Pastor Doug: Hello, listening friends. Would you like to hear an amazing fact? A polyglot is a person who speaks at least six languages and often more. For example, Queen Elizabeth the first of England could speak 10 languages, and one Ambassador claims she could do it as if they were her mother tongue.
According to the 2008 Guinness Book of World Records, the most prolific polyglot alive today is Ziad Fazah, raised in Beirut, now living in. He claims that he can speak and read 59 languages. This includes French, English, Spanish, Hindi, Swedish, Swahili, German, Urdu, Chinese, Russian, and many more. According to Fazah, a Christian, his remarkable ability to learn languages are a gift from God. Did the Bible says the Holy Spirit can teach a person an entire language in just a matter of minutes? Stay with his friends. We're going to learn more during this edition of Bible Answers Live.
Speaker 1: 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 John Ross.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Welcome listening friends to Bible Answers Live. This is one of the most exciting times during the week where we invite people listening across the country and other parts of the world to call in with any Bible question. We don't claim to have all the answers, but we've got a book in front of us that has the answers, that is the Bible, the Word of God.
Lines are open if you want to call in with a Bible question. Here is the number 800, God says, that's 800-463-7297, of course, it's free in North America. Maybe you weren't ready, we'll give it to you again. 800, God says, 800-463-7297 with your Bible questions, also want to greet and welcome our friends that are watching via Facebook and that would be at the Doug Batchelor Facebook page. We're going to begin the program with a word of prayer pastor, Ross.
Pastor John Ross: Let's bow our heads. Dear Father in heaven, we thank you once again that we have this opportunity to open your word and study together this evening and [unintelligible 00:03:03] only want to ask your presence be with us here in the studio as we searched the scriptures, be with those listening wherever they might be. Thank you, Father for the opportunity for us to just dive deep into your word to find truth that changes people's lives. Bless our time this evening in Jesus name, amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Pastor John: Pastor Doug, you opened the program by talking about an individual who's able to speak more than 50 languages. That is remarkable. We meet someone that might be able to talk two, maybe three, maybe four languages and we are really impressed, [laughs] but someone who's able to speak over 50 languages that's hard to manage.
Pastor Doug: It's mind-boggling. I think I've met one person that told me they spoke seven. It's not that uncommon in Europe to meet people that live in around Switzerland. They'll speak French and they speak Swedish, they speak German, they'll speak a number of Italian because they're all bordered by those countries. It's very impressive though.
What's really amazing is when you meet somebody that could speak 15, 20 languages. It's mind-boggling but Mr. Fazah is not the one in history who has the biggest record. There was actually somebody that spoke 200 languages, I think it was John Brown and an ambassador for England that actually was stationed at one point in Hong Kong, but he had an incredible ability with languages.
The Bible tells us that God supernaturally, of course, can give people the ability to speak languages they never formally knew or studied, and you have an example of that happening in Acts Chapter 2.
First, Jesus foretold it would happen. He said these signs will follow those that believe. He promised that in Mark Chapter 16, but then you get to Acts Chapter 2, and when they were assembled together in that one place in the upper room, and they were praying together, the Holy Spirit came down upon them in the form of tongues of fire. You wonder if it being tongues of fire is a symbol also, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak with other tongues and the word tongues that means languages, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
You read on, and it tells us that they were speaking, the people present represented 16 different language groups, that were able to hear the various apostles speaking to them in their languages about the wonderful works of God. This is sometimes known as the gift of tongues, and God can supernaturally give a person the ability to speak, or to understand the language they've never known before.
I think I sort of experienced it in the small degree one time when I was driving across New Mexico, I picked up a Spanish gentleman who was hitchhiking and I didn't really speak any Spanish, and he didn't speak any English.
Here I wanted to share my faith with him, but I said, "Lord, I'm going to need the gift of tongues," and nothing instant happened, but by the time we got to LA a day later, we were conversing. [laughs] When I got home after two days brought him with me, live with us and he accepted the Lord, got baptized.When we got when I drove home after that trip, people said, "We didn't know you spoke Spanish." I said, "I didn't two days ago." [laughs] I just could see that with the help of the Spirit, you can learn very quickly as well.
A lot of people have questions about the gift of tongues because it's often confused or misunderstood what the teaching of tongues really means. Is it just ecstatic utterances that nobody understands? Is it babbling in the spirit? Are these all known languages? Are they the languages of angels? I've heard all kinds of different theories. We have a free offer tonight that hopefully will make it very clear with lots of Bible support.
Pastor John: The book is called Understanding Tongues and that is a free offer for this evening, we will be happy to send it to anybody who calls and asks.
The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called Understanding Tongues. That number again is 800-835-6747. Ask for the book called Understanding Tongues, we will be able to send it to anybody who calls and asks.
If you're outside of North America. You can read the book for free online, just go to the amazing facts website, amazingfacts.org or.com. You'll be able to look the book up called Understanding Tongues. Well, we are ready to go to the phone lines Pastor Doug, our first caller this evening is Michael listening in Wisconsin. Michael, welcome to the program.
Pastor Doug: Michael, you're on the air.
Pastor John: Is it Michael or Miquel?
Pastor Doug: Hello, maybe they got the mute on.
