Announcer: Welcome to Bible Answers Live where you'll get honest answers to your Bible questions. Let's face it. It's not always easy to understand everything you read in the Bible. With 66 books and more that 700,000 words, the Bible can generate a lot of questions. If you'd like answers to you Bible questions, you've come to the right place. Now, here's your host Pastor Doug Batchelor, President and Speaker of Amazing Facts.
Pastor Doug Pastor Doug: The beautiful village of Rjukan, Norway is situated in a deep valley where mountains block the sun's rays for up to six months every year. This, of course, keeps 3,400 residents in a state of shade and sometimes depressing darkness throughout the winter. Then the town leaders got a bright idea to help illuminate their village during the murky months.
In October 2013, Rjukan installed an array of three gigantic 550 square foot mirrors on a nearby mountain about a thousand feet above the town. The computer-controlled and solar-powered mirrors track the sun through the winter months and reflect that giant beam of sunshine down into the town square brightening their lives.
If you visit Rjukan, Norway today in the winter, you can often see people gathered and sitting in benches in the town square bathing in the reflected sunshine. Like those mirrors on the mountain, The Bible says that Christians are to reflect the light of Jesus in the dark world. Stay with us, friends. We're going to learn more as Amazing facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.
Announcer: You're listening to Bible Answers Live. Honest answers to your Bible questions. Our phone lines are now open. If you have a Bible-related question, call us at 1-800-GODSAYS. That's 1-800-463-7297. Let's get to our first Bible question with Pastor Doug Batchelor and our co-host Pastor John Ross.
Pastor Doug: Welcome, listening friends, to Bible Answers Live. In just a moment, we'll be going to the phone. If you have a Bible question, here is the number. We got lines wide open. If you got a question and you want to get it in tonight's program, 800-GODSAYS. 800-463-7297. I'll say it again. You're ready? 800-463-7297 rings your Bible question into our studio. This is a live program. We do our best to especially focus on living the Christian life, what the Bible teaches. if you have questions, we don't have all the answers but we've got some great Bible resources at our fingertips. We will search the word together. 800-463-7297. I am Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jean: My name is Jean Ross. Good evening friends and Pastor Doug. Let's begin the program with a word of prayer. "Dear Father, we thank You that we can take this time to open up the Bible and study together. We want to ask Your blessing. We recognize the Bible as being Your book. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us in understanding so be with those who are listening and be with us here in the studio. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Pastor Jean: Pastor, early up on the program you're talking about this remarkable village that gets their, at least a certain dose of the sunlight during the winter reflected off large mirrors on the side of the mountain. Then, I guess, it shines down into the valley and people gather there to bathe in the sun. I can just imagine living in that darkness. Actually, getting out into the light, how refreshing that must be?
Pastor Doug: It is. I don't know. I've been up to Sweden, not Norway. But I could not believe how long the days were in the summer. The sun's going down at 11:30. I can't imagine what it's like in the winter-time. The sun barely comes up and then you have no sunshine. It's already dark. But then to have no sunshine all day long-- They actually got the idea from a village in Italy that did the same thing years earlier that's down in the Italian Alps. Of course, it's much more appreciated up in Norway where the sun is very scarce in the winter.
You can just see pictures, if you go online, of the people kind of gathered in this 700 square foot spot in the middle of town that's bathed in sunlight. It's kind of eerie because usually the sun tracks across the sky. But because the mirrors are tracking the sun, it's shining the light to this same spot for hours each day. You see a sun on top of the mountain, it's really mirrors, but it looks like the sun. It doesn't move. But it does brighten their lives.
Of course, this is what Jesus said in Matthew 5:14. "You are the light of the world. A city that is on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand and it gives light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they might see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Jesus said "I am the light of the world." But he's willing to reflect his light through us. Christ is the word that became flesh. The Bible also says, "Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." One of the ways that we can have this light in our lives is from the light of truth in the Bible.
Maybe you'd like a little sunshine in your heart, friends. Maybe you'd like to let the light shine out of you to others. We have a free resource that will tell you about this lamp for your feet and light for your path called the Bible.
Pastor Jean: We have a book called The Ultimate Resource and it's really all about the Bible. It will tell you a little bit about the background of the Bible and the different languages which the Bible's written in. Even a little bit about different translations. We'll be happy to send this to anybody who calls and ask. The number to call is 800-835-6747. That is the resource phone number. If you'd call that number and ask for the book The Ultimate Resource, the book written by Pastor Doug Batchelor. I think you'd find it very informative and a lot of scripture.
Again, the number to call is 800-835-6747. you can ask for the book The Ultimate Resource. If you have a Bible question, the phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. Again, 800-463-7297. Pastor Doug, we're ready to go to the first call for this evening. We have Gabriel listening from Sacramento, California. Gabriel, welcome to the program.
Gabriel: Hello. My question for tonight is about-- Are we allowed to remarry?
Pastor Doug: That depends. If a person is married and the spouse died, the Bible is very clear that you're free to remarry. Paul talks about that. I think it's 1 Corinthians 7. If you're married and you divorce, for biblical grounds, that would mean-- You can read about this in Matthew 5:31. Jesus said, "Furthermore it's been said whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce. But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a woman who's divorced commits adultery."
