Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hello friends. This is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr., better known as Fred Demara, must have been one of the most prolific and prosterous to have ever lived. For most of his life, 1921 to 1982, he wasn't even Fred Demara. At one time, he was Martin Godgart, a high school teacher. Then he was also known as Dr. Robert French, a college dean. Dr. Cecil Hamann, a law student, Brother John, a Benedictine monk.
In addition, he worked as a hospital chaplain, an assistant prison warden, a Hollywood actor, and most unbelievable of all, a surgeon aboard a Canadian navy destroyer. Remarkably in this role, even tough he had no medical training, he successfully performed surgeries. Demara was evidently able to masquerade in all of these unique positions because he had a true photographic memory and an extraordinarily high IQ. He was apparently able to memorize necessary information and techniques of his various roles from textbooks.
When asked why he did it, he just enjoyed being a rascal. Demara was probably the greatest pretender of our time, but did he know the Bible talks about someone who will perform a masquerading masterpiece just before Jesus returns. Stay with us friends. We're going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this addition of Bible Answers Live.
Pastor Jean Ross: Welcome to Bible Answers Live with author and evangelist, Pastor Doug Batchelor. Is understanding God's word a challenge? Are there passages or scripture that are a mystery to you? Maybe it's difficult to reconcile what you've read in the Bible to what you've always believed? If you have Bible related questions, stay tuned to get honest, practical answers straight from the word of God on Bible Answers Live. Bible Answers Live is a production of Amazing Facts Ministries, dedicated to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire world. Our lines are open. So call us now at 800-God-Says. That's 800-463-7297. Now, here's your host, Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Doug: Welcome, listening friends, to Bible Answers Live and if you've never tuned in before, this is a live international, interactive Bible study. You can join us by calling in with your Bible questions or questions related to living the Christian life. It is a free phone call. We don't claim to have all the answers, but we will search the word together. Our phone number, if you'd like to call in to the studio, is 800-God-Says. Lines are open now, so gives us a call for tonight's program with your Bible questions, 800-463 -297. Are you ready now? One more time. 800-463-7297 with your Bible question. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jean: My name is Jean Ross. Good evening listening friends, and Pastor Doug, let's begin the program with a prayer. Dear father, once again we thank you that we have this opportunity to talk about your word and study the Bible together. We invite the holly spirit to be with our minds and hearts, and guide us Lord as we turn to the scriptures to find truth. For we ask this in Jesus name. Amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Pastor Jean: Pastor, when you opened the program, we were talking about an incredible ability that this gentleman had to be able to deceive people who you think would be very well educated or they are, or they were. Very well educated and very skilled in particular areas of occupation. And yet, he was able to even masquerade as a surgeon. That's incredible.
Pastor Doug: Yes, he had some frightening moments too because he was praying actually when he was put into a position to perform some surgeries and, I guess, they were successful. And the amazing thing is he didn't do it for money. The people who employed him said, "You know, we had no problem with him. He was a good employee. Very bright guy". He just had fun, I guess, putting on these other identities. But it reminds me of someone and it's not really funny. That is going to perform a masterpiece of impersonation.
Just before Jesus comes and the Bible talks about it. Jesus in Matthew 24, he says in verse 24, "False Christ and false prophets will arise and show great sign and wonders to deceive. If possible, even the elect. See? I'm telling you beforehand, therefore if they say to you, "Look, he's in the dessert". Do not go out. "Look he's in a room". Do not believe it. For as lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the son of man be".
This verse and other verses in the Bible tell us that the devil's masterpiece of deception is going to be when he actually personates Christ before the second coming. A counterfeit of Jesus' return. The devil's got a counterfeit for virtually all the truths of God and he's going to save his best performance for the very end. Where he will seek to impersonate Christ and much of the world will shout, "Jesus has come". And he'll maybe speak some of the same scriptures and perform miracles.
Satan could at least look like he's performing miracles. And unless we know what the Bible says about how Jesus is coming, we'll be deceived. That's where Christ said, "When the son of man really does come, no one's going to have to say, "Have you changed channels? Did you hear on the news? Jesus came. Or go look in this country or go look in that place" . It will be like lighting coming from the east and shining to the west. And we don't want anyone to be deceived about how Jesus is coming. So, we've got a free offer.
Pastor Jean: We have a book entitled Anything, but secret. We'd be happy to send this to anybody who calls and asks. It's for free. The number to call is 800-835-6747. That is our resource line and you can ask for the book called Anything, but secret. The number again is 800-835-6747. And again, the name of the book, very important, dealing with the subject of the second coming. How Jesus will come, is called Anything, but secret.
We'll be happy to give that to anybody who gives us a call. Well, I think we're ready to go to the phone lines. Well, actually, you know, pastor, just before we go to the phone lines, we did get somebody who wrote in a question and they've asked if we would answer this question on the air. They're listening to the radio and here's the question. Is Jesus the son of God? Or is Jesus God? and then he adds, radio pastor said that Jesus is God, but then all the four gospels refer to Jesus and even Jesus himself as being the son of God.
Pastor Doug: Well, Jesus is both. The very fact that he's a son of God. He's not the son God in the sense that Adam was, He's a son of God in the sense that God became a man one time in Jesus. There, of course, was a supernatural conception when Jesus was born. But Christ speaking of himself is very clear. He said, "Before Abraham was, I am". And Jesus assumed all of the prerogatives of the divinity, during his earthly life.
