Doug Batchelor: Hello friends, this is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? People were in awe back in 2013 when Harvard University scientists created a miniature flying robot about the size of a quarter. The robot fly which was built from carbon fiber weighed about a fraction of a gram and had super-fast electric muscles to power its little buzzing wings. Of course, the robotic insect still needed a fine wire connected to an external power source in order to fly. Scientists would probably find building something like a real honeybee much more complicated.
For example, if you wanted to build a honeybee, you would need a built-in clock, a polarized light sensor, a device to measure true vertical, a sun angle as math, a computer for wind calculations and extremely sensitive sense smelling and selecting computer, weather detecting instruments and a computer to convert all of that input into useful data for making decisions about hunting flowers, checking the quality of the nectar in the blossoms, calculating the number of such flowers, returning to the hive and informing the rest of the bees in the colony of the precise location, distance, quality and quantity of the nectar bearing flowers.
And supposing that you could find all the components that you’d need to make that, you're still faced with a daunting challenge of fitting all of that equipment into a machine about half an inch long. And don't forget, you'd still have to allow enough room for the engine, the fuel, the cooling system and the landing gear, and baggage compartment for transporting the nectar and the pollen. And because the services of a ground crew aren't available, you'd also need to build a self-cleaning system. Finally, you need to incorporate an effective defense mechanism to protect your bionic bee from enemies.
And the, of course, you need to install an internal replication system so the bee can reproduce itself when the machinery wears out. Are you ready to become a bionic bee builder or are you satisfied leaving this job to God? Stay with us friends we're going to learn more as amazing facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug: Welcome listening friends to Bible Answers Live and I'm always excited about a new adventure in Bible study. You'd like to join with a Bible question, we have lines open. The number, free phone call, of course, is 800 God says. That translates into 800-463-7297. Maybe you were not ready, here you go, if got a Bible question, this is the program where we talk about any Bible related question. Not claiming to have all the answers but we’ll study him together. The number's 800-463-7297. And my name is Doug Batchelor, Pastor Jëan Ross is-- I think he's over the ocean somewhere on his way to South Africa.
Anyway, friends, we're going to take your questions and we have lines open, 800-463-7297. Let's start with a word of prayer. Father in heaven, thank you so much for this opportunity to come together with friends across the country and even other parts of the world to open your word and study, to better understand what is truth. Please bless every aspect of this program so that Jesus might be exalted and lives might be changed. We pray in Christ's name. Amen. You know friends I need to tell you, Karen my wife, she read this amazing fact about the bionic bee.
I amalgamated it a little bit with some things I read about tiny flying robots that were built. But it is amazing when you think about how sophisticated something as simple as, well we found out it's not so simple, a little humble Bumblebee, honey bee. All the equipment that God has built in, all the calculations that a bee needs to make and God manages to fit it in just this little bit creature that's about half an inch long. And helps you understand what Job meant when he says in Job 9:10. Speaking of God, it says, "He does great things past finding out". Yes, wonders without number and the world around us in nature.
And in the cosmos we see just tremendous evidence of the power of God, the wisdom of God in the things that He has made. And if you'd like to be encouraged and inspired with this mighty God that is so brilliant that he can make such intricate, complicated, organized systematic creations, trusting that he can watch over your life, we have a special book we'd like to send you for free as a gift. All you have to do is call and ask. It's called Amazing Wonders of Creation written by Joe Cruz, the founder of Amazing Facts. Amazing Wonders of Creation and will send that to you.
You can even read it right now for free online and be inspired. Just go to amazingfacts.org. Amazingfacts.org will send you a free copy of that book. Once again if you like to call in with a question for tonight's program, that is a different number. That number is 800-463-7297 and we're going to go to the phones now. So, starting with Chantelle in Salem Oregon and your question Chantelle.
Chantelle: Hi, good evening? Thank you for taking my call.
Pastor Doug: Yes, pleasure.
Chantelle: There are times that I struggle with worries and unpleasant thoughts and unwanted thoughts about problems. And I've been asking God to control my thoughts and redirect my thoughts. I thought that might be the best quickest way but it's not working as often as I'd like. So, what else can I do?
Pastor Doug: Well, you're asking a very important and a very relevant question that I think everybody listening can resonate with myself included. All of us, our minds are prone to wander and you think about all kinds of things. Now typically, your minds will compose their creative thoughts based on the input that you have. And the better your input, the better your thinking. That's what Paul tells us in Philippians. “Whatever things are good and noble and true and pure, think on these things.” And so as far as possible, try to overcome evil with good, that's another quote from Paul.
An example would be, I was in the world for a good part of my early life and listen to all kinds of music that probably wasn't good for me spiritually. And I recognize those songs, songs are easy to remember. And but they're out of your mind and you doing fine. So, I go through the market also and I hear one of these old songs that has a bad message to it for a Christian. And I get it in my head because some of them are catchy. Well, the thing to do is when I recognize that, I say, "You know, I'm going to start singing a good song", and so I overcome evil by good.
