Pastor Doug: Hello, friends. This is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? Camp Sumter commonly called Andersonville was the largest confederate prison during the Civil War. The 16 acre stockade quickly grew to over 26 acres as train loads of prisoner arrived. This space, originally designed to hold about 10,000 people, ultimately held as many as 32,000 northern soldiers. The men were herded together like chickens in a pen with just barely enough dirt ground for each person to lay down at night. During the winter, the prisoners were soaked and freezing. And in the summer, they languished under sweltering 100 degree summer days. By 1864, the losing confederate troops had very little food so their union prisoners were starving.
This misery was compounded by the filthy water. A small creek ran into the prison yard from the north but it first passed through the living area of the confederate guards and their livestock. By the time this stream reach the prisoners, it was badly fouled by man and beast. This virtual sewage was the only water provided to the union prisoners for drinking and washing. With 30,000 prisoners, this polluted water soon became a reeking swamp in the midst of the camp. It’s easy to understand why during its 14 months of operation at Andersonville, nearly 13,000 of the overcrowded union boys died from disease: malaria, malnutrition, and exposure to the elements. Conditions were especially brutal during the heat wave in August of 1864. During that time, a great number of the prisoners gathered under the blazing sun and they knelt against each other and prayed to God.
The young men were not only asking for rain to cool them and to raise the stream level to purge the filthy camp, they also specifically asked for clean water to drink. Then several miracles occurred. After praying, a powerful dark thunderstorm developed from a clear sky directly over them. Then the clouds ruptured and then heavy rain began to pour down, cleansing the prisoners, quenching their thirst and flushing the camp. To top things off, God sent a mighty lightning bolt which struck the ground in the midst of the crowded camp without harming any prisoners. The rain was a miraculous answer to prayer and that the lightning missed a man was the second miracle that day. The third miracle was a new cool clean, spring of water suddenly appeared at the very spot where the lightning struck the ground. That spring is still flowing today and it's called Providence Spring. Friends, did you know that that same God still allows living water to flow today, in answer to prayer?
Stay with us. We're going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug: Well, praise the lord friends. We are back. And praise the lord we're alive considering the alternative, that's a right way to be. This is Bible Answers Live. It's a live international interactive Bible study. And we would encourage and invite you to participate for the next 58 minutes. We’re going to answer questions from all over the country even in other parts of the world regarding God's book the Bible. If you have a Bible question, please give us a call. It's a toll free phone call, 1-800-GOD-SAYS. Lines are open right now so pick up your phone. If you'd like to get your question in tonight's broadcasts, that's 1-800-463-7297. One more time, 1-800-463-7287. And my name is Doug Batchelor.
Jean Ross: My name is Jean Ross. Good evening listening friends. And, Pastor Doug, it's good to be back. Let’s start with a word of prayer.
Dear Father, we thank you that we can study Your word. We ask that You be with us as this evening. We pray for wisdom and guidance as we open Your book. Be with those who are listening and those who call in. For this we ask in Jesus name. Amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Jean Ross: What an amazing fact? An incredible answer to prayer where God provided cool, refreshing water to a group of men who are dying of thirst. You know, water is very important. We find it many times in the Bible---
Pastor Doug: That's right.
Jean Ross: And that imagery is used by Jesus.
Pastor Doug: It’s the essence of life. And of course Jesus speaking to the woman at the well. He said to her in John 4:14, "But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him, he will never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him. A well of water, springing up in to everlasting life." And I think about this story of how God answered the prayer of these men and He gave them physical water for their thirst. You can read in the Bible where Samson after he slew all those philistines where the (Job?) own of a donkey, he was dying of thirst and he prayed and water came out of the ground. And Hagar was lost in the dessert and she prayed and God showed her a well. And so if God cares about helping His people find natural, physical water to keep them alive, how much more does Jesus want to give us that living water if we'll ask him. And there may be some out there that would like to have their spiritual thirst quenched by that living water that Jesus offers. Maybe you'd like to know more about the power of prayer that we heard and demonstrated in this amazing fact tonight. And we have a special offer that will tell you more about God's spirit and the power of prayer.
Jean Ross: We have a book entitled "Teach Us to Pray." It deals with the subject of prayer. to receive it, call 1-800-835-6747. That’s 1-800-835-6747. Ask for the book, "Teach Us to Pray." and we'll be happy to send that to you.
Pastor Doug: How much is that?
Jean Ross: That's absolutely free.
Pastor Doug: That’s right?
Jean Ross: Price is right. [laughs] Oh, we go to the phone lines this evening. Israel is calling from Brooklyn, New York listening on WMCA. Israel, welcome to the program.
Israel: Good evening.
Pastor Doug: Evening.
Israel: Thank you.
Pastor Doug: And your question tonight.
Israel: Yeah, my question is taken from Exodus 33:20, "And he said, thou canst see my face: for there shall no man see me and live." Now, I go to Exodus 24:11 and it says, "And upon the noble of Israel, he laid not his hands: and also, they saw God." And I also want to go to Exodus 33:11, and he then says that "And the Lord speaks unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend." Right here, Pastor, it sounds contradictory to me.
Pastor Doug: All right. Let me see if I can help you with that.
Israel: All right.
Pastor Doug: If you go to the New Testament and you'll look in John chapter 6 verse 46, it says "Not that any man has seen God the Father," not that any man has seen the father, "save he that is of God, he has seen the Father." But then you read in John 14 verse 9, when Jesus was going to ascend, Philip said to him you know show us the father and he said, "Philip, he that has seen me has seen the Father."
