Doug Batchelor: Hello friends? Would you like to hear an amazing fact? One summer day in 2014, Booboo the cat went missing from her home, in Watsonville California. Three years later, the brown tabby reappeared in southeastern Canada. How did this cat end up more than 2,000 miles away from home? When Booboo arrived at the Ontario Humane Society as a stray, she hardly looked like a scrappy tired traveler. The cat was slightly fat, and her stripped purr was soft and groomed.
Adrian Mac Brian the executive director of the animal shelter said, “She is in fantastic shape, she is so well fed she might need to go on a diet, when she gets home.” The cat’s watching owners were shocked and happy to get a phone call from Canada. Just how the missing cat got there remains a mystery, well at least until cats can talk, but Ashley Almond her 21 year old owner, as a hunch the cat went hitch hiking.
Almond says that Booboo was an outdoor cat that had a curious habit, of hopping in strangers cars. Booboo may have hitchhiked her way across the border, with one or multiple drivers. Lucky for this travelling feline she was micro-chipped. When the cat arrived at the humane society, the chip revealed her surprisingly far off home address. Almond flew to Canada to reunite with and recover a wondering cat.
The truth about Booboo’s three year adventure may never be known, but did you know the bible says, that people can also have a tendency to wonder? Stay tuned friend, we’re going to learn more in this edition of Bible Answers Live.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug: Welcome listening friends to Bible Answers live. If you’re tuning in for the first time, you can probably tell from the title, this is a live international interactive bible study. We’ve been doing this for about 20 years now, on hundreds of stations across North America, and of course everybody is around the world via the internet. If you’d like to call in with your bible question, lines are wide open right now. Here is the number, it is of course a free phone call in North America, 800 God Says, that’s 800-4-6-3-7-2-9-7.
Now, you probably have a bible question and you’re looking for a pencil, so I’ll say that again, 1-800-4-6-3-7-2-9-7. I sometimes say the number multiple times, because we get people listening by satellite driving across the country, and maybe they got to memorize it or find something to write with, 800 call in your bible question, 463 7297. My name is Doug Batchelor, Pastor John Ross is off for the night, but we’re going to start this program with a word of prayer.
Loving lord, we just thank you again for the opportunity, and even the technology to be able to talk to so many friends in so many places, about the most important thing, your word and your truth. Be with us lord. Bless this program for your glory sake, and for the salvation of others. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Well, you may have guessed friends, when I talked about the story of Booboo the wondering cat, and as at sometimes we can have the capacity to wonder. I was thinking of that verse in Isaiah 53, where there the prophet says, “All we like sheep have gone astray. We’ve turned everyone to his own way. And the Lord laid upon him, that’s Jesus, the iniquity of us all.” Our wondering has been very costly for the lord.
Jesus told a parable in Mathew 18, he said, “What do you think? If a man had 100 sheep and one of them had gone astray, does he not leave the 99 on the mountains, safe in the fold in other words, and go search for that one that went astray?” And if he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the 99 that never went astray. So it is not the will of my father in heaven that one of this little one should perish.” The lord is willing to make a long trip from heaven to earth to reach his lost sheep, and that’s why Jesus came into this world, and you think that girl Ashley, who flew from California to Canada to pick up her wondering cat. I sat on an airplane last week, with a young lady that had a cat in her lap next to her.
Even though the cat cage made her a little uncomfortable, and cramped her in her sit, she just spent the entire four hour flight trying to calm, and nature, and sooth her cat, during the stress of the flight. People really love their pets, and if people can love their animals, how much more does God love his children, that he even gave his son that they might be redeemed? Maybe you’re one of those wondering sheep friend.
Maybe you’re somebody who knew the lord and you’ve drifted. You’d like to know how to come home, or how to get a new begging with God. We have a free book for you, it’s called 12 Steps to Revival, 12 Steps to Revival written by Yours Truly. I think you’ll enjoy this, and it’s kind of the keys to a personal new beginning. If you call the number, I will send one. Here is the resource number, it’s a little different, 800-8-3-5-6-7-4-7, for the book 12 Steps to Revival.
Just tell them you’re listening to Bible Answers Live, and they’ll share that with you. You can even download it for free right now at the Amazing Facts website. That’s easy to find, its amazingfacts.org. If you type in amazingfacts.com, you’ll still end up at the Amazing Facts website. Go to the free book library and you’ll see 12 Steps to Revival. All right friends, with that lengthy introduction we’re going to go to the phones. I want to just tell you before we do ones more, we do have other lines open, now is a good time to call.
If your phone rings for a minute that’s a good sign, that means that you’re going to be in line, and someone will pick up and just jot down your information. All right, we’re going to talk to Julie who is calling form upland California. Julie you’re on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Julie: Hey Pastor Doug? Good evening?
Pastor Doug: Evening.
Julie: My question is trying to understand righteousness by faith, and how God imputes that to us, and when does he do that, and do we know when he does that?
