Hello friends. This is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? The Black Ghost Knifefish found in the Amazon Rivers is a very strange looking creature. It has no fins on the side, top, or tail. It’s only fin is one single wave from front to back. Indeed this 8 inch fish has no tail at all. The fish looks somewhat like a sideways butter knife which narrows to a high spear point at the hind end.
Its one long ribbon-like fin underneath undulates from one end to the other something like a graceful rippling black curtain that moves it through the water. As it travels it can quickly go into reverse gear and swim backwards with that unique fin. The knifefish has small beady eyes and poor eyesight. But, God has given this odd creature another way to see.
The most unusual feature of the knifefish is its lateral line. This horizontal line of cells on its side is an electrical generating plant producing waves of high frequency impulses that are sent out into the water on both ends and one side to the other. These impulses bounce off of objects and quickly return where they’re sensed by other receiver cells in the skin. A type of radar you might say.
The voltage of these cells is low, only about 3-10 volts of direct current. Yet, the frequency of the impulses is a high output of 300 a second. As these impulses go outward they create an electrical sending and receiving field of signals that tell the fish what’s going on around it, but imagine the problem that might occur when two knifefish come near each other.
Both fish are sending out signals and high frequencies, and one might think that the incoming static of confusing patterns would jam their signals, blinding both fish. But, no the creator gave these amazing fish the ability to change wave lengths. As soon as two knifefish draw near one to another, they immediately stop transmitting impulses for a couple of moments. And then both fish turn them back on, but this time tuned to a different frequency from one another.
Have you ever been praying and felt that you were on the wrong frequency? Or maybe you were just hearing background noise and static. Stay with us friends, we’ll learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of “Bible Answers Live”
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug: Welcome listening friends to a fresh installment of “Bible Answers Live”. This is an international, interactive Bible study and you’re welcome to sit down and join us. We hope that you will participate. All you have to do is listen and pray for us as we look for the answers together in the word of God. We do have lines open. Now is a good time to pick up your phone and call with your bible question. That number one more time is 800-GOD-SAYS that’s 473-7297 and if you call now you have a great opportunity to get your question in on tonight’s broadcast. My name is Doug Batchelor. And our regular co-host Pastor Jean Ross he is in the Caribbean right now preaching and I’ll bet he’s also finding a way to get lost at the beach for a few hours a day, too. I would if I were him. So you all pray for me as I do my best to operate the phones here with the engineers on the other side of the glass and I’m sure that we’ll get along just fine. And that means that it is a good time to pray right now.
Father in heaven we thank You again for this privilege of being able to study Your word Lord and the gift of truth that You have given in the Bible. And as we explore those principles of truth with our friends calling in their Bible questions, we just pray that Your Spirit will take charge of our minds and hearts and help us to hear Your voice. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Doug: Well listening friends I was interested to hear about the black ghost knifefish and I’ve seen these before with just one fin going from its chin to its tail, and it uses that to gracefully get around and then it send s out these sound waves and electrical impulses. 300 per second to find out who else is out there or what other apparatus or obstacles there might be in the water and it’s able to read those as they come bouncing back with other cells in its skin. A very amazing creature, but it’s able to change frequency. Sometimes if there are too many other knifefish around they all find their own unique frequency. And I said in the amazing fact that if you’re praying and you’re wondering if you’re on the wrong frequency because it doesn’t seem as if God is listening. And maybe sometimes we’re praying on the wrong frequency.
If you want to know more about what does it mean to be in tune with God when we pray? We have a free offer tonight we’ll send you just for your asking. It’s a book written by yours truly called, “Teach Us to Pray”. And it goes through—there’s seventeen points—it breaks down the Lord’s Prayer and point by point it goes through the Lord’s Prayer and uses it as a template for all of our prayers. And so if you’d like to receive a free copy of, “Teach Us to Pray” this is what the Disciples said to Jesus when He came back from prayer and His face was shining and they realized that they really didn’t know how to pray like Jesus prayed. And they said Lord teach us to pray. And then He gave them the Lord’s Prayer.
So this book is a wonderful devotional and also it gives you some practical tips on how to make sure you’re on God’s frequency. We’ll send it to you. All you have to do is ask. Call the resource number and that is 800-835-6747 for the free resources 800-835-6747. For your Bible questions tonight go to 800-GOD-SAYS or that’s 463-7297 and we’re going to begin by going to our first caller. Donna is calling from Corning, Arkansas listening on KOKS welcome Donna; you’re on the air.
Donna: Hello.
Pastor Doug: Evening, thanks for calling.
Donna: Can you hear me?
Pastor Doug: Yes, loud and clear.
Donna: Okay, I wanted to know the difference of what Hades is and what paradise is.
Pastor Doug: Well Hades is a word that you find only in the New Testament. It’s one of the descriptions for death or the grave. And it comes from—the Jews used this, but it’s not a Jewish word—it’s a Greek word and it came from Greek Mythology there was a place where the dead went in Greek Mythology called Hades. But, the difference from what the Jews believed and what the Greeks believed is the Greeks believed you were still conscious in Hades. The Jewish word for the word death or grave was Sheol and was not conscious for them and that’s why they say in Ecclesiastes Chapter 9 that the living know they’ll die, but the dead know not anything. Not until the resurrection or the judgment.