And so it's a discipline of learning to concentrate and focus your thinking and it is an ongoing battle. And it's the most important battle because you know what the Lord wants is purity of heart. "Blessed are the pure in heart, they will see God" I think Zig Ziglar used to say, "We're all plagued with stinking thinking". And it takes practice and it takes prayer to fill your mind with good things and to meditate on those things that are good and noble and true. And so, feeding on good spiritual material and I actually wrote a book that is called Who Do You Think You Are?
Who Do You Think You Are? It's filled basically with answers on this question about how you can focus your faith and I didn't write it because I have all the answers, I wrote because I have the same struggles as everyone else with your mind thinking all kinds of bizarre things. But if you want to call amazing facts and ask for a copy that book Who Do You Think You Are?, I will send that to you Chantelle. I'll trust it'll be a blessing.
Chantelle: Okay, thank you.
Pastor Doug: All right, God bless. Appreciate your call. With that, we're going to go to Gilbert calling from New York. And Gilbert, you're on the air listening on WMCA.
Gilbert: Yes, I have a question about Job 1:5. It says that Job's children cursed God and I'm not saying that he did not repent. So, what's going happen to Job's children? It is that we all know because the Bible does not say what happened. Is that true or what? I don't understand.
Pastor Doug: Well, yes, you read in Job Chapter One. It says that his sons and daughters would come together on their appointed day and, the word appointed is not in there, it's assuming it means on their birthday, during their annual celebration or they may even have a rotation where during the month they go eat at their sibling’s homes and they celebrate together maybe even been some other religious feast but in the process when job says it maybe. Doesn't say they did.
You'll notice it says maybe that they have cursed God in their hearts. That they were not doing it outwardly but just disdain God or sin in their hearts. Job would call him together and he, as the priest of the family he would sacrifice in their behalf to just intercede for them and ask for their mercy and bring them back to God. So, Job was always making atonement and offering sacrifice for his children and trying to be a good father. Doesn't say his children were lost. Like any parent, you realize. Like any person that we can say and do things where in our hearts we're doing things that displease God. That's all that meant.
So, hey I appreciate your call Gilbert. I hope that was helpful a little bit. And I appreciate your question. We do have a Bible study series. And if you've never seen that before, you can go to the amazing facts website and sign up for our free Bible study series. And you'll find some good illustrations there on the sacrificial system and what that was all about. And that's in amazingfacts.org. Appreciate your call.
Going to talk next with Debra, who's calling from Riverside California. I was down in Southern California this morning. How are you doing Debra you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Debra: Hi Pastor Doug. Thank you for taking my call.
Pastor Doug: Yes. And your question.
Debra: Yes. My question is about what does the Bible say about forgiveness? If a situation comes up where we have to forgive an unbeliever, and if it's in our best interest not to continue and fellowship with that person. Do the Bible say we have to continue in fellowship? I ask that because if there's other unbelievers watching the situation, they may see the non-fellowship as being unforgiving and can cause them to stumble. So, I wanted to find out how do we handle situations like that.
Pastor Doug: Well there's nothing in the Bible that says that you are required to stay in fellowship with anybody. If you've got a brother and sister, you want to do all you can to show some unity and support. Jesus does say in Matthew 18 that you should try and be reconciled if you can. But there's also Psalm 1 that says blessed is the man or the woman obviously, who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly or sits in the seat of the scornful. There are people you want to avoid. Because they're dragging you backwards spiritually.
So, you're not required to if somebody is being a bad example or someone has proven themselves untrustworthy, you don't want to be bitter. You should learn how to just forgive them in your heart and whether they forgive or not it's up to them. But you just might need to move on and carry on your life with different relationships. So, if a person's open to witnessing and you're sharing with them and you're trying to help them and they're receptive. Then it's showing fruit.
If that person is just discouraging you and dragging you back, you might just have to have the same cordial relationship with that you have with all people. But you don't have to--
Debra: Even if that's a relative discontinue or cordial?
Pastor Doug: Yes. Even sometimes with relatives. If they're unbelievers it can be-- You need to honor your father and mother. And you want to try and stay connected with your siblings and your family. Sometimes when believers get together with unbelievers it can be stressful. Because you hear them maybe use God's name in vain. Or you see that they're drinking and whatever and it can be awkward at times. So, you just got to pray for grace in every situation. You pray for wisdom and tact and diplomacy [laughs] And sometimes you're challenged to a-- Christians are in a foreign country. We're ambassadors of another world.
Debra: Yes. Something like that yes. [laughs]
Pastor Doug: And it's a challenge sometimes. So, you just pray for grace. And it's often these situations become opportunities to witness for others. So you'll just have to pray for the spirit to guide you in each specific situation.
Debra: Okay. Thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Alright Debra. Appreciate your question. Thank you very much. With that that opens up another phone line. Friends if you'd like to call in tonight's program Bible Answers Live the number is 800-463-7297.
We're going to talk next with David, who's calling from Michigan. Listening on WMUZ. David you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
David: Good evening pastor Doug. God bless.
Pastor Doug: Blessings.