Pastor Doug: What is righteousness by faith? First let me explain this. Now, I think you may know something about it Julie, but a lot of our listeners might be wondering. We’re in a lost condition when we sin, we do wrong it’s the opposite of righteousness, its wrongteousness. Of course there is no such a word, but it’s doing bad. It means you’re in a lost unjustified condition. If we want to be forgiven and declared righteous, something has to happen.
Christ says look, I will die in your place for your sins. Penalty for sin is death. I take your sins, if you accept by faith my righteousness, because I’ve never sinned. I will trade places with you. I will take your badness I give you my goodness. Like the thief who was on the cross next to Jesus, when Christ said, “I’m forgiving you. You will be with me in paradise.” Immediately when he accepted that by faith, he was made righteous. He was declared to be righteous, and that’s what you call justification.
He accepted Jesus righteousness by faith, that’s the good news, and he was justified just as he was. Now if he had come down from the cross, he would had time to experience sanctification, that’s where you learn to live a new holy life. Does that help a little bit Julie?
Julie: Well it does. I think maybe what I need to do is think about that thief, and how he obtained it immediately, and we can do the same.
Pastor Doug: Well that’s exactly right. Let me give you one more story. Do you know the story in the bible of Zacchaeus who climbed the tree so he could see Jesus?
Julie: Yes, and he was let down to the house, through the roof?
Pastor Doug: No, Zacchaeus climbed the tree. You’re thinking about the other man that went upon the roof. Zacchaeus climbed a tree, and this is in Luke chapter 19, so that he could see Jesus. When Jesus said, “Zacchaeus come down, I’m going to eat at your house today,” it says, “Zacchaeus accepted him.” He admitted that he had been stealing. He said, “I’m going to give back what I’ve taken to the poor, and give my riches to the poor, pay back what I’ve stolen four fold.”
As soon as he accepted Christ, it says Jesus said, “This is a son of Abraham.” He was declared forgiven and righteous. Jesus said he would abide at his house, because Zacchaeus had accepted Christ, repented and confessed publicly, when we come to Christ-.
Julie: Does that mean forever, or does that mean daily, or moment by moment? That’s the other part.
Pastor Doug: Well, you get two phases, you get the part where you make the decision to turn, repent from your sins and follow Jesus. Then you may slip along the way and then you have sanctification where you learn to live a new life.
Julie: Okay, thank you.
Pastor Doug: Thank you and you go ahead. Send for that new book. I think you'll enjoy that book that we're offering on Twelve Steps to Revival. It is free and you can just go to the Amazing Facts website. Thank you for your call, Julie. With that, we're going to talk next to Archie who's been waiting patiently on the Lodi California. Archie, you're on the air.
Archie: Yes, pastor Doug. Thank you for taking my call. Many fathers have not and do not actively treat their children as they should. This includes fathers from every strata of life. How can we encourage children and grownups who have been hurt that our Father God is always trustworthy and how can they become acquainted with him?
Pastor Doug: That's a very perceptive observation. It is true that first of all, fathers should be loving and patient with their children, but every father would say, "Well, I wish I did some things differently. Colossians 3:21 says, "Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.” Otherwise encourage them, don't discourage and override them all the time." Fathers often, my father did, you always want your kids to be better than you are and you want them to excel and they kind of they're always pushing them a little bit. That's a generalization.
When I came to the Lord, I had to realize I need to, in my mind, make a distinction. I need to separate my earthly father with all of his problems from my Heavenly Father that is perfect. God gives us a picture in the Bible of what he is like as a heavenly father. He is loving, he is good, he is patient, his compassion and mercy endures forever. You get a new picture. An example would be, for instance, Archie, if you look at the example in the Parable of the Prodigal Son who he leaves home because maybe he thinks his father's too hard.
But even though he wastes his father's substance and he wastes his life, he comes back home and his father embraces him with open arms. He finally realizes, "My father always loved me and I didn't realize it." It's a picture of our heavenly father. Sometimes people view God as a cruel, or a harsh father that's exacting and he's got his law and we need to obey Him, but we only think about the rules and we don't think about the relationship.
Archie: John 3:16 comes to mind.
Pastor Doug: Exactly, God the father of course, so loved us, he was willing to give his son. That I think is the key and all of us who are earthly fathers need to do our best to model ourselves as much as possible after our Heavenly Father.
Thank you very much, Archie. I appreciate your question. That does open another line. If you have a question, call in. 800 4-6-3-6-2-9-7. Its 800 God Says or 800-4-6-3-7-2-9-7. Its 800 God Says or 800-4-6-3-7-2-9-7. With that, we're going to talk next to the Denise, who is calling from Huntsville Alabama. Denise, you're on the air with bible Answers Live.
