version of Arlington National Cemetery. This ceremony
S2: marks the transition from Memorial Day to Independence Day. That's
S2: Yom Ha'atzmaut. 12 torches are lit to symbolize the 12
S2: tribes of Israel. Each is lit by citizens who've made
S2: an impact on the country. Parties and fireworks then take
S2: place throughout the country. Independence day also normally features a
S2: country wide military flyover with all of their aircraft, but
S2: this year, like last year, the flyover has been canceled
S2: because of the current conflict. Now, both days are being
S2: impacted by the current situation in Israel. The country still
S2: being torn apart by the hostages being held by Hamas.
S2: Many want to do whatever it's going to take to
S2: get them back, even if it means allowing Hamas to
S2: remain in control. These individuals also oppose Prime Minister Netanyahu
S2: and his approach to the war. The country is still
S2: struggling with all of the political infighting between the government
S2: and the courts over plans to dismiss both the head
S2: of Shin Bet and the Attorney General, and to limit
S2: the power of the judiciary. As a result, expect protests
S2: to be mixed in with the celebration, especially during the
S2: Independence Day celebrations. But through it all, the country will
S2: remember and honor those who've died. And they'll also take
S2: time to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the founding of
S2: the modern state of Israel.
S1: That's Doctor Charlie Dyer, noted Old Testament scholar, Middle East expert,
S1: joining us today on the land and the book, as
S1: he does every week in this opening segment, we're working
S1: through a list of current events, topics. The nuclear talks
S1: between the US and Iran are continuing. What's the latest
S1: news on those talks, and could they end up driving
S1: a wedge between Israel and the US?
S2: Well, the third round of negotiations are being held in Oman.
S2: The new round also includes expert level meetings to design
S2: a framework for a possible agreement. But earlier this week,
S2: President Trump said that he and Prime Minister Netanyahu had
S2: talked and that they shared the same mind when it
S2: comes to the negotiations with Iran. Now, very few details
S2: have surfaced in terms of what has actually been discussed
S2: or the specific areas of agreement or disagreement in these negotiations.
S2: And it's not clear if the rumors that have been
S2: surfacing accurately reflect issues where both sides have come to
S2: some level of agreement. Oman's Foreign Ministry said the next
S2: round of talks aims to seal a fair, enduring and
S2: binding deal which will ensure Iran is completely free of
S2: nuclear weapons and sanctions and maintaining its ability to develop
S2: peaceful nuclear energy. But the key point here is seeing
S2: exactly what completely free of nuclear weapons really means. Does
S2: it mean eliminating centrifuges or the stockpiling of enriched uranium,
S2: or the technology to build a nuclear weapon and launch
S2: it on a rocket? In the absence of details, right now,
S2: all we have is speculation. Iran is apparently pleased with
S2: where the negotiations are heading, while Israel has expressed concerns.
S2: But are there disagreements within the Trump administration? Or is
S2: this part of a coordinated plan to use his art
S2: of the deal to achieve what he's promised all along?
S2: Will the talks lead to a deal? Or, as one
S2: US source said, will they collapse once the US makes
S2: its final position fully known? The answer right now is
S2: that we simply don't know. So rather than give in
S2: to speculation or fear or anger, I think the best
S2: thing we can do as followers of Jesus is to
S2: be praying for those talks. Pray for wisdom for those
S2: in our government who are negotiating. And pray for God's
S2: protective hand over the people of Israel through the entire process.
S1: Charlie, given the long history, the established fact, not whimsy,
S1: not editorial comment, but actual fact that Iran has repeatedly
S1: refused to let international inspectors to come in at critical
S1: points and look at all the facilities. That's history. That's
S1: that's their track record. Why is there any hope at
S1: all that there would be any transparency on their part
S1: in any kind of follow up?
S2: The only reason for hope is the fact that their
S2: economy is collapsing under the weight of the sanctions, and especially,
S2: as Trump added, the maximum pressure. Uh, they need help
S2: or they're afraid their very regime will collapse. So that's
S2: the one pressure point. And hopefully the US won't give
S2: up on that until it receives everything that it needs
S2: to make sure that Iran cannot develop nuclear weapons.
S1: Well, two and a half years ago, five red heifers
S1: were flown from Texas to Israel. The goal was to
S1: hopefully have at least one meet the requirements for the
S1: red heifer ceremony, to provide for the ritual purification needed
S1: to rebuild the Jewish temple. What's the latest on those
S1: red heifers? And I'm sure some are wondering why is
S1: a red heifer even needed?
S2: Well, let me answer that second question first. In numbers 19,
S2: Israel was told to take a red heifer without spot
S2: or blemish, and which had never been yoked, and then
S2: slaughter it and burn it outside the camp. Cedar wood, hyssop,
S2: and scarlet yarn were to be added to the fire,
S2: and then the ashes were to be collected, mixed with water,
S2: and stored in a jar. The mixture was then sprinkled
S2: on a ceremonially unclean person to provide ritual cleansing. Now
S2: one use of it was to allow the priest to
S2: be made ritually pure so they could participate in temple worship.