David: Thankful to the Lord Jesus Christ for his gift of life. There's a verse of scripture in my mind from 1st Corinthians 15 to be thankful. To realize that in Christ our new life that we receive from him is a gift. And that it's a gift from the Lord of heaven. And so, our life is an ongoing learning experience from the Lord and son. So I'm so thankful for the teaching, the instruction and the ways in which he guides us.
I have a question, in the book of Deuteronomy 12:13 - 14 says, "Take heed to yourself that you offer not your burnt offerings in every place you see. But in the place which the Lord shall choose in one of your tribes. There shall you offer your burnt offerings. And there you shall do all that I command you." My question is, I read in some of these Old Testament Scriptures and I believe Jesus has fulfilled a lot of things in the Old Testament that we can go back and learn from. I read about some of these offerings that are mentioned here. Like burnt offerings or heave offerings or several other different kinds of offerings. Especially mentioned in the Book of Leviticus.
How do I properly understand what God's talking about, about these offerings that we should understand?
Pastor Doug: All right. We'll start with your question on the verse in particular on Deuteronomy 12:14. God had said through Moses that when they entered the Promised Land, that he would designate a particular place among the 12 tribes that would be the central place during their annual feasts.
Because God had certain feasts that were in the Levitical law and you find that in Leviticus 23:23 he outlines the feasts there. That they would all convene to one location, to a sanctuary. The mobile tabernacle that they built in the wilderness, they knew it was temporary. I mean God built a mobile version because they were a mobile nation.
Once they settled in the Promised Land, God said there would be a place. That place was not revealed until the time of David when there had been a revival. And the people had turned back to God. And it ended up being on Mount Moriah where today you have the Dome of the rock. The Temple of Solomon was built and it was called the threshing floor of Ornan. And that became the central location where they brought their sacrifices. Now what does that mean for us today? Well, there's a lot that we can learn from each one of the feasts. They had their fall feasts and they had their spring feasts.
Each one of the feasts, tells something about Jesus. Each one of the feasts says something about the plan of salvation. The last piece of the year what they call today Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement was sort of like a final judgment where God would separate his people as a nation from their sins. And then you had the Passover which was a time of great deliverance. It was to be among their early feasts. And of course, Jesus was crucified as the Lamb of God on the Passover. When the children of Israel sacrificed the lamb and it represented the angel of judgment went by.
Because of the lamb Jesus, because of the blood of Christ, that angel of judgment goes by us, who have all committed sin. I can't probably take time right now to go through each one of the feasts. But we do have a free book we'll be happy to give you about feast days and Sabbaths. And if you call the resource number, which is 800-835-6747. By the way friends we are also, if you want prayer we have chaplains available at that number. You can just call and ask for prayer. One more 800-835-6747 and David asked for the book on feast days and Sabbath.
I've also preached a sermon, called Jesus in the feast days. If you go to the amazing facts website. And you type that in I think it'll take you to the … that's a YouTube or a DVD you can watch right there on the website or download it on Jesus and the feast days. If I'm not mistaken, it's been a few years. I think it's actually two messages that I did. But I appreciate your question. There's a lot to learn from those Old Testament feasts. Thank you. We're going to talk next with Alex. Alex is listening on line eight. You there Alex?
Alex: Hey.
Pastor Doug: Hey and your question tonight.
Alex: My question is why didn't-- I mean yes Aaron got punished for making the golden calf and also when he spoke against Moses with Miriam. Why didn't God punish him?
Pastor Doug: Why did God punish him or why didn't God punish him?
Alex: Why didn't God punish him?
Pastor Doug: Yes, because that's what I was going to say. The Lord didn't punish him. Well, in a sense, he was punished. I mean Aaron was rebuked for his sin. He gave in to the pressure. It was never Aaron's idea let's make a golden calf because after all, it's his brother that's up the mountain. He's trying to prevent, and I'm not justifying what he's done. I'm just thinking that he was probably trying to prevent an all-out rebellion among the people and having them go back and maybe was stalling and they said let's make us other gods, and he let them do this and Moses said to Aaron, he was rebuked he says “You’ve cause the people to commit a great sin. There was a slaughter among the people because of it.
Now, years later Miriam evidently was jealous because this is Moses had married and Ethiopian woman and maybe Mariam who was the older sister of Aaron and Moses, she was a prophetess. Maybe she began to resent that Moses wasn't coming to her for more information and maybe Moses’ wife, this may have been Zipporah we're not sure but maybe she was beginning to give Moses advice and Miriam was jealous. For whatever reason, Miriam began to give Moses a hard time and said, “Look, God can speak through me too and you and you’re not consulting me.”
The Lord said look, “I've chosen Moses for what he's doing.” And he temporarily punished Miriam, she was struck with leprosy. Aaron and Moses both interceded in her behalf, she had it for seven days and then she was healed. Marion lived to almost 123 years, she had a full long life but the reason I think that God did not do anything massive to Aaron-- I don't know if you remember Aaron had four sons but two of his sons Hophni and Phineas, they were struck down for offering strange fire before the Lord.
