Alcohol and the Bible

Scientists from Italy have now enabled spiders to spin webs that can hold the weight of a human. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, a team from the University of Trento added graphene and carbon nanotubes to a spider's drinking water to see what would happen. Graphene is a wonder material. Having carbon atoms that are similar to graphite and charcoal. It's the strongest material that's ever been tested. Still, it was a wild guess to see what would happen if it was fed to spiders.

After drinking the enhanced water, the graphene particles were transferred into the spider's silk. Producing webbing that is five times stronger than normal. That makes this spider's silk as strong as pure carbon fibers and bulletproof kevlar.

People have farmed silkworms for millennia to produce silk. Maybe spider's are next. These spiders might soon be enlisted to help manufacture super rope cables and possibly even parachutes.

You know the Bible tells us, there was a man who could break even the strongest ropes. Stay with us friends, we're going to learn more on this edition of Bible Answers Live.

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Announcement: You're listening to Bible Answers Live. Honest answers to your Bible questions. This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this evening's program, call 800-835-6747. Once again, that's 800-835-6747.

Now, let's join our host Pastor Doug Batchelor and our co-host Pastor Jean Ross.

Pastor Doug: Lines are open. If you have a Bible question, give us a call right now, 800-GOD-SAYS. 800-463-7297

We've got some great Bible study resources at our fingertips. We welcome and invite any question related to the Bible or living the Christian life. Again, 800-463-7297. If your phone is ringing a little bit when you call in, just let it ring. Someone will pick up and they'll get you lined up for your question. My name is Doug Batchelor.

Pastor Ross: My name is Jean Ross. Good evening friends. Pastor Doug we like to begin the program with prayer.

Dear Father in heaven, we thank You that we have this opportunity once again to open up Your word and study together. Through these airwaves Lord, we pray that the scriptures will become clear in our understanding. That we grow in understanding of truth. For we ask this in Jesus name. Amen.

Pastor Doug: Amen.

Pastor Ross: Well, Pastor Doug you opened the program talking about an incredibly strong material that comes from a rather small animal. The spider. We've known for a long time that the silk, the spider silk used for the web is remarkably strong as it relates to the size obviously of the spider. Yet they've been able to come up with an ingenious way of strengthening that silk and sort of mass producing it at some point where they could use it in all kinds of things.

Pastor Doug: Yes. What I didn't research and I wish I'd have found out more of. What kind of spiders did they use? Because I just know from personal experience that for instance, a black widow spider web is much stronger.

You've been with me before, I've got a hanger and I've killed hundreds, literally hundreds of black widows. They just love it there. I can always tell when I see a web, when I brush it away, if it was a black widow web or if it was some other spider. Because they're really tough. I thought, "Boy, if they actually fed this graphene to a black widow?" I don't know if they know that. [laughs] Then it's five times stronger. Boy, that'd be pretty tough stuff.

The Bible does talk about a man that they tied up several times. They got fresh ropes because when he first broke the ropes, they said, "Well, they must have been old." So they got brand new green hemp ropes which are very strong. Ships used to use them to hold them in place. It says here in Judges 16:11 Delilah said-- Samson is telling Delilah. "If they bind me securely with new ropes that have never been used, then I'll become weak and like other men." Therefore Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them while he was sleeping, and she woke him up and said, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you." And he got up and he broke them off his arms like thread.

That happened several times. When they tied him up, he just broke-- One time It says "He broke the ropes like they were flax in the fire." He had supernatural strength.

What you might be surprised, if we learned about the scientific effects of how to make spider silk really strong. I'll tell you how to make people really strong. The angel appeared to Samson's mother before he was born and prescribed that she and the child should not eat unclean food or drink alcohol. Judges 13:4-5. The Angel said, "Now, therefore, please be careful." He's telling the mother who is going to be pregnant. "Not to drink wine or strong drink and don't eat anything unclean. For behold, you will conceive and bear a son. No razor will come upon his head, for the child will be a Nazarite to God from the womb and he will begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

The same thing, the angel says a thousand years later, more than a thousand years later to the parents of John the Baptist. Luke 1:15. A lot of people this time of year are reading Luke chapter 1. "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will drink neither wine or strong drink. And he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

Now, some people wish they had the muscles of Samson. But the strength that John the Baptist had was a spiritual strength. Filled with the Holy Spirit and all of us can have that.

It's interesting when you used to drive by the old liquor stores, it would say wine and spirits. [laughs] They were the wrong kind of spirit. The Bible says you want the right kind of spirit, then don't drink the wrong kind of spirit. Some are surprised to learn the Bible says, "Christians should not drink alcohol." When it says wine in the Bible, that Jesus made, it was not fermented. That's the same word they use for grape juice.

You might want to know what the Bible says on this subject friends. We have a free book that we'll be willing to share with you.

Pastor Ross: The book is called, The Christian and Alcohol. This is our free offer tonight. If you'd like to call, we'll be happy to send it to you. The phone line, this resource phone line is 800-835-6747.You can ask for the book, The Christian and Alcohol. We'll be happy to send that to anybody who calls and asks.