S2: According to Jewish scholars, the ashes of the red heifer
S2: are needed before the Third Temple can be rebuilt and
S2: worship resumed. Now to the five heifers. Since arriving in Israel,
S2: those five have been kept in an archaeological park near Shiloh. Apparently,
S2: only two of the original five are still preliminarily qualified
S2: to qualify. The heifers have to be examined to determine
S2: if they're still without defect, if they don't have a
S2: single white hair, though apparently some sages say they're allowed
S2: up to two white hairs, but there's no outer age
S2: limit on them. But the longer they wait, the more
S2: likely it is that the white hair is going to
S2: appear on the two that are remaining. So. So now
S2: the heifers have reached that minimum age. The question has
S2: to be why hasn't the ceremony been performed yet? Especially
S2: since a plot of land has been secured on the
S2: Mount of Olives that matches the requirement of being outside
S2: the camp? Well, some believe the ceremony has been held
S2: up for political or security reasons. You know, bringing a
S2: red heifer to the Mount of Olives in an Arab
S2: part of town would draw attention. So would lighting a
S2: bonfire in that area. Hamas has actually been warning that
S2: Israel will attempt to offer sacrifices on the Temple Mount,
S2: and it seems those offerings can't be made until the
S2: altar and the priests have been ritually purified. So preparing
S2: the ashes of the red heifer would be a signal
S2: that a plan was getting close. Apparently, it was after
S2: the arrival of the red heifers when Hamas began actually
S2: its planning for October 7th attack, which they called operation
S2: Al-Aqsa flood. They're afraid Israel will try to divide the
S2: area on top of the Temple Mount to provide for
S2: Jewish worship, similar to what now exists at the cave
S2: of the Patriarchs in Hebron, and they believe construction of
S2: the temple would then begin soon after that. The Bible
S2: says the temple is going to be rebuilt during the
S2: end times, but it's hard to envision how it will
S2: happen without igniting an even greater religious conflagration.
S1: Finally, Israeli scientists have developed a blood test to provide
S1: early identification of Parkinson's disease. Tell us about this groundbreaking
S1: test from Amazing Israel.
S2: Yeah, this is scientists from Hebrew University, and they did
S2: a blood test that quantifies which are transfer RNA fragments
S2: in the blood. The test focuses on repetitive RNA sequences
S2: that accumulate in Parkinson's patients, along with a parallel decline
S2: in mitochondrial RNA. And by measuring the ratio between those
S2: two biomarkers, the test offers a highly accurate, non-invasive, rapid
S2: and affordable diagnostic tool that could lead to early intervention
S2: and treatment for Parkinson's. The goal is to bring to
S2: market this test that could be available to anyone, say,
S2: over the age of 65 to see if they're at
S2: risk of developing Parkinson's. So the test is all still
S2: in process. Clinical trials are ongoing, but hopefully in the
S2: not too distant future, we'll be able to thank these
S2: scientists for this important step in helping identify this disease
S2: in time to provide treatment options.
S1: Thank you Charlie. Fascinating look at current events. Up next,
S1: understanding the complex relationship between American Jews and Israel. Here
S1: on the land and the book. Does it ever seem
S1: to you like there's a disconnect between American Jews and
S1: Israeli Jews? As Christ followers, we care deeply about what
S1: happens over in Israel. But do you ever wonder why
S1: some American Jews seem to have little interest in what's
S1: going on in the nation of Israel, or is that accurate?
S1: Have we misread them, or is this really none of
S1: our business? Well, up next on the land and the book,
S1: we're going to take our best shot at understanding the
S1: complex relationship between American Jews and Israel. Welcome to segment
S1: two of The land and the book. I'm John Gieger,
S1: anxious for you to meet today's guest, doctor Guy. Chet
S1: was raised in Israel, in a town just south of
S1: Tel Aviv, a mere ten kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea.
S1: Sounds nice to me. He earned his bachelor's degree at
S1: the University of Haifa, his Ma and PhD at Yale University.
S1: He serves as professor of Early American History at the
S1: University of North Texas, has published three books on colonial
S1: and revolutionary America, and is currently completing a book on
S1: his first love, which is Roman History. Hey, we've got
S1: some shared interests there. Guy has also published a book
S1: about the complicated relationship between American Jews and Israel, which
S1: is what we're here to talk about today. That said,
S1: welcome to the land and the book, Doctor Chet.
S3: Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
S1: Yeah. We want to be very sensitive to our Jewish
S1: friends and neighbors here in America, but it sometimes feels
S1: as if American Jews might be losing touch with their Judaism,
S1: whereas Christians are in many ways finally connecting with their
S1: own Jewish roots. What's your assessment here?
S3: Yes. American Jews happen to have a sociology like every
S3: other group in America. And it just so happens that
S3: American Jews are uniquely irreligious. They do not belong to
S3: Jewish organizations, religious communities. They don't attend religious services. I'm
S3: painting here in broad strokes, but in terms of percentages,
S3: like the group that has the highest rates of atheism
S3: is American Jews. So American Jews, just because of their education,
S3: their sociology, are drifting away from their Jewish inheritance. And
S3: in this respect, they are drifting away from their connection
S3: to other Jewish communities around the world, and the most
S3: prominent of those is the Jewish community in Israel.