The Bible for instance says, "You should only worship the Lord". That's one of the 10 commandments. Yet Jesus invited worship. When he rose the dead, they worshiped him. It says all the angles worship him, in Hebrews. The Bible says, "Only God can forgive sin". And yet Jesus said, "I can forgive sin". And so you look at -- only God knows the thoughts of men's heart. And yet Jesus said he knew what was in man. So, when you look at the characteristics of God, Christ has those characteristics. Being all knowing.
Now, he laid aside a lot of his divine attributes when he became a human. Obviously, he couldn't be crawling around three years old and I guess he stopped crawling before that, but he couldn't have been crawling around as a baby, 10 months old, and have all of the knowledge of the cosmo swirling around his little baby brain. And so, he laid that aside, and he lived as a man among men. The Father revealed his identity to him as he grew and more knowledge.
But yes. Jesus was both. We have a book. By the way, a number of people who are listening friends, we've got a lot of young, well, a lot of people everywhere, but we have a lot of people that are in prison that they're not able to call in and so they're writing in their questions. We want you to know, we do get your letters and often the questions are repeated by our callers, but we wanted to add this one.
Pastor Jean: All right. We're going to go to the phone lines. Our first caller this evening is Darryl, listening from Gulf Breeze, Florida. Darryl, welcome to the program.
Darryl: Hi, Pastor Batchelor and Pastor Ross. My question is, is the little horn in the first beast mentioned in Revelation the same as the false prophet?
Pastor Doug: So, when you're talking about in the little horn in Revelation, a little horn first appears in Daniel, chapter 8, if I'm not mistaken, and you're wondering is that the same as the false prophet you find in Revelation?
Darryl: Yes.
Pastor Doug: I don't know. Pastor Ross.
Pastor Jean: Well, there's two beasts in Revelation 13. The first beast comes up from the sea, the other one comes from the land and they represent two political powers. The false prophet is often identified with the second beast that comes from the earth. That has two horns like a lamb, but then speak like a dragon. Those two powers, the one is representing the papal power, the first beast. And the second represents the United States, but there's a change where some of the principles of freedom are set aside to enforce a particular type of worship. In that sense, the second beast has been identified as the false prophet. It's also a counterfeit of the genuine outpouring of the holly spirit. So, it's a false manifestation of signs and wonders, and miracles.
Pastor Doug: Yes, and it's -
Darryl: Pastor Ross.
Pastor Jean: Go ahead.
Darryl: The second beast that causes fire to come down from heaven. What does this mean?
Pastor Jean: Well, real quick. Fire coming out from heaven can mean two things in the Bible. Number one, it represents God's judgement. For example, Sodom and Gomorrah. But fire coming out from heaven can also represent God's approval.
You'll remember in the days of Elijah, there was fire that came down and consumed the sacrifice on Mount Carmel. At the end of time, it will appear that this worldwide religious coalition, it might seem, because a certain miracle is happening, that God's blessing's upon it. But the problem is they're doing things contrary to the Word of God, to the teachings of Scripture. It will appear as though the Holy Spirit is behind it. Also, fire in the Bible sometimes represents the Holy Spirit.
Darryl: It doesn't mean that the second beast will cause literal fire to come down from heaven. It just means that -
Pastor Doug: Well, there are going to be signs and wonders.
Pastor Jean: Right. There'll be miracles happening. But remember, Revelation is a symbolic book. So there's no literal beasts or literal horses galloping across the sky. Fire coming out from heaven does represent different things especially in the New Testament and in prophecy. It represents the Holy Spirit. In this case, it's the counterfeit of the Holy Spirit and appears as though God's blessing is on this movement but it's not God's Spirit.
Pastor Doug: I like to just add a word to that. Well, first of all, if you look in Revelation 16, it talks about that out of the mouths of these frogs come out of the mouth of the Beast the dragon and the false prophet. Those are the three things that Darrel's asking about. The beast would represent the political-religious power that's based in Europe right now under the papacy. The false prophet that ends up giving credibility to it represents the principally Protestant or fallen Protestant powers based in the United States. It's very interesting that this fall within a couple of months. The Pope for the first time is going to address the American Congress and the Senate. Now, we have a book by Joe Cruz that talks about -- Is it on the beast, dragon and the woman?
Pastor Jean: Yes.
Pastor Doug: That would be an excellent resource, I think, for help for Darryl if you'd like a free copy.
Pastor Jean: As a matter of fact, Darryl, you might enjoy. We just recently, I think two days ago, three days ago, released the Revelation DVD that I think will really get into this very specific issue for free online on YouTube and if you'd go to YouTube and just type in Revelation Babylon the beast -
Pastor Doug: The Bride the Beast in Babylon.
Pastor Jean: That's right, the Bride the Beast in Babylon and you'll be able to watch that two-hour long documentary that deals with this very subject.
Pastor Doug: Very good. Thanks for your call. Appreciate it, Darryl.
Pastor Jean: Number to call for our phone lines here to the studio is 800-463-7297 if you have a Bible question. Again that number is 800-463-7297. That's here to the studio with your Bible question. Jerry is listening from Medford, Oregon. Jerry, welcome to the program.
Jerry: Yes, good afternoon pastors. Pastor Ross, my question is this, assuming one has been baptized through immersion as an adult, under what condition should he be re-baptized?
Pastor Doug: Well, there's three examples in the Bible or three reasons biblically for re-baptism. One is of course if they were not baptized the biblical method. There's a number of popular but unbiblical methods of baptism where they sprinkle some water on you, or they sprinkle salt or the rose petals or they say a few words. Biblical baptism, a person actually went into a body of water and they were immersed because it symbolized a washing, a new birth, a cleansing.
