Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hello friends. Would you like to hear an amazing fact? Hidden among the tropical beaches in the Gulf of Mexico in the Caribbean, you can find a harmless looking tree with a sweet smelling fruit, and it looks like crab apples. This is one apple in paradise you do not want to eat. In fact, even a single bite of the luscious looking fruit, can cause hours of agony and potentially even death. According to the Guinness World Records, the Manchineel tree is in fact the most dangerous tree in the world.
When eaten, the fruit is reportedly to be pleasantly sweet at first, with a subsequent strange peppery feeling. Gradually, this progresses to a burning sensation and tightness in the throat, followed by terrible gastronomical problems. Symptoms continue to worsen until the patient can barely swallow solid food, because of the excruciating pain in the swelling in the throat. In fact, every part of the tree is toxic. Manchineel trees are also so poisonous, that even standing under one of them in the rain can cause your skin to blister. And the smoke from burning any part of the tree, can seriously injure the eyes.
Spanish explorer, Juan Ponce de Leon, died after being struck by an arrow that had been poisoned with a Manchineel sap. We can understand why Columbus called them death apples and the Spanish call it, Árbol de la muerte. Which literally means, tree of death. The Bible also speaks about a tree of death, and a tree of life. Stay with us friends, we're going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug: Welcome listening friends. We're so thankful that you've tuned in to Bible Answers Live. And if you're new to the program, this is a live international interactive Bible Study. If you have a Bible question, you can simply call that toll free number with your question. We've got-- wow, all the lines are open, so tonight is a good time to give us a call. 800-GOD-SAYS with your Bible question. That's 800-463-7297. As always, we're going to start the program with prayer.
Loving Lord, we just want to thank you again for the privilege of being able to get together with our friends around the country and other parts of the world, and study your word. I pray Lord that you will take charge of this program, the nature of the questions that come in, and especially that the answers will be in harmony with your sacred word. We thank you, and we pray this in Jesus' name, Amen. Friends, I trust that you found that interesting, our little amazing fact about the Manchineel tree, better known as a tree of death.
You know, I've been on a number of Caribbean islands and I think I remember years ago, having someone point this out to me saying, "Don't go near that tree. Don't touch the tree." And they promised that terrible things could happen. And you look at pictures, and they do look like little green or yellowish crab apples. And the tree looks harmless enough, but it is full of very terrible toxins. The Bible talks about a tree of death, and you can read about this in the first book, the second chapter. It also talks about a tree of life there in the garden of Eden.
Genesis 2, "The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." If you read in verse 16 it says, "And the Lord commanded the man saying of every tree in the garden, you may freely eat. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat it, for in the day that you eat it, you will surely die." A lot of people have heard that Eve ate the forbidden apple. Bible doesn't ever say they were apples, it's called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
That was a test that was given man in the beginning to be faithful, and to obey this, and to trust the Lord. The serpent got up in the tree, and he tempted the woman, and subsequently the man to disobey. And all the trouble and misery we have in this world today, is because they doubted the word. Eve saw that serpent up in the tree, I couldn't help but mention that with the Manchineel tree that we talked about, that poisoned tree in the Caribbean, it's toxic for birds and animals, but there is a black spined iguana that can live in the tree and eat the fruit, and it seems to be immune.
[laughs] It's like the serpent in the forbidden tree. Well, that forbidden tree where man fell into temptation, is a symbol of temptation. And temptation will lead to death if we continue to give in. You can read in James 1:14-15, "But every man is tempted when he's drawn away of his own lusts and enticed, then when lust has conceived, it brings worth sin. And sin when it is finished, it brings forth death." And the devil tempts us on things that we may think are innocent and harmless at first, but step by step, the progression leads away from God, and the final verdict is death.
You know, if you've been struggling with some area in your life, where you being tempted? And you'd like to know how you can get the victory over that, we have a special book we like to offer you for free. It's called, Tips for Resisting Temptation. I think in the book, we've got about a dozen tips that you'll find very helpful, and there's scriptures for each one of them in ways that you can gain the victory over certain besetting sins, or habits, and patterns, that you would like to-- maybe they've chained you for years, and they've controlled your life. And you say, "How can I be free from this habit?"
The Bible can tell you how to be free, and it's got the antidote for that tree of death. And if you like your free book, simply call the resource line. This is another phone number. It's 800-835-6747. There's also chaplain standing by at that number. If you got a prayer request, and you want someone to talk to, that's 800-835-6747. If you want to call in with your Bible questions, lines are open 800-GOD-SAYS for your questions, 800-463-7297.
Once again, I'm Pastor Doug Batchelor, Pastor Jean Ross is off for the night, and we're getting ready to go to New York, take our first call from James. James, we'd like to welcome you to the program. Thank you for your call.
James: Thank you for being there for us.
Pastor Doug: How can we help you tonight?
James: The book of Matthew 6:15 says, "If you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Which means we have a penalty if we don't forgive others, does that penalty the loss of our salvation, or is it perhaps at the judgement seat of Christ that we don't get as much reward?