Important subject. What does the Bible teach concerning alcohol and the Christian? One more time, this is the resource phone line 800-835-6747. Just call and ask for that free offer.

If you have a Bible question, our phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. Again that's 800-463-7297.

We're going to go to our first caller this evening. We have Don listening in Florida. Don, welcome to Bible Answers Live.

Don: Hello. My question is, Jesus taught us to pray to the Father in His name. How do we then develop a personal relationship with Jesus?

Pastor Doug: Well, you're correct that not every time, but most of the time in the Bible, we're told to address the Father. Keep this in mind, I know this may seem a little confusing. While Christ came into the world and He is called the Son of God, He is also our creator so, in a sense, He is also the Father. You probably, especially this time of year, people are remembering that verse that says, "Unto us, a Child is born, unto us, a Son is given and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, The mighty God, the Everlasting Father."

In a sense, Christ is also a Father to us. Now He's different from God the Father. But I'm saying He created us. How do you develop a personal relationship with Jesus, separate from the Father, you're saying, because you're praying to the Father? Is that the question?

Don: Yes. If we're always praying to the Father, how do we talk to Jesus?

Pastor Doug: Now, remember Jesus said, just before He ascended into heaven, I think Pastor Ross, it was Philip that asked the question, "Show us the Father and Jesus said, "Have I been with you so long and you don't know me? He that has seen Me has seen the Father."

So, when you talk to Christ, or the Father, in Christ's name, God is one. He is one in the essence of who He is with three persons. God is one thing, three individuals.

Pastor Ross: You know, the verse you are referring to is John 14:9. Jesus says, "He who has seen me has seen the Father."

You know, it's interesting Pastor Doug, mentioning that Jesus said The Holy Spirit would come. He will not speak of himself but he would speak of Christ and reveal Christ. Jesus came and he said, "I don't speak of myself but I speak the words which my father has given me and I've come to reveal the father." The spirit reveals the son and the son reveals the father.

Pastor Doug: Then the father says two or three times, "This is my beloved son. Hear him." They're always in cross-endorsing one another. You'll find that the characteristics of the father, Don are identical to the son because they're all love. As you pray to the father in Christ's name, Jesus hears those prayers, The Spirit hears those prayers. It's really developing a relationship with the three out of the Godhead.

Pastor Ross: Also just to add to that passage, we do have an example in the Bible of Stephen who actually prayed to Jesus. This is the time when he was being stoned. It's not Biblically wrong to pray to Jesus although Christ has directed us to send our prayers to the Father in his name. We need to have a personal relationship with Jesus and we can.

Pastor Doug: Peter actually prayed to Jesus when he was drowning. Christ was still on Earth then. He said, "Lord, save me." Quick prayer. If you'd like Don, we have a book that we can send you that talks about the Trinity. It's actually a booklet. It's very easy to read. It's got a lot of Scripture and some good illustrations to help us understand this. Would you like a free copy of that?

Don: Actually, I've read it and it's very good. Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

Pastor Doug: All right. Very good. I hope we helped a little bit with your question.

Don: You did. Thank you very much.

Pastor Doug: All right. Thank you for calling, Don.

Pastor Ross: Next caller that we have is Kent listening from North Carolina. Kent, welcome to the program this evening.

Kent: Good evening, Pastors. My question tonight was I was looking at Hebrews 4:8 from the King James. Do you want me to read it?

Pastor Doug: Sure.

Kent: "For Jesus if had given them rest then would he not afterward have spoken of another day." Now, I understand that the rest, I believe the rest is grace spoken out here. I understand the truth of the Sabbath. My question is would he not afterward spoken of another day. Is this speaking of re-instituting the Sabbath? Can you kindly just go over that series of verses there and primarily verse four, eight for me? Explain that to me.

Pastor Doug: I will. You're asking a question that's a good question because this is a passage that's often misunderstood. You actually have to back up a little bit to the verse just before that, and in verse seven. It says, "Again, he designates a certain day, saying in David" meaning in the Psalms, "Today after such a long time," and now he's quoting from Psalms 95, 7 and 8. "If you will hear his voice, don't harden your hearts."

When it says there in verse 8, "For if Jesus had given them rest." If you look in the New King James or another version, the word Jesus in Hebrew is Yeshua or Joshua. It is not talking about Jesus Christ there our Savior. It's talking about Jesus or Joshua. If he had given them rest when he brought them into the promised land, David would not later have spoken of another day in the Psalms. Meaning the ultimate rest that God is promising was not just the promised land. It's a rest we find in Christ.

Here, the writer of Hebrews, we believe is Paul, he's just saying that the final rest that David promised was not given to them when they inherited the promised land because Joshua brought them in and David was already there and they're still looking ahead to a rest. It was another future rest that would come which came through the Son, Christ. That often confuses people because it says Jesus there and Jesus is actually just the Greek way of saying Yeshua or Joshua. Speaking of the Old Testament Joshua, not Jesus.

Kent: That makes more sense now.

Pastor Doug: All right. Thank you very much. Appreciate your question.

Pastor Ross: Next caller that we have is Doug listening in Michigan. Doug, welcome to the program.

Doug: Hello?