Jesus said, "What God had joined together, let not man put a sunder." If a person just says, "Look, my wife and I are incompatible." Both of them honoring the marriage vow, you don't really have grounds biblically to divorce and remarry. If a woman is in a relationship where a man is being abusive, you're free to separate. Of course, you need to do that for protection and especially if there's children involved. But the Bible is pretty clear that God doesn't want us to make those vows in His presence and then just divorce and remarry. If someone has violated the marriage vow, then there's a reason.
Gabriel, we do have a book. We can send you a free copy that specifically deals with this. It's called Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage. It's a fairly new book. We took the high points of what the Bible teaches on this. It's pretty well-covered, easy to read, have some interesting stories too.
Pastor Jean: The number to call is 800-835-6747. That is the resource line. Gabriel, we'll be happy to send you this book, or anybody wanting to learn more about this. It's called Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage. Again, the number is 800-835-6747. Ask for the free book Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage. If you have a Bible question, the phone line is 800-463-7297. That's 800-463-7297. Yuriel is our next caller from Huntsville, Alabama. Yuriel, welcome to the program.
Yuriel: Yes. Good afternoon or good evening everyone.
Pastor Doug: Good evening. How are you doing?
Yuriel: Yes. I'm doing well. Good evening Pastor Doug Batchelor and the other Pastor as well. My question is regarding the name of Jesus Christ. I would like to know where the name "Jesus" came out because from my understanding, his name is "Yeshua" or "Joshua". Would you be able to explain that to me, if you don't mind?
Pastor Doug: Yes. The name "Jesus", it comes from the Greek pronunciation-- Because the New Testament was written in Greek. You are correct. If you are going to say Jesus' name in Hebrew, it would be "Yeshua". I come from a Jewish background. If you say Jesus' name in Spanish, it's going to be "Hesus". Most English-speaking people-- We use the pronunciation "Jesus" and we've gotten that from the Greek.
Now, the Lord doesn't expect us to pronounce names in original tongues. You've probably noticed before if you'd traveled anywhere, sometimes it's very difficult to say things in another language. There's nothing in the Bible that says, God
requires us to say his name with a Hebrew accent. The reason that the angel told Mary you will call his name Jesus, and I'm sure the angel said Yeshua is because Mary spoke Hebrew, and the name Jesus means Savior or God Saves. Jesus' name is very similar to the name of Elisha. Elisha is Elohim Saves. Jesus is Yahweh Saves. That's Yashua. The names had a meaning, but we speak in English, so God I think he expects us to say these names in our native tongue.
Yuriel: Exactly. I am French, so I [unintelligible 00:10:42] with my English with my French, it's a little different, but what I'm saying is Yeshua is hard to pronounce [unintelligible 00:10:51] so it's what I'm saying, why did we have [unintelligible 00:10:56] from the Greek to find [unintelligible 00:11:00]. If I'm not mistaken-
Pastor Doug: You're getting away from your phone. You got to get a little closer.
Yuriel: Okay. Can you hear me now?
Pastor Doug: Yes. The reason that we say his name in Greek is, I agree, there's nothing wrong with saying the name Yeshua. If you're preaching or if I'm talking to people, most people, I'm an evangelist, if I stand up and say, Mary had little baby, his name was Yeshua. Yeshua said this and they're going, "Who's Yeshua?" Because most people know the name Jesus and they know who that was. It just confuses people sometimes if you use the original pronunciation or the Hebrew pronunciation. You need to educate people on what you're saying.
Pastor Jean: We do have a book called The Name of God. I think you get to do this a little bit, and I think you'll find this very interesting. If you or anybody wanting to learn more about this subject. To get that free book, just give us a call on the resource phone number. It's 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called The Name of God. Again, the number is 800-835-6747. The phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297.
Our next caller is Celeste listening from Madison. Is that Alabama?
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Pastor Jean: Celeste, welcome to the program. Might be Alaska.
Celeste: Hi. Good evening Pastors.
Pastor Jean: Hey, how are you doing?
Celeste: I'm doing great. Thank you for taking my call. My question is regarding the last days, and also [unintelligible 00:12:32] small children. What is the best way to prepare small children [unintelligible 00:12:38]
Pastor Doug: How do you prepare-- Well, first of all, don't worry about preparing small children for the time of trouble. You can really scare kids if you started saying now you know, there's this great time of trouble that you can't even imagine that's coming, and we're going to have to run into the hills and on high and everyone is going to be trying to kills us. [laughs] You want to be very careful about spooking kids like that.
I know some parents who when they were kids, their parents always talked about the great tribulation. They grew up terrified. Well now, they're adults and they didn't have to be exposed to that as kids. I think the best thing to do is if you teach your kids to have a trusting relationship with Jesus, teach them to pray automatically to God with their problems. They will be ready because they have a relationship with the Lord.
Memorizing scripture and the promises of God, that is great preparation. I wouldn't stress them out by saying this is terrible time of trouble that's coming. Oh, the Bible says it is. We don't know exactly when, that's why.
Celeste: Okay.
Pastor Doug: All right. Does that make sense?
Celeste: Yes. [unintelligible 00:13:48]
Pastor Doug: All right. We appreciate your call Celeste, very much. I'm trying to think, Pastor Ross, do we have a book that talks about, well, there are offer tonight about The Ultimate Resource that'd be good. Just talking about the Bible and storing God's word.