Pastor Doug: Well, before I give you a direct answer, there is a similar passage to this that you find in Matthew 18. Jesus tells a parable about a servant. "And the king brought the servant in, and he had done some accounting, and this servant had wasted--" well, I think it's 10,000 talents. A talent is a weight. He wasted millions of dollars of the king's money. And the king said, "All right, then sell him to be a slave, sell his family, sell his possessions." The man fell down before the king and he begged and pleaded and said, "Have mercy, and I'll pay it all back."
The king was moved with the compassion. He said, "All right, I'm going to forgive you." That same servant went out and found another servant that owed him $40, and he took him by the throat and said, "Pay me what you owe." And the servant said, "Be patient, I'll pay you back." And he would not be patient, but threw him in prison to be tortured and to suffer for his $42 dollars. Well, when the king found out that this servant who had just been forgiven millions, was so vindictive with another servant that had only offended with $40.
He said, "You wicked servant. I forgave you that tremendous debt because you asked me. Couldn't you have also had mercy on your fellow servant as I had pity on you?" He then delivered him to prison to be tormented for his sin. This man, originally was forgiven, but because he would not pass on the forgiveness, he lost it. Now, Jesus closes that parable, again, this is Matthew 18. He said, "So likewise will my heavenly father do unto you, if each of you does not from your heart forgive man, his brother, their trespasses." And so, yes, it is true that obviously, if we are unforgiven for our sin, we are then going to pay the penalty for our sin which is death. There's no in between where we're unforgiven, and still in heaven.
James: Are you saying eternal death?
Pastor Doug: Yes. Well, the penalties of the lost or cast into the lake of fire.
James: Is that true that the scriptures tell us if we are repentant of our sins, and we believe in Christ, there's no way we can lose our Salvation?
Pastor Doug: One of the sins which you repent of, is unforgiveness.
James: Okay.
Pastor Doug: Isn't that right?
James: Well, I could be a true believer and I could repent of all my sins other than this one I just committed.
Pastor Doug: Now James, are you having problems forgiving someone?
James: No. It’s academic.
Pastor Doug: Okay.
James: I did ask at a congregation and the religious leader didn't quite know how to answer it, so that’s why I was calling you.
Pastor Doug: Well I believe that everybody that is truly saved is going to have the Spirit of Christ and if you've got the spirit of Christ, obviously the Spirit of Christ involves forgiveness. It's not always easy and it doesn't mean that you need to let people continue to walk over you but you let it go and you forgive them you shouldn't be going through life being angry and judgmental. Because you just wear out your life doing that it doesn't help them, it doesn't hurt them it does hurt you.
And the Lord says, that “he'll forgive us first but first forgiveness came from the King then the King one of that fellow servant to pass it on.” And so this is a principle, so I would say yes if a person is being unforgiving that, that can jeopardize their salvation. Jesus said, “If you do not forgive every man your trespasses your heavenly Father will not forgive you.”
It's just very clear if you're not forgiven you're lost. I know that's tough and we all struggle with that but it is the scripture and that's why we need to pray for the Spirit of Christ to help us forgive. Hey, thank you for your question James. And that does open another line if you've got a question, give us a call and that's 800-God-Says. We're going to talk to, Patricia, and is that Orlando, Florida?
Patricia: Yes. [laughs].
Pastor Doug: Hi, Patr-- Hey, you know, I'm going to be in Orlando in what? About three weeks doing a series there.
Patricia: Oh, my God. That's good Pastor Doug. This is-- I was just telling the person who answers the phone, "This ismy first time calling in." Because I heard you on the radio station and I had a question, because I’m reading through the New Testament.
Pastor Doug: Well, good. Listen I hope that you go to the Amazing Facts website you'll hear about, I'm going to be there doing a program for about eight days, it's called, Prophecy Encounter. I'll be going through the primary prophecies in the Bible here in Orlando tell all your friends and enemies and invite them and you'll find-
Patricia: [laughs].
Pastor Doug: -the information they're just at the Amazing Facts website, so what's your question tonight Patricia?
Patricia: Okay. Mine is a little, it doesn’t come , I guess directly from the Bible but it is a Bible related question. A lot of the time in-- society will talk about if somebody changes their name to something else and there, that will be a demonic fear because their being another person. But, God changed the name of some of the disciples in the Bible, so my question is, what is the difference between God changing your name verses and you're going by different names verses, you changing your name and going back something different in the world?
Pastor Doug: Well that's a good question, there's a lot of practical reasons a person might want to change their name and it doesn't mean that there's anything diabolical connected with it. If a person's into Satan worship and they change their name to Nero, [laughs] you probably need to worry a little bit.
Patricia: [laughs].
Pastor Doug: But some people, I know friends that they just have had names that were very difficult for others to spell or to pronounce and they said, “This is just becoming a chore,” and they'll either simplify their name, or they'll simplify the spelling, plus every time someone gets married at least in the old world-
Patricia: [laughs].
Pastor Doug: -a girl would take the guy’s name. It's not-- I guess the Independence is changing a little bit. Yes, so there's nothing wrong with that. God did change the names usually that was significant of something spiritual. God changed Abram's name to Abraham and He changed Jacob's name to Israel and Simon's name Jesus called him Peter, and so you've got a number in the Bible that had the names changed and it was a good thing
Patricia: Okay.
