Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hello friends, this is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? We’ve all heard fascinating stories of people who are marooned alone on lonely islands but few people survived as long as Juana Maria.
Juana Maria, sometimes known as the Lone Woman of San Nicolas was a Native-American who spent nearly two decades stranded on a remote California island 65 miles off the coast. Juana Maria had grown up on San Nicolas but in the early 1800s, most of her gala and tribe was slaughtered by some Russian otter hunters. Missionaries evacuated the few remaining survivors in 1835 but as Juana Maria delayed, she was left behind on the remote 22 square mile island in complete isolation.
Juana Maria spent the next 18 years taking shelter in a cave and fishing with hooks made from seashells. She captured seals and sea birds, ate their eggs and fashioned their feathers and skins into dresses. She passed the time weaving baskets and bowls from the grass that grew on the island.
Her solitude finally came to an end in 1853 when Captain George Nidever and his crew were hunting otter in San Nicolas. They discovered her living in a hut then made of whale bones with two large dogs. They were surviving largely on dried seal blubber.
Nidever took Juana Maria to Santa Barbara Mission where she gazed in wonder and fascination at everything surrounding her. The European people, the clothing, the food, the horses. There's no record of her original name. Juana Maria was a name given to her by the Mission. Though no one could speak her language, she used hand gestures and pictures to relate the astonishing story of her survival alone. Sadly, she was unable to adjust to the rich diet of civilization and she died of some stomach illness only two months after leaving her island.
It’s incredible how some people seem to thrive alone and struggle in the crowd. Friends, the Bible talks about that. Stay with us, we’ll learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.
Speaker 1: Welcome to Bible Answers Live with author and evangelist Pastor Doug Batchelor. Is understanding God's word a challenge? Are there passages of the scripture that are a mystery to you? Maybe it’s difficult to reconcile what you 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 have a bible question, that’s what this program is all about. We don’t deal with romance or finance but the word of God and if you have a Bible question, we have lines open. Give us a call, 800-GOD-SAYS. That number, 800-463-7297. Picking up the phone right now and call in, good chance you'll get your question on tonight’s program. One more time, 800-GOD-SAYS and that’s 800-463-7297 and I am Dough Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: My name is John Ross, good evening friends and Pastor Doug. As usual let’s begin the program with a prayer. Dear Father in heaven, we thank you that we can gather together and study your word together and we just ask your blessing upon this program be with those who are listening and may we learn a clearer and fuller understanding of what the scriptures revealed, for we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Pastor Ross: Pastor, you opened the program by sharing an amazing fact of somebody who was alone for 16 years and then of course the point of the story [chuckles] that’s even more amazing is that this young girl ends up being connected with civilization at least back then in the 1800s. She lives for two months eating the food of those people that rescued her and then she got sick and dies.
Pastor Doug: Yes. Her system evidently had become so well adjusted to a simple schedule, regular diet she had there on the island her whole life she was there, she was alone for actually I think 18 years on the island that when she got introduced to all of the bedazzling things of European society and the rich food, she just couldn’t handle it. Then I closed off that fact saying some people seem to thrive better alone. I can relate to this because I used to live in a cave and so I was a hermit.
I think of the story for instance of the Lewis and Clark expedition. It seemed like Meriwether Lewis, he thrived in the wilderness but when he came back to St. Louis, he just begun to spiral down and ended up committing suicide. He was just at his best when he had a mission and it was just him and his men out there in the wilds.
The Bible talks about some people don’t do very well in a crowd because they're manipulated by the crowd or they're influenced by the crowd and others do better just knowing that they can stand alone with God. You'd think in the Bible of John the Baptist, he is preaching out in the wilderness alone. Or you think of Elijah who is living up in the caves or by the brook and he was at his strongest often in those situations where he stood alone.
Maybe you're one of those people, friends, were you struggle with a crowd. Maybe you have a hard time standing for your convictions when the crowd with you at work or in other places are tempting you to compromise.
We have a free offer we like to tell you about tonight that should give you some encouragement about how you can stand for Christ. There's a scripture, Moses actually said in Exodus 23:2, “You shall not follow a multitude.” Do not follow a crowd to do evil. It’s often tempting. People want to go with the crowd. We've got a book that will encourage you to stand for your convictions.
Pastor Ross: Our free offer this evening is a book called Alone in the Crowd and we’ll be happy to send this to anybody who calls and asks. Again, the book is called Alone in the Crowd. The number to call is 800-835-6747. Again, that’s 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called Alone in the Crowd and we’ll be happy to send it to anybody who gives us a call and asks.
Well, Pastor Doug, I think we’re ready to go to the phone lines then with Bible questions for this evening and friends just one more time before we take our first caller. If you have a bible question, we’d love to hear from you this evening. The number to call is 800-463-7297. Again, that’s 800-463-7297. That will bring your call right here to us at the studio. We’ll be able to get your question on the air. We have a Chanel listening from Salem, Oregon. Shawn Neil, welcome to the program. Hello, you're on air.
Pastor Doug: Chanel?