Pastor Jean: The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called The Ultimate Resource. We'll be happy to send that to you Celeste. If you haven't yet read it or for anyone listening. The number again is 800-835-6747. The phone line, once again, to the studio here with your Bible question is 800-463-7297. Our next caller is Jerry listening from Medford, Oregon. Jerry, welcome to the program.
Jerry: Yes. Good evening Pastor Doug and Pastor Jean. In my Bible reading, I never find any discussion about fighting on the Israelites fighting war on the Sabbath. Was this a problem? Did they take a purely defensive posture? Or do you have any insight into this?
Pastor Doug: That is a good question. I just know that I'm sure there were wars that took place over the Sabbath. They were told in the Hebrew law, they weren't to plant their seeds or to harvest their crops in the Sabbath, but nowhere in the law does it say you cannot engage in war. When it came to, now I don't think they probably planned attacks on the Sabbath, but I do think that there were times when they were engaged in ongoing war and they needed to fight.
Pastor Jean: You can almost guarantee that the enemies of Israel would, I mean, they knew the different, the holy days and Sabbaths and feast days and they probably arranged when the men in particular would go out onto Jerusalem. They probably would try and arrange some sort of battle although God did promise to protect the Israelites, if all their men went down to Jerusalem during the Passover night.
Pastor Doug: That's a very good point. Even during the six day war against the Israel, some of the Arab nations that attacked did it on Sabbath. Their soldiers ran to their tanks. The Israeli soldiers ran to their tanks to defend the country which is of course they have to do. They took advantage of that. I'm sure that there were many times when they have to take up arms on the Sabbath and they understood that that was one of the things that they were allowed to do in an emergency.
Jerry: Okay. That's the way I thought it would be, but like I say, I never really saw it mentioned in the Bible.
Pastor Doug: Well, some-- I'm sorry, go ahead.
Jerry: In a related question, if the person is a medical practitioner like my wife is a nurse, the sick they still need attention, is this a real problem also?
Pastor Doug: Well, no. I think that doctors and nurses, our church operates hospitals all over the world and they're open seven days a week, 365 days a year and people need to be cared for when they're sick. Jesus heal on the Sabbath, so that's certainly appropriate. What you do want to guard against is if your work schedule keeps you from church and fellowship and worshipping God corporately every week, that's a problem.
You would want to try to arrange, reschedule with your employer where you could alternate with somebody, and just say, look I need to have some consistency in going to church. Just work your schedule out that way.
Pastor Jean: Pastor Doug, I even know some nurses that they have to work on a Sabbath because of shift or whatever it is. Some of them feel convicted that the money that they make during those hours, they set aside for some type of ministry where they're not benefiting by the money, but rather they are using that to help others.
Pastor Doug: Like a mission project.
Pastor Jean: Like a mission project. I think that's a good principle.
Pastor Doug: It is. It also keeps you from deliberately booking work for remuneration on Sabbath. Yes, that is a good idea. Does that help a little Jeremy? Or Jerry?
Jerry: Yes, sir. Thank you.
Pastor Doug: All right. Thank you very much for your call, appreciate it.
Pastor Jean: Next caller is William listening from New York, New York. William, welcome to the program.
William: Yes, hello. I'm calling to ask a question. I want to know that the scriptures [unintelligible 00:18:12] one another. 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Paul talks about having a thorn in the flesh. He asked the Lord to remove it. He did not remove it. Yet, in James 4, I believe it is verse seven, the scripture says resist the devil and he will flee from you. Paul indicated that this message that his torn in the flesh came from the devil. I want to know do those contradict each other, or what?
Pastor Doug: Well, ultimately sickness comes from the devil. Even when Job was, he got sick. It says the devil afflicted him with boils. Jesus healed the woman that was bent over for 18 years. He said this woman has been bound by Satan. God wants to give healing. The devil wants to give sickness. God wants to give life. The devil wants to give death. Sometimes, the Lord allows, just like he did with Job. He allows us to struggle with various sicknesses or medical problems to develop faith.
If you do have faith, it doesn't mean that you'll always be healed and never have problems. God does heal, but if you do have faith it means God gives you grace to deal with whatever comes, and to trust him. I'm really glad Paul said what he said there in 2 Corinthians 7. He says the reason that God allowed it, in the first verse, lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of revelations.
Paul heard the voice of Jesus. Paul was taken at a vision and shown heaven. Paul had all this information, divine information from his time with Christ, and he said that can make a person proud, so to keep me from being proud, God allowed the devil to afflict me with a sickness. It's not like demonic possession. It just means sin and sickness-
It all comes from the devil.
William: Okay. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1: All right. I appreciate that. Thank you, William.
Speaker 3: Next caller is Chris listening from Deer Park, New York. Chris, you're on Bible Answers Life.
Chris: [unintelligible 00:20:14] I wanted to [unintelligible 00:20:18] you're my favorite for a long time. I just wanted to tell you that.
Pastor Doug: Thank you.
Chris: Yes. About the Protestant Reformation. It was such an explosive time in regarding the Gospel. I'm wondering if does the Bible talk about it at all?
Pastor Doug: Yes. I think that Pastor Ross is the Revelation expert but I think that the Protestant Reformation is described in Revelation in a couple of places. Revelation 10 talks about the latter part of it, Revelation 12 -- "One of the heads of the beast was wounded with a sword." That sword that wounded the head of the beast was the word of God and that was happening during the time of the Reformation.
