Hogs and Other Hazards

In fact, pigs used to be kept on board ships long ago because it was believed that if they were shipwrecked, the pigs would always instinctively swim towards the nearest shore. Pigs are extremely intelligent and curious animals with remarkable memories and they're believed to be smarter than dogs and many primates.

Like dogs, they can easily be taught to fetch, heel, dance, pull carts and even sniff out landmines. They can even be thought to play video games, pushing the joy stick with their snouts. Something that even chimps struggle to master. Pigs are extremely social animals forming close bonds and they constantly communicate with others using at least a range of 20 different vocalizations consisting of oinks, grunts and squeals, each with a distinct meaning. Mother pigs will often sing to their young while nursing. Pigs also have a tremendous sense of smell and their snout is approximately 2000 times for sensitive than the human nose.

The largest pig ever recorded was a humongous hog named Big Bill in Jackson, Tennessee in 1933. This titanic pig weighed 2,552 pounds with a height of five feet and a length of nine feet. It’s stomach was so big it dragged the ground. Even though it’s been proven to be one of the least healthy foods, the world eats more pork than any other meat. 85 billion tons are consumed annually, that’s a third more than beef or chicken.

Did you know the Bible says, pigs were never designed to be on the menu. Stay with us friends, we’re going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.

Voice: 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 Batchelor: Welcome listening friends to Bible Answers Live and if you have a Bible question, we are live and if you just call in now, a good chance you'll get your question on tonight’s broadcast. We do our best to answer Bible questions, so not very good at romance or finance, but if you’ve got a question on the word of God, we've got some Bible resources at our fingertips and we will search the word together.

To call in, the number 800-GOD-SAYS, that’s 800-463-7297 with your bible question. My name is Doug Batchelor.

Pastor John Ross: My name is John Ross, good evening listening friends and Pastor Doug. Once again, let’s start the program with a prayer. Dear Father in Heaven, we thank you that we have this chance to open up Your word and study together and Lord we asked for the Holy Spirit once again to guide our minds and our hearts and all those who are listening and lead us together Father into a clearer understanding of your word. For we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.

Pastor Batchelor: Amen.

Pastor Ross: Pastor, you opened the program talking about pigs and of course, they have not the most positive reputation, but when you read those facts, it sounds that they're very intelligent, they come in all different sizes and colors and shapes and they're clean. I mean, we’d always think of pigs being clean but--

Pastor Batchelor: On the outside, in the wild, typically when pigs are in pens and actually I've had neighbors, I took care of their pigs when they are gone and it’s filthy and it smells awful, because they're all penned up. In the wild, even in Northern California, we have wild pigs. But you almost never smell them or see that in the wild.

Now pigs, I didn’t say in the Amazing Fact, they do have voracious appetites and will eat just about anything, which is one reason the Bible says that their flesh is unclean but externally, and then you’ve heard the expression sweat like pigs, well, pigs don’t actually sweat. There's a lot of rumors about pigs.

Something else I learned while doing this Amazing Fact is when tattoo artists are practicing their trade, now, who wants to be a guinea pig for a tattoo artist that’s learning? Part of the pun, guinea pig, but they practiced on pigs, not living pigs or the animal rights people would probably have a fit, but they find that pig skin is very much like human skin. And then we all know that there are people walking around out there, when they have heart problems, they replace their human valve with a heart from-- a valve from a pig’s heart. It’s a fascinating creature, but unlike dogs and unlike humans, they are biblically unclean as far as food. And some people are shocked to learn that, they think well that’s just an old testament law for the Jews.

But in reality, the distinction between the clean and unclean animals was not given first to the Jews, it was given to Noah and I expected everybody listening to my voice right now is related to Noah and God told Noah to take the unclean animals on the ark two-by-two, but the clean animals were taken on the arc by sevens. Like there might be one ram and seven sheep used and there might be one buck and seven doe. And pigs also actually, they work in a harem but they went on by twos and so the clean animals went two-by-two-- I'm sorry, the clean animals went by sevens, the unclean animals went two-by-two, and Noah was not Jewish.

And then in the New Testament, Peter, when he sees all these animals, Acts Chapter 10, coming down from Heaven and God says, "Arise and eat," and there's unclean animals in the sheet that is lowered from heaven, he said, "Not so Lord, I've never eaten anything common or unclean." He never takes anything out of the sheet, because that vision had nothing to do with animals. It had to do with taking the Gospel to the Gentiles.

But you can read these for yourselves friends. You can look in Leviticus Chapter 11, “Speak to the children of Israel, these are the animals that you might eat among all the animals on the Earth. Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud, you may eat.” That would be your goat, your sheep, your deer and so forth but some animals like for Camels, it chews the cud but it’s got a paw. It doesn’t have a cloven hoof and the swine, you can read verse seven, the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves yet it does not chew the cud, it is unclean. "Their flesh you shall not eat, their carcass you shall not touch, they are unclean."

And it even says in Isaiah that, “Those that eat the mouse and the pig will be consumed when the Lord comes.” There's some pretty strong language in there. People are surprised sometimes to learn that it does still matter what we eat and what we drink and we should do it to the glory of God.

We have a free book that talks about this, that hopefully will be edifying for people. I don’t think we've offered this before.

Pastor Ross: It’s got a name that’s easy to remember. It’s called Hogs and Other Hazards. We will be able to send this to anybody who calls and asks. The resource number is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called Hogs and Other Hazards. We’d be happy to send that again to you. Also, if you're outside of North America, you can also read this for free online at the Amazing Facts website. It’s amazingfacts.org, click on the link about the free library and you'll be able to read this book for free as well.