Pastor John: All right, we might come back. We have Tim listening in Vermont. Tim, welcome to the program.
Tim: Good morning or good evening. How are you?
Pastor Doug: Good. How are you? Thank you for calling.
Tim: I have a question concerning tattoos. I know several pastors that have tattoos but I also know what Leviticus 19:28 states. I was just curious on what your opinion is on these.
Pastor Doug: Well, my opinion I hopefully is what's plainly stated in the Bible and Leviticus 19. You've seen it, you know the verse, the Bible tells us, "Don't make any markings in your flesh." I think some translations actually say tattoo. Pastor Ross, what version are you looking at?
Pastor John: Yes, that's the New King James version- [crosstalk] -the tattoo, yes.
Pastor Doug: Yes. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Now I know tattoos are widely practiced and distributed today. This is not to condemn anybody. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. God wants us to keep our bodies pure. I think if someone saw somebody spray painting graffiti on a beautiful temple, they would say, "Well, that's kind of sacrilegious. That's a temple, you shouldn't desecrate it like that." Well, your body's a temple.
The Bible says don't make markings in your flesh like the pagans do or the heathen. I know it's very popular. Certainly, if a person does that it's not the unpardonable sin, they can be forgiven and a lot of people have been convicted after they get a tattoo might be from moral or just because they don't like the tattoo, they want it removed. It can be a little bit painful and expensive, but to some extent, it can be done. Sometimes it leaves a little scarring.
Yes, Bible's pretty clear on that, even though it's a cultural fad right now, I kept waiting for it, people get tired of it, but it seems like it's still going strong.
Tim: Well, I appreciate you giving me your answer and mine is the same thing, I just wanted to make sure.
Pastor Doug: All right. Well, thank you. If we're both reading the same book, should come up with the same answer says, "Thou shalt not make any markings in your flesh." Thank you so much for your question. I'm just trying to think, we do have a book called, Jewelry: How Much Is Too Much? It talks a little bit about Christian and dormant and modesty and that might also shed some more light on that subject.
Pastor John: Yes. In order to receive that book for free, just give us a call and ask. The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called Jewelry: How Much Is Too Much? Again, free. Anybody give us a call, we'll send it out to you. Our next caller is Julian listening from Alaska and Julian. Welcome to the program. How about Julian in Arkansas?
Julian: Hello, this is Julian in [unintelligible 00:10:39] Alaska.
Pastor John: Hey Julian. Thanks for calling.
Julian: All right, so my question is, well let me say this. I'm an Alaskan native man and I'm also a Christian. I believe in Jesus with all my heart. I sing Athabaskan songs, native American songs with my drum.
Pastor Doug: Oops. I think we might have-
[crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: -Julian.
Pastor John: -lost Julian. Julian, if you can call us back, we'll try and get your call if you wouldn't mind calling us back for some reason we got cut off. We've got Melvin listening in New Jersey. Melvin, you on the air.
Melvin: I'm on there. Bless you, and bless the pastor and bless the pastor. My curiosity is the word prodigal son. Does that only mean that son that went away. He took his stuff and then did bad. He came back or is Jesus related somewhere with the word prodigal?
Pastor Doug: All right. Yes. The word prodigal actually means a person who is wasteful. When a person is squandering something, it is often depicted as someone who is prodigal in their behavior. One of the father's sons went and squandered his father's resources. Jesus is more the loving father that receives the son back. He's never compared to the prodigal in any way. That's a beautiful parable there that you'll find in the gospel of Luke, only place you're going to find it and about the father's love.
Now, it turns out that the boy who ran away, the prodigal son, the younger brother was not the only one that was maybe lost. The older brother didn't seem to have very much love for his younger brother. That represents sometimes how at the time of Jesus, the Jewish believers didn't have as much love for the Gentiles. They used to say, "Well, you've been away from the father and now you just coming back and you wanting to accept the Messiah. That's not fair." Anyway, Hey, we appreciate your question very much. Marvin and Melvin and the hope that helps a little bit.
Pastor John: Our next caller is a Batiati from California. Batiati you are on the air.
Batiati: Thank you. I'm not from California. I'm from Alberta, Canada.
Pastor John: Well I see the CA there. That must be for Canada, not California then. Thank you.
Pastor Doug: It's both. That's called Northern California. Sorry, your question.
Batiati: My question is, my husband and I have been studying the book of John and we have come across in John 3:13 where it says, Jesus told the disciples that there are no humans in heaven or it doesn't say, humans. It says people aren't in heaven. We were wondering about what about Enoch and Moses and Elijah, are they not?
Pastor Doug: That's a verse that's often confused people when it says no one has ascended to heaven, but he who came down from heaven. Jesus is not talking about ascended there as Elijah did not go to heaven or Enoch did not go to heaven. He said, "No one had come from heaven to earth and back again. The only one who is the representative of heaven to earth was Jesus." This was not, I don't think, a patent statement that Christ is making.
Pastor John: I think also in the context that Jesus is talking about the question asked, Jesus says, "You need to be born again." Nicodemus says, "How can these things be?" Jesus says, "You're a teacher in Israel and you don't know this." Then he reemphasizes his authority and he says, "No one has gone up to heaven and come down to explain these things to you except the son of man." When Jesus is talking about no one ascended up to heaven and come down, meaning Jesus is the authority that can speak on the subject. He's the only one that has come down from heaven to explain these truths.
