Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hello, friends, would you like to hear an amazing fact? The world is facing a sand shortage. I'll bet those are some words you probably never thought you'd hear, it's true. More than iron, coal, or timber, sand has now become the world's most widely consumed natural resource after fresh water. Most houses, skyscrapers, and bridges are made with concrete, which is of course two-thirds of sand. The annual world consumption of sand is estimated to be 15 billion tons, and China's demand for sand has increased exponentially by 437% over the last 20 years.
Sand, once widely considered to be limitless, is now emerging as a threatened resource. You might be thinking, the world is covered by deserts and filled with sand but the round grains of sand found in the desert do not bind well, so they can't be used for most concentrated purposes or most construction purposes. For example, Dubai, which is surrounded by desert sand, has used up all of its quality marine sand. Now Dubai must import sand from Australia to maintain its ongoing building frenzy.
High-quality sand, or more precisely, silicon, is needed to produce computer chips and microprocessors, and many other products. Most glass makers use only fine white silica sand. Some geologists estimate that the world only has about a 20 years supply remaining of the fine silica sand. Did you know the Bible says that there are several promises and prophecies related to sand? Stay with us, friends. We're going to learn more on this edition of Bible Answers Live.
Advertiser: You're listening to Bible Answers Live, honest answers to your Bible questions. This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this evening's program, call 800-835-6747. Once again, that's 800-835-6747. Now, let's join our host, Pastor Doug Batchelor, and our co-host, Pastor Jean Ross.
Doug: Hello, listening friends, this is Bible Answers Live and if you have a Bible question, we'd invite you to give us a call. It's a free phone call. We have lines open, and that number is 800-463-7297. One more time, that's 800 God Says, if you'd like to call in with your Bible question, and my name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jean Ross: My name is Jean Ross. Good evening, friends. Pastor Doug, it's good to be doing Bible Answers Live again this evening. We also want to greet our Facebook friends who are joining us also live. If you have a Bible question, the phone line here to the studio is 1-800-463-7297. That'll bring you here with your Bible question. Pastor Doug, before we go to the phone lines, let's start with the word of prayer. Dear Father, once again, we are grateful for the opportunity to spend some time opening up your word and studying together. We do ask for the Holy Spirit to come and guide our hearts and minds to be with those who are listening, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Doug: Amen.
Jean: Pastor Doug, you opened the program talking about sand. Of course, we take sand for granted. We hear a lot about the deserts that are growing and all of the sand in the deserts but you brought up a good point that desert sand isn't really that useful, especially when it comes to construction. You need a different kind of sand which is actually running out, amazing.
Doug: Yes. The sand that comes down from the mountains you find deposited either on the seashore by rivers that has rough edges and it bonds well with concrete. Desert sand because it's been blown by the wind and the water for a long time, it's not rounded. It just doesn't work. You never would think that we could run out of good sand for construction and these things but they've actually gotten-- India, they got a sand mafia because the market is so fierce for the sand.
It makes me think about when you think of sand as being something limitless and many times in the prophecies, God said to Abraham that, "Someday, your descendants will be like the sand on the seashore." We often use that expression. Isaiah 48:19, it says, "Your descendants also would have been like the sand and your offspring of your body like the grains of sand." There's another prophecy in the Bible where it talks about what some believe is concrete.
When you look at the image of Daniel 2, the kingdoms of the world are outlined. Where it talks about this dream that Nebuchadnezzar had where there's a head of gold, the arms are silver, the belly is bronze, the legs are iron, and the feet are a mixture of iron and it says miry clay. You'll find that mentioned in Daniel 2:43. Well, I heard a couple of theologians that have postulated, the number one building material in the world today is concrete that is reinforced with iron.
If you are an ancient Bible prophet, and you are trying to see what are they making the buildings out of today, they're not using stone like the Tower of Babel. They use miry clay is what it would look like. There's a gray mushy substance mixed in with iron. It's just amazing that it is the number one building material in the world today. Those kingdoms in Daniel's dream take us down from the time of Babylon, middle Persia, Greece, Rome, and then the divisions of the Roman Empire, the 10 toes to where we're living in the world today.
Then you've got the two beasts that are mentioned. There's two legs on that and two feet. You get the two beasts that are found in Revelation 13. Many believe that one of those beasts is dealing with Catholicism based in Europe and Rome, and Protestantism based in the United States. We get a lot of questions about prophecy and the United States, don't we?
Jean: We do.
Doug: We have something. If you've had questions about that, then we have a special free offer that we're going to make available tonight.
