Hello friends! This is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? Violet Jessop experienced and survived an almost unbelievable array of events. Violet was born in 1887 in Argentina of Irish parents who had emigrated from Dublin. In 1903, she sailed to England and fell in love with the sea while crossing the Atlantic. At 21, Violet became a stewardess for the White Star Lines, which was engaged in building a trio of the world’s largest luxury ocean liners. The three sister ships were Olympic, Brittanic and Titanic. Violet served on the Olympic which she loved. She stated she was quite fond of Americans, saying that “Although they were often arrogant, they were less demanding than other passengers and treated her more like a person.” While serving on the Olympic in 1911, the ship experienced a violent collision with a British warship, HMS Hawk. Considering the damage, it was a miracle neither vessel sank.
The following year, at her friend’s request, she joined the crew of the newest ship, Titanic. Violet was asleep when the Titanic hit the iceberg. Upon deck, she saw passengers calmly strolling about but soon, the women were clinging to their husbands as the crew tried to force them into the lifeboats with their children. At this point, the ship’s officer handed Violet a misplaced baby, and ordered her into lifeboat 16 to show the other women it was safe. From the water, she witnessed all the terrors of the Titanic sinking. After being rescued by the ship Carpathia, the baby was reunited with its mother. During the First World War, Violet served in 1916 as a nurse in the British Red Cross. Incredibly, she was aboard the Brittanic, which had been converted into a hospital ship when it struck a mine and sank. Violet grabbed her toothbrush before rushing from her cabin, saying later it was the one thing she remembered missing most following the sinking of the Titanic.
As Brittanic was quickly going down, Violet was forced to jump. “I leapt into the water but was sucked under the ship’s keel that struck my hand.” She attributed her survival to her thick auburn hair that padded the blow. At the war’s end, Violet rejoined the White Star Lines and once again served aboard the Olympic. This Christian woman survived 42 years at sea, 3 historic shipwrecks and 2 World Wars. Violet retired in Southern England and she lived there till 84’. Did you know the bible also speaks about someone who survived three shipwrecks? Stay with us friends. We are going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Welcome to Bible Answers Live brought to you by Amazing Facts Ministries. Are you looking for a clear, concise answer to your most challenging bible questions? Maybe you’re struggling to understand difficult passages of scripture. If so, you’ve come to the right place. Join us now as we open God’s Word to discover His will and find honest, practical answers to your bible-related questions. This broadcast is pre-recorded. If you have a bible question call us Sundays from 7 to 8 pm Pacific Standard Time at 800-GOD-SAYS. That’s 800-463-7297. Now, let’s join our host, author, speaker and evangelist, Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Welcome listening friends to Bible Answers Live. For those who maybe tuning in for the first time, this is a live, international, interactive bible study. We invite you to give us a call. It’s a free phone: 800-GOD-SAYS. That’s 800-463-7297. We do have lines open. So, if you’ve got Bible questions that you’re thinking about, we’ll do our best to search the word of God and find the answers. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: My name is Jëan Ross. Good evening listening friends. Pastor Doug let’s begin the program with prayer. Dear Father, we thank you once again for this opportunity to study your word. We ask your blessing upon this time. Be with those wherever they might be who are listening. I pray that you will also be with us here in the studio. Give us wisdom as we preach your book. So we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Amen.
Pastor Jean Ross: Pastor Doug I can just imagine surviving one shipwreck would really be something you never forget but surviving 3 and then going back continuing to work, floating the oceans. That’s quite a story.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Takes a lot of courage to go through that and then still be willing to go back. But when I read about the story of Violet, I then thought about in the bible, the Apostle Paul who knew that the Lord had him doing missionary work and he protected him, and it tells us 2 Corinthians 11:24 & 25 and this is just a small part of the long list of things that Paul survived. Paul said, “Five times I received from the Jews 39 lashes, 3 times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, 3 times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I’ve spent in the deep,” the deep, meaning floating on the ocean probably on some kind of drift debris from the wreck awaiting rescue.
He survived all of that and ultimately laid down his life at the hands of Nero as a martyr in Rome. But when we know that we’re doing God’s will and we’re in God’s hands, believers don’t have to be afraid. You can read in psalm 91 where it tells us that ‘A thousand may fall at our side and ten thousand at our right hand, but only with our eyes will we see and behold the destruction of the wicked.’ You heard no doubt the promise. He’ll give His angels charge over thee to keep thee and God promises to protect those who put their trust in him and sort of [Inaudible 00:06:17] so we don’t need to be afraid of that. But there is a day coming when the end of the world is going to be here, and only those who are in God’s hands are going to survive that. Some of our friends might want to know more about how do I be ready for the great way of the Lord, and we have a free book that we’re offering tonight for anybody that asks.