Batiati: Okay, that's good.
Pastor Doug: Yes. We always think of the word ascend is only going up, but in the context of Christ is talking about nobody on earth had gone to heaven and brought back information but Christ is the one who's done that.
Batiati: That makes it clearer for us.
Pastor Doug: Thank you very much. Appreciate your question.
Batiati: Thank you.
Pastor John: Our next caller is Betty listening in North Dakota. Betty, welcome to the program.
Betty: Thank you. Good evening.
Pastor Doug: Evening.
Betty: My question is from 2 Samuel, "And when Solomon finished the temple, he brought the arc back in." I know the law was in there, but do they know if the stuff of Aaron and manna was still in there or no?
Pastor Doug: That's a good question. I just know by the time you get to, is it like Hezekiah, it tells us the only thing that was still in the arc at that point was the stones. At some point between the time of Solomon and the time of Hezekiah, somebody had again opened the lid and pilfered out the pint of manna that had been put there by Moses and the staff of Aaron. It appears that there's a verse where it says the only thing in the arc was the tables of stone.
Betty: Do you know where that verse is?
Pastor Doug: I think pastor Ross is looking for it right now. It says, the tables of stone or two tables of stone and it would say, ark and that might be during the time of King-
Pastor John: Yes, we got it. 1 Kings 8:9. "Nothing was in the ark except the two tables of stone, which Moses put there." 1 Kings 8:9.
Betty: Thank you so much, I really enjoy your program.
Pastor Doug: Thank you so much. We're happy to have a happy customer. Now we do have that, the study guide that talks about the Written In Stone.
Pastor John: Yes. We'll be happy to send that to anyone who calls and ask. The number is 800-835-6747 you can ask for the study guide called Written In Stone, all about the 10 commandments.
Announcer 2: Did you know amazing backs has a free Bible school that you can do from the comfort of your own home. It includes 27 beautifully illustrated study lessons to aid in your study of God's word. Sign up today for this free Bible study course by calling. 1-844-215-7000, that's 1-844-215-7000.
Pastor John: If you have a Bible question we have-- Looks like two lines still open. I say it's a good time to give us a call. The number is 800-463-7297, 800-463-7297. Our next call is Josephine, listening from Texas. Josephine, welcome to the program. You're on the air.
Josephine: Hi pastor.
Pastor Doug: Hi. Thank you for calling.
Josephine: Thank you. My question is, when did satan probation close? Did it happen in heaven when there was a war in heaven and satan was cast out with the angels that he was able to deceive? Was that when his probation closed?
Pastor Doug: Well, we don't know the exact date, but we're fairly certain that before the war in heaven, Satan, ran out of probationary time. God probably dealt with him patiently, we don't know how long. He slowly was rebelling and becoming unsatisfied and spreading things. I think there probably was a point along the way where Jesus would have forgiven him but when it turned into an open revolt, with angel pitted against angel and I think at that point it says he was cast out. I would think because of those words.
Also, his title changed at that point. It then calls him the dragon, serpent, and devil. That's all in revelation 12-. I don't remember the exact verse.
Pastor John: You know just another verse dealing with this. If you look in 2 Peter chapter 2, it says, "For God did not spare the angels of sin, but cast them down to hell or [unintelligible 00:18:41] Tartus as the Greek [unintelligible 00:18:42] to deliver them chains of darkness to be reserved for the judgment." Then it goes on and says, "And did not spare the ancient world, but save Noah."
This must be before the flood where the devil, his probationary time has ended. If you just follow the sequence of events there in 2 Peter, the next thing talks about Sodom and Gomorrah. Talks about Lot. If you just follow the sequence, it appears that the devil's probation was closed definitely prior to the flood, probably before the creation of the earth. He had already fully rebelled against God.
Josephine: Thank you both so much. I appreciate the answers. Thank you, God bless you both.
Pastor Doug: Hey, by the way, we have a DVD you can watch for free online, a video. Nobody uses DVDs anymore and it's called Cosmic Conflict and Cosmic Conflict traces the rebellion of Lucifer. It's in a DVD that you can see we've produced and been very popular. You can probably watch that for free at the Amazing Facts YouTube site. Appreciate your call.
Josephine: Thank you. Thank you. Bye.
Pastor John: Our next caller that we have is Mona listening, Ohio. Mona, welcome to the program, Maria, welcome, Maria.
Maria: Yes. Hi guys, I've been studying with you for decades.
Pastor Doug: Praise the Lord. We're glad you've called in tonight.
Maria: [inaudible 00:19:56]
Pastor John: Oops, I think we might have lost Maria there again. Maria, for some reason, our phone line here just dropped you. If you wouldn't mind calling us back. We'd love to hear your question. Let's see who else do we have that we can get? Philip listening in California? Philip, you are on the air.
Philip: I have a question of divorce and remarriage. As a Christian, I got married to a woman who divorced me and then 10 years later I got married again. I was wondering if you think it's wrong, do you have to divorce your present spouse to go back to her [unintelligible 00:20:32] single?