Israel: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: So in the Bible especially in the Old testament when it says that Jacob saw God and Moses saw God and Abraham saw God, they no doubt saw God the Son but when God said "You cannot see my face and live," to Moses when he put him in the cliff of the rock there in Exodus chapter 33 that was no doubt God the Father in his glory. Now the closest you get to that is Daniel in chapter 7, he sees a vision of God but of course when you're seeing a vision, you probably have some kind of vision sun glasses on so you can bare the sight but man in his sinful state cannot behold God the Father in His glory. The good news is, Israel, if you look in Revelation and I forget the exact verses, is it Revelation 21, Pastor Ross? "Then we will see him face to face," speaking of in heaven. So right now we look through a glass darkly and this is in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 but then face to face.
Jean Ross: That verse you refer to is Revelation 22 verse 4 "And they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads."
Pastor Doug: So does that help a little bit, Israel?
Israel: Yeah, it does mean a little bit. [laughs]
Pastor Doug: You know don’t feel bad and I certainly don’t feel bad if we can’t understand all about these mysteries about God. You know God is so high above us that we're on holy ground when we're even talking about what His visage is like.
Israel: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: I appreciate your question and he might enjoy that book on the "Trinity, is it biblical?" Because that explains a little bit about the distinction between the Father, Son and Spirit in that book if you just ask for that, Israel.
Jean Ross: Israel, the book again "Is the Trinity Biblical?" The number to call for that is 1-800-835-6747. It's free. We'll be happy to send that to you. Jim is listening in the internet from Austintown, Ohio. Jim, welcome to the program.
Jim: Good morning. Good eve-- Good afternoon. Good evening.
Pastor Doug: It's morning somewhere. Don’t feel bad, Jim.
Jim: It's 10:10 here. How you doing, Doug?
Pastor Doug: Real good.
Jim: Good. I had a dream a while ago and you were in it and it was weird. I went into a restaurant and you were sitting there.
Pastor Doug: Well, if it was Taco Belly, it could have been true.
Jim: It was Burger King.
Pastor Doug: No, I don’t eat that. [laughs]
Jim: And it was just a weird dream. I was just really astonished to meet you and stuff. To my question though, I was talking with a lady yesterday. anytime I get the opportunity talking about the Lord, I just jumped at it.
Pastor Doug: Uhuh.
Jim: And they were talking about wine, did Jesus drink wine and I said "No, I believe that was unfermented wine." You know I went on to say the Bible speaks about drunkenness and stuff and she kind of link towards believing you know that Jesus did drink wine. Any scripture that would help me point out distinction between the fermented and unfermented wine?
Pastor Doug: Well, we'll do our best. Of course, Jesus said, speaking of the gospels, he says, "You do not put new wine on old bottles." And he specifically said "if you put new wine into the old wine skins," in other words, if you put grape juice in used wine skins, the yeast in the fabric of the wine skins will then immediately cause fermentation in the new grape juice then it expands and then it ruptures the skins.
Jim: What scripture? What verse was that?
Pastor Doug: Pastor Ross, let me see, new wine and old wine skins. I’m doing this from memory now. I’m dyslexic with numbers here.
Jim: I heard that in one of your thing.
Pastor Doug: It's true. It's really true. You know you start a verse in the Bible, I can almost finish it but then ask me the number and my mind goes blank.
Jim: Yeah you got the foundations of our faith.
Pastor Doug: Yeah.
Jean Ross: That's Matthew chapter 9 verse 17, "No man puts new wine into old wine bottles" or bottle of skins.
Pastor Doug: And you know when we're done with the question, Jim, we'll also send you a free copy of the book called "Alcohol and the Christian." And it has all the text I'm giving you and about 10 times more. But we don’t believe that Jesus made when he turned the water into wine, we believe he turned it into new wine because even Jesus said at the last Supper, "I will not drink of the fruit of the vine again until I drink it with you new in the Father's kingdom," new. So if the bread was to be unleavened during the Passover, meaning no sin the wine was to be unfermented because leaven and fermentation is the same thing. And so why would Jesus you mean it's a symbol of his blood so why would he want us to partake of something that is putrefying as a symbol of his pure blood?
Jim: Yeah, cause it doesn’t makes sense to me. I mean especially when the Bible does speak about drunkenness and so on and so forth, you know I always tell people you know do the math, if it doesn’t add up, if it doesn’t make sense, then you know chances are--and that's one of the reasons you know not to really... I love to listen to your program and I got a lot of your stuff and I just like the direction you go with it in the way you explain things and especially when you talk about like if you talk about something pertaining to the different denominations, I really respect the way you approach that because I’m not wanting to talking about other denominations or saying anything negative. I try to be as humble and as you know explanatory as I could be. And that's one of the things that I enjoy about your program.
Pastor Doug: Well, bless your heart. We appreciate that, Jim, if you just call the number, we'll send you a free copy of that book on "Wine and the Christians" or "Alcohol and the Christians."
Jean Ross: It's 1-800-835-6747. And ask for the book "Alcohol and the Christians" and we'll be happy to send that out to you. Our next caller is
Pastor Doug: Celeste.
Jean Ross: Yeah, Celeste, listening on the internet from Chesterfield, Virginia.
Pastor Doug: Virginia.
Jean Ross: Virginia, there it is. [laughs]
Pastor Doug: You got to remember, friends, he's from South Africa.
Celeste: Okay.
Jean Ross: Welcome to the program.
Celeste: Thank you.
Pastor Doug: And your question.
Celeste: Okay. Well I am 21 years old and so I'm single and of course of our people my age is out dating and getting married and having kids and everything. So I picked out a few different books on relationships between Christians like "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" or (inaudible 14:37) things like that.
Pastor Doug: Uhuh.