Pastor Doug: You'll even find in the Bible where some of the individuals had a couple different names they went by, when you go through the kings. Sometimes one of the Kings was called Azariah the other place is called Azaya, and we even do that in our culture, people have nicknames and-- Hey, I do have a book I’ll offer you a free copy and it talks about names it's called The name of God.
It's got some [laughs] very interesting even some funny things about names that are in the book, but it's called, The name of God. People have questions about all the different names for God in the Bible. Patricia, if you call the resource line 800-835-6747, will send you a free copy of The name of God. Thank you very much for your call. With that we're going to talk next to, Monica, calling from Long Island, New York. Monica, you're on the air.
Monica: Hello Pastor Batchelor.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Monica: Nice to hear from you. I had this-- I thought you were off the air,but I have two brief quick question. I believe answers might be in Revelation, but I’m not sure where. The first one is that, I appreciate the iniquity of history and-
Pastor Doug: Get real close to your phone because I have a hard time hearing you.
Monica: I appreciate all the iniquity of the history of the bible, you know the patriarch and matriarchs. However, I believe inthe last daysand if we are in such,aren’t we supposed to be hearing the ministers and the pastors preaching the preaching the teachings of Christ in the last days? Number one, and number two, in the Book of Revelations, when we're supposed to honor Christ, is His name Christ, or His means in the last days the word of God? If you can just pin point the direction, to find the answers to those two questions?
Pastor Doug: All right. Well, I'll do my best I appreciate your question. Yes, by all means we should be teaching the teachings of Christ. Now when you teach the Bible, we believe that you are teaching the teachings of Christ because Jesus word, the Bible is the word of God and the word of God is not just the red letters in your Bible but Christ is the one who inspired with the Holy Spirit all the teachings in the Bible. So when Moses is speaking in the Old Testament, you're reading his words, you're reading the teachings of Christ.
Jesus did not suddenly appear for BC and live his life and teach and his teachings do not contradict the Old Testament. Christ said, if you believe Moses you believe me because he spoke of me, if you believed Abraham you believe me and so and then your second question was should we call Jesus Christ or should we call him the word of God? Well, you know, the word Christ actually means anointed.
In Hebrew, you’ve got the word messiah which means the anointed, and in Greek you got Christos, that’s why when they splatter ship with champagne and they christen it, it means to anoint something really. So Christ is the anointed, and so when we call Jesus the Christ, we're calling him the anointed the chosen the one who is filled with the Spirit of God. His earthly name that the angel gave was Jesus, which means savior. It's actually Yashua which means Joshua same name and so there's many names.
You can call him the word of God, you can call him the bread He said, "I am the Good Shepherd. I am the door I'm the living water," but typically we pronounce it with a Greek pronunciation. You would also probably appreciate that a book that we offered earlier that's called, The Name of God, and if you want to free copy of that, 800-835-6747. 800-835-6747, we'll send you a free copy. That does open another line if you have a Bible question give us a call 800-God-Says for your questions this is the number 800-463-7297 appreciate your call. Going to talk next with, Mel, calling from Jersey City, New Jersey. Welcome, Mel, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Mel: Praise the Lord Pastor. I did call your screener. I had two particular things, one is Mark 7:11 and the other one was the word Glory, that we read a lot in the Bible, Corbine- [crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: Right now you said the first question was--
Mel: -is the question that was asked in Mark.
Pastor Doug: Mark, what chapter?
Mel: Mark 7:11.
Pastor Doug: Okay.
Mel: Corbin.
Pastor Doug: Yes Corbin.
Mel: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Is Corbin. What that--
Mel: It says, it is that-- they say is agift.
Pastor Doug: Yes, let me tell you what was going on. Jesus is talking to the Scribes and Pharisees, He says, "All too well, you reject the commandment of God and keep a tradition.” One of the traditions that the Jewish religious leaders had developed was, they could say that when they die all of their property goes to the temple. They would basically will their property to the temple, but while they were alive, they could use it but they couldn't give it to anyone including their mother and father.
Well, you're supposed to take care of your mother and father in their old age they had no social security in Bible days. And so Jesus said, "You're hypocrites you disregard the commandment that says, “Honor your father and mother." You pronounce Corbin over your property, saying, "Everything I have is a gift to God I can't help you mom and dad because it now belongs to God."
But you could live off it and it was basically a loophole that the priest created to get money from people so they wouldn't have to take care of their parents in their old age Jesus said, “This tradition is hypocrisy.” So Corbin was the name of that declaration that they would pronounce. You know, we got things we call annuities and there’s different names for a legal arrangement and Corbin was that arrangement. Your next question was about glory you said?
Mel: Yes. I promised-the call screener was ahead two which is glory and she said, "Grab one," and we did that just a minute but the glory is my other one. We hear that so much in the-- now I’m thinking, 89 Psalms 44.
Pastor Doug: All right. Let me go there real quick. Are you wondering what the word glory means?
Mel: Yes. You hear so much[singing] , "Glory, hallelujah in silence," what does it mean? What is that word glory mean?
