Hello friends this is Doug Batchelor. The city of Tehran has a super-sized pest problem. It is reported that the capital of Iran has more rats than its twelve million human inhabitants. According to reports, a plague of giant super rats with some weighing more than eleven pounds are running through the streets and scaring the alley cats. Some experts wonder if it could be the result of a genetic mutation due to radiation exposure.
In one year authorities used over 45 tons of rat poison with little effect and now they fear the giant rodents are immune and have developed a resistance to the pesticide. In desperation, the Iranian government now employs ten sniper teams armed with infrared scopes to wage war on the giant vermin every night. Did you know that the Bible teaches that little problems can quickly become big ones if not addressed? Stay with us friends we are going to learn more as “Amazing Facts” brings you this edition of “Bible Answers Live”.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug: Welcome listening friends. We are thankful that you have tuned in for another fresh installment of “Bible Answers Live”. If it is your first time this is a live, international, interactive Bible study. You can call in with your Bible questions. We have plenty of lines open. So if you have been itching to ask a Bible question something from the word of God that has always puzzled you about the Christian Faith give us a call. We don’t claim to have all the answers, but we will look together. The phone number a free phone call: 1-800-GOD-SAYS that’s 1-800-463-7297.One more time 1-800-436-7297 for your Bible question. Calling now will give you a good opportunity to get your question on tonight’s program. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: My name is Jean Ross. Good evening listening friends and Pastor Doug we are going to begin this program with a word of prayer. Dear father once again we thank you for the opportunity to spend a few moments studying your word. Lord we want to ask your blessing upon those listening to the program and be with those who listening where ever they might be and lead us Lord into clearer and a fuller understanding of your word. For we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Pastor Ross: Pastor Doug you opened the program by talking about this terrible problem this invasion of rats. Now before the program we were talking about several cities that have or had a problem with rats. And probably the most famous one here in North America is New York City. That’s from time to time we have heard about the rat problem in New York City and I guess it is a challenge when you have so many people living so close together. And you mentioned there is the whole underground city under the city. All the various waterways and sewer lines and garbage and everything else that they—yeah rats live there.
Pastor Doug: Yeah well I grew up largely in New York City and everyone sets their garbage out.
Pastor Ross: Umm-hmm.
Pastor Doug: But, for the garbage me to come through and pick it up, but it is just almost impossible to eradicate the rat problem there. And they have been struggling with it for years, but Tehran not only has the rat problem, but it sounds like they have some kind of special variety that has developed and they are not sure what has caused it, Usually mutations do not increase the fertility or virility of an animal. They make it weaker, but something has created ideal circumstances where these rats are getting just as you say ginormous. They are an eleven pound rats if you can imagine that? And they are so desperate the cats see the rats and they run. The government has actually hired snipers you know they have got paramilitary people going out in the streets of the cities at night and having to hunt sown the arts. I read one report where they said that even though they may shoot thousands, when you have got millions of rats and they reproduce pretty quickly that it barely makes a dent. And then after generations of them trying to poison them they have become very resistant to it so even the typical rat poison isn’t working now.
But, you know Jesus said one of the characteristics of the last days. He said there will be pestilence. When we think of pestilence we think of a plague like Ebola or something, but pestilence really can be that is where you get pest, you know it comes from pestilence. It is part of the same word and it could be a plague of frogs or rivers turning to blood. And we are seeing plenty of those things. But, you know after the times I think about this an all of those rats that are swarming the cities just started with a couple. And I had a mouse and I don’t want to belabor this point, but I had a mouse that moved into the ventilation of my car once. Because we feed our dogs near where we park our cars and they just had a good food supply. Well I didn’t so anything about it because I felt like it is just one mouse and I will get around it and I will set a trap one of these days, but I always forgot about it until I got back into our car and dog food would come tumbling out of our vent. But, that mouse set up hoe and started a family in our car and then one trip we turned on our heater and all these baby mice began to crawl out the back ventilation system and the kids were squealing back there. And then some of them died in the ventilation system and the whole car began to stink. And it was a fairly new car and because I had not dealt with this little problem of the mice in the car and that is how it is in life friends. Little problems or things and behold how great a matter and by the way I am quoting from James Chapter 3: 5. “Little gossip when it gets out of hand is just started as a little rumor and it can just destroy a reputation and cause all kinds of problems. And James says, “Behold how great a matter a little fire kindles.” One little match tossed carelessly out not too far from where you live there was a very significant fire.
Pastor Ross: Right.
Pastor Doug: It was raging for weeks and it probably started with one little match. And sometimes we need to be careful of little sins are an oxymoron really. There is no such thing. So we have a book that can come from the tongue or from gossip maybe you have been a victim of vicious gossip. Maybe you struggle with it? We’ve got a free book and now don’t just get this and give it to someone who you think is a gossip read it first and we will give it to you for free. It is called “Tiny Trouble makers”. Pastor Ross.
