Hello friends this is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? Compulsive hoarding is where a person continually gathers or gets growing piles of useless possessions and then seems powerless to discard anything. This expanding collection of junk can lead to unbearable living conditions that create significant clutter and impairment to mobility in the dwelling. Of course this chronic hoarding is a strain on relationships. But, it can ultimately interfere with basic living activities such as cooking, cleaning, showering or sleeping.
For example and eccentric loner in Britain hoarded so much junk and trash that he had to burrow around to get through it around his home. And just this January he evidently got lost in the maze of tunnels and died of thirst. This 70 year old human mole, Gordon Stewart, had filled the rooms of his house clear up to the ceiling with years’ worth of old newspapers, garbage and clutter making it impossible to walk around. Neighbors said that Mr. Stewart’s home had been accumulating rubbish for at least 10 years. Heaps of plastic bags could clearly be seen piled up against his front window while broken furniture, computer parts and even an old TV spilled out onto the front lawn. A car dating back to the 1950s stood in the garage untouched for years as garbage accumulated around it.
Neighbors in Brighton Bucks, England called authorities after failing to see him leave his house for several days. When police arrived the stench from the garbage was so foul they brought police scuba diving teams with breathing apparatus to search the dwelling. They crawled around through mountains of junk and garbage searching the elaborate network of tunnels until they located Stewart’s body. The composite hoarder is believed to have become disoriented inside the walls of rotting trash and unable to find his way out until he collapsed with dehydration. Friends the Bible says there is a time to keep and a time to throw away. Stay with us and we are going t learn more as “Amazing Facts” brings you this edition of “Bible Answers Live”.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug: Every new program is a fresh adventure and we’re glad that you have decided to join us on this safari through the Scriptures. If you have a Bible question friends we’d invite you to give us a call. We have got some lines open right now if you want to get your question on tonight’s broadcast then you can pick up the phone and dial in 1-800-GOD-SAYS that’s 463-7297 and we’ll then share that Bible question and we’ll search that question to get the answer together. Remember that it is the truth that will set you free. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: My name is Jean Ross. Good evening Pastor Doug and listening friends before we start with the questions, let’s have a word of prayer. Dear Father we thank you again that we are able to open up your word and we thank you for this Bible study. And we ask your blessing upon the program tonight and be with those who are listening. Give us wisdom here in the studio. For this we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Pastor Ross: That was an amazing fact that opened the program Pastor Doug. Here is a gentleman who for so many years gathered and clung to everything that he could and eventually it spelled his doom.
Pastor Doug: That’s right it does remind me of that verse where Psalm where it says there is a time to gather and a time to cast away. And by the way that verse is Ecclesiastes Chapter 3: 6 and there’s even another proverb by Solomon it says in Proverbs 11:24, “There’s one who scatters and yet increases more and there’s one that withholds more than is right and yet it leads to poverty. Someone who is clinging and hoarding and gathering and yet they become poor. Hoarding actually can be lethal as we learned from this story of what just happened to this man last month there in Brighton Bucks, England. It reminds me of the parable that Jesus told in the gospel of Luke Chapter 12:17 or verse 16. “There’s a ground of a certain man that brought forth plentifully. And he thought what I should do because I have no room to bestow my fruits. Here’s what I ‘m going to do I’ll pull down my barns and I’ll build bigger barns and there bestow all of my fruits and my goods. And I’ll say to my soul, soul you have many goods laid up for many years take it easy, eat, drink and be merry. But, God said, you fool this night is thy soul required of thee, and then who shall those things be for which you have provided?” Here is a prime example of somebody who was hoarding things on earth. And when you think of it Jesus said when we are hoarding things on earth in light of eternity it’s junk. All of this stuff that we pack and cram into our closets and garage and homes. It’s all going to melt and disintegrate when Jesus comes. The only thing that is really going to endure is the souls of people’s lives who have been transformed by the grace of God. That’s where the real treasure is. And if we are putting our trust in earthly treasure we are going to lose it all. And it is just a very common mistake and especially during these times of economic challenge. People become very conscious and there’s a risk and insecurity that we could start hoarding until pretty soon, you drown in it. But, Jesus when He sent out the apostles He asked them to do something that required faith. He said don’t take an extra staff with you, don’t take an extra purse or extra shoes, you go and trust that I will provide for you along the way. He wanted them to travel light and fast. And as Christians we have to be sure that we don’t become prisoners of our possessions. It is really easy to get weighted down with so many things that it hinders your effectiveness as a Christian.
And maybe our friends listening would like to know more about what is our responsibility as Christians regarding resources and things. Should we put our trust in the possessions on earth or I Christ the person in heaven? We have free offer dealing with where do we put our trust?
Pastor Ross: It’s an Amazing Facts study guide entitled “In God We Trust” and it deals with the subject of money and well, it does touch on hoarding money. It’s free call our resource line at 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the study guide “In God We Trust” and we’ll be happy to send that to you. Well Pastor Doug let’s go to the phone lines. Our first caller is Jim listening from Youngstown, Ohio. Jim welcome to the program.
Jim: Hey brothers I love your show a pleasure to talk to you.
Pastor Doug: Well thanks for calling.