Now paradise is the dwelling place of God. You know and it talks about the tree of life in the Paradise of God. The Garden of Eden was a Paradise because God would meet with man there. There was no sin it was perfect. So Paradise is a term in the Bible to talk about a place where there is no sin, but the perfect environment. But, for us now on earth, we refer to heaven as Paradise or the dwelling place of God.
Donna: Okay well thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: And let me give you a verse or two that deals with that if you’ll look in to find a reference to Hades in Luke Chapter 10:15 and there is a free study guide we can send you that talks a little bit about that. And it’s, “Is the Devil in Charge of Hell?” and it talks about Hades and what the word means and what it doesn’t mean. And we’ll send you a free copy, “Is the Devil in Charge of Hell” Donna if you just ask for that and appreciate your phone call.
And that frees up another line if tonight you have a Bible question 800-GOD-SAYS and now we’re going to talk to Max who is calling from Brooklyn, New York and listening on the internet. Welcome Max you are on the air.
Max: Hi. Good evening Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Evening.
Max: Yeah my question comes from Matthew 24:20 where it says, “Pray your flight be neither in the winter nor on Sabbath Day.” I have always wondered; what does it mean by pray that your flight not be in the winter or on the Sabbath Day?
Pastor Doug: Well a couple of things, but first of all—and Jesus is speaking about the end of time when people need to flee into the hills. In Luke He says that let those who be in Judea flee into the mountains. You wouldn’t want to flee for your life. Suppose when Lot had to flee from Sodom. You know you’re not even supposed to look back. For one thing it would not be easy to do I the winter because there was no food in the fields for them to glean. Secondarily if you are hoping to have a day of rest and it is a Holy Day of rest and meditation it is certainly hard to keep that as a Holy Day. So the lord said that we should actually pray that we wouldn’t have to flee in the winter—you know Lot had to live in a cave—when they left Sodom, I don’t know if they even had time to pack lunch. Or on the Sabbath Day it’s not a time to have to run for your life. It’s the opposite of rest.
Max: Okay.
Pastor Doug: Now some have said that this is a dual prophecy when the Jews were in Jerusalem. The business gates might be closed to travelers; now they did that in the day of Nehemiah, but that’s not true in the time of Christ on the Sabbath Day, the Romans did still go in and out of the city. So you have probably or you may have heard that before, but that’s actually an erroneous interpretation.
Max: Okay thank you.
Pastor Doug: Thank you, appreciate your question. That takes us next to line 4 where Brandon is calling from Bakersfield, California and your question Brandon?
Brandon: Hi my question was Daniel Chapter 12:12. I have been studying the Book of Daniel and the 1290 year prophecy. And I was curious where it says, “Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 days”, what does that mean?
Pastor Doug: Well, you’ve got two ways of this prophecy to be viewed and you know what in order for me to share that with you to do that justice I’d need 20 minutes because there are more time prophecies in Daniel 12 than any other chapter in the Bible. You’ve got 1260, 1290, 1335 to go along the panorama of history; it really would take more than I could budget for that. I also do believe there can be a future fulfillment. Some of these prophecies have a dual application. And you know I am still studying that and the jury is out and I just to have tell you that I don’t have all of the answers. And that is probably one of the most important prophecies in the Bible, one of the most important Chapters in the Bible. Chapter 12 begins with Michael standing up and a great time of trouble Jesus refers to that such as there never has been, talks about the abomination of desolation, he talks about the resurrection, I mean there is so much in that Chapter and I was just studying that this week with another evangelist because we want to understand it, but you know the jury is out for me and I’m just going to have to tell you let’s all just keep studying that together.
Brandon: Well another thing, I had been talking to some people that I work with and they are a different denomination than I am, but there was a-–I wouldn’t say it was an argument, but there was a disagreement about the salvation. And people who say John 3:16 says whosoever believeth in him. And these people believe you can do certain things and get away with them as long as you repent, but I tried to tell them that just because you repent does not mean you’re supposed to go back and do it again and again and again like God is supposed to keep forgiving you for it.
Pastor Doug: yeah real repentance is a sorry for sin and turning away from it. Repentance means to change your direction. A lot of churches think repentance is you go on and pay your traffic fine and then you go on and sin again until they get caught.
Brandon: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: But, it’s not real sorrow for sin and turning away from it is what repentance is. That does not mean you can’t make the same mistake more than once because Jesus talks about Mary Magdalene who Jesus cast seven devils out of her. And the Bible says the righteous man falls seven times and rises again. I probably stopped smoking seven times before I quit for good.
Brandon: That sounds like ma to quit doing things and stop doing them and then I got back in church and I was sometimes finding myself wanting those things and slipping, but over time I have gotten stronger to overcome temptations.
Pastor Doug: You know one of the biggest challenges for me is food because so many things like cigarettes and alcohol I can just give them up, and you do just fine without them, but with food you have to eat and try not to overeat when the dessert try goes by, do you know what I mean?
Brandon: Yeah I do.