Pastor Doug: Well, the word means the splendor, the majesty, the brilliance, the awesomeness of God, you're talking about the greatness of God. So when you praise the attributes of God, you are glorifying him, but the word glory can also mean just the brightness and the light and the splendor and the beauty. And so, that's what it's talking about there in this Psalms and-- Anyway, hey, I hope that helps a little bit and we appreciate your question Mel and with that, we're going to go and talk to, Kenny. Who’s calling from Northern California. Kenny, welcome to the program. You're on he air with Bible Answers Live.
Kenny: Good evening. I was questioned why wasn’t the wife of Ananias- [crosstalk].
Pastor Doug: Sapphire, yes.
Kenny: -let me go back. Why wasn’t she informed of the husband’s death and did they have a different system there? Because I know when my dad died the officials got involved and we let all the family know and they had a chance to get here and say good bye but it doesn't-- something doesn’t add up there?
Pastor Doug: Well, yes you find this story in Acts 5 and there's two people, the Holy Spirit has been poured in the church and everybody's being very generous and very honest. And this husband and wife said, “Look we're going to make a big donation to the church." They said whatever, "We'll sell our property and will commit the proceeds from that," but after they sold it, they said, "Well, maybe we did better and we thought we ought to keep more of it. We'll tell the disciples we're giving all of it, but let's really keep some for ourselves so they conspired basically to lie.
Kenny: Yes. They lied to the Holy Spirit, yes, and that would be the same, yes.
Pastor Doug: Yes.They were convicted not to do it but they did it anyway, and so when Ananias first- [crosstalk].
Kenny: Was there some different laws in those days or something. Because I know the County officials and everybody gets involved when somebody dies- [crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: Yes in-
Kenny: -and it didn't seem fair to his life that they just go and bury him without letting anyone him know-
Pastor Doug: Well--
Kenny: -without letting anyone know that he died.
Pastor Doug: -yes they did have different laws back- [crosstalk].
Kenny: She couldn't say good bye.
Pastor Doug: I know. They did have different laws back then and we don't know how much time passed between when he died and they wrapped him up-
Kenny: That might be a time factor, I never thought of that.
Pastor Doug: And they didn't have telephones and maybe they didn't know how to contact her, there's probably more to the story. But, I have been countries, where people died right there on the side of the road and they just had county officials wrap them up take them off and bury him. They didn't go looking for family they didn't make announcements they just said there's a dead person they buried him and doing-
Kenny: Well, that's is-- even though it's cheaper- [crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: -that’s very sad with the poor.
Kenny: - isn’t it?
Pastor Doug: Yes. It--
Kenny: Okay. Well, thanks though I'm not completely satisfied with the answer.
Pastor Doug: [laughs] All right. Well, I wish-- it says what it says there. First Ananias came he died, they wrapped him up took him out and buried him and soon later she came and she lied to the Holy Spirit. Peter gave her a chance to straighten out the story but she continued with the rues. Anyway, appreciate your call Kenny and with that we're going to be talking next to Derek, who's calling from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Derrick, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Derrick: Hi Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Derrick: I have a question about Matthew 5:28, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." My question is, I tend to-- it’s almost like an OCD thing and I’ve heard you mention it before where, when you became a Christian you felt, "Oh, I'm speeding." That's a sin or-- You mention that one of your sermons don't know if you remember it but that's how I am when I am trying to live a Christian life. I almost get obsessive about things like, "This is sin listening to this commercial because it has a secular song in it. This sin because I'm hanging out with a friend that uses God's name in vain."
I just almost feel you have to become a monk to be perfect and, you know, it's a sin that makes you cringe, because it's not right, but it's almost like this whole world we're marinated and sinfulness and it’s just the way the culture is. You can't even turn on a television without sinful things coming on, what recommendation do you have for me how do you deal with it as a pastor because I know that comes pressure on you. How do you do it where you don't just give up and say, this is impossible to be perfect? I don't know how to do it.
Pastor Doug: Well first of all, God will never ask us to do something without giving us the power to do it. I think, first of all, we need to know what does Jesus mean there in Matthew 5:48, when he says, "Therefore you'll be perfect even as your Father in Heaven is perfect." That same verse that you find in Luke he says, "Be there for merciful even as your Father in Heaven is merciful." So what He's saying here in Matthew 5, He said, “You shall love your neighbor," and Jesus said even love your enemies."
So the kind of love, the perfection he's especially emphasizing here, is perfect love that's why Luke says, “Be therefore merciful even as your Father in heaven is merciful.” Any commandment that God asks us to obey, he will give us the power to obey. Don't become discouraged it is true we are in a world, I like the word you use marinated it is just saturated with sin, and every Christian feels a little bit of struggle and joy. It is joy of knowing that Jesus is with us and that he's promised to forgive us, you will find being holy in a sinful world is an ongoing challenge.
Don't give up, and the Lord stays with you, and He wants us to love what's good and it's not wrong to, you don't want to obsess but you also should be evaluating everything based on the word of God and say, "You know, how shall I do this?" He doesn't want you to go live in a monastery, because obviously you can't let your light shine like that. He told the disciples to go into all the world teach and teach all nations. That's, He said, “I want you to go in I want you to influence others you are salt and you are light to have a good influence.”