Pastor Jean: That's actually a very significant time period that you read about both in [unintelligible 00:21:08] and Revelation. They called it the 1,260 years or 1,260 days. 538 through 1798 and you read that about in chapter 12. That was a time period when the true church suffered persecution from the state church and yet that time period was to come to an end the truth was to be elevated.
Revelation Chapter 11 talks about the two witnesses and it says how the spirit of God came into them and they were lifted up off the Earth and the two witnesses represent God's word and the study of the scriptures. In Daniel 12 it says, "Knowledge shall increase." meaning a clear understanding of prophetic truth as it relates to the Protestant Reformation. There are a number of references to that in the Bible.
Pastor Doug: In the Protestant Reformation, Chris, really came in a couple of waves. There was the big Protestant Reformation where they protested what was happening within the Catholic Church that Martin Luther let out and then there was like a great enlightenment that happened after 1798 because Luther lived in 15-
Pastor Jean: 1500s.
Pastor Doug: Yes. And then in 1798 you have the great awakening that took place under the preaching of Wesley and Whitefield and a lot of reformers --Charles [unintelligible 00:22:21] and so forth. [unintelligible 00:22:23] faded away we're sort of [unintelligible 00:22:25] to see it now. We need another awakening.
Pastor Doug: You still there, Chris?
Chris: Yes. I'm still here. I heard you, pastor. Thank you.
Pastor Jean: Just one more quick thought on that -- The Church of Sardis when you're reading Revelation Chapter two and three about the different churches, Jesus says The Church of Sardis which would be that time of the Protestant Reformation, you have a name that you're alive but you're dead. The zeal and the enthusiasm of the Protestant Reformation began to weigh in and the Bible speaks of that prior to the time period of Philadelphia.
Pastor Doug: That's a good point. The seven churches identified very clearly.
Speaker 4: Appreciate your call, Chris. Good question.
Chris: Thank you. Thank you, pastor.
Pastor Jean: If you have a Bible question, our phone lines are open, a good time to pick up your phone and give us a call and we'll try and get your call in the air. The number to call is 800-4637297. Are you ready? 800-463-7297 or -- I don't know even know, Pastor Dough, how does works but you can type in 800-Godsays. Remember the old phones, you can actually type the alphabet on the different numbers. I don't know how it works on a smart phone now.
Pastor Doug: I think there are little number there somewhere.
Pastor Jean: Maybe it's somewhere there. Again, 800-463-7297 with your Bible question. Our next caller is Irene listening from Trenton, New Jersey. Irene, welcome to the program.
Irene: Hi. How are you?
Pastor Doug: Doing well. I was in New Jersey last week.
Irene: How nice. I've been witnessing to a non-believer and she started reading the Bible and she' been reading some of the old testament and it's upsetting her and she is very fearful of God but I was able to answer a lot of question there were numerous questions. Her main one that I couldn't answer and she wanted to know why if God is powerful and he created everything that when he threw Satan out of heaven, why he didn't destroy Satan instead of letting him have free reign right now and still have some control over people and everything else in the world. She cannot comprehend why God didn't' destroy Satan right away.
Pastor Doug: That is a great question that many people don't understand but the answer is in the Bible. First of all, God made a perfect angel named Lucifer. The name now gives people chills but it was a good name and he was a good angel. Because God makes his creature free that means he doesn't force them to love him, we really are free. You can't force love, it stops being love.
Irene: Right. That is one of the things I did tell her.
Pastor Doug: Lucifer began to circulate among the other angles in the universe and he began to be jealous that he didn't have the position of Christ and God and he wanted God's power and he began to say, "If I was in charge, we'd have more freedom. Where if God would confide in me." and the Lord said, "No. You're an angel, you're not God." I'm simplifying what went on but you can read about this in Ezekiel 28, Isaiah 14 and it talks about this rebellion.
Irene: I'm aware of the whole [unintelligible 00:25:42]
Pastor Doug: If God had destroyed Lucifer when he rebelled the other angels would obey God and think, "Wow. Lucifer was right, God is pretty fierce and he isn't a God of love and he's vindictive." and everyone would've been fearful of God instead of obeying God because they love him. God had to allow Lucifer to play out what his government policy would be so everyone could see the fruit of his rebellion and it would never happen again.
When Lucifer found on this planet that God had recently made, a couple that would listen to him instead of God, God said, "Do not eat the forbidden tree." Lucifer said, "Don't listen to God." The Bible says in Roman 6, "Who ever you obey, that's who's servants you are." and Adam and Eve surrendered the dominion of this planet to the enemy and at that point, Lucifer was able to set up headquarters down here and use this planet as sort of a beach head of his rebellion against God.
What's happening here on Earth, in the lives of people that are wavering between following God and following the devil, you've got the whole plan of salvation that's being acted out. God had to allow that to happen.
We've got a DVD that you can watch for free online, Irene. Are you still there?
Irene: Yes.
Pastor Doug: It's a called Cosmic Conflict. Just go to Youtube and type in Cosmic Conflict. You can order a DVD from us and you can give one to your friend and it really goes through the whole story of where sin came from, why God couldn't destroy the devil right away but the devil will be destroyed and all who trust God will be saved. God is loving, God is powerful, God is good, even though there's a devil in the world God did not make a devil, he made a beautiful angel that became a devil by his own choice.