Pastor Doug: So that’s something that you’re always working on. That’s how Eve got into trouble, she just couldn’t say no to something to eat. Hey I appreciate your question Brandon. Keep studying Daniel 12, okay?
Brandon: Not a problem Pastor Doug. I appreciate you.
Pastor Doug: Alright, God Bless. Next talking with Joseph; calling from New York, New York WMCA, welcome Joseph you’re on the air with “Bible Answers Live”.
Joseph: Good evening Pastor. How are you?
Pastor Doug: Very well.
Joseph: Now pastor I want to ask your opinion on something if I may. There are billions of people in this world who believe in God in heaven and they also hold Jesus in an exalted position, but they might not all be Christians and I want to add that they may be leading better lives than I do, now my question to you sir is what is going to happen to these good people who believe that way.
Pastor Doug: Well the only way people are going to be saved is by Jesus and not by their woks. There will be some in the kingdom as Jesus indicates. He says there will be many who came from the East and the West who will come in and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because maybe they didn’t know and they did not have an opportunity and the Lord in His mercy He is going to raise them in the resurrection of the just. Jesus says that during the resurrections that all they who are just will hear His voice and they that have done good the resurrection of life to them that have done evil the condemnation.
So some they have done good; they have done the best they could, the Lord is going to give them credit through His grace and maybe they lived in parts of the world and they will say Lord what are those marks on your hands? And they never saw a witness and God looks on their hearts and man looks on the outside. So there may be some people there—
Joseph: I remember to particularly that those who knows what Christianity is, but they are aware, but they still choose something else.
Pastor Doug: Well and again if they—you know, it’s more dangerous for those who know what Christianity is that turn away.
Joseph: Because they were born into it?
Pastor Doug: Yeah; even those that were born into it.
Joseph: You know Pastor Doug, well I know it doesn’t pertain to this, but I am sure you are familiar with it. In my Fathers’ house there are many mansions, and sometimes I think perhaps there is someplace in heaven for them.
Pastor Doug: Well that is what I was saying is there may be some who didn’t know about Christ who may be in heaven, but if they knew the truth and they turn away, the Bible is clear that they’re a lot more culpable; a lot more risk for them.
Joseph: Well can’t—when you think of it—can’t others say that of us that may not believe the way they do?
Pastor Doug: Oh yeah they can say it, but whether I say it or they say it, what matters is what does God’s word say?
Joseph: Well they have a word and opinion to it now.
Pastor Doug: Everyone has to decide what is their Constitution? Is it the Bible or is it going to be about the Koran or is it some other religious book and I; after reading all of those, well I have read a lot of different religious books.
Joseph: Oh you have?
Pastor Doug: Before I was a Christian. The Bible—there’s just no—it’s –far above and beyond any other professed sacred writing. There’s just nothing like it.
Joseph: Thank you so much for your opinion.
Pastor Doug: Alright, I appreciate that Joseph and we’re going to talk next with Barbara who is calling from Saint Charles, Illinois and listening on satellite. Welcome to the program Barbara.
Barbara: Hi.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Barbara: Thank you for taking my call I really appreciate it.
Pastor Doug: No problem, now get real close to your phone so we can hear you.
Barbara: Okay is this better?
Pastor Doug: It is.
Barbara: Okay my question is what does the Bible say about the rapture?
Pastor Doug: Well the word rapture does not occur in the Bible. It does speak in 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4 about the Lord descending from heaven with a shout and the dead in Christ are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So when they are caught up; this is what people refer to as the rapture. It means to be carried away over by power or force.
Now there are three views from Christians regarding the rapture. All- I should say the majority of Christians believe in what the call a tribulation—which is a great time of trouble at the end. Some believe that the church is caught up then the time of trouble comes on the world, some believe that the Lord comes in the midst of all this trouble and that kind of splits it in two—believers and then you’ve got those that believe the Lord comes at the conclusion of the time of trouble and that used to be the traditional view of most Christians until about 110 years ago. I am of that old group who believe that the church is in the world during that time of trouble and then that we’re caught up when the Lord returns at the end of this time of trouble. And there are a number of verses for that. Jesus said that he who endures to the end will be saved; endures what, endures this tribulation? Jesus said you will be hated of all nations for my namesake.
So I don’t know if I am answering there are a lot of different facets to that doctrine so I don’t know if I am telling you what you want to know.
Barbara: So you said you are in the old group which is the ones that believe.
Pastor Doug: The old group, the tribulation happens, and then the Lord comes at the end of that. So—the Lord descends from heaven at the end of this time of great trouble, all through the Bible it seems like God delivers His people at the last moment. The children of Israel—let me back up—when the children of Israel were in Egypt the ten plagues fell on the Egyptians. The Israelites, they were God’s church, they were in Egypt during those plagues, but He saved them through it.
The seven last plagues—that is the tribulation—most scholars believe that. It speaks of the seven last plagues in Revelation full of the wrath of God—which is the great time of trouble. I mean talking about a noisesome sore, water turning to blood, men being scorched with great heat. Well, God’s church is in the world at that time. But, He preserves them. When the children of Israel were in Egypt during the plagues, they had water when the Egyptians had blood to drink. They were protected from the lice and the hail and the plagues. God protected them. So God will protect His church I’m not worried about being in the world when the tribulation comes, I want to make sure I am in Christ and in His church; that is all that matters.