Joan: Our offer this evening is entitle The Last Night on Earth. It’s a book written by Joe Cruise. It’s free if you call our resource line 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the offer this evening, The Last Night on Earth, and we’ll be happy to send that out to you. We also have a new website. Of course we’ve got theamazingfacts.com website. But Amazing Facts has a new website if you’re interested in Bible prophecy. A lot of our resources are there and it’s simply called bible prophecy truth. Bibleprophecytruth.com and it’s becoming very popular because it has so many Bible study resources.
Both audio, video, published things you can read, charts on Bible prophecy and then after you look that over, you’re going to want to send the link to your friends and tell them about Bible prophecy truth. With that, I think we can go to the phones. Our first caller is Mark and he’s calling from Oxford, Tennessee, listening on WTA. Mark, welcome to the program.
Mark: Hi! Thanks for taking my call. My question is concerning what Paul said in Colossians chapter 1 verses 5, 6 and 23, and I’m wondering if that supports the darkening of our 70AD in fulfillment of Matthew 24:14.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Alright, let me read this for our friends. Colossians 1:5 ‘For the hope which is laid out for you in Heaven where you’ve heard before in the word of truth of the gospel, which is come unto you as it is in all the world and bringeth fruit as it does also in you since the day you heard of it and knew the grace of God in truth.’ Now am I reading the right verse?
Mark: Yeah and then verse 23.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Okay, try and tie that into verse 23, ‘If you continue in the faith, grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, and which was preached to you, to every creature that is under heaven where Paul made minister.’ Alright now, what aspect of this are you tying to – did you say that Daniel chapter 9?
Mark: No, Matthew 24:14.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Oh, the gospel will be preached in the world for witnesses and all men will come?
Mark: Yeah I was wondering if the 3 verses in Colossians prove these as idea that the world ended in 70AD.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, it did for the Jews. Let me share with you in Matthew 24 there are 3 questions that they’re asking Jesus. Jesus has just told the Apostles that there won’t be one stone left upon another of the temple. The Apostles situated this for the end of the world. So they came to him and they said to him, “When will these things come to pass? What will be your sign of the coming of the end of the world?” And Jesus comingles in his answer: The signs that would go before the destruction of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple, and the signs that would go with the end of the world.
There are a number of parallels between what happened just before Jerusalem was destroyed, and what will happen just before the end of the world. The gospel was preached to a good part of the Roman Empire before Jerusalem was destroyed in 70AD. The gospel will be preached to every creature in the world. Not everyone will believe but everyone will have an opportunity christened as a witness just before the end, and we’re at the point now, Nark where the gospel’s going all over the world. Programs like this on the internet, the radio, television, satellite.
Mark: What does mean comingle mean?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Comingle means to blend things together.
Mark: Right cause Matthew 24 is really vague because you know Matthew 32 to 34 seem to imply that all those things would happen within that generation.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well that’s why they did in the sense that a lot of the things that Christ had foretold, there was tribulation among the Jews. There was a great persecution. A lot of things that happened historically later happened in small micro chasm just before Jerusalem was destroyed. So, the Jewish nation is really a picture of what’s going to happen to the world on a bigger scale and so they repeated a lot of the same history and I believe that we’re the study guide that talks about the Jerusalem. God sets a date for the church. Matter of that that book that we’re offering tonight for everybody. Mark you would enjoy The Last Night on Earth as well as the study guide. God fixes a date for the judgment and it talks about AD34 and also the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70.
Mark: Have you heard of people going to full preterism because it appears that all those prophecies are not being fulfilled?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, I think that there are some people that have converted to preterism because they look at this and they say well, looks like all these prophecies were fulfilled back then but look at Matthew 24. Most of those prophecies are not fulfilled. You know Jesus said you’ll be healing all nations for my namesake and he goes on and says there will be a tribulation set such as there has not been since the beginning of the world and this time. Well, that hasn’t happened yet. He talks about the great earthquake, the stars falling from heaven, the sun going dark, a lot of those things hadn’t happened so obviously there was a future fulfillment. I hope that helps a little bit. By the way, you will really enjoy our prophecy website, Bible Prophecy Truth that we just dispatched. The offer that we have this evening, deals with the subject The Last Night on Earth.
To receive it call out resource line 1-800-835-6747. Mark and Pastor, I was also talking about the study guide entitled God Set a Date for the Judgment which gives you some prophetic time period which you can read about in Daniel chapter 9, and it was fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus and then of course following that in AD70 was the destruction of Jerusalem. Our next caller is Jim and Jim is calling from Knoxville, Tennessee as well. Jim, welcome to the program.
Jim: How are you doing tonight?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Good, Jim. How can we help you?