Celeste: But I see as far as Christians going dating there is like a live? variety. Some say you shouldn’t and some say it’s okay. And some say you should court and I just want your opinion on that.
Pastor Doug: Well, obviously if a young man and young woman in the marrying market, and what I mean by that is you may already have some plans for school for the next few years and marriage and expenses and distractions of marriage may not be good to consider right now. Then, it's a good idea when you do things with some of the opposite sex. You do it as a group with friends so you don’t get yourself caught in an environment of you know being compelled in to a serious relationship before you're really planning on it. But if you’re thinking you know I believe that God is wanting me now to look for a life partner and this is a good time to do that, you obviously have to get in to some environments. and by the way, I respect both those books that you listed and I recommend them.
Celeste: Right.
Pastor Doug: You could get to know a person. Now, when I say get to know them, I don’t mean in the biblical sense. I'm talking about you need to be able to relate to them and to you know just find out what their character is. And to do it in a situation where you know you guys aren’t get into trouble as they often do by getting off by themselves and playing with Mother Nature.
Celeste: Uhum.
Pastor Doug: So the word dating, some of it the semantics, I mean obviously you got to spend some time with a person to get to know them.
Celeste: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: And you know in a variety of different situations, and what I mean by that is sometimes you might go on an outdoor outing. There might be study together. There's a variety of you want to do and just to get to know the person, meet their family see how they interact with their family. that often is a reflection with how they're gonna interact with you. It's usually a pretty good indicator actually.
Celeste: Okay.
Pastor Doug: So I don’t know if I’m answering your question. You're asking a pastor with the name Batchelor about dating so that’s--
Celeste: Yeah. [laughs]
Pastor Doug: I don’t know where that's gonna go.
Celeste: Yeah, it's helpful. I just graduated from college and I'm at, you know, like a new stage in my life where it's an option, I guess you could say now.
Pastor Doug: Exactly. Well then, it sounds like what you want to do is spread that before the Lord and say "All right, Lord, I’m open to the way you would like to lead. If you've got a partner for me out there or" he may want you to do mission work for you, who knows but to make serving him the priority, don’t make looking for mate the priority.
Celeste: Right.
Pastor Doug: And it just turns out that you look in the Bible and so often God introduce people to their spouses in the context of working for Him. You know I mean Jacob was watering sheep and Moses was defending shepardesses and they were all busy when they met their spouse. So be busy serving the Lord and God will work it out in any circumstances.
Celeste: Okay.
Pastor Doug: All right.
Celeste: Yes, thank you.
Pastor Doug: God bless, Celeste. Thank you.
Jean Ross: Our next caller is Jasmine listening from North Carolina. Jasmine, welcome to the program.
Jasmine: Hi. I have a--
Pastor Doug: Evening.
Jasmine: I have a question about Acts chapter 2:10 and 19.
Pastor Doug: Okay.
Jasmine: Are they with tongues that were spoken in these chapters the same as the gift of tongues in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 to 14? Or are they different?
Pastor Doug: Well, they are the same because when you read--and Pastor Ross will find this for me--in acts chapter 10, I do remember the chapter, when Peter is relating his experience with Cornelius when they were speaking in tongues. He says to the church council, the Holy Spirit fell on them the same way that it had fell on us at the beginning. So when Peter is explaining, the experience of tongues speaking in Acts chapter 19, he says they received the gift of tongues the same way we receive the gift of tongues in Acts chapter 2. This is in reference there. And so yeah they are the same gift and once again when you get to Acts 19, it's the same gift of tongues. There are several language groups present. God gave them supernaturally the ability to speak in languages they didn't know before for the purpose of magnifying God and proclaiming the message.
Jasmine: So in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 it is the gift of tongues is the same thing as in acts.
Pastor Doug: Same thing and chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians and in chapter 14, you've really got something a little different going on. I'm talking about 1 Corinthians 14.
Jasmine: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: In the Corinthians church, the Corinth is sort of a seaport where there's an awful lot of slaves from the Roman empire all different languages were there. And evidently, their services were becoming confusing because people were getting up and preaching and prophesying and testifying in all these different languages that the majority present didn't understand it. Paul said "Look, you’re speaking in to the air. God understand you but the men don’t understand you. Don’t speak unless you got a translator or an interpreter." And so that was really another issue there. And you know I've got a book on this. I'll send you. and I put a lot of heart and soul into this. It's called "Captured by Tongues." actually it's called "The Gift of Tongues" I think they retitled it. "The gift of Tongues." If you like that Jasmine, it got all these verse and the answers to exactly what you're asking.
Jasmine: Thank you. I'd like that. I have one more question.
Pastor Doug: Okay.
Jasmine: I’ve been told that all must speak in tongues when they're filled the Holy Ghost in Mark chapter 16 verse 17 because it says to them that believe which by the people say this means all believers must speak in tongues. Is that what Jesus meant?
Pastor Doug: No, because you look in 1 Corinthians 12:29, Paul says "Are all apostles are all prophets? Are all teachers..." and you know his obvious answer's no. Not everyone’s a prophet. Not everyone's an apostle. There are only 12 of them. It says "are all teachers are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing do all speak with tongues?" And in the previous verses Paul says God give different gifts to different people. So the idea that everybody is supposed to have one of the gifts is not biblical. Tongues is not the holy spirit is one of the gifts of the holy spirit. So when Peter said you shall speak with tongues, he's speaking in a general sense and by the way, in mark chapter 16 when Jesus said that, he's talking to the 12 apostles. And all of them did speak with tongues at Pentecost but it wasn’t his plan that every disciple speak with tongues.
Jasmine: Oh, Okay.
Pastor Doug: You will really appreciate this book because it's gonna answer these questions for you so go ahead and call the number Pastor Ross is gonna give and we'll just get your information to send it to you.