Chantal: Chantal, is that what--
Pastor Ross: Oh, it’s Chantal.
Chantal: Chantal- [laughs]
Pastor Ross: Sorry.
Chantal: Okay. I think they got my name wrong. Let's see. I've heard you say there are different types of fasting. So, Thursday I began skipping dinners as a fast for my best friends illness, so can you tell me if that’s a good option? How long I should do it and is it all right if I tell him at some point?
Pastor Doug: It’s good to encourage your friend in saying I am praying for you whether you mention your fasting or not. That’s up to you. Jesus said, "When you fast, you don’t need to announce it." He said, you do not appear onto men to fast but onto God, it’s a good to encourage your friends and say I'm praying for you. You might say you're fasting and praying.
It’s a good idea when you're praying, when you decide to fast to pick a set time to begin with. If it’s open-ended, your health eventually begin to suffer if you're doing a harsh fast. Missing one meal a day if you’ve got good nutrition in the other meals is usually not a problem and Daniel did a fast like that and I forget is that, Chapter 10 Pastor Ross where he said, he ate no pleasant food while he was praying to understand--
Pastor Ross: Chapter nine-
Pastor Doug: Is it Chapter nine? Yes, he ate but he ate simple food. A person can skip a meal. The reason we call breakfast breakfast is because you're technically skipping the fast of the evening and I know our Muslim friends, when they have Ramadan, they fast all day and then they feast at night and they're probably not good for your health to do it like that. [chuckles]
Pastor Ross: You know, Pastor Doug, I can remember this is such an important subject. We don’t talk much about fasting but there is power in prayer when fasting. Several many years ago, we have an elderly in our church who was diagnosed with a very serious disease and a number of the other church elders took it up upon themselves to set aside one week for prayer and fasting. Some of them actually fasted the whole time, others just fast for one or two days or skipped some meals and at the end of that, we were amazed at what we believe was a miracle cure.
Pastor Doug: She is still with us today.
Pastor Ross: That’s right. There's power in fasting and prayer. It makes the difference.
Pastor Doug: It’s interesting, Jesus didn’t say "If you fast", he said, "When you fast," assuming that it would be part of the Christian life.
Pastor Ross: Absolutely.
Chantal: Okay. I didn’t quite understand so one meal a day for an extended period would be good?
Pastor Doug: Well, you have to decide that. You know what your schedule is.
Chantal: Okay.
Pastor Doug: You know what your system is and you may decide, I'm going to do this for a week. You might want to do it longer. If you are going-- some people do an absolute fast and no food. You don’t want to do that too long-
Chantal: Right.
Pastor Doug: -because-– [crosstalk]
Chantal: I couldn't decide how long to go because the illness looks a very long-term so then I don’t know if I should wait for a better news. It's difficult.
Pastor Doug: Do you have to? Well, just tell the Lord, say, "Lord, I'm going to pick a week and I'm going to do a fast and pray for a week.” God knows you're dedicating, your pouring out your heart and you're showing that you're really praying that heaven will do something significant. It's okay to tell your friend but just pick a time and then at the end of the time saying I fasted and prayed. I think you've got to be careful about saying I'm going to fast and pray until I get the answer because you always want to submit to God's will whatever that might be.
Chantelle: Could you please pray for him?
Pastor Doug: Yes, you don't need to tell me the name but I tell you what when we're off the air since it's someone anonymous we’ll pray for your friend. Okay Chantelle, thank you for your call.
Chantelle: All right, thank you.
Pastor Doug: Our hearts go out to you.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Omar listening from Michigan. Omar, welcome to the program.
Omar: Yes, thanks for taking the call.
Pastor Doug: Yes, how can we help you?
Omar: Well, I was wondering the Bible command where it says, "Honor thy father and thy mother--"
Pastor Doug: You have to get to get close to your phone. Omar, go ahead, where it says honor your father and mother.
Omar: Yes, where it says honor they father and they mother. I was wondering if that’s a life application or just until marriage.
Pastor Doug: Well, I think it's for life. Why would you stop honoring your father and mother? When you're getting married then it'd be honoring your grandfather and grandmother, so you're honoring them because of their position. That doesn't mean that if your mother and father are asking you to do something that is out of God's will or if you've got a mother and father as some do that they're too involved in your life as you turn into an adult, they're still telling you what to do and it may not be how you feel God is leading you.
You need to respectfully say I respectfully disagree. You can still honor them and disagree but if I was to say in our culture today I think people err more on the side of not honoring their parents. You think about that Abraham he actually was picking a spouse for his son when his son was 38 or 40 years of age- [chuckles] people today would be outraged by that, they just get online.
Pastor Ross: Pastor Doug, I just thought of a story here in Mark 7:11 and 12. Jesus was talking to the religious leaders and he says to them- they had a tradition that instead of honoring their parents with a substance they would say, "Oh, it's a gift," and that exempted them from having to do their responsibility in helping to take care of the elderly parents. Jesus said, "You make null affect the commandment of God by your traditions," so even then Jesus emphasizes the importance of honoring our parents.