S1: All right. As you say, it's not fair to paint
S1: everyone with the same brush. But to many evangelicals, some,
S1: if not many American Jews do come across as ambivalent
S1: about Israel, whereas Christians, at least to this point, have
S1: for the most part been highly supportive of Israel. How
S1: accurate do you think those impressions are, and what are
S1: the factors that led to where we're at today in America?
S3: So let me start by saying that American Jews are,
S3: on the whole very supportive of Israel. However, and you're
S3: right that American Christians are ultra supportive of Israel. However,
S3: you can see that American Jews, their support for Israel is,
S3: as you say, ambivalent. And you can see this in
S3: the way that they support Israel. American Jews support Israel.
S3: Not on the street, not on Facebook, not on television screens,
S3: but rather they support Israel with financial contributions and they
S3: support Israel tremendously. I think just since October 7th, American
S3: Jews contributed something like $3 billion to Israeli causes, etc..
S3: So there is a strong level of support. However, you
S3: can tell that the support is done in private. It's
S3: not done in public openly. By contrast, Christian support for Israel.
S3: Financial support for Israel is much less than Jewish support,
S3: but it is much more vocal. It's much more in
S3: the open. And the reason is that American Jews do
S3: have this political and ideological problem with the state of Israel,
S3: because American Jews, again, because of their sociology, happen to
S3: be on the left, whereas Israeli Jews and Israel necessarily
S3: is on the right because of two factors. One is
S3: nationalism and the other is religion in public life. So,
S3: as you know from your dealings with American society, Americans
S3: who are on the left have become very suspicious and
S3: ambivalent about nationalism. They don't trust it. They think it's
S3: crypto fascism. They think it might be tinged with xenophobia
S3: and fascism and who knows what. And they're also very
S3: antagonistic towards displays of religion in in the public square. Now,
S3: Israel happens to be a state that is founded on nationalism,
S3: unapologetically on this ethnic nationalism and on religion in the
S3: public square. It's an unapologetically religious country. And so Israel
S3: combines these two concepts that are very troubling for people
S3: on the left. And American Jews happen to be overwhelmingly
S3: on the left, like 75% of them.
S1: Guy. Chet is a professor of American history at the
S1: University of North Texas. Israeli born. He's written My Brother's
S1: Keeper the complicated relationship between American Jews and Israel. He
S1: joins us today on The Land and the book. Let's
S1: zoom out for a minute here and talk about anti-Semitism.
S1: How do we account for the rise of anti-Semitism globally
S1: and here in the USA? Let me take a shot
S1: at the first half of the question and then get
S1: your reaction. I think the global rise of anti-Semitism has
S1: come hand in hand with the expansion of Islam across
S1: Europe and many other places, and the Islam that seems
S1: to be grabbing the spotlight is very anti-Israel. I'd like
S1: your thoughts.
S3: On the whole, I agree anti-Semitism has been rampant in
S3: the Arab and Muslim world forever. It's just that you
S3: and I haven't been as exposed to it, because the
S3: Arab and Muslim presence in our own societies and our
S3: own media has been relatively limited until about 20 or
S3: 30 years ago. But with the waves of immigration, especially
S3: into Europe, you know, immigrants bring their culture with them.
S3: And part of Arab culture is a deep and murderous anti-Semitism.
S3: So I think partly we see that. But beyond that,
S3: there is especially in in American left wing and European
S3: left wing circles, there's also an antagonism to Israel specifically
S3: because of two things. First of all, what I said
S3: earlier about the left's discomfort and antagonism towards religion in
S3: the public square and towards nationalism. And this this was
S3: not always the case up until the 1960s or so.
S3: The left saw nationalism as a force for good, because
S3: nationalism was a force against imperialism, and it was also
S3: very supportive of religion in the public square, if you
S3: remember Jimmy Carter, for example. But something happened during the
S3: Cold War that changed that. So again, Israel happens to
S3: combine these two forces in a way that's very troubling
S3: to the European and American left. And then on top
S3: of that, the Europeans and Americans, especially on the left,
S3: do not view the Jews as indigenous to the land
S3: of Israel because they, again, they have a conflicted relationship
S3: with the Bible, with religion. And so they do not
S3: take the Bible as a credible source for truth. And so,
S3: given the fact that they deny or they question the
S3: relationship between the Jews and the land of Israel, they
S3: see them as an interloper. So they see the Jews
S3: as outsiders who came in and colonized the land of Israel.
S3: And therefore they see the Arabs as victims of this
S3: foreign European Colonization, whereas people who are more biblically oriented are.
S3: They view the Jews as natives to the land of Israel.
S1: Okay. Doctor Chet, let's say you have spoken 100% truth here.