Jean Ross: The numbers is 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the book, "The Gift of Tongues."
Pastor Doug: Yup.
Jean Ross: We'll be happy to send that out to you. Joseph is calling from New York, New York listening on WMCA. Joseph, welcome to the program.
Joseph: Thank you. Good evening Pastors.
Pastor Doug: Evening Joseph. haven't heard from you in a while. [Joseph laughs] Good to hear your voice again. And your question.
Joseph: I want to ask something about Moses if I may.
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Joseph: I understand that he was educated in Egypt.
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Joseph: Now, prior to him, there was a gentlemen I should say a fellow by the name of Akhenaten.
Pastor Doug: I believe you. I didn’t know his name.
Joseph: (inaudible 22:23). Well, he was called the world's first monotheist, an individualist, in a book. I don’t know if you want me mention the name of the book but, nevertheless, he was a monotheist himself. And so my question is did Moses learn his monotheist from the Egyptians or did he learn it elsewhere?
Pastor Doug: Well, keep in mind that after Pharaoh’s daughter found Moses floating in his basket, almost immediately Moses was given back to his mother and his mother was paid by the Royal Treasury to nurse Moses until he was weaned. Now in the Bible, when you’re weaned, it's not necessarily mean when you stop nursing. It meant when you're old enough to take care of yourself. It's like when Samuel was brought to the temple, he wasn't 9 months old. He's probably closer to 5-6 years old. And so Moses learned monotheism at his mother's knee, the same way Samuel did from Hannah. Even though Samuel was exposed in the temple of God surrounded there by Eli and his sons to some unsavory things, he was still true to God. And the same thing with Moses. Now, that's not to deny that some of the Pharaoh’s before Moses were monotheistic. Keep in mind and this is where I think it’s really interesting what you're saying is coming back to me, Joseph, that Joseph your name sake in the Bible, he was a prime minister of Egypt and so there was a monotheistic influence in Egypt a few hundred years before Moses was born. And there were probably still some Pharaohs that were influenced by that.
Joseph: I came across a (word?) last week, Pastor. I’m sure you're familiar with it, henotheism.
Pastor Doug: No, I'm not.
Joseph: Well, anyway henotheism to be exact is a person can’t believe in one deity but do not deny the existence of others.
Pastor Doug: Oh, that's interesting. Well, there's probably no limit.
Joseph: I thought it was interesting. I think that Solomon might have done that. He believed of course in the supreme being but I think he worshipped also and (let upon?) his (inaudible 24:51).
Pastor Doug: Well his wives influenced him to tolerate the worship of many Gods towards the end of his life but repented of that just before he died. And that's when he wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes. So I think that is interesting. I never heard that before. Yeah, I appreciate hearing from you again, Joseph. And do we have time for one more call before the break, Pastor?
Jean Ross: All right. We'll go to Hector listening on the internet from Chicago, Illinois, Hector, welcome to the program.
Hector: Hello. Good afternoon. Good evening (only?).
Pastor Doug: Evening Hector. We’ve got about 4 minutes before the break. Your question?
Hector: Okay. I just wanted to know where was the significance, the meaning, the 7 churches in Revelation. I know there's a lot of talk and there's a lot of different views on what they represent and their current (inaudible 25:39) the pastors on the future. I just wanted to get your take on it.
Pastor Doug: All right. Well, first of all when, John writes the Book of Revelation, he says "For the time is at hand." Most scholars believed, and I'm speaking primarily of the protestant commentators and scholars, that the 7 churches cover the religious history of God's people from the First Coming to the Second Coming of Jesus. The church of Ephesus was that first age of the church of the first hundred years of the church followed by the church of Smyrna, which was a time of great persecution and sacrifice on until you get to the church of Laodicea but there's more to it. Many church denominations start out. It’s a cycle that church has often go through. they start out with first love of Ephesus and they end up like Laodicea, luke warm. And I’ve even seen individuals, you know, they come to the Lord, they're on fire. And in a few years later, its religion has become, you know mechanical, and they end up luke warm. And so you don’t wanna lose your first love. So those messages that are given to the 7 churches not only apply to those ages of the church. They apply to every Christian because we are the church. The Church is the people. And I've met people that are out there that are like Philadelphia, they're full of brotherly love. I've met people out there like Thyatira they're more concerned with the name than being transformed. You know what I’m saying? So you read the messages of those churches and it can be applicable to every person but the main teaching is it covers the history of God's people from the First Coming to the Second Coming.
Hector: So do you believe in one of those churches right now?
Pastor Doug: We're living... I do. I believe we are living in the age of Laodicea: rich and increase with goods don’t think we have need of anything. And God says we're poor and wretched, miserable, blind and naked.
Hector: That's correct.
Pastor Doug: And that's our condition right now. So I hope that makes sense and helps a little bit, Hector.
Hector: Do you guys have any additional study guides on this?