Irene: What do I say to her as a simplified answer of why God didn't destroy him?
Pastor Doug: Because God did not want other creature obeying through fear. Send for the DVD, Cosmic Conflict, Irene or anyone out there. You'll really be blessed by it. You can find it at Youtube or just go to Amazingfacts.org. Going to take a quick break.
Announcer: Stay tuned. Bible Answers Live will return in a moment.
Narrator: Throughout recorded history, tales of ghosts and spirits can be found in folklore in nearly country and culture. Egyptians built pyramids to help guide the spirits of their leaders. Rome sanctioned holidays to honor and appease the spirits of their dead. Even the Bible tells of a king that used a witch to contact the spirit of a deceased prophet. Today, ancient folklore of spirits and apparitions have gone from mere superstitions to mainstream entertainment and reality.
Scientific organizations investigate stories of haunting and citings, trying to prove once and for all the existence of ghosts. Even with all the new found technology and centuries of stories all over the world, there is still no clear-cut answer. So how do we know what's true? Why do these stories persist? Does it even matter? We invite you to look inside and find out for yourself. Visit Deathtruth.com.
Announcer: Every Bible
question you have answered, moves you one step closer to the fullness of god's will for your life. What are you waiting for? Get the answers you need for a fuller, richer, more confident life. You're listening to Bible Answers Live.
This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. If you'd like answers to your Bible related questions on the air, please call us next Sunday between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM Pacific time. To receive any of the bible resources mentioned in this evenings program, call 800-835-6747, once again that's 800-835-6747. Now, let's join Pastors Doug Batchelor and Jëan Ross for more Bible Answers Live.
Pastor Doug: We are back. We do have phone lines open if you have a Bible question. It's a free phone call. Get your question on international radio, right now. 800-463-7297, 800-463-7297. That will bring your question into our Bible studios. I'm still Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jëan: I'm still Jëan Ross. Friends, we'd love to hear from you if you have a Bible question. Our next caller is Tim, listening from Louisville, Kentucky. Tim, welcome to the program.
Tim: Hello, how are you?
Jëan: Hi, you're on the air.
Tim: Thank you for taking my call. My question comes from Samuel, where basically it talks about God sending an evil spirit to torment Saul or to punish Saul. My question is, how a good God who contains no evil, send anything evil?
Pastor Doug: Yes, that is a good question. In first Samuel, it talks about King Saul who was originally filled with the holy spirit. He began to reject the spirit of God just through pride and his arrogance. Eventually, it says an evil spirit from the Lord came. When it says from the lord, it basically means that God withdrew his protection and allowed an evil spirit to take possession of Saul because Saul had rejected the holy spirit.
It's sort of like in the Bible when the devil had to get God's permission to tempt and to torment Job. God withdrew his hedge of angels. Bible says, that God had hedged in Job with protection. It's the same thing. I guess you can say well God is responsible in that he withdrew his protection when Saul rejected it but really the evil spirit came from the devil.
Pastor Jëan: You know, there is an interesting parable that Jesus taught. you can read about it in Matthew 12:45 and also in Luke chapter 11 verse 26 about an evil spirit that is cast out of a person. Jesus, says he sort of wanders around looking for a place to call home. Then he goes back to the person. He finds the person with the house, as it's described by Jesus, cleansed and swept and neat, he goes and he gets seven others worse than he and they move in.
The second condition of the person is worse than the first. In other words, we can't leave a vacuum in our life. Vacuum is filled by the devil. In the case of Saul, he was filled with the spirit but he hardened his heart, grieved away the holy spirit. When the holy spirit left the vacuum was filled by an evil spirit. Some times in the Old Testament god is described as allowing things, as being the one who sent it or made it happen.
Pastor Doug: Yes, they saw God as sovereign. So, anything that happened they felt he must allow it somehow. Does that make sense Tim?
Tim: Sure. just a follow-up question, by that same rationale would you say in present day, that applies to terrible things and the things that might happen nowadays where God allows a tornado or earthquake or anything like that?
Pastor Doug: Well, I'll kind of answer your question with a question, Do you think any thing surprises God?
Tim: No.
Pastor Doug: So your God doesn't say, "Wow, didn't see that coming." God knows all things. God obviously has power to alter or interrupt. I'm sure the devil has plans often to cause disasters that we are saved from we never even think about but some times because this world is a battle field between good and evil for his purposes that we will not understand all of them till we get to heaven. I don't know if we'll ever understand all of them. We'll understand things a lot better.
God does allow certain calamities to come to try to redeem, to try to get our attentions. some times the troubles that come are to chastise us. The Lord my even use the devil. Now I know that sounds strange but when the children of Israel turned from God, God withdrew his protection and enemy pagan nations came and conquered them.
Then they turned back to God and God would deliver them. So, God allowed these enemy nations to some times be a chastisement or a lesson or a punishment to his people. It's the same thing with the devil as it was with this pagan nations. God sometimes allows it for whatever reason.
Tim: Sure. The be all end all. He meant it for evil but I meant it for good.
Pastor Doug: Exactly. Yes, he can turn it all to good. Like it says there in Romans, work it all for good.
Tim: Sure. thank you all very much. I really appreciate it.
Pastor Doug: All right. Good question. Appreciate that. Thank you, Tim.
Pastor Jëan: Next call is Kenny listening in Bismarck, North Dakota. Kenny welcome to the program.