Pastor Doug: Hi. Welcome, Doug.

Doug: Hi. My question is about what Trump did and recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. I just wondered how that relates to prophecy.

Pastor Doug: I'm glad you asked that question. I was hoping someone would bring it up. We even thought of opening the program with an Amazing Fact about that. Well, first, I'll tell you personally, I think it's something that needed to happen. I think most Americans recognize that just because there are some Arab countries that will refuse to admit the existence of Israel as a state and that's why, of course, they refused to admit the capital. It doesn't mean that we have to go along with that nonsense. Israel has been a state. It's been voted by the United Nations. They've been operating for 60 years, 60 plus years. They've become a world power in technology.

They continue denying that they are a state. Once you acknowledge they are a state that they do have their own laws, they have their own leadership, they get to pick where their capital is. No country gets to say where another country is got to put their capital. If it's an independent country, they pick their own capital. Israel has always said it was Jerusalem. That dates back to-- First appears in the Bible in the days of Abraham when Melchizedek who is the king of Salem later known as Jerusalem, Abraham pays him tithes, the place appears. Then Abraham offers Isaac on Mt. Moriah which is a suburb of Jerusalem.

That's where the temple was built. Then, of course, David chose this city that the Jebusites had occupied, Jerusalem. By the way, Jerusalem means 'City of Peace'. That's where you get Shalom. He chose it as the capital way back in 1000 BC. The Jews, whenever they came back even from Babylon in captivity, it once again was the capital of Judea. There was never a question for the Jews when they were given permission to re-establish their state that their capital would be Jerusalem.

It's been hotly contested by some of the Arab world that did not like the way that the Israelis were reintroduced into the region. I just think we had to finally come to the place where we admit it. Now, some are going to say, this is the beginning of the end now because now that they're declared the capital, it's going to be an event and someone's going to blow up the Dome of the Rock and the Jews are going to rebuild the Third Temple and the Antichrist will sit. I don't think that's the next thing to happen. I do think-- Go ahead. You want to say something?

Doug: It seems to me like is the fulfillment of prophecy.

Pastor Doug: The prophecy that it probably closely fulfills is where it says in, Pastor Ross is it Luke where it says Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. That is one specific prophecy. It talks about Jerusalem being trodden of the Gentiles. Some believe that was fulfilled in 1948 when they got their promised land back. Some are probably going to point to Trump's announcement. Others pointed to the congressional seat. Trump just finally recognize what Congress voted with George Bush the first. It's been several years when it was first voted. What's that verse?

Pastor Ross: Luke chapter 21, verse 24. I'll just read it here for those who might not have their Bibles handy. It says, "And they shall fall by the edge of the sword,--" it's talking about a time of persecution for the followers of God's people, "And be led went into captivity to all nations and Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."

Pastor Doug: That prophecy is going to probably get a lot of press for the next few weeks is my guess. I would be careful about saying that means that now the Israelis are going to bulldoze the Dome of the Rock and rebuild the temple. I don't think that's going to happen. Now, there is a prophecy about the Antichrist sitting in the temple of God showing himself he is God. I think that's 2 Thessalonians, Pastor Ross, chapter two if I'm not mistaken.

That temple that's spoken of there is what Christ said, "Destroythis temple made with hands in three days I'll raise it up, he spoke of his body. The church is called the body of Christ. The Antichrist sits over the body of Christ showing himself that he is God. I don't think that's, Jesus walked away from the temple. He said, your house has left you desolate. There's no need for the Jews to rebuild the temple. There's no plans in the government for them to rebuild it. A lot of that is myths among some evangelicals.

Pastor Ross: That was 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 4, is the one you quoted.

Pastor Doug: Now I've got a book I'd like to send you for free. It's a sermon booklet that talks about spiritual Israel. It goes through some of these prophecies and I think you'll really be blessed. It fits right in the bulls-eye of your question. Would you like a free copy of that?

Doug: I would. Just so you know, Don Macintosh was a little brother. I made sure he was a director of my daughter's production of [unintelligible 00:19:47].

Pastor Doug: Well, good for you then. I'm glad you were able to meet Stephen. We just had dinner with him last night. Thank you so much. We appreciate your call. We'll send regards to Don. We'll be sharing, send you that free book.

Pastor Ross: Yes. Just call our resource phone line. It's 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called-- What is it called Pastor Doug?

Pastor Doug: Spiritual Israel.

Pastor Ross: Spiritual Israel. That's right. We'll be able to send this to you, Doug or anybody who calls and asks. The number is 800-835-6747. You ask for the book called Spiritual Israel. If you have a Bible question, our phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. We have Vito listening from Arizona. Vito, welcome to the program.

Vito: Gentlemen it's a pleasure to chat with you.

Doug: Likewise.

Vito: Thank you very much. I'm a first time caller at that. You basically addressed an answer to a partial question I had with the previous caller. Therefore, I'm not going to argue with you or debate you with that question. May I change questions?

Pastor Doug: Sure, yes.