Denise: Thank you for taking my call pastor Doug. I was reading Number 22:20-22, and it just threw me off. The princess of Moab tend to seduce Balaam into cursing the children of Israel for the king Balak and God came to Balaam and in the night and told him that it was okay for him to go with the princess or to do this deed or whatever-- let him go and then God after He gave him approval then he got angry with him a lot.
It just threw me off that God got mad at Balaam, because Balaam got up and decided to go with them, the next morning or whatever and I God got mad, but he gave them approval. Can you explain to me how God got mad after He told him to go?
Pastor Doug: Yes. I think the Lord taught Balaam an object lesson on the way. First when the prince asked Balaam to come and curse the children of Israel, God told Balaam, “Tell Him no.” Says I bless the children of Israel I don't want you cursing them, but Balaam wanted the reward and he was sort of sorry that God said no. So the king Balaks sent more messengers with more money and they said, “Oh, come on you got to come. Here's even a bigger reward and Balaam because was really wanting to go and he said well let me ask the Lord about it again.
Well, God hadn't changed his mind, but he kept praying for what he wanted be careful if you keep begging for something you may get something that isn't God's will, He'll allow it but it's not His will. Even though God had said ‘no.’ He said, “All right. Look, I'll let you go, but if you go you're not going to be able to curse and you're not going to get the reward.” And though should have said no to Balaam, but he said, ‘No, I want to go.’ And he went anyway.
So along the way, of course the Angel met the donkey and God was illustrating to Balaam, says look, “The donkey is willing to listen to me, the donkey can see me you can't.” He had become so angry at the donkey, because it was going out of the way and he wanted to go and get this reward for cursing Israel. So God said, “Okay, I'm going to let you go. But you're going the wrong way.” Balaam went and he tried to open his mouth to curse God's people, but every time he prophesied a blessing came out.
See God in this story can control the voice of the donkey, the donkey was suddenly given the ability to speak, is life like the devil gave the serpent the ability to speak and Balaam cannot say what, he wants to say, he wants to curse Israel, but when he opens his mouth a blessing comes out.
In the end you read later in the book of Deuteronomy, Balaam continues to try to persuade Bailey. The king of Moab to overthrow the children of Israel and he says, “Look, if you just-- if you get the people to commit adultery and break God's commandments, God will withdraw its protection.” And there's finally a war with Moab and Balak, as Balaam is slaying. So he just was persistent he started out as a prophet of God but like Judas he became greedy.
Denise: Well, thank you. That answers it, I guess that that helps. We understand that when He gave him a new angle to look at it, that I didn't even think about it. So, thank you so much-
Pastor Doug: You're welcome.
Denise: Thank you.
Pastor Doug: For you and others that are listening there's a book you can probably download for free and it's called Patriarchs And Prophets. It's got a chapter in there it's a beautiful inspired commentary chapter and they're about Balaam, that is very insightful. That's where I actually got some of my observations. Thank you for your call Denise and with that next we're going to talk to Cecilia that's calling from Brooklyn New York listening on 570 A M. Cecilia you're on the air.
Cecilia: Thank you for taking my call Pastor.
Pastor Doug: Yes. Thank you for calling.
Cecilia: I’m calling tonight to find out, if we have faith in Christ. It says that we're able to obey the law and we're able to obey it. It’ll-- make it possible to obey God, how can that be just having the faith in Christ. Because I still find myself at times falling into sins, even though I believe that Christ is your torment. He has made you a torment for my sins. Is it consistent, yes.
Pastor Doug: Well, let me give you another way to think of that. The word faith in the Bible means believe or trust. If your parents tell you and your child and your parents say, “Don’t eat that cookie. It might taste good in your mouth but, it’s going to give you a stomach-ache. Well, you're thinking oh my parents are just trying to scare me, you don't totally believe what they're saying. So you eat the cookie and it's good your mouth but a little while later you get a stomach-ache and think, ‘Well, they were right.
The next day you see that cookie there and the parents say, “Don’t eat that cookie. I know it looks good but it's going to give you a stomach-ache.” You know believe them and you obey them because you believe them and you trust them you have faith in their word. You see what I'm saying?
Cecilia: Yes.
Pastor Doug: So, it's very simple as we continue to grow in our faith of God and God says, “Please do this and do not do that we are more willing to do his will when we trust his will, is always going to be better for us.
Cecilia: Okay. With that said then, how do we take our will out of Satan’s will and give it to Christ? How do we do that in everyday life then?
Pastor Doug: That then you are asking the most important question Do you remember a story in the Bible? Cecilia, where Jesus just before he went to the cross he was in the garden of Gethsemane? He prayed three times. “Father, not my will thy will be done.”
Cecilia: Yes.
Pastor Doug: And it was such a struggle, He was actually perspiring blood. The Gospel of Luke tells us, “He was in great agony.” The other gospels tell us, “The biggest struggle any of us faces from day to day, is to trust our will in the hands of God, and saying I am going to give my will to you Lord. I’m not going to do what I want but I’m going to resist the temptation whatever it might be and do what I know you want.