Pastor Ross: To receive the book just give us a call at resource line 1-800-835-6747 and will send that out to anyone who calls and asks. Ask for the book “Tiny Trouble Makers”. We are going to the phone lines and our first caller this evening is Charles and he is listening in Toronto, Canada. Charles welcome to the program.
Charles: Thank you for taking my call I have listened to your program before and this is my first time calling.
Pastor Doug: Well thank you appreciate that.
Charles: I have listened to this show that you aired and my question is if hell is not eternal and that if once we die from this life there is a second death then what did Jesus die for? I don’t understand and wondered if you can tell me?
Pastor Doug: Well it says that the wages for sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. And so Jesus takes our death when He died on the cross and He gives us His innocence. His righteousness is victory. And in the same way if the penalty for sin is eternal torment, but Jesus didn’t experience eternal torment He died and he rose again three days later. So I don’t know if I am answering everything that you are asking Charles.
Charles: Umm well there are other passages in the Bible that Jesus says you shall mourn and weep where the fire is never quenched and where the worm never dies.
Pastor Doug: Yes well He talks about where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. And the word that Jesus uses there, He uses the word “hell” from our English, but it comes from the Greek word and the Greek word is “gehenna”. And outside Jerusalem there is one valley and I have been there and it is the steepest valley around Jerusalem. Called the Valley of Gehenna and they used to offer pagan sacrifices there and so a year later they decided to make it a dump because they had worshipped pagan gods in that valley. And that dump it had everything in it from burning baskets to smoldering debris and cloth to dead animals. Their unclean animals were thrown there where there were maggots and garbage and any Jew could look out there where the fire did not die and the fire was not quenched in the valley of Gehenna.
Jesus wasn’t saying that the righteous are looking out of the gates of the New Jerusalem through eternity at ever smoldering dead people. And matter of fact if you lock in Malachi Chapter 4 it says the day comes when earth will burn as an oven and all the proud and all the wicked will be stubble. It will burn them up and leave them neither fruit nor branch, but unto you that fear my name you shall go forth and tread upon the wicked for they are ashes under the soles of your feet.
So if the wicked are still burning and smoldering how can they be ashes under the soles of our feet? So for many people this is a difficult study because there seems to be a few verses on both sides. And that is why you really have to weigh their preponderance of evidence.
Pastor Ross: You know the reference you are talking about there Pastor Doug is Mark Chapter 9: 44. And Jesus is illustrating talking about the dump the city dump Gehenna valley that was referred to and the Jews understood the reference of being cast away. Meaning it is better do you to have your hand thrown away verses having the whole body cast away or be thrown away and as Jesus often did He would use illustrations that people were familiar with to illustrate an important Biblical truth.
Pastor Doug: Umm-hmm. I don’t know does that help a little Charles?
Charles: A little bit it does and if I may just let me give you just one example. Like for example Adolf Hitler killed six million Jews so you are telling me that he gets to get away with that?
Pastor Doug: Jesus said that everybody is rewarded according to what they deserve. Right?
Charles: Okay.
Pastor Doug: And he who has done much wrong is going to receive much punishment. He has done little receives little punishment. He says he even knew his master’s will and didn’t that he will be beaten with many stripes. And these are the words of Christ. So if everybody is rewarded according to his works then it seems very obvious to you and me that Hitler would get the most severe punishment. But, here is another question. You have got another king in Israel he is actually King of Judah named Manasseh and he did a lot of terrible things. He killed prophets, he offered children in the fire. But, he repented of his sin and humbled himself and so the Lord forgave him. So does Manasseh suffer for all of his wickedness or does he get forgiven?
Charles: he would be forgiven through the blood of Christ.
Pastor Doug: Exactly and so what is he penalty for sin?
Charles: Death.
Pastor Doug: Okay. Jesus died.
Charles: Separation from God? No sir, Pastor sorry.
Pastor Doug: No Jesus and Jesus experienced that separation on the cross of being separated from the Father.
Pastor Ross: But, think the point that we need to be clear on their punishment proportionally to what they have done and now ultimately they are destroyed so death is the ultimate reward. But, God being a God of justice it is not fair for one doing a life of forty or eighty or ninety years.
Pastor Doug: Or fifteen years. Yeah you wouldn’t get it to be fair to have some misguided teenager who was rebellious and disobedient to be having the same punishment as Hitler.
Pastor Ross: Right.
Pastor Doug: That would be based on the same point that Charles was making. Hey anyway I recommend Charles we’re going to have to go on to some other calls. But, please take a look at the website and it is a great website called “Hell Truth dot com” just “Hell Truth dot com” and with that I think we will go on to the next caller.
Pastor Ross: Yeah be sure to take a look at that “Hell Truth dot com” and we also have a study guide called “Is the Devil in Charge of Hell?” We will send that to you Charles or anyone who calls and asks because this is an important subject. And we’d be happy to send that to you or anyone who asks for it. The resource line is 1-800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide called “Is the Devil in Charge of Hell?” We have John who is listening in New York City. John welcome to the program.