Pastor Doug: Well, if you're married now, you don't want to try to unscramble scrambled eggs. There's actually a verse in Deuteronomy that if a man divorces his wife, and she goes and becomes another man's husband, and she leaves that man, she cannot return to her first husband, lest you defile the land. God, He didn't want married people swapping in and out and trying someone else for a while. That was forbidden.
If you're divorced, and you're remarried now, Bible says it's not appropriate to be-- Especially if you're married, don't even think about who you might be married to. Otherwise, you need to love your wife.
If you didn't get together under the right circumstances, it doesn't mean you run and get divorced now. You're either married or you're not and if you're married, you made a covenant and you want to keep that covenant.
David didn't really have a right to marry Bathsheba and David suffered for doing that. Once he was married to Bathsheba, he knew better than to put her away. He stayed married to her until the day of his death.
Philip: God bless you. Thank you for your answer.
Pastor Doug: All right. Thank you very much. Appreciate your question. We do have a book.
Pastor John: We do, yes. I think you'll enjoy it Philip, or anybody wanting to learn more about this. The book is called Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. We'll be happy to send it to anyone who calls and asks, the number to call is 800-835-6747. Again, you can ask for the book called Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. We'll be happy to send it to anybody who asks. Our next call is Daniel listening in Arizona. Daniel, welcome to Bible Answers Live.
Daniel: Hey, good evening, how are you guys doing?
Pastor Doug: Good. Thank you for calling.
Daniel: All right, my question is in Luke chapter 22:36. "Then he said to them, and now Jesus speaks, but now he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one." Was Jesus talking about literally buying a weapon?
Pastor Doug: No. Because later Jesus tells Peter, when Peter pulled out a sword to fight, he said, "Put away your sword, he that lives by the sword will die by the sword." If you look at verse 38, for a minute, and they said, I'm in Luke 22:38. After Jesus makes this statement, he said, "Look, Lord, we have two swords." He said to them, "It is enough."
Now the way that translates is the Lord said enough of this. He wasn't saying they were going to overthrow the Roman army with two swords. He was saying, you're not getting it. It's like one time they were crossing the sea and Jesus said, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees." They began to look around to leaven of the Pharisees, "Oh man, we forgot lunch."
Jesus said, "Don't you get it? I'm not talking about physical bread." It's like when Christ said, "I did not come to send peace, but a sword." He used the word sword in a spiritual sense. Here when he says, "Sell your garment and buy a sword," he meant have the word of God in you. He wasn't telling them to take up arms.
Daniel: Okay, thank you. Thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: All right. Hey, thanks. Great question.
Pastor John: We do have a book called The Ultimate Resource it's all about the word, about the sword of the spirit. I'd be happy to send it to anyone who asks, the number is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called The Ultimate Resource all about the Bible. If you have a Bible question, our phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. Again, that's 800-463-7297. Our next caller this evening is we got Candace listening in Texas. Candace, are you there in Texas?
Candace: Yes, yes. Hello.
Pastor John: Hi. Welcome to the program.
Candace: Yes. First, I just want to make real quick, Doug, I love your sermons and I'm where I'm at today because of your sermons so thank you.
Pastor Doug: Praise the lord.
Candace: Here's my question. I've been home-bound, I won't go into detail but chronic health situation since 2015 and a member of my church said that I should be there in person but the doctor said I can't be around tons of people, I won't go into it. What does the scripture say about that, now that we have a technology and I can watch online, if our health is severe, what does the scripture say?
Pastor Doug: Well, the ideal, of course, is if you have the health, the Sabbath is a time for corporate worship. You read in Hebrews in chapter 10, it says, "Do not let us forsake the assembling of ourselves together." God is understanding. If a person's health is failing, and they can't do that in a practical way he doesn't want us to-- You get the rare occasion where some friends carried their friend to church, that was so he could be healed.
If a person is is sick and injured, you're not going there for healing and you're able to participate in the services at home through either satellite Television or online, I think the Lord will bless you in that way.
If the doctor says it's not safe for you to go or your health can't sustain it I know in our church, we've got a lot of members that because they get aged and infirmed they can't go to church and we're thankful for the technology that allows them to watch at home.
Of course, if you're healthy, yes, that would be the thing to do. I worry about people who can make it and they don't. Spiritually it's important to fellowship and spend time together in corporate worship, but if you can't, God understands.
Candace: Okay. Thanks. Thank you for answering that. I knew I had the same thought you did but I just wanted scriptually bound and I agree. If you're healthy enough, then definitely attend, if you can that should be the first priority. I thank you for your time and answering that.
Pastor Doug: Thank you so much for your call. We'll be praying for your health.
Pastor John: We had spoken a little earlier to Julian in Alaska and I think we got him back. Julian, are you there? Julian Alaska you're on the air.
Julian: Awesome. Brother Doug. I've been blessed by your sermons. I've been watching them on YouTube and Facebook. Thank you for all that you do.
Pastor Doug: Well, praise the Lord we're glad you got back through.
Julian: Awesome. I'm a Native American man and I'm also a follower of Jesus.