So denying self is a struggle, but you do have your own will. Now, you mentioned the will of the devil, then you mention the will of God, but you left out one of the very important one, “You have a will.” And God has made all of His intelligent creatures with a free moral choice. And you do have the ability to make a choice.
Let me give you one more illustration, let's suppose you struggled with smoking and you said you know I have tried to stop smoking, I can't stop smoking I just got to have a cigarette but then you found out that it the next time you had a cigarette you're going to get electrocuted. If you really believed even if it wasn't true, if you really believed that the next cigarette was going to lethally electrocute you, you could go a long time without smoking, because you would choose.
When a person directs their will, they surrender their will to God and they make a choice. There is a lot of power that God has given every individual when we really believe and so the question is we've got to really believe that sin is deadly that it hurts God it hurts us it hurts others and so we surrender our will to God. It's a struggle sometimes. The surrender of self is the biggest struggle that anybody can face.
I appreciate your question Cecilia if you like I've got a free book I'll be happy to send you and it's called The surrender of self if you like a free copy of that just anybody if you'd like to know more how to do that here's a number to call it's called eight it's 800-8-3-5-6-7-4-7. This is our resource line someone will pick up, they will take your information we'll send you a copy of the book but if you ask for the book The surrender of self, they will send that to you and I think you'll find it a blessing.
Thank you very much for your question Cecilia and that does open the line and here we got a lot of lines open tonight if you want to call in your Bible question and that number one more time to call in is 800-4-6-3-7-2-9-7, that's 800 God says 800-4-6-3-7-2-9-7 with that we're talking next to you Joe who is calling from Florida, listening on satellite radio, Joe you're on the air.
Joe: Hi how are you doing Pastor?
Pastor Doug: Good.
Joe: Thanks for teaching my soul I had a question about your take on once saved always saved because if you look at Hebrews 8. We were talking about the new covenant and he will forgive our sins and he will remember no more. That question is always up for debate, I just want to get your take on that because I can't think of nothing on my own knowing they can take us from out of the will of God.
Pastor Doug: Well first of all.
Joe: I want to get your take on.
Pastor Doug: I'll be happy to share with you keep in mind that one of the big debates among Christians Protestants principle it's free will or predestination once saved always saved or can we be saved and then be lost. I am of the opinion I would be in the category of John Wesley and those who believe that we can't have assurance of salvation but you can still choose to be lost after you've chosen to be saved. Like this young lady I was just talking to a minute ago we have a will so once a person decides to follow the Lord God will never let go of us, but it doesn't mean we've lost our freedom to turn from him.
Because you have examples in the Bible of people like King Saul who was filled with the Holy Spirit and chosen by God and rejoiced in the Lord and led the people but over the years he became proud rebellious and he turned from God and committed the unpardonable sin, ultimately he committed suicide.
You've got others in the Bible like Balaam you may talk about Balaam it was a prophet of God but he persisted in greed and he was lost. Peter talks about those who were washed but they return to wallowing in the mire and Jesus says in Revelation maybe the Church of Sardis said unless you repent I'll take your candlestick out of its place and your name can be removed from the book of life.
That's pretty clear if a person's name can be taken out of the book of life then that means it's dangerous to say once I'm saved I can do anything I want and I can't be lost that's the danger of that doctrine. People who believe that once I'm saved I can be I can be lazy about sanctification I can be sloppy about living a holy life and no matter what I do I'm going to be saved.
See that's the extreme I think that it is true once we come to the Lord we accept Jesus we can trust that as we daily commit our lives to Him He will work on our lives to sanctifies but it's an ongoing relationship that's why Paul said I die daily and this is why Jesus says in the Lord's Prayer give us this day our daily bread being a Christian is a day by day trust in the Lord.
Joe: I agree I’m a firm believer that you have to do that daily. Most definitely a firm believer that you have to do that daily, you can get lost easy.
Pastor Doug: Exactly, now I've written a book I'll send you a copy just in case someone misunderstands people think that well if you don't believe in once saved always saved you must believe your last one day save the next Lost and then saved in the lost and then say I don't believe that either so I wrote a book called Assurance justification made simple it's a book called assurance and I'll be happy to send you a free copy Joe if you like you can call the resource number which is 800-8-3-5-6-7-4-7 or you can read the book at the amazing facts website which is simply amazing facts. org.
Once again anyone out there if you like a copy of this you can read it online it's free Assurance justification made simple will send you a copy. All right thank you very much Joe I'm going to talk real quick to Sergio in Pennsylvania Sergio you're on the air.
Sergio: Thank you for taking my call.
Doug: Yes we've got just a couple minutes before the break.
Sergio: My question related to some passage in the New Testament about pre-destination, it seems that God pre-destined some individuals to be saved and maybe pre-destined some not to be saved despite their free will off absence. I would clarify a little bit maybe I miss understood but would there be a pre-destined some individuals and maybe not others?