Pastor Doug: Well, I don’t... We ought to get a book on the 7 churches but I don’t have a book that I can offer you specifically on that but the advance Amazing Facts study guides do talk about these prophecies. And so if you go to the Amazing Facts website, you'll find more information there on the Amazing Facts study guides. As a matter of fact, I'd like to also direct you to--we can hear our bumper music in the background-- but there's a website called Bibleuniverse.com. And, Hector, or anybody listening if you go to bibleuniverse.com, there is a plethora of different Bible studies there and in many different languages. We got them in Portuguese and Spanish and French and Romanian and even have them in Farsi. So we wanna make it available so that everybody can study the Bible. But at the Amazing Facts website, you'll find the Amazing Facts advance study guides. You go into some of the other prophecies that are a little deeper. Well, we're gonna take a brief break and then come back in a few moments for more Bible questions. so don’t go away.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: That's us friends. We are back. We are live. If you have got on the train somewhere along the way, this is Bible Answers Live. It's a live international interactive Bible study and it's brought to you by Amazing Facts. And a lot of what we do--television. Something we're really excited about right now is just a couple of months ago, we developed a website that's dedicated to the Amazing Facts TV programs, 24 hours a day. And it's so easy to remember. It's simply amazingfacts.tv. So you just remember the Amazing Facts TV and I hope you picture it. [Jean Ross laughs] 'Coz we're on radio. And you can see 24 hours a day. There's all these different evangelistic programs and I know there's a lot of people say "Let’s just keep it going in the background." And we're adding new programs all the time. Also for anyone who wants to study the Bible, we've mentioned before there's Bible Universe, we've got a lot of different Bible studies on some of the major Bible doctrines and questions that we get in. So if you go to the main website amazingfacts.com, you'll see so many of those links there. Now something else we wanna share with all of our friends and we hope that you will spam the world and tell them: in just about 3 weeks, Pastor Ross, and I are going to the Dallas (inaudible 31:53) Port Area. It's gonna be Richardson, Texas. And we're uplinking from a church by satellite a brand new series of meetings. We've never done anything like this before. brand new, it is a satellite series just for kids called Amazing Adventure. and we've written a whole new set of lessons, 10 lessons, Bible lessons, to lead these young kids to Christ. And it's focused on kids roughly between the ages of 8 and 12. Nobody will be evicted if they’re just a little younger or a little older. but you can come to your churches if they have satellite equipment, if you have a television, you can watch on 3ABN, which is also on the Dish Network. You can see it on Hope Channel and it will be on a number of other venues if you go to amazingfactskids.com, amazingfactskids.com. You'll see all the information about the upcoming Amazing Adventure program. And if you haven't registered your church yet, it's not too late but do what thou doest quickly.
Jean Ross: That’s right.
Pastor Doug: And pray for us.
Jean Ross: (Inaudible 32:56) and you want to get some study guides that go along with this series that Pastor Doug will be doing, so go to the amazingfactskids.com website. And register your site and order those study guides.
Pastor Doug: And pray for us 'coz this will be a live program in front of maybe 200 very energetic kids. Some say it would be like herding squirrels so we're really praying that the Lord's spirit will come down on that place.
Jean Ross: All right. Let’s go to the phone lines. Les is listening on KFIA from Sacramento, California. Les, welcome to the program.
Les: Good evening pastors. How are you this evening?
Pastor Doug: Doing well. How are you, Les?
Les: I'm doing fine. My question is in regards to the Sabbath. I understand that the Sabbath is on a Saturday. I understand that it has to with the day of rest with the Lord: whether that be with Bible study, or attending worship service, or maybe you know fellowshipping with believers, and maybe helping out what pot luck you know things along that line but my question has to do with an invite I had in the mail concerning the class reunion. And it happens to start late afternoon on the Sabbath and I’m kind of in odds to that. I’m not really sure whether that would be appropriate or not.
Pastor Doug: Well, that depends. If there is a class reunion and it's Christians that are leading up planning the program and they're going to do Sabbath appropriate things during those hours, if they're gonna get together, it doesn’t matter if you are all classmates 20 years ago or 15 years ago and if they're gonna get together and say "Look, lets together on Sabbath afternoon. Let’s have worship. Let’s have vespers. Let’s have fellowship." And then they may move in to whatever things other, things they're doing after the Sabbath, (live?) programs or whatever. That wouldn’t be... I don’t see that as a problem. So the question is it gonna be a spiritual atmosphere.
Les: In this case, no, I don’t believe it would be. I think it would be... There would be believers there but there are also people more of what I would say maybe (inaudible 35:02).
Pastor Doug: Well then, you’re you know venturing out on ground where you may not feel comfortable that you know it’s' nurturing the sacred environment. Now you sometimes there are situations that you balance opportunities to witness against risk of, you know, just for instance across the street from where we're doing this program right now on the capital of California, they're having a California state fair. It's always interesting this time of year, parking lot here at the studio gets very busy. And some people might go to the state fare during the week and I’m not condemning any Christians going there. They got all kinds of nature and farm exhibits and things but there's also... They got loud music and a lot of vanity fair and distractions that are in the state fare. I would never want to be in that environment on Sabbath. It'd be so hard to focus on worshipping God's surrounded so much of the world. So that's one extreme. You see what I’m saying?
Les: Yes.
Pastor Doug: And the Sabbath you want to try and maintain an environment where you can worship God and be in that state of mind so you got to evaluate will you be able to maintain that state of mind, that walk with the lord in you know whatever the event is. So I've had to excuse myself before even from family gatherings 'coz no one else in my family is a Christian because I say "Well, I know what they're gonna be doing and that's gonna be awkward for me and the kids to be in that environment and I say 'All right. I’ll come after sundown or I’ll come the next day'" or something like that. It's a challenge you know when you're a Christian. Jesus said you gotta learn how to be in the world without the world being in you.
Les: Exactly. And that was something that just came to mind because I do work in a business. It's (inaudible 36:45) and it is a struggle Monday through Friday at times so this is one that. I've given a great deal of thought. I just wasn’t sure of the direction I have. So you're very helpful in this. Thank you.
Pastor Doug: Well, yeah, you pray about it and ultimately you wanna ask what will best glorify God. Okay.
Les: Thank you.
Pastor Doug: All right. Thank you, Les. Take care.
Jean Ross: Donna is listening on KOKs from Paragould, Arkansas. Donna, welcome to the program.