Pastor Doug: Julian you hear, this is bad timing. We're just getting ready to come up on a break here. Do you mind standing by and you'll be first in line when we come back? You just hang on Julian and we've got to take this break during halftime. Friends don't go away, we got more Bible questions coming your way in a moment.
[music]
announcer 1: Stay tuned. Bible Answers Live will return in a moment. Journey back through time, to the center of the universe. Discover how a perfect angel transformed into satan the arch-villain. The Birth of evil, a rebellion in heaven. A [unintelligible 00:28:01] that moved to earth, the hole, the creation of a beautiful new planet and the first humans. Witness the temptation [unintelligible 00:28:14]. Discover God's amazing plan to save his children.
This is a story that involves every life on earth, every life. The cosmic conflict, if God is good, if God is all-powerful, if God is love then what went wrong? What if you could know the future? What would you do? What would you change to see the future? You must understand the past.
Speaker 2: Alexander the Great becomes King when he's only 18 but he's a military prodigy.
Speaker 3: 150 years in advance Cyrus had been named, Rome was violent. They were ruthless. They were determined.
Speaker 4: The Gospel writers see his death as a fulfillment of salvation.
announcer 1: This intriguing documentary hosted by Pastor Doug Batchelor explores the most striking Bible prophecies that have been dramatically fulfilled throughout history Kingdoms in Time. Get your copy today. Available now on DVD blu ray or USB. For more information, visit kingdomsintime.com. For life-changing Christian resources, visit afbookstore.com.
[music]
Speaker 1: 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 John Ross for more Bible Answers Live.
Pastor Doug: Welcome back listening friends to Bible Answers Live, and if you tuned in along the way, this is just what the title depicts, we are live international Bible study. You can call in with your Bible questions, and the lines are still open, we have 800, God says, 800-463-7297, my name is Doug Batchelor.
John Ross: My name is John Ross and before the break, we were talking to Julian in Alaska, Julian time for your question, thanks for your patience.
Julian: All right, before we get disconnected again-
[laughter]
Julian: -I'd like to discuss my question.
Pastor John: Sure, go right ahead. Julian are you there?
Pastor Doug: That wouldn't even be funny.
[laughter]
Pastor John: That wasn't me ,I didn't touch anything.
Pastor Doug: Try, hit it again.
Pastor John: Julian are you there?
Julian: I am.
Pastor John: All right, ask your question, I don't know why it keeps dropping, but-
Pastor Doug: Your question seems jinxed so you better ask it quick.
[laughter]
Pastor John: We're ready for it.
Julian: I know and can I be Native and follow Jesus Christ? I'm a Native American man.
Pastor Doug: Sure I worked for a year and a half with Native Americans in Nageezi, New Mexico, and Waterflow, New Mexico. Of course, you can retain your heritage, and still God doesn't prevent anyone based on their genetics from being a Christian. Now, with any people, there may be certain parts of a person's traditional religion that conflict. There are beautiful things probably in everybody's heritage and traditions. Then there may be some things connected with certain religions that are non-Christian that would be a conflict and so if there's anything that is a biblical conflict that's different. Does that make sense?
Julian: That does make sense.
Pastor Doug: There is certainly nothing wrong with being a Native American and believing in Jesus.
Julian: Absolutely, I've been hurt by people before who said that I'd have to-- I drum and I sing songs, but they're all songs of thanksgiving and praise, and I don't pray to anyone, but Jesus.
Pastor Doug: Writing songs in your native tongue that'd be beautiful, if you're writing spiritual songs. Even different cultures have folk songs that may be innocent in and of themselves. Some people think that anytime you sing and it isn't specifically about Jesus in the Bible that it must be wrong. But even in the time of Christ, you look at some of the Psalms, some of the Psalms were more patriotic, there are Psalms that were about battle. You might have a folk song, you might have a love song, there is one in the Bible too.
As long as it's not violating some biblical principle, with that said if a person says, "Well, I want to follow my native religion [chuckles] that requires me to run around naked," that might be a problem.
Julian: [laughs]
Pastor Doug: You know what I'm saying?
Julian: I do. Brother, for whatever reason this question was so hard to ask we kept on getting disconnected, but I was just blessed by the answer, thank you.
Pastor Doug: All right, thank you so much, we appreciate your persistence and your patience, Julian. God bless you.
Pastor John: Next caller that we have is Zika in Tennessee, Zika, welcome to the program.
Zick: It's actually Zick, it's an honor to speak with you. I love your book, The World's Richest Caveman, and been watching your show for years. Anyway, my Bible question is where did Cain find his wife? If they were like-- Adam and Eve were the first two people on earth, and Cain went to the land of Nod.
Pastor Doug: Good question, and we get this question a lot, it's normal. People start reading the Bible and they go, "Wait a second here," and it says, Adam had two sons, Cain and Abel and Cain killed his brother, and then he decided, "Well, I'm leaving town." He took his wife. They go, "Wait, wait, wait, wait, where did he get a wife?"
The easy answer is when you finally go on to Genesis 5, you'll see Adam and Eve had many sons and daughters, besides Cain and Abel and Seth. There was nothing wrong in the early days of creation with someone marrying a sister or a half-sister because the genes were all perfect and pure, there was no problem of genetic birth defects.