Jim: I’m wondering about how do you explain when you have communion or you know the bread and wine and what it actually represents. I’ve been told that it represents the body and blood of Christ or that it is the body and blood of Christ. I would like to know how to explain to people that it isn’t actually the body and blood of Christ.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well there are some of course who believe that when they celebrate the communion and for our Catholic friends when they celebrate the Mass, that the bread and the blood is actually somehow miraculously or mystically transformed literally into the blood of Jesus. Couple of problems in believing that to be literal is when Christ first instituted the communion. He was sitting there in front of the Apostles and all of his blood was still in his body. So, as he takes the cup and says take this drink, this is my blood, the disciples all understood that this is symbolic and when they tasted it, it didn’t taste like blood.
It was grape juice, and the bread was bread. They also knew that caused Jesus makes statements like John 6:35. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. He that comes to me shall never hunger or he that believes in me will never thirst.” So Jesus explains, as a matter of act all through John chapter 6 he talks about he is the symbol of the bread that came down from heaven for the Jews. So he’s even looking in the past. He says I represented that manna that came down from heaven because he gives us that basic nourishment that we need for our souls. So, if someone is saying how this ceremony somehow mystically or magically transforms that grape juice into real blood, and the blood is the real body of Jesus. Of course the Bible forbade cannibalism so it’s a symbol of his life.
Pastor Jean Ross: You know, also in the bible we find eleven of the Pharisees referring to this as the symbol for sin. You can read Matthew chapter 16 where Jesus says to the disciples, “Take heed and beware of the eleven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” At first the disciples thought he was saying this because they’ve forgotten to bring bread along on their journey. Then later Jesus explained and he said that it was the teachings of the Pharisees, and you read about it in verse 12 in Matthew 16. So, Jesus likened falsehood and error to the eleven and sin, and that’s why communion bread does not have any yeast or any leaven in it. It’s pure.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hopefully Jim you remember the verse where Jesus says, “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every the word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Jesus is called the word. There’s a lot of symbols. He’s called the Living Water. It doesn’t literally mean he’s H2O. He’s called The Rock. And so calling himself the bread of life is another symbol among all the other symbols he used to identify his character and how much we need him. You know we do have a study guide that talks about the ultimate resource. It talks about the bible and that bread of life and that symbolism. We’ll be happy to send you.
Pastor Jean Ross: The number is 1-800-835-6747 and the book is The Ultimate Resource. Our next caller is Jim and Jim is calling from San Jose, California.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: I think you mean Jason. So, Jason, yes, Jason you’re on the air.
Jason: Good evening pastor. Thanks for taking my call.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hi, how are you doing?
Jason: I’m doing great. Welcome home, Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Thank you.
Jason: I know that you were recently in Argentina and I’m glad you’re back. I have sort of a weird question because it deals with some of the writings of Ellen G. White and I can’t remember what paragraph it was in. I believe it was the controversy but she had mentioned that at Christ’s second coming that some of the wicked were going to be resurrected to witness that and I just wanted to get your thoughts on that.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, Jesus did say that and he’s speaking Caiaphas. This is Matthew chapter 17, Jean, when he says to Caiaphas, “Hereafter you will see the son of man coming in power on the right hand of power.” So the fact that Jesus says to the high priest that was trying him you will see the son of man coming. Caiaphas is dead now so in order for him to see Jesus come and also they which pierced him, so some of those may be involved in the crucifixion and also responsible for his being condemned, they may be raised to actually see Jesus come. That’s Matthew chapter 26 verse 46 where Jesus said unto him this is the high priest Caiaphas, “Thou has said nevertheless I say unto thee hereafter that ye shall see the son of man sitting at the right hand of power coming in the clouds of heaven,” and then you’ve got Daniel chapter 12 where it says “Many of them in the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame and contempt.”
This sounds like it’s just before the second coming. And then we do have another verse in Revelation chapter 1 verse 7 that speaks of the same coming of Christ. It says, “Behold he comes with clouds and every eye will see and those also that pierced him. “ There you go. That’s pretty clear. Those who will be coming in the clouds and those who pierced him will see him so yeah there’s going to be some of those that are the most culpable in the crucifixion are going to be raised. I appreciate that question Jason.
Pastor Jean Ross: Next caller is Robert and Robert is calling from Indiana, listening on the internet. Robert, welcome to the program.
Robert: Welcome and God bless.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hi!
Robert: Hello, my question has to do with prophetic time. God gave us actual prophetic time in the Bible. They also gave prophetic time for event to happen and in particular I know that God long suffering, and always wondered why Methuselah lived so long. I just recently discovered that Methuselah’s name actually has a prophetic event that’s actually in his name.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: I think his name means when I die it will come or it will happen.
Robert: It will happen.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah.
Robert: And in his time when he died it was before the flood.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yep.
Robert: So that is true?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah that’s what I’ve understood is you know some of these ancient names, it could be a challenge to decipher them but from the Hebrew writings, it sounds like Methuselah’s name means when I die it will come or it will happen, and of course when he died and his father was Enoch, who was sent into heaven. But when Methuselah died, 969 years old the flood came.
Robert: And was Noah his relation?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Noah was if I’m not mistaken, the grandson.