Vito: Thank you. We're not going to be late with that point. Then before you brought Melchizedek. In the book of Hebrews and I'm paraphrasing and I'm driving and I apologize. Jesus was in the order of the priestly line of Melchizedek. I've always wrestled with that. What is your take on that? Who was Melchizedek? Especially the priest of Salem, which means peace right?

Pastor Doug: Melchizedek was the Salem, similar word as same route as Shalom in Hebrew which means peace. Jeru means 'City of'. It wasn't a city back then. It was probably more of a district and he was the king of the area. Melchizedek is sort of an enigmatic character in the Bible. In that as Paul says, "He's without beginning or end." Meaning there is no genealogy given for him. We don't know what people he was from.

He evidently worshiped the most high God and his relationship with God was so pure, that even Abraham brought him tithe after winning the battle. Abraham chose to go out of his way and stop there and pay tithe to this man. It says, "Melchizedek brought out bread and wine to Abraham and his soldiers. " His name Malki means King, Tzedek I think means righteousness.

I could be getting the suffix and the prefix mixed up there. It means king of righteousness. He is a type of Christ. He brings forth bread and wine, Jesus seals the covenant with bread and wine. It says he was a king, Jesus is our king. It says he's a priest, Jesus is our High Priest. King of Salem. Jesus is the king, priest of New Jerusalem. He's one that Abraham actually felt was great and he paid tithe to him.

One more thought on that and Pastor Ross has a thought. It's not in the Bible, but I think it's in Josephus writing, that he speculates that Melchizedek was actually Shem, who was one of the sons of Noah, who was still alive. If you look at the genealogy. Shem was still alive when this battle took place. Some he speculated, you can't prove it.

That Shem when he saw that they were given over to paganism. He heard how God had called Abraham to worship the true God in this new land, that he and his family came. The only one who would be greater than Abraham would be the survivor from the end of the Luvian world, which was Shem. It's hard to disapprove that. It makes sense, but you can't prove it either.

Pastor Ross: It's interesting the whole idea of that appearing in Hebrews. Paul uses Melchizedek as an argument to show, to prove that Christs' priesthood is superior to the priesthood of the Levites. Jesus didn't come through the tribe of Levi, he came from the tribe of Judah. In Hebrews, Paul spends quite a bit of time explaining that Melchizedek is a type of Christ, and that Christs' priesthood is superior to that of the levitical priesthood, because Abraham gave a tithe to Melchizedek. It's kind of an interesting argument that he uses. That's why you find in the New Testament, Paul uses it to help establish Christs' priesthood.

Pastor Doug: It's interesting how Paul does it. He says Levi was still on the loins of Abraham. That's why he gave a tithe to Melchizedek.

Pastor Ross: I hope that helps a little bit. We appreciate your call.

Vito: I appreciate the attention. Thank you so much. God bless and happy Merry Christmas to you all.

Pastor Doug: Likewise. Thanks so much.

Pastor Ross: The next caller is James listening from New Jersey. James, welcome to the program.

James: Good afternoon Pastor Doug. How are you doing?

Doug: Doing good. Thanks for calling.

James: Here's my question, in the book of Acts-- I'm actually [unintelligible 00:24:42] to do a Sunday school lesson on the book of Acts. I do not believe in what Pentecostal and everyone says about the Gift of Tongues, this unknown language. I just want to know what is your take on that.

Pastor Doug: You and I are probably in agreement. I think that the Gift of Tongues in Acts is a fulfillment of a prophesy Jesus makes in Mark 16. Jesus said, "I'm sending you into all the world." They were bright, but mostly uneducated fishermen. He said, "I am going to supernaturally give you the ability to speak in other tongues for the purpose of spreading the Gospel."

What that means is on the day of Pentecost, there were devoted Jews from all over the Roman Empire, at least 16 different language groups. God Supernaturally filled those apostles and the people in the upper room. There was more than just the apostles with the Spirit. They were able to preach in everything from Peruvian to Egyptian, to Latin. All these languages that were represented there in Jerusalem. Those believing Jews then took the Gospel that they heard from the Apostles. They understood the miracle that they were now speaking perfectly in their languages. They took the Gospel back to their native countries. That's the Gift of Tongues.

There's three examples of tongues in the New Testament. They are all in the book of Acts. Acts 2, Acts 10, Acts 19. All three times when they spoke in tongues, there were two or three language groups present. Someone recognized they're speaking in a language that I know, but they didn't know it before.

It was for the purpose of sharing the Gospel. They were not just jabbering in a language nobody knew. Jesus never did that and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. We've got to be very careful about making a doctrine, where God doesn't put a doctrine.

We do have a free book on this subject that we'll be happy to send you. If you're wanting to teach a class on this, I tell you what, you can download this book for free. It's simply called Understanding Tongues. Go to the Amazing Facts website. It's amazingfacts.org. We will both send you the book and you can download it for free, if you need it right away to teach.

Pastor Ross: Again, just call our resource phone line. It's 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called Understanding Tongues. A very important subject. I think you'll enjoy reading and studying that. Just call and ask. It's free, 800-835-6747. Again you can ask for the book called Understanding Tongues.