Well, I think we’re ready to go to the phone lines. Our first caller this evening is Josiah listening from Texas. Josiah, welcome to the program.

Josiah: Hey, thanks for taking my question.

Pastor Batchelor: Yes, absolutely.

Josiah: I have a question about basically, what would be a good foundation for a Bible truth or teaching basically a doctrine in the Bible, would it be like Daniel, Revelation or the Gospel of Luke or how would you know if you have enough verses even to really like have a doctrine established?

Pastor Batchelor: Well, it is good in the multitude of counselors or safety. The Bible says in two or three witnesses, let everything be established. So you’d want two or three scriptures. You probably nailed the board in the wall before, where you put one nail in and you can spin that board in any direction. But you put that second nail in the board, it doesn’t want to move and a third nail really locks it in. That’s how it is with developing bible truth, is you want the testimony of several verses.

Now, there are some subjects in the bible where it almost looks at first like you got conflicting verses and that’s where you want to get a multitude of support. Because whenever there's any question about a doctrine, you need extra witnesses, extra testimony. That’s one thing.

Now, through history, Josh where there have been church counsels that have spent a great deal of time trying to solidify certain doctrines and making sure they had enough biblical support for them and using common reason, as well as scripture. That was Martin Luther's approach, he said, "You need to show me by the word of God and sound reason," because God says let us reason together and having the testimony and counsel of other solid scholars. No man wants to come up with private interpretation, Peter says. If one man is discovering all these doctrines by themselves and no one else seems to see it, well, that’s usually suspicious. That’s a long answer, I don’t know if that made sense.

Josiah: Okay. Basically several verses or several Bible authors basically?

Pastor Batchelor: Yes and you’d want to make sure the authors are in harmony. That they're using the scripture. You don’t want to read an author that is just pulling things out of thin air.

Josiah: I mean like Daniel and John and Luke?

Pastor Batchelor: Oh yes, yes. Well, of course they're scripture. Their testimony would be solid.

Pastor Ross: Maybe just one more thought to add to that, the scripture says to the [unintelligible 00:10:44] the testimony, if they speak not according to this, there is no light in them. The Old Testament was divided into two parts. You have the first five books of Moses known as the Law and then you have the testimony which is written by the prophets was the rest of the Old Testament.

The New Testament is an extension of the Prophets or the testimony. Any doctrinal, solid important doctrinal truth, you can find evidence for that both in the writings of Moses, the Law, as well as support in the rest of the scripture amongst the prophets. I mean, you can think of anything. Any particular doctrine, you'll find it both in the law and the prophets.

Pastor Batchelor: That’s right, yes, and that’s by the way Isaiah Chapter 8:16 and 20 where he talks about that. Thank you, we appreciate your call Josiah and we've got a book that talks about the Bible and it’s called the Ultimate Testimony or the Ultimate Resource, yes.

Pastor Ross: The number to call for that is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called the Ultimate Resource. That is the free offer. We’ll be able to send that to anybody who calls and asks. Our next caller is Ed and he is listening in Michigan. Ed, welcome to the program.

Ed: Oh yes, hi. I heard a big shhhhh in my ear. Yes, my question is, I'm going to try and make it real short, in Deuteronomy Chapter 30 verses-- I like to start with a couple before and then work down to 19 and then over in Romans Chapter 10 Verse 9 and 10 and this bible tractthat my friend gave me about Jesus dying on the cross and from that time laid in his grave or--

Pastor Batchelor: Right.

Ed: Other people say that he was preaching to I guess the sinners in hell but there's no way that can ever happen, but anyways, I was wondering what your thinking was on that. I mean-

Pastor Batchelor: Yes, let me tell you-

Ed: - through the Bible [cross talk]

Pastor Batchelor: -I agree, with you, I don’t believed that happened but they get that from-

Ed: I don’t either, I don’t either.

Pastor Batchelor: I think they get that idea from was it 2Peter where he said he went to the spirits in prison which in former times, in the days of Noah, there is a verse where he talks about that Christ preached to those in prison. You got that Pastor?

Pastor Ross: Yes, that’s 1Peter 3:19.

Pastor Batchelor: You want to read that?

Pastor Ross: Yes, let me pull it up here. It says, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. Being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit by whom all say he went and preached in prison or preached to the spirits in prison who formerly were disobedient when once the divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah.”

Pastor Batchelor: That’s the verse. Now, some people think that means that when Jesus died, that he went and preached to the people that were lost from the days of Noah in the flood. That’s not at all what Peter is talking about.

Peter is referring to that through God’s spirit and you'll find this is Genesis Chapter 6, through God’s spirit, Christ preached to people even back in the days of Noah. It’s not saying when Jesus died, he wasn’t really dead but he was going around in hell preaching to people. That’s an example of building a doctrine out of one verse, that you shouldn’t do or you come up with strange ideas.

We would agree with you that Jesus did not do that. That once a person’s died, their eternal destiny is sealed one way or the other. They don’t get a second chance after death to hear a sermon. I don’t know if I'm answering your question, Ed.

Ed: Pardon me.

Pastor Batchelor: I don’t know if I'm answering specifically what you're asking.

Ed: No, I just-- I know, but I would just want some insight or input or whatever because Jesus slept on his Sabbath and there's no way that-- there's just no way.

Pastor Batchelor: Well, the Bible is pretty clear. It says, Jesus died on the cross. If he didn’t really die and he went off somewhere preaching, then it would say that Jesus went through some kind of metamorphosis on the cross. But yeah, you're on the right track and we do have a book that talks about three days and three nights that we can send you. That talks about where Jesus was and it’s called The Sign of Jonah.