Kenny: Yes. How is it going?
Pastor Jëan: Doing well. Thank you for your call. How can we help you tonight?
Kenny: My question is, if a person did something wrong to another person but that person asked God for forgiveness but never approached that person, does he still have a chance to go to heaven?
Pastor Doug: Well, now let's just use a scenario. Let's suppose a person did something mean to hurt someone or whatever and they die. You cannot ever ask for forgiveness now. but you repent and you tell God. Of course, they can be forgiven. If that person has been wronged is alive the word says as far as possible we should try to write a letter, be reconciled, confess, repent, restore the relationship. Even if the other person does not forgive that's between them and God. You should apologize and try to do what you can to confess your fault.
Christ said if you are going to God asking for a power or forgiveness if you bring your gift to the altar and you've got odd against your brother. He says leave your gift, set it down, go be reconciled with your brother, then bring your gift. Us forgiving and getting along with each other is to the Lord is about as important as anything.
Kenny: Yes. I am kind of speaking for somebody that has an ego that he said that a man does not have to apologize for his wrong doings.
Pastor Doug: Well, that's just simply not true.
Kenny: I know. Not true.
Pastor Doug: The whole plan of salvation is about confessing our faults, repenting and accepting forgiveness. If a person feels like they have nothing to confess, they cannot humble themselves, that is a pretty serious condition. Someone said once you are never more like the devil than when you are proud.
Kenny: Right. I know it's kind of hard [unintelligible 00:37:33]
Doug: Now, this person you are thinking of they are still alive, I assume.
Kenny: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Pray for him. Pray to God to humble their hearts and they'll see that they need forgiveness and that they are human. I've met people like that they said that I don't need to pray. God's too busy and I have nothing to confess. They just cannot humble themselves. It's difficult. You pray for him they often can.
Kenny: Pastor, just on the short note here, everybody that's listening around the United States, we need to pray for this country to turn it back around the way our forefathers founded it on Bible principles.
Pastor Doug: Amen.Yes. I believe that's true.We appreciate that comment. Thank you very much, Kenny.
Pastor Jëan: Our next call is Kevin listening from Washington. Kevin welcome to the program.
Kevin: Pastor Doug, in the Bible I think there is a scripture says that there are worlds without number like grains in the sand. My question was, is there other worlds in this universe that are populated with beings such as us?
Pastor Doug: I do believe the Bible teaches there are other unfallen worlds with creatures whether they are like us or not. I suspect they are not exactly like us because God made man in his image and there is something unique and special about what he did in this world. I do believe there are other intelligent life through out the limitless space that God has made. Just statistically you would think that. But even in the Bible, I think it's in might be Hebrews chapter one.
Let me look at that real quick. It's verse two, God who had various times and in various ways spoken time passed to the fathers by the prophets has in his last days spoken to us by his son whom he has appointed heir of all things and through whom he also made the worlds. Through Jesus, he made not world, worlds.
In revelation, he talks about all the creature in heaven and all the creatures on earth praising God. in Colossians he talks about God made the worlds. Then there is a parable that Jesus told that a man had a hundred sheep. He said 99 of them made it back to the fold but one-
He was lost and he left the fold and he left the sheep and he went into the wilderness to look for that one lost sheep. Well Christ has got this universe of unfallen creatures but he left them all because of this world that was lost. Christ said it's the sick that need a physician so he came here to save us but I think there's unfallen worlds out there.
Kevin: Well Pastor Doug I thank you very much for all the ministry. I've got [unintelligible 00:40:23] and I watch you all the time and I've been doing all your Bible study. I'm a baby Christian and thank you for all that you do.
Pastor Doug: Well thank you very much Kevin you just stay close to the Lord, find a local church that teaches the Bible and worship with them.
Kevin: Yes I'm looking on being baptized Seventh Day Adventist right away.
Pastor Doug: Oh bless your heart. Thank you.
Pastor Jean: Our next caller is Michelle listening online and Michelle welcome to the program.
Michelle: Hi, thank you. Thank you for all the work that you guys are doing. My question to you guys is do babies go to heaven and the reason I ask that is I know children will be in heaven I read that passage but I came across another passage, I didn't write it down and it made it sound like you had to be of age to acknowledge there was an existence of God of some sort. If you can help confirm for me, how that would happen for young babies that die?
Pastor Doug: All right, that's a great question and it's a difficult question. At the heart of the question, first of all I don't think there's any doubt that the children whatever their age of believing parents, if the children have not yet reached the age of accountability, obviously if you're a parent and you're a Christian then you've got an adult child that turns from God they have that freedom, just like the prodigal son did. They hopefully will come home and you pray for them but there's no guarantee. Even God was a perfect parent and he lost some children because of sin.
The question is what about all the babies that die before the age of accountability whether it's three years old or six months old or three days old, do they all go to heaven? This is a difficult question. I once commented to a friend that I wasn't sure that every aborted baby was going to be in the resurrection and they became very upset with me but there's a verse in the book of Job that talks about an untimely birth meaning a miscarried baby and Job was cursing the day he was born.
He say's that I might be as though I had not been like an untimely birth that came from the womb to the grave and I'm paraphrasing it's in the third or fourth chapter. There may be some infant children or aborted babies, you think about it and you do the math, heaven is going to be a nursery and the saved people are going to be swimming in babies, if every miscarried or every aborted baby is in heaven.