Jean: It's one of our amazing facts study guides, and it's called The US in Bible Prophecy. Again, it deals with this passage of scripture that you find in Revelation 13. Just a very important study and I think you'll find this very helpful. It's free. All you have to do is give us a call and ask for it. Again, the study guide is called The US in Bible Prophecy and the phone line is 800-835-6747. That is our resource phone line and just ask for the study guide called The US in Bible Prophecy. Again, that number is 800-835-6747. Well, Pastor Doug, I think we're ready to go to the phone lines. We've got Joseph listening in the US. Joseph, welcome to the program.
Joseph: Hi, thank you so much.
Doug: Thank you and your question.
Joseph: Is there any significance in the 2000 anniversary of Jesus' baptism, crucifixion, and the stoning of Stephen?
Doug: Well, right now, Jesus was baptized as near as we can tell about 27 AD. We know that he ministered three and a half years, and he died in 31 AD. Stephen was stoned about three and a half years after that, in 34 AD. We're not commanded to celebrate the anniversary. You mean, is this some kind of benchmark that would have some prophetic fulfillment that we reach 2000 years from that event?
Joseph: Yes. Recently, we had 500 and it was free of looters, protests. So, similarly, is there any prophetic significance in the 2000. If we say 6,000 years ago, Adam and Eve were created?
Doug: There's no command that we would know anything about the time of Christ coming. I don't know of any prophecy that points 2,000 years beyond Jesus' baptism to any event happening.
Jean: Although it is interesting, you did bring up something that is been around for quite a while and they refer to that as the great week of time and the significance of seven in the Bible. You find God working for six days in creation, and then he rested on the seventh day. Some see that as, at least an outline of world history where the earth is inhabited for 6,000 years, then Jesus comes in and there's the 1,000-year millennial rest. Then the earth is recreated after that. That is interesting and I think there's something there, but we don't know, for sure, when we reach that 6,000-year mark. There's all kinds of speculations and ideas out there.
Doug: We've already actually passed the time of 2,000 years from Christ's birth. We have not passed the time of 2,000 years from his baptism, or his death or resurrection.
Jean: We've got to be careful about saying what that means. I do think that we know the time is near because we're in the sixth millennium, which is like sundown before you have the 1,000-year, kind of a Sabbath millennium. We do appreciate your question, Joseph. We have a special offer may be on the second coming that we could make available.
Doug: We do. We'll be happy to send this to anyone who calls and asks and it's called Anything but Secret. It's a book dealing with the second coming. To receive that, give us a call on the resource line. That's 800-835-6747. Again, you can ask for the book called Anything but Secret.
Advertiser: You're listening to Bible Answers Live. This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this broadcast, call 800-835-6747. Once again, that's 800- 835-6747. For life-changing Christian resources visit afbookstore.com.
Doug: Our next caller is Zane listening from Upland, California. Zane, welcome to the program.
Zane: It's great to be here.
Doug: Thank you. Thanks for calling, and your question?
Zane: I have a friend who is struggling a lot to understand the Bible and God.` I'm trying to help him understand, but I don't have the best answer for this question that he's struggling with and that's, what's the proof for the existence of God?
Doug: Well, I wish we had about 60 minutes right now because I just preached a sermon and the title of the sermon is Evidence for God. How can you prove that there's a God? Now you'll find that online probably YouTube for free. I can give you a couple of high points very quickly. One would be that science is more and more coming to the conclusion that because of the complexity of life and when they look through these super electron microscopes and they look at the formation of matter, that there's so much inner working design and organization, that you do not get this kind of intelligent systems that are functioning without an outside intelligence organizing it.
There must be an original outside intelligence to produce all of the intelligent life and the inner working systems and the symbiotic relationships. That to me, I think is the strongest. The other evidence is, there's so many things that happened that seemed to be providential, that you would just think there has to be a God. I'll give you a small story I thought of this week.
I traveled, went out of state, left my phone charger. I thought, "Oh, no, what am I going to do now, I need my phone for everything. I forgot my charger." I prayed about it, got to my hotel room. Imagine my surprise when in the hotel wall, somebody had left a charger that fit my phone.
Of course, I used it and gave it to the hotel desk after I charged my phone, but what are the odds of that? So many things like that I could cite that you just know there has to be a God because of providence. Take a look at that sermon and I don't know if there's anything specific that we can offer on-- Oh, well, we got Wonders of Creation.
Jean: We also have a book on the Bible and, of course, if people can see that the Bible is trustworthy, then what the Bible says is trustworthy with reference to God.
Doug: That's right, there's evidence that the Bible can be trusted.