Abraham married his half-sister Sarah, and Abraham had the same father, and Jacob married his cousin, Isaac married his cousin. It wasn't until the time of Moses that it was discouraged getting married too close to the family tree. Think about it, Adam and Eve technically had the same parentage that's even weirder than that. Eve came out of Adam side. There was nothing wrong back then. Cain took his sister, one of the sisters and she became his wife.
Pastor John: The verse that you're referring to there is Genesis 5, it says, "And he begat Seth and in the days Adam was 800 years, and he had sons and daughters," so it was more than just Abel, Cain, and Seth, there were sons and daughters as well.
Pastor Doug: Yes, and if right now a person is fertile for 30% of their life, it's not that long it might be 30 years, but in Adams time if you lived 900 years, and you're fertile for 30%, think of how many kids you'd have in 300 years. They probably had a pretty big [unintelligible 00:36:01]. Hey, thank you for your question.
Pastor John: Next caller that we have is Michael from Michigan, Michael, welcome to the program.
Michael: Hello, Pastor John Ross and Pastor Doug, how are you guys tonight?
Pastor Doug: Great, it's probably morning somewhere, thank you for calling.
Michael: [chuckles] My Bible question is, should we be afraid of evil spirits, even if you're a Christian in your home, are they still able to creep their way into your house without knowing it? Do they actually mingle with God's angels too?
Pastor Doug: There are good and evil spirits everywhere most of the time. God surrounds us with guardian angels, and they're guarding us against probably evil, fallen demons is what they are fallen angels, that would like to cause problems and tempt and frighten. We don't need to worry about that. I'm sure there are, just like God's got His Spirit and His angels trying to encourage you to do good, the devil's got his fallen angels that would probably tempt us, and suggest things that are not good.
It's not that far away from the old cartoon where you see the good angel on one shoulder, and the bad angel whispering in the other ear. I don't believe in any little angel sitting on your shoulder, but the concept that there's a spiritual war going on between good and evil angels, all the way from the temptation of Christ through the Bible you see that. Are there evil angels around? Yes, I don't let it frighten me because you just accept it and your good angel is guarding you, God's Spirit.
Pastor John: We do have a verse on that.
Michael: Well, say there was something on your shelf, or in your room or something, and something just came in, and I don't know, I just woke up and it's a heavy object, but the way it just hit the ground it just woke you up in the middle of the night. What are you supposed to do you, are you supposed to be afraid waking up, and just scared as you can be like a cat, and just [unintelligible 00:37:59] to bed?
Pastor Doug: I wouldn't worry about that, if something falls off my shelf at night, whether it's the cat, the squirrel, or a devil doesn't make any difference to me. So what if the devil pushes something over all night, I'm not going to sit there wring my hands all night because I already believe there are devils, it doesn't bother me.
Pastor John: Let me give you a verse, if there is something in our house that we know should not be there, we don't want to give the devil a foothold, if we have books on the occult or that kind of stuff. If we've done everything we can, then we need to just trust that God will protect us.
Jesus said, "I saw Satan fall like lightning," this is Luke 10:18, then He said, "Behold, I give you authority to trample on serpents, and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." When Jesus says trample upon serpents, and scorpions, He's not talking about literal snakes, and scorpions, those were symbols of evil powers. Jesus has given authority over, now that doesn't mean we go looking for demons, and trying to exercise authority over them.
Pastor Doug: Jesus said, "They won't hurt you I'll watch over you," and Bible says, "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world." At the same time, there is a wrestling match you read about in Ephesians 6, between good and evil spirits, and just put on the armor of God. We do have a book on the armor of God that we could offer you for free.
Pastor John: The number to call is 800-835-6747, you can ask for the book called The Armor of God, again that's 800-835-6747 if you're outside of North America. I know we have some folks listening on Facebook. If you'd like to read the book just go to the Amazing Facts website, amazingfacts.org or .com, and you can look up the book The Armor of God. Next caller is Maria listening from Ohio, Maria, welcome to the program.
Maria: Hello, I got cut off earlier, sorry about that.
Pastor John: Thanks for calling back.
Pastor Doug: No, we're sorry.
Maria: [chuckles] My question is about-- By the way your halftime was way better than a Super Bowl, we turned that off.
Pastor Doug: that's a compliment. We had to sell [unintelligible 00:40:03] time they make a lot of money.
Maria: My question is about Eve when the serpent asked her, "Did God say you shouldn't eat this? She said, “We shouldn't eat it, we shouldn't even touch.” It doesn't say that. I was wondering if that that was a lie and embellishments, wouldn't that has been the first sin? Why wasn't the sin counted towards Eve so much-- It was counted more towards Adam than it was towards Eve?
Pastor John: Let me jump in on it, you can add something but just real quick. The impression was made very clearly to Adam and Eve that they would have nothing to do with the tree and the fruit. Or what's the purpose of picking fruit and holding it in your hand if you know you can't eat it? In Eve's mind, and also, quite possibly in the heart of Adam, it was for them something to stay away from, not even to touch the fruit, not even to entertain the thought of eating the fruit.