Jim: I have a quick question. I’m on my fourth time through the Bible which I am kind of proud of doing that because it brought some discipline. One of the questions that I have that kind of has me stuck a little bit is in Leviticus 14: it talks about the priests so take some of the trespass blood and put it on the offering the right ear and the right toe. What’s that? I don’t understand the symbolism behind it.
Pastor Doug: In the Bible different parts of the body had a different meaning. For instance the eye represented discernment. The ear represented hearing. Jesus said in Revelation Pastor Ross, I think it’s Chapter 2 “He that has ears let him hear.” What the Spirit says to the church. Your thumb represented your hand and your toe represented your walk. And if I am not mistaken it is placed on the right ear—
Jim: Correct.
Pastor Doug: And the right toe. This represents that their listening would be consecrated to the Lord and their walk would be consecrated to the Lord and their deeds would be consecrated to the Lord. And so the Jews understood this as a symbol and that’s why it talks about the mark of the beast in the hand, or the forehead. Forehead meant your thoughts your hand meant your actions. So it was just talking about that the priest was to have sanctified walk, have a sanctified ear he wasn’t to listen to anything impure and he wasn’t to go anywhere impure and his actions were to be pure.
Jim: Thank you so much and God bless you and your ministry.
Pastor Doug: Thank you, appreciate your question Jim.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Mark listening from Hamilton, Ohio. Mark welcome to the program.
Mark: Thank you and God bless you.
Pastor Doug: God bless you and your question tonight?
Mark: Isaiah 8:20 can I read that?
Pastor Doug: Sure.
Mark: Isaiah 8:20 okay, “To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” My question is is that directed to pastors or to people in general?
Pastor Doug: Well first let’s understand what Isaiah is talking about and then we’ll talk about who it is directed to. And by the way if you read in Isaiah 8:16 a couple of verses earlier he says, “Bind up the testimony, seal the law”, you’ve got those terms again the law and the testimony. The other place he says the law and the testimony. The law and the testimony is an Old Testament terminology for the Scriptures. They called it the law and the prophets. If you look for instance in Revelation Chapter 12:17 it says, “The dragon”, that’s the symbol for the devil, “was wroth”, or enraged, “with a woman”, God’s church, “and he chose to make war with the remnant”, the remainder of her seed her descendent, “that keep the commandments of God”, that’s the law, “and they had a testimony of Jesus Christ”. Now if you want to know what that testimony is then you jump to Revelation 19:10 and the angel tells John the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. So there again, you have the law and the prophets that was the word of God.
Another example would be the last verses in the Old Testament’s day, remembers the Law of Moses, this is Malachi Chapter 4: “Behold, I send you Elijah.” Moses represented the law and Elijah represented the prophets. Two individuals appear to Jesus in Mark Chapter 9 on this Mount of Transfiguration it is Moses and Elijah, they represent the word of God endorsing the Christ as the Messiah. So Isaiah is talking about the law and the prophets he means the word of God because they had no New Testament back then.
If people do not speak according to the word of God, there’s no light in them. Now all religions have some truth. And you know I can find some truth in the Hindu religion. I can find some truth in the Buddhists religion. There’s truth in Islam. There are elements of truth in every religion. But, when they begin to diverge it tells you that there’s something, there’s a poisonous influence there that makes it not true. That’s why Isaiah says they may have some things that are attractive, but if it is not in harmony with the law and the prophets, there’s no light in them don’t follow them. So we are to test all prophets and all preachers by the word of God. Does that make sense?
Mark: Yes that makes sense, but someone who goes to church on Sunday and they feel they have the truth and the light, where does that place them in here? How would God view them?
Pastor Doug: Well I’ve got a problem and probably need to add a caveat to what I said there a minute ago. There are good people and God has people in every church, Isaiah here is not saying that unless a person has 100 % truth they don’t know anything. They need to be basing their conclusions on the Bible. I don’t think there are too many preachers out there that claim to know the entire Bible. Do you know what I am saying?
Mark: Right.
Pastor Doug: There are probably cases there where you need to—you know I listen to all kinds of Christian ministries and I hear some good things, but you’ve got to spit out the seeds. Where ever they diverge from the law and the prophets is where you spit it out. Because the law and the prophets is to be the criteria of what is light. Do you see what I am saying?
Mark: Yes. Thank you.
Pastor Doug: Hey by the way we’ve got a booklet on that and we’d be happy to share a copy and it’s called “The Two Witnesses”. It deals with the subject of the law and the prophets. Just call and ask for that.
Pastor Ross: The number to call is 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the book “The Two Witnesses” and we’ll be happy to send that to you. Our next caller is Jennifer calling from Washington, listening online. Jennifer welcome to the program.
Jennifer: Hi.
Pastor Doug: Hey Jennifer what’s the name of that town we have typed in here?
Jennifer: Snoqualmie.
Pastor Doug: Yeah well I wouldn’t even have tried to day that one. Snoqualmie that must be an Indian name and your question?