Jean: The book is called The Ultimate Resource. It's about the Bible and it's just a great read. We'll be happy to send it to anyone who calls and asks. The number is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called The Ultimate Resource. It's about the Bible and, of course, the Bible will give you all the evidences you need for the existence of God.
Zane: What's that number again?
Jean: The number one more time is 800-835-6747. We'll be happy to send it to anyone who calls and asks. Our next caller that we have is Chris listening in Chicago. Chris, welcome to the program.
Chris: Hello, Pastor Doug, Pastor Jean?
Doug: How are you doing?
Chris: Not too bad, yourself?
Doug: Great. We are glad you called, and your question?
Chris: It's just kind of hurt. I'm calling because I wanted to know in the religious where Moses wrote down the laws and what the consequences were if they still apply today because for certain things, it said they were an abomination to the word and you were just like [unintelligible 00:14:23] to death, so I just wanted to know if that still applies.
Doug: Well, let me ask you a different question, Chris, before I answered your question. You sound like from the emotion in your voice, that you've broken one of these and you're in trouble?
Chris: I've broken two of them but I didn't realize what they were till I started reading the Bible.
Doug: Let me just explain that the big question is, does God forgive? The Bible tells us all different kinds of sin that God forgives. Now, without going into the specifics of what you may be struggling with, I strongly recommend you pray when we hang up and ask the Lord to forgive your sins, whatever it is, and believe that the sacrifice of Jesus that He'll do that. Because he longs to forgive you and give you a new life.
Back to your original question, as far as the law of Moses is concerned, when you read in Deuteronomy when God gives Moses the 10 commandments. It's Chapter 4 of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy is after Numbers and Leviticus. Chapter 4:13, it says, "He declared to you the words--" Well, let me see, is this the one I want? Yes, verse 14, " And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments that you might observe them." Before that, He says, He declared His covenant, He commanded you to perform the 10 commandments and He wrote them on two tables of stone and the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments.
Moses explains not only did God give the 10 commandments, that's the moral law for all eternity, there were other statutes and judgments and some of these were ceremonial laws that were nailed to the cross, some were civil laws and there are health laws, several categories of laws that God gave Moses on the mountain. The ceremonial laws are no longer required. The moral laws, it's very clear. Chris, would you mind if I just prayed with you before we went to the next call and help you to find the peace that Jesus offers? Would that be all right?
Chris: That will be fine.
Doug: All right. Father in heaven, I just pray that you'll be with Chris and just bless him with your spirit, I ask Lord that you help him to find peace and regardless of the struggles that he's encountered to believe that Jesus' blood is powerful enough to wash away all sin. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Jean: Amen.
Doug: Now, we have a book that we can offer, Chris. It's called Three Steps to Heaven, Chris. We'd like to send you a copy of that book. Please, read it, it'll give you some encouragement.
Jean: The number to call is 800-835-6747 and you can just ask for the book called Three Steps to Heaven. That number is 800-835-6747 and the book, Three Steps to Heaven. We have a Julian who's listening in Minnesota. Julian, welcome to the program.
Doug: Hi, thank you for your call.
Julian: Oh, hi there. Yes, good evening, Pastor Ross and Pastor Doug. I have a question about, this came up in our study, the Sabbath for lesson number nine. It says, how might we discern whether or not to quote from scripture when attempting to witness to people similar to those of Athens? When Paul went to Athens on his second journey and he was witnessing to the pagans and he didn't use them with scripture, so can you explain that?
Doug: Yes. Of course, you quote scripture to people that recognize the validity of scripture. When Paul was preaching to the Greek pagans there in Athens, they had very little knowledge of or respect for scripture. For him to say, but the Bible says this and the Bible says that, well, if they don't know about the Bible and they don't know about the authority of the Bible, he had to start somewhere else.
Paul started by pointing to one of the idols they worshiped, he said, "Look, you've got an idol that you've made to an unknown god, let me tell you about that god that you worship in ignorance." He used that as a bridge to start telling them about Jesus and, eventually, you bring people into the study of the Bible, where they depend on the Bible. At Amazing Facts when people are looking to come to Jesus, we start out by giving them our first Bible study that talks about the validity and the power of scripture. So it builds their confidence in scripture, then you can quote the Bible later on.
Julian: I see. Okay, I understand. Well, that answers that.
Doug: We'd be happy to send you our first study in the Bible, it's called Anything Left You Can Trust? I think Pastor Ross just offered that to someone else a moment ago.
Jean: Yes, the number to call is 800-835-6747. Ask for this study guide called, Is There Anything Left You Can Trust? Talking about the Bible and how we can trust the Bible indeed.
Advertiser: You are 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. Call us at 1-800 God Says.