It doesn't necessarily say that, --It says don't eat of the fruit, but there might have been further discussions. Maybe Adam and Eve had spoken about it as well and said, “You know, let's not even touch the fruit, let's stay away from the fruit.” Just because that specific phrase is not listed, it doesn't mean Eve was lying. Of course, lying would be a sin, and she hadn't eaten of the fruit at that point.
Another thought, actually, Paul brings this out in New Testament, he says Eve was deceived, but Adam purposely chose. When he took the fruit and ate of it, he knew the consequences. He knew what God said. Eve was to some degree, she was tempted. She was deceived by the serpent, but Adam purposely chose to disobey God in fear of losing Eve. Both of them are guilty for that.
Maria: Do you think they fully knew the consequences, they knew that they would die in that day, but when they had to watch the animals be sacrificed in the all of nature? Did they realize that that was a part of the fall?
Pastor Doug: I'm sure that they weren't fully aware of the disastrous consequences of the decision. Obviously, if Eve thought I'm going to eat this, and I'm going to die, she wouldn't have done it. I think they doubted God's Word and that's why we got into so much trouble.
Maria: That does make sense. Okay. Thank you. God bless you.
Pastor Doug: Thank you so much. Good question.
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Pastor John: Next caller that we have is Ashley listening in Oklahoma. Ashley, welcome to the program.
Ashley: Hi.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Ashley: I had a question. I was wondering if it was sin, if you worked at like a pizza parlor, and they wanted you to deliver like a pepperoni pizza, or make a pepperoni pizza, or like as a cashier and someone wanting to buy some cigarettes or beer, and you're the cashier, what certain jobs be prohibited as a Christian?
Pastor Doug: For me, I would be uncomfortable if I had a job where I was required to distribute alcohol or cigarettes or things that the Bible calls unclean, alcohol and cigarettes in particular. I'm not here to judge or condemn people that may be in those positions, but at what point do you draw the line? I personally would not do that. Typically in our church, we tell people that, you're going to avoid employment where you're involved in the distribution of things that Jesus can't bless. That would be in that category.
That's a good question. It's one of those moral questions. Then some people say, well, it's wrong for a Christian to maybe buy a stock in the tobacco company. But what if you put your money in the bank and the bank buys stock in the tobacco company? Then you can go down that road and people start to worry, because that's your one degree removed from the decision process, and that's a whole interesting ethical study. There's a whole science to that.
Pastor John: There are some stocks that have especially being screened. All right, well, hopefully that helps. Thank you for your call, Ashley. Our next caller is John, listening from Connecticut. John, welcome to the program.
John: Good evening. Thank you for having me on. My question deals with Genesis 9. Somebody raised a very interesting point to me the other day to deal with Noah's sons repopulating the earth. It says in Genesis 9 from these three sons of Noah came all the people who populate earth. They brought up the fact that if that were in fact true, we would all have shared DNA and be able to be linked to each other. Since that is not the case, then that statement cannot possibly be true. I just did not have an explanation for that.
Pastor Doug: Well, I don't know where they came up, saying it is not the case. It is most certainly the case that atheist, evolutionist, geneticists, all agree that all humans share common ancestry. I don't know where they're getting their information. But that was one of the bombshell articles that National Geographic came up with, a cover was Eve and it says, "Now DNA is proven that all humans share a genetic common ancestor, that we did not evolve from different species of humans."
Now, I don't believe in evolution. I'm just telling you, this is what they said in the article. Whoever said that they can't prove that we share common ancestry, that's categorically not true.
John: Yes, well, I appreciate that. That's a very good reason. I appreciate that. I wasn't aware of the facts. I do not have access to the internet, where I'm located. I couldn't really research it [unintelligible 00:46:10] up a competent defense. It's been on my mind for days since it was brought up.
Pastor Doug: I'm glad you asked it, because there are others listening that may also wonder. Thank you very much.
John: Thank you very much for that answer.
Pastor Doug: I absolutely appreciate that.
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Pastor John: Our next caller that we have is Wan listening in New Jersey. Wan, welcome to the program.
Wan: Hello. Real quick, before I ask my question, what's wrong with the pepperoni pizzas?
[crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: [laughs]I'm pretty sure she was asking that question, because pepperoni contains ham and many Christians believe that ham is an unclean food. Both Christians Jews and Muslims believe ham is unclean and should not be eaten. I think that's why she included pepperoni. Obviously the tobacco in the cigarette was clear enough,
Pastor John: You might be able to get turkey pepperoni. Pepperoni has to be with pork. I'm not sure.
Pastor Doug: Traditional pepperoni is pork. Was that the only question?
Wan: No, no. All right. My wife is divorcing me and right now I have no desire. We're not divorced yet, but it will happen within a month. I have no desire to remarry. But if somewhere down the road, if miraculously that were to happen that I had a desire, every time I get to Luke 16 and 18 and I see, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery. Whoever marries her is-"
Pastor Doug: That has been divorced commits adultery.
Wan: How can you marry again?
Pastor Doug: Well, the Bible tells us that if you get divorced and remarried without biblical grounds, that you don't have a right to remarry. You're right, that's what the Bible teaches and of course not it’s there in Luke. It's in Matthew 19 and also in Matthew chapter 5, where he talks about what are the biblical grounds for divorce? Jesus said that there are only a couple of reasons that you've got biblical grounds to divorce and remarry.