They did suffer a terrible plague and Aaron was broken hearted. Because Aaron was a high Priest God said, “You cannot tear your robes, you are the priests you represent Christ.” Aaron had plenty of sorrow in his life losing two of his boys. I hope that helps a little bit, Alex, I appreciate your question tonight. You can find more on the story of the golden calf, I've got a message on that again at amazingfacts.org and it talks about Exodus 32 where this experience took place. With that, that opens another line. By the way friends, we want to keep folks coming.
With your phone calls and bible questions at 800-463-7297 and we're going to be talking to Danny calling from Minnesota. Danny you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Danny: Hello Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Hi, how are you doing?
Danny: [unintelligible 00:22:30] tonight, I’m doing fine. My question is about God the father in Reality to God the son. And in reality, God the son knowing he was going to walk into his own death commit suicide. I think about Abraham and Isaac when Abraham was going to sacrifice a human being his son and of course he was stopped we all know that. But if you had sacrificed him, wouldn’t that have been a sin? Didn’t God the Father commit a sin sacrificing his own son?
Pastor Doug: Well you're asking a lot of important questions. Let's start with the first question that you asked which is did God kill Jesus God the Father? My answer would be no. First of all, Jesus says, “I'm laying my life down.” He was a sacrifice. On the day of Pentecost Peter actually says “You speaking to the nation.” He said, “You killed God's Son. You killed the Messiah.” The blame for what happened is clearly laid at the feet of those that handed him over to the Romans. The Romans actually carried out the execution, Pilot was prepared to let him go, the religious leaders inspired the mob to shout crucify Him.
Jesus was a willing sacrifice because he told Peter, “Look, don't you know I can speak to my father and he'll send 12 legions of angels to deliver me?” But he didn't. He willingly allowed this to happen to save us. Nothing was harder for the Father than not to intervene and save his son but there's that verse, “God the Father so loved the world he gave his son.” Meaning he gave his Son into the hands of this world. Demon inspired mob that was going to torture him and kill him. The father didn't do it but the father withdrew his protection.
Now if you look in Isaiah 53, you know that famous Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah. It actually says that, it pleased the father to wound and to bruise him for our sakes. That when we make his soul a sacrifice for our sins, our God will prosper us, he’ll bless us. It says “We esteemed him we stricken, smitten by God and afflicted.” look like God was punishing him but God is really withdrew. It says, “He was wounded for our transgressions” and it says “The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Psalm 53 really gives us a pretty good picture but the devil did it through the mob. The devil wanted to destroy Jesus.
Danny: Pastor thank you very much for the explanation.
Pastor Doug: All right well thank you appreciate your question and we do have a free book would be happy to send it Danny. It's called the high cost of the cross. The high cost of the cross, this is a different phone number this is our chaplain and our resource line. If you call 800-835-6747 then ask for that book or you can read it online, the high cost of the cross@ amazing facts.org. For those who want to call in with their bible question that opens another line 800-463-7297 brings your bible question into the studio. We're going to take one more question before the break probably and talk to Michael in Sterling Colorado. Michael, you are on the air with Bible Answers Live,
Michael: Good evening.
Pastor Doug: Evening
Michael: I'd like first of all just say thank you to you and the folks there at amazing facts for bringing us the truth.
Pastor Doug: Well blessing your heart is our joy.
Michael: My question has to do with certain Christian denominations, have what they call the whole week days of obligation. The Fourth Commandment says to remember the whole bit of the Sabbath day, is there any other such thing that we are supposed to remember or honour or any other days such as that.
Pastor Doug: Well biblically there are only two different kinds of days that are set. You've got the Sabbath day that you find the 10 Commandments it goes back to creation so that's not something that was part of a ceremonial law because that existed for Adam and Eve before there were any Jews. Then you had the annual feasts that God gave to the Jewish nation that were really fulfilled in Christ. That's why it says in Colossians 2 that there were certain feast days and Sabbaths that were nailed to the cross they were written by Moses hand on paper. 10 commandments were written on stone so there really is no other day.
There's nothing wrong with keeping if someone wants to remember some a holiday like Thanksgiving as a family time or to have a tradition as long as they don't violate the commandments of God, there's nothing wrong with having get togethers and celebrations but there's no other biblical day that is mandated that must be kept as a holy day other than the Sabbath day of the week. So, I appreciate your question. You are listening friends to Bible Answers Live.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: Welcome back listening friends. If you tuned in somewhere along the way, I gather you've picked up by now. This is Bible Answers Live and you're invited. It's a live program. Call in with your bible questions. One more time number 1800-356-747. My name is Doug Batchelor. My regular co-host Pastor John Ross is on his way to some revival meetings and an evangelism training in South Africa with our, we call it our AFCO team. And that stands for the Amazing Facts College of Evangelism. And so they're going down there to do some missionary and evangelism training and he'll be back soon.
In the meantime, you all pray for me as I do my best with our team here to do the octopus thing. Well, I'm looking at my computer and I'm pressing phone buttons and turning dials up. With that picture in your mind, we're going to go to our next caller who is Terry calling from the Virgin Islands listening on 97.9. Terry you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Terry: [unintelligible 00:30:34] I have a question about Daniel 9:27 and the Colossians 2:14-
Pastor Doug: All right. Did you want me to read those verses or do you want to read them?