Doug: The next caller that we have, looks like Cindy's calling from Minnesota. Cindy, welcome to the program.
Cindy: Thank you.
Jean: Thank you for calling.
Cindy: My question is-- I know you don't have to be circumcised to become a Christian, but after you're a Christian, do you need to be circumcised?
Doug: No. Paul says pretty clearly in Galatians and a number of other places that is circumcision is nothing, uncircumcision is nothing. You can read in Acts:15 and the New Testament church had a pretty lengthy debate wondering whether or not converts to Christianity had to be circumcised. They came to a conclusion, no, they don't need to be circumcised. Even after they accept Jesus and they're saved, it was not a requirement. People before the time of Abraham like Noah and Enoch and Adam were saved based on the faith in the blood of the lamb. They were not circumcised. Circumcision was a covenant that was given to the Jewish nation to point them to Jesus. That the holy seed of the Christ was going to come through Abraham to Christ. It also was a symbol for a cutting away of the flesh meaning you would not be carnally minded but spiritually-minded.
With the coming of Christ, the ceremonial law passed away and circumcision was part of that. Paul makes it pretty clear when he says that circumcision is nothing, uncircumcision is nothing, what matters is keeping the commandments.
Cindy: Okay, that's great.
Doug: By the way, that's 1 Corinthians 7:19. Circumcision is nothing, uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments is what matters.
Cindy: Okay. Well, that's pretty clear. Thank you very much.
Doug: Thank you, Cindy. Appreciate your call.
Cindy: You are welcome. Bye-bye.
Pastors: Bye-bye.
Jean: Next caller we have is calling from Brooklyn, New York. Monty, welcome to the program.
Monty: Hi Pastor. Thank you for taking my call. I tried last week but you had problems with your phones, I believe.
Jean: We did. Thanks for calling back.
Monty: Yes. What I would like to know, I know God said that when He created everything, that it was good, each time he created something. And that when the animals went to Noah, He didn't find them. They came to him and God had to speak to them, I guess, to get them to go on the ark. Because lions and tigers wouldn't go, I gather wouldn't walk up an ark or onto a ship by themselves. So this is my question. Is there any scripture where an animal was healed or animals were healed in the Bible?
Jean: Well, let me think about that. There is a scripture where God spoke through an animal, that's the donkey of Balaam. You got the scripture where two cows were guided by God. These cows were carrying the ark of the covenant and they were guided by God from the land of the Philistines back to the land of Israel. You've got the ravens that came and they fed Elijah. Jesus had several illustrations about the animals, but I don't know of an animal-- I don't know of a prophecy where an animal was sick and then was healed. I'd have to say there is no record of that in the Bible.
The Bible does say a righteous man regards for life of his beast. Even in the sabbath commandment, it says that you should make sure your beast gets proper rest. Not only people rest, they would let their beasts of burden rest. That's as close as I think we can come. God certainly cares about animals. He made them.
Monty: Well, what I thought was that most of the time, God heals who He wants to heal. Some people are healed, some aren't. I have been praying for a certain animal and I know God hears my prayer and possibly he will heal this animal.
Doug: Well, you know what? It is absolutely true that God has the ability to do that. We do have a book that I think we carry. It's called Will My Pets Be in Heaven? You might enjoy that one. God can heal animals. I am sure Pastor Ross will agree with me on that. He answers prayer and we all had pets that got sick. Healing is part of the process of all life and God can heal all kinds of animals.
I had a goldfish, I am ashamed to say, that I thought, for sure, had died. We had this goldfish for years. I thought it died. I dumped him in the toilet. I didn't know what else to do. He came back to life and I had to reach into the toilet and get him back out again. I think there was just not enough oxygen in his fish tank.
[laughter]
So I am going to get letters about that. Anyway, he was resurrected. It was the last place in the world you would think you would be resurrected.
Monty: What's the name of the book again, pastor?
Doug: Steve Wohlberg is the author. It's called Will My Pet Be in Heaven? I know Amazing Facts carries it and you can probably buy it just online with Amazon. It's not expensive. Will My Pet Be in Heaven? You will enjoy that, Monty. Thank you so much for your question tonight.
Doug: Next caller that we have is calling from Hawaii. We have Johnny. Johnny, welcome to the program.
Jean: Johnny on the line from Hawaii. You're still there? Johnny may have his mute on.
Johnny: Hi, sorry about that. I did have it on.
Jean: Hey, how did you survive the hurricane?
Johnny: We've made it. We expected the worst but it never came.
Jean: All right. We're thankful for that.
Johnny: It broke off before it reached O'ahu. But The Big Island got real bad.