Pastor Doug: The Bible is pretty clear that God doesn't want anyone to be lost because the Bible tells us that the Lord in the second Peter Chapter three The Lord is not willing that any should perish and Paul says in Timothy God who would have all men to be saved that doesn't mean they all will be saved because people have a will.
God doesn't want anyone to be to be lost he wants everyone to be saved, hey Sergio I tell you what you've asked a great question if you don't mind is holding on and when I come back from after this break I'll be happy to pick up that very important question friends or we're going to be chased by the music for a brief break for some of our affiliate carriers to have a station identification and we do still have lines open if you want to call for the second half is pick up your phone it's 800-4-6-3-7-2-9-7 we'll be right back.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: Welcome back listening friends and we know that some have joined us in and out. This is the Bible Answers Life program and if you have a Bible question that's what we're all about. We do our best to study the Word of God with our friends out there and ask any question related to the Bible and we don't have all the answers but we will do our best and we have some great Bible study resources at our fingertips. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor John Ross is off for the evening and we're going to return to a question that came in from Sergio. Sergio was asking about the will of God and predestination and if God knows everything and if he's chosen that if he's all powerful and some are saved and some are not is God somehow deciding who is saved or who is not. There's some verses that talk about predestination in the Bible. Is that's sort of what you're asking Sergio?
Sergio: Yes. I understand your answer, I appreciate it. But my specific question is according to some passages in the New Testament, God clearly say that some individuals were predestined to be saved and if that's true, as some that are predestined not to be saved no matter their free will.
Pastor Doug: Yes. There's one verse where Paul says in Romans, "Esau I hated and Jacob I loved." And people have thought that that meant well that God just decided that he's going to save and love Jacob and he's going to destroy Esau. But Paul is actually quoting an old testament prophet who is basically saying that "The people of Jacob I've loved. I made a covenant with."
The children of Esau because Esau rejected his birthright, he hated. Jacob was spiritual, he wanted the birthright. Esau was carnal. He just wanted some beans when he got hungry and he was willing to sell his birthright for beans is what it amounts to. God is not saying that he chose that Esau should be lost and Jacob saved. He said that the descendants of Esau who were carnal and earthly minded he hated that and he loved the descendants of Jacob that were looking for spiritual things.
Some have misunderstood that and a few other verses by Paul but it's interesting Peter in 2nd Peter 3, Peter says, "Paul the Apostle says some things that are deep and if people are unstable and unlearned they twist them to their destruction." Many have taken some statements of Paul and twisted them to mean that God has decided ahead of time who's going to be saved and who's going to be lost. Now, that wouldn't be very fair because if God created some people to be lost and then he puts him in the lake of fire and punishes them for being lost. Well, he created them to be lost and then he punishes him for being lost, where's the justice in that? You see what I'm saying, Sergio?
Sergio: Yes.
Pastor Doug: The very fact that God punishes the lost means that they're responsible. They've had a decision that they chose poorly. Hey, I want to send you a free book. The book is Can a Saved Man Choose to be Lost. Matter of fact friends this is a great book. Any of you out there that have a question about predestination or once saved always saved. I could not recommend a book more strongly. Can a Saved Man Choose to be Lost? You can get a free copy by calling our resource line. Here is the number 800, that's the toll-free key. 800-835-6747.
Ask for the book, Can a Saved Man Choose to be Lost and you can read that online for free at the amazing facts web site. I'm looking at it right now at our Web site. Just click underneath the media or the free library and you'll see it there. That's got all the scriptures in it Sergio and you'll really appreciate that. Thank you for your call, and with that, we're going to go now talk to Henry who's calling from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Henry first time caller, thank you for calling.
Henry: Yes Pastor Doug I had a question for you, I have no answer for it. I've the question for 20 years, I can't figure it out. The question is when Jesus died on the cross, there was a thief and he the thief he told him this day you'll be with me in paradise. The question is Jesus didn't take the thief. He couldn't take the thief to paradise because he was in the tomb for three days and he told Mary, "Don't touch me that I am not a sinner." And I'm wondering why wouldn't he tell the thief that and when he was not he hadn't gone to heaven himself yet?
Pastor Doug: You've asked a very observant question that many people have missed. If you look at that passage there in Luke Chapter 23 Jesus is talking to the thief there on the cross. The thief turns to him and says, "Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom." And Jesus said, "Verily I say to you today you will be with me in paradise."
Now, this is very important to understand. When the English translators translate the Bible from the original Greek, it's originally written in Greek. Greek does not have punctuation. Punctuation often tells us where to pause and it helps us understand the meaning, quick story. Years ago a lady telegram-med her husband before they had the telephones. She sent a telegram from Paris saying. "I found a beautiful faux coat I'd like to buy." And he wrote her back and said, "No price too high."