S1: What then can be done? One group says, you know,
S1: we believe that the Bible has authenticity and truth to it,
S1: and the Jews have a historic claim to the land.
S1: Another group says we don't believe the Bible at all. Irrelevant.
S1: The Jews are interlopers. They are colonizers. They have no
S1: right to the place where is the middle ground. And
S1: if there is none, how do we. How do we exist?
S3: Well, I have a theory that, um, words have a
S3: limited ability to convince people. I think the best argument
S3: in favor of the Jews Nativity to the land of
S3: Israel is a camera. I think if, um, supporters of
S3: Israel spoke less and took more footage of the streets
S3: of Israel, they'd be much more convincing. because when you
S3: look at the Israeli population, you see a population that
S3: is much more dark skinned than the American Jewish population.
S3: So the American Jewish population is overwhelmingly of European extraction.
S3: I think like 97% of them are of European extraction.
S3: By contrast, Israeli Jews are only 40% of European extraction.
S3: The rest are from North Africa, the Middle East, South
S3: Asia and even sub-Saharan Africa. So when you look at
S3: the Israeli population, the notion that these are European colonizers
S3: simply doesn't make sense. Whereas I think Americans and Europeans
S3: have this experience of befriending Jews at the office and
S3: the street and watching Jerry Seinfeld on TV. And so
S3: when they imagine Israel, they imagine a country full of
S3: these European Jews. And that's simply not the case.
S1: Okay. You mentioned taking photos in Israel and sharing them,
S1: but let me take that one step further. If you
S1: could somehow, right now, take every single American Jew on
S1: a tour of Israel, they're there for two weeks. Three weeks.
S1: What kind of impact do you think that might make
S1: on their attitudes toward Israel?
S3: I think the impact would be. So, first of all,
S3: demystify this fear of religion in the public square, because Americans,
S3: because of Americans own issues with church and state, have
S3: this fear of theocracy as if it's some sort of
S3: unique condition. And they're very protective of this separation. By contrast,
S3: when you go to the Old World in Europe, Middle East,
S3: everywhere else, there's not such a black and white separation
S3: between church and state. And so I think when you
S3: actually visit places, whether it's England or Germany or Spain
S3: or Israel or Russia. Um, I think you see that
S3: in day to day life. It's not as Orwellian as
S3: it's made to sound in your American imagination. So that's
S3: one thing. But the second thing is, I think an
S3: American Jew who is so distant from his Jewish roots
S3: here in America, when he goes to Israel and is
S3: suddenly surrounded by Jewish sounding streets and Jewish people and
S3: everybody's Jewish, and the calendar is Jewish, and the, um,
S3: for example, uh, Sunday is the first day of the week.
S3: It's a it's a work day. So it just kind
S3: of reorients your experience of life to a Jewish pace
S3: of living in a Jewish context for living. Because, again,
S3: all the organizations, all the people on the street, the
S3: language is Jewish, the holidays are Jewish, the calendar is Jewish.
S3: So it Reconnects Jews in a way that is visceral.
S3: Unless you live in an enclosed Jewish community, the only
S3: way to connect to Judaism is more Cerebrally doctor Guy.
S1: Chet has written My Brother's Keeper the complicated relationship between
S1: American Jews and Israel. I would add to that this
S1: is my best shot. You know, traveling in Israel, you
S1: see that Palestinians have a place, that Arabs have a
S1: place that Muslims are treated with respect and that they
S1: coexist in most instances, very nicely. Thank you. I mean,
S1: that would suddenly become quite visible to you.
S3: Yes, definitely. In fact, Arabs of the Middle East refer
S3: to Israeli Arabs as Arabs who live on cream, basically
S3: that they have a very good life. They live a
S3: very good life. So, and it's true, their standard of
S3: living in Israel is higher than anywhere else in the
S3: Arab world, and their levels of education are higher, etc.. Yes.
S1: So what is, as we wrap up here, a bright
S1: spot for you in all of this or is there none?
S1: What would you what would you have us do as
S1: listeners to bridge the gap, to bring American Jews just
S1: a bit closer toward, uh, a supportive stance for their
S1: Israeli brothers and sisters.
S3: Just, uh, expressing support for Israel and the Jews and
S3: expressing opposition to anti-Semitism is an effective stance in the
S3: sense that Jews feel very lonely in Western society now
S3: because all their friends and allies have deserted them. You know,
S3: the people that they've stood side by side in all
S3: their social and political campaigns have now taken the other side,
S3: and they're left bewildered. And so I think Christians, even
S3: though there's this barrier, the fact that Christians show themselves
S3: to be on the front lines against anti-Semitism in America
S3: and in favor of Israel, is this ray of light
S3: that Jews see? And I think it's reorienting them to
S3: shed some of their fears. And then what I think
S3: are misconceptions about Christians.
S1: Fascinating conversation with doctor Guy Chet, who's written My Brother's Keeper.
S1: We thank you for your time, Doctor Chet, and your
S1: perspectives and hope you'll visit us again.
S3: Thank you very much. I appreciate the offer. Thanks.