Barbara: Right so you’re saying then that the church will go through the tribulation?
Pastor Doug: That’s the key. He saves His church “through” tribulation not from it.
Barbara: Okay.
Pastor Doug: He saved Noah through the flood. He saved Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego “through” the fiery furnace; He didn’t save them from it. He saved Daniel “through” the Lion’s Den and He’s going to save His church “through” the fiery troubles of the last days. Now I’ve got a free book on that I’ll send you.
Barbara: I appreciate that.
Pastor Doug: It’s called, “Anything, But Secret” it talks about the Rapture and yeah the Lord is going to catch us up, but it’s not a secret. And life does not go on for seven years after the Rapture. The time of trouble is before the Rapture. People say Jesus is coming as a thief and that means it is a secret, but if you read the whole verse it says, “The day of the Lord” as is a—in second Peter Chapter 3: 10, “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens pass away with a greta noise; the elements melt with fervent heat, the earth and the things that are in it are burned up.”
So if as the Lord comes as a thief the earth is burned up, how can life go on for seven more years on earth? Do you see what I am saying?
Barbara: Yes.
Pastor Doug: so we’ll send you a copy of that book; just call the toll free number 800-835-6747 and Barbara ask for the book, “Anything, But Secret” tell them you are listening to Amazing Facts.
Alright I think we have time for another call before our break. We’re going to talk to Tony who is calling from Orangeburg, Carolina listening on the internet. Welcome Tony, you’re on the air.
Tony: Hi how are you doing Pastor?
Pastor Doug: Good. Appreciate your patience.
Tony: Yes, sir. Yes, sir. I am hoping Pastor that you can help me with a belief that has been around for many, many years. And that’s once saved, always saved. So if you could give me some Scriptures to either validate that or to invalidate that. I just happen to believe different, but you have a lot of teaching on it and it can become confusing. Go ahead.
Pastor Doug: Well let me tell you –this is one of the big questions and I just want to say for the record—there are good Christians out there on both sides of this issue that are going to be in the kingdom.
Tony: Yes, sir.
Pastor Doug: But, if you’re going to go from the Bible the idea that once you are saved you can’t be lost is not taught in the Bible. That doctrine developed because people were worried about insecurity regarding their salvation, so they sort of manufactured this teaching to give everyone an assurance because the Bible does tell us we can have an assurance. God says He’ll never let go of us. But, it doesn’t mean we lose our freedom to turn away from Him because if God is forcing us to be saved even though our hearts are changed, I mean that is against everything God dos in the Bible with free will.
Even within the Baptist church and I don’t mean to pick on the Baptist, but they are sort of the champions of once saved, always saved. There’s a whole denomination within the Baptist that don’t accept that. I believe the free will Baptist doesn’t believe it like the regular Baptist does. Because to be saved you choose, but once you have chosen you are not then forced to be saved.
The Bible talks about many who were saved like King Saul. He was chosen by God to be king; he was anointed and filled with the Holy Spirit. He even prophesied. But, he became proud and rebellious, he stopped following the Lord, he turned away and eventually God withdrew the Holy Spirit from him and an evil spirit came and tormented him. And at the end God would not speak with him because he had grieved away the Holy Spirit and Saul fell on his sword and committed suicide. I don’t expect to see him in the kingdom. It’s a very tragic story.
Judas was one of the Apostles of Jesus. He went out preaching and teaching along with the rest. And you know—some will argue, well he was never really saved, but when all of them came back from preaching they all reported that even the devils were subject unto us. They had the power of God operating through them.
And then you could talk about Balaam the prophet. He was a prophet of God. He prophesied how things happen, but he became greedy and he turned away from God. He died lost and Revelation referred to him as lost and so did the book of Jude.
So the idea that once you’re saved you can’t be lost. There are too many examples in Revelation when Jesus speaks to the church. He tells the church, repent or your candlestick will be taken out of its place. Repent or you’ll lose your crown. I mean there are so many verses in the Bible where God warns the church members that you can’t become sloppy with your relationship with the Lord. And say well I accepted the Lord back when I was ten years old and I can live with the devil now and still go to heaven. That’s absurd.
Now the way that some people get around it they say well, if you turn away; you never really were saved. So you know what; it’s sort of a waste of teaching because people don’t have security anyway. Do you hear what I am saying?
Tony: Yes, sir.
Pastor Doug: I’ve got a book I’ll send to you.
Tony: That would be great.
Pastor Doug: It’s called, “Can a Saved Man be Lost?”
Tony: That would be great.
Pastor Doug: If you call the resource number 800-835-6747 Tony call that number and tell them you are listening to “Bible Answers Live” and ask them for the book, “Can a Saved Man be Lost?” it’s really got a lot of really good Scriptures in it to help cover that.