And so she bought the coat. When she got off the ship he said, "What are you doing with the coat? I said no, price too high." Well, there was no comma and because there was no comma. They didn't understand he was saying, "No, price is too high." Instead of saying, "No price is too high." See how that comma completely changed the meaning. What Jesus said to the thief was, "Verily I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise." The emphasis is not "Today you'll be with me in paradise."
The emphasis is, I'm telling you today, I'm making a promise to you today, though I don't look like a king and though I don't look like a lord because you called me Lord and King, you will be with me in paradise. He never was emphasizing you'll be with me in paradise this day. He was saying, "I am promising you today, that you will be with me in paradise." When they did the punctuation there and some translations have corrected that. In the King James, it says, “Verily I say to you, today you'll be with me in paradise." Where really in the Greek it says, "Verily I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise." See the difference?
Henry: I see the difference. One thing I can't figure out there are so many scriptures in Revelations that talks about the sound of the trumpet and the dead in Christ shall be risen first and then Paul says, "To be absent from by is to be present for the Lord." I just get confused what to believe.
Pastor Doug: It sounds like you're wondering when does a person actually go to heaven with Jesus.
Henry: Right.
Pastor Doug: I've got a study guide that you can either download for free or I'll send you a copy and it's called, Are The Dead Really Dead. And it explains when the resurrection happens. It will talk about when the thief actually goes to be with the Lord and it explains when the trumpet sounds in 1 Thessalonians 4 and all the verses you just mentioned are in that one study guide and well-explained.
Sounds like it's right up the alley for what you're looking for Henry. If you just call 800-835-6747, ask for the study guide Are the Dead Really Dead? 800-835-6747. It explains the resurrection when it's going to happen. We'll send you a free copy or always you can read that study guide at the Amazing Facts web site which is amazingfacts.com. By the way, if you YouTube "Doug Batchelor Are the Dead Really Dead" or even if you did "Doug Batchelor Death" I've got several sermons I've done because it's been so much confusion on that subject.
We'll send you a free copy, you can watch it online and we thank you for your call. All right with that, we're going to go next and we're going to talk to Daphne who is listening from New York. And Daphne you're on the air with Bible Answers Live. Thank you for waiting. Your question. You're on.
Daphne: Good evening.
Pastor Doug: Evening.
Daphne: I was just wondering what happened to Ishmael's mother didn't read anything about her on the testament and she was in the wilderness talking to God.
Pastor Doug: Yes. Hagar was Ishmael's mother and Abraham was told to divorce Hagar, because he had taken two wives. He had a son with Sarah finally, Isaac. Then he had had a prior son with Hagar, Ishmael. It was never God's plan that he should marry Hagar and it was bringing strife into the family. God said, “I want you to give a settlement. He gave a gift to Hagar.
Instead of going to Egypt and investing her money she got lost in the wilderness for a while and the boy nearly died of thirst. But Ishmael grew into a great tribe and a mighty people. It does say in the Bible, Hagar took a wife for Ishmael from Egypt. She was from Egypt and brought him to the desert where she and her people ended up growing. Hagar probably lived a good long life and died of old age. She was a queen of the tribe of Ishmael. But it never gives the day of her death or any of those details in the Bible. You're right about that.
Does that help a little bit? Are you still with us Daphne? Okay, Daphne may be muted or of air. Thank you for your question and we appreciate that. We're going to talk next to Lawrence who's calling from New Port Virginia listening on 3ABN. Lawrence, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Lawrence: Yes, pastor.
Pastor Doug: Hi, thank you for your call.
Lawrence: You're welcome. This is my first time of calling.
Pastor Doug: Well, we appreciate it. What is your question tonight?
Lawrence: I've come across a lot of stuff on the internet, like the book of Enoch. I was wondering if I have some clarification about this book and then why it was not added in the Bible.
Pastor Doug: Yes, there's a book called-
Lawrence: Is there anything like the book of Enoch? Because I want to be clear and then get my mind out of it.
Pastor Doug: Yes, the book of Enoch does exist. The question is was the book of Enoch all inspired? Jude quotes from the book of Enoch in his book. The book of Enoch was a piece of literature that wasn't written by Enoch. Of course, Enoch lived before the time of Noah. The book of Enoch to be authentic would have had to somehow survive the flood or be reproduced by Noah, or Moses or somebody. There's no reference in ancient Jewish literature to the book of Enoch.
The book of Enoch only appears after the Babylonian captivity. It's believed that it was written by someone who was named Enoch or claimed to be from Enoch. It had some wonderful inspirational statements in it. Jude calls from one of those statements but it doesn't mean the whole book is inspired. The book was not included in the New Testament. Most of the New Testament books that you find included in the Canon in the scripture are either referenced to by the other apostles or by Jesus himself.
The one fleeting reference from Jude was not enough for those who compiled the Bible or determine which books they believe were inspired to include it because it just appeared out of nowhere in history. Because Jude quotes from the book doesn't mean the whole thing's inspired. Paul quotes from a Greek poet meaning that Greek poet made an inspired statement. But it doesn't mean everything that the poet ever wrote was inspired. See what I am saying?