Jennifer: My question is regarding the Ark of the Covenant. And when it was with Solomon in 1 Kings 8:9 and in 11 Chronicles 5:10 it says that the only thing inside of it was the tablet of stones, but then in Hebrews 9:4 when referring to when it was with Moses in the tabernacle of mammon that there was manna, and then Aaron’s rod is that it? And I was just wondering if the contradiction was because one was before the other and I just wondering what the symbolism was of those things that were in the Ark and what were they for?
Pastor Doug: Well it—there was a story where the Ark was captured between those two. Well first of all in Hebrews, he’s talking about when they came out of the wilderness. Paul is describing what was in the Ark when they came out of the wilderness. But, when you read about it in Chronicles that is telling you what was in it after it had been captured by the Philistines and you can read that in 1 Samuel 6:15 that somewhere along the way that they open the Ark up. In 1 Samuel 6:15 the Levites took the Ark of the Lord and the chest that was with it in which were the articles of gold and put them on a large stone. And the men of Beth She-mesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices. The Philistines actually opened the Ark and they weren’t struck dead because they didn’t know better. They put an offering in the Ark. And they couldn’t resist the thought to open it up and look inside, but they didn’t disturb the stones. Either the Philistines or the Levites when they recovered the Ark have apparently taken out Aaron’s rod which may have turned to dust by that point and the little pod of manna. That’s why it records they were not in there anymore from that point on. And when Jerusalem was captured by Nebuchadnezzar prior to that Jeremiah and the priests probably hid the Ark in a Cave somewhere around Jerusalem and it has never been found since then.
Jennifer: Okay. And why the golden pod of manna in there and the rod? I understand the table.
Pastor Doug: Well that is a good question. The pod of manna represents the bread of life. And it was for God to remind them of providing for them. He provided food for them and they were sustained by the bread. Remember? Jesus said that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word. And the rod of Aaron was to remind them they were to respect God’s earthly authority. The Ten Commandments are God’s heavenly authority and the finger of God wrote them. The rod that he gave Aaron and Moses that represents the authority God gives to His church on earth. So the symbols in the Ark are the key components for the success of the church. Does that make sense Pastor Ross?
Jennifer: Okay. Yeah.
Pastor Ross: Yeah. The rod is highlighting the Levitical priesthood and the ceremonial as well, but God’s stamp of approval of the authority God had given.
Pastor Doug: Yeah Sheppards used to carry a rod and they used it for the discipline and protection of the sheep.
Jennifer: Umm-hmm. Alright well thank you.
Pastor Doug: Alright, good question. Oh by the way Jennifer if she is still listening we do have our lesson “Written in Stone” talks about the law and the Ark and we’ll send that to you.
Pastor Ross: The numbers is 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the study guide “Written in Stone”. Ron is listening from KIFA in Washington. Ron welcome to the program.
Ron: Good evening Brother Doug and Pastor Ross a pleasure to speak to you guys. Hey Doug I just finished up your “Two Witnesses” I just love that new TV site. It is really nice.
Pastor Doug: Well praise the Lord.
Ron: Anyway I told you I was going to call you about the Gaza so we’re on it. My question is this and first off it is kind of a two part question is Shiloh and last time I read it was under Palestine or somewhere I don’t know. But, for the viewers that don’t know maybe you can explain to me about Canaan the Holy Land is now. That’s the Promised Land. But, my question is where Gaza located at is and who does it really belong to according to the original borders set to it as it was divided up amongst the tribes? So where is Shiloh now because the Ark was there at one time I believe? And my question is I will take it off the air for you.
Pastor Doug: Alright I appreciate that. Now I wanted to look up because I believe Gaza is down in the region of the south near where Benjamin was. And Judah and Benjamin were the tribes that were southern and the northern tribes were and Gaza is south of Jerusalem and Hebron. The northern tribes were the ones that broke away and that would be Issachar, Ephraim, Manassas and so on and then they had some tribes that were across the Jordon River. And that was the half tribe of Manassas and the other two who wanted to get their inheritance on the eastern side of the Jordon. But the region of Gaza right now is somewhere in the territory of Judah and Benjamin back when the tribes were divided.
And the second question you asked was about Shiloh. Now Shiloh is one of the names that Jacob gives to the Messiah. And he says until Shiloh comes speaking of the Messiah. And well there are several forms of the word Shiloh. There’s also Shalloa and it talks about that in Isaiah 8:6 so sometimes you will find that there are variations of a word once you translate it. The different translator took the same Hebrew word and put a little different slant on it. It is like the word Micah, Michael, Michaela, there are many different translations and they all mean the same thing. Who is like God? I was trying to remember when the Ark was at Shiloh in the Bible. I don’t know Pastor Ross if you know?
Pastor Ross: During the time of Solomon it was kept up in Shiloh. Not Solomon, but Samuel. It was the time of Samuel and I thought it was at Shiloh.
Pastor Doug: And so hopefully that will help answer that question.
Pastor Ross: I think he was also asking in reference to Gaza was that part of God’s original land that He had given to the Nation of Israel?