Pastor Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747. That is the resource line and you can ask for the book called The Sign of Jonah. Again, that number is 800-835-6747 and if you have a bible question, our phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297, 800-463-7297. Our next caller is Carol and Carol is listening in Minnesota. Carol, welcome to the program.

Carol: Hi. Thank you for taking my call.

Pastor Batchelor: Absolutely.

Carol: Hello?

Pastor Batchelor: Yes, you're on.

Carol: Oh okay. I thought maybe I missed you. I have a question about what Moses did to Aaron and the significance of it. It’s in Leviticus Chapter 8 Verses 22-24.

Pastor Batchelor: Okay. I see it. You want me to read that to the people here?

Carol: Sure.

Pastor Batchelor: Well, it says, “And then he brought the second ram, the ram of consecration, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. Moses killed it, he took some of its blood and put it on the tip of Aaron's right ear, the thumb of his right hand, the big toe of his right foot,” and you're wondering, what in the world does that mean?

Well, the blood of the lamb represented of course a sacrifice for sin. The putting it on the right ear, right thumb, right big toe, your ear represents your listening to God, your hand represents you're working for God, your foot represents your walk with God. The right hand, ear, and foot represents favorable. You can look in the bible it says, “Christ sat down at the Father’s right hand” and Jesus says to the sheep on the right, “Come into eternal life”. It’s a sign of favor.

And so this was symbolizing that the priest, they would listen to God, His Spirit, they would do the works of God and they would follow God, their feet, the path of their life. And so that was a ceremony to help them remember that they had been consecrated to God from head to foot you might say.

Carol: That makes sense. I just wonder if that had anything to do with in our day of baptism?

Pastor Batchelor: Well, in a sense there's two kinds of baptism. You got your typical baptism when you first come into the Lord, but then even after we believe, there's the occasional foot-washing. Jesus washed the disciples feet, it says in John Chapter 13 and he says, “You’ve already been washed," meaning the baptism but this, when you walk through life, sometimes your feet get dusty and it’s like a mini baptism. And so even like the blood on the toe for Aaron, Jesus washing the feet, it meant washing our walk, if we have strayed. And so that was like a mini baptism.

But yes, baptism is a cleansing from sin. The blood of Jesus is what washes away our sins, so it’s all connected.

Carol: Okay. Okay. Thank you very much.

Pastor Batchelor: Thank you, Carol.

Carol: I appreciate it.

Pastor Batchelor: I appreciate your call.

Carol: Thank you. Bye.

Pastor Batchelor: Bye, bye.

Pastor Ross: We have Dennis who is listening from also in Minnesota. Dennis, welcome to the program.

Pastor Batchelor: Dennis you're on the air.

Dennis: Hello Pastor Doug and Pastor Ross.

Pastor Batchelor: Good evening.

Dennis: I have a question-- good evening. I have a question about a verse in the Bible that says, “No man has seen God the Father” and of course I was wondering then since I think Moses and Elijah and Enoch are in Heaven with the Lord, have they not seen God the Father and who is the angel of the Lord?

Pastor Batchelor: All right. That’s a good question. You'll see in Exodus 33:20, God said to Moses, "You cannot see my face, for no man shall see me and live.” And he said, “I’ll put you in the rock and I’ll pass by and you'll see my back part, you'll see my from behind” but you look me direct in the face and the glory of it would consume you. That’s a paraphrase.

But the Bible says that many men, Jacob wrestled with God and Abraham talked to God, face-to-face as a friend. You’ve got the Glory of God the Father and you’ve got the Glory of God, the Son, who veiled, he dimmed his glory so we could behold him.

Jesus said, “No man has seen the Father,” and I forgot the verse of that, it’s in the Gospel of John. He says, “No man has seen the Father”, of course in heaven, in Revelation it says, “After we’re saved and we've got our glorified bodies and we’re purified from sin, it says then we will see his face.” We will see him face-to-face. But the glory of God the Father, no man can see that and survive.

Pastor Ross: The verse you're thinking of is John chapter 6 verse 46.

Pastor Batchelor: And you want to read that for us?

Pastor Ross: Actually verse John chapter 1 verse 18 also says, “No man has seen God at any time. The only begotten son which is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him” and then Chapter 6 verse 46 says, “Not that any man has seen the Father, saved he which is of God. He has seen the Father,” and is speaking of Christ.

Pastor Batchelor: And then Jesus told, I think it was Thomas, he says, “If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.” Maybe he said that to Philip, I forget. But Christ came to reflect the Father’s glory. Just as the moon is somewhat diminished from the sun, but it reflects the light of the sun. Jesus veiled his full glory, so that we could behold the Father in him. Now, hopefully that makes sense, Dennis.

Dennis: Yes, I can understand that. But what about the Angel of the Lord, is that the Archangel Michael?

Pastor Batchelor: Well, I think the Angel of the Lord was what they call a Christophany. Most bible scholars believed that in the Old Testament, from time-to-time, Jesus appeared and they called him the Angel of the Lord. Moses sort of tips his hand and makes it clearer, he says in Deuteronomy 18, “The Lord your God is going to raise up a prophet for you like me, him you will hear,” and then he calls him the angel of the covenant.

And so Moses tells us that the prophet who is to come that was like Moses, we know that’s Jesus, he also calls him the Angel of the Lord. Probably not maybe every time, but most times in the Old Testament when it says the Angel of the Lord appeared to some of these Old Testament characters-- one of them I think it was the parents of Samson, they said, "What is your name?” He says, “Why do you ask after my name for it is wonderful?”