All the examples in the Bible, they were baptized in rivers or in lakes or an ocean or something. That's how Jesus was baptized and the very word baptism means baptiso or immersed. That's one reason, if they've not been baptized biblically. The other reason is if a person was baptized but then by their life, they really divorced themselves from the Lord, they might consider being remarried through re-baptism. That doesn't mean if you slip and fall and sin or you become irritated and yell at your spouse, you've got to run and ask the pastor to re-baptize you. This is like a serious backsliding turning from God that is public. You would want to publicly recommit yourself.
Third reason is if you've come into a whole new understanding of the truth and a biblical example of this would be in Acts 19 where Paul meets 12 Ephesian believers that were baptized by John the Baptist by immersion, but they never really heard about Jesus. They had left town before Jesus began his ministry and after Paul preached them all that they had missed about Jesus, he re-baptized them and laid hands on them. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. We do have a lesson about baptism. It's called Baptism Is It Really Necessary. I hope that answers your question. But in the lesson, I think it talks about re-baptism -- in that stud,y re-baptism as well, Jerry. That makes sense?
Jerry: Yes, but the second mentioned reason is very subjective, isn't it?
Pastor Doug: Yes whether you've drifted from the Lord to such a degree that you need re-baptism. It's something that should be very rare. If a person is coming to their pastor asking for re-baptism every six months, something's wrong. I wouldn't do that if I was a pastor. But if after years of not attending church and just drifting or denying or some major apostasy, they say I really need a new beginning, they may choose to be re-baptised. Peter denied Christ but it doesn't say he ran out and got re-baptised. It has to be pretty serious to warrant that.
Jerry: Yes. Okay. Well, thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: All right, thanks. Appreciate that. We'll send you that study.
Pastor Jean: Yes actually it's a book called Baptism Is It Really Necessary. We'll be happy to send that to anybody who calls and asks. The number is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book Baptism Is It Really Necessary. You can also read it for free online at the Amazing Facts website, just amazingfacts.org. You can go to the free library, type in Baptism Is It Really Necessary and you can read the book right now.
Our next caller is Michael listening from El Portal, Florida. Michael, welcome to the program.
Michael: Hello pastors. Good evening.
Pastor Doug: Good evening.
Michael: Yes, my question is actually about I suppose [unintelligible 00:16:16] reading the word but question about sequence of end time events particularly about the latter rain. Something I've only been recently been hearing in increasing frequency. My question is more on when the latter rain, as I understand it correctly, is when God pours his Spirit out in great power in the last days upon his people so that they can carry out the message of the gospel I believe and reach the world in great power. I'm just wondering for those I suppose hypothetically that the latter rain does not fall upon, does that then carry some sort of implication on probation being imposed on them or I wonder how does the fallen latter rain pertain to probation, if at all?
Pastor Doug: That's a good question. I'll have to think of the answer. First of all, for our friends listening, you are hearing Michael and us talk about the latter rain. What does that mean? It's a biblical term used about six times. In a farming economy, they would pray for a former rain when they first planted the seed. Then they didn't have all the irrigation methods and drilling for wells that we have today.
They really depended on the rains, seasonal rains to sprout the crop. It would then grow through the growing season and just before the harvest, they would want it to get plumped and ripened by a latter rain just before the harvest. Jesus uses that analogy and the Apostles to talking about Christ sowed the seed when Pentecost happened that was the former rain. The church exploded with growth. It's been growing now when Christ comes in Revelation, it says he's coming to harvest the earth.
Prior to Christ coming to harvest, there'll be an outpouring of the Spirit again in similar proportions to Pentecost, signs, and wonders, great revival, church spreading. So Michael's wondering, if a person doesn't receive the Holy Spirit during this latter rain, does that mean that they're lost, their probation is closed. I'd stop short of saying that because the purpose they receive the latter rain for is to preach to convert others.
Now, there may be some who've been in the church for years and they don't receive the latter rain because they've just basically rejected the light and their hearts are hardened. But people that just they didn't understand the Lord is going to look on their hearts and say this is the very message they've needed to hear to open their hearts to receive that, so it may not happen all at once like at Pentecost. Holy Spirit you see happens in chapter two, it happens again chapter four, smaller degree, but there's a shaking and they're filled with the spirit. I think you'll see the gospel spreading before Jesus returns.
Pastor Jean: It seems that the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit sometimes referred to as the latter rain takes place just before the close of probation for the whole world. Revelation 18 talks about a mighty angel coming down from heaven. The earth is illuminated with his glory and he has this special message of warning that goes to the world that really represents God's people empowered by the Holy Spirit and they do this last worldwide proclamation of the gospel and calling people to prepare for the coming is near. Then you had the close in probation. So the latter rain precedes the general close of probation that one also reads about in Daniel 12:1.
Pastor Doug: Right. And then some are converted by the influence of that, so for them obviously probation hasn't closed yet. But hope that helps a little. We do have a book that talks about the Holy Spirit. We'll be happy to send you a free copy, Michael, and it's called The Holy Spirit The Need, and I believe it references the subject of the latter rain in there.
Pastor Jean: The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called The Holy Spirit The Need. We'll be happy to send it to anybody who calls and asks.
Then the phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. If you have a Bible question, give us a call, 800-463-7297. We've got Richard listening also from Florida. Richard, welcome to the program.
Richard: How are you tonight?
Pastor Jean: Good.
Pastor Doug: Doing well.