Pastor Doug: Yes definitely. You know I wasn’t sure if he was asking about when it was divided up back in 1948 and then again in 1967. Those borders have moved an awful lot. But, the land of Gaza was very much within the border of what God gave to Abraham. Everything north of what they call the River of Egypt which is actually only a River in the wintertime—everything north of that was part of the territory that belonged to Israel. And Solomon’s border went all the way to the Euphrates River and the Mediterranean Sea. But, Gaza was smack dab in the middle of the territory that God had given to the descendents of Abraham. So I don’t know if there is going to be a quick solution for what is happening there in the Middle East. We do have at our website right now a new banner that deals with the crisis in Israel right now and there is a book that we are offering called “Spiritual Israel” a sermon you can listen to on the temple of the Jews. It’s just all at the “Amazing Facts” website. “Amazing Facts dot org” if you watch the website we have two or three banners that are rotating there on the mother page the home page. And you click on it when it shows the crisis in Israel. I hope that helps a little bit.
Pastor Ross: Alright our next caller is Theovie listening online from Georgia. Nobody there.
Pastor Doug: Alrighty move on.
Pastor Ross: Craig is listening from Missouri. Craig welcome to the program.
Craig: Hello how are you? God bless.
Pastor Doug: Good evening. How can we help you?
Craig: My question is—first off Happy New Year to you guys.
Pastor Doug: Likewise.
Craig: And my question is I’m driving and I just left Kentucky and I’ve got into a pretty heated argument with my Dad. I was really abused physically as a kid and my dad seemingly thinks that because he has blocked it out that it didn’t happen. So my question is as it says in the Bible and I’m a little too upset to reference the actual passage or the actual place in the Bible where it is. But, it says to honor thy mother and thy father. And I have always had such a broken relationship with my mom that what I have had with my Dad has always been pretty tender. So I guess what I wonder is what is the damnation of me for kind of ostracizing my parents because I just don’t feel that they get it. I just don’t feel that they have any reconciliation or any comforting thoughts or words and I own a successful contracting business. And I feel like no matter what I do I just don’t feel loved by the people that should love me. So my question is is what it is against me that I have forgiven them for what they’ve done, but they don’t ever seem to forgive themselves or to say to me I am sorry for what I did to you when you were little. And I’m forty years old now and enough is enough so I need to know what I need to do to have a walk in the desert if you will and a coming to Jesus moment literally, so I can have some emotional stability because I am just beside myself with anguish because after all these are my parents.
Pastor Doug: Alright well let’s talk about that for a minute. The Bible does say that we should honor our parents. But, honoring your parents doesn’t necessarily mean once you become an adult perpetually experience abuse or be totally depressed because there is no relationship or it is all dysfunctional. There is one story in the Bible where a king removed his mother from being queen because she set up an idol I the house of the Lord. And he respected his mother, but he respected God more. And so he said well you can’t be queen if you are going to worship different gods. You know there is a time when you always put God first. Sometimes parents might interfere in a marriage where it is not healthy for a marriage that’s why the Bible says a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. If the father and mother then are meddling in their relationship so it is interrupting their parental authority or the marriage relationship again you might need to take a break. I think kids need to be careful from writing letters or telling their parents look I am through with you forever because they change and we change and you want to be redemptive in your relationship. So I would recommend Craig you might either tell them gracefully you know mom and dad I love you, but we probably need to just take a break for a little while in our relationship. You might not even need to say it you might just need to do it and they will get the picture. And then test the waters after a while and you don’t want to make a decision also when you are all stirred up. Does that help a little bit Craig?
Craig: That helps immensely and I think for myself with my nother we have talked sporadically off and on for the last nine years and it has always come back to things she had done to me when I was little. With my father I have a very strong relationship with him, but he is just someone who is actually a great person, but he is very, very passive and very much introvert and I’m very aggressive and very much an extrovert. And I’m x-military and I just believe that a lot of times that he doesn’t see the world or see truth for what it is. I think he has got the wool over his eyes and I think the advice of taking a break is probably best and I do agree with your later thought of just doing it instead of calling them and telling them I don’t think I need any communication right now.
Pastor Doug: Yeah they’ll pick up on that and you want to keep in mind that being a Christian often means that you have to be loveable and kind to people who are not always loveable back. And it is easy if you do live on an island by yourself, I mean this is the other extreme, would be to cut yourself off with anybody you have any kind of conflict with. You know we do need to learn to put up with people’s idiosyncrasies. And try and resolve conflict and other wise, nobody would be married for very long huh?
Pastor Ross: You know Pastor Doug what you were speaking of I was looking up that verse you mentioned about a king who removed his queen because of her idol and it’s 11 Chronicles Chapter 15:16.
Pastor Doug: There you go Craig that’s the verse for you.
Pastor Ross: And it is a reference to King Ace’s mother who had sat up an idol.