John: Hi Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Good evening.
John: How are you?
Pastor Doug: Doing great how are you doing?
John: Okay. I have a question for you.
Pastor Doug: Do you guys still have a rat problem in New York?
John: I hope not.
[Laughter]
Pastor Doug: Just checking.
John: Rats everywhere basically.
Pastor Doug: Yeah I know.
John: Revelation Chapter 11: 10. The verse where it says after the two witnesses are killed verse, and it says, “They that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them make merry and share gifts one to another.” Have you ever considered John described what we presently celebrate as the Christmas time? During this time when the two witnesses are killed?
Pastor Doug: I have never applied this verse to that. I have always understood that the two witnesses represent the word of God and the law and the prophets. Some say Moses and Elijah. Moses represents law and Elijah represents the prophets. And this is a time in history when atheism was really born and during the French Revolution they burned the Bibles in the streets and the people were rejoiced and they tried to abolish the seven day wee and set up the ten day week. And I think it was 1793 to 1797 or somewhere around there wasn’t it Pastor Ross.
Pastor Ross: Yes it was.
Pastor Doug: It was three days and a half or somewhere like that and it was after there and one half years. The spirit of life came into them and then they permitted the Bibles again. And then the French Revolution just completely unraveled. But, atheism was born during that time and we see
Pastor Ross: And we see the greatest revival in the Bible after that in the early eighteen hundreds when different Bible classes were established and were Bible related to different languages and spread though out the world the great time of revival.
Pastor Doug: Yeah so now I’ve got—well I don’t really have a study guide. The best book on that is probably Uriah Smith’s titled “Daniel and the Reflationary” Do we have another one?
Pastor Ross: You know we do have the “Ultimate Resource” which does give a little history of the Bible and we have “The Two Witnesses”.
Pastor Doug: “The Two Witnesses” there you go. Yeha so if you would like John we have a book called “The Two Witnesses”. It goes into more detail and we will send you a free copy. And anyone who calls we will send it out.
Pastor Ross: That number to call is 1-800-835-6747. Ask for the book called “The Two Witnesses” and that is 1-800-835-6747 and thanks for your call John. Our next caller is Gabriel and he is listening from New York. Gabriel welcome to the program.
Gabriel: Hi thanks for taking my call. Congratulations on October 31st the event that you are going to do.
Pastor Doug: Oh yeah thank you for the “Landmarks on Prophecy” program.
Gabriel: Yes. So my question is the whole YAH WAH and Jehovah Word and the original language. I know it is translated as LORD in capital letters and then Adonai in lower case which is Lord in a title s my question would be lie when I am reading that my LORD said to my Lord. My question is would I explain as like two different words or what like LORD, Lord or is the same word do you have to look for the capitals? I am a little confused actually.
Pastor Doug: Yeah well I think in the original Hebrew in that verse imparticular one is Elohim and one is YAH WAH.
Gabriel: Yeah, but one is all capitals.
Pastor Doug: You are referring to the Father speaking to the Messiah.
Gabriel: Okay.
Pastor Doug: Yeah this is also quoted I think in Hebrews. But, I don’t know that it is necessary for us to try to pronounce God’s name in Hebrew. In order for our prayers we are talking about God to be effective.
Gabriel: No. Correct and I am just wondering if it considered two different words and am trying to explain it to someone as like the word in capitals is YAH WAH and the lower case is Adonai and is two different words originally, but in English I guess it is a little bit hard to describe if you look at the all capitals as one word.
Pastor Doug: Yeah.
Gabriel: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: By the way I think you’ll find that also in Mark Chapter 12: 36 and I think even Jesus quotes that verse. Yeah. “For David himself said by the Holy Spirit the LORD said to my Lord sit on my right hand until I make thy enemy thy footstool.” And the interesting thing is that when Jesus says this I don’t think He is using the word YAH WAH because this is written in Greek. So I could be wrong and I should be careful what I say. And Jesus is quoting Psalm 110:1 Lord Well we are getting deep now. But, we do have a book and we will send you a fee copy. It is called “The Name of God”. And I think it addresses this verse in the book. And all you have to do is call and ask for the book we wrote on the name Of God.
Pastor Ross: The number to call is 1-800-835-6747 that is the resource line and you can ask for the book “The Name of God”. And we will be happy to send that to anyone who will call and ask and just a great resource studying this subject out and what does the Bible say in reference to the various names of God mentioned in the Scriptures. We have Drew listening in Sacramento, California and Drew welcome to the program.
Drew: Yeah hi Pastor Doug and Pastor Ross. Thanks for taking my call.
Pastor Doug: Sure. And your question?
Drew: You’ll have to forgive me because aim trying to remember and driving, but I believe it is Daniel Chapter 7: 12 it talks about the other three beasts and not the --
Pastor Doug: Yeah as for the rest of the beasts. It says, “They have been—
Drew: I was just wondering if you could just shine some light on that because it seems it could be talking about a time period when they are talking about you know their lives lasting for a season and a time and I have just always wondered what that verse is talking about?