Richard: I had a question. Cremation or being buried? Does it really matter? Is there anything biblical that says, "Oh, don't be cremated." Do you answer anything along those lines?
Pastor Doug: Vast majority of examples in the Bible when someone died and they dealt with the remains, they were buried. There are a couple of exceptions. But the thing is, when they were buried, there's no explicit command. The word says, "Thou shall only be buried and thou shall not be cremated." You don't find that but you do find by example their preponderance is that they were buried. Now, I understand we're near the end of time and graves are in shorter supply. You can't even imagine what the cost in Tokyo.
Really it is a problem some places in the world, there's just no room in the cities. They've got to quite a waste to bury people and it's expensive. Some people can't afford it. The argument is when the person's cremated when they die, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, they eventually turn to elements of the earth. Cremation sort of accelerates the process, and so there's that argument. There's a couple of examples in the Bible where people were cremated. It was rare.
King Saul and his son, Jonathan, their bodies were mutilated in battle by the Philistines. When they were recovered by the men of Jabeshgilead,they burnt them. It was a practical thing. I've been to India, you've been there several times, Pastor Ross. I don't know if you've seen one of the funeral pyres. It's kind of grisly.
Pastor Jean: Yes, it is. Something else just to add to that. In Christian tradition, burial is typically been the form that people have followed. Burial kind of carries with it the idea at least the promise of a resurrection. When Jesus comes, the graves will open and then dead in Christ will be raised. Of course having said that, that doesn't mean that God's not going to resurrect somebody who was cremated. But it was a testimony, especially back in Bible times, when the pagans would burn their dead, the Christians would bury their dead as a testimony that their faith was in promise resurrection that was to come.
Pastor Doug: That's why Romans full of catacombs because Christians wanted a place to bury the dead. One more thought that I read that made sense to me. Because Christians believe that man was made in the image of God, that even though he dies, there's something sacred about these creatures that were made in the image of God and so there's greater respect and care taken with their remains. As Pastor Ross said, I would never say that people who were cremated either willingly or unwillingly that somehow they are excluded from the resurrection. The typical answer in the Bible would be they were buried. Thanks for your question, Richard. Closest thing we've got to a study on that is Are The Dead Really Dead? It's the study on death.
Pastor Jean: We'll be happy to send that to anyone calling and ask. The number is 800-835-6747, that is the resource line. You can ask the study guide Are The Dead Really Dead? What happens to people when they die? You can also read that for free online at amazingfacts.org. We have Nola listening from Sunrise, Florida. Three calls from Florida. Nola, welcome to the program.
Nola: Thank you. Good afternoon Pastor Doug. I have a question. I have a little bit confusion from Ephesians 1:13 and what they talk about the sealing after you are baptized from the Holy Spirit, and Ephesians 4:30 was talking off about another sealing of the day of redemption. Can you explain that for me please?
Pastor Doug: I'll tell you what, I look up Ephesians 1:13 and read it. Pastor Ross will look up the other one. The second one was Ephesians what?
Pastor Jean: 4:30.
Nola: 4:30. 3-0.
Pastor Doug: Okay. The first one says, "In whom also having believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." Now, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, there's an evidence there and that's why it's called a seal. So, you want to read the other verse?
Pastor Jean: Yes, let me read this one. This is Ephesians 4:30, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Pastor Doug: So what is the concern of the conflict you see there, Nola?
Nola: It seem to me like you receive two different kind of seal.
Pastor Doug: Well, in both cases, you're sealed with the Holy Spirit.
Nola: I mean, the other one, I'm talking about Ephesians 4:30, talking about like the day of redemption. Does that mean from the day [unintelligible 00:25:07] for the last moment or is it two different kind of seal?
Pastor Doug: The day of redemption often is associated with the Second Coming, when the righteous receive their reward. The point being here is when somebody gives their heart to Christ, they are sealed with the Holy Spirit meaning they have the Holy Spirit. But at the same time, Paul warns believers and says don't grieve the Holy Spirit by which you were sealed, meaning that even though you might be sealed with the Holy Spirit, you still have freedom of choice. You can actually grieve away the Holy Spirit which God has given you. It's not once saved, always saved as described in these verses.
Nola: Thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Absolutely, and you would enjoy the book we mentioned earlier about the Holy Spirit. It's called The Holy Spirit The Need. We'll be happy to send you a copy.
Pastor Jean: Again, the number to call for that is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called The Holy Spirit The Need. I think we've got Michael already, let me see who else we have next online. We've got Brian listening from Jackson, Mississippi. Brian, welcome to the program.
Brian: Good evening, how are you all tonight?
Pastor Doug: Doing good, thanks for calling. Your question?
Brian: A question about marriage. I heard a pastor speaking just a while ago that was saying that gay marriage is not accepted in the church and it should not be, which I agree with him, and a lot of preachers are accepting it now because they had accepted the divorced marriages, couples who were divorced and remarried. My question is, I understand the Bible says if you divorce and remarry that it's adultery. If there's forgiveness in grace that the view is that will marriage become a part or stay together or what's the biblical grounds for that?
Pastor Doug: Well, you find in Matthew 5:27, Jesus said, "You heard that said by those of old you should not commit adultery." Of course He's quoting the 10 commandments, "but I say whoever looks on a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery in his heart." Obviously people can be forgiven for that but then it goes on and says, "Whoever divorces his wife without biblical grounds is guilty of adultery." That's in verse 31. "Who marries someone who is divorced or remarried without biblical grounds." I would stop short of what this pastor may have said where you're jumping and saying the reason that same sex marriage happen is because the church has not been careful about the biblical teaching of divorce. But it is true that because we've been a little sloppy about believing that the Bible is important, in the same way, we've got to be very careful about believing that all of it needs to be kept and is holy. You're listening to Bible Answers Live.