Jean: They got hit pretty hard. What's your question tonight, Johnny?
Johnny: I want to know, what does the Bible say about spiritual abuse? Leadership that abuse your authority to bully people around? What does the Bible, in general, say about that?
Jean: Quite a bit. You won't hear the phrase, spiritual abuse, but Jesus talked about wolves in sheep's clothing. Jesus talked about the blind leading the blind. The Bible talks about priests that are dumb dogs that will not bark. They are supposed to warn the people about sin and protect the people. There's quite a few passages in the Bible that talk about people in ministry being faithful and if they are not, they get a more severe judgment according to James.
Well, I will tell you, there's-- I can't even think of all the different places where God warns his priests and his ministers. You got the story where the sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were slain by the Lord because of their bad behavior in the sanctuary. As well as Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Eli, fire came down from heaven and devoured them because they went into the temple drunk.
You read in Matthew 23 where it talks about the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites that they would put burdens on people, they would not lift with one of their fingers. That they robbed widows' houses and then pray long prayers so they can look spiritual. Jesus said a lot of strong things about false ministers.
Doug: Yes. That's Matthew 23:4.
Jean: Boy, I tell you, Johnny, there is quite a bit there. You just won't find the phrase, spiritual abuse, but it's that principle. People abusing their spiritual authority.
Johnny: Thank you, again, for answering my question. I really appreciate it. God bless you guys.
Doug: Thanks so much, appreciate your call. Aloha.
Jean: Pastor Doug, looking at the clock, I don't think we have time to take another call just before we have our break. You can hear the music there in the background.
Doug: There is the music. Hey friends, don't go anywhere. We've got some of the best Bible questions that are still lined up. Be right back.
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To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this evening's program, call 800-835-6747. Once again, that's 800-835-6747. Now, let's join Pastors Doug Batchelor and Jean Ross for more Bible Answers Live.
Doug: Welcome, listening friends. If you've tuned in along the way, this is Bible Answers Live and you can call in with your questions you just heard. It's 800 God Says. 800-463-7297, and I want to welcome our friends who are also watching on either YouTube or Facebook at the Amazing Facts channel or the Doug Batchelor channel, and I am Doug Batchelor.
Jean: My name is Jean Ross. Pastor Doug, we're ready to go to the phone lines. Our next call is Marcus and he's listening in Huntsville, Alabama. Marcus, welcome to the program.
Marcus: Hey, how you doing?
Doug: Hi, how are you?
Marcus: Doing well. Hey, I got a quick question. Well, it may not be as quick but I think it is. Revelation 11 talks about the two witnesses. At first, I was believing this would be the Old and New Testament, but as far as I'm reading it, I'm starting to see something a little bit different. When it says that is the olive tree and the lampstands, that it could be the Hebrews and the Gentiles, which will make up the church, who are the witnesses, who the beast rises up out of the abyss and kills them.
Doug: You're on the right track about it being the word of God, word of God believed by both Jews and Gentiles. Sometimes it's referred to as the law and the prophets, or the new and the old testament. When he talks about an olive tree and a lampstand, that comes from the book of Zechariah.
Marcus: Correct.
Doug: The Bible tells us, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and the Holy Spirit is like the oil that came from the olive trees." That's Zechariah 4, 2, 3: 11-14. All of the symbols about the two witnesses are characteristics of the word of God. It says that they can shut up the heavens, they can bring plagues, so you find plagues in the Old and the New Testament, you find famine in the Old and the New Testament.
It's a symbol for the law and the prophets, Moses and Elijah. The last prophecy in the Old Testament said, "Remember the law of Moses, Behold I send you Elijah." That represents the law and the prophets, the Word of God. I have a book I written on this, I'll be happy to send you a free copy, Marcus. It's called The Two Witnesses.
Jean: All you'll have to do to receive the book is just call us on our resource line. That's 800-835-6747 and ask for the book called The Two Witnesses. It's just a great study dealing with Revelation 11. I'm happy to send it to anyone who calls and asks. We've got Roger who is listening from Colorado. Roger, welcome to the program.
Roger: Thank you for accepting my call.
Doug: Yes.
Roger: I have an interesting question. I've been studying revelation with a couple other people. Now they're coming up with a different word for world or earth, and it says the meaning of it is region. Is there a Greek word for world?
Doug: Well, that depends on what verse. Let me see here. There is a Greek word for world. Is it Tiára? Matter of fact, when it talks about the earth, there's also a Greek word for the word earth, and that can mean the ground. Pastor Ross might be looking them up right now from the look on his face.