Donna: Hi.
Pastor Doug: Hi, Donna. You did good with that, Pastor Ross. I couldn’t say Paragould. I didn’t know what that was. [Ross laughs]
Donna: I wanted to ask you... I’ve wondered about this for quite some time. If everything that God made was good, even (Satan?) to begin with, where did the evil come from that made Satan like he was?
Pastor Doug: You know in the Bible it speaks about the mystery of iniquity. And I'm trying to remember, Pastor Ross, is that 2 Thessalonians, mystery of iniquity doth already work? And some things are a mystery. Now keep in mind, Donna, God made all of His creatures free. God wants our love just like we would want the love of our children.
Donna: Yes.
Pastor Doug: When we have children, can any of us get a guarantee that our children are gonna love and obey us?
Donna: No.
Pastor Doug: There's always a risk. When you really make someone truly free, you can’t force them to love because then all you have is a robot. If God had pre-programmed all of us creatures to say "I love you, God. I love you, God." That's a robot. That's not love. So he took the risk that somewhere along the way one of his creatures, there are many, might choose not to trust and love him and Lucifer took that bold step. And of course, that experiment turned out to be a catastrophe.
Donna: Yes.
Pastor Doug: So God could not force Lucifer to love him because it's not love then.
Donna: Yes.
Pastor Doug: So God made everything perfect. He made Lucifer perfect and within Lucifer’s own heart, those seeds of rebellion arose.
Jean Ross: Yeah, that verse you mentioned a little earlier, Pastor Doug, speaking of the Mystery of Iniquity, 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 7. And then in Ezekiel chapter 28 verse 15 the Bible says, “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee," and that's in reference to Satan or Lucifer. So God created a perfect angel but it was that rebellion that he cherished within his heart that he had awaken within his heart that brought about this--
Les: Yes.
Jean Ross: --terrible consequences of sin.
Pastor Doug: You know we have---
Donna: The reason that I'm asking this is because I had never heard so much about God or the devil, either one. And I throughout my life I spent pretty terrible. And I've tried to go to every (inaudible 39:36) in school. I'm finished school and I couldn’t. And I was born with clubbed feet, scoliosis of the spine. My sister was born with a hole in her heart and scoliosis in her spine. And my mother was mentally ill, the biggest (part?) of my life. And all I ever was surrounded was cursing and cursing and vulgar talking not for my mother but from other people. And I've come home from school in Hot Spring, Arkansas and I got down on my knees and I started to pray to God but I thought about how he had never helped me. And he never helped my sister, Janis. And he didn't helped my mom. And I got mad at him and I prayed an evil wicked Lord's prayer to Satan. I asked for Satan's kingdom to come and Satan’s will to be done. At that time, I didn’t even know what that meant or what it was gonna cause and now I realized it's causing death and sickness and disease and (worst?) and children to be molested.
Pastor Doug: Well, you know you're right, Donna, that God is good. And in spite of all the suffering that you've experienced, God is love. And you're correct that when you look at the world around you when you see all of the suffering. You know I have a brother that was born with a terminal disease and you know I understand something of what you're saying that you say "If God is love, why is there so much suffering? If God is more powerful, why doesn't He just kill the devil and make everybody love each other?" Well, God gives us freedom and the devil when he appeared in the Book of Job, it says, "His roaming to and fro through the earth." Revelation 12 says, "He deceived the whole world" so he is the one who's bringing the sickness. He's bringing the death. He's bringing the pain. And that's why God's going to ultimately judge him and cast him into the lake of fire. Now before I forget, I want to make sure and tell you, Donna, that we have a special book that deals with how God is a God of love but if He's a God of love, why did He make a devil. And it's called "Did God Make the Devil?" And if you'd like, Donna, we'll send you a free copy of that "Did God Make The Devil?" And I think it will encourage you to know that he is a God of love.
Jean Ross: The number to call is 1-800-835-6747. 1-800-835-6747.
Pastor Doug: And, Donna, if you'll stay on the line, we have some of our operators here I believe one of them will be free and be able to pray with you.
Jean Ross: Thanks for your call, Donna. Our next caller is Yvonne and she is listening on the internet from New Mexico. Yvonne, welcome to the program.
Yvonne: Hi.
Pastor Doug: Hi, Yvonne. And your question?
Yvonne: I did your Bible study online. And I really enjoyed it and I finished it and it just got me hungry for more.
Pastor Doug: Now did you do the historical Bible Study Lessons or the Amazing Facts Bible Study lessons?
Yvonne: The Amazing Facts, the Bible Study online. I was very surprise to see how you have interpreted in the Book of Revelation that the United States is in there and every other study that I have been through it doesn’t mention the United States in the Book of Revelation. But it mentions well like in Ezekiel, it mentions Russia and it mentions Japan.
Pastor Doug: Gog and Magog, yeah.
Yvonne: So can you just explain that to me cause I’ve never heard and I wanted to go back over it again.
Pastor Doug: Let me give you a quick overview for you and for anyone listening. now you've already done the study, Yvonne. We have a study guide "America in Prophecy" and I wish that Amazing Facts could take credit for saying that we wrote that, we discover it, but it's actually an old protestant truth. Many of the reformers during the time of you know America's growth on the scene of history, recognized the fulfillment of prophecy and very quickly, the Second Beast that you find in Revelation chapter 13--of course, the first beast, it talks about coming out of the sea--is speaking of the religious power in Europe and it receives a deadly wound. And about at the same time, it tells us another power that would rise out of the land. Well, the only nation that was coming up out of the land during the time of 1798 when the Catholic Church had that time received a series of wound to their power, when Napoleon came into power, was the United States. And it says that it has two horns like a lamb. A lamb is a type of Christ in the Bible. So the two--a horn is a power--the two principle powers that America has been built on is Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Government. We have a Government without a King. We have Religion freedom without a Pope. And so these freedoms have given us great strength and it catapulted America to prominence in the last 200 years. And most missionaries that go around the world's spring from America and most of the mission dollars that go around the world comes from America. So America has been a fountain, it says, but it speaks like a dragon: it starts out like a lamb but it ends up speaking like a dragon.