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Pastor Doug: Welcome back listening friends. You're listening to Bible Answers Live and if you do have a Bible question, the line to call into the studio with your question is 800-463-7297. That'll take you to our studios here in the capital of California. It's called Sacramento. No, it is not Los Angeles. I'm surprised how many people -- It's not San Francisco, it's Sacramento.
Anyway, we had a caller we just ran out of time on that last question. We apologize. They were asking about divorce and remarriage. Brian, we just wanted to mention that we do have a book that goes into detail. We just wrote we'd be happy to send you a free copy. It's called marriage, divorce and remarriage. It goes into the Bible grounds for these things and even some of the history that you are asking about. Appreciate your question, and who's lined up Pastor Ross?
Pastor Jean: All right, we have Mannie listening from Yonkers, New York. Mannie, welcome to the program.
Mannie: Hello.
Pastor Jean: You're on the air.
Pastor Doug: Hey, thanks for waiting Mannie. Your question?
Mannie: Yes, first of all, it's an honor to speak to you Doug Batch. I always listen to your show. I always watch your videos and you're probably the only pastor that I could consider a pastor that is biblical. You're the only pastor that I take it to the heart everything that you say.
Pastor Doug: Well, Pastor Ross is pretty good. He's sitting right here. You're going to hurt his feelings.
[laughter]
Mannie: I always watch your videos. I really do love you that much.
Pastor Doug: Appreciate it. And your question tonight?
Mannie: I'm going through a little situation with my wife. We're married and we're married in Christ. Actually the same day that we got married, we got baptized first and then we got married. To me, it was a beautiful experience. It's a spiritual thing for me. I really, really took it. It's touching.
Pastor Doug: So you guys are having some challenges now?
Mannie: Yes. We're having much challenges and she knows what I know. We got to Bible studies. We go to church. But right now, we're separated. She's telling me she does not want to be with me. I'm trying to make this short because I know other people -- She says that she doesn't want to be with me. I don't know what to do because we're married.
Pastor Doug: To give you something just quick. What I would say is quick pastoral counseling based on the little that you shared with me. For one thing, you've got to be careful not to use pressure now or it will have the opposite effect. You want to win her heart. You can't compel a person to stay with you. Even though you may feel that biblicaly she has no ground for divorce, she's still a free moral agent and she can make choices.
If you're pressuring or badgering her, you may drive her further away. I would make yourself as attractive as you can be, and I don't just mean physically, I'm talking about in your attitudes. Talk to her about would you be willing to have a little bit of counseling together? Give her as much latitude as you need to. But you've got to talk together. You've got to get her heart back. I've seen so many men especially that they want to fix it. They don't want to lose their wives even if they've been difficult to be married to either party or both. You can badger them where it just even gets worse than before and they just feel like they are being smothered. So be very careful during this time to express your love, to show patience. Do you have any knowledge of there being another party involved?
Mannie: That's the thing because I'm going through all this and she knows the Bible. We've been going through Bible studies and going to church and it's a little hard for me to comprehend and take this in. That has come across my mind that she might be talking to somebody else. She does have her free will. God is not [unintelligible 00:33:50]. Even though she know the truth, I know this. But it hurts. It really does hurt because I don't look at women. I used to. Ever since I got married, ever since Christ touched me, it's different. Life is different for me. It's been different for her too. I just, I really do feel that she tells me, "Oh, I don't want nothing to do with God anymore." I think that that's the issue. That she's running away from God and just listening to the world and listening to everybody who's giving her worldly advise.
Pastor Doug: Mannie, we're going to have to keep moving here. Please send for the free book that I just mentioned to the prior caller. It's dealing with this very issue. It's called Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. I know you're spending time in prayer. If she's open, be patient. Give her some space. But if she's open, try to find a pastor that you trust locally. You need to sit down with a third party that can listen to both sides and try to help give you some encouragement and counsel. That would be my initial recommendation.
Pastor Jean: The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. Again, 800-835-6747. The phone line here at the studio is 800-463-7297 with your Bible question. Our next caller is Eric listening from Sarasota, Florida. Eric, welcome to the program. Eric, you're on the air
Eric: Hello. Can you hear me?
Pastor Doug: We can hear you. Can you hear us?
Eric: Yes, I can.Thank you for taking my call.
Pastor Doug: It's a pleasure.
Eric: I have a question. What I want to know is there any significance biblically speaking to the number 333?
Pastor Doug: Well, I'm wondering, is that number, let me see here, is that number in the Bible anywhere?
Eric: I don't think it is, but the reason I asked this question is because I see this number a lot, either on a digital clock or on a odometer of my -- I'm a commercial truck driver. For whatever reason, I don't know this number comes up.
Pastor Doug: Well, I can understand the number is coming up on a digital clock. But let me know if you ever see the number 666 on a digital clock. That'd really be a concern. I can see where it would be 3:33 but 6:66, we're in trouble. That's when the end has come. There is no mention. I just did a search in the Bible of the number 333. Off course, it's half of 666. We do have a study that you can download for free on Bible numbers and their meaning. I think you'd enjoy that. Eric, if you go to our website that's called Bible prophesy truth. There is a section of free study materials that says Bible numbers and their meaning. You can download and anyone else down there. We've got the accountants out there that are fascinated with the interesting numerology in the Bible. You would enjoy that study. It's at the website, Bible prophesy truth, under our free studies. Bible numbers and their meaning. Well, thank you Eric. We do also have also website on 666 truth. As a matter of fact, it's one of the websites that has gotten a lot of hits. 666 truth, it will talk about what that number means. But you don't find the number 333 in the Bible.