Well, the Bible says of Jesus, his name is wonderful, counselor, the mighty God. You do a little homework, a little detective work and you can see that the definitions for the Angel of the Lord often fit the definitions for Christ before he came to Earth.

Let me give you one more on that. The Angel of the Lord appeared to Joshua and he was told, “Take your shoes off your feet, for the ground you stand on is holy.” Well, you only worship God. It had to be God the Son that was this commander of the Lord’s army. So we have a book on Who is Michael the Archangel? We’ll send you a free copy Dennis is you just call the resource line and tell them you're listening to the program.

Pastor Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called Who is Michael the Archangel? And you know Dennis, just to make it clear, we’re not saying that Jesus is an angel, meaning that he is a created being. But the word angel in the Bible means messenger. Sometimes it’s an angelic being, as we think of with wings, but even people at times are referred to in prophecy as angels. We have the three angels messages and the fourth angel in Revelation 18, that represents God’s people at the end of time who are taking this end timemessage.

Pastor Batchelor: Even David was called an angle once.

Pastor Ross: I'm trying to think of that story, when that was--

Pastor Batchelor: Yes, when [unintelligible 00:23:26], when Joab have tricked this woman of Tekoa-

Pastor Ross: Oh that’s right.

Pastor Batchelor: -into telling him a story.

Pastor Ross: That’s right.

Pastor Batchelor: [unintelligible 00:23:30] as an angel of God.

Pastor Ross: Anyway, the book again is called Michael the Archangel and we’ll be happy to send it to anybody who calls and asks. The number is 800-835-6747. You can also read the book for free online at the Amazing Facts website. Our next called is Dominic and Dominic is listening in New York, New York. Dominic, welcome to the program.

Dominic: Hi. I hope everyone’s [unintelligible 00:23:55], God bless. What I want to ask about just I haven’t remembered exactly what are the passages and I don't have it accordance, “He who marries an adulterer commits adultery and--

Pastor Batchelor: Well, Matthew 5 says that.

Dominic: Matthew 5

Pastor Batchelor: Matthew 5 and I think it’s in Matthew chapter 19 also, but anyway, go ahead with your question.

Dominic: I don’t know if [unintelligible 00:24:21] that’s abomination of God in marriage.

Pastor Batchelor: What? To marry an adulteress you mean?

Dominic: Yes, because when you marry an adulterer or an adulteress, you become an adulteress, so that within itself becomes an abomination of God.

Pastor Batchelor: Well, there is a passage in the--

Dominic: Does that follow [unintelligible 00:24:42]

Pastor Batchelor: There a passage in the Old Testament you might be thinking of. It talks about that if a man divorces his wife and she goes and becomes another man’s wife and then she leaves him, if he remarries her, it would be an abomination. And God was basically saying that his people, that he didn’t want them getting into wife swapping. And so that maybe the verse you're thinking of, but yes, adultery is clearly one of the Ten Commandments. Don’t commit adultery.

Dominic: And is a divorce, it doesn’t say so, but it is adultery to divorce.

Pastor Batchelor: If a person divorces--

Dominic: [unintelligible 00:25:20] If marriage is involved.

Pastor Batchelor: Now, Jesus says in Matthew chapter 19, that if a person divorces without biblical grounds, in other words he said the saving for the cause of fornication, so if you're married Dennis and if you're wife would regrettably commit adultery, you would have biblical grounds for divorcing her without being an adulterer yourself. That’s the biblical, the primary definition that the bible allows for divorce.

Dominic: [unintelligible 00:25:51] I didn’t get the last part of what you said.

Pastor Batchelor: Well, I'm just saying that the only biblical grounds for divorce that Jesus gives in Matthew 5 is the saving for the cause of fornication. In other words, if one of the spouses violates a vow through being with another woman or man, that was grounds for divorce. And the party that divorced them would not be guilty of adultery.

Dominic: And does it say then they wouldn’t be able to remarry?

Pastor Batchelor: Yes. He said, “Whoever marries this person commits adultery.” You know, you would enjoy the book that we recently wrote on the subject called Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. And we go into, in pastoring you run into all kinds of interesting scrambled situations. People want to serve the Lord. Their marriage baggage is maybe a little confusing and they wonder, where do I go from here? What does the Bible say? And so we put it all in a book to try and make it as easy to understand as possible and any of those listening out there, if you’d like to better understand this subject, what does the bible say about Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage, we’ll send you a free copy and Dennis, I'm sorry Dominic, if you would like a copy then Pastor Ross will give the number for that.

Pastor Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747 and the book again is called Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. We’re happy to send this to anybody who calls and asks. So again, as I mentioned earlier, you can read it for free online at the Amazing Facts website, amazingfacts.org.

Pastor Batchelor: Well, it looks like halftime music. We don’t have a halftime show, but don’t go away friends, we’re coming back with more Bible questions. Our halftime music is here. Take a deep breath and if you want to call in with a Bible question, we still have a few lines open, that number 800-GOD-SAYS, that’s 800-463-7297 and while you're catching your breath you could also check out some of what we have at the Amazing Facts website. There is a ton of bible study information there, videos, lessons, much of it free that you can learn and share with your friends. So don’t go away, we’re going to take a break and be back with more bible questions.

[music playing]

Voice: Bible Answers Live will return in just a moment. If you're looking for bible-based materials for further study, sign up for Amazing Facts’ free correspondence bible study course or check out our sale catalog featuring hundreds of inspiring books and tapes.

To order, call our resource line at 800-835-6747, that’s 800-835-6747. Amazing Facts is a faith-based listener supported ministry operating exclusively through the generosity of your prayers and financial gifts. We would love to hear from you, write to us at P.O. Box 909 Roseville California 95678 or online at amazingfacts.org.