Pastor Doug: Alright well I’ll do a short version and try and be as concise as I can. In Daniel 7 it is talking about these four primary beasts that represent dour major world empires that would occupy ad in many cases persecute God’s people beginning with Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. 12 “As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.” (KJV) As each kingdom conquered the one before it, The Persians conquered the Babylonians and the Greeks Persians and the Romans the Greeks. They still allowed those people to live and Greek culture for instance was largely adopted by the Romans. And the Greek language of Alexander the Great called it Hellenization. Yet it spread the Greek culture everywhere and so they kind of lived in a subservient way to those empires that conquered them so they continue for a season, but they were no longer the super power. And the super powers the lion being Babylon, the bear being Medo-Persia, the leopard being Greece and then this non-descript beast with the iron teeth and the brass claws is the Roman power. So that is my understanding and I don’t know if you have anything more on that?
Pastor Ross: Yes just specifically there in Daniel Chapter 7 verse 12 where it says, 12 “As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.” (KJV) and their lives were prolonged I guess you are wondering what does this mean in reference to their dominion taken away and their lives were prolonged.
Drew: Yeah.
Pastor Ross: Yeah. I think the understanding there even from theologians is though Babylon was conquered by Medo-Persia the institution of Babylon was the city of Babylon it was under the control of Medo-Persia so their dominion was taken away and yet Babylon still existed for a time afterwards. The language continued the culture continued. You will remember the Jews were allowed to go back and under the Persian rule they were allowed to go back and rebuild the temple and so on. So even though these kingdoms fell they were allowed to exist under the dominion of the power that had conquered them.
Pastor Doug: I think it was after Alexander the Great that Babylon actually did totally fall. And it was never rebuilt from that time on.
Pastor Ross: Right, it was destroyed.
Pastor Doug: Thank you Drew. We are going to see if we can get one more question in before our mid program break.
Pastor Ross: We have Scott listening from California. Scott welcome to the program.
Scott: Hello how are you?
Pastor Doug: Doing great thanks for calling and your question?
Scott: My question is on Revelation 16: 2. It is actually on the mark of the beast. 2 “And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast and upon them which worshipped his image.” (KJV) And it is in relation to Monster Energy Drink and when that is going to be taken off the market. I don’t know why God puts up with it, but I learned that in a Revelation seminar. And my question is what the difference is between Revelation 16 is: 2 and verse 8?
Pastor Doug: Alright first of all just for our listeners and I think I have heard this before. You mentioned Monster Energy Drink is that because it has the three sixes on it?
Scott: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: And some people have associated that with 666? Yeah I have never had a Monster Energy Drink, but I have seen plenty of them. I hear it is kind of like high octane sugar and caffeine or something, but I don’t think that was the mark of the beast that John was talking about.
Scott: Okay.
Pastor Doug: When I was a young man the scuttle butt among the churches I was with was that Proctor and Gamble had something that looked like 666 in its company’s insignia. And it took a lot of heat for it and it was the first company that used bar codes and so I guess if your baby wore pampers it had the mark. But, these are really not the things that are talking about the mark I just wanted to make that clear.
Now you asked the question about Revelation 16: 2 so the first went and poured his bowl upon the earth and a foul and a loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and who worshipped the image. This is talking about one of the plagues, a noisome and grievous sore. By the way that is also very similar to the plague in Exodus 9 that fell upon the Egyptians and you were comparing that with what was the other verse Pastor Ross?
Pastor Ross: We are looking at verse 8.
Pastor Doug: 8 “And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.” (KJV) And I have heard some say this is further evidence that the ozone layer will be depleted and there are going to be heat waves and people are going to be scorched with great famine. And keep in mind when these plagues are falling in the last days. And as they do at this point probation is closed and God’s people are saved. It is interesting to note that there were ten plagues that fell on ancient Egypt. The Hebrews experienced the problems of the first three plagues. But, through the last seven plagues when there was darkness in Egypt there was not darkness near the oceans where the Hebrews were. And when there was a terrible hail in Egypt there was not a terrible hail in Israel where the Hebrews were. I am sorry near the oceans where the Israelites were.
And so God protected them through those seven last plagues and it is very interesting because in Revelation you only have seven plagues. Many of them are very similar to the plagues in Egypt. And God is going to protect His people and some churches teach that before the tribulation these seven plagues fall and the church gets raptured out of the world.
We believe that the rapture happens after this time of trouble and Jesus said you will be hated of all Nations for my name sake and he that endures until the end the same will be saved and endures what and Paul said it is through much tribulation that we enter the kingdom of God.
And so I believe that the church is going to be in the world at that time. But, we are not going to have to worry about the seven last plagues because God said neither will any plague come nigh your dwelling. God will take care of His people He will feed them and their bread and water will be sure and we don’t need to be afraid. Just be faithful. You are listening to “Bible Answers Live”.