Joan: That’s right! Enoch was the grandfather of Noah.
Robert: I know there’s another name. Isaiah, I think one of his sons had a prophetic name about a serious coming.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah.
Robert: And his son’s name was a prophetic name as well. Is that true?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, the name is Emmanuelle and that means God with us. There is a dual prophecy there in Isaiah 9:6. Is that the one that you’re talking about?
Robert: Yes in this time the people from the north will come to Jerusalem or the tribes.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Oh yeah I’m getting them mixed up. Isaiah 9:6 is really a prophecy about Jesus though, they call His name Emmanuelle. But a matter of fact I think I’m getting that verse mixed up with His name shall be wonderful counselor. Anyway, you’re on the right track. These names have a lot of meaning. God named, in the beginning Jacob and he renamed Jacob Israel which means prince with God and so their names all mean something, even Jesus.
He named James and John Boanerges, ‘Sons of Thunder’ because they had seemed to be so hot-headed. He called Simon Peter which means ‘a rolling stone’ and not Rolling Stones rock group but rolling around in a circle. So yeah these names have a very important meaning. When I preach I like to look up what does the name mean of these different characters. Thank you Robert, I appreciate your question. Oh by the way, for Robert we do have an article in our magazine. Oh no, wait! It’s a book now. It’s called the name of God and it’s about bible names. We did convert that into a sermon booklet.
Pastor Jean Ross: To get that, call our resource line at 1-800-835-6747. You can ask for the book, The Name of God and we’ll be happy to send that out to you Robert. Our next caller is Richard. Richard is listening on KARM from [00:22:25]. Richard, welcome to the program.
Richard: Hi! I’d like to talk to both you pastors. I have a verse that’s been bothering me. I’ve been trying to understand it but I’m going to read out a message, it’s a paraphrase but I also have amplified here too, it’s a King James Version. But, anyways it reads 1st Corinthians 15:28: When anything and anyone is fighting under God’s will, the son will step down taking his place with everyone else, showing that God’s will with absolute comprehensive and a perfect ending. That’s the message.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Okay. What is your question about that?
Richard: My question is, is Jesus going to step down and be like everyone else and we’re not going to worship him in eternity?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: No, I think that it tells us that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess to God and Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. He’s not going to be demoted in any way, or lose his rank so to speak as eternity goes by. He’s just going to be, if anything continually exalted. It says at the name of Jesus that every knee will bow.
Richard: But the King James reads, “And when all things shall be subdued unto Him,” which is God I think or Jesus, “Then shall the son be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all.”
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah you know it does appear even now, even though God, the son and the spirit are equally eternal, Jesus submits to the authority of the father and even in the baptism, Christ is baptized in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit. The father’s name always appears as the supreme authority whenever it’s mentioned. And whenever we talk about God, you always want to do it with a strong element of humility. You’re on holy ground. Some things are too far for us to understand you know Jesus said, I guess in Isaiah “The heavens are high above the earth my way is above your ways.” But as far as we can tell, Christ he submits to some capacity to the father.
Pastor Jean Ross: You know in the plan of redemption, Christ has taken the responsibility to be our redeemer. He came and gave his life, a sacrifice for our sins. In doing that, not only has Christ saved mankind – those who put their faith in Him, but he’s also vindicated to carry the name of God. Satan has made certain accusations God and when the plan of redemption is complete, 1st Corinthians 15 – ‘When all things are done, then it will be seen that Christ has vindicated the kingdom and the glory and the honor of the father.” I’m thinking that, saints, is what’s being referred to here first. He gives that to his father or he shows his father the work that he has done, which vindicates the father’s name before the whole universe.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Does that help a little bit, Richard?
Richard: Well –
Pastor Doug Batchelor: You’ve picked a deep first.
Richard: I believe in the triad God, the father, the son and the Holy Spirit and I believe they’re all equal in anything and everything. But this thing about suggested, I don’t know.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, you know what? If I read that verse in the new King James Version, it puts a little bit different emphasis on it. Let me share that with you. It says, ‘For he’s put all things under his feet but when he says all things are put under him, it’s evident that when he puts all things under him, it’s expected.’ Or accepted rather, so it’s a little different than the emphasis you see in the King James Version. You know we’re going to run out of time on that one. Richard, what I might recommend, and it might not be exactly what you’re looking for but we do have a book dealing with The Trinity, talking about the relationship between the father, son and the Holy Spirit. There may be a verse in there that will help relate to this.
Pastor Jean Ross: The free offer is The Trinity is Biblical. I think that’s the name of the book. The number is 1-800-835-6747 and Richard you may ask for the book on The Trinity. We’d be happy to end that to you. Let’s see if we can squeeze one more caller in before we take a break. Oh –
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Oh wait a minute. We’re going to have to come back.