S1: Coming up next on the land in the book, a
S1: conversation with somebody who knows his Bible and is happy
S1: to take your questions. That's next on the land and
S1: the book. Thank you. You're listening. You're there. You didn't
S1: go away. And you're here for, I think, what's going
S1: to be a very rewarding segment. On this third segment,
S1: we talk about Bible questions and answers, questions about prophecy,
S1: questions about Israel, and a whole lot more. Your question,
S1: by the way, is always welcome at the land and
S1: the book at Moody's. Edu if we've never met. I'm
S1: Jon Jaeger, sitting down with Doctor Gerald Peterman of Moody
S1: Bible Institute faculty. His Bible really is open, and he's
S1: got a stack of questions, none of which seem to
S1: ever make you nervous.
S4: Oh, really? Is that the impression I give? You just never.
S1: You're cool. You're cool.
S4: Our listeners give great questions. So sometimes they do make
S4: me nervous.
S1: All right, we'll get to the first one after this
S1: quick thought. Did you know that most Jewish people have
S1: never heard the gospel? Each week we talk about Israel
S1: and the Jewish people. And it's important to remember that they,
S1: like everybody else, need to hear the good news. Well,
S1: life in Messiah is a ministry that's now been in
S1: existence for over 135 years, and they're devoted to sharing
S1: the gospel with Jewish people around the world. And now
S1: they are offering a gift to moody listeners. It's a
S1: free e-book, Reaching Jewish People from Messiah, and it highlights
S1: the need for the gospel among Jewish people. And better yet,
S1: it'll equip you with practical ways to share the good
S1: news with them. To receive this free e-book and I
S1: do like ebooks. Jerry. I read them all the time
S1: on my iPad and my phone. Visit lifeline. Org. Click
S1: on the Moody Radio logo and sign up today to
S1: get your copy. Life in Messiah. All right, let's get
S1: right to our questions, starting with this one from Willie.
S1: He says you've probably heard this question before. According to
S1: the Life Application Bible Study, Matthew records that there are
S1: two blind men on the Jericho Road. While Mark and
S1: Luke only mention one. So two quick questions was only
S1: one blind man healed Bartimaeus on the Jericho road were
S1: three blind men healed, including Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus at a certain time,
S1: and two blind men healed later. And three are the
S1: gospel writers mentioning the same event.
S4: Oh, that's a great question. I take it that the
S4: three gospel writers give us the same event. It's mentioned
S4: in Matthew 20, Mark ten, and Luke 18. So our
S4: Lord comes along. And often it happens in Mark that
S4: while Mark tells fewer stories, he gives more details about
S4: the story. So we encounter Jesus and the blind man.
S4: He calls out to Jesus, and then only in Mark
S4: we find Jesus says, call him, and then only in
S4: Mark we find the people say, take heart. He's calling you.
S4: And then only in Mark we find he springs up,
S4: throws off his cloak, and follows Jesus. So Bartimaeus, even
S4: though he was blind, he shows great insight. If you
S4: don't mind me saying it as a disciple of Jesus,
S4: right away he starts following. So why did Mark only
S4: mention one? I think because he knew Bartimaeus. He wanted
S4: to mention him by name. The only man in Matthew,
S4: Mark and Luke mentioned by name, who was healed true.
S4: He wanted us to remember him as an example that
S4: we could follow.
S1: Very interesting. All right. A question from Brian. He takes
S1: us to Matthew 16. Jesus said to Peter, upon this
S1: rock I will build my church. There's been a lot
S1: of debate through the centuries as to what Jesus was saying.
S1: He says, I tend to think the rock here referred
S1: to Peter's confession of faith. What do you think?
S4: Oh, it's a great question. And you're absolutely right. There's
S4: lots of different opinions given about it, and sometimes the
S4: conversation can be quite heated. So the key verse is
S4: Matthew 1618. And I really like what Doctor Vanlandingham says
S4: about this passage in the Moody Bible Commentary. He mentions
S4: that many don't want to mention Peter or talk about
S4: Peter being the Rock, because sometimes too much is said
S4: about Peter. But Peter is the focus of the verses
S4: that come before and after. And when we go to
S4: Ephesians or we go to revelation 21, we find that
S4: the apostles and prophets are the foundation of the church.
S4: So we read further in the New Testament that Peter
S4: is the one who, using the keys of the kingdom,
S4: opens the gospel to Jews in Acts two. To Gentiles
S4: in Acts ten. So I think we should say, yes,
S4: Peter is the foundation for the early church. But wait, wait, wait.
S4: Nothing is said about Matthew in succession or passing on
S4: this power. He's just the first one to get the
S4: church started and powerfully started.
S1: Doctor Gerald Peterman is answering questions here on the land
S1: and the book, as he does every week. I'm John
S1: Geiger suggesting why don't you send yours to the land
S1: and the book at Moody's? That's what Melanie did. She
S1: asks if communion is about the Passover and Jesus being
S1: the final sacrifice, then should we as Gentiles only be
S1: celebrating communion during Passover?