Pastor Ross: Pastor Doug we are coming up on a break here in a few minutes. But, before we take the break we want to let our listeners know about something exciting that is about to begin in about three weeks from now October 31st. We are going to be in Albuquerque, New Mexico and we are both going to be there and it is going to be the launch of an end time Bible Prophecy seminar called “Landmarks of Prophecy”
Pastor Doug: Yeah and I can’t think of a better time to do this than right now with all that is happening in the world today right now. But, yes friends this is not just very relevant for people who are in Albuquerque. We be at the Pyramid Marriott Hotel in their main ballroom, but it will be broadcast around the world and the technology will allow it in high definition on You Tube and anyone who has high definition TV in their home and a decent internet connection and it will be on 3ABN on television around the world. As well as AFTV that is “Amazing Facts TV”. Just check out “Landmarks of Prophecy dot com” and you can participate. We’ll be back in just a few moments.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: Welcome back friends and call in with your Bible questions to 1-800-GOD-SAYs that is 1-800- 463-7297. Call with your Bible questions or question about living a Christian life. And what shall I more say? My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: My name is Jean Ross. And we will go straight to the phone lines and we have David who is listening in South Carolina and David welcome to the program. You are on the air.
David: Yeah how are you all doing?
Pastor Doug: Great and thank you for calling. And your question?
David: The question I have I was wondering if there is actually Scripture that says when you receive God’s Spirit or the Holy Spirit through salvation when you are accepting the Lord Jesus as your savior when do you actually receive the Holy Spirit?
Pastor Doug: Good question. It happens a variety of ways. If you look in Acts Chapter 2 in Peter’s great sermon after him the people said men and brethren what shall we do? Peter said, 38 “Repent and be baptized every one of you….” And this is verse 38, “…in the name of Jesus Christ every one of you and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” When we repent and turn to the lord we receive the Holy Spirit. Now it is the gift of the Holy Spirit that first brings us to repentance.
So please everybody just understand that the Holy Spirit can come in degrees. The apostles obviously had the Holy Spirit in their lives when they were following Jesus. But, they got a special filling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost that was above and beyond. It is the Spirit that brings us to conviction and it is while we are lost that the Holy Spirit can work in our lives to bring us to repentance of our sins. And the Holy Spirit may come in waves. It is a person. Not only did the Holy Spirit fall on the apostles in a special way in Acts Chapter 2 it happens again in Acts Chapter 4. They are praying and the pace is shaking and they are filed with the Holy Spirit and they speak the word of God with boldness. So the Holy came on Christ in a special way at His baptism. I am sure He had the Holy Spirit in Him before his baptism, but at His baptism he was anointed with the Holy Spirit.
Many times in the Bible it is just right before after or during baptism you see the Holy Spirit. In Acts Chapter 19 the Holy Spirit falls after these twelve men are baptized. In Acts Chapter 10 it happens to Cornelius and his family just before the baptism.
So I don’t want to give you too meandering of an answer, but we do have a free book we’ll send you. It is talking about the gift of the Holy Spirit and the need for the Holy Spirit. And it goes into all of this and all you have to do is ask. Would you like a copy?
David: Yes, sir.
Pastor Doug: We’d be happy to send one.
Pastor Ross: The number to call is 1-800-835-6747. And that is our free resource line. And you can ask for the book entitled “The Gift of the Holy Spirit”.
Pastor Doug: It is called “The Holy Spirit: the Need” and it deals with the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Ross: Right. “The Holy Spirit: the Need” just ask for the book on the Holy Spirit and we will be happy to send that to you again 1-800-835-6747. You can actually by the way read that online if you go to our website. Just go to “Amazing Facts dot org” or “dot com”. Our next caller is Jerry and Jerry is calling from Medford, Oregon. Jerry welcome to the program.
Jerry: Good evening and thank you Pastor Doug and Jean.
Pastor Doug: Good evening.
Jerry: My question refers t the cities in context of refuge and I find it described in Numbers 35. I kind of have a two phases or two aspects question. From what I get after reading this is the avenger of blood was obligated to pursue somebody who either purposely or accidently killed a relative.
Pastor Doug: Yes you are. I am sorry go ahead.
Jerry: And the first question about this is was one obligated to pursue a person who killed his relative if he was convinced it was an accident?
Pastor Doug: No. Now that and I know I have read that before and thought the same thing so you are in good company. But, what happened was and for our friends who are listening. The Israelites had a law that if there was an unintentional accident and two people were out in the woods and Moses uses this example cutting wood and one guy was swinging his maul and I use to sell and cut firewood for a living so I have seen some of this happen. Not with someone who got killed, but with the head flies off the handle and it can be pretty lethal. And so his neighbor is killed by accident and no one sees it and you wonder did they have an argument and one killed the other or was it really an accident.
Well the family was always so outraged. That the first born in the family that lost the loved one they didn’t have a police force back then. And a lot of the people were part of the army and so they were like the militia and if someone was really angry they might take someone out before they had a fair trial. But, there was a lot of protection of people if they were suspected of this.