Jean: Yes, I'm just looking at a few. There's quite a few actually in Revelation that talk about the world. The one that I'm looking at is Revelation 13, talks about all the world worshipping the beast power. You also have the word Earth used in scripture as well. When it talks about the world, it's just talking about the inhabitants of the world. It talks about them worshiping the beast, and when it talks about the earth, it's referring more to the land, so to speak, which in symbol represents a sparsely populated area. You'll notice the second beast of Revelation 13 comes up from the earth, and that's Revelation 13:11.
Doug: I think one of them where it talks about the whole world to test in Revelation 3:10, it's ecumenes. I might be pronouncing that wrong. It means the inhabited world, a populated place. That word, I think appears a number of times in Greek. It could mean inhabited regions. That's on the line was what you were saying. I hope that helps a little bit.
Roger: Yes, because I've got somebody telling me that when it talks about the world, it's talking mainly about the region, like the world will see when he returns, and he says, "No, it's only going to be that region that pierced Him." I said, "No, my Bible says the world will see Him."
Doug: Well, another reason you're correct is when it says in Revelation, He comes in the clouds and every eye will see Him. Well, that's pretty comprehensive. Every eye is going to see Him. Matter of fact, I think it says, "All the time tribes of the earth will mourn."
Jean: It's Revelation 6.
Doug: So it's not just one country or one region that's going to see it. That's going to affect everybody. Good question, Roger. Thank you.
Jean: Next caller that we have is Roberta listening from South Carolina. Roberta, welcome to the program.
Doug: Roberta?
Roberta: Hi.
Doug: Hi.
Roberta: Hi, Pastor Ross.
Doug: Get real close to your phone.
Roberta: Can you hear me?
Doug: That's better.
Roberta: Okay. My question is on Acts 23:8. It says, "For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees confess both."
Doug: Yes.
Roberta: What is the spirit that is being referred to in this text?
Doug: The Sadducees were a very liberal sect of the Jews. An angel is a spirit, and so they said, "Well, we don't believe in angels or other spirits, meaning, cherubim, seraphim, these other creatures of God that are invisible to us." The Bible calls them ministering spirits, and they're living intelligent creatures. Paul says, "We don't wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers. These are the ministering spirits or the evil spirits in high places."
Jean: Right. I think that's also part of the reference that you got` angels on the good side, and then sometimes the fallen angels are referenced as spirits or evil spirits, and I think it's addressing both. It's fallen angels as well as good angels. The Sadducees didn't believe in any of that, they didn't even believe in the resurrection.
Doug: Yes, they just thought this was it.
Roberta: So the Greek there refers to the same as angels.
Jean: Well, it's two different words, but the angel is described as a spirit in the Bible, and then evil spirits or fallen angels also referenced the spirits.
Doug: The word spirit there is from the Greek word, pneuma. It's used interchangeably with breath, they use it for spirit, it could be a presence or a supernatural being. That's the same word that's used many times in the New Testament in the Greek. It means they didn't believe in the angel or the spiritual world, it mean good or bad angels.
Roberta: So the Greek is pneuma?
Doug: Yes, the word is pneuma. I'm looking at it right now. Well, we appreciate that. I'm trying to think what we have that would give you more. I got a sermon online called Angels, that talks about angels. We do have a lesson that's called Messages From Outer Space, talks about three angel messages.
Jean: Yes. If you'd like to receive that study guide, it's called Angel Messages From Space. The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide called Angel Messages From Space. Next caller that we have is Andy listening in Fort Worth, Texas. Andy, welcome to the program.
Andy: Hi, how are you all this evening?
Doug: Doing Good. Thank you for calling, Andy.
Andy: Yes, it's definitely not pleasure. I just want to tell you how much I've enjoyed your shows and how much it's challenged me to learn more, just thank you for being on the radio this evening. I was really shocked, I was driving home, and I heard Jean, I thought, "Oh, my gosh, I've wanted to speak to you so many times watching your show." I have about 10 questions but I'm going to ask you just probably what I think is the most difficult one that I'm struggling with and I would just really appreciate your opinion.
I originally called and said I wanted to speak to you about God's will, which I do, but it's the third part of my question. I also want to tell you how much I enjoyed your personal testimony which I saw on television. Just really took me back. It's really been impressive to me. I grew up not really believing in the Bible. I've got a master's degree in biology, and I just couldn't see how evolution in the Bible could combine. One day some gentleman pointed out to me the errors in evolution, and then I began to see the truth in Genesis, and then the Bible just broke wide open to me-
Doug: Wonderful.