Pastor Jean Ross: yeah I was afraid that might happen.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Why don’t we put Gardner on hold and hey listening friends, we’re going to be back in just a moment. We’re going to take a break here and we do have some lines open if you have a question. Give us a call. That number is 800-463-7297. That number comes into the studio. The free resources of course, that you’ve been hearing about is a different number: 800-835-6747 and don’t forget to also check out the Amazing Facts website which is easy to remember: theamazingfacts.com or you can do facts.org or amazingfacts.tv or .net and along with that, we’ve got a new TV station. It’s Amazingfacts.tv on 24 hours a day on Galaxy 19 and so if any of you have that satellite equipment, you’ll be all across Canada, North America, Mexico, you’ll be able to receive Amazing Facts TV programs 24 hours a day. We encourage you to look in. We’ll be back in just a moment with more Amazing Facts and your bible questions.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug Batchelor: We are back for your bible questions. We do have some lines open. If you have a bible question, call this number. I’m about to say it. Are you ready? Here we go: 800-GOD-SAYS. 800-463-7297. Call in with your bible questions and before we go back to the phones, Pastor Ross, we just want to remind people that when they go to the Amazing Facts website, they’re going to find that we are linked o a number of other specialty websites that have bible answers, similar to some of the more common questions that we’ve received. Not only is there the bible prophecy truth website, there is a website, on people ask about what happens when you die and it’s called Truth About Death. People ask about a lake of fire – hell fire, but there are questions on that.
We’ve got a website called Hell Truth and many others so from The Amazing Facts website there’s really a portal to thousands, I’m not exaggerating, thousands of bible study resources, videos, other websites, study material that will change your life. We get emails from people from all around the world that say they are starting to understand the bible. They’ve found the Amazing facts website and they are committing their life to the Lord. So, check it out! Amazingfacts.org. Now we we’re just going to take a call from Yonkers, New York and we chopped him off before we got to him. Gardner, welcome to the program.
Gardner: Good evening pastor. I’m interested in hearing your understanding of Revelations 9:15.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Alright, let me read that. Revelations 9:15 ‘And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour a day a month and a year to slay a third part of men.’ Now you do have examples in the bible of angels that are used for judgment. When David numbered Israel, and because of his pride, an angel of judgment went and David even saw the angel with his sword drawn and then in the time of Hezekiah, it says the angel of the Lord attacked the Syrian army. You have that verse?
Pastor Jean Ross: I’ll look it up.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: It says in one night, 85,000 soldiers were destroyed overnight by the angel of the Lord.
Pastor Jean Ross: You can read about that in 2 Chronicles chapter 32.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Okay, now four angels typically represent something that is more universal in nature. Jesus said he’ll send his angels to the four corners of the earth. That usually means north, south, east or west. And you know there is a whole bible study here on this time period, an hour, a day, a month and a year. If you use prophetic time that adds up to about a hundred and fifty years if I’m not mistaken and it kinds of point to what happens when Islam was sort of at war with the Christians there and Europe and the fall of the Ottoman Empire was actually foretold I believe from this prophecy. I don’t know if I’m answering exactly what you’re asking Gardner.
Gardner: Well, no you have to be very specific and give a different perspective. Millions of Christians are taught that this means nuclear war 2.2 and millions of people dead.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah I know and that’s some of the futuristic prophecy. Now in tonight’s program, someone called and they alluded to the preterist views. Some people right now are like what does that mean? Preterist means that the bible prophecies were all fulfilled pretty much before the century and it comes from the word ‘pre’. They believe that these things are all in the past. Then you have the historists. They believe these bible prophecies cover the whole panorama of history. Pastor jean and I, most of the Reformists were historists in their interpretation. Now, in the last 50 years you have this new group which has become very popular which is the futurists, and they believe that so many of these prophecies from Revelations 4 on are all talking about things in the future, you know as though the last 18 chapters in Revelations had nothing to do with history except the last generation. So, I don’t ascribe to that and –
Pastor Jean Ross: You know specifically on this verse you mentioned Pastor Doug a number of the reformists had the historical application, a historical view of prophecy. I’m just looking at it here. Mark Luther identified the symbolism in this passage of Revelation 9 as being the rise of the Muslims and so did the Swiss reformer Heinrich Bullinger. Back in 1575 he identified this passage as the rise –
Gardner: Yeah.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah the Ottoman Empire. Exactly and not only did they identify that using the time period, it fell right on schedule when they expected it would. So most bible prophecy, Gardner, it applies not necessarily to the whole globe but it applies to the effects of God’s people. A lot of the prophecies in the Old Testament talked about the empires that would occupy and oppress the land of Israel, not really that there weren’t other empires in the world but really the prophecy dealt with things that would have an influence or impact the spread of the gospel. I appreciate your question. You would also enjoy bible prophecytruth.com, the new website.
Pastor Jean Ross: Next caller is Bert, calling from Brooklyn, New York, listening on WMCA. Bert, welcome to the program.