S4: I really appreciate this question. I had never thought about
S4: that before. So while Communion and Passover are connected, I
S4: don't think we should only celebrate communion during Passover. Here's
S4: a couple of reasons for that. Because we go to
S4: our Old Testament and what do we find? We find
S4: that Passover is once a year on a particular month,
S4: on a particular day of the month, in the evening.
S4: But we go to First Corinthians, where Paul directs the
S4: Corinthians how to celebrate the Lord's Supper. And he says,
S4: you come together and as often as you eat it.
S1: Okay.
S4: You proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. In other words,
S4: this is not something done once a year. It's done
S4: when they gather together. And when is the church gathering?
S4: Almost certainly the Corinthians are getting together on Sunday. And
S4: by the way, they're not gathering in Israel. They're gathering
S4: in Greece. So now this Passover, this Lord's Supper has
S4: been transformed into a weekly celebration for the people of God.
S1: Okay. So do you think, uh, and I know there
S1: are no hard, fast rules given in Scripture is a
S1: weekly celebration, likely closer to the New Testament church model
S1: than than what some of us do. Maybe monthly.
S4: I think so, I think so, because remembering Jesus. Remembering
S4: Jesus and reapplying to ourselves, uh, his sacrifice, if you will.
S4: It's just very important for us. That's the gospel.
S1: A geography question here from Paul. He says, could there
S1: have been a branch of the Euphrates River that was
S1: closer to modern day Israel?
S4: Ah, wonderful. I had to go back and check my map.
S4: A short answer is probably not. The Euphrates River goes
S4: from northwest to southeast in the northwest. That's the closest
S4: it gets to Israel, and it's not very close. 3
S4: or 400 miles. And then where does it begin to
S4: wander and go out in various directions? That's the southeast,
S4: but that's hundreds of miles away. So I think the
S4: short answer is no, not any closer than current day Euphrates.
S1: Hmm. Interesting question here from Mark. He says I was
S1: meditating on Jesus early life, and several questions came to
S1: mind about what age did he know that his mission
S1: was the cross? Was it Passover when he was 12
S1: and he had to be without blemish or defect, since
S1: this was Yahweh's sacrifice to himself? And that makes me ask,
S1: you know the Scripture that says, be perfect because I
S1: am perfect. No scars, no hitting his shin on something
S1: and causing a defect of the bone. He had to
S1: be perfect without blemish in all ways. Or Mark asks honestly,
S1: am I taking all that too far?
S4: Oh Mark, thanks so much for meditating on the life
S4: of Christ. Um, I don't know when when our Lord
S4: Jesus came to know that the cross was his mission.
S4: I think your guess is pretty good. Maybe when he
S4: was 12, left by his parents, or maybe abandoned his parents.
S4: Right in Jerusalem. Perhaps this is where he develops the insight. Uh, no.
S4: Scripture tells us specifically, but about this perfection. You go
S4: to the Old Testament law, and you read in Leviticus
S4: that the animal given must be perfect. It can't have
S4: any blemishes. It can't have any diseases. I think that
S4: is a picture not of our Lord being absent scars,
S4: but of our Lord being absent sin. He is absolutely pure.
S4: He is blameless. He is spotless in terms of sin.
S4: And that's what's important for us.
S1: Christina says, Does Satan not know what's in the Bible?
S1: If he does and knows that Jesus has won the victory,
S1: why wouldn't he repent?
S4: I, I thought this was a wonderful question and I
S4: pondered it. That's a great question. I don't know any
S4: verses that point to this directly, but I take it
S4: that over the course of many centuries, because the Bible
S4: has been read from lecterns and pulpits, that our enemy
S4: has heard it over and over and over again. So
S4: he knows his defeat is coming. Why wouldn't he repent?
S4: That is a great question. I take it that his
S4: evil is so incredibly hideous that repentance is just not
S4: on the radar at all. This is where evil ends up.
S4: It ends up in self-destruction.
S1: Not just wrong choices, bad things, but a thorough commitment
S1: to keep on doing that.
S4: Right, right. Sadly. Absolutely.
S1: From Chris, this question, he says I have no trouble
S1: believing the earth may not be millions of years old,
S1: given that the Lord can create things with the appearance
S1: of age. But I'd like to know more what the
S1: Bible says about dinosaurs. And also, if man coexisted with them,
S1: he takes us to Romans 816 and 17, where it says,
S1: the Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are
S1: children of God, and if children heirs also heirs of God,
S1: and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him,
S1: so that we may also be glorified with him. Obviously,
S1: this is a second question here. What are your thoughts
S1: on what if indeed we suffer with him? What does
S1: that mean in Paul's time, as well as for born
S1: again believers today?
S4: Oh good good good. Thank you. Two questions, very important,
S4: but going in different directions, aren't they? I don't know
S4: how old the earth is, and I don't know of
S4: a scripture that talks about humans and dinosaurs. I know
S4: of passages in Scripture that talk about Leviathan or Behemoth.
S4: Were they dinosaurs? We don't know. When it comes to
S4: Romans eight. We'll be glorified if we suffer with him.