Andy: -and now I see all scripture. I see it as black and white. I see it all and I see all the scriptures as having to be true, and because of that, this is my question to you. In Philippians 2: 10, 11, it talks about the name of Jesus. It says, "Every knee shall bow those on heaven and earth," and it says, "And under the earth." It says that, "Every time should confess that Jesus Christ and His Lord and to the glory of God."
Then one day in a Bible study, I was sitting there and they put John 6:40 up, and it says, "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who believes in beholds the Son, may have eternal life and I myself will raise Him up on the last day." Then I know from Romans 10: 9 that if you're willing to confess Jesus is Lord, that you would be saved.
I just sat there and I looked at that and I said, well, if all three of these scriptures are true which I know they are, then I think that the people that are under the earth have an opportunity to be saved and said that I was just ostracized. People just immediately just slammed me and said, Oh no, no, no.
Doug: Pardon me, Andy, I was probably got to dive in here and start formulating an answer for you.
Andy: Go ahead.
Doug: Probably the whole premise is going to be, what does it mean when it says under the earth? Now, you're assuming, I think that it means those under the earth, mean people who are dead and buried. I think Paul is referring back to a statement about God. When Moses said the truth is not up in heaven, that you've got to go get it. It's not down in the ocean. It's very near to you.
There's several references about God and heaven above and earth beneath. It's not talking about dead spirits when he says every creature, the heaven above or the earth beneath. The Bible even talks about every creature is going to praise the Lord. There's some creatures that live in the ocean. I don't think he's talking about in the graves there because they had another word for that.
Jean: Just to add a little thing there, Andy, there will be a confession of even the wicked. They will finally acknowledge that God is true. That Jesus is Lord but it's not going to be an acknowledgment or a repented acknowledgment. You remember the story when Judas betrayed Jesus and then suddenly he realized fully what he had done. He took the money back and he threw them on the floor of the temple, and he said, "I've betrayed innocent blood." He went out and he hung himself. That was not repenting of what he had done. He just realized, the truth came to him that he had betrayed Jesus. I think at the end of time--
Doug: Even Pharaoh did it.
Jean: At the end of time, even the wicked will recognize that they'd been warring against God and it's true Jesus is the Lord. They will acknowledge that. But it's not a repentant type of confession that the Bible speaks of is necessary for salvation.
Andy: Do you believe and preach that Jesus died and went to hell and took the keys? Is that scripturally accurate?
Doug: No. People read a verse in 1 Peter, it talks about through which spirit Christ preached to those spirits in prison. When the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah and everyone thinks, well, the spirits in prison, what does that mean? It's just saying it's the same spirit. You've got that verse?
Jean: I do, 1 Peter 3:19.
Doug: It's saying the same spirit that preached in the days of Noah. Remember when God said, "My spirit will not strive with man for he is also flesh." That same spirit is the spirit that rose Jesus. It's not saying Jesus when he died on the cross, he went to give a second chance to people who had died from the days of Noah. That's totally contrary to everything the Bible says where it says it's appointed unto man once to die and after that, the judgment. After a person dies, their destiny is sealed. They don't get a second chance to hear the gospel again. I think that's a frequently misunderstood verse and you don't want to build a doctrine on just one verse.
Jean: We do have a study guide that I think, Andy, you'll find very interesting. It's simply called Are the Dead Really Dead? And it gets into this whole subject. I think even addresses those verses we were talking about in 1 Peter. We'll be happy to send that to you for free. All you have to do is just give us a call. The number is 800-835-6747 and just ask for the study guide called Are the Dead Really Dead?
Doug: Thank you for your call, Andy. Glad we got a chance to talk. God bless.
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Doug: All right. The next caller that we is Jess listening from Bakersfield, California. Jess, welcome to the program. Jess in Bakersfield.
Jess: Yes, pastor.
Doug: Yes. You might turn your radio down, Jesse. You could get confused. We'll get confused too.
Jess: Hold up. A question on the book of Leviticus 11, where it talks about the unclean animals and it says you'll be unclean until the evening. What exactly does that mean?
Doug: Well, it's two different things. You weren't just unclean until the evening. If you ate an unclean animal, you weren't supposed to eat the unclean animals. If you touched the carcass of an unclean animal, you might have a donkey that died and you had to move the donkey's dead body or something. It's basic laws of sanitation and contamination that you weren't supposed to-- We're putting you on mute because we're getting a lot of background noise. You weren't supposed to be touching something.
Matter of fact, they had laws that if you had a steel pot and you found a dead rat in it, you could wash that and it would be clean but if it was a clay pot, he had to destroy it because it would permeate the clay. It was all sanitation, really. I think according to the Levitical law, any bodily emission, you are considered unclean. Does that help, Jess?