But at the same time, while we are in the world he does not want the world in us, so he's calling us to be holy. Now there is a book that whenever we announce the title of this book, it rattles people a little bit, but it really is a good book, it's encouraging. It's called, Is It Possible To Live Without Sinning, and it creates a good balance for people to understand, what is the Lord talking about when he tells us to be holy? Will send your free copy of that Derrick, just call 800-835-6747.
800-835-6747, tell him you're listening to Bible Answers Live, we're promising you a free copy of the book Is It Possible To Live Without Sinning, and I will send that to you. We do have some lines open, we'll be back in just a few moments friend. If you have a Bible question just give us a call the number again to the studio with your question is 800-463-7297 and stand by.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: Welcome back listening friends. If you tuned in along the way, this is Bible Answers Live. We are live and if you have a Bible question, once again, the number 800-GOD-SAYS. I'm Doug Batchelor. Pastor Jean Ross is actually in Orlando, Florida getting ready for a series that we're going to be doing there, and it starts on February 17. It's called Prophecy Encounter, and will be going through the 25th of February.
Once again, it's called Prophecy Encounter. If you just type in prophecyencounter.com, you'll find out a lot more information about that series. It'll be streaming on Amazing Facts TV, 3ABN, Facebook, Roku, and more. With that, we're going to go back to the phones and talk to, Teresa, who's been waiting patiently. Calling from Madison, is that Madison, Alabama?
Teresa: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Okay, and your question tonight Teresa?
Teresa: I'll come out King James Version. John 16:33, it says, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have have peace." Why is it saying might, in some translation they have may, why is that?
Pastor Doug: Yes. The Lord is saying there that he wants us to have peace, it is our choice. He's not commanding, "I've spoken this, and way more you're going to have peace." We, by faith, can. We may have peace if we accept it. He's saying that we have the option to receive it.
Teresa: Okay.
Pastor Doug: That's all the word may means there. It doesn't mean that I'm not sure if I'm going to give it to you or not, he's saying, "I've made a promise, you may have peace." And that's what the word might means, you might have peace. That's a little more of the old English. It just means if we believe it, and if we follow the criteria that he gives us here in John 15, He's promised peace to us. A peace that passes understanding.
Teresa: Okay. Thank you.
Pastor Doug: Okay, and I hope you have that- crosstalk[]
Teresa: I'm just wondering.
Pastor Doug: Yes. God wants you to have that.
Teresa: Thank you so much.
Pastor Doug: All right. Thank you, Teresa, appreciate your call. All right. We're going to talk next to, William, who's calling from Arizona. William, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
William: Thank you Pastor. First of all, I really enjoy your program. It says, you and a few other pastors, have come to know that Saturday is the Lord's day. And according to the Commandment, and He cleared it. I grew up like many Christians in believing that the Lord's day is Sunday. My question is that, we have Bible Studies, and coming from Sunday-- believing Sunday is the Sabbath day, now, believing and knowing that the Sabbath is the seventh day. We have Bible studies and we have quite a few of people that believe how I used to believe about the Lord's day.
They seem to have scriptures that appears to be some strong scripture. There's some scripture that on the first day of the week in Acts that they share. But the main one that bothers me a little bit, and I use both King James and American Standard. And both say that Chapter 28, "In the end of the Sabbath," and I think in American Standard it's now, late on the Sabbath. "Mary Magdalene came to the grave site, to the sepulcher." I believe that's the earliest account of the four gospels of the resurrection of our Lord.
Because it says-- God says that there was a great earthquake, an angel came down, rolled back the stone. When they were talking, or went to the grave site, they came to the Angel, and the angel says, "Well, I know you seek Jesus, for he has already risen. And that go quickly and tell the disciples that he's in Galilee." If we believe that was in end of the Sabbath not on Easter Sunday, that the Lord was resurrected. I believe that, but it's hard for them, because they have other Bibles that say, well, on Sunday and so on. I really believe in King James and the--
Pastor Doug: Yes. I have no problem believing that Jesus rose on the first day of the week which is Sunday. I think most Christians know that. It simply says-- see, the reasons it mentions after the Sabbath if you read in Luke, when they laid his body in the grave, everybody in Jerusalem, it was a Passover weekend. We're all very conscious that the Passover an the Sabbath were coming. They wanted to break the bones of the people on the cross to speed up the death, to take their bodies down, so they won't have these bodies hanging up there through the Sabbath.
Because they weren't going to do it then. And the women came back Sunday to finish embalming his body, because they didn't finish before sundown on Sabbath, and they weren't going to do it on Sabbath. All the records here are simply saying, that they were waiting for the Sabbath to be over to resume their work of embalming his body. There's nothing in this that is telling us that one day is-- a new day became holy.
William: Pastor, I have two points there I want to bring up and- [crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: We got to do it quick, because we have several people standing by.