S4: Let's not think of this as the if of cause
S4: and effect. Let's think about this as the if of
S4: evidence inference. That is because we suffer. We show that
S4: we are heirs. We don't suffer to become heirs, right?
S4: We suffer and we show that we are heirs.
S1: Boy, we've covered a ton of ground today. Fascinating questions.
S1: And I want to say thank you to every listener
S1: who took the time to email us at The Land
S1: and the book at Moody's. But there's more to come
S1: on the program as we say goodbye to Jerry for
S1: this week. Charlie Dyer is back with his devotional that's
S1: coming right up next here on the land and the book.
S1: In many homes, people have assigned seats. Oh, there are
S1: no signs. Maybe. But make no mistake, they are assigned
S1: in the now abandoned home where my mother in law lived.
S1: There was a chair in the living room that no
S1: one else dared sit in. Many of us guys have
S1: a seat. We kind of call our own. But, Charlie,
S1: your devotional today is based on a different kind of chair.
S1: Give us a sneak preview.
S2: It is John. It's the seat of Moses that we're
S2: going to be looking at in a place called Chorazin.
S1: All right. I'm looking forward to that conversation. Hey, by
S1: the way, welcome back to this fourth segment of The
S1: Land and the book. This is a time when Charlie
S1: takes us to a place in Scripture. A place in
S1: Israel brings the two together in a way that you'll
S1: never forget either. And before we get to his devotional, though,
S1: I want to encourage us to listen for this testimony
S1: from somebody whose experiences in the Holy Land really stuck
S1: with them. And they just kind of wanted to share
S1: this with you and me.
S5: Hi, my name is Dwight Iverson, and I want to
S5: tell you about the most fantastic vacation you could ever
S5: plan for your family, the Holy Land experience. We spent
S5: a week, ten days here, and I can't pick one
S5: specific spot that impressed me any more than another one
S5: from the Sea of Galilee, from Tiberius to the Temple Mount. Uh,
S5: one after the other was a heart stopper. Bring your family,
S5: bring your young kids, bring your grandparents. You will not
S5: be disappointed with a time spent in the Holy Land
S5: of Israel. It's fantastic.
S6: We came to this trip with our family and we
S6: had a 16 year old girl, a 14 year old boy,
S6: and an 11 year old boy. And those were great ages.
S6: They asked good questions. They were writing notes, paying attention.
S6: It was just an excellent educational trip for our whole family.
S7: Hi, I'm Debbie and it was a wonderful experience getting
S7: to walk these steps together and at night debrief over
S7: what we had learned. Um, it was just a great
S7: experience for the family.
S1: Charlie, I'm looking forward to your continuing devotional today in
S1: this series. 11 transcriptions have at it.
S2: Ah. Thanks, John. Yeah, I am continuing that 11 week
S2: series that I called 11 Inscriptions to the Bible. Now,
S2: in this series, we've been looking at written inscriptions uncovered
S2: by archaeologists that give us new insight into our understanding
S2: of the Bible. And our search for today's inscription takes
S2: us to the town of Chorazin, overlooking the Sea of Galilee.
S2: Chorazin is only mentioned twice in the Gospels, once in
S2: Matthew and once in Luke, and both instances record the
S2: same event. Chorazin must have played a significant role in
S2: Jesus's ministry because it's always connected with Bethsaida and Capernaum.
S2: And in Matthew 11, we're told these were the three
S2: cities in which most of Jesus's miracles were performed. Apart
S2: from the fact that it's located two miles from the
S2: Sea of Galilee, up in the hills, walking through Chorazin
S2: certainly reminds us of Capernaum. The design of the houses
S2: and the centrality of the synagogue clearly let us know
S2: we're in a Jewish town. The ruins of Chorazin visible today,
S2: including the synagogue, date to a few hundred years after
S2: the time of Jesus. But this synagogue rests on the
S2: foundation of the one that was here in the first century.
S2: The design really didn't change, and as we walk inside,
S2: I want you to gather over here to the right. Now,
S2: I also need a volunteer. You see this stone chair
S2: beside me? I need someone to sit in that chair
S2: while I talk. I'll explain why later. This chair is
S2: carved from the dark volcanic rock that covers the area.
S2: The one we are looking at is actually a reproduction.
S2: The original is in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. If
S2: you look carefully at the front of this chair, you
S2: can see writing. The inscription is in Aramaic, and it
S2: actually identifies the person who had the chair made for
S2: the synagogue. Remember, for good Judah Ben Ishmael, who made
S2: this stone and its staircase as his reward. May he
S2: have a share with the righteous. The stone that's mentioned
S2: isn't describing a colonnaded porch, but the platform on which
S2: the chair said, I love it. Judah Ben Ishmael paid
S2: to have the chair. The platform on which it rested,
S2: and the stairs up to it carved for the synagogue. Then,
S2: of course, he decided to have his name placed on
S2: the gift so everyone could remember how generous he was.