Now I do believe that the miscarried or children that are lost are believers are there and you read in 1st Corinthians 7, it says that the believing parent has a sanctifying influence on believing spouse and the children.
Pastor Jean: I'm thinking of this story in the New Testament when Herod gave the decree to destroy all the baby boys two years and under then it quotes, Jeremiah 31:16 that says those who weep shall be comforted for they shall come again from the land of the enemy, talking about the children, the promise of the resurrection. I think it's pretty clear for a believer that yes, their babies will be born or resurrected, I should say when Jesus comes again.
Maybe somebody who never had a child here on this earth for whatever reason and yet wanted a child maybe there will be some babies available so to speak in the resurrection that they get to raise in heaven we don't know. Although there will be babies in heaven--
[crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: No question about that. I think it's one of those mysteries. I think we need to be careful not to say that every baby that's conceived believer or unbeliever that dies before the age of accountability automatically goes to heaven. I better stop there I know I'm making people mad now.
Michelle: Thank you.
Pastor Doug: All right, thank you Michelle.
Michelle: We lost a four month old in the family recently so we wanted to get clarification on that.
Pastor Doug: That's heartbreaking.
Michelle: Thank you.
Pastor Doug: All right well you've got the blessed assurance as a believer.
Michelle: All right, well thank you.
Pastor Doug: All right, God bless.
Michelle: God bless, bye.
Pastor Jean: Our next caller is Dale listening in Belville Michigan. Dale welcome to the program. Dale, you there?
Dale: Yes. Yes, I'm here.
Pastor Jean: You're on the air.
Dale: Okay. I wanted to know, an earlier caller was talking about divorce and remarriage. I wanted to know what happens when there's a couple and there's conflict and only one person wants to admit to a problem and the other one wants to just change the other person because they believe that the other person is totally at fault and they will not make any change. The person being my wife, she thought all the problem was me and we needed to go to counselling to change me, to fix me and to make me believe that her way was the right way.
Eventually I left. I left the marriage, she was bitter and filed for divorce. Neither one of us have remarried. I'm not sure that I feel justified in remarrying but I feel a lot of conflict over it and it's still a bitter issue even after 10 years. We can hardly spend anytime in family functions or anything.
Pastor Doug: You share some children together?
Dale: I'm sorry?
Pastor Doug: Do you share children together?
Dale: Yes, three.
Pastor Doug: How long were you married?
Dale: 22 years.
Pastor Doug: That's very difficult and I regret hearing, of course that there couldn't be counselling for both. I'm not saying whose fault anything was, obviously we don't know.
Dale: It was extensive counselling [laughs].
Pastor Doug: Yes and it's difficult. Marriages often have challenges of people trying to get along and once you make the vow and the covenant the Bible is pretty clear that it's as serious as it gets that God wants us to keep that covenant. Once you're in a position where you guys have got 10 years of separation now, you almost can't unscramble the scrambled eggs. The question then would be, if people divorce without biblical grounds if it's a sin is it the unpardonable sin. Well, no.
It could be under some circumstances I suppose but there's cases in the bible of people that were divorced and remarried many times and evidently saved. I'm thinking about that Samaritan woman that Jesus talked to at the well in John 4 and Jesus he saved her, he revealed he was the Messiah so there are going to be people who are divorced without biblical grounds and they can find forgiveness but it doesn't mean it wasn't a sin. You see what I'm saying?
Dale: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Then again you may not have biblical grounds for remarriage which is a sobering thought. All I can tell you is what Jesus said and Jesus says in Matthew 5:31 and in Matthew 19:9 then Mark 10:11, Luke 16:18, Romans 7:3, 1 Corinthians 7:11, it talks about what the grounds would be for divorce and remarriage. You'd enjoy the book that we offered earlier Dale on Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. It goes through the scriptures in a pretty objective way. Would you like a free copy of that?
Dale: Yes, that would be great.
Pastor Doug: Yes, we'll be happy to send that to you.
Pastor Jean: The number to call is 800-835-6747 and ask for the book Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage and we'll send it to you Dale or anybody who calls and asks and would like more information about that. Our next caller is Robert listening in Washington. Robert welcome to the program.
Pastor Doug: Robert.
[crosstalk]
Hi, how are you doing?
Robert: Doing good.
Pastor Doug: How can we help you tonight?
Robert: I was calling to ask about the Sabbath. About the two laws, one was saying in Exodus 12:17 I guess it's the ordinances we're supposed to keep forever the bible verse says.
Pastor Doug: Yes that's about the Passover.
Robert: We're supposed to keep the Sabbath as well so why are we not supposed to keep the ordinances which when it says forever but we're supposed to keep the Sabbath?
Pastor Doug: Yes well, the principle of the ordinances I think does last. In other words they had ordinances for instance the Passover. There was an ordinance that they were to
sacrifice a lamb at sundown. Now do you think we still should do that now that Jesus has come?
Robert: No.
Pastor Doug: Okay. That ordinance obviously's changed, the way we keep it. We do still remember the deliverance of the Israelites from the angel of death because Jesus delivered us from death by his blood. The blood of the lamb saves us. All of the lessons from the Jewish feasts are there to still remember, but they were part of the annual Sabbaths. They're not like the 10 commandments.