Now If there was an accident and it was a good friend of the family and a good individual and he goes and says look something terrible has happened. We have had an accident. They wouldn’t have anything to fear, but if they need a place to flee and they have not and a fair trial they could go to one of these six cities of refuge. They ended up with seven cities of refuge and Jerusalem became one.
For instance when Adonikam and Joabe were afraid of being slain they ran into the temple and grabbed a hold of the horns of the altar and that was supposed to be sanctuary. So they could go to the city of refuge and remain there until the death of the High Priest.
Jerry: That leads into my second question. During the death of the High Priest which it could be tomorrow or forty years in the future?
Pastor Doug: Exactly.
Jerry: I don’t quite get the equity of that.
Pastor Doug: Well I mean I understand and it would mean they could be alive, but they had to stay in the city. One example in the Bible of that that I know of is there is someone who had curse King David when he was running from his rebellious Absalom. And when David was dying he told Solomon don’t let him off too easy. And Solomon told Shemium and you can’t leave Jerusalem and you will live. And after three years he couldn’t take it anymore and he left the city and Solomon heard about it and he died. So yeah it could be hard if you had a young healthy priest, but usually the high priest didn’t come up to office until he was up in years. So they lasted about as long as a pope. And I think Pope John Paul the 11 was one of the longest reigning popes and he was twenty something years. Anyway that is a long answer to a good question Jerry. I have an article you can read at the “Amazing Facts” website where you can just search the articles, “City of Refuge”. And I think you will enjoy it because it is a great study. I enjoyed it anyway. Thank you.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Samuel and he is listening from New York Samuel welcome to the program.
Samuel: God bless you Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: God bless you and your question?
Samuel: Yeah this is my first time calling.
Pastor Doug: Thank you for calling.
Samuel: I just wanted to share two verses that I want you to explain to me. They are real short so it is Ephesians Chapter 2:15 and Colossians Chapter 2: 14.
Pastor Ross: I can read it from right here. Ephesians Chapter 2: 15 “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity that is the law of commands and ordinances so as to create himself one new man from the two making peace.”
Pastor Doug: Alright do you want me to address that first or go to the next verse?
Samuel: Yeah go to the next verse.
Pastor Doug: And the other one is where? Colossians 2: 14 okay. Go ahead Jean.
Pastor Ross: 14 “Blotting out the handwritten requirements that was against us, that was common which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross”
Pastor Doug: So your question is what was nailed to the cross? And what was wiped out?
Samuel: Well yeah what you just read there.
Pastor Doug: Yeah there are two branches of the law. There was what they called the moral law which is in the Ten Commandments. And then there was the law it says there in Ephesians contained in ordinances. If you read in Deuteronomy Chapter 4 it says that God declared His covenant to them. Even Ten Commandments and God gave Moses at that time statutes and ordinances. And so you have got two different laws. You have got the ordinances which are related to the sanctuary and the services and circumcision and then you have the Ten Commandments spoken by God written on stone.
When Jesus died the veil in the temple was ripped from top to bottom. Symbolizing we don’t need to sacrifice lambs anymore. That we don’t need the earthly priesthood anymore because Christ is our high priest and so all the commandments contained in ordinances were abolished and nailed to the cross. You know you can nail paper to a piece of wood. You can’t nail stone very well. The Ten Commandments are written by God, spoken by God, written on stone. It’s an eternal law.
So Paul is making this distinction and one reason he is saying this and back in his day some of the Jewish Christians were telling the new Gentile Christians the Greeks and Romans that had been accepting Jesus that you have to keep all these Jewish laws. You have got to be circumcised and you know you have to continue to keep the Jewish feasts and Paul said look, those annual Sabbaths and circumcision and the sacrificing of the lamb this is all nailed to the cross. Jesus has abolished those things and so that is really what he is dealing with in these verses here. Does that make sense?
Samuel: It does make sense so how about the Sabbath?
Pastor Doug: Well my response to that question is always why worry about is it is one of the Ten Commandments and can you think of any of the other Ten Commandments that a Christian is not obligated to keep? If we look at the commandment that says don’t worship idols, don’t take God’s name in vain, don’t covet, kill or commit adultery and so forth those are eternal principles. And having a specific Holy Day that is set aside to worship God of a day that He has blessed why would that be done away with. I mean we need that more now than ever.
Samuel: It is in the Bible let no man judge a new moon shall be a day or holiday.
Pastor Doug: Actually you are tackling about in Romans Chapter 14 it says let no man judge you regarding the Sabbath days and he is talking about the annual Sabbath days and they were written by Moses on paper and they passed away. The seventh day Sabbath if you read your Bible the second Chapter of the Bible when God is creating the world on the seventh day it says that God blessed it. And it says in Isaiah 66 that we are going to keep that even through eternity.