Well friends we’re at the bottom of the hour. The program is not over. We’re coming right back so please don’t change this frequency. If you’ve got a pencil; I’d encourage you to take it out. I’m going to give you a great website, it is very simple. Called “Amazing Facts dot net dot TV dot org” Amazing Facts has got a kaleidoscope of Bible study resources to help you in tour personal growth if you are a Bible teacher, if you have home Bible study, got a lot of different material that you can use to study different teachings. Be back in a moment with more Bible questions.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: Hello friends we are back and this is live friends if you have a Bible question and you’ve joined us along the way; this is a live, international, interactive Bible study. You can participate by calling in your Bible a question the number is 800-GOD-SAYS or that is 463-7297 and we’re going to go right back to the phones. Talking next with Simone who is calling from Brooklyn, New York listening on WMCA, welcome Simone, you’re on the air. Now is it Simone or Simon? Brooklyn, New York you are on the air, they waited patiently. Okay we’re going to park you and we’ll come back if you come back to the phone. Talking next with Jeff, see if I can make line 10 work. Jeff listening from Edmond Alberta Canada, welcome Jeff you’re on the air.
Jeff: Good evening Pastor.
Pastor Doug: Good evening appreciate your call.
Jeff: Thank you. I have a question, two quick questions actually. First one dealing with and you have mentioned this already, but the Old Testament; the non Jewish people how are they judged in the end time?
Pastor Doug: Well everyone is saved by faith. The people who lived during the Old Testament they were saved by looking forward to a redeemer that would come. They knew the Messiah was coming and every time they sacrificed a lamb they knew that these animals did not take away the sacrifice, but they were a symbol of when God would come to earth in the form of a man to take away our sins. So they are saved by faith looking forward to the cross, we’re saved by faith looking back to the cross.
Jeff: I’m sorry I meant like the non Jewish like the Assyrians, Babylonians those who weren’t given the oracles.
Pastor Doug: Well some were saved by following the light they had. God you know, God’s light even shone among some of the Gentiles. An example would be when Christ began preaching, He said there were many lepers in the land in the days of Elisha, but none of them was cleansed except Naaman, the Syrian, and if you know the story in 11Kings Chapter 5 about Naaman he was a non Jew who was saved and he was healed and then after being healed by the Lord he said I am going to worship Jehovah. Then Jesus goes on to talk about the Canaanite woman that Elijah lived with who we expect she will be in the Kingdom, God performed a resurrection for her son. So there are others in other nations that different elements of truth fell on their path. The wise men that came looking for Jesus; I realize that’s right at the intersection of the Old and the New Testaments. They were not Jews and God’s Spirit evidently spoke to them. Do you see what I am saying? So you know that’s why Paul says in Romans Chapter 1 that there are people from all different nations who have followed the law of God as they see it in nature and who by Divine revelation maybe didn’t have a Bible and we might be surprised that God looks on the hearts of people and there will be some who will be saved by faith in God, that maybe didn’t have the Bible. It’s hard to believe; think about it for a minute, the millions and billions people in the world, some who never had the opportunity and entire nations are consigned to the lake of fire automatically because they maybe did not know about the Bible. God is more merciful than that and I think we’re going to see more people in the kingdom.
Jeff: Okay and one quick question if you don’t mind. Daniel 11; I know it’s kind of controversial, but the kings that are mentioned there. Who are they referring to? Not so much a commentary, but, geographically in our modern times? Who are they referring to?
Pastor Doug: Well in Daniel 11 number one, he begins his final vision that goes all the way through Chapter 12.
Jeff: Okay.
Pastor Doug: And it begins talking one more time about the kingdom of Alexander the Great and it says when he is arisen it will be broken up and divided against the four winds. I’m in Daniel 11:4. The kingdom of Greece was divided among the four generals because Alexander did not have an heir that could take over. And they later became known—two of them sort of faded away—and they later became known as the king of the north and the king of the south. The power changed between those different regions, between Egypt, Syria, ultimately Rome took over the Syrian territory and it was the power shifted to the king of the north. And it seems to transition as you go through Daniel 11 talking about the intrigue and the powers among those kings. It is a big study for me to try to go through 45 verses.
Jeff: There’s also a spiritual aspect. I think the king of the north represents an evil influence.
Pastor Doug: Yeah. Well even more so because Satan is referred to as the king of the north. He wants to sit on the sides of the north.
Jeff: Okay.
Pastor Doug: So yeah there’s a spiritual application between north and south. You know it is interesting it doesn’t say the king of the east and the king of the west.
Jeff: Right.
Pastor Doug: do you realize that if you go north you can’t go any farther. You’re at the north—the North Pole, that’s it. Same way with the south, but, with the east you can keep going and you never reach the end because you can always—and it is kind of nice because God says He separates our sins as far as the east from the west; that means it’s infinite.
Jeff: Right.
Pastor Doug: He didn’t say from the north to the south because that would have been 12,000 miles.
Jeff: Right, okay.
Pastor Doug: So there is a difference, you’re right.
Jeff: Okay thank you.
Pastor Doug: I appreciate that Jeff thank you for waiting. Talking next with Mark, Winston-Salem; line 2, hi Mark. You’re calling on the internet, welcome to the program.
Mark: Yes, how are you?
Pastor Doug: Good.
Mark: I’ve got a quick question for you. First of all I just want to thank you for your TV programs and your radio programs that come on here on the internet and also the information I get from the internet.