Bert: Yes, Hi! I’m confused. From I was a little boy going to school, I’ve been hearing that man will be going to heaven and John 14 tells you [Inaudible 00:36:43] and also it shows you in the bible that only the righteous shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Okay.
Bert: And also, it tells you that when Jesus was on earth and he died, and before he died, he had asked for forgiveness and he also told a prisoner that if he did it also he would enter into paradise.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: So, what is your question? Are you wondering when people will start going to paradise or -?
Bert: [Inaudible 00:37:23] go into paradise and God is in heaven. I can’t see mankind going to heaven because we are not in position or even done anything to sit alongside God. Psalm 19 talks about our precipitous sins [Inaudible 00:37:45] with God.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Alright well let me take a moment to try and answer some of that. First of all, you know the ultimate goal Jesus said, is to restore man to the image of God and he wants to be with us. He said, “I do go to prepare a place for you and I will come again and receive you unto myself. Where I am, I will be with you.” You know one of the great promises in the bible in the last chapter says God himself will be with us and so the Lord wants to be with us. That’s why Jesus came. God took on the form of a man. Emmanuelle means ‘God with us’ and so in spite of our sins, the whole purpose of salvation is to wash us from our sin so that we will, through the righteousness of Christ, be fit to live with God, and that thief that died on the cross, he is going to be raised and will be living in paradise with Jesus.
Pastor Jean Ross: You know we have a verse in Revelation chapter 3:21 – ‘And here is the promise to those who come to him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me on my throne,’ this is Christ speaking, ‘Even as I overcame and am sat down as my father in his throne.’ So as a promise to those who overcome, we will be with Christ. We will be with Christ sitting on his throne and Christ will be sitting with his father. So the promise is that we will see the father face to face.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: You know we’ve got a book that we’ll be happy to send you Bert for free and it’s called ‘Heaven, Is it Real’ and we’ll send that to you, and it talks about how can mortal sinners like us be purified and fit to live with a Holy God in this earth made new. So, ‘Heaven, is it For Real’ we’d be happy to send that to you. Just call the resource number and we’ll send it on.
Pastor Jean Ross: The number is 1-800-835-6747 and the study guide is ‘Heaven, is it for Real.’ Our next caller is calling from Conway, Arkansas, listening on the internet. I believe it’s Inovent? Inovent, welcome to the program.
Innocent: I’m sorry, my name is Innocent.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Oh, okay. Alright, welcome!
Innocent: Okay thank you. I have a question about music in the church.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Okay.
Innocent: Some people say that it’s not good to praise God with drums in the church. I was wondering why or why should not praise God with drums, because when I was reading Psalm 150 I see some kind of instrument that will sound like drum.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah it talks about praising the Lord with timbrels. Now, you’re asking a good question. Very quickly, there is nothing wrong with using music to praise God I church. There are different kinds of music, for different events. The music for instance that our mother might use to put the baby to sleep, a lullaby, you don’t want to use that in church because people already have a hard enough time staying awake. Music that soldiers use to go to battle, you wouldn’t want that in church because that music is designed to rouse people and you know build the morale, and so a war chant is not what you want.
When soldiers came back from battle, the women would often go out with tambourines and they would sing songs. Now, examples of that very quickly: when they crossed the Red Sea and their enemies were defeated, the Egyptians’ Miriam led the women with dancing and praising God with timbrels. When David and Saul came back from killing the Philistines, the women came out with songs and timbrels. When Jethro defeated I believe it was the Midianites, hid daughter came out with timbrels and dance. This Psalm 150 that you’re referring to was not a song that they sang in church. It begins by saying ‘Praise the Lord in His sanctuary.’ They’re talking about praising the Lord in His sanctuary. It doesn’t mean let’s sing this song in his sanctuary.
It’s like when Jonah was in the belly of the fish. He prayed to God in his temple but Jonah wasn’t in the temple. He was in the belly of a fish but he was praying to God in his temple. So when the Jewish people came back from a victory in battle, they would sing Psalm 150. This was not a worship song for the sanctuary so different occasions provide, you know dictate different types of worship. When we come into the presence of God, the worship music should be appropriate and reverent. You don’t necessarily want the sounds of war.
One more scripture comes into my mind. When Moses was up on the mountain getting the Ten Commandments the people were to be in an attitude of prayer and reverence. They made a golden calf and their worship got so exuberant that Joshua thought there was war in the camp. That’s what he said. He said, “The sound of war in the camp.” And Moses says, “No it’s not war. They’re singing.” It wasn’t the right kind of singing evidently because they made themselves naked in the process according to the bible. I don’t know if I’m helping to answer your question, Innocent, about different kinds of music for different events.