Pastor Doug: That's right and we appreciate your call Omar and hope that helps a little bit.
Pastor Ross: Next caller is Katie listening from Glendale, California. Katie, welcome to the program.
Katie: Hi, thank you for answering my question. I would like to know I feel guilty after church potluck washing lots of pans and dishesbecause I want to be of help. Is that a violation of the Sabbath commandment?
Pastor Doug: All right, that's a good question. Part of the Sabbath is of course resting from your regular labor, so would it be wrong to wash dishes after a meal on Sabbath? I think that you have to be practical. Now, if you're at a church lunch you just mentioned, if you're at a church meal after the services and you've brought a casserole for the service, you may want to rinse that out before you take it home.
There are people I know that live in the mission field and if they don't clean off their dishes every day the varmints in the jungle come in and the ends will be there overnight. In our family we don't have to worry about that so much, we have a big group that may come over for a Sabbath meal and we'll just rinse andstack the dishes and clean them after sundown.
The idea is you want to do as much as possible to preserve that time as holy time that isn't encumbered by unnecessary labor so if there's any way to say practically I'm going to set this aside, but Jesus also wants us to be practical. He's not asking us to be swimming in leftovers- [chuckles] food after a meal Sabbath because we're not cleaning up. I think the angels rejoice in a clean environment so you should maintain that. Anyway-
Katie: Thank you.
Pastor Doug: -I hope that that helps a little bit and that's what we do in our family is we might set the big stuff aside and just rinse things and clean up a little bit- [crosstalk]
Pastor Ross: One of the things, Pastor Doug, that we do it out at our church potluckis instead of washing all of the dishes that people bring for the food we might just kindly let them know that we're going to put you up dishes aside, we might rinse it but really the washing is to be done at home and that does help with the load of work that might be involved in cleaning up the kitchen.
Pastor Doug: Bring it in the bag take it home in the bag.
Pastor Ross: That’s right.
Pastor Doug: [laughs] Hey, thanks a lot Katie. We appreciate your question.
Pastor Ross: Friends, again this is Bible Answers Live, if you have a Bible question, the phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. We have Aaron listening from Michigan. Aaron, welcome to the program.
Aaron: Hey guys, thanks for taking my call.
Pastor Doug: Sure.
Aaron: Just have a quick question about tithing. Is it okay to give tithe to other charities charity that would spread the Word of God rather than a set denomination?
Pastor Ross: Well, if you're part of a church and you're reaping the benefits and the blessings of being part of that church then you would want to support the work of that church. Typically, offerings are something that you would send to another charity or religious organization. The Bible makes the distinction between tithes and offerings. It does it in the books of Leviticus and Malachi chapter 3 talks about bringing the tithe and the offering.
A tithe is a specific amount, one-tenth of our increase and the offering is just whatever a person as Paul says, "The Lord loves a cheerful giver which is however the Lord has prospered you and you decide to give," so there's really a difference between the two but if you're part of a church structure you want to support their mission work and their program because you're reaping the benefits from week to week.
Aaron: All good.
Pastor Doug: All right. I Appreciate that Aaron.
Pastor Ross: We do have an offer called-- it's free. All you have to do is give us a call on our resource phone line, the number is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide dealing with the principles of tithing called In God We Trust. Again, that number is 800-835-6747 and the study guide is called In God We Trust. We'll be happy to send that to anybody who calls and asks and actually Pastor Doug, folks can read this for free online by going to the Amazing Facts website. Again it's called In God We Trust.
If you have a Bible question the phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. The next caller is Heidi listening from Pleasanton, California. Heidi, welcome to the program.
Heidi: Hi, can you hear me?
Pastor Doug: Loud and clear, thanks for calling.
Heidi: I hope that it doesn't hurt your ears.
Pastor Doug: No.
Heidi: I just have two really great questions and I thought I would ask them really quick for you.
Pastor Doug: Go ahead.
Heidi: What does the Bible really teach or have to say about addiction? Then number two, what is doing something that does and ends up not good for your loved one and knowing that it would not end up good and then trying to deal with it you get physically sick every time-
Pastor Doug: All right.
Heidi: -how can someone deal with that?
Pastor Doug: Let’s start with the first question and then you may have to get a little more clarity on the second one. As far as an addiction, I think the main addiction that people ran into in Bible times was with alcohol and this verses that say, "Woe unto them that tarry longat the wine," or "Wine is a mocker," I think that's Proverbs 22. "Wine is a mocker, a strong drink is raging whoever's deceived thereby is not wise." It describes the alcoholic and the misery of that in Proverbs also.
Pastor Ross: In Proverbs 20:1.
Pastor Doug: Twenty, okay.The other part in Proverbs where it talks about he goes to sleep like on a mass of a ship and describes the person who has wounds without a cause, who has bruises and it's as they that tarry long at the wine. Do you find that?
Pastor Ross: That’s Proverbs 23:29. That's the one.