Pastor Doug: Well I hope that helps a little bit Craig and we have several other people who are waiting online and the music is coming. And there it is. We’re not going away friends we’re coming back with more Bible questions and we’d like to get right into it when we come back. We do have a couple of announcements and it gives our affiliates a moment to identify themselves. And so this is “Bible Answers Live”. And we also hope you’ll pick up a pencil and if you have not been there before you can just jot this down. “Amazing Facts dot org”. You probably don’t even need a pencil. I mean can you remember Amazing Facts. If you just type in “Amazing Facts dot com or dot org” and as a matter of fact if you just type in Amazing Facts onto Google or Yahoo we’ll be on the first button. And so check out the website it is an adventure in Bible study resources. There is video there and radio there there are books there. There are all kinds of witnessing tools an all kinds of resources for your own personal spiritual growth and giving you the ability to share your faith with others, so take a look at “Amazing Facts dot org”. Be right back.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: We’re back listening friends this is “Bible answers Live” if you joined us along the way it’s a live, international, interactive Bible study. And we’re glad that you are listening and you can either e-mail or call in with your Bible questions. If you want to call in the number is 1-800-GOD-SAYS that’s 1-800-463-7297. And my name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: My name is jean Ross and Pastor Doug we just want to make sure that our friends are aware of the great resource that is available for Bible study. That’s website recently redesigned “Bible Universe dot org”.
Pastor Doug: That’s right and that’s another title not hard to remember a plethora of Bible study resources. And you know I don’t think that we’ve told our listeners in awhile that not only do we have different sets of Bible study guides that you can do, they are interactive online. If you just want to really explode in your understanding of what the Bible is really teaching, there’s some very simple lessons you can take and they are interactive and they let you read right from the Bible with a little bit of commentary to let you understand. They are illustrated, and there are videos you can watch, but they are also in many languages. I’m looking right here and we’ve got them in English and Chinese, German, Macedonian, Romanian, Spanish, Farsi, French, Swedish, Togalig, and that’s for our friends in the Philippines. So go too “Bible Universe dot com” I think you’ll also get there at “Bible Universe dot org” and do a Bible study and see how you like it. I think you’ll be amazed at how much you can learn also different study tools, and a store with other study resources.
Pastor Ross: Oh we can go to the phone lines and our next caller is Theobe and she is calling from Georgia. Theobe welcome to the program. Can you hear us?
Theobe: Yes I can. I am sorry about earlier.
Pastor Doug: That’s okay and we’re glad that you are with us and that you stood by and your question?
Theobe: I was wondering what you did with a Bible that’s falling apart? Yeah in poor condition.
Pastor Doug: Alright. Well that is a good question because the Bible is a Holy Book and someone might wonder well I just don’t feel right throwing a Bible in the garbage can there with the banana peels. Because Bibles do have a life expectancy and if you use your Bible it’s going to get some miles on it and someone once said, “A Bible that is falling apart, usually belongs to a person who is not falling apart.” In other words if you read your Bible it will keep you from going to pieces. But, they do get old and I had a Bible once that fell into the creek. I was up in the hills and I dropped it and once a Bible gets submerged with those onion thin pages they swell up and you can’t even turn the pages anymore. So I threw it in the fire and I burned it and that’s probably as sacred a way as you can, but you have to throw it away. In churches and some Protestant Churches, when there’s extra communion emblems left over, they burn them and they get that from the Bible where they talk about when they get the ashes from burning the sacrifices and then they take the ashes out into a Holy place. So several times if there was something that was Holy that had to be discarded they would burn it. I just don’t want you to set your house on fire. Okay?
Theobe: Okay. Thank you.
Pastor Doug: Yeah say a prayer, God understands that Bibles do have a life expectancy. They get old and need to be replaced and that’s why they are printing new ones.
Pastor Ross: Alright thanks for your call and our next caller is Abraham listening online from New Jersey. Abraham welcome to the program.
Abraham: Hi how are you?
Pastor Doug: Very good and how can we help you?
Abraham: Alright before I give my question I have verse that goes with my question and can I read it or quote it?
Pastor Doug: Go ahead and get started is it one verse?
Abraham: Yes it is only one verse. It is Revelation 12:11 it says,”And they overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto death.” The reason why I quote this verse is cause I have to be careful what I’m allowed to say, but here’s my point, we live in a time when does God put a stranger’s message is today. But, it seems like I don’t hear the preacher’s messages preaching. I don’t know whose holding people.
Pastor Doug: Well you know you’re right we’re in the last days and the three angel’s message for our friends who are listening is found in Revelation 14:6 and it’s a special message that goes to the world just before Jesus comes back. Now I still don’t know that I heard your question Abraham.
Abraham: Yeah my question is okay it’s a comment and it’s a question. We live in a time when anyone should preach the three angels message, I know is today. But, I don’t understand why people are not preaching? I know we all have to be humble enough, and we are not going to be saved by our works, we are going to be saved by grace. I’m not going to mention and I’m not going to say their names. But, what I’m talking about, do you know what I am saying? I’ve been tossed out, boom, just trying to give a testimony.
Pastor Doug: That it is trying to get the three angels message out?
Abraham: I am going to let you go with it.
Pastor Doug: Well you asked a question and I’ll do my best to answer that and you’re saying why aren’t people preaching the three angels message in these last days? Jesus said that just before the bridegroom comes, that there are ten virgins and five are wise and five are foolish. But, 100% of them go to sleep. And just before the Lord comes it seems like the church is sleeping. You can read just before Jesus went to the cross that He said pray, be awake, be sober. They went to sleep. And there when He was on the Mount of Transfiguration, he brought them up there to pray and in Luke it says they were heavy with sleep. So it is frequently true that just before God is about to do something monumental, the church begins to snore. When Christ came the first time His own people they didn’t even know it. There were just a few Sheppards that were in the field that were ready. So I encourage you Abraham to just keep getting that message out. By the way, for our friends who are listening we have a study that deals with the “Three Angels Messages” and is that the “Angel Messages from Outer Space”?