Innocent: Okay, yeah I think you are but I want you do deal specifically with if you do something wrong regarding drums in the church because you can play drums until it sounds good and it will not be too much.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Let me share with you that we do have a book at Amazing Facts that deals with the subject of music. It’s not one of our books that we’re able to give away because it’s published by someone else, but if you go to the Amazing Facts website we have a book. It’s called ‘Drums, Music and Worship.’ And I really recommend you read that because different kinds of music accentuate different things that actually happen to us physiologically. There are some great studies that have come in on that. I personally would not be comfortable with drums. I know some people feel differently but I personally would not be comfortable with drums in church for worship service.
Pastor Jean Ross: You know sometimes with drums they could be played like you said in a calm manner. But as time progresses it seems that the focus becomes louder. There is more emphasis placed on the rhythm and the beat.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: They can distract from the music. It’s a fact that you can elevate a person’s heartbeat, because your body’s got a conscious rhythm of your heart, it’s subconscious and certain drum beats you can just speed them up and your heartbeat will speed up along with them. Once you let the camel’s nose in the tent, pretty soon the whole camel is in the tent. Pretty soon the music will start sounding like the music in the world. So I’m very apprehensive about drums in the church. Hope that helps Innocent. I do recommend that book that we talked about drums and the music in church.
Pastor Jean Ross: You can go to the website, amazingfacts.org and you can search music for worship or just search music and it will give you a number of resources, including that book. Our next caller is Wesley and Wesley is calling from Florida. Wesley, welcome to the program.
Wesley: yes, hello pastors and I just want to say we are watching Amazing Discoveries and we really enjoy Amazing Adventures and we really enjoy both of you pastors especially Pastor Ross with a South African accent. [Inaudible 00:45:53] welcome hands.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: So you’re watching a super cool program.
Wesley: Yes tonight we have a question which is a little bit different. When Jesus arose from the tomb and basically he walked with his friends, the disciples, my question is why he didn’t appear to high priest and Pilate and King Herod. Or maybe he did, we don’t know. Because I was thinking if he appeared to them perhaps they all would become believers.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: For that matter the Lord could appear to the president of the United States but not if he wants to, couldn’t he? He doesn’t have to wait till his resurrection. He can do it right now. He can do it any time in history. You know God doesn’t force his way into this world. He promises that if we search for him, and so the Lord reveals himself principally to those who are searching for him, and he says if we draw near to him, he will draw near to us. Now it’s true that the Roman soldiers did see Jesus when he rose but he didn’t rise for their benefit. He rose for the benefit of the believers. If I was Jesus, I would’ve done things just like you said. First thing I would’ve done after I rose is I would’ve gone to the high priest and said, “Now what do you think?” Or I would’ve gone to Pontius Pilate or I would’ve gone to Herod or Caesar or somebody and Jesus is humble.
Pastor Jean Ross: Now of course we realize that the high priest had plenty evidence that Christ had risen from the dead. It wasn’t as though he didn’t know. The soldiers came back and said that he had risen from the dead and even though they knew that Christ had risen from the dead, it still didn’t change their mind. They were still determined to reject him.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah and even Herod had evidence. John the Baptist was preaching to him directly and Pilate had a dream come true from his wife. They all had potent evidence that Jesus was who he said he was. So, I hope that helped a little bit Wesley. I appreciate your question and you keep watching Amazing Adventure. Give us a call again.
Pastor Jean Ross: Our next caller is Augustus and he’s calling from San Diego. Augustus, welcome to the program.
Augustus: Hi Pastor Doug and –
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hi and your question?
Augustus: Well I had a question about Revelation chapter 6 about the 4 horsemen, but there’s a [Inaudible 00:48:39] 1st Corinthians chapter 15.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yes.
Augustus: I just need to share something about that. if you read verse 24 of 1 Corinthians 15, it says ‘Then cometh the end when he shall deliver the kingdom to God.’ It’s Christ delivery of the kingdom to God, right?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah.
Augustus: Okay and then it says that in 18 ‘When all things shall appear unto him, [Inaudible 00:49:15]. This is Christ, right?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Right.
Augustus: ‘Then shall the son also bring unto him [Inaudible 00:49:26] God, the father, put all things under him, Jesus Christ that God may be all in all.’ If you read 24 and 28 it just says that when Christ brings the entire salvation thing to a conclusion, when he gives his job to God, it just seems that they are reunited. From your teaching and from what we understand, Christ is not in the sanctuary, right?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah well the bible tells us he’s our high priest.
Augustus: Okay, so if he is working right now and when everything is completed, and he comes to the father, I just think it’s like a reunification rather than subjection.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Oh I see what you’re saying.
Augustus: You know what I’m saying?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah. Now, before we run out of time, I want to make sure you have time for your question. Is that what you -?
Augustus: No, that’s okay. I just wanted to help a brother because he sounds a bit distressed over that so I just wanted to help him see it is more of a reunification than subjection.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Right.
Augustus: SO Christ is actually working with us right now and he’s not reunited with the father completely. Thank you Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: No problem, I appreciate your question. Thanks!