You're listening to Bible Answers Live with Pastor Dough Batchelor. If you have a bible related question, call us now to receive clear, honest answers directly from scripture. We have a few lines open, so please give us a call. The phone number to the studio is 800-GOD-SAYS, that’s 800-463-7297.

If you’ve enjoyed Bible Answers Live, you'll love Pastor Doug’s book of Bible Answers straight from the broadcast, the very best questions and answers have been compiled as an awesome resource for bible study and personal evangelism.

Each answer has been expanded with more bible verses and insightful commentary. The book of Bible Answers can be yours today for just $12. Call now at 1-800-835-6747 and request offer 257, that’s 1-800-835-6747.

Pastor Batchelor: And we are back and you are listening to Bible Answers Live and for friends may have joined along the way. This is a live international interactive bible study and you are invited to participate. If you have a bible question we do have some lines open, that number to call into the studio is 800-GOD-SAYS 800-463-7297, My name is Doug Batchelor.

Pastor Ross: My name is John Ross and Pastor Doug we're ready to go to the next caller. We have E. Frank who's listening from New York. E. Frank welcome to the program.

E. Frank: Good Evening Pastor Doug and Mr. Ross. I'd just like to ask a specific question in regards to individuals who have mental problems and I'm very vague in the way I just expressed that, because in biblical times, it indicated that many individuals were possessed by demoniac spirits or unclean spirits. But it doesn't specify in the Bible they use healing to remove those spirits, but it never stated if the individual was treated with some porion.

I looked through many of the Bible verses and I couldn't find if there was any form of treatment that was given to individuals who may have been had in those days, when medicine was not an advanced theory of any kind, some potions to cure the individual of mental infirmities, rather they did healing of the unclean spirit.

Pastor Batchelor: Jesus on the number of occasions he cast out devils and you can find that in Mark Chapter 5 and Luke Chapter 8 and Mark Chapter 2, there were people who were demon possessed. One time it talks about someone who was lunatic and that's a different word that was used. Actually the word lunatic comes from the moon, they used to think that when the moon was in certain cycles that people misbehaved.

There are people that I'm sure were brought to Jesus that were demon possessed because he talked to them and they said, "We're demons inside." And then there were some people that probably had a mental disorder from a brain injury or an illness or some kind of palsy and he healed them. With one group it was more a spiritual casting out of the devils and with the other group it may have been more of a biological healing that took place.

There's no record in the Bible of the Lord or the apostles giving somebody a portion or a chemical or a tea or anything. I'm sure doctors back in Jesus day tried all kinds of things. There was one woman who was sick for years and she spent everything on doctors and didn't get any better but got worse, doctors then practiced all kinds of things and a lot of it was just not a lot better than witch doctor treatments [laughs].

Even the Egyptians who were considered to be some of the most sophisticated physicians, they prescribed worm's blood to make your hair grow, I tried it nothing happened. [laughs] I don't have much faith in those Egyptian doctors. Anyway I don't know if I'm answering your question E. Frank, but there were a number of people in the Bible that were said to be demon possessed and the Lord cast out the devils, also the apostles did as well.

E. Frank: Well, I actually believe that you did answer the question, it's just that there is a contrast between a 20th century post-modern society and first century medicine and that's just what I wanted to know.

Pastor Batchelor: Well let me just tell you, I've been to meetings before, I don't see it happen quite as much in North America, but I was in Africa and India and I saw people just start screaming as something possessed them. I'm sure a Psychiatrist would have diagnosed it was a mental disorder, but the Pastor took these people and they started praying over them and they just relaxed and whatever was bothering them went away.

I believed it was demonic in nature and there was a supernatural remedy. We don't see that as much in this country as you might in some other countries. I appreciate your call E. Frank and hope that helps a little bit, we're going to go the next call.

Pastor Ross: Next call is Christopher and he's listening from the Bronx New York. Christopher welcome to the program.

Christopher: Yes, [unintelligible 00:34:17]

Pastor Batchelor: Good evening, get real close to your phone you're all the way in New York and we're in California Christopher.

Christopher: My question is related to your Bible Verse at the beginning of the program.

Pastor Batchelor: Good.

Christopher: I have a Bible Verse Romans chapter 14 verse 14 mentions something about unclean, nothing being unclean.

Pastor Batchelor: Let me read that for our friends that are listening. "I know and I am convinced by the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean of itself but to him who considers anything to be unclean it is unclean." That's true, Paul is talking right here, you notice in Chapter 14, he doesn't mention any particular food, Paul is talking there about a specific debate where the Jews were concerned that eating animals, even clean animals that had been sacrificed to gods in the Roman markets rendered them unclean.

Paul is basically saying, Look if you believe that it's unclean, then don't eat it, eat vegetables, if someone prays over it and they're not bothered by it then for them it's okay. But he's not talking about a substance of food and you can read this, where is it where it says, "Eat whatever is sold in the shambles, asking no questions." I think it's 1Corinthians for Conscience' sake, you type in the King James the Word "Shambles" you'll find that, it's the only place I think it appears in the Bible.

Pastor Ross: 1 Corinthians Chapter 10 Verse 25.

Pastor Batchelor: Yes, the big debate among early Christians was the Jewish Christians were telling the Gentile Christians, "You can't eat the meat, even the clean meat sold in the Roman market places because they sacrificed it to gods before they butcher it and that meant that you're worshiping these false gods." Paul said, "No it doesn't, if your conscience bothers you, don't eat it but if it doesn't bother you then eat it in faith."