Pastor Ross: You know the ceremonial Sabbaths that you mention Pastor Doug they were different from seventh day Sabbath. The ceremonial Sabbaths were attached to a specific day in the calendar so it could move throughout the week come a Monday or a Tuesday or a Wednesday or a Thursday. When a ceremonial Sabbath fell on a seventh day Sabbath it was considered a high Sabbath. It just so happened on the Sabbath that Jesus was crucified on a Friday and the next day was a Sabbath and the Passover Sabbath so that was considered a high Sabbath. So those ceremonial Sabbaths which all pointed forward to Christ and the work Christ did when He was here or His work as a High Priest in Heaven that had a shadowing of something that Christ would do. Those things came to an end and that is what Paul is referring to there here in Romans. He wasn’t talking about the seventh day Sabbath because that goes all the way back to creation. And that reminds us that God is our creator.
Pastor Doug: Yeah and that is why Jesus also said in Hebrew Chapter 4 there remains therefore the keeping of the Sabbath for the people of God.
Pastor Ross: You know we have a book dealing with this called “Feast Days and Sabbaths”. And I think Sam you will enjoy reading that and anyone who wants to learn more about this we will send it to you for free. If you call our resource line it is just 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the book “Feast Days and Sabbaths”. We will be happy to send that to you if you want it.
Pastor Doug: You can also read that at the website.
Pastor Ross: Yeah that is right at a website called “Sabbath Truth”.
Pastor Doug: The “Sabbath Truth” has just about everything you can think of to know what does the Bible say about the seventh day Sabbath?
Pastor Ross: “Sabbath Truth dot com”.
Pastor Doug: Thank you for your call Samuel.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Daniel and Daniel is calling from New Mexico. Daniel welcome to the program.
Daniel: Hello thank you gentlemen for that.
Pastor Doug: Hey thanks for calling. Are you anywhere near Albuquerque?
Daniel: I just drove from Las Vegas actually. I am on my way home.
Pastor Doug: Okay and your question please?
Daniel: Yeah the question is I have heard three different stories on this. I’ve heard that you can get saved just by asking god into your heart. I’ve heard that you can get saved by asking God into your hart, but you need to be baptized to solidify it out of obedience. And then I have heard you don’t get saved unless you are baptized at the point of salvation and that you will die I your sins if you don’t get baptized. Which one is the most accurate Biblically spoken?
Pastor Doug: alright good question. Well first off salivation is not dependent on baptism anymore than salvation is dependent on the Sabbath or any other laws. We’re saved by grace and the thief on the cross when Jesus saved Him was a great illustration of this. He said you are going to be saved and I am telling you today you are going to be with me in paradise. Yet that thief did not come down from the cross and did not as far as we know pay back people he had robbed or it wasn’t his good works or it wasn’t his baptism. He was saved by accepting Jesus, but after we accept Jesus if we want to keep our salvation we will obey what He is asking us to do which is in other words we can’t say I accept Christ, but I am not going to listen to him. So we are saved by a free gift, but then I would assume if you love the Lord and you are saved then why wouldn’t you want to be baptized? If Jesus said be baptized. Why wouldn’t you want to obey His commandments? He said if you love me keep my commandments and that is in John 14.
So it is not that get baptized and then you are saved. It is accepting Jesus and then there will be people I know of that accept the Lord in the hospital room and they couldn’t get baptized because they were dying and we prayed together and I expect to see them in the kingdom. I think Jesus will give them credit for His baptism.
Pastor Ross: You know the question is if we receive Jesus as our Savior and we love Him and He said be baptized and at His own baptism the Father said, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” And we know that pleases God when we follow the example of Jesus so yes we want to publically declare our allegiance that we are on Christ’s side and that is what baptism is.
Now again if somebody cannot be baptized because of physical conditions or sickness or just whatever is going on God understands. But, if we can be baptized and yet we refuse to be baptized then maybe that is an indication that something is not right in our relationship with Christ.
Pastor Doug: Yeah right. Jesus said whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. That is pretty clear and important aspect, but the salvation is not triggered by baptism. Salvation is triggered by the surrender of the heart and by the promise of God. Thank you very much and I hope that helps Daniel and we do have a book that talks about Baptism. “Baptism is it Necessary” and a perfect book for this question. “Baptism is it Necessary” we will send it to you for free or you can read it online.
Pastor Ross: The number to call is 1-800-835-6747. And again just ask for the book called “Baptism is it Necessary” we’d be happy to send it out to anyone who calls and asks for it. Our next caller is Samantha and she is listening from Oklahoma City. Samantha you are on the air.
Samantha: I am hi.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Pastor Ross: Hi.
Pastor Doug: And your question?
Samantha: Okay I have two questions and my first one is I have been reading a certain author that has written a couple of books. And one has to do with Shemittah. Am I saying that right the Shemittah?
Pastor Doug: I am not sure, but what is this about?
Samantha: It is about where you can own and farm the land for six years and then the seventh year you let the earth rest.
Pastor Doug: Oh umm-hmm.