Pastor Jean: Our next caller is Nick listening from Tennessee. Nick, welcome to the program.
Nick: Thank you for having me.
Pastor Doug: Appreciate it, and your question.
Nick: I know you guys have been talking a lot tonight about divorce. I hate to continue the conversation. But it seems to be a very hot topic today. Especially within our churches, a lot of people don't know where to go with it. I wanted to get you guys interpretations. I'm a minister and I'm trying to counsel another minister. [unintelligible 00:38:08] 1st Timothy Chapter three, and very specifically has some guidelines for overseers and deacons. A divorced man serving in a ministerial capacity. How do you guys interpret husband and one wife there in 1st Timothy Chapter three.
Pastor Doug: Well, the way I have understood it is even though the Romans discourage polygamy, there was still polygamy in the kingdom. The Jews and their history off course they had multiple wives, everyone from King David to Elkannah. I don't think its saying that he could never have been married before because by that definition, Abraham would have been disqualified from being an elder. As Abraham was married to Hagar and then told to put her away. After Sarah died, he married Keturah.
I really think its saying for one thing, he's got to have one wife. Paul, as some have said, well, you had to be married. It meant you had to have a wife. Paul was an elder but there is no evidence that he had a wife. He may have had one that either turned from him when he became a Christian or died, because Paul then later talks about his being single, and yet he was an elder. I think the best interpretation there is to say that he is to be a one woman man, I think that is what the original Greek says there. He is to be a one woman man and -
Nick: In the instance of a minister serving and he becomes divorced, should that be an automatic disqualifier for his continuance in service?
Pastor Doug: Well, it can really be a problem. For one thing, if a minister is in that capacity, I would counsel him. He needs to take a break from ministry, because it's awkward to do that with a congregation, and of course then Jesus gives a criteria, if a minister is divorced without biblical grounds, I think it's very difficult for him to ever get back in the ministry.
If he's married and he just says, "I'm just really tired of my wife, she's difficult and incompatible" for him to leave her, and typically it's not just separation. Separation could be indefinite. Divorce means you're wanting to go back on the market for another wife, and it's not good for a man to be alone. If a minister separates, that's one thing, but if he's divorcing and he doesn't have biblical grounds, I would find a hard Bible argument for him to stay in that capacity. I don't know, Pastor Ross, do you have any thoughts on that?
Pastor Jean: Yes, I agree. There are circumstances and situations where it's very evident that maybe the pastor has done nothing wrong and he's done everything he possibly could do to try and keep the marriage together, but the spouse has decided they're done, they're leaving, there's nothing more that could be done. In that case, maybe taking a little bit of a break and some time, that could not necessarily disqualify him for ministry. But if there aren't biblical grounds, it's difficult to get up and preach the word and say we need to follow the scriptures if we're not doing that in our life.
Pastor Doug: You would probably enjoy also, Nick, that the book, it's a good thorough study called Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. We've been offering that tonight and just call Amazing Facts. I don't think you can download this one, but if you call, they'll send you a copy.
Pastor Jean: The number to call is 800-835-6747, you can ask for the book Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. We'll be happy to send it to anybody calling and ask. Next caller is Eric, listening from Missouri. Eric, welcome to the program.
Eric: Thank you for having me.
Pastor Doug: Yes, thanks for calling.
Eric: My question was, you have mentioned a little bit of Greek earlier and I'm into studying the Bible. I had studied some Latin and have gone to the [unintelligible 00:42:00]. Could you recommend a book to start studying the actual Greek itself. I have a copy of the [unintelligible 00:42:07] but I really would like to get a New Testament and something for a beginner to get into that will allow me to read it from the original text. The other question was, what verse in the Bible would be best to study along with that, King James or an NIV? If I could, I'd like to take my question offline so I could run in here. Thank you.
Pastor Doug: That's fine, will do that. All right, Eric's asking to get practical question about Bible study and if you want to sometimes understand better the original languages, it does enhance and broaden your view to delve into the words. Something that I've done that's helped me personally, because a lot of the books now are online, but the advantage of studying on the computer some of the Greek, is that it has resources where you can just put your mouse right over the Greek word and it'll give you then the strongest definition of that word in Greek.
Then, there's another program you could put it on the Greek word, it will say the word for you in Greek. So you're actually hearing the voice say it and so the computer programs for studying your Bible in Greek are very powerful today. There's a free program that has an interlinear, Eric, and it's called e-sword and the would be the easiest, simplest way. If you want to get a great program that has a cost connected with it, that would probably be Logos or Lagos, it's pronounced both ways even by the programers. It's the Cadillac of Bible software, but its got a cost to it. Rather than getting one book, I'm assuming you're computer accessible studying the Greek. Then you ask about what version. If you're going to study the Bible along with Greek, there's a new translation, it's pretty good now and that's the English standard version. The new King James is good also. Either of those, I think would be very good. I appreciate your question Eric, thank you.
Pastor Jean: We do have a book called The Ultimate Resource it talks about the Bible and gets a little bit into some of the translations. We'll be happy to send that to you, Eric, or anybody wanting to learn more about the Bible and studying the Bible. The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called The Ultimate Resource. Again, the number is 800-835-6747 and ask for the book The Ultimate Resource. Next caller is Peter and he's listening from Westchester, New York. Peter, welcome to the program.