Pastor Doug: Well praise the Lord we want to get the truth out there.
Mark: I appreciate that. My question is in Mark Chapter 13: 32 and it says, “And that day and that hour knoweth no man, no not the angels which are in heaven, neither the son, but the father.” And my question is this; it says the son is the second person of the God head and that God is all knowing and shouldn’t the son know about the time and the hour of the second coming?
Pastor Doug: I am sure He does now, but when Jesus was on earth He laid aside a great deal of His Divine abilities so He could live as a man among men. Jesus did not have all of the knowledge of the cosmos swirling around in His brain when He walked on earth. He lived as a man among men He overcame as we overcome. And so I am sure now that Jesus seated at the right hand of the Father having all knowledge—you know one of the characteristics of God is that You are omniscient—that You know all things.
Mark: Right. Well I would think that He would know, too, since He is the one that’s coming.
Pastor Doug: Yeah exactly.
Mark: Well that’s what I would think.
Pastor Doug: Yeah so He’s holding His tickets and He has to keep asking the Father, when is this flight?
Mark: Yeah right.
Pastor Doug: But, when He was on earth I think He was also saying that in part, the Father withheld some things from Jesus. Because can you imagine if Jesus said to His disciples, I know when I am coming back, but I’m not going to tell you. They would have badgered Him to no end to know that information. So one time Peter wanted to know about it and Jesus said look if I will that He tarry until I come what does that take? So Peter was sort of nudging Jesus to find out would John still be alive when Jesus comes back because Jesus had told Peter, you’re going to die by crucifixion and Jesus said, that’s between John and the Lord. And so He always kind of steered away from when they wanted to know that information. It’s like some of us who wait until the last minute to file our income tax returns. If we knew the day and the hour the Lord is coming, we might not be as mobilized in preaching the gospel until the last minute.
Mark: Okay. Alright.
Pastor Doug: Think about the church and all of the Christians who lived hundreds of years ago. He wants us to live with the expectation of His coming because we stay ready. But, He’s going to come; it will really happen, I think we’re living in that generation.
Mark: Okay well like I say I think He knows because He is part of the Godhead and when I read that it kind of caught my attention because that’s why I had to ask the question.
Pastor Doug: Right. Well I hope that helps a little bit.
Mark: Alright well thank you for all of your time.
Pastor Doug: God bless.
Mark: Alright. Thank you.
Pastor Doug: Going to talk next with Talon in Brooklyn, New York and welcome to the program.
Talon: Hello.
Pastor Doug: Hi is it—am I saying your name right --Talon?
Talon: Talon, yes, good night Pastor Doug, how are you doing?
Pastor Doug: Very well and your question?
Talon: I was doing a study on John Chapter 5:37 and it says, “And Christ has the father Himself which has sent me to witness, you have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His shape.” And I want to know what He meant by shape and the fact they said you have neither heard His voice nor seen His shape at any time, didn’t Moses see Him, see the back of God or was that Christ?
Pastor Doug: Yeah of course when Jesus is speaking here, He’s not speaking to Moses. He’s speaking to the disciples and the Jews who were around him that day and when God spoke in a time of Christ, God the Father, He always spoke from a cloud. Even on the Mount of Transfiguration and God spoke and said, “This is my beloved son, hear Him.” The voice came, just the voice from His glory. When God spoke the Ten Commandments, He spoke from that thick darkness that was billowing up like a furnace on Mount Sinai.
Now when Moses saw God, God said, no man can see my face and live. That would be true of God the Father or even Jesus in His unveiled glory. It would be too much, but many times there are Old Testament characters that saw God the son when He veiled His glory. The Lord appeared to Abraham when he was in Emory, remember Jesus came with two angels and when he said Sodom is going to be destroyed and Abraham interceded and God says I’ve talked to Abraham as I talked to a friend, face to face.
Talon: Okay so that could have been with Christ?
Pastor Doug: Yeah it was God the son.
Talon: Okay it was God the son because I was just puzzled over that because from beginning to end it is just Christ and then like the scene of the burning bush. That’s the son as well?
Pastor Doug: Yeah exactly. Whenever God communicates with humanity, it was coming through the medium of Jesus. Jesus is the ladder; He’s the bridge that connects heaven and earth.
Talon: Okay, thank you.
Pastor Doug: Now when we get to heaven in our glorified body the Bible ends by saying then we will see His face. Jesus said blessed are the pure in heart, they will see God. So right now we can’t see Him because of our sin. But, in our glorified bodies when we’re purified from sin, we will see Him face to face and that’s going to be the greatest treasure of all in heaven.
Talon: Yes it is. Thank you. Thank you.
Pastor Doug: Thank you Talon, God bless. Talking next with Montoya calling from Boston. Massachusetts; who is listening on the internet, Montoya hi thanks for waiting.
Montoya: Yes my question is about the creation of Eve. And I was wondering why she was taken from Adam’s rib instead of made from the ground like Adam?
Pastor Doug: Well that is interesting. It was unique from the way God made every other creature. Let me give you something to think about that I always thought was a beautiful truth. Jesus is called a second Adam. When Jesus dies on the cross and said it is finished a Roman soldier pierced His side; right about where the ribs are. And a stream of blood and water came out. The church was born which is the bride of Christ. When Jesus went to sleep, remember God put Adam to sleep, and his wife was born, when Jesus said it is finished and He went to sleep and He was dead, the church was born they opened His side.