Speaker 2: You can read them, I don't have my bible here.
Pastor Doug: All right, so first one was Daniel 9:27?
Terry: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Okay, it says here, “Then, he will confirm the covenant with many for one week. But in the middle of the week, he will bring an end to the sacrifice and offering.” Is that the part you wanted?
Terry: Yes, all right. You said something about the sacrifice and be a blessing to-
Pastor Doug: Yes, and then all the wings of abomination shall one make desolate even until the consummation which is determined is poured out on the desolate. That's the last part of the chapter. So, your question, you want to go also to Colossians?
Terry: Yes, about the ordinances.
Pastor Doug: Colossians, do you want to go maybe probably 2:13 or something? And let me read that for you.
Terry: 14.
Pastor Doug: 14 is what you want? Okay.
Terry: Yes 2:14
Pastor Doug: Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements or ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us, he's taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Is that the part you want?
Terry: What I need to know is, is it still necessary to pay tithes or is it charity we should be paying?
Pastor Doug: All right, good question.
Terry: Or is it the church?
Pastor Doug: Yes, in the Bible, there is a pattern that God establishes for how we return offerings to the service of God. And the Jewish way of doing it was very practical in that they would give a percentage of their increase. And it wasn't just a percentage of everything they had a year after year because if they did increase that would weigh down the people so they would have less and less every year. But God bless them and they promised a percentage of the increase from their crops and their herds and so forth. That was called tithe because it came from the word a tenth. And so, they would give a tenth. Now that actually predates the nation of Israel.
You find Abraham, he gave a tithe of everything to Melchizedek, the priest of God. Melchizedek was not a Jewish priest. He was a priest of Jehovah; the Jews didn't even exist back then. Then Jacob, and keep in mind the Jewish nation really is born years later after Moses. Jacob, he gives a tithe of everything. He commits to God, he makes a vow. So, tithing goes back and predates the nation of Israel. And so, in the in the New Testament, tithing is not taught so much as in Old Testament ceremonial ordinance.
Though it was part of that, Jesus said to the religious leaders, and this is if you look at the New Testament, Terry, if you look in Matthew 23:23, Jesus said, "You pay tithes of your mint and your anise and cumin but you've have omitted the weightier matters of the law such as justice, mercy, and faith. And these you ought to have done and not leave the other undone". So, he said don't forget to do the other. Meaning paying tithe but don't put your emphasis on that are just the minuscule things.
If you go into the book of Acts and you see, how did the early church give. Did they give a tenth? You begin to find out it was actually much more than that. And so-
Terry: [unintelligible 00:34:04]
Pastor Doug: Yes, they were giving the houses and lands and-
Terry: It might actually be more.
Pastor Doug: Yes, so you-- let me read just like the last-- here I will read verse 33 in Acts 4. No, I will read verse 34. "Nor was there any among them who lacked. For all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold and laid them at the Apostles feet". So, they're not given 10% of their increase, they are making incredible sacrifices and they're liquidating their property to spread the gospel. So, I would think that a bare minimum for Christians today would be, well, where do I start?
Tithe is a good place to start. It's a simple principle. God is not asking us to give what we don't have but if he's blessed and we have an increase, we give a tenth. And that goes towards the proclamation of the Gospel that others can be saved. And so, on that He promises a blessing, it's not a bad thing. He says and Malachi 3 that if we faithfully bring the tithes into the storehouse, he will open the windows of heaven for us and pour out a blessing so there's not room enough to receive it.
So, I would say to anyone who's wondering about that, I've been practicing tithe paying our family for over 35-40 years and God just keeps blessing. So you can't out give God. The lesson we’ll send you for free Terry is called In God We Trust. If you call our resource line 8008356747, they will send you a free copy. They'll have prayer with you as well. That's 8008356747. And you can also read it for free online and that's by going to amazingfacts.org and look for our study guides. In God we trust, you'll read it.
That'll help anyone who's wondering what does the Bible teach about tithe and offering. It's a very clear study. Lot more scriptures that I can share in the three minutes that we try to budget for each question. Thank you, Terry. Talking next with Eric who is listening on line three from Evansville Indiana. Eric, you're on the air.
Eric: Yes, hello. Thanks for taking my call, I appreciate your program. I have a little bit different question for you. Maybe I have been debating the Bible with a gentleman and he really [unintelligible 00:36:26] for a loop. He mentioned angels that had in Old Testament, had it come down and had sex with-
Pastor Doug: Humans-
Eric: People on earth or giants and I didn't-- I had never heard of that part but he said it was true and he wasn't sure, didn't say [unintelligible 00:36:43] Words that sound he wasn't sure but he said it's true and wanted to see what you knew about that if you could. I don't believe that-
Pastor Doug: That's a common misunderstanding that is from Genesis Chapter Six. You want me to read it to you real quick?
Eric: Sure, thank you.
Pastor Doug: And it says in Genesis 6, right there at the beginning of the Bible in verse one, "It came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth. And daughters were born to them", now let me just give you the background what's going on here. Cain killed his brother Abel. Cain took one of his sisters as his wife and he left. He turned his back on God. They were called the Children of Men. They became a whole different tribe race of people, they all had their own just like another Adam and Eve, but they were all evil. Adam and Eve had another child named Seth. And he was godly.