Pastor Doug: That's it, Proverbs 23. It describes an addictive behavior. Now, they didn't have to back on they didn't have heroin or crack or many of the things people are getting addicted to this day and age. The Lord can save people from any addiction and I used to be addicted to cigarettes. I definitely was addicted, matter of fact, I did a sermon at our church not too long ago called Cold Confession that I was addicted to ice cream for years. People thought I was kidding and then I described to them- [laughs] how bad it was and I think they agreed I was.
But the Lord can save us from those. Nobody's born an addict unless you got a crack baby who's got it in their system when they're born but we usually learn these bad behaviors and we develop the habits and they become a rut in our thinking and what we have to do is overcome evil with good and learn the good things. Now, your second question, Heidi, help me with that one more time.
Heidi: Sure, it's kind of ties withovercome evil with good- [coughs] Excuse me. I feel like I have gotten into a spiral, a number of choices that are wrong over what's good. The consequences are not bearable. I don't know how to break the habit. I had all my life refrained from being the joy. I was wondering how can you incorporate? Is it a kind of mindset to say, "Okay, this is how I'm going to tackle this."?
When it comes to-- For example I have a family member who was put into a type of environment. I knew it would not be best for her, that she should stay home and have supportive services. I let it go on and on. It's turned into a number of years. Every day I stress over it. I feel that I've wasted a part of my life. Every people I've gotten involved and I feel like--
Pastor Doug: Now you want a Bible answer.
Heidi: Well, maybe that's what I am looking for. I gave my rights away. I gave my rights to someone else. It's actually my mother. It's just overwhelming for me. I don't know how to step in and let people understand. My brother has power-of-attorney--
Pastor Doug: We don't want to go into the specifics of the family. I'm trying to answer like a Bible question and it's-- these are kind of counseling questions.
Pastor Ross: Just something I think that might be a principle that you can apply in this situation is, whatever the situation we find ourselves in there is somebody that understands, there's somebody that can help. That person is Jesus. We come to him in faith, in prayer. The Bible tells us to cast all of our burdens upon him for he cares for us. That's the first tip. Spend some time in prayer and get to know Jesus. Spend time with him. There is a peace, there is a joy, there is a power that comes along with spending time with him.
Then there's other things you can let go of it, you can unfold, you can allow God to remove them from your life and give you strength and courage whatever the situation might be. I think that's true in every situation for every person. There's power in prayer.
Pastor Doug: Yes, then the other thing is that God gives us a new heart. You're talking about stressing, Heidi. The Lord when you experience conversion, he gives you a new heart and things you would never think possible. You start thinking differently. Spend time in the word and it just changes your thinking. I appreciate your question. Thank you.
Pastor Ross: We have David who's listening from Willits, California. David, welcome to the program.
David: Hi. Hey, let's see. I wanted to ask some questions about the King James Version inside 1 Corinthians chapter 13. It says there, charity. Then in the King James Version when you-- in action place of love instead of saying love is patient, love is kind. It says charity is patient, charity is kind. When you go to 1 John 4:7, it says that God is love. It actually says that in there. I actually have my Interlinear Bible, the Hebrew Greek to English. It's the literal translation. It's agape, it's alpha, gamma.
Pastor Doug: Yes I've got it in front of me too.
David: Right, I'm so confused. Why did the translators in 1611 decide to use charity which is-- I looked up the definition of charity. It's like, "Man, this is so far from love." [laughs]
Pastor Doug: I'll tell you why.
David: Yes and it's really difficult because when I show people, "No, no, no. I want to hear from the King James." I show them, I'm like, "Oh man. It's really--"
Pastor Doug: Yes, the words change over time. The meaning for words change over time. If you told somebody you're happy and gay 50 years ago it meant something entirely different than it does today. The word charity was either changeable with the word love back in the 1600s or even in the 1800s. Now, the word charity has a totally different meaning. You're correct the original word is agape which was the highest form of love in the Greek. It's a selfless love. This is a beautiful chapter. The translations now that use the word 'love' there, that's entirely accurate.
Pastor Ross: The word charity carries with it the concept of the idea of love in action. Because of love, motivated by love we do charitable deeds. We do kind things. In 1 Corinthians chapter 13 there in particular it's talking about characteristics of love but then it's also revealing how love acts, how love responds. That might be partly why the word charity was used. Charity is the out flowing of love.
Pastor Doug: Yes. The New King James Version which very closely follows the King James, probably as much as any other version, it did actually take the liberty to change that word there from charity to the word love because they knew that in our culture today that's a more clear definition. Hey, I appreciate that. We do have a book that talks about the love of God. It's a lesson on salvation. Spend a lot of time talking about that love, we'll send you a free copy, David.
Pastor Ross: That lesson is called Rescued from Above. Just give us a call on our resource phone number. That's 800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide called Rescued from Above. We'll be happy to send that to you, David or anybody who calls and asks. Our next caller is Gail. Gail is listening from Cheyenne, Wyoming. Gail, welcome to the program.
Gail: Hello?
Pastor Doug: Hi Gail. Welcome, you're on the air.