Another author said that the reason God chose a rib from Adam—you know it is interesting they’re learning a lot now about how much life is in the marrow of bones. Some people who have no other cure for disease get a bone marrow transplant and it can save them from leukemia and all kinds of things. The life is in the blood and you know where blood comes from—from the bones. Well He took a bone, not by Adam’s feet, so that he should trample on the rights of Eve, he did not take a bone from Adam’s head so he should be hen pecked. He took a bone from by his heart, by his side, under his arm because Eve was to be his companion, she was to be protected, and she was to be close to his heart. So that’s some of the beautiful symbolism there in why He chose to do it that way. And you know again God said you’re to be one flesh, marriage is—instead of people giving out wedding rings they ought to give out ribs.
[Chuckle]
Pastor Doug: No, I didn’t really mean that.
[Chuckle]
Pastor Doug: But, you know that’s the idea. There’s at least some Biblical precedent for that. So I don’t know if that helps answer your question at all?
Montoya: Yes it does.
Pastor Doug: Alrighty, thank you very much Montoya.
Montoya: Alright. Well thank you.
Pastor Doug: God Bless. Alright talking next with Janice; calling in on line 5 from Bakersfield, California. Welcome to the program, Janice.
Janice: Hi, I have a question about the prophecy in Jeremiah where it says we’re to be in captivity for 70 years. I knew that Daniel understood that prophecy and knew when they would be returning. But, how did he know that that was a literal prophecy, in literal years because most prophecies seem to be a day for a year.
Pastor Doug: Well that’s a good question. You know I think one of the principle ways we can discern what prophecy talks about for a day for a year or a year for a day. First of all, if a day equals a year, 70 years with 360 days in each one of those years, would be such a phenomenal number, that Israel could plan on being in Babylon for many thousands of years, right?
Janice: Right.
Pastor Doug: So the scholars realize it must be a literal just by the context of 70 years. And another thing is the children of Israel were supposed to let their land rest every 7th year to keep Sabbath. They had been neglecting that for many generations. God said, while you are in Babylon, I’m going to let the land rest because you would not do it. And so for the 70 years that you are in Babylon I’m going to let the land rest. So they understood it to be literal years because they were talking about a season; a framing season, the agricultural context there.
Janice: So there would be no reason to assume that any other time could be literal in the Bible.
Pastor Doug: Well I think there are. Well when you get to Revelation it talks about that we live and reign with Christ for a thousand years, if a day is a year and you use the day year principle there, that would be 360,000 years.
[Laughter]
Pastor Doug: Well now I wouldn’t mind if we live and reign with Christ 360,000 years, but most people understand that there’s six thousand years of history in the world right now, Biblical history and we spend a thousand years resting with the Lord. And so that’s six days and a day with the Lord is like a thousand years 11 Peter Chapter 3:8, “A day with the Lord is like a thousand years; a thousand years is like a day, six days you work, one you rest, six thousand years God sows the seed, a thousand years we rest.” So they believe it’s a literal one thousand years. So it’s the context I think that is the key.
Janice: Right and some of those time frames just were just to o long to be a literal year.
Pastor Doug: Yeah. It just doesn’t make any sense. Now some people there is another time prophecy in Daniel, and I don’t want to belabor your question, but there’s another time prophecy in Daniel where King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed this tree is cut down and seven times Passover. And Daniel said that’s you King for seven years, those seven years are seven times or seven literal years because you’re going to be out of your mind until you give the glory to God. Well a lot of people have taken that prophecy and tried to apply a day for a year and they come up with some interesting formulas.
Janice: Well he wouldn’t have lived that long.
Pastor Doug: No the King would never have lived that long, but they try to look for a spiritual application there. It’s kind of interesting, but we already know what the fulfillment of that is and Daniel says, Nebuchadnezzar was the fulfillment so. So the context is the key.
Janice: Okay, thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Thank you Janice good question. Talking to Mark from Ridgecrest, California. I know where that is Mark. You’re on the air.
Mark: Okay, thanks. I have a question about Babylon in Revelation.
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Mark: And it appears to me in reading Revelation 16 the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, deceive the world and then Revelation 18 it says that Babylon deceives the world so I guess Babylon is composed of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet. And if that’s the case then in Revelation 17 when it talks about the daughters of a corrupt woman, I guess that would have to be the same thing as the false prophet.
Pastor Doug: You and I know what we’re talking about. A lot of people who are listening would probably wonder what we are talking about.
Let me just say something. Babylon in Revelation for our friends listening is the conglomeration; it is the coalescing of all of the false teachings that will persecute God’s people in the last days and false religion. It’s got a specific headquarters. It’s got a specific power that’s identified in Revelation 17. You read that Chapter and you can’t miss who it is. But, it says she also has daughters that are a part of Babylon, Mark. Not only is it the mother it is the daughters; they are all a part of Babylon.
Mark: So you would concur that the daughters are all the same as the false prophet?