And Adam and Eve continued to sacrifice and offer to God and they were called the Children of God. All right? So, this is background, you get to big groups. You get the ones that are descendants of Cain, that have rejected God and the descendants of Adam and Eve and Seth. And it says, "It came to pass when men, the descendants of Cain, when they began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God, the descendants of Seth saw the daughters of men that they were fair. And they took wives of all which they chose as long as they were separate, everything was okay.
But when they began to intermarry and then the Lord said, "My spirit will not always strive with man in that he's also flesh. His days will be 120 years" That was 120 years until the flood. And so, these were not aliens. The sons of God were people. They were the descendants, see the Bible says in, what is it? 1st John 3, the apostle says, "Behold what manner of Love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called sons of God". Sons of God are people who accept the Lord.
The daughters of men were the children of Cain. When they intermarried, it says wickedness filled land. Their children were giants because of what they call genetic vitality but they weren't aliens and they were not fallen angels. I have a book I wrote on this because we get this question a lot. I will send you a free copy Eric and it's got all the scriptures. It's called-
Speaker 3: Thank you.
Pastor Doug: Angels, Alien or Adopted. The book is called Who Are the Sons of God. So, if you just call our resource line, say I would like the book who are the sons of God we’ll send it to you. That's 8008356747. With that, we're going next to John who's calling from Spokane Washington listening on satellite radio. John, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
John: Yes, I was just wondering if I'm a bad person for not praying. And am I going to be-- once I get up to heaven or where I need to go. Am I going to be in trouble for not praying?
Pastor Doug: Well do you believe in God?
John: Yes I do.
Pastor Doug: Do you talk to him?
John: No, I don't. I believe in God, I believe in Jesus and I figured I'm never-- I am not good enough for receiving his blessings from him because I haven't been that good of a person.
Pastor Doug: Well that doesn't mean you shouldn't pray because there's a lot of people in the Bible that Peter after Jesus filled his nets with fish, Peter fell down at Jesus' feet and he said, ''Lord, you better depart from me because I'm a sinful man.'' Peter was a sinful, coarse fisherman. Jesus said, ''Don't be afraid, Peter. Follow me and I'll make you a fisher of men.'' Even if you sin, when the prodigal son came home he prayed and said, ''Father, forgive me. I've sinned.'' And the father gave him a hug.
God wants to talk to us and if you feel weak and feel like I'm sinful if you believe in Jesus, Jesus wants to hear from you and if you say, ''Well, I'm too sinful,'' well, you're never going to change unless you talk to him. You can't be thinking, ''When I'm good enough, I'll start praying.'' You're never going to be good enough unless you start praying. First of all, you're never good enough, it's only God's grace. God's your best friend. I talked to the Lord driving in my car, people think I'm on my cell phone. I'm actually praying.
Used to be when you talk to yourself in your car that people look at you funny, but no people just figure I'm on my cell phone. But, I talked to God and going to sleep, waking up he hears everything you think, he hears every prayer. You are going to find if you talk to the Lord and give yourself to him, he can change your heart. Doesn't the matter what your life has been like. You want to have that gift of everlasting life.
John: I just figured that I'm not good enough for him to answer any of my prayers-- [crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: Don't believe that for a minute. You and I are in the same boat. I'm not good enough either. I don't know if you've ever heard my story, but I've been in and out of jail and drugs and a thief and all kinds of stuff. I came to God just like I was and I was and he worked miracles for me. He's so good. He's so patient so don't fall for that. That's just what the devil wants you think, ''I'm not good enough.'' He just doesn't want you to talk to God because once you talk to God John, you're going to plug in to the power source and you're going to find real joy and you can have eternal life of Heaven.
Don't hesitate to do that. Now, you're listening an excellent radio which means you could be driving, good chance of that. But, if you could remember two words, amazing facts, if you can remember that and you go to an internet somewhere and you look up Amazing Facts, our Ministry there, there's a free set of Bible study guides. It doesn't cost anything. It'll change your life. I'd recommend you. Anybody out there, if you'd like to know God and experience his power, go to the amazing facts bible study guides. I appreciate your call John and we are going to go to another caller and that's Chris and Chris is calling from Fayetteville, North Carolina listening on satellite radio. Chris, welcome to the program.
Chris: Hey. How are you doing, Pastor Doug?
Pastor Doug: Better than I deserve.
Chris: That's good. That's good. I had a quick question about the resurrection. After Jesus rose on the third day and it said that there was saints that came out of the grave. My question is, did they leave when he left to ascend into Heaven or did they stay around Jerusalem and go to their families or what? I was never clear about that. I was never clear about that.
Pastor Doug: They ascended to Heaven when Jesus ascend and you can read about this in Matthew 20. Is it Matthew 27? When there's this great earthquake. Let me see. I'll find it for you real quick. Yes, here we go. It's Matthew 27 and you can start with verse 51, ''Behold, when he dies on the cross, he says it is finished. The veil on the temple was torn in two from top to bottom and the earthquake and the rocks were split and the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints, not all, many around Jerusalem who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of their graves after his resurrection, they went into the Holy city and appeared to many.”