Gail: Okay, can you hear me okay?
Pastor Doug: We do.
Gail: Thank you for taking my call. My question is about tithing. I've heard it preached three different ways. One way is that you give a tenth of your gross income. Another way is you give a tenth at after taxes, your take home pay. Another way is that God loves a charitable giver and you give what you still led to give. What do you think?
Pastor Doug: Well, it is true-
Gail: What does the Bible say?
Pastor Doug: -God loves a charitable giver but he'll take it from a grouch too. The idea is that when it comes to tithe that's not an offering. A tithe is really something where God says, "A hundred percent belongs to God. I want you to prove you believe that it all belongs to me by returning a tenth of your increase." The principle is, let me just give you a simple illustration. Let's suppose you work somewhere and you get a paycheck every two weeks. In the paycheck there's a deduction, maybe for social security and for taxes and for health.
You get $500, what do you pay tithe on? $600 would have been the total, the gross, $500 after they take all the benefits out. I would pay on the gross. What they're doing is they're simply taking one of your expenses for being a citizen out of your paycheck ahead of your spending it. You can take your paycheck and spend it at the market, spend it on rent. You also have to spend it on health insurance. You have to spend it on making sure the roads work, that someone picks up the garbage, and that you have retirement later in life.
They're sort of just pre-deducting. This is my opinion. They're pre-deducting things but your increase was the $600. I think you pay tithe on that. You can out give God. You'll never be sorry and somehow it seems that 90% goes farther than a hundred percent. Friends, you can tell from the music, we're going to take a break but there's more questions coming. Standby, don't go anywhere and call in your Bible question.
[background music]
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You're listening to Bible Answers Live with Pastor Doug 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.
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Pastor Doug: Welcome friends, we are back with Bible Answers Live. If you've tuned in somewhere along the way, this is a live international interactive Bible study. You can call in with your Bible questions in North America, its 800-GOD-SAYS, 800-463-7297. We have lines open, one more time, 800-463-7297. I'm Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: My name is John Ross. We’re going to go straight to the phone lines we have Miguel listening from Oak Harbor, Washington. Miguel, you're on Bible Answers Live.
Miguel: [laughs] Hi?
Pastor Doug: Hi you seem amused that you actually got on?
Miguel: I appreciate you taking the call. I really just want to ask a general question but it's about-- I was going to ask about Isaiah 66, when they started talking about [unintelligible 00:30:41] controversy or specific denominations I thought I’d better leave that alone. When Yeshua was talking at the Passover and he said, “This is the blood of my covenant, the new covenant shed for you.” I found the same language in Exodus about him saying that and then- let's see- blood of the covenant. Here it is.
In Exodus 24:8, "Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said, 'Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you in accordance with all his words.'” Are we talking about the same blood?
Pastor Doug: Well, we're talking about between the communion service of Christ and the Passover that Moses spoke about are obviously different blood. Jesus is talking about when he gave him the cup he said, “This is a symbol of my blood.” Because, of course, he hadn't died on the cross yet that is shed for you. It's telling us that the lamb that Moses talked about was really all pointing to Christ. That's why John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and said, “Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.”
Are we talking about the same blood? Well, the blood of the covenant in the Old Testament was a symbol of the blood of the Lamb of Christ, the Lamb of God that was shed his blood. Am I answering what you're asking?
Miguel: Okay, so here’s the thing. Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words which was the law," the Torah, that they had just gone over. It seems to me that it’s the same covenant but Yeshua gave a final sacrifice once for all so that we could get rid of the sacrificial system, is that right?
Pastor Doug: Well, the reason that Jesus died, of course, was not to get rid of the sacrificial system. Jesus died to save us from our sins. Now, some things happened, the old sacrificial system obviously we don't need to sacrifice lambs anymore and this is why at the moment of his death the veil was torn in the temple showing that that system and that temple is not the temple anymore. That's why Jesus said, “Destroy this temple three days I’ll raise it up.” He spoke of his body and so the whole system went through a dramatic transformation at the cross.
Miguel: Right. According to Hebrews, right? [crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: Why don't you focus in on your question a little bit. It seems like we we’re kind of doing a little philosophy here.
Miguel: No. Oh, philosophy?
Pastor Doug: Well, what are you specifically asking? You're asking some very broad questions about the covenant, is there a particular verse or?
Miguel: May I refine it then? I’ll refine it. It seems to me that it’s the same system that there always have to be a blood sacrifice that Yeshua when he gave his blood to atone, that that change the priesthood according to Hebrew, the Levitical priesthood and you just said that, “The sacrifice of lambs was no longer going to be required because these sacrificed lamb had been sacrificed.”
Pastor Doug: Christ said, “Our pass over.” Go ahead.
Miguel: I guess, I misquoted that when I said, "He did it to get rid of that system.” I meant that that has been superseded now. Just like you said, “We don't have to do that anymore," right?
Pastor Doug: What's your question?
Miguel: My question is, if that is what changed, then why do so many Christian denominations not follow the laws that still exist, the word of God that has always been the Torah, I guess.