Doug: Hey friends. We're just going to take a quick a brief break and we do still have some lines open. If you'd like to get your Bible question on. We see those of you who are standing by. We're going to get to your calls. Thank you for your patience. Just give us a call, 800-GOD-SAYS, 800-463-7297. If you're sitting there at your computer, you may want to click on amazingfacts.org. Just type that into Google or something. You can go online and donate to keep us on the air. We'll be right back.

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Announcement: Every Bible question you have answered moves you one step closer to the fullness of God's will for your life. What are you waiting for? Get the answers you need for a fuller, richer, more confident life. You're listening to Bible Answers Live. This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. If you'd like answers to your Bible-related questions on the air, please call us next Sunday between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM Pacific time.

To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this evening's program call 800-835-6747. Once again that's 800-835-6747. Now, let's join Pastors Doug Batchelor and Jean Ross for more Bible answers Live.

Pastor Doug: We are back. We are live. We want to welcome anyone that joined us in or out. This is Bible answers Live. We had some questions tonight about, is there a prophetic meaning to President Trump just officially recognizing, he wasn't the one who really came up with the idea but he is the President finally said "Let's recognize it. We're moving embassy there." Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Folks are wondering what does this mean in the scope of prophecy? You might have a lot of questions about prophecy. I read an amazing testimony tonight of someone that ran into the Amazing Facts websites that deal with prophecy and they said "They're thanking the Lord God almighty." It's a quote. They said they had learned so much in just a few days looking at the information there than they'd learned all their lives on their own. If you would like to see a tremendous website for Bible prophecy, you can remember this Bible Prophecy Truth. You type in Bible Prophecy Truth to Google or Yahoo or Chrome or Microsoft Edge, Bing.

Pastor Ross: All you need is Google.

[laughter]

Pastor Doug: Any of those, it'll take you there to the website. It's Bibleprophecytruth.com or .org. You'll see it talks about angles, mark of the beast, Israel and prophecy, who is the anti-christ, and all kinds of very interesting prophecy subjects and gets deeper and deeper.Bibleprophecytruth. I am Doug Batchelor.

Pastor Ross: My name is Jean Ross. We're going to go to the phone lines. It looks like two lines open [unintelligible 00:32:25] If you want to call in good time to pick up your phone, give us a call 800-463-7297. 800-463-7297. We got Henry, listening from New York. Henry, welcome to the program.

Henry: Yes, how are you? God bless. My question is, if Adam and Eve didn't sin, would we be in the Garden of Eden with them?

Pastor Doug: Well, the Garden of Eden was a specific territory that probably would not hold the whole human race. It would have been like central park of the world because it says "The Lord, God planted the garden." It was a garden that God planted if you can imagine that. A lot of the world, though beautiful, it was untamed. Adam was to go forth. He and his posterity. He was to subdue the earth.

Adam, the first man was really a gardener. He was to dress and keep the garden. As they went forth from the garden they were to explore and subdue the earth. They probably had so many wonderful things that were lost after the flood we don't know about. I'm sure as their offspring spread around the planet they would have maybe gathered at the Garden of Eden. After Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden of Eden, between that time and the flood they used to bring their sacrifices to the gates of the garden where God had put a, I think the word is Seraphim, a flaming fire to guard the way.

There was something sacred about the garden. I don't think everybody would've all congregated there at one time.

Henry: We would have been with them and living the right way we're supposed to live right?

Pastor Doug: Yes, the world would have been perfect. There would have been no sin. We would have been in the Garden with them. Yes, they would have been beautiful. Go ahead, you were going to say?

Pastor Ross: No, I was just going to mention that we do have a book that talks about the earth made new, Eden restored. It's got a interesting name. Maybe it's the old name I can't remember. It's The Colossal City in Space but we might have changed that.

Pastor Doug: The tree of life is and The garden of Eden is in that city.

Pastor Ross: That's right. You can just ask for that study guide and we'll be happy to send it to anybody who calls an asks. It's all about heaven. A Colossal City in Space. The number to call is 800-835-6747. Just call that number and ask for the study guide on heaven. We'll be happy to send that to anybody who calls and asks.

Pastor Doug: Henry, we can be in that city. We can be in that Garden. You'll see it firsthand if Jesus has first place in your life.

Henry: Absolutely.

Pastor Ross: Next caller is Marjorie from Michigan. Marjorie welcome to the program.

Marjorie: Thank you. It's good to hear your voices, Pastors. I'm having trouble getting my words out. I will do my best with God's help maybe I can just try to [crosstalk]

Pastor Ross: No problem you just relax. We're semi-normal.

Marjorie: [laughs] I just said I was going to be a backwards maybe we go figure. Anyway, I have two things. First of all, when I was a little girl, we had a crash. We put under the tree every Christmas Eve. Mine was older than me, way older than me. Joseph had grey hair in this manger. Now, I'm thinking if he had grey hair he was a little bit older than Mary and had been married before and had children and was a widower. Then, when they were spoken to by Gabriel, Joseph took Mary under his wings to protect her. I think that was according to Gabriel. Anyway, am I wrong?