It had nothing to do with eating foods that were unclean, Paul was not saying by his statement that Christians can pray over anything and it suddenly becomes healthy, because God says, "Don't be deceived, God is not mocked." If your children say in the morning, "For breakfast I'm going to have a banana split or a sundae and I'm going to pray over it." and you say, "No, that's not a nutritious breakfast, you're going to be bouncing off the walls in your classroom." and they say, "No, but I'm going to pray over it."

Well no parent would accept that because that's tempting the Lord, there's a cause and effect. That's also true with the foods that God declared to be unclean. The substance of those foods is not healthy, the foods that God said are unclean are the scavengers, people shouldn't eat buzzards, they shouldn't eat dogs, they should not eat pigs, pigs are in the scavenger family and God declared these scavengers are unclean. They're two completely different issues. One is eating things sacrificed to idols the other one is eating animals that were unclean. Does that make sense Christopher?

Christopher: It makes a little sense, but the context of Roman chapter 14, I don't see the sacrifices to idols in that whole chapter.

Pastor Batchelor: Well, let me see here, Look at verse 1, it says, "He believes he may eat all things, but one who is weak eats only vegetables." He's talking about people that are weak in faith, they don't want to eat something offered to an idol so they just eat vegetables. Now if you read in Daniel Chapter 1, Daniel said he wasn't going to eat the food sacrificed to the idols, he wasn't going to eat the Babylonian food, because he didn't want to defile himself. Why would God say in the old testament that buzzards are unclean for food or camel and why would it suddenly be okay in the new testament?

Christopher: I see that based on the spirit meaning for that is we got unclean people, we got the wicked and righteous. It [unintelligible 00:38:12] to represent people that we got got people that are called-- you said that men are beasts, you called men beasts, wild beast and then you got some are called Sheep and Lambs.

Pastor Batchelor: Do you think it makes a difference as a believer what you eat?

Christopher: I eat because of the health reasons, but I don't think the Bible is talking about cholesterol or sodium or stuff like that. The Bible doesn't bring that stuff up.

Pastor Batchelor: But if the Bible tells us to eat and drink to God's glory and this is Paul also who said that, "Whatever you eat and whatever you drink do all to the Glory of God." Then there's verses in the Bible that say, "We should eat for strength and not for gluttony or drunkenness." Then it does obviously matter to God that we care for our bodies, I think everyone would agree with that.

Pastor Ross: Well of course Paul also in 1Corinthians Chapter 6 Verse 19 Says, "Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy spirit who is in you, whom you have from God you are not your own."

Pastor Batchelor: Whoever defiles that temple will be destroyed.

Pastor Ross: Our bodies are the Lord's if we're following him and we want to keep it in as good repair as we can.

Pastor Batchelor: You'd enjoy that book Christopher, I really encourage you, We'll send you a free copy. Take a look at that book Hogs and Other Hazards you'll find it both entertaining and I think Biblical and informative, anyone out there send for that book.

Pastor Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747, you can ask for the book called Hogs and Other Hazards, we'll be happy to send that to anybody who calls and asks. Our next caller is Phil and he's listening from Brooklyn, New York. Phil welcome to the program.

Phil: Hello.

Pastor Ross: Hi.

Pastor Batchelor: Hi Phil, you're on the air.

Phil: Good Evening-

Pastor Batchelor: Good Evening.

Phil: -Pastor Doug, Pastor Ross, my Question to you is with Genesis 6 and it speaks about fallen angels [unintelligible 00:40:00] and took wives for themselves. My question to you is how can angels have children with humans, in that angels are spirits and humans are flesh.

Pastor Batchelor: All right, now what Bible are you reading? Are you reading like a King James or are you reading a--?

Phil: King James.

Pastor Batchelor: Your King James? If you look in the King James version, it doesn't say that the sons of God that marry the daughters of men are fallen angels, does it? Where are you getting the idea that the sons of God are fallen angels?

Phil: I have read in the Bible that it's about how they left their estate.

Pastor Batchelor: Yes. It does. It says that "The angels who kept not their first estate." That's in I think is in the book of Jude. They're kept in everlasting chains of darkness. But here in Genesis 6, let me read it for our friends that are listening, okay, Phil? "Now it came to pass," this is Genesis chapter 6 verse 1. "It came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were beautiful and took wives for themselves of all whom they chose." Some people read that and they think, "The sons of God. Well, if they're marrying the daughters of men, they must not be men. They're something else."

Now, there's two groups of people in the world. They were the descendants of Seth and Adam that were worshiping God, they were called the sons of God, and there were the descendants of Cain who had run and rebelled from God. They were called the daughters of men. As long as they remain separate, the sons of God stayed holy. But when the children of Seth began to intermarry with the daughters of Cain, it says, "The wickedness increased in the world."

Now, how do I know that? If you look in the new testament in 1John chapter 3, it says, "Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called sons of God." Believers are called sons of God. Isaiah says, "We are sons and daughters of God." The sons of God that intermarried the daughters of men, they're all humans. It was the believers intermarrying the unbelievers. They weren't aliens. They weren't fallen angels. They weren't spirits. I've written a book on that, Phil. I'll send you a free copy. It's called Who Are the Sons of God? Aliens, Angels, or Adopted? Would you like that?

Phil: In the Book of Enoch, it speaks about the fallen angels as the children. But you [unintelligible 00:42:35]

Pastor Batchelor: Well, but the Book of Enoch is not a book in the Bible.

Phil: I understand that it's not canon. But Jesus, he spoke about the Book of Enoch. Evidently, it has to have some type of truth to it. That Jesus--

Pastor Batchelor: Well actually, Jesus doesn't speak about the Book of Enoch, but the Book of Enoch is referenced in the New Testament by Jude. He quotes a phrase from the Book of Enoch and that phrase would be inspired, but he's not endorsing the whole book as canon. I would not use that to say that this is proof that aliens have, or fallen angels have intermarried with humans.