Pastor Doug: I believe that we should be keeping the 10 Commandments. The Bible is pretty clear that, his law is eternal. Now, if you're talking about the ceremonial ordinances there's a distinction between the 10 Commandments that God spoke with his voice, wrote with his finger, wrote it on a rock, put it in the ark and the ceremonial laws that were written by Moses on paper and not spoken by God's voice and put in a pocket on the outside of the Ark.
When Paul talks in Colossians about certain Sabbath days that were nailed to the cross, in 2 Colossians 2:13-16, he’s speaking of the ceremonial laws. It sounds to me like you're heading down the road that we need to be keeping the feast days. We have a book on that we'll be happy to send you and thank you very question, Miguel, but we just usually budget about three minutes per person.
Pastor : The book dealing with that subject is called, Feast Days and Sabbaths. What is it that we as Christians in New Testament times need to observe from the Old Testament, very interesting study, Feast Days and Sabbaths. We’ll be happy to send that to anybody who gives us a call and ask, the number is 800-835-6747. Again, 800-835-6747. Our next caller is Laurie listening in New York, Laurie, welcome to the program.
Laurie: Yes, thank you for taking my call. I'm a first time caller and I'm not quite certain of the verse or the chapter. I know that it's from the New Testament where Jesus says, “Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not with such theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Unless you can be like one of these little ones, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.” Now, I know that adults do not tolerate childish behavior in other adults. I’ve seen that usually that's the norm, what exactly is meant by that verse, in our daily encounters perhaps?
Pastor Doug: First of all, the verses are in several places in the New Testament because Jesus--
Laurie: I’m sorry, I’m not that well versed.
Pastor Doug: No, it's okay. Luke 9, in case you want to look it up. One is Luke 9:47, it's also in Matthew and Mark 9: 36. Several times, he says, “Unless you become converted as a little child you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” The Lord wants us to have the innocence of a child, children especially before the age of accountability they've got an innocence. He wants us to have faith.
I remember a friend of mine, she said that, “Her dad used to tell her when she was walking down the sidewalk after a rain and she look and see the sky reflected in a puddle. He'd say 'Don't step in the puddle, you'll fall in the sky,'” and she believed it. They've got this innocence that they believe what their parents say and so Jesus wants us to believe like a little child. His word, have a simple faith and faith is so important salvation.
He wants us to have a child-like faith. Jesus love the children. He said, “Let them come to me,” and he put his hands on them and bless them. Pastor Ross, do you have anything to add to that?
Pastor Ross: The aspect that you brought out is very important, just having faith in the word of God. Remember the miracle Jesus performed of a certain centurion who had a servant that was sick and the centurion said, “Just speak the word and my servant will be healed.” Jesus marveled and said, “I've not seen this great of faith no, not in Israel." He believed the word of God.
Pastor Doug: Thank you, Laurie. I appreciate that, your question. I hope that helps a little bit. We don't really have a book that talks about faith but you'd like our lesson that deals with the subject of salvation. It talks about that saving faith.
Pastor Ross: The book is called, Rescue From Above and we'll be happy to send that to anybody who gives us a call and ask. The number again is 800-835-6747. The phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. Our next caller is Jason listening from Salt Lake City, Utah. Jason, welcome to the program. Hi, Jason you're on the air.
Jason: Can you hear me?
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Jason: Okay. I have a question I feel like it has a lot of importance in it but in the past I’ve heard teachers and preachers just preach one person and it’s the passage that you find in Matthew, but in Luke it only talks about one person and that same person that's possessed with demons, and in Matthew it talks two people, and I believe it’s Luke-- [crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: It's Luke chapter 8:26 and you also you find it in Mark chapter 5, it’s in Matthew Chapter 8. The difference it's the demoniac it's where Christ cast the devils out of this demoniac except Matthew says, “There were two demoniacs.” Luke and Mark say, “They were one.” People say, “This is a contradiction in the Bible.” Well, it's not really a contradictions, it's a difference.
In Luke and Mark, it's told from a perspective that there was a man. Matthew says there were actually two of them but one of them evidently stayed further back and was not the spokesman and maybe was not as notorious or famous for his outrageous behavior as the second one of the principal man who came down and did the speaking.
This is to me evidence of the authenticity of the Bible because if Matthew and Mark and Luke were just copying each other they wouldn't have made that mistake between there being one man and two men. I think that they had the perspective of well, there was actually two that were healed but one who was a lot more outstanding and like I said notorious and well-known.
Jason: Okay, so there's not a real significance at the fact that there was two so if you were given a lesson and stuff you'd only really just lean onto the fact of one person because he was so outspoken, more rebellious, he seems like the leader in other words.
Pastor Doug: Yes and I actually wrote a book on the subject of the demoniac. The whole book is on this. It's a full length book called Broken Chains because what Jesus did for that demoniac is a symbol of how he saves us. That man was living among the graves and that's a symbol of spiritual death. He was surrounded by pigs, that's a symbol of being unclean. He was covered with chains, that's a symbol of bondage. Everything about this man represents the lost world and Jesus set him free and then he sent him out preaching.