Pastor Doug: No, no. You're actually right on. The first part anyway where Joseph was older than Mary. Here's the reasons we believe that. Jesus had brothers and sisters. They were probably older brothers and sisters or half-brothers and sisters from Joseph because when Jesus is dying on a cross if the other brothers and sisters were younger he would not have placed his mother in the care of an Apostle but he places the care of his mother to John. His brother James is one of the leaders in the Church. That's because they were half-brothers.

Joseph probably was married before his wife had died. He may have been older. Another reason we believe that is when Jesus begins his ministry. Josephs' are already passed away. He never appears again. We believe that Joseph passed away sometimes between Jesus 12 birthday when Joseph last appears and when he began his ministry at 30. We don't know when. That's why most scholars believe that would be true.

He didn't marry Marry. After Jesus was born it says he didn't know her until after, He didn't know her as a husband and wife until after Jesus was born. We have every reason to believe that they had normal marriage relationship after that point.

Marjorie: I believe.

Pastor Doug: Yes.

Marjorie: I'm with you.

Pastor Doug: You said you had a second question?

Marjorie: Yes. This information about Melchizedek, maybe it's just something I dreamt up from reading the Bible. I was under the impression that God performed miracles and that Melchizedek was brought down to administer to Abraham. I don't know how all went around. That's what I thought I understood.

Pastor Doug: Well, you're not alone. A number of people who believe that Melchizedek was a, what do they call it, a Christophany that Jesus came to earth in the form of a man. Others believe it was the holy spirit. I believe it was a real person just because the context of, for one thing, Abraham gives tithe to him. You don't pay tithe to a phantom because it's like when people leave these gifts by a statue of Buddha, the statue doesn't eat them. Anyway, I think that he was real.

Pastor Ross: Yes, absolutely. It's interesting the way Paul speaks of Melchizedek, almost gives you that idea but when you look at the context of what Paul is trying to illustrate with the story of Melchizedek, no, he was a real person.

Pastor Doug: Yes, and thank you for your call.

Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Chris listening from Indiana. Chris welcome to the program.

Chris: Hi, you fellas. How are you there?

Pastor Doug: Doing great. Thanks for calling.

Chris: I had a blasphemy question but I want to stay away from that if that's okay. We all know that blasphemy is an unforgivable sin but you can sit down 20 people and get 20 different answers on that.

Pastor Doug: You don't want to get the 21 answers. I could toss my ring in if I had a ring. [laughs] Okay, go ahead.

Chris: [unintelligible 00:39:30] time. You got to believe that in order to be forgiven for sin, can you get forgiven before you commit the sin or do you have to commit the sin so you're forgiven?

Pastor Doug: Well, I would never want to think that you say "Lord I plan on stealing tomorrow. Can you forgive me now?" because that's called presumptuous sin. It's not the unpardonable sin. That's definitely a sin in itself that you would presume.

Pastor Ross: During the Reformation, there was quite a stir about people who were selling forgiveness for sin. You could buy your forgiveness now and you could use it sometime in the future. Martin Luther and the others, they said you can't be buying forgiveness, that's not the way the Gospel works.

Chris: How is suicide a forgivable sin?

Pastor Doug: There are probably a lot of people who commit suicide that will not be forgiven. If the last act of your life is hopelessness and faithlessness, and you then commit self-murder, that's not good. People who think, "I'm going to kill myself and everything will get better," for most people, that is just a big mistake. There may be a few folks who because of mental illness and or they're going through such pain with their final illness, that they do something that in a moment, that's a rash, we got to be careful not to prejudge because you don't know what's in a person's heart. God is merciful.

I don't think you can say that every suicide is a loss but certainly the ones in the Bible that committed suicide, it was pretty-- Judas hung himself, Ahithophel hung himself. Saul fell on his sword, they were all in a low state at that point. Does that make sense?

Chris: Well, yes and no. I know it's a gray area. There's only one unforgivable sin, suicide will be technically a second unforgivable sin.

Pastor Doug: Well, but it's not called the unpardonable sin. It says the unpardonable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. I have a book on that, I'll send you a free copy. It's a regular book, and it's called Beyond Mercy, talks about what is the unpardonable sin. We address suicide in there. I went through that very carefully because it's a delicate subject.

Pastor Ross: The number to call for that free book is 800-835-6747 that is the resource phone line. Ask for the book called Beyond Mercy. It deals with the unpardonable sin. It's an important read for anyone, not just for Chris, but anyone can call and ask for that.

Our next caller is George listening from Montana, George you're on the air?

George: Hi, I have been very confused in reading the Bible and the commandments. The commandment of Thou shall not kill, and it reverts back to the Christian wars, and then, it goes into different parts of the Bible. In Ecclesiastes chapter 3, there is a time for peace and a time for war. There's a time for love and a time to kill. Then, there's other places in Romans, and there's one in the Gospel I believe it's according to John, where you sell your cloak, and you buy a sword.

Pastor Doug: You're wondering if the Bible's contradicting the 10 commandments by saying Thou shall not kill?

George: No, I'm questioning whether killing in the name of the Lord to keep the faith alive and then going into your country and your family if that's correct, or if it's Thou shall not kill from a bug to a deer. I've heard conflicting stories from hundreds of people.