Please, take a look at that book, because we do address this specifically. We'll send it to you free if the price is right. It's called Who Are the Sons of God? Aliens, Angels, or Adopted?

Pastor Ross: The number to call 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book, Who Are the Sons of God? We'll be happy to send that to anybody who calls and asks.

Pastor Batchelor: Pastor Ross, before we go to the next call, we were going to mention something very exciting that is coming up in the near future. A series we've been talking about for a while. It's 14 days away. I'm looking at the countdown at our website. 14 days, 20 hours, 16 minutes, 43 seconds as of now to The Last Day of Prophecy. Pastor Ross and I are going to be in Charlotte, North Carolina, uplinking on television around the world. It'll be on Three Angels Broadcasting. It'll be on Amazing Facts TV, also carried by the Hope Church Channel and Roku. It'll be on a number of mechanisms through the internet.

But it is a special series of meetings called The Last Day of Prophecy. Seven-part presentation series. We hope you'll plan on tuning in, friends. Just about anyone, anywhere in the world can see it and hear it if they want to. You'll be encouraged as you study some of these very important issues of prophecy and what that last day of prophecy is. Go to the website, it's called lastdayofprophecy.com. Lastdayofprophecy.com. Pray for us as we get ready for this important series.

Now we go back to the call.

Pastor Ross: Okay. Very good. We have Warren, who is listening from Tennessee. Warren, welcome to the program.

Warren: Hello.

Pastor Batchelor: Hi.

Warren: Yes. I have a question from Isaiah chapter 45 verse 7. We were studying in a class and we were kind of stumped. The question is on chapter 45 on verse 7, "I formed the light and create darkness. I make peace and create evil. And I, the Lord, do all these things." Now, I don't believe God created evil. My thought was, he knew evil would be on this earth at one time. Am I correct or am I wrong [laughs]?

Pastor Batchelor: You're correct. The Bible says, "Every good and perfect gift comes from God." God, when he made the world, it was good, good, very good. If you're reading that, you're probably reading the King James Version. I'm looking right now at the New King James Version and here it says, "I make peace and create calamity." It means, God can send peace and God can also withdraw his protection, at which time, tribulation will come. Some examples would be in the Bible when the children of Israel were unfaithful. God withdrew his protection and the various surrounding nations would come in and harass them. That might be the Babylonians or the Assyrians, or the Egyptians. He would say, "I can create or allow calamity." Even when Job was tormented by the devil, you notice God had to give permission for the devil to do what he did.

Warren: Absolutely. That's what I thought.

Pastor Batchelor: God is good but sometimes God will allow it a test and he withdraws his protection. Or it might be a judgment or a chastening, and the devil will give us a hard time.

Warren: One of the pastors I talked to, he did not read this before. He said, "Why, I've never read that." He said, "That stumped me for a while." It bothered me when I read it. I said, "I'm going to call somebody that I've met before." So I'm calling you to clarify it.

Pastor Batchelor: Well, I hope it helps a little. I'm sure I'm not the last word. I think that God is simply saying that because He is sovereign, that even when trials come-- Jesus said, "I send the rain and the sunshine on the good and the evil." Meaning, we all like the sunshine and storms are not always pleasant but he allows both to come into our lives. That's all that Isaiah's saying here.

Warren: That clarify it because that stumped me even. We've been studying in a lesson and that came up.

Pastor Batchelor: Yes. It's a difficult verse. It sounds like God creates evil.

Warren: I was like, "I know somebody that might clarify that." They said, "Well, you call because I'd be too nervous to talk about it [laughs]."

Pastor Batchelor: Thank you, Warren. Appreciate you calling in and hope that helps a little bit.

Warren: God bless your station. I tell you, I listen to you every Sunday night.

Pastor Batchelor: Thank you. Tell your friends and enemies to tune in. All right, you take care.

Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Bradley listening from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Bradly, welcome to the program.

Bradly: Good evening, Pastor Ross, Pastor Doug.

Pastor Batchelor: Evening.

Bradly: Pastor Doug, I have your sermon, The 7,000 Year Pattern and I know that a day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years is one day. I wondered if that also applies when Jesus said, "Destroy this temple and in three days I'll raise it up."

Pastor Batchelor: The three days there, I think, were obviously the three days that he talked about as Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. He rose the third day after he began suffering for the sins of the world. I don't think he's talking about three millennial days. But if you want, that even works. Because from the time of Christ 2,000 years ago, until the world is made new, you've got 2,000 years from now. We spend a thousand years with Christ in heaven, right?

Bradly: Right.

Pastor Batchelor: Then he makes a new heaven and a new earth at the end of that. That's 3,000 years. That's assuming Jesus comes in the near future. We don't know the day or the hour, but I think it's going to be soon.

Bradly: Wasn't he crucified in AD 31?

Pastor Batchelor: Yes.

Bradly: It would be 2031. IT would be 2,000 years.

Pastor Batchelor: If you're going from the date of his crucifixion. But I think we need to be careful about saying that the Lord is going to come-- Some people say it's going to be 2,000 years from his baptism. People used to say 2,000 years from his birth, but that would be 1996. Nothing happened. Then people say 2,000 years from his baptism, which would be 2027. Another say from his crucifixion, which would be 2031. I think we got to not say, "This is when the Lord is coming," because Jesus was really clear, "At such an hour you think not the Son of Man is coming, and no man knows the day or the hour, and except those days be shortened, no flesh would be saved." Not sure when it is. But I know it's near. I think he gives us signs so we can know when it's near.