One is, of course, if your spouse dies, Paul talks about that too. Another is if your spouse is guilty of fornication or violating the marriage vows through intimacy with someone else. There is another case but it's a unique case in 1 Corinthians chapter 7, where if you've got two unbelievers, and one becomes a Christian, and the Christian is abandoned by the pagan who's still an unbeliever in the Lord, that Christian is free then at that point to remarry.
That typically is not the issue that most people are battling with. You might appreciate, I wrote a book on that and I'll send you a free copy so dealing with Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage.
Pastor John: The number to call for that is 800-835-6747. Again, I'd encourage you to get the book, it's called Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage. Deals with the subject in a lot more detail, a lot of scripture verses there. That number is 800-835-6747. Our next caller that we have is Allan from Minnesota.
Allan: Yes. Thank you for feeling my question again. I just wanted to ask you if you wouldn't mind clarifying. I was listening to the radio when you took a question from a caller who was referring to the commandment or suggestion of Jesus to his disciples to purchase a sword as they didn't have one, and I believe I heard you make reference to-- That wasn't the literal sword he was referring to, but rather the sword of the spirit. I just wanted to make sure that I heard your comments to that caller correctly.
Pastor Doug: Correct. When the Lord makes a statement about the--
Pastor John: Luke 22:36 is the verse.
Pastor Doug: Yes. Do you want to read it, pastor Ross?
Pastor John: Then he says, "But now he has a moneybag let him take it, and likewise a knapsack and he who has no sword let him sell his garment and buy one." Then of course, if you read on, they say, "Well, look Lord-" This is verse 38. "-we have two swords." Jesus says, "That's enough."
Allan: You don't believe those were the literal swords as in metallic instruments for potential warfare?
Pastor Doug: No. I think the disciples did have two swords. When Jesus said that is enough, the way that translates is. "Enough of this." Or you don't get it. I don't think Jesus was saying, "Yes. You got two swords, we'll be able to take on the Romans with that."
Pastor John: Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world, otherwise my followers would fight." Jesus is not talking about literal swords going to literal battle, but we do have a spiritual battle, and in that spiritual battle, we need the sword of the spirit. We need the word of God. Of course, that was central to the missionary activity that Jesus was about to send the disciples on. They needed to have the word of God. They needed to have that. It was very important.
Matter of fact, he said, "If you don't have it, sell your garment." It's important to have the word of God with you. Of course, He talks about the Bible as being the sword of the spirit, the sharp to its sword.
Pastor Doug: If you look in John chapter 18 when Jesus is arrested, it says in verse 10, John 18:10, "Simon Peter having a sword-" That's one of the two, "-drew it out and struck the high priest servant and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath. Shall I not drink the cup, which my father has given me." He says, "Put away your sword. They that live by the sword will perish by the sword." He wasn't advocating that they fight with swords.
Allan: I agree with that, but however where I was taking a little bit of concern was in regards to the previous caller where specifically, said in Luke 22:36 talking about a knapsack and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. I personally don't believe they are talking about the written word of God, the sword of the spirit, it sounds quite clear in context. He was talking about the requirement for a literal sword. I'm not saying he wants to fight anybody specifically, but for whatever the reason was, I believe Christ did, in fact, recommend that they purchase or attain a sword for defending for whatever reasons.
I was just wondering if I was clear in hearing you think that that meant not a literal sword but the word of God, which wasn't really available in written context at that time.
Pastor Doug: Now, if we think about this, can you picture Jesus telling someone, "I want you to sell your clothes and buy a sword?"
Allan: Yes. If they didn't have one.
Pastor Doug: I know, but then they have no clothes.
Allan: They probably had extra clothes because they talked about having a knapsack, which would likely include additional clothes that maybe weren't necessary, not that they were going around naked, but if they had an excess of clothes or excess of anything, then to sell that to purchase something that would be more beneficial to them while they were on the road.
Pastor Doug: Now, the reason I think that Jesus is quoting this, you're asking an important question. That's why I'm taking more time with it.
Allan: Yes. Thank you, for sure.
Pastor Doug: Is in Matthew chapter 10 when Jesus sends out the apostles the first time, he said, "Don't take a staff. Don't take money, don't take extra sandals. I am going to supernaturally provide for you." Christ now is referring back to that and he's telling the disciples, "All right, now I'm going to be taken from you and you need to have the word of God stored up." He said, "If it means you've got to sell your garment and get a sword." I would think he was hoping they would understand that he often spoke in parables. That's why he said, "I did not come to send peace, but a sword." Meaning the word of God is a sword.
Pastor John: Of course, Jesus said things that confused his disciples. One time he said, "Unless eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you." Many of the people were offended and the disciples say to Jesus, "This is a hard saying, who can understand it?" Jesus says, "The flesh profits nothing. It's the word I speak." It's not uncommon for Jesus to say something that at first caused some confusion and it was only afterwards they'd be able to understand it and its context.
Pastor Doug: Hey, thank you very much. We appreciate your giving us a call with your question. Listening friends, we are just about out of time for questions tonight and so we want to remind you that if we didn't get your call tonight, we look forward to talking with you again next week.
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