Yvonne: Which chapter that's in Revelation?
Pastor Doug: Revelation chapter 13, I think I just quoted verse 11. Is that right, Pastor Ross? And the Second Beast that comes up out of the earth is a reference to the United States of America and I believe that many Protestants have believed that for many years, you know. We have another that you haven't read and it's called "America in Prophecy." It's a sermon book. And we'll be happy to send you a copy of that, Yvonne, if you like. And I'm wanting to make sure if I'm getting the title right 'coz sometimes I mix up some of the different...
Jean Ross: We have a book--
Pastor Doug: We have a lesson but it sounds like you've read the lesson called "American Prophecy"?
Jean Ross: That's the "US and Bible Prophecy" lesson. I think the book that you're referring to is "American Prophecy."
Pastor Doug: Okay. That would be it then. Yeah, here it is. I'm looking at it. "American Prophecy" by Anthony Lester. It's actually--
Yvonne: How long ago was that written?
Pastor Doug: Excuse me.
Yvonne: How long ago was that written?
Pastor Doug: Well, this one actually was written about 3 years ago. And it's the "America & the Ten Commandments" by Anthony Lester but it's dealing with American Prophecy.
Yvonne: Yeah, cause I had... I’ve never heard of that before when I enter my study online. I was you know very interested in that and...
Pastor Doug: It all fits together. I’ve been studying this for years and I've never heard anything that makes more biblical sense than the what they call the historic interpretation of prophecy.
Yvonne: But there's nothing in like the Old Testament which is Ezekiel and everything else that mentions you know United States such as the book of Revelation.
Pastor Doug: Well, there are I think there are inferences to the power in the last days in Daniel and Ezekiel but Daniel chapter 11 and Ezekiel chapter 37 and 38, Gog and Magog is really not talking about Russia even though it's a very popular interpretation. Boy, can I recommend something, Yvonne?
Yvonne: Sure.
Pastor Doug: If you go to Bible... You've done our studies online, correct?
Yvonne: Right.
Pastor Doug: Go to the Bible Universe website. There's a whole another study series there called "Storacles of Prophecy." Storacles of Prophecy, that comes from the word story and oracle.
Yvonne: Storacles of prophecy...
Pastor Doug: You'll really enjoy those and there's another lesson in there dealing with the subject of America in Prophecy. It's called the "Tale of Two Women," so...
Yvonne: Okay. No, I remember that when you're talking about the 2 horns and that because and there's another thing, too, that when every time that you know everybody always mentions the 7 hills...
Pastor Doug: Right.
Yvonne: And I know that's in Rome.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, it’s right in the Encyclopedia.
Yvonne: Right. So it just kind of like you see the world you know what's happening in that and I know God, He wants us... Jesus wants us to be prepared.
Pastor Doug: Well, he's showing you these things for a reason, Yvonne, because he's got a plan.
Yvonne: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: And I believe he's leading you. Take a look at the book we're offering you. The free book called "America & the Ten Commandments" and also go to the bibleuniverse.com website and there you'll see in that series of lessons, there's another one dealing with American Prophecy.
Jean Ross: The number to call is 1-800-835-6747. Asks for the study guide "The US in Bible Prophecy." It's just a great study. Let’s go to the phone lines. Our next caller then is Ernest listening on WMCA from Hamilton, New York. Ernest, welcome to the program.
Ernest: Hello.
Pastor Doug: Hi. Thanks for waiting.
Ernest: I do have a question on Luke chapter 2 verse 14.
Pastor Doug: Okay.
Ernest: And there's 2 Bibles that I used that I study, the New King James and the other one is the New Revised Standard.
Pastor Doug: Okay.
Ernest: And it looks like... I always thought that reading both of them would clarify things, not so because there's big differences in both of these Bibles. And I noticed in Luke 2 chapter 14, it says, in the New King James, it says "Glory to God in your highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men," but the--
Pastor Doug: The New Revised Standard version says, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth and peace among those whom He favors."
Ernest: It’s almost like (inaudible 49:30) view. It's almost like he's only speaking of particular people. He favors a particular people. There's a big difference between these two and I was wondering if you could (inaudible 49:45).
Pastor Doug: Well, you're right. The manuscript that the New Testament is translated from --of course, there's very little variation in the Old Testament because it was well established before Jesus was born. The manuscript of the New Testament is translated from our principally from 3 manuscript. One is called the Textus Receptus which is where you get the King James and the New King James. You've got the Sinaiticus and the Vaticanus, which have little... Now, you said there's a huge differences but actually if you line them all up word by word--someone told me that there's only 1.5% difference out of 100%. 1.5% difference between those 3 manuscripts--but like you're seeing here one word can change the meaning of a sentence quite a bit.
Ernest: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: So evidently the New Revised Standard version translators, they may have used a word that was unique from the Vaticanus, Sinaiticus manuscript and it could put a little different meaning on the verse. Now, it's not always bad to sometimes read these other translations. There are a few weaknesses in the King James that are corrected for instance in the New King James, cause the King James was very ancient translation or Old English and we don’t even speak with those. Some of those words aren't even recognized today. But the truth is still the same you know. I could preach from any of these Bibles and still get the gospel out.
Ernest: Do you usually preach from the... I know that you preach from New King James.