He both cleansed him and he commissioned him right away and the Lord wants to do that for us so, yes, you can just look for that book called Broken Chains. I also have the message online and I talk about the difference between the one demoniac and the two demoniacs in that presentation. I think you can watch it on YouTube, called Broken Chains Doug Batchelor. Thank you very much, Jason, hope that helps a little.
Jason: A little better than what I've heard in the past, so yes, I'll go with that.
Pastor Doug: All right. Hey, got a happy customer. Appreciate it.
Pastor Ross: Next caller is Julie listening from Livermore California. Julie, welcome to the program.
Julie: Hi, thanks for taking my call.
Pastor Doug: Yes, how can we help you.
Julie: I have two questions. The first one is, there is a story that Jesus was talking about when he said that if someone's house is swept clean be careful because seven more worse things or demons could happen to you. If you could explain what that means. Then I have one other question is what does back sliding mean in Bible terms and how does one stop it according to the Bible?
Pastor Doug: All right. I'll have Pastor look up the verse about the man who has seven devils cast out or one devil cast out and doesn't replace and seven worse come back. I know the passage, I'm trying to remember the verse and he'll find that. That's talking about that you need to replace it. If you change a bad habit, if you don't replace it with a good habit then you have a vacuum that automatically fills and you can end up worse off.
I've seen people that are struggling with drinking, for instance, they fight and they put it out of their lives but they don't replace it with anything good.
Sometimes they fall, you're asking about back sliding and the latter state of that man is worse than the beginning. They fall even harder and get even deeper and it's like the devil's tightening its grip. It's also common that when a person is trying to break free, the devil fights even harder to hang onto him so there can be a struggle, just like the exodus when the children of Israel were coming out of Egypt the Pharaoh tried so hard to keep them.
Pastor Ross: The verse you were referring to there is Matthew 12:44.
Pastor Doug: Okay. So you're asking about back sliding, Julie? Are you there?
Julie: Question about that. Like you said, if you don't change a bad habit and then replace it with something good, does it have to be the exact feeling of that same place does that make sense?
Pastor Doug: Yes. I know what you're saying. No, it doesn't have to be exact. It's just good that you'll end up with this empty spot in the way you spend your time or your thinking or your life or your money and if you just say, "Lord, I'd now like to take that energy and put it towards a cause or something that is good." If a person is addicted to chocolate and they break free, well, then get celery, do something but that's not the best illustration.
Julie: Before you answer that about the backsliding, can a person even like you said, when a person is getting free the devil comes even harder in that process but does that mean a person can still ultimately get free?
Pastor Doug: Oh, yes. Well, there's 1,000 people listening out there probably more, like a million, that have struggled with all kinds of habits but the Lord sets them free.
Julie: It's because of his sacrifice, right? The blood shed made it possible that when freedom comes it comes without, like that commandment says, the commandments of God come with no trouble added to it, right? Should you answer that question about backsliding? What does that mean in Bible terms and how does one stop it Biblically?
Pastor Doug: Yes. Well, back sliding is of course falling back into your old patterns and you notice it doesn't call it back walking. It doesn't call it back jumping or running, it's a slide and you can slide imperceptibly. A car can be parked and if the roads is icy it can keep sliding even though the wheels are locked up.
If we're not moving forward we'll almost always be sliding backwards just because our human nature and life is like a person standing on a down escalator, you've got this carnal nature pulling you down and unless we're pressing on the upward way like that song says, growing in the Lord then you end up drifting backwards. That's why you need to always be growing, and praying, feeding your soul, increasing your experience with the Lord and doing more to share your faith or you'll start to atrophy and that's backsliding.
Your faith begins to weaken, you slip back into the old behaviors and a lot of people have done it, you shouldn't get discouraged. Peter, he denied the Lord after walking with him three and a half years and David back slid in a big way with his escapades with Bathsheba and many people have fallen back. Paul rebuked Peter once for backsliding into his Jewish practices even though he had been set free from those because he was worried about what people thought. I appreciate that Julie and we've got Tips To Resisting Temptation is a book we'll send you for free if you ask.
Pastor Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747, you can ask for the book called Tips To Resisting Temptation. Again, 800-835-6747. We have Scott listening from Irvine, California. Scott, welcome to the program.
Scott: Hi, how are you?
Pastor Doug: Doing well, how can we help you tonight?
Scott: I'm looking at chapter 16 in the book of Revelation and I'm wondering if these seven last plagues go in order?
Pastor Doug: Well, I think they do. First of all, the seven last plagues are very similar to the 10 plagues that fell upon Egypt. The 10 plagues that fell on Egypt when the children of Israel came out, the first three of the 10 plagues fell on the Egyptians and the Israelite's but the last seven only fell on the Egyptians. There's some similarity between the seven last plagues you find in Revelation, and you've got the noise and sore, scorching with great heat, the fire, the water turning to blood and many of those things are similar.