Pastor Ross: That’s right it’s “Angels Messages from Space” it’s free. It’s a study guide for more information on this important message call our resource line 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the study guide “Angel Messages from Space” and we’ll be happy to send that out. Our next caller is Frank listening on WFIA from Sacramento. Frank welcome to the program.
Frank: Oh hi Doug. On that 1 Kings Chapter 13 there was a second prophet, Elijah the first one how come he did that?
Pastor Doug: That’s a good question for our friends that are listening in 1 Kings Chapter 13 it tells his story about the prophet that is sent from Judah it never names any of the prophets in the story and God tells them not to go back the same way he came and not to stop and eat and rest along the way. Just to get out of town basically. Well he meets another old man who used to be a prophet in the northern kingdom and he really wanted to talk to the prophet from Judah. So he lies to him and he says God told me that you are supposed to stay with me and he fell for it. Prophets are often called from God and given gifts, but they are not all perfect. An example would be Abraham who was a prophet in fact my wife pointed this out to me this week. Abraham lied to the King of the Philistines and said Sarah was his sister when she was his wife. And then God later told Abimelech the king he said tell him to pray for you for he is a prophet. Well here he’s got Abraham who lied to Abimelech praying for Abimelech.
You’ve got the story of Jonah the prophet. God says to go east and he goes west. And so prophets—Balaam was a prophet. And he tried to change the prophecy so he could get a big reward. And God still spoke through him. Because he had this gift that God had given him of prophecy, but he abused it and he ended up suffering for that. This prophet in the northern kingdom he wanted so much to talk to the prophet from the southern kingdom that he led and he said well it is okay to stay with me. Well the Lord ended up punishing the prophet that didn’t listen to him for that. I know some of these things sound a little bit odd, but I hope that helps a little bit Frank.
Frank: It sure does.
Pastor Ross: I think it also illustrates the importance of doing what God has said. God gave his prophet a very clear instruction. And if God had of changed that instruction He would have communicated directly to the prophet. But, God doesn’t want us to put our faith in what another person says. When God has clearly told us to do something He’s as good as His word.
Pastor Doug: And everything that young prophet said that came from Judah all happened. He prophesied the altar would be split, it was. He spoke and the king’s hand was petrified and it was. And he prayed and it was restored and it was. And he prophesied that Josiah would come and he would burn all those graves and burn the bones of the priests there on that ruined altar and all those things happened. He even said the name of the king at least two hundred years before he was born. So it was an incredible prophecy. Good question Frank. Appreciate that.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Marcia calling from Michigan. Marcia welcome to the program.
Marcia: Yes thank you for having me on your program. I have an unusual strange question that one of my tenants wants me to ask because they are obsessed about people being eternally lost. It really bothers him and I don’t blame him, but even the really bad people in history he wants to know is Mussolini going to be saved?
Pastor Doug: Well I think it’s highly dubious that Mussolini would be saved just because history—if you can believe history--because he was something of a despot and he was a little better than Hitler, but he certainly didn’t meet the criteria of a saint. Or of someone who was seeking after the attributes of Jesus. I think Mussolini he was killed by a mob and torn from limb to limb. There is nothing I know of in history that would lead me to think that I’m going to see him in that first resurrection. But, you know, God is ultimately the judge, but there will certainly be—you know Christ is very clear –straight is the way that leads to life and narrow is the gate that leads to life few that be to find it. Broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many that go in that way. And so the idea that everyone is going to be saved totally contradicts the teachings and the words of Jesus. Jesus said there is only a few that search for life and decide to follow him and trust Him and go through that straight gate. Does that make sense Marcia?
Marcia: Yes it sure does.
Pastor Doug: I appreciate your call and I’m going to have to read up on my Mussolini history to see if I got that right.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is May listening on WMCA from Brooklyn, New York. May welcome to the program.
May: Hello.
Pastor Doug: Hi. How can we help you?
May: Yes I have two parts that I have a question about. The first one is in 1 Timothy Chapter 2:9 it says, “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobermindedness, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly arrays.” And also the second one is found in 1 Peter verse 3, “Neither be the outward adorning of hair and the wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel.” My question is I ‘m about to be engaged and I am wondering is it ungodly for a woman to wear an engagement ring? And for the couple to wear wedding rings?