Peter: Yes, how are you doing? I just have a question it confuses me and I can't understand it. Adam and Eve from what I understand had two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain killed Abel and God banished Cain from the garden of Eden to the land of Nod, and it goes on and to say, "They he found a wife." Where did he get his wife from when it was only him and his brother?
Pastor Doug: Well, the good question, a little correction though. It never says he found his wife in the land of Nod, it actually says he took his wife and went to land of Nod.
Peter: Okay, where did she come from? That's my question.
Pastor Doug: The simple answer is, in the beginning, there was nothing wrong with marrying a sister, and if you read in Genesis 5, it not only says that Adam and Eve had Cain and Abel and Seth, it says they had many sons and daughters. The Bible typically traces the genealogy through the firstborn son or sons and back then in the beginning, you're talking about God made Adam and Eve, they have an interesting relationship because Eve came out of Adam's side, so you could say they had the same mother and father. Adam and Eve were brother and sister. There were no genetic problems in the beginning when Cain or Seth married their sisters. So he took one of his sisters and they went to the land of Nod and they formed the whole race grew out of them.
Pastor Jean: The verse you're referring to there, Pastor Doug, is Genesis 5:4 where it says Adam and Eve had sons and daughters.
Pastor Doug: Yes, and I think you'll find it says Cain took his wife. He didn't find her in the land of Nod, that would suspicious. I appreciate your question, Peter, and you would enjoy our new Bible study series, The Amazing Facts Bible study, our program.
Pastor Jean: All right, next call is Harry listening from Queens, New York. Harry, welcome to the program.
Harry: Hello Pastor Doug, how are you doing?
Pastor Doug: Doing well, thanks for calling. Yes, you're on.
Harry: Hey, Pastor Ross, how are you too as well? I was entertaining some folks and they were talking about Christ returning after He was ascendant. I also brought up the same topic that you discussed earlier in the program where how Christ would return and they said they're telling me that Christ returned to them, you know I'm saying. So I wanted to find out if there's any way in the Bible if there's any way that Christ would return to minister to anyone else?
Pastor Doug: The Bible tells us the next time we hear Jesus, he's coming in the clouds. Now, when he ascended to heaven in Acts chapter one, the angels said to the disciples that were gazing in the skies Christ was caught up, men of Galilee, why do you stand your gazing up in the sky, the same Jesus will come in like manner as you have seen Him go. He's left in the cloud, He's going to come in the clouds. He was visible, when He left, He'll be visible when He comes. Jesus it says he'll descend from heaven with a shout. The voice of the archangel. It's not a secret.
Harry: So that will become from the four [unintelligible 00:47:46] that He came out in the air and meet up with the other people.
Pastor Doug: If they say that Jesus made another trip down to earth after he ascended to heaven, I don't find any evidence for that in the Bible. I think it's contrary to scripture. That's where Christ said it'll be like lightening shining from the east to the west when He comes back. He told us to go and tell all nations, He didn't say don't worry about going to South America, I'm going to go over there. He didn't say, you don't need to go to Australia because I'm going to go up here to them. There may have been angelic interaction with people in other countries but not Jesus, personally.
Pastor Jean: Matter of fact Jesus said that if somebody says to you that He is in the desert or the secret chamber, Jesus said, "Do not believe it." That's pretty clear.
Pastor Doug: Don't go.
Pastor Jean: If somebody says Jesus has come, Jesus came, don't believe it.
Harry: [unintelligible 00:48:36] saying.
Pastor Doug: That's in Matthew 24. Well, thank you very much Harry. You would enjoy the book we mentioned earlier, Anything But Secret, it goes into some of these false claims about the Second Coming.
Pastor Jean: Again, the number to call is 800-835-6747. That is the resource line, you can ask for the book Anything But Secret. We've got Jonathan listening from North Dakota. Jonathan, welcome to the program.
Jonathan: Hey, how are you doing Pastor Jean Ross and Pastor Doug Batchelor?
Pastor Doug: Great, and your question?
Jonathan: Yes, I had a question on manna and how it relates to Jesus. I heard a lot of people talking about how the manna represents a health message or something like that, and if you deny the health messages, it's like you're denying Jesus because Jesus represents the manna and the manna represents a health message. Could you just maybe clarify that for me please?
Pastor Doug: Well, Jesus said I am the bread that came down from heaven and Moses then give you the bread to eat. I'm the true bread that the father gives and Christ is the bread of life, that's why Jesus said, "A man doesn't live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." I think it's a stretch to say that the man came down from heaven represents the health message.
I think the manna that came down from heaven represents Jesus and the truth. It kept them alive in the wilderness, and it sustained them and it's the truth of Christ that sustains us. So, if a person rejects the health message, they will be unhealthy and if you know, if your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and you don't care about taking care of it, that's a different issue. But I think someone stretching things to say that the -
Jonathan: So it's not salvation over there.
Pastor Doug: Yes. Well, there are some people that I think are going to be lost because they are just so hard on their bodies deliberately and like I said, knowing what they are doing, Jesus said, and Paul actually says that he that destroys the Temple of God, Temple of God is holy and he that destroys the Temple of God will be destroyed. So the [inaudible 00:50:50]
Pastor Jean: In Philippians Chapter 3:19, the Apostle Paul is talking about the end of time, talking about people at the end of time and he says whose end is destruction, talking of the wicked, whose God is their belly. So apparently, in the time that we are living, there are those who put -- Well, really, they are not concerned about what God has to say in His word, with reference to eating or drinking, but they simply eat whatever they want, and they are not taking care of their bodies.