There was a sequence to the plagues in the book of Exodus. I have no reason to believe that there is no meaning to the sequence that you find in Revelation but these plagues they end up falling just before the Lord's return when you've got probation is already closed and the final events are beginning to fall.
Scott: I'm specifically looking at verse 18.
Pastor Doug: Let me read it to you and to everyone who's listening. It says, "And there were noises and thundering's and lightning's and there was a great earthquake such a mighty great earthquake as had never occurred since men were upon the earth." It talks about Babel and divided in three parts and then falls. That's speaking of really the last plague. It's the seventh plague and it's synonymous with the second coming of Jesus. Just like the last plague that fell on Egypt, the children of Israel it was the passover and they began their journey toward the promised land.
The last plague in our world we begin our journey towards the heavenly kingdom and Christ raptures up the saints. It talks about the great hail that falls and every island and mountain are not found. Obviously, this is the crescendo and it's what you call a show stopper. Still there, Scott?
Scott: The hailstones aren't the last one in the seven plagues?
Pastor Doug: Well, the seventh plague, is several things happening at once. The earthquake, the hail, Babylon splits and implodes.
Scott: Really?
Pastor Doug: Yes, all of this is the whole word is unraveling in the last plague. It's the final catastrophe associated with the second coming and those that are not prepared.
Scott: Okay. Do you have time for Revelation 3?
Pastor Doug: Will you give us a call again, give us another chance. We've got several people standing by and we're going to try and get one or two more calls and if that's okay Scott. Appreciate your understanding.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Valerie, listening from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Valerie, welcome to the program.
Valerie: Thank you very much. I have a question, it's about tithing. For 44 years, I tithe on my gross salary. I’m just curious, now I'm on Social Security and I'd like to know if I'm to tithe again?
Pastor Doug: Technically no. What I'm saying is I assume that the years that you were paying into Social Security you were paying on your gross paycheck. If you had done that you've already paid on the Social Security but I would not miss an opportunity to give God a chance to bless you and I continue to pay something as tithe.
Valerie: I do, I give when I can to charities. I enjoy doing that and it's been a blessing so I just wondered though as far as the 10% of that, if I try to do that on my Social Security-
Pastor Doug: Won't have much to live on.
Valerie: -it takes a big chunk out of it. [laughs]
Pastor Doug: Yes, well technically, if you were paying tithe on your gross and you’re paying into Social Security, you’ve actually paid tithe on that income. Social Security now is the government giving you back the money you gave them technically during those years. You paid on it once already and it's like putting money in a bank, if you pay on your paycheck as you put money in the bank through the years then you start taking some money out of the bank, you already paid on that nest.
I don’t want to miss a chance like I said to trust God and pay some tithes just towards your church and offerings like you said or charities. Thank you very much, Valerie. You would also enjoy that lesson In God We Trust, it deals all with what the Bible says about tithes and offering and has a lot more information than we can share in a quick answer.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Mary listening from Yonkers, New York. Mary, welcome to the program.
Pastor Doug: Mary, are you there?
Mary: How are you?
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Mary: Yes, I am. How are you?
Pastor Doug: Doing great, and your question?
Mary: I have two questions, sir.
Pastor Doug: Let's take them one at a time.
[crosstalk]
Mary: I'm sorry. All right, the first one is in the book of Acts the ninth chapter starting at the fifth verse. Saul was talking to the Lord and Saul said who are thy Lord? I wanted to know if Saul knew God at that particular time because Saul was persecuting the believers, did he know who he was talking to at that particular time for he said, "who are thy Lord?" It’s my first--
Pastor Doug: Okay, what I think what’s happening here, of course, is he's been persecuting the followers of Jesus and when he heard that voice saying, "Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?" He was dumbfounded to think that he would be persecuting Jehovah and that's why he said like Moses said, "Lord, what is your name?" at the burning bush and he's saying, "Is this who I think it is Lord who are you, are you the one that I've been persecuting?" It just amazed him that it was Jesus. Now, we got just a minute for the last question. Go ahead, Mary.
Mary: My question is what will that have me to do in the sixth verse of the Acts, what would you have me to do?
Pastor Doug: Yes, now, Paul he's thinking I have been persecuting Christians. I put them in jail, I've participated in their execution, "Lord, you've appeared to me now, is there any way for me to undo the damage I've done?" Jesus basically said, "Yes, I'm going to make you my spokesman and you're going to be persecuted because of it." He was just saying, "Lord, I'm your servant now what do you want me to do?"
Like Isaiah when he says in chapter 6, "Hear my Lord, send me," and Paul when he realized that Jesus was God the Son, Jehovah, the Creator, he said, "I'm surrendering to you," and he did. He changed the world, the worlds has never been the same since that encounter that Paul had in Acts chapter 9 with the Lord on the road to Damascus.
Listening friends it probably will not be fair to those who are still standing by if we take just part of your question now because I think we're running too close to the end of the clock. But do bear with me for a moment as I remind you that there's a lot of Amazing Facts programs you can still enjoy through the week by going to the website.
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