Bradly : Another quick question?

Pastor Batchelor: Okay, quick one.

Bradley : You get a lot of questions about the sons of God. Do you think that we could be the sons of God like it's mentioned in 1John? I'm sorry, in the book of Job where it says, the sons of God presented themselves before the Lord. Then in 1John it says, "We shall be like the sons of God"?

Pastor Batchelor: Yes, I think that we are the sons of God mentioned in 1John. The sons of God mentioned in Job are in an extraterrestrial meaning. I think that's talking about the leaders of other worlds. Like when Jesus said in the book of Luke the genealogy of Jesus that called Adam the son of God. I don't think that we are in that capacity the sons of God. The word sons of God is used generally in a few different ways in the bible. It sometimes is talking about angels, leaders of other worlds`and the redeemed. All those who are loyal to God. Thank you for your question, Bradley. We're going to-- got a couple more standing by and only a couple of minutes left.

Pastor Ross: We got Audrey listening from New York, New York. Audrey, welcome to the program.

Audrey: Hi, can you hear me?

Pastor Batchelor: Loud and clear.

Audrey: Okay, good. I'm calling in response to an earlier question. My question has to do with when Jesus was dying on the cross and the curtain was torn in two and the earthquakes occurred. It said that the dead came out of the tombs and they were seen running through the city. Can you compare that to the discussion about was Jesus going to hell and--

Pastor Batchelor: Preaching to the spirits in prison, yes. When he talks in Mathew chapter 28, and this is the only gospel where it's mentioned, there was a special resurrection evidently of some of the saints that lived around Jerusalem who were raised at the time that Christ died on the cross at the great earthquake. It was very briefly, they appeared to some in the city and ascended because they were so few and it was so brief that the other gospel writers don't even mention it. That has nothing to do with it Jesus going to preach to souls that were in prison in hell. When he died on the cross, he was asleep. He died, the Bible says. He wasn't just translated into another state. I don't think it's talking about the same thing. But we appreciate that Audrey. We're going to see if can slip in one more call.

Pastor Ross: We have James, he's listening in from Long Island, Newyork. James, welcome to the program.

James: Okay, thank you for receiving me. My denomination has certain rules on fasting that are very rigid. Monday you can't eat this, at certain days you can't eat meat, certain days you can't eat dairy, etc. This is in contradiction, I believe to the book of Timothy, 1Timothy chapter 4 verses 2 and 3. I'd just like to confirm that.

Pastor Batchelor: Yes, there it's talking about in the last days, certain sects or religious groups will arise, command you to abstain from meats that God created to be received with thanksgiving. I think you are on track there that for a church to say that there are days of the week that you can or can't eat fish or dairy or whatever, you don't find support for that in the bible. It is appropriate to fasts. It doesn't tell you specifically when. Jesus said when you fast, how to fast, don't do it by looking all disheveled and gaunt. He said comb your hair, wash your face and let God know your fasting and praying about something.

Don't advertise it to try and sound pious, so that you get the reward of men. There's nothing wrong with fasting. It's actually good. But the idea of it being mandated by the church and telling you certain foods is on certain days, there's no support for that in the bible. Now the Passover, you're not supposed to eat leavened, but that's not quite the same thing as a fast.

Hey, I appreciate your question James, and I hope that helps a little bit. We do have a study guide on health. We'll be happy to send you a free copy and Pastor Ross will give you the number and everybody is welcome also to order this God's Free Health Plan.

Pastor Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide called God's Free Health plan. I'll be happy to send it to anybody who calls and asks.

Pastor Batchelor: Well, friends it's amazing how quick this hour goes. We're not gone yet, but we do want to remind you, be sure to be praying about and tune in. Tell your friends about The Last Day of Prophecy series begins 21 March and goes through 26 March. We'll be uplinking from Charlotte North Carolina and it's going to be a satellite seminar on television. Everybody can participate in. Thank you for tuning in. If you've been blessed by the program we would love to hear from you. You can keep us on the air. Go to amazingfacts.org and click donate. Just let us know if the program has been a blessing.

[background music]

Voice: 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 in the broadcast, call 800-835-6747 from 8.A.M 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'll find our online sale catalog of books, tapes and other materials, as well as numerous free resources on nearly 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 P.O. Box 909, Rosewell 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. 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. 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'm flipping through a channel and then the logo pops across, Amazing Facts presents. I've listened to a lot of different ministries but this was the first time that he's actually saying something that where I had to grab my Bible and actually pick it up. I've never heard this before. Let me look through and find this. I went through all the historicals, I went through all the study guides and I just couldn't get enough. Then the Sabbath came up. He 's going through the appeal while I'm just going, Lord, I hear you. I have to go to church. I show up, it was funny, I didn't feel like I was going or be judged, anything judgmental anything.

I walked in the door and I just felt at home. But there is still a problem. I'm 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 had just come back from a liquor store and I grabbed a bottle of vodka. There I am, high off cocaine, with my bible in hand trying it do a bible study. I heard an audible voice, "Just look at yourself". I did. I was like, "What am I doing?" 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. 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.

Broadcaster: For more than 45 years, the ministry of Amazing Facts has been helping people from all walks of life understand their Bibles better than ever before through television, radio, and the internet. We impact countless lives each day around the world by sharing bible truth that transforms lives forever. If you've been blessed by our programs, will you help share in this work with a tax deductible gift today? When you support Amazing Facts, you give lasting hope and make it possible for others to hear the good news of Jesus Christ and experience his eternal love. To give a gift, call 1-800-891-7171. Once again, that's 1-800-891-7171 or go to donate.amazingfacts.org.