Lawrence: Yes.
Pastor Doug: I think Abraham Lincoln's speech of the Gettysburg Address was inspired, but it doesn't mean everything Lincoln said was inspired. Jude chose to quote from a small segment in the book of Enoch that did talk about the second coming that he believed was in harmony with the Bible but the whole book was not. All right. Does that help a little bit?
Lawrence: Yes. Indeed.
Pastor Doug: Thank you so much.
Lawrence: Thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Appreciate it Lawrence and check us out on amazingfacts.org. You'll find a lot more material there going next talk to Freddy. Freddy in Brooklyn New York listening in on WMCA. Welcome Freddy, you are on the air with Bible Answers LIve.
Freddy: Hi Doug, how are you?
Pastor Doug: I am much better than I deserve.
Freddy: My question is chapter 3 of the book of Daniel it talks about the three Hebrew boys being thrown into the fiery furnace, It goes further to say when the king Nebuchadnezzar looked into the fire he saw four. My question is after he called out the three Hebrew boys out of the fiery furnace, what happened to the fourth person he saw in the fiery furnace? Was he burned up?
Pastor Doug: No, King Nebuchadnezzar when he said, did we not throw the- by the way, this is Daniel 3;24. After he threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fire, it says the King was astonished and he rose up and said, "Didn't we throw three men in the fire, bound? How come I see four?" Then he goes on and says, "The form of the fourth is like the Son of God". God sent an angel to be with them in that furnace to protect them.
Just like if you read in Daniel chapter 6, when Daniel, was thrown in the lion's den Daniel said, "My God has sent his angel and shut the lion's mouth". God sent an angel to protect Daniel. When they came out of the den the angel just disappeared, became invisible again. But either the angel of God's son himself came to preserve them and encourage them when they were thrown in the furnace for their faith. Are you still there Freddy?
Freddy: That's all right, sounds good.
Pastor Doug: That makes sense?
Freddy: Makes sense.
Pastor Doug: I appreciate your call. That's a good question and even I got some new ideas while I was just looking at that with you, sometimes when I study with others I get I can’t find it myself. We're going to talk next to Robert. We do have another couple of lines free. Before I go to Robert, just reminding you, go to call in your questions at 800-4-6-3-7-2-9-7 with your Bible questions. Still, have time for a few more calls. We are going to talk to Robert in college Place Washington on KFIA. Robert, you are on the air.
Robert: Hi pastor Doug?
Pastor Doug: Hi, your question?
Robert: I want to know tonight regarding the Torah. I know there are Sabbath laws in the Old Testament about wearing something on your clothes, teries, whatever is called-
Pastor Doug: Phylacteries and things?
Robert: You've draped or something, all those colors. Where does the Torah fit in with all these laws and may I know there is ceremonial laws that were done away with but what about the Sabbath laws? Wearing things on your clothes, your tassels and all those other kinds of things?
Pastor Doug: Well, you've got...the word Torah, it means instructions. It is sort of a broad term that can refer to the law. Typically it refers to the first five books of Moses. The priests they were to wear sometimes garments or borders of blue to remind them about the law of God. If you're asking specifically about that part of the Torah, we don't have the Jewish priesthood anymore.
When Christ died, two things were torn. When Jesus died on the cross, it says that the veil in the temple was torn meaning we don't use the temple anymore to sacrifice. Christ is our lamb. The high priest tore his garments meaning that we're not under the old priesthood anymore but Christ is our High priest and we're a nation of priests. We don't need to all go around wearing the Jewish robes anymore. We're not under those articles. Was there anything, other specific question about the Torah?
Robert: No, I just know three's people who are Torah observant and I know that ceremonial laws have been done away with. I just-
Pastor Doug: Well, keep in my mind when you think of the Torah, some people are referring to the five books of Moses and it is the written Torah that's all in the Bible. But they got the spoken Torah which was the commentaries of the Rabbis over time on the books of Moses. They are not inspired because there was almost no end of Rabbis and people who had comments. Some of them were very zany, some were very good. I want to put a lot of stock in the spoken Torah that maybe somewhere where you're reading.
The Zane’s of the different rabbis about the-...if you want to know what the true Torah is, read the five books of Moses. Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Leviticus and I actually didn't just give them in order. That's inspired part of the word of God. Then you got all the rabbi commentaries on that's some of the extended Torah. I want to put a lot of stock in that. I don't know if that helps at all Robert with your question.
Robert: Yes. Thank you.
Pastor Doug: All right. Thank you very much. Appreciate your call. Let me see, we do still have a couple of lines open, if you have a question, 800-4-6-3-7-2-9-7, brings you to the Bible Answers Live studio. All right, going to talk next to Alden who's listening from Las Vegas and you got a question Alden.