S2: We're still doing the same thing today. But why carve
S2: an inscription on a chair? And why was the chair
S2: placed on a pedestal? To understand the answer to those questions,
S2: let's go first to Jesus's ministry in his hometown of Nazareth.
S2: In Luke four, Jesus went to the synagogue there on
S2: the Sabbath. He stood up to read, and they brought
S2: him the scroll of Isaiah the prophet. After reading a portion,
S2: Luke says, he closed the book and gave it back
S2: to the attendant, and sat down, and the eyes of
S2: all the synagogue were fixed on him. The chair in
S2: which Jesus sat to teach in Nazareth was likely something
S2: similar to the one here in Chorazin. This chair was
S2: the spot the teacher would sit to expound the scriptures.
S2: In Matthew 23, Jesus also describes this place of authority.
S2: The scribes and Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair
S2: of Moses, the chair of Moses. His meaning is clear.
S2: This is the spot where the leader would sit and
S2: expound on the scriptures, just as Moses had led Israel
S2: and taught them God's precepts. So the person sitting in
S2: this chair was leading those in the synagogue, and to
S2: the extent those seated in this place of authority were
S2: expounding on God's commands. Jesus said, all that they tell you,
S2: do and observe. However, he followed that by saying, but
S2: do not do according to their deeds, for they say
S2: things and do not do them. This leads to Jesus's
S2: scathing rebuke of the hypocrisy by the religious leaders in
S2: his day. But that brings us back to the synagogue
S2: here in Chorazin, and to this chair of Moses, which
S2: our volunteer has been sitting in so patiently. I can
S2: see why the person who had the chair made wanted
S2: his name prominently displayed on the front. This was one
S2: of two centerpieces in the synagogue. The other was the
S2: place where the scrolls were kept. The chair of Moses
S2: was the place where God's Word connected to the day
S2: to day lives of the community, and the person seated
S2: in that chair assumed responsibility for interpreting and applying God's Word.
S2: It might have been a personal honor to pay for
S2: the construction of the seat, but it was an awesome
S2: responsibility to sit in it. Jesus reserved his harshest criticism
S2: for the scribes and Pharisees, those who, he says, seated
S2: themselves in the chair of Moses. People don't always like
S2: to hear this, but God holds those who claim to
S2: represent him to a higher standard. The generation of Israel
S2: that came out of Egypt was given ten opportunities to
S2: fail before God cancelled their entry ticket into the Promised Land.
S2: But Moses was only given one chance. These religious leaders
S2: saw the chair of Moses as a place of prestige
S2: and position and power, but they somehow missed the responsibility
S2: that came with all that authority. James, the half brother
S2: of Jesus, understood Jesus's message in Matthew 23. He was respected.
S2: He was looked up to. In the early church, in fact,
S2: in Galatians two, the apostle Paul called him one of
S2: the pillars of the church. Yet James himself wrote, let
S2: not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that
S2: as such we shall incur a stricter judgment. Make no mistake,
S2: God's standard is high for those who claim to speak
S2: on his behalf. Wait a minute. I see you trying
S2: to climb down from that chair and I'm not picking
S2: on you. James said not many should become teachers. He
S2: didn't say. Not any in first Timothy three. Paul said,
S2: if a man aspires to the office of an overseer,
S2: it's a fine work he desires to do. And Paul
S2: goes on to say that one qualification of an elder
S2: or overseer is the ability to teach. The church needs
S2: teachers and leaders, but those teachers and leaders need to
S2: understand the responsibility that comes with that position. As we
S2: get ready to head back to the bus, what lessons
S2: can you take home from our time here in the
S2: synagogue at the chair of Moses? Let me share two
S2: applications that will fit into your suitcase for the flight home. First,
S2: don't confuse the man who made this chair of Moses
S2: with the ones who sat in it. The guy who
S2: gave the money and made sure his name was on
S2: display has already received his reward. The praise from the congregation.
S2: We don't know the names of those who sat in
S2: the chair, but God does. And he's the one we
S2: should all be seeking to please. Second, the church needs leaders,
S2: but those in leadership need to remember that with authority
S2: comes responsibility and a higher level of accountability. The church
S2: needs less stars and more servants. Less emphasis on style
S2: and more emphasis on substance. Leaders who focus less on
S2: glitz and glamour. And more on godly character. To sit
S2: in the chair of Moses is to put yourself under
S2: a greater standard of judgment from God. And that's a
S2: lesson all would be leaders need to remember. Now, if
S2: you'd like to see a photo of the original Seat
S2: of Moses from Chorazin that's on display in the Israel Museum,
S2: be sure to head over to our land in the
S2: book Facebook page where I've posted a picture of it.
S1: It's a great shot. Thank you Charlie for doing that
S1: Facebook page. Always fun to look at. Appreciate your devotional. Hey,
S1: appreciate your being with us today for the land and
S1: the book. If you appreciate the broadcast, why not let
S1: a friend or two know about this ministry too, would you?
S1: There's a podcast you can take advantage of. You'll find
S1: that at our website. The land and the book I'm
S1: John Gager and the land, and the book is a
S1: production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.