The Sabbath day of the 10 commandments existed before there was even sin. It says, "Of course we'll keep it in heaven" in Isiah 66. The ceremonial laws, I think, are the laws of what Paul is speaking in Romans 14. Where he said, "If you're going to regard a day, regard it to the lord. If you're not going to regard the day to the Lord, you don't regard it". In other words, if you want to remember the different Jewish feasts there's no prohibition against that, but it's not required of believers.
Robert: Okay. All right. Well, thank you that helps a lot.
Pastor Doug: All right here, appreciate your question.
Pastor Jean: I think we have a book, pastor Doug, on the subject called Feast days and Sabbaths.
Pastor Doug: We do.
Pastor Jean: I think you'll find that interesting Robert or anybody wanting to learn more about this. The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book Feast days and Sabbaths. Our next caller is Brian, listening from Oklahoma city, Oklahoma. Brian, welcome to the program.
Brian: Hey, how are you doing, pastors?
Pastor Doug: Good.
Brian: I have kind of a two part question. One was on predestination. Is my future already written? I also was wondering where does it say like when we're disobedient, we don't listen to the Lord that he can cause us to believe a lie?
Pastor Doug: All right. Two questions. We just got a couple of minutes left. I'll have to give you a quick answer. Pastor Ross is going to look up the verse for me. "They receive not the love of the truth--". I think it's a first or second Thessalonians. "God will send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie". You got that already?
Brian: Yes. Or was that--
Pastor Doug: Yes. Pastor Ross is looking it up. Your first question was about predestination. Is our future already written. Well, because God knows the future does not mean we don't have a choice. The idea of predestination is, well, if you're going to be saved you're going to be saved and don't you worry about it. Don't you make a choice because you're either the elector, you're not-,
That's an extreme view, but obviously we do have a choice. That's why God says "Choose thee this day whom you will serve" and whoever believes in him, and whoever will let him come in and take the water of life. All through the bible it talks about us making choices and pastor Ross has a verse.
Pastor Jean: Yes. Second Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 10, is the verse you're looking for.
Pastor Doug: Want to read that?
Pastor Jean: Yes. It says, "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish". He's talking about the Antichrist power. "Because they received not a love of the truth, that they might be saved". Verse 11 says, "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie".
Pastor Doug: Yes. That means--
Pastor Jean: When you reject the truth, when you close your eyes to the light the result is darkness.
Pastor Doug: All right. Does that help a little Brian?
Brian: Yes, thank you.
Pastor Doug: Very good. Hey, we appreciate your question. We'll be happy to send you that free book that we mentioned earlier tonight called The Ultimate Resource and you my friends, anybody listening if you just go to the Amazing Facts website. A lot of the books that we offer during this broadcast you can get them for free and you can read them online. Amazingfacts.org. If you type in amazingfacts.com.net, it will still take you there. You heard yourself, we just by fate send out a lot of free bible material to people who are listening. We appreciate you keeping the ministry in your prayers and in your support. Don't go away, we have a couple of more important announcements.
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Pastor Doug: On Christmas Eve, 1971, 17-year old Juliane Koepcke boarded LANSA Flight 508 with her mother in Lima, Peru. They intended to join her father for Christmas at his research station in the Amazon rainforest. After crossing the Andes at about 21, 000 feet, their aircraft was enveloped by large, dark thunderclouds and it encountered severe turbulence.
Lightning was flashing everywhere and the plane was shacking violently, which naturally terrified the passengers. Then a bolt of lightning struck the plane's engine and tore off a wing. As the doomed airliner hurtled towards the earth, the cabin came apart and the next thing she knew Juliane found herself strapped alone to a row of seats, falling and spinning silently from over 10 000 feet above the rainforest.
She plummeted through the jungle canopy and slammed on the forest floor. When she awoke the next day Juliane was amazed to realize she had survived the two mile fall, with just a broken collarbone and a bad gash in her arm. After failing to find any other survivors, Juliane relied on what her father had taught her. That walking downstream will always lead to civilization.
So with the bag of candy the had fallen from the plane and one sandal she started walking. For 10 days Juliane hobbled, swam or floated downstream. Her wounds became infected and she was plagued by maggots while having to dodge crocodiles, piranhas and relentless insects. Eventually, she came to a shack where she slept and she was soon discovered by Peruvian loggers.
Eventually, Juliane was united with her amazed father. It's hard to imagine a 17-year old girl surviving such a fall and then hiking alone out of the world's largest rainforest. The Bible talks about some who survived an even greater fall than Juliane. In fact, according to the scriptures when Adam and Eve fell in the garden of Eden it brought the whole human race down, but Jesus came to redeem the world from sin.
Perhaps you're thinking to yourself, "Well, that's okay for the world, but I've fallen too far". Well, if the Lord could save Juliane, God can save you. You've not gone farther than Moses who was guilty of murder. Or David who was guilty of adultery. Or Peter who denied Jesus. All of them were saved and restored from their fall. Or maybe you're thinking, "I've fallen too many times."
Be of good courage. It says in Proverbs 24:16, "A righteous man falls seven times and rises again" and Jesus cast seven devils out of Mary Magdalene. So don't get discouraged friend. If you've fallen get back up again. The same way that he could save Juliane, lead her from that lost condition in the rainforest and restore her to her father, Jesus can lead you from your lost condition and restore you to your heavenly father.
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