Samantha: IS that the Shemittah?
Pastor Doug: Well that might be the Shabbat. But, it is just a Hebrew way of saying Sabbath.
Samantha: So anyway this author is basically saying that September of this year until September of 2015 we are in the Shemittah I guess.
Pastor Doug: Where the land is supposed to rest.
Samantha: Yeah so if we don’t rest it is supposed to be like a lot of judgment and stuff like what happened in Isaiah.
Pastor Doug: Well that goes—I am sorry I understand what you are saying and I didn’t mean to interrupt.
Samantha: You’re fine.
Pastor Doug: Well do you know that all the way back in the time of Moses one of the laws that they gave and this is a unique law it is not a bad idea. Is that they were to farm the land for six years and then they were to let it rest the seventh year that the land might recover. Now George Washington Carver, a famous American agricultural scientist, realized that the cotton growers in the South were ruining the ground by over farming I and not revitalizing it by you know not letting the nitrogen go back and he started planting sweet potatoes and peanuts and that is why peanut butter became so famous is because of him. As he was looking for different ways he could use peanuts. But, he just understood that when God said you need to leave the land fallow for a year so that it can build up a nitrogen level and rest and what that year was that they were to start and we assume was the Exodus. We are not exactly sure what that year was. “Amazing Facts” just got done dong an elaborate timeline and we just did a lot of research. Matter of fact you can just go to “Bible History dot com” and you will see the amazing timeline there if you will let me perform a shameless plug here.
Samantha: Yes I have been on it and it is nice.
Pastor Doug: But, just so thinking this is one of those Sabbath years and we don’t know that or why wouldn’t there be a judgment every seventh year by all the way back in time?
Samantha: Right.
Pastor Ross: Well I think there were some practical reasons for it. Number one it was good for the land. You know to allow the land to lay dormant for a year. It allowed sort of revitalization of the soil. Secondly you know some of the plants would begin to grow and there was an opportunity for the poor people to kind of glean of the things that grew up all by itself. So that was one way to try and help the poor of the people and it was also sort of a reminder of the importance of rest and of course every week you have the seventh day Sabbath.
The people were to rest and they were to remember that was a type of rest to be resting in the work that God was doing for them and trusting in Him. So this work the land for six years and rest on the seventh was an important principle and if Israel followed the principle that God had given them God promised to bless their harvest and bless their crops and the land was fruitful.
Pastor Doug: Yeah and they would usually have a very good year the sixth year just like on the six day week you give them bread and they would often have a very good year the sixth year so that would sustain them through the seventh year. And again the family time and anyway I don’t know if you have read books that say we’re happening to enter now into one of these—by the way this is Yom Kippur now.
Samantha: Right.
Pastor Doug: So this is the end of the Jewish year right about now. Thank you for your call Samantha. We are going to see if we can squeeze in one more call before the program evaporates.
Pastor Ross: We have Jessica listening form Florida. Jessica you are on the air.
Jessica: Good evening Pastors I just wanted to talk about Matthew 16: 28 can you explain it or I just miss a word in here?
Pastor Doug: Matthew 16:28 this is where assuredly I say to you that some of you here will not taste death in his kingdom. Jesus was getting ready to take them up a mountain where Moses and Elijah would appear. And this was a miniature picture and they were not going to die before they had this miniature picture of His coming Kingdom. And so the experience on the Mount of Transfiguration was similar to what it will be like when He comes. The voice of the Father is there. He is surrounded by glory and clouds. Moses represents those who died and are resurrected. Elijah represents those who are translated without having seen death that will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So this whole experience is like a miniature picture of the second coming. That is what Jesus is saying in verse 28. Some of you here Peter, James and John you will not die until you have seen a miniature picture a microcosm of the second coming and that is what happened at the Mount of Transfiguration. Jessica we have a book on that and we will send you a copy of it called “The Two Witnesses”. It is all about the Mont of Transfiguration experience. And it explains why Christ made this cryptic statement that you find in Mark Chapter 9 and Luke Chapter 9 as well in the book of Matthew.
Pastor Ross: The number to call for that book is 1-800-835-6747. You can ask for the book “The Two Witnesses”. We will be happy to send it to you Jessica or anyone who calls and asks for it.
Pastor Doug: Oh listening friends. If we didn’t get to your call tonight I just want to be fair in the last 45seconds and not take a call and try to squeeze in and answer. Give us another chance by calling next week and God wiling we will be back here on the air doing our best to study the word of God together and we sure appreciate this opportunity. Pastor Ross and I we always try to stop whatever we are doing and if we are out of town we try and fly back so we can be here just to study the bible with our friends across the country. And as you know this show is entirely 100% with no artificial preservatives supported by you so it is the real McCoy. No organization. Corporation, denomination you listening keep it on the air. If you are one of our amazing friends that support “Amazing Facts” thank you. If not, consider being one. Go to the website it is simply “Amazing Facts dot org” and in the meantime we look forward to talking together again next week. God bless.
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