Pastor Jean Ross: Our next caller is Demetrius and he’s calling from New Jersey. Demetrius, welcome to the program.
Demetrius: How are you doing pastors?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Good!
Demetrius: My question is about the curse of Ham. What is it and why was he cursed?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Alright –
Demetrius: I’m sorry?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: No, that’s okay. I was going to let you finish.
Demetrius: I was asking why was there a curse put on his descendants.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yes, in the beginning, it tells us that Noah, after the flood, he planted a vineyard and he drank and you can read about this in Genesis 9. I’m just looking it up here, 9: 20, 18, 22, talks about this curse. Noah became a husband man and he planted a vineyard and he drank wine. He was drunken and uncovered in his tent. So he’s stumbling around a little bit in his tent and maybe he fell asleep and the tents back then were not as concealed as they might have been today, and Ham the father of Canaan came saw his nakedness and told his two brothers and went out.
Now evidently Ham didn’t just report that dad needed some help. He went out and he may have been mocking or speaking disrespectfully about his father, instead of being restfully. It said Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon their shoulders and went backwards. They wouldn’t even look upon their father’s nakedness. They had such respect for him. They went backward into the tent and covered the nakedness of their father, and their faces were backwards so they sa not their father’s nakedness, whereas Ham didn’t have that respect. He went out mocking his father.
And so, when Noah woke up and it was reported what happened, that a curse was put on the family of Ham, and his son may have been a culprit or participant with him in making fun of grandpa. The son of Ham and so descendants of Ham, you for the third to fourth generation were cursed.
Pastor Jean Ross: But you know it’s also true that the child will learn the characteristics of its parents, and Ham showing disrespect to his father, that was probably carried down to his son and his son’s son and there was this spirit of rebellion that became a part of Ham’s descendants, which ultimately resulted in what happened to the descendants of Ham on a whole down the line,
Demetrius: Now you said three or four generations, or the continual descendants?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well you know anybody who accepts Christ would say that any curse like that but it says cursed be Canaan and I’m reading it now in verse 25, ‘Cursed be Canaan and servants shall he be under his brethren. Blessed be the Lord and God will enlarge,’ speaking under verse 27 here, ‘God will enlarge Japheth and he will dwell in the tents of She and shall be a servant.’ Then it goes on from there. It seems that the tribes that initially came from Ham and Canaan, you know by the way that’s where you get the Canaanites, were overcome by the descendants of Shem. The Canaanites were conquered by the Israelites and so you know they don’t really exist as a people anymore. They are the ones who lived in Canaan.
Demetrius: Okay.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: So, there is a curse on them because if their disrespect for their father and it was as Jean said perpetuated through the generations.
Demetrius: Okay, thank you.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: I appreciate your question.
Pastor Jean Ross: Next caller is Pam and Pam is calling from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pam, welcome to the program.
Pam: Thank you and good evening.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Evening!
Pam: My question is about tradition and [Inaudible 00:54:35] the people there. Excuse me. I’m wondering why Christians are so greedy. These manmade traditions, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, it had to be against God’s word.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well now it varies, by the way let me give you another verse on that. Jesus says in Matthew 15, ‘Why do you transgress the commandment of God with your tradition?’ If a tradition violates or crosses or collides with a commandment of God, then it’s evil. Something that comes to mind or the typical holiday of Halloween where you know it has to do with the trick and the treat. The whole history of it is dealing with witches and death and ghosts and murder and, Christians really shouldn’t be celebrating or memorializing that with all of its evil trappings, it conflicts with the principles of Christianity. But then you mention Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a holiday that does not conflict with Christian traditions so I’m using two extremes right here. So you have to ask yourself, is there some conflict between the tradition? Traditions are not all bad. Traditions that conflict with the word of God is what Jesus is condemning.
Pam: What about Christmas, because you’re celebrating Santa Claus, more so the –
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, I don’t. I know if –
Pam: You know I don’t either but I just wonder-
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah.
Pam: What sort of Christians do?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: For Christians, that are making a big deal about Santa Claus, exalting him that would be the wrong track I think. You know what, Pam? I was afraid we’d run out of time. We do have a book that talks about these pagan holidays and if you’d like, we’ll send you that free book that deals with feats days and Sabbaths, and it talks about – oh no, it’s called ‘Baptized Paganism.’ I forgot the title, ‘Baptized Paganism’ we’ll send you a free copy Pam if you ask for that.
Pastor Jean Ross: The number is 1-800-835-6747. Ask for the book ‘Baptized Paganism.’
Pastor Doug Batchelor: It talks about keeping the commandments instead of the traditions, and friends, we’ve just a few seconds left before you change the channel. Remember, we are completely self-supporting. We would love to hear from you. Go to the amazingfacts.com website, click where it says contact us and if you want to make a donation, we appreciate it. God bless until next week.
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