William: Okay. One, is that the four Gospels never did say what day that Jesus resurrected. They say that-- I think that some say Sunday, some say the Sabbath. The point is, sometimes prior to that event, Jesus was resurrected. Number two, is Jesus promised us, assured us, Jonah was in the belly of the whale, three days and three nights, that so the son of man be three days and three nights, may have pointed it like 72 hours. We know that God is precise and everything, and I try to count back.
I used to believe like Good Friday, and then Sunday is resurrection, Easter Sunday. And I try to-- and so, I was reading and I forget to what Gospel, but there was a special Sabbath that year, it was called the High Sabbath. And that was the son, according to the calendar, it was the sonI believe 15th. If Jesus was resurrected on I believe late on the Sabbath, if you count back 72 hours, it had to be before sundown on Wednesday, because the highest--
Pastor Doug: Let me jump in, William, if you don't mind.
William: Okay. Yes. No.
Pastor Doug: You're basing your study there in my opinion, on the verse that Jesus were he says in Matthew 12, "As Jonah was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights, so the son of man will be in the heart of the earth." He never says the son of man will be in the tomb. Some people have mistakenly believe that meant that he would be in the tomb. Christ is talking about the period of time that he would be-- and the Greek is the "Kardia", that's the heart of the world.
For three days and three nights, Jesus was burying the sin of the world. It started on Thursday night at the Last Supper when he was betrayed. Jesus said, "Now is the hour of darkness." That's when it starts, he even says, "Now is the hour of three times", I think. And then Thursday night, Friday night, and Sabbath, Saturday night, Christ was suffering for the sins of the world. The punishment and the death for our sins.
It had nothing to do with being in the tomb.
When we pray the Lord's prayer and say, "Thy will be done in earth." We don't mean in the tomb. It talks about in the world as it is in heaven. Satan came Thursday night. God withdrew his power after Jesus said the third time, "Not my will, thy will be done." He began to suffer for the sins of the world. Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night. Three days, three nights. You are correct. God is precise, but it's just understanding that, what does the heart of the earth mean? It's only one verse in the Bible.
You don't need to move to crucifixion and resurrection to try to accommodate the tomb, because that's not what that verse means. I got to go to another call, but I'll send you a book on this William and I'm glad that you've been listening. It's called The Sign of Jonah. And there it talks about those three days and three nights. The Sign of Jonah, call 800-835-6747. We'll send you a free copy, and we thank you for your call. With that, we're going to keep moving. Going to talk next to Lois, who is calling from Victorville, California. You there Lois?
Lois I'm here.
Pastor Doug: Hey, thank you for calling, and your question?
Lois Batchelor, my question is I have a niece. And her name is Shekinah. And often when I'm studying, I know of Shekinah glory in the temple. Mmy question is, is that okay for a human just to have the Name Shekinah?
Pastor Doug: Well, you've probably met people before that have the name, Jesus.
Lois: Yes.
Pastor Doug: I know that must be tough on a kid because it's not as common in some countries, but in some Latin American countries I've met several friends and their names were Jesus which is Jesus. I would think of all the names that would be a tough name. I forget what-- recently [laughs] there was a court ruling some parents. I think that they were in New York somewhere, they named their kid Adolf Hitler. The court actually said, "You can't do that. Because it's too cruel to do that to a kid." [laughs]
Lois: I see.
Pastor Doug: They had a big court case out of that. But as far as Shekinah, I don't think there's anything wrong. There are people in the Bible like Elijah, his name means my, God is Jehovah. A number of the Bible characters had names that incorporated the name of God in their names. Daniel means God is my judge. Where matter fact, whenever you find the word L in a name Michael, who is as God.
That's what Michael means, who is like God. Whenever you find L it's a derivative of Elohim. I wouldn't worry about having your you say daughter or granddaughter named Shekinah, it's a beautiful name and it just means glory. You've met people named Grace and you've met people named Hope and her name is glory. The glory of God the divine glory, it's a beautiful name.
Lois: Okay. I appreciate your input. Thank you so much.
Pastor Doug: Yes. I'll also be happy to send you that book we've mentioned three times tonight. A lot of questions about names tonight, it's called The name of God. It says quite a bit about names there you'll enjoy it. I wrote it and I enjoyed writing it. It's called The name of God call 800-835-6747. By the way, any of the people out there that would like to read that book you can also download it for free at the amazing facts website. Just go to amazingfacts.org. I appreciate your call and we're going to talk next to, Frank, who is calling from the Netherlands. Thank you, Frank, for your phone call.
Frank: Yes. I'm glad to be here. It's an honor talking to you Pastor.
Pastor Doug: Now it's late at night there.
Frank: It's like four o'clock.
Pastor Doug: All right. Very early in the morning actually.
Frank: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Well thank you for calling, Frank.
Frank: Well there was a reason for me staying up. I was kind of afraid-- I have-- Well in the past there were some-- Well when I got filled with the spirit. I don't know how to explain it, but it felt like something went wrong then. I wasn't completely filled with the spirit. So when I-- and the next day I felt like I didn't want to sin but I still wanted to sin. When it got further I had some accidents with sexual relationships and some secret spice again. But now I'm afraid and drugs, but mow I'm afraid, have I commit unpardonable sin?