Pastor Doug: Well, I tell you what I do. When I do an evangelistic meeting I used the King James version. When I preach in my home church I used the New King James.
Ernest: Okay.
Pastor Doug: And part of the reason is I’ve got my old King James all marked up for evangelism and ready to go. When I’m in my church I use the New King James. I’m ready for a new one too. It's falling apart.
Ernest: [laughs] I have just one brief question. Have you heard of any of the pastors sort of the Maxwell: Daniel and Revelation?
Pastor Doug: Yeah, is that John Maxwell's?
Ernest: Yeah. Have you heard it?
Pastor Doug: I haven’t read it but I’ve heard of it, yes.
Jean Ross: Is it a two volume set?
Ernest: Yeah. That's right. There's a two volume set. I just got them hard covered and I actually very inexpensive for me to get it and I wonder what you thought about me spreading those... I was wondering if you study them, if you approve of them.
Jean Ross: Well, I have. I don’t know how much, Pastor Doug, has a chance to look at that. I have looked at those and there's good stuff. I think you'll fairly enjoy it.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, we're not saying this is not a blanket endorsement that we agree with everything.
Ernest: No. No. No.
Pastor Doug: You're gonna get a lot of watermelon than seeds.
Jean Ross: Yeah.
Ernest: [laughs] Okay.
Pastor Doug: You know what I'm saying?
Ernest: Okay. All right then. So do you have any way for me to study the Daniel and Revelation the (inaudible 52:42) book?
Pastor Doug: Oh, let me tell you if you're gonna study “Daniel and Revelation,” the hands down classic is a book by Urias Smith called Daniel and the Revelation. It's about a hundred years old by Uriah Smith but that's for real students. I mean that's for someone who wants to really study but boy, it will set you free.
Ernest: Do you have that book that I could borrow?
Pastor Doug: I think we carry it in the amazing Facts, don’t we?
Jean Ross: We might.
Pastor Doug: We better. It's a good book.
Jean Ross: Now the book you just mentioned by Maxwell it's based by Uriah smith's book so there's a lot of connection, a lot of similarities but that's a beautiful book one by Uriah Smith.
Ernest: Thank you. I will look for that Uriah Smith. And thank you so much.
Pastor Doug: All right. You take care, Ernest. Thanks for waiting. Got time for, let’s see, maybe one more.
Jean Ross: One more. We’ve got Abraham listening on the internet from New Jersey. Abraham welcome to the program.
Pastor Doug: Abraham are you there?
Abraham: Yeah, I'm here.
Pastor Doug: Okay and your question.
Abraham: Okay. Let me turn my radio down. Okay. My question is gonna be if you don’t mind to explain Revelation 13. As a matter of fact Revelation 13 that would be (inaudible 53:55), are they gonna ruin their (inaudible 53:57).
Pastor Doug: Yeah, as a matter of fact we have a question just a few moments ago, someone was asking about the second beast in Revelation in chapter 13. For our friends who are listening the traditional protestant view of Revelation chapter 13 is that the first beast represents the Roman Church in Europe, the second beast represents Protestantism in North America. Is that a fair summary, Pastor Ross? So what you've got is a union of these 2 principal Christian powers in the last days that are gonna lay aside the biblical truth and form a confederacy with spiritualism that is gonna persecute those who go by biblical truth. and so that is a quick overview, Abraham. and boy you know I hate to try and explain Revelation 13 in four minutes. It's a pretty daunting task, Abraham. I'd like to recommend that you if you can go to well you know what we ought to send him-- he's waited so long. We had to at least send you that book "The Beast, The Dragon and The Woman" by Joe Crews. If you call the resource number and ask for "The Beast, The Dragon and The Woman," Abraham, we'll send you a free copy of that. And that will explain Revelation 13 and just put on your seat belt first.
Jean Ross: The numbers to call is 1-800-835-6747 and ask for "The Beast, The Dragon and The Woman." We'll be happy to send that to you. Maybe one more, Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Let’s see what we can do.
Jean Ross: All right. Travis is listening on the internet from California. Travis, welcome to the program.
Travis: Hi, Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, real quick. We've got about a minute, Travis.
Travis: Most certainly. Thank you, Doug Batchelor, for your ministry. Thank you Pastor Ross. I've listened to you. I’ve listened to every single thing that you have on Amazing Facts and I appreciate your existence. I appreciate you. You totally changed my life.
Pastor Doug: Praise God.
Travis: My question is sort of relating to the Bible here. I’d like to be baptized. I’ve totally give it up my life to God but none of my friends, none of my family believe in God. Which church should I go to? Who do I get baptized in front of... If this is a ceremony between me and God as if a man and a woman in marriage in front of their family and friends, if I don’t have any family and friends that believe this...
Pastor Doug: Well--
Travis: Who do I baptize in front of?
Pastor Doug: Well, for one thing you do it before God. Before you get baptized, it'd be good for you to connect with a Bible teaching believing family and they'll become a spiritual family. And you get baptized in front of them as witnesses. And when I was baptized none of my family was present but I had my church family there. and so you know God can do that. If you don’t mind staying on the line for just a minute, Travis, we can probably share a few thoughts with you off the air.
For our listening friends, if you did not get through tonight, don’t give up on us. give us another chance. God willing next week, we'll be back again for more Bible questions and answers and don’t forget to go to Amazing Facts Kids, if you'd like to learn more about the children satellite evangelistic event that's coming beginning at September 12 all the way through the 28. And also go to amazingfacts.tv if you wanna find out more about the TV ministry of Amazing Facts and some of our programs you can sample and as always amazingfacts.com. We'd love to hear from you. Remember, Jesus is the truth.
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