Jess: Oh yes. Yes, definitely. Thank you very much. I appreciate that. God bless.
Doug: God bless. I think we've got a study guide that talks about some of the Levitical laws. Well, I was thinking about Death in the Kitchen.
[laughter]
That's actually a good book.
Jean: That is. We'll be happy to send that to anyone who calls and asks. Just simply call. Death in the Kitchen, got an intriguing title. The number to call is 800-835-6747. You're can ask for the book called Death in the Kitchen. The next caller that we have is David. David listening, I believe in Mississippi. David, welcome to the program.
David: In Missouri.
Doug: Missouri. Your question?
David: My question is that if I'm paying 10% to the church, and I'm seeing the church is not doing what they're supposed to do for preaching the gospel like they're playing with the money [unintelligible 00:47:28]. So it's okay for me to give them 5% and 5% use it like find an organization doing word of God because [unintelligible 00:47:40] a member and if God requires me to pay 10% of my income but I can see that the job not been done, so it looks like my money has been used for something else. It's okay for me to give them 5% and I take 5%, see whatever those, any organization doing word of God. You understand that?
Doug: I think I understand your question. The Bible tells us to bring all of the tithes into the storehouse and if every member says, "Well, I don't know that I have confidence in the way that the work is being done with church leadership. I'm going to pick a different way," or, "I'm going to divide the percentage differently." The work of God could break down pretty quickly on an international basis if we do that.
I think in the Bible about the story where Hannah, even though the Bible says Eli, not Eli so much, but the sons of Eli were mismanaging what was happening in the temple, God still blessed Hannah when she brought her son and made an offering of her son. When the widow came to the temple in the days of Jesus and Jesus saw her about to put in her last two mites, Jesus could have said, "Don't do that, the priests here are corrupt." Most of them anyway. Or, "Just put in one mite. Give the other to me." Jesus said God was going to bless her for putting in her two mites. God blesses us when we give to Him. If people, if there are men or women that mismanage the use of the money, they'll have to answer to God for that.
If you're going to a church, you want to be faithful in supporting the church you attend. Otherwise, it's like you've got a wife and a girlfriend in another city that you're supporting. You want to be supporting the church where you're attending and you're getting all the benefits. Thank you. We do have a study guide that talks about that subject, David.
Jean: Yes, to receive that study guide, just call and ask. It's called In God We Trust and it deals with finance and what the Bible says about that and how offerings and tythe is to be used. The number to call is 800-835-6747 and just ask for the study guide called In God We Trust. We have Faith who's listening from Texas. Faith, welcome the program.
Doug: Faith in Lubbock. Faith. Are you on mute? We can't hear you. Faith going once.
Jean: We've got John in Washington. John, welcome to the program.
Doug: John, are you there?
John: Yes, I am.
Doug: Hi, thank you.
John: Thanks for taking my call. I have a question. I believe it's a Bible verse or part of one that says if God be for us, who can be against us? Is that in the Bible and where?
Doug: I think it's in Romans 8. I'm looking it up right now.
John: A context on it, maybe?
Doug: It's in Romans chapter 8:31, "What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against this?" I think Paul is talking here in Romans about if the Lord is forgiving us, and He's justifying us, if you look at the previous verses, He says, "Moreover, He whom was predestined, these also He called. Who He called, He justified. Who he justified, these He glorified. What shall we say to these things, if God is for us, who can be against us?"
Here's the next verse, "He that did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. How shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" In other words, Jesus, God has given his Son to redeem us. He's made a heavy investment to make it possible for us to be saved. How can man keep us from being saved if God has done so much to save us?
John: I understand that. Well, thank you very much.
Doug: Absolutely. It is there, it's in, as I said, Romans 8:31. Appreciate your call.
John: Thank you. Bye.
Doug: Bye-bye.
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Jean: Next caller that we have is Ramona listening from South Carolina. Ramona, welcome to the program.
Ramona: Well, thank you.
Jean: Thank you.
Ramona: I'm glad I got through.
Jean: Well, we got a couple of minutes, so how can we help you tonight?
Ramona: Well, I am wondering if-- This is a Sabbath question, would it be breaking the Sabbath for me to--
Jean: Don't tell us we got cut off. Are you still there, Ramona?
Ramona: I'm here. Do you hear me?
Doug: Yes. You're asking, would it be breaking the Sabbath for you to attend a bar mitzvah or a temple service?
Ramona: It's actually a bar mitzvah for my niece, on a Saturday morning?
Doug: Well, in most cases, I would say no, it's a