Pastor Doug: Well I think the fact that you're calling and that you're interested in doing the will of God, it would be the Holy Spirit that would even convict you to want to renew your relationship. Don't be discouraged if even after you come to God you feel the tug of the world. Paul talks there in Romans Chapter seven about, that there's this war that goes on before complete surrender where you have a desire to do God's will, but there's also desire for the flesh and the carnal things.
Because we do have bodies that have animal passions. We have a spiritual mind and we try to balance these things as a Christian. Don't be discouraged and just pray and come to the Lord and say, "Lord, I just would like some encouragement from the Holy Spirit." By the way, before I even forget I wrote a book about what is the unpardonable sin-
Frank: Beyond Mercy.
Pastor Doug: -and I'll send you a free copy of that. You know about the book Beyond Mercy?
Frank: I've already ordered it.
Pastor Doug: Good. So you haven't read it yet? Yes, you'll enjoy that and that will I think encourage you. A lot of people call in, they worry have we grieved away the Holy Spirit. When you grieve away the Holy Spirit you're doing what Judas did, where you're just continually rebellion against God, you're doing what Ballaam did, you're doing what King Saul did. King Saul just kept pushing away.
Frank: My question was about Saul. Saul after he grieved the Lord said, "My spirit has departed from him." Then Saul still asked for forgiveness it seemed. With David when he asked to play the harp and stuff in 1 Kings--
Pastor Doug: Yes. I don't think King Saul had completely grieved away the Holy Spirit at the time that David was anointed. I do think that the Holy Spirit-- I hear there was a battle going on because when David would play his harp Saul would feel better and he would be inspired. And then at other times he'd start to brood and it's like he was wrestling with demonic possession. But Jesus healed many people from demon possession and they were saved. Just because a person has grieved the Spirit doesn't always mean they've permanently grieved away the Spirit. I think whenever we sin we all grieve the Spirit.
Frank: Okay.
Pastor Doug: I would tell you don't be discouraged. I'm not saying don't be convicted by sin I'm saying, "Don't be discouraged and think I've committed the unpardonable sin and throw your hands in the air." Seek after God. As long as you feel that the Holy Spirit is bringing conviction and talking to your heart, feed your soul, pray it is true even as, Mary and Joseph, when they brought Jesus to the temple they lost track of him for a few days. They spent time sorrowing looking for him.
Sometimes we lose track of Jesus and it takes some time praying and sorrowing to find him again. But don't get discouraged. I believe that the Holy Spirit still in your life. Read that book I think you'll find a number of scriptures to encourage you Frank and thank you for calling from the Netherlands. Yes, again proof that we do have people around the world calling. Talking next to, Adam, who's calling from, is that Brownsworth Texas?
Adam: Yes. Sir that's correct Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Well thank you for calling.
Adam: Thank you for taking my call. I just got a quick little observation of-- I've been in-- Holy Spirit took over me when I was five years old and I'm reaching 51. It's been a while [laughs] [unintelligible 00:47:26] and I actually got saved when I was 13. So anyway, I really gotten about when I started reading myself verse by verse and still haven't read to me or preach to me by the way of TV or evangelist.
Pastor Doug: Right.
Adam: But anyhow I was going back to your choices there, the curses, Revelation I mean Genesis 3:16 and it says-- you know, because, I was at a young age when-- my wife, I mean and question- [crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: It says, "I'll multiply your sorrow in conception."
Adam: "And in pain you shall bring forth children." As soon as I start reading it hit me, you know. Well, I mean my wife ask a lot of parents about childhood till she had one. That would be a moot statement if she had never children before.
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Adam: How would you have somebody rely that to her, you know what I mean? I mean, obviously she's been through- [crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: Well, in heaven, there's going to be no pain in heaven. Pain was not part of God's original plan and it is curious but I don't think- [crosstalk] I think before Adam and Eve sinned childbirth was not- [crosstalk]
Adam: The original plan was to chase down is part of the sin is Lucifer and to teach him a lesson, [laughs] because he-- I mean, you know, about that, that's what what we hear, you know.
Pastor Doug: What's your question, Adam? Was your question about women having pain in conception and childbirth?
Adam: I was just stating a fact, He was cursing or something-- I mean, he was grounding your children and saying you're grounded-- you can't play with your PlayStation for a week and then-- I didn't buy me a PlayStation yet. What I'm saying is I mean when I read it to a woman and like think about it for a second, it's like [unintelligible 00:49:20] He was amazing to her unless she had given birth.
Pastor Doug: I disagree I see God had told Adam and Eve right after they were created. Be fruitful and multiply before sin. He wanted them to be fruitful, he made them to procreate and fill the earth. It probably was not going to be painful to have children prior to sin. How God was going to work that out I don't know it seems like there are some creatures in the animal kingdom that they give birth and it doesn't look like they go through the agony that a woman does, a human. Hey, I appreciate your call and thank you very much. Adam with that though we are going to move along talk to, Warren, who is calling from Huntsville, Alabama. Warren you are on the air with bible answers live .
Warren: Well, hello, Pastor Doug. Thank you for taking my call.
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Warren: My question, an extreme mental-ill person, will they be lost or slaved?