Alden: Pastor Doug Bachelor, its finally nice to be able to talk to you. My wife and I listen to you all the time especially during Sabbath.
Pastor Doug: Well, bless your heart. We appreciate your calling in.
Alden: I’m calling from Las Vegas, I had a question regarding a message in the Bible saying you shall not judge. I get hit with this all the time people saying that you can't judge me. You can't judge anything that I believe in. I understand that Jesus said that before you judge, you should remove the plank out of your eye and so on and so forth. The question is the Bible says s that we should have discernment and for me it’s like a fine line between discernment and judging, can you comment on that?
Pastor Doug: Yes probably one of the most misquoted, misapplied verses in the Bible is the one that says judge not or don't judge. The Bible doesn't really say we should never use judgment matter of fact Paul condemns the Corinthian church because they did not judge a brother who was sleeping with his stepmother. And he said, look you should be able to judge in these kind of matters that this fellow should be put out of the church he's doing something that's being mocked by the gentiles.
Jesus said, “When you judge use a righteous judgment” he didn’t say if you judge. We were given brains and God wants us to reason with him and there's times we exercise judgment. He doesn't want to condemning others because when we condemn another person we could bring condemnation on ourselves. If we're going to try to encourage a brother or sister in the way of righteousness then Paul said, “Make sure that you're not doing the very things that you're talking someone else about.”
Alden: I think an issue with not being hypocritical when making a judgment call.
Pastor Doug: Yes exactly, Jesus said If you're going to help a person with the speck in their eye, make sure you don't have a two by four in your own eye. Otherwise it's hypocrisy and you're being inconsistent. At the same time we don't want to go around condemning people but the Lord does-- we don't want to have the attitude that Cain had when God said, “Where is your brother?” and Cain said, “Well I don't want to judge my brother, I'm not her brother's keeper who cares about my brother.”
You've got that extreme where Christians just don't care about anyone because they say I don’t want to be accused of judging, so we don't care about anyone's condition. Then you've got the other extreme where we go around and we're more righteous than everyone else and looking down on others and condemning them, that's the other extreme. Yes don't judge is often misapplied in the Bible. Does that help a little?
Alden: Yes it does, clarified greatly thank you very much for your time.
Pastor Doug: Thank you all and we do have a book, we'll send you a free copy and it's called Facing the judge and it talks about judgment. All you've got to do is call 800 835 6747 one more time 800-8-3-5-6-7-4-7 ask for the book Facing the judge and we do appreciate your call. With that we're going to talk next to Chris who's calling from Canton. Well that's on WMUZ. Chris you're on the air.
Chris: Hey.
Pastor Doug: Hey.
Chris: I would like to know we have some longtime friend that have believed in the Lord and they've been faithful Christians in the way they live but they don't believe in doctors or different things to keep you healthy and alive. They have a daughter right now that's very sick and she hadn’t gone to the doctor to get the procedure on things she was exposed to. Now it doesn’t look at all. I don't know how to approach this because we've known for years, they've been generous, they've been kind but I think I prejudge them because I thought he would be a foolish. Thinking you couldn't get doctors here to serve a purpose.
Pastor Doug: Yes the Bible does say that we can turn to the Lord and trust him for healing. One of the ways God sometimes sends healing is by giving us people that can give treatment. It's not a lack of faith if a doctor says, here I've got a solution for your sickness, it's this procedure, it's medicine.
Chris: How I could I approach it if I know I'll be around them at some point here in the near future?
Pastor Doug: Well, you can show them there's a story in the Bible where King Hezekiah if you can remember that. King Hezekiah was sick and he prayed and Elijah the prophet told him he needed to put a plaster on his boil and he was healed. God used the procedure for him to be healed. God could have miraculously spoken.
Chris: I should tell you this, he rubs honey all over but he’s not well either.
Pastor Doug: I don't know that I'd recommend that but that's strange. Anyway, you can show them that and help them see that there are examples in the Bible where God uses doctors. One of the New Testament books the book of Luke is written by a physician. Luke did not give up being a physician when he accepted Jesus, he did not give up caring about the poor and the sick and the gifts of healing are one of the gifts that God gives people and that doesn't mean all miraculous healing where you just wave your hand and speak over them.
Anyway, hopefully that will help a little bit and you can point them to that story there in the book of Isaiah about King Hezekiah when he was sick and he prayed and God used a medical procedure to help him. Listening friends we are just about out of time but before we go off the air, I want to remind you that amazing facts you can access so much information through the ministry's website which is simply amazingfacts.org. We have a Facebook page. I've got a personal Facebook page I'd love to be your friend you can just go to Doug bachelor and be friends there. I do communicate with the people on my Facebook page and look at all those videos and the studies that we have online. We've got over 50 years’ worth of material for you to study to enrich you in your relationship with the Lord and that is to strengthen you
Also help keep us on the air you can donate online amazingfacts.org God bless you. We’re looking forward to a chance to study his word together again next week.