Pastor Doug: Alright well here is the place where our listeners are going to think that Pastor Do gets a little kooky. But, I’m Biblical—I want to be Biblical. If you go back 150 years you will find that most Christians did not wear any jewelry including wedding rings. Matter of fact it was at the millennial confession that used to be at the front of the King James Bible. When these thousand priests went to King James and they aid we don’t want to be forced to follow the customs of the Roman Catholic Church which included the wedding ring. The wedding ring goes all the way back to ancient Babylonia and maybe even before when a woman was bought as a slave and if she lost her virginity they put a ring on her finger and it kind of meant that she was owned and claimed. And that found its way into Babylon in Egypt and the Greeks and the Persians and Romans all adopted it and then it found its way into the church via the Roman Empire when the Roman Empire sort of morphed into the Roman Catholic Church. There is not a thing connected in the Bible about rings connected with marriage and you know you are going to hear all kinds of beautiful euphoric sermons about the circle of love and the ring and it represents this and that and but, the whole thing is it is kind of concocted by man and I don’t wear a wedding ring and my wife doesn’t wear one and we’re very much married and I don’t think you wear one Pastor Ross and or Mrs. Ross and so if you are asking me I just think that as soon as Christians start to put on any jewelry you can start to justify all of it. And it is sort of kike once there is a hole in the dam the dam breaks. And in our day and age when people are piercing up and down their ears and their nose and their eyebrows, and their tongues and their lips and we don’t even want to talk about all the things they are piercing on the radio program. But, then they begin to hang minerals on their body and I don’t think that God wants us to do that. I think we’re going to walk on gold in the kingdom and it is just a custom and you don’t find it in the Bible. Now I hope you’re not mad at me because you asked me a question and I unloaded on you. I have a book and there’s a book that we’ll send you that is called “Jewelry, How much is too Much?” I think there is a little bit in there on what I just discussed.
Pastor Ross: The number to call for that is…
Pastor Doug: One second Pastor Ross, I didn’t mean to interrupt you, but did that make sense or did you have any follow up on that May?
May: Well I guess that Biblical is I can’t go against the Bible. But, I am still disappointed if I can’t wear a little jewelry.
Pastor Doug: You know I can’t tell you. But, I know God designed ladies where they like pretty things. There are a lot of really beautiful designs on jewelry out there and some people probably think I am a fanatic, but there is a principle. But, there is a principle there that once you open that door, and I’ve seen it in so many churches Methodist none of them they used to not wear any jewelry and then once they said well we can compromise on this one. Now everybody is loaded down like Mr. T. And I don’t know if anybody remembers who Mr. T is. But, anyway Pastor Ross you were giving the number.
Pastor Ross: The number to call 1-800-835-6747 and the book wrote by Pastor Doug, “Jewelry, How much is too Much?” So May I hope you’ll call and get that book and anyone else.
Pastor Doug: It’s free.
Pastor Ross: And anyone else who is listening be sure to call that number 1-800-835-6747. Ask for the book on jewelry. Our next caller is Chris calling from New York listening on WMCA. Chris welcome to the program.
Chris: Hey how are you doing?
Pastor Doug: Hi Chris how can we help you tonight?
Chris: Just a question tonight you know how they talk about the rivers where the Garden of Eden is or was?
Pastor Doug: Right.
Chris: I wonder do they really know because they talk about the Euphrates and then somewhere else so are they able to actually pinpoint?
Pastor Doug: Well, I’ll tell you—well just let me tell you what I think that you are dealing with. Evidently before the flood came everyone knew exactly where the Garden of Eden was. Because before the flood God had stationed an angel of fire that was guarding the gates to Eden and the Tigress and the Euphrates and there were four rivers that sprang from the garden. You know we can’t even imagine how incredibly gorgeous this place used to be. There’s no garden and no botanist on earth that can come close to what the symmetry and beauty was that God had planted in that garden. Before the flood, God assumed or raptured that Garden out of the world somehow. He said look I’m destroying the world, but I’m not destroying my Garden. Because when the New Jerusalem comes down and you can read about that in Revelation Chapter 21: the Tree of Life that was in Garden is now back n the New Jerusalem. Most scholars believe that the Garden of Eden was assumed somehow by God back up to heaven because it’s no problem for God to do that because if man can make a space station God can take a Garden up. And He will have that in the New Jerusalem and it will be essentially the Central Park when the New Jerusalem comes down. After the flood the earth’s surface was so radically transformed by the flood that the best the patriarchs could do-–you know they knew what the stars looked like probably before the flood and base o the stars they had a fix on roughly where it was and the Tigress and Euphrates Rivers that are named are still there, but the other two rivers are missing.
Chris: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: So the landscape was so changed that it s that nothing is the same so you’re not going to go wondering around the Middle East and find the Garden of Eden. One thing you might consider that in order to have oil, you have to have just copious amounts of and I can’t think of a word monstrous enough gargantuan amounts of vegetation to produce those incredible oil reserves you have in the Middle East. So even geologists believe that in those countries, that were once so barren and dry where all this oil is that they must have been very lush. So that’s an interesting thing to consider. The territory of Iraq is probably the region.
Chris: Well okay. Thanks man.
Pastor Doug: Alright thank you.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Vicky listening on WMCA in Brooklyn, New York. Vicky you’re on the air.
Vicky: Yes. Hi. My 15 year old daughter is talking about the Bible with her friends and she came and asked me where did all of the people come from after Adam and Eve if there were no more people for their children to marry?
Pastor Doug: Well that’s a good question. If you look in Genesis it tells us that Adam and Eve had two boys Cain and Abel. And it tells us that Cain killed his younger brother. Then God gave Adam and Eve another boy, Seth. And then you read about Cain taking his wife and you go what where’d she come from? Well if you read on in Genesis Chapter 5: it tells us Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters. And the Bible tells us they lived hundreds of years back then and since Adam and Eve were—
Vicky: Yeah, but then they married their sisters and brothers?