Pastor Doug: Tell you what, let me take a stab at that. I think that the misconception is coming from the typical reading where it says, "Thou shall not kill." The Hebrew word there for kill is actually murder. When Jesus quotes the 10 commandments in Mark chapter 10, he says, "Thou shall not commit murder." Murder is significantly different than pulling a weed, you can kill a weed, or smashing a mosquito, or if a chicken is killed for Kentucky Fried Chicken, they're not all murdering.

Murder is the unlawful taking of innocent life. If a soldier goes out to defend his country and he in the name of defending his country needs to kill the enemy, he is not tried as a murderer. Paul talks about that the government doesn't bear the sword in vain. If policemen need to take up arms to protect the innocent, then, if they're shooting a bank robber in a shootout, they're not called murderers.

You asked another question in a question where you were wondering about where Jesus said, "Take up a sword, sell a coat, and get a sword." Christ was not suggesting that the disciples take up arms because when Peter pulled out a sword, Christ said, "Put the sword away. Those that live by the sword will die by the sword." When Christ talked about getting a sword, he meant the sword of the word. He used to use that term symbolically. He said, "I came not to send peace but a sword." He meant the sword of the word.

The word of God is quick and powerful, Hebrews 4, "Sharper than any two-edged sword." Probably Christians ought to be taking up arms is what he's saying. That doesn't mean a person can't be armed to protect their home. Anyway, that's a deep question. I'm trying to think, Our study on The Law of God would probably be helpful for this brother.

Pastor Ross: Yes, to receive that study on the law of God the 10 commandments called Written in Stone, the number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide called Written in Stone. We'll be happy to send it to anybody who calls and asks.

Our next caller that we have is Charles listening from Kentucky. Charles, welcome to the program.

Charles: Thank you for having me on.

Pastor Doug: Thanks for waiting. And your question?

Charles: I have been studying some of the levitical lives, and it's somewhat awkward subject. I'm not going to be too I guess upfront. Maybe it would be helpful if you read verses 16 through 18 of chapter 15 to start with.

Pastor Doug: Okay, I think I know where you're going. Leviticus chapter 15, you said?

Charles: Yes and verses 16 through 18, and then I'll explain the question after.

Pastor Doug: Okay. "If a man has a personal emission then he'll wash his body and be unclean until the evening, and any garment and any leather on which is this emission, it shall be washed with water and unclean until the evening, and they'll bathe." Is that the one you're wondering about? "And he lies with a woman?"

Charles: Right.

Pastor Doug: You're wondering is that something we still practice today or what does that mean?

Charles: Well, I'm hoping for a very thorough answer. The reason why is because I don't know how far this has to be taken. Let me explain, I believe in victory over that kind of thing as far as a person not putting any wicked thing before their eyes and that kind of thing. Even with that victory, it seems like that kind of thing still happens even unwillingly. It's not that anything intentional was done or anything, it's just that you wake up--

Pastor Doug: It actually says that, it chances upon him by night Moses refers to that.

Charles: What I want to know then is, on a practical level, how far do you take that? Let's say you sleep in a bed as well [crosstalk]

Pastor Doug: I thin I know where you're going, [laughs] let me just get to the answer here. In Bible times, because of course, they did not have some of the same sanitation methods going through the wilderness that we have today, any emission from your body, if it was spit, if it was anything else, they were told, "You are a nation of kings and priests, you are to be very clean." To play it safe, whether they had a boil that was oozing or anything, it could be the woman's monthly cycle, they were extremely careful about washing everything.

Following those sanitation laws, when they finally did enter into the promised land, then it says, "There wasn't one feeble person among them." I don't think that Moses is saying that if a married couple has normal relations, that they need to go then wash their sheets and they're unclean until 24 hours go by. You don't see that being practiced in the New Testament for one thing, There's no other reference to it. When they were a nation come out of slavery, God wanted them to be very careful. He actually says that, none of the diseases of the Egyptians might come upon them.

They had just some of the most stringent sanitary laws. They even had laws, like, if you found a dead mouse, in a clay pot, you were to break the pot but if it was in a metal pot, it could be washed and salvaged. It was all about being extremely scrupulous and fastidious about sanitation. I understand the nature of what you're asking. We can send you our lesson on God's health laws.

Pastor Ross: God's Free Health Plan deals with some of these Old Testament passages. To receive that give us a call on our resource number, it's 800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide called God's Free Health Plan.

Next caller that we have is Rob listening from Virginia. Rob, welcome to the program.

Rob: Thank you so much for accepting my call. For some reason I've just been seeing all of these YouTube videos and about people who claim that they've gone to hell and lived to experience it and that there's the devil and there's these demons that they're relishing this opportunity to torture people who are condemned to hell. I thought that hell was set aside for a place to torment the demons and the devil.

But also, I was confused because they only can be one place at one time. I imagine that there's billions of people here on this earth that they have to busy themselves, to distract them from the grace of God and they're in hell also relishing that opportunity to torture people or can they be in hell, right now, before the judgment day. Can you help me out with that?