Pastor Doug: Well if a person is struggling with a physical, mental or biological mental illness the lord is going to probably look upon them as though a child who has not reached the age of accountability. I think we have all seen full grown adults that for some reason are mentally handicapped and they have got the emotional ability of a child or less. God is not going to judge them where they don't have the faculties to reason between right and wrong, the reason that children are not judged until they reach the age of accountability, is because they don't have the maturity of judgment to really understand the consequences of their decisions.
I think of some adults understood the eternal consequences of their decisions we'd be more careful, but my understanding is that he is going to judge them with great mercy as if they were children and they will be a lot of people in heaven that struggle with some mental handicaps in this life. Now some people have mental handicaps because of drug abuse and sin and that's a different story, some are handicapped because of demonic position, because they have given themselves over by bad behavior that's another story. But people who are born with these handicaps and never mature, I think god is going to be very kind and merciful to them. That makes sense Warren?
Warren: Yes. It makes sense.
Pastor Doug: Yes. I appreciate your question very much and that does open another phone line. So if you have a bible question give us a call 800-463-7297 it looks like we are still have some lines open and enough time, 800-463-7297. I'm going to go to talk with Nozy who is calling from Grand Rapids Michigan. Nosy you are on the air with bible answers live.
Nozy: Hi, Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Nozy: I have a question on Revelation 10:4. Would you please explain to me because I thought the book of the Revelation was open, but here looks at the [unintelligible 00:52:37] to shut up the book. Can you explain that please?
Pastor Doug: Yes. It says, "Now, when the seven thunders utter their voices, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Seal up the things," which the seven thunders uttered and do not write them." Well, they are not being told to seal up the book of Revelation. He's just sealing up what the seven thunders uttered and maybe it was giving the day and the time of Christ coming, it was just one message that was sealed.
Nozy: Okay.
Pastor Doug: In the book Daniel 8, it talks about things that are sealed. I think in Daniel 8:26 it says, "But seal up the vision for it refers to many days from now," and you can read in Daniel 12:4, "But you Daniel shut the words and seal the book until the time of the end." Then again in Revelation 22:10, "He said to me, do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book for the time is near." Whatever was sealed there in Daniel is unsealed in Revelation, and we are living in the time of the fulfillment of that.
But there was something heavenly that these seven thunders said that was a mystery. Paul said, "He was caught up to the third heaven he heard things that you can't even utter." God says, "That his eye hasn't seen, ear has not heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those that love Him," so there are some things we can't even imagine. I appreciate your call, Nozy, and I thank you very much for your question, I hope that helps a little bit. Now we are going to talk to, Yvonne calling from Canada. Yvonne you are on the air with bible answers live.
Yvonne: Hi, pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Evening.
Yvonne: Good evening. I like to ask a question pertaining to when God says, He was talking to someone, "Let's make man in our own image and lightness." And in John, 1st John, it says, "The world was the God and the world was God," and I want to think that it was Jesus, God was talking to.
Pastor Doug: Yes. Well, the word used for God, there is Elohim, it is a plural world. You know, God often says, "Let us go down and see what the man has done," in Genesis 11, that's God, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.
Yvonne: Right.
Pastor Doug: That's why the angel says, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord." Because you've got good the Father, you've got God, the son and God the Holy Spirit, and that said God was no doubt talking to Jesus. You know, Yvonne, we are going to try and get one more call on the air. If you do have further questions on that subject, all you need to is go to-- Amazing Facts will send you a book on the trinity and it'll talk more about that. We are going to take last call, Jerry from Medford, Oregon. Jerry, we just squeeze you in. You have a quick question?
Jerry: Hi.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Jerry: Yes, Pastor Doug. Can you hear me?
Pastor Doug: I can.
Jerry: My question pertains to forgiving people. There's been a number of people bore false witness against me in a formal hearing, it was under oath. And I prayed to forgive them and I don't dwell but occasionally it comes back to mind and I think that sure it was an awful thing to do. Again I don't wish him ill, I try to forgive him but those thoughts come back what should I do?
Pastor Doug: That's a great question and it's very relevant. I know it's very painful when something like that happens and you hear people say terrible things that are not true about you and that's when it really becomes hard to forgive but that's when it really is important, Jesus was welling to forgive those who bore false witness against him. The last thing Stephen said before he died, and when they are about to stone him he said, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge."
And here Saul later known as Paul the Apostle, had born false witness against Stephen and Stephen lost his life because of it. But Stephen was willing to forgive, he said, "Lord don't charge him with this sin." So sinful people will do selfish things, sin makes people mentally ill, you just got to forgive people that are cruel as long as they got a mental illness they can't help it and just say, "Lord, help them, give them a new heart and transform them."
Thank you Jerry for your question I appreciate your call and I do have a message on forgiveness that at the Amazing Facts website, amazingfacts.org and I trust that you will find some more answers there. Listening friend, you can tell that we are starting to run low on time. I do have some important announcements following our broadcast time tonight, but I want to make sure that you do know that there are more resources available at the Amazing Facts website. We'd love to hear from you, make a donation and keep us on the air. God bless till next week.