They made a brief appearance when he took them to Heaven with him. Paul speaks about the first fruits that he brought, when he ascended to Heaven. If God glorified bodies, I'm sure they didn't go home and just hang out and go fishing with their friends.
Chris: Right. Okay.
Pastor Doug: I think that they disappeared. They said Jesus was the Messiah and this story is not mentioned in the gospel of Mark, Luke and John. It was just a few people and it happened for a short period of time, but there were people who said we saw and it may have been individuals like Isaiah. It might have been John the Baptist. But, faithful people who had died believing in Jesus were resurrected and they ascended to Heaven. Now, we do have a study guide that talks a little about the resurrection and these issues and it's called, ''Are the dead really dead?'' Goes through a number of scriptures talking about the resurrection in the Bible and we'll send it to you for free Chris.
Just call 800.835.6747 and we'll send you that lesson; Are the dead really dead?'' Or, you can read it online. Or, you know what would be even better, Chris? We've got website. It's called Death Truth. I know that kind of scares people. Deathtruth.com, and if you go there, just a plethora-- I love saying that word, is a kaleidoscope. There's a bushel of information on the subject of death and the resurrection and what happens according to the Bible.
I appreciate your calling. With that, we're going to be talking next to Patricia, calling from Portland, Oregon on Life Talk Radio. Welcome, to Bible Answers Live, Patricia.
Patricia: Yes. Good evening, pastor. My question is a little embarrassing and kind of an oxymoron of a question for a Christian person, but eternal life is insignificant to me because I compare this life to-- and of course, we don't know what eternal life exactly would be like, but when I think of this life, I think, ''Why would I want to go on living anymore?'' Can you speak to that if you don't mind?
Pastor Doug: Yes. Our understanding of life is obviously based upon this life. When God is offering us eternal life, we immediately impose, ''What kind of life do I have now? Do I want to live like this forever?'' That's why the bible says a lot about Heaven and the world made new and the glorified bodies and when you get to revelation, it says, ''There is no more pain. There is no more crying. There are no more tears. There's no more death. Nothing dies. Animals don't die. The lion will lie down with the ox and the wolf will lead the lamb, and the child can play by the hole of the snake and nothing will cause fear. Nothing will cause harm.''
Being in a world where everybody's kind and loving, just think about it Patricia. The things that trouble us in this life is sometimes the way people treat each other, the suffering, the death, the sickness, the pain, none of that. Everybody will be full of joy and delight and love for one another. When God is offering you eternal life in a world like that, that's something that's very appealing. You see what I'm saying? Don't be thinking about eternal life like this. It's eternal life in a world. Think about the happiest you've ever been in your life on Earth; the most excited you've ever been, the most joy you've ever found.
Paul says, ''The eye is not seeing, the ear has not heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for those that love him.” You can't even imagine how good it's going to be. Hey, if you've not read it before, we will send you a free copy of our lesson on that wonderful city in space talking about Heaven. You know what else you'd really enjoy? We actually have a book called Heaven Is it for real? Heaven is it real?
If you go to the Amazing fact's website, you can read that. Just go to amazingfacts.org, look under the free library and you'll see that book or we'll send it to you. 800-835-06747 and that's for the book. Heaven Is It For Real? Thank you for your call. Talking next with Juanita. Listening in Bronx, New York. WMCA, Juanita you are on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Juanita: Thank you. My question, I wanted to know. Did Jesus have a choice not being the sacrifice? Could he have just changed his mind?
Pastor Doug: I think he could have because in the garden of Gethsemane, just before he went to the cross he was praying and said, ''Father, if there's any other way, let this pass from me.'' But, then he said, ''Not my will, thy will be done.'' In other words, Jesus made a conscious choice not to do what he wanted. That means he had a choice, but to do what the Father wanted. Christ willingly went to the cross. Jesus could've delivered himself even when Peter started to fight back when the crowd came to arrest Jesus. Peter pulled out a sword and Jesus said, ''Put your sword away.'' He went as a willing choice. Yes, Jesus did not have to. He did it out of love for us because he did not want us to perish. Does that make sense?
Juanita: It kind of makes sense-- [crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: Think about it this way, Juanita. Do you believe Jesus loves us?
Juanita: Yes.
Pastor Doug: If Jesus was forced to die for us, that's not a choice of love. Then he'd just becomes like a lab mouse or something that has to go through this experiment. Jesus willingly chose and that's what makes His love so wonderful as he said, ''I am going to consciously choose to suffer in your place because I love you and that's why we love him back. We love him because he first loved us. God gave himself.
Another verse tells us, Jesus said, ''No man takes my life, but I lay it down, of my own self, and I take it up.'' It was definitely his choice. I appreciate that. And again, you would enjoy that book I mentioned earlier tonight; The High cost of the cross. We'll send that to you for free, Juanita. The High cost of the cross, just call 800-835-6747. As for the book, the high cost of the cross or read it for free at amazingfacts.org With that, we're going next to Eric, who's listening in Washington. On, KSOH. Welcome, Eric. You're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Eric: Good evening. Thank you, Pastor Doug. First I'd like to pray for your blessings, for your ministry. It's greatly appreciated.