Pastor Doug: Yeah they did that’s exactly what happened.
Vicky: Wow I didn’t know that.
Pastor Doug: I know that sounds kind of weird. But, if you think about it Eve was Adam’s sister—or maybe even closer she came from his rib. So he married his ribster. I don’t know what you call it.
[Laughter]
Pastor Doug: So and Abraham up until the time of Moses they were allowed to marry their first cousins and Abraham married Sarah who is his half-sister. Abraham they had the same father and Sarah. So back before the genetic weakness from the defects that we’ve all developed through the generations, back then it didn’t hurt to marry people who were close to you of kin. After time goes by, you end up with more and more possibilities for deformities that are the reasons why they say you shouldn’t marry too close you need a bigger pool of genes when two people get married. If you marry within the family there’s a much more likelihood of some kind of birth defect. But, that wasn’t a problem in the beginning it is just as the generations went by it became a problem.
Vicky: But, other cultures still marry like their cousins and stuff like that?
Pastor Doug: Yeah and you know I tell you I have been to islands in the South Pacific where everybody sort of intermarries n the island, and they have unusually high percentages of defects. And another defect you have probably heard of boys and girls or people with six fingers and toes, the way you get it is too much inbreeding. You have probably heard of cats with six or seven toes. That’s because these neighbor hood cats are all interrelated.
Vicky: Well where was that forbidden in Bible times?
Pastor Doug: Moses said a man shall not look on the nakedness of his sister and it is described there and that’s the way they look at intimate relations. By the time of Moses when they came out of Egypt they were told they shouldn’t marry their sisters. Jacob married his first cousin, Rachel. Isaac married his first cousin, Rebecca. So it wasn’t uncommon back then.
Vicky: Okay thank you.
Pastor Doug: I know it sounds kind of icky, but that’s what happened. Appreciate your call.
Pastor Ross: our next caller is Cole listening on WDLV from Greenville, North Carolina. Cole welcome to the program.
Cole: Good evening brothers.
Pastor Doug: Good evening. Cole we’ve got a couple of minutes, your question?
Cole: Well first of all the screen says make it quick, but I want both of you guys to pray for me financially and health wise I want you guys to pray for me. And second of all how does God feel about us going into space messing around up there trying to find life on other planets and things like this do you know? What does God think about this?
Pastor Doug: Well that’s a good question. I don’t think man was originally quarantined to the planet. I think after man sinned a lot of things changed about the environment and a lot of things changed about our bodies. Adam and Eve used to have these bodies of light and spiritual part of our nature that was lost. This whole dimension that we lost with sin. And I think Adam could probably swim under water without scuba gear before sin and I don’t know he might have been able to fly somehow. Most Bible scholars believe that when we get to heaven that we will be able to fly again. You can read in Isaiah where it says they’ll mount up with wings as eagles. And you have probably sung that song that we’ll soar to worlds unknown. That’s not the Bible that’s rock of ages. But, God is not against us exploring and we’re never going to get very far. When you think about the immensity of space we’ve not left the front yard yet. Even if we go to Pluto. It’s just that space is extremely big and vast and there’s no life in our solar system other than earth and so man is just kind of bouncing off the cue balls in our solar system. Basically I think God is looking down and amused at man’s curiosity.
Cole: But, the thing is when they tried to build that tower and get up there and God started splitting up all the races and the languages. He didn’t like them doing that and they were trying to get into space then I guess.
Pastor Doug: Well it tells us the reason they built the tower was not so they could leap off into space it was they built the tower to make a name for themselves. God had told them to scatter around the earth and be fruitful and multiple. And for our friends this is in Genesis 11: and they said let’s build a tower lest we be scattered across the earth. They didn’t want to obey God and also I don’t think they trusted that god wasn’t going to destroy them with a flood again. And they said just in case we can’t trust him let’s build a tower we can run up the tower and save ourselves if it rains too much. So the whole tower sort of represented not believing God and making a name for themselves and saving themselves, it was—I don’t really think it was space exploration.
Pastor Ross: You know the Bible tells us in Psalms 19:1 that the heavens declare the glory of God as we look into space we see God’s glory also Psalm 50:6 says the heavens shall declare His righteousness. So we can learn somewhat about God by looking into the heavens by looking at the things he has made.
Pastor Doug: Yeah I would be delighted if I got a phone call from NASA and they said we’re taking interviews for Pastors who want to go to space. I’d like to be first on that list. And just get up there and be able to look without the atmosphere interrupting your cosmic view would be really interesting. Don’t worry Cole I don’t think God is worried we’re going to invade His turf. We are nowhere near it and space is incredibly big. Listening friends it is hard to believe that this hour of Bible questions have gone by already, but it doesn’t need to end right now. If you go to the “Amazing Facts” website you can continue studying the word. You can just listen to archives with Bible questions also take a look as we mentioned earlier “Bible Universe dot com” the new “Bible Universe dot com” website and you will find a lot of resources there. Send the link to your friends and in the meantime remember that Jesus is the truth that will set you free.
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