Pastor Doug: I'm glad you asked. First of all, I've run into some of those videos. It seems like people discovered that if you say you had some remarkable experience where you died on the operating table or at a car wreck and then you were revived and you say, "Oh, I had a dream of heaven or I had a dream of hell." They're doing both. They start to describe heaven. One lady I saw recently said, "I went both places so I could bring back a report." They conflict with each other, their experiences that they have, they don't even agree with each other.

We don't want to ever base our theology on somebody's supposed dream because there's all kinds of false prophets out there. Jesus said, "In the last days there'd be many false prophets." When a person says, "I've had this supernatural experience." For one thing, the Bible is very clear, hell is not even burning now. The Bible says the wicked are not cast into hell until the end of the world, after the judgment. The judgment hasn't happened. Because it says the judgment is the last day.

Even Jesus said, in the parable of the wheat and the tares, he said, the tares are the weeds. They're gathered in bundles and they're bound and they're burned and he said, "So will it be at the end of the world." The idea that God puts people in Hell before the judgment day and then the idea that they burn there throughout endless ages. Well, that's from the dark ages. That's not what the Bible teaches. The Bible says the wicked are burned according to what they deserve and they are consumed. They are devoured, they burn up, they perish. There's no more pain. All things are made new.

There's a lot of misunderstandings on that subject. So, when people come back- and the idea that the devils are in charge of hell, the Bible says the lake of fire is prepared for Satan and his angels. They are not in charge. That'd be like making the fox in charge of the chicken coup. They're going there. These people are just not acquainted with the scriptures. I don't want to be so unkind and question their sincerity, but they're just flat wrong and they're scaring folks.

Now, I do think there's a heaven to be won and a hell to be shunned. God does tell us that there's a lake of fire and there's punishment for the wicked and God does tell us, there's a wonderful reward for the redeemed. But, while that might be a starting place for somebody, a mature Christian serves God because we love God, not just because of what's in it for us. Otherwise, you come to Christ as fire insurance.

Rob: Yes. I appreciate that you accepted my call here and I really believe that hell was reserved for Satan and the demons and that they would not be in charge and having a party.

Pastor Doug: No, you can't trust them. Christ said everyone will be punished according to what he deserves. You could never trust the devil to be fair in meting out punishment. Now, he's going to be in there as the prime subject.

We have a study guide. We have two things I want to tell you about. One is there's a website, you can look at real quick. It's free. It's called Hell Truth. It has great resources called helltruth.com. Is that right, Pastor Ross?

Pastor Ross: Yes.

Pastor Doug: Then we've got a study guide, Is the Devil In Charge of Hell? Right down the line with your question.

Pastor Ross: The number to call for that is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide called Is the Devil In Charge of Hell? I think we have time for one more caller. We've got Jerry, listening from Oregon. Jerry, we've got just a minute and a half.

Jerry: Okay. Thank you very much I'll get right to my point, Pastors. I've heard the SDA view and I've heard pastor Doug mention many times that during the thousand years after Christ returns, the earth is desolate. But now, when I look in Revelation 20, verse 3, it talks about him being thrown into, or let me see, it says, "And he hurled him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not mislead the nations any anymore until a thousand years were over."

Now, Revelation 27 says, that at the end of the thousand years, he's released to deceive the nations. So, getting back to if he's thrown into the abyss, where he will not deceive the nations, why is it stated that way if the nations, in fact, aren't there?

Pastor Doug: Well, the nations aren't there because they're dead. When Christ comes, all the nations, Gog and Magog, that's a term for the enemies of God's people or the wicked, in the Old Testament and they're killed by the brightness of Christ coming. Satan has no one to tempt to manipulate for a thousand years. At the end of the thousand years, when the new Jerusalem descends from heaven, Christ will call all the wicked up for the second resurrection and then they're judged. Got a study guide on that you can read for free and it's called A Thousand Years of Peace.

Pastor Ross: The number to get for that is 800-835-6747. Ask for the study guide, A Thousand Years of Peace.

Pastor Doug: Sorry, we had to rush you through that question. Hey, listening friends, thank you so much. We've got a couple more announcements that are very important, but before Pastor Ross and I close out this part of our study, we appreciate anything you could do to help Amazing Facts stay on this station you're listening to. Just go to amazingfacts.com. We'd love to hear from you.

Announcement: Thank you for listening to today's broadcast. We hope you understand your Bible even better than before. Bible Answers Live is produced by Amazing Facts, a faith-based ministry located in Sacramento, California.

Announcement: Throughout recorded history, tales of ghosts and spirits can be found in Folklore in nearly every country and culture. Egyptians built pyramids to help guide the spirits of their leaders. Rome sanctioned holidays to honor and appease the spirits of their dead. Even the Bible tells of a King that used a witch to contact the spirit of a deceased prophet.

Today, ancient Folklore of spirits and apparitions have gone from mere superstitions to mainstream entertainment and reality. Scientific organizations investigate stories of hauntings and sightings trying to prove, once and for all, the existence of ghosts.

Even with all the new film technology and centuries of stories all over the world, there is still no clear cut answer. So, how do we know what's true? Why do these stories persist? Does it even matter? We invite you to look inside and find out for yourself. Visit deathtruth.com.

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