Pastor Doug: Thank you.
Eric: My question is, I was just hanging up and listening on the air. Concerning spiritual and literal Israel, honestly, I am not well-versed in either direction. I've read some of your material. I believe I know you would mean towards the spiritual Israel side. Could you kind of give me a synopsis on both and the reasons for them and your thoughts on that?
Pastor Doug: Good question. There are two views on the role of Israel in New Testament times. Some are referred to as replacement theology. They say that Israel was replaced by spiritual Israel. That there's nothing biblically for literal Israel and prophecy anymore. They are just abandoned to defuse among the mass of humanity. The real Israel today is the literal nation. Then, the other view is that everything God says in the Bible about the last days. It's a 144 thousand literal Jews and the temple will be rebuilt and that the focus of prophecy is still literally all focusing on the nation of Israel.
I guess I come in sort of in-between. Maybe that's because I'm half Jewish. My father was a gentile, my mother was a Jew. When I read the Bible, I really see that there is a spiritual Israel. Now, let me give you some verses, very quickly. Paul says he is not a Jew that is one outwardly, but he is a Jew that is one inwardly. Paul said it is not circumcision in the flesh that matters. But it's circumcision of the heart. By the way, Moses even said that. Paul said, "They are not all Israel that are of Israel." Jesus said to the religious leaders, "You are not children of Abraham. If you were, you'd listen to Abraham. And Abraham longed to see my day."
He said, "You're children of your father." Just being born with Jewish DNA does not automatically save you. There is a whole nation of spiritual Jews. The reason that there are spiritual Jews is because of the literal Jews. Paul said, "Spiritual Israel is grafted into the stock of Israel." In other words, all the promises that we have come from a Jewish book with the exception of the gospel of Luke and the book of acts. Everything in the Bible was written by Jews. I think the Lord still has a role for Israel in prophecy. I was just talking to someone this week, and I said, "There is no other nation in the world that has been displaced so completely and reinstituted in their land, like Israel."
Back in the days of Jacob. They left the promise land, went to Egypt, came back again. Then they were carried off by the Babylonians for 70 years and they came back again. Got their land back. Then they were scattered by the Romans for 1900 years. In 1948, they got their land back again. Still had their distinct religion, their scriptures, traditions, language. Unprecedented, no other nation. There has to be the hand of God that is overseeing Israel as a people. God has not forgot his promises. With Jesus, the gospel went not just to the lost sheep at the house of Israel.
God said to Peter, "Don't call any man unclean." This is Acts 10. There's so much more on this here. If you want, I'll send you a free book. It's called Spiritual Israel. Maybe you've read that. You can call 800-835-6747. We'll send you that. You can read it for free online. A book I wrote with another Jewish friend, Steve Wollberg, Spiritual Israel. We're going to try and get one more call in before our break. Josh has been waiting patiently. Josh, we got about a minute and a half. You got a question for us?
Josh: Yes, sir. I was wondering. I'd been going to church for a while and one pastor states that when you pass away, only you got Jesus in your heart and this and that, that you're ascending to Heaven. Another one would state that you wait until the second coming of Christ. What's your thought on what?
Pastor Doug: I appreciate the question. We do have a free lesson called, Are the Dead Really Dead? Make sure and look at that on Bible Answers Live or go to the website Death Truth. But to give you just a little more information on that. The Bible's pretty clear that the resurrection happens in the last day. If you look in John 6, it says, "The resurrection in the last day, He will raise him up the last day.”
The judgment is called the day of the Lord. It's the end of the world. “Many that sleep in the dust of the earth will awake." The Bible tells in Daniel chapter 12. 1st Thessalonians 4, "The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, the voice of the archangel and the dead in Christ will rise at the coming of the Lord. When the trumpet sounds, the dead will raise."
All through the Bible, there's pretty consistent teaching that the dead are not raised until the second coming. What confuses people is for the ones who are saved, when they do die. They have no consciousness of time. For them to be absent from the body, their next conscious thought is the presence of the Lord. If you love someone and they've died, you can be thrilled for them. Because the next thing they are conscious of is a glorified body and the presence of the Lord if they have a relationship with Jesus. That's what we all want, is to have that, friends. I don't know if you have that relationship with the Lord.
You can have assurance that your life is with Christ. You don't have to be afraid of death. We ought to be thinking about it because it's where everybody's going. We are all on that conveyor belt to an eternal destiny. God has given you a little life of probation, a short life to make a decision that will last forever. You only receive that by inviting Jesus into your heart and turning to him as your savior. Asking him to transform you and live for God. Yes, you can do it and it is actually the abundant life.
That's why we do these programs, friends. If you've not checked out Amazing Facts you can go to the website. We'll tell you how to make that decision to follow Jesus. If you're blessed by these broadcast, it's only people like you keep us on the air. You can drop us a line or you can donate at the Amazing Facts website. Thanks so much. Until we study together next week.
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