Pastor Doug: Yes, a lot of people out there we know struggle with eating disorders and food temptations and I think the last I've heard about 50% of the people in North America are overweight and many are obese, and they are struggling with that. They need the grace of God but they've got to first come to terms with that they need his help to change those things.
Jonathan: Right.
Pastor Doug: All right, thank you, appreciate your call. Jonathan, by the way we've got a book you would enjoy, it's called Death in the Kitchen. No really, we have a book, it's a great book on what the Bible says about that subject. It does not say that the manna is a health message, but you will enjoy that, Death in the Kitchen.
Pastor Jean: The number to call again is 800-835-6747. That is the resource line. You can ask for the book Death in the Kitchen. I like the name of the other book we also have, Pastor Doug, Hogs and Other Hazards. It's also a good one. Next caller is Tanya listening from Arizona. Tanya, welcome to the program.
Tanya: Hello, how are you?
Pastor Doug: Better than we deserve. How are you doing?
Tanya: I am doing pretty good. I had just started listening and I called at the end of a question earlier that I want to follow up on. It was about Revelation and someone had called in, I think about the little horn, in Daniel, little horn in Revelation and -- You all had went on to talk about the Prophet, the Anti-Christ, the [unintelligible 00:52:37] and United States I heard was brought up in that and I was wondering where you feel the United States plays a part in Revelation, in that prophecy?
Pastor Doug: All right. That's a great question Tanya. First of all, if you go to Amazing Facts and you type in -- Or you just go to YouTube and type in the US and Bible prophecy, I've got about a minute to answer your question, I want you to get a good answer. If you are able to get to the internet, type in the US in Bible Prophecy, you can put Doug Batchelor USA in Bible Prophecy, and I've got a 40-minute message on it, because it's a big question, it's hard to cover in a minute. But Revelation 13:11 is I think where you first find it, and we have a lesson we will send you.
Pastor Jean: That's right. I want to mention that again. If we run out of time, Tanya, if you will take a look or just call our resource line 800-835-6747, ask for the lesson called The USA in Bible Prophecy, yes, Revelation does talk about the United States.
Pastor Doug: Yes, and I don't think that the people would be surprised when they look at what's happening in the world today with the United Nations is here, the US is considered-- We spend more on the military than any country including China in the world and it's become a center for international evangelism. So spiritually, economically, politically, the US is looked to by the world as a dynamo, and it is mentioned in last, the Bible Prophecy, you ought to get that lesson, America in Bible Prophecy or watch the YouTube on the US in Bible Prophecy, go to the Amazing Facts website. And if you've been blessed and edified, encouraged, helped by these programs, please remember we are a 100% listener-supported, there are no deep pockets that are paying for this program. It's all of you out there who I trust have little pockets. If you like to keep us going, just go to amazingfacts.org, you can click that contact button, tell us if the program has been a blessing. We love to hear from you. Take care till we study together again next week.
Announcer: This has been a pre-recorded broadcast of Bible Answers Live, a production of Amazing Facts Ministries. If you would like to order the materials mentioned on this broadcast, call 800-835-6747 from 8:00 AM to midnight, Eastern Standard Time. That's 800-835-6747. If you've missed an episode of Bible Answers Live, you can find it on our website, amazingfacts.org. You will also find our online sale catalogue of books, tapes and other materials as well, as numerous free resources on necessarily every Bible topic, putting the answers to your Bible questions right at your fingertips. If you've been blessed by this program, let us know. Write to us at PO box 909 Roseville, California 95678. Be sure to tell others about the program, and join us again next time for more, Bible Answers Live with Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Speaker: I grew up in a church-going family. I mean, we were at every meeting. I sang in four of the choirs there, I directed three, very involved, very active. It almost seemed like busy work sometimes. I went to Sunday School, I knew about God, I knew about Jesus, but I didn't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. My senior year in high school, I got the news my father had been murdered. I played it off well. No one really saw that I was struggling with it. It just really felt like there was a hole that needed to be filled and I tried to fill it with drugs, with alcohol, with partying. After college, I just stopped going to church altogether.
One day on a Sunday, because I didn't feel like going to church with my mom, I thought, "I should get a little bit of work." She had the satellite system hooked up and I am flipping through channels and then the logo pops across, "Amazing Facts presents". I've listened to a lot of different ministries but here, this was the first time that he's actually saying something where I had to grab my Bible and actually pick it up and I've never heard this before, "Let me look through and find this." I went through all the storacles, I went through all the study guides and I just couldn’t get enough. And then the Sabbath came up, and he's going through the appeal and I am just going, "Lord, I hear you, I have to go to the church."
So I show up. It was funny. I didn't feel like I was going to be judged, anything judgmental, anything, and I walked in the door and I just felt at home. But there's still a problem, I am still partying. I was still going out to the bars. At this time, I was selling cocaine to pay my rent. 16 days later I find myself in a life or death situation. I just came back from a liquor store and I grabbed a bottle of vodka, and there I am, high off cocaine, with my Bible in hand, trying to do a Bible study. And I heard an audible voice, "Just look at yourself," and I did, and I was like, "What am I doing?" And I got on my knees, I said, "Lord, if you do not take this away from me now, I'm going to kill myself. I was going to continue this lifestyle and I was going to end up overdosing, having a heart attack, whatever it was. You have to take this away, all of it."
And that day, He lifted all of it away from me. It was all gone. When God does something in your life, He does it complete.
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