Pastor Doug: Well daughters often represent their mother. But, no they are not the same.
Mark: Well the mother would be the corrupt woman. Would it represent and be the same as the beast?
Pastor Doug: Well you’ve got three in Revelation; you’ve got the beast, the dragon, and the false prophet. And what is going to happen in the last days, I’ll say it as plainly as I know how to say it. Catholicism, Apostate Christianity, Apostate Protestantism, and a false charismatic movement; a false spirit movement, that’s the false prophet. I believe those are the three powers that are going to combine to create this counterfeit religion and in the last days. Now keep in mind, I’m a protestant so I’m not trying to be critical of Protestants or Catholics. I’m just saying that these religions are going to sell out and they’re going to end up using political power to force people to worship and they’re going to have man-made laws.
Mark: Okay so you don’t agree that the false prophet is exactly the same as the daughters of the corrupt woman?
Pastor Doug: No. Not exactly the same. You know there is a book I can send you. I wish you would look at it and then call me and tell me what you think. It’s called,”The Beast, the Dragon and the Woman” and it goes into great detail into the very thing you’re talking about. I’ll send you a free copy if you’d like that.
Mark: Sure.
Pastor Doug: Alright tell you what; you can call this number it’s a toll free number 800-835-6747 and ask for the book, “The Beast, the Dragon, and the Woman”. I think I’ve got time for one more call. Let’s see here. Line 7 going to talk with Knoxville, Tennessee, Mark, and WIVK, welcome to the program.
Mark: Yeah my question is what is going to happen to people who know about Christianity, let’s say here in America, but they’ve seen bad examples of Christians let’s say like the Church from Kansas that picket soldier’s funerals or—
Pastor Doug: Yeah isn’t that pathetic? It is just all through history that many terrible examples.
Mark: Then like the Pastor out in Colorado a couple of years ago and then my second part of the question is why God allows credibility gaps, between Christians and sinners, when God knows, but why does God allow credibility gaps and He knows it is going to cause some people to lose their soul?
Pastor Doug: Well that tells us what an awesome and a fearful responsibility we have to be faithful. It’s heart breaking when you think about how many people have been steered of the path. That’s why Jesus said, if we offend one of these little ones it would be better that a millstone be were tied around our neck and we’d be thrown into the depths of the sea. When we take this abate of Christians or somebody who wants to believe in God and we steer them down the wrong road, think about what happens with these guys that they molest children and it messes up that child’s whole life. They may turn away from God and think about the responsibility and how they are going to suffer for what they have done.
Mark: You think some of them will be in the kingdom where you referred to a few calls back where –
Pastor Doug: Are you talking about the children?
Mark: No the people who maybe would become a Christian, but they’ve seen bad examples of Christians; let’s say even in these high profile cases.
Pastor Doug: Well I think we need to be careful Mark because there’s been a lot of tele-evangelists and others that have fallen by the way, I mean, even Jesus there was big scandal among His twelve disciples, they said what a hypocrite, even His own disciples don’t believe in Him. And you know Judas went out and hung himself. That was terrible sandal. So you can’t stop believing in the Lord because there are hypocrites around Him.
When we look in the Bible you see the history of the Israelites was not a glowing history of a faithful nation. Most of the time it was an up and down experience with a whole lot more down than up. And God loved them anyway in spite of their faithlessness and their bad examples and their wandering in the wilderness because they didn’t have faith. Well, we’re the same way. God’s church is many times failed and the wonderful thing is the Lord can save us from that. He can save us out of it, so nobody out there should look at Christians when they decide to be a Christian. They should look at Christ because a Christian is not a follower of Christians. A Christian is a follower of Christ. Does that make sense Mark?
Mark: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: Okay I appreciate that I am going to see if I can get one more call in and I hope you don’t mind. Let’s see is Simone there, we’re going to go to line number 8. And she waited all of that time. Simone are you there? Brooklyn, New York, Simone. Okay. Let me see here, trying to get one more in, alright we’ll try line 9. See if we can do this with one more minute, Canard?
Canard: Yes. Good evening Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Real quick what can we do?
Canard: Psalms 37:4 is there a connection with that and Isaiah 58 it talks about the delight yourself in the Lord and then it’s talking about the Sabbath, on the Sabbath, in Isaiah 58: verses 13-14 when it says if thou will delight thyself in the Sabbath, then shall thy delight thyself in the Lord.
Pastor Doug: I will cause thee to ride upon the high places on the earth. Well certainly they both talk about delighting yourself in the Lord. Whenever we surrender to the Lord that should bring us joy and but, I want to narrow it down to just that one aspect of Isaiah 58, but certainly the delight I sin both verses. Sorry to have to cut you off short and friends if we did not get to your question tonight I pray that you will forgive us and give us another chance. God willing we’ll be back next Sunday and we’d love to hear from you. You know so many people listen and they never call in their questions. There’s only about 1 in every 1000 people listening that calls in a Bible question. So drop us a line just go to Amazing Facts where it says contact us and let us know you are listening to the program. You can even email us a Bible question. And if you want to put something in to help keep us on the air; we’re very grateful for that as well. In the meantime friends remember this is all about Jesus; He is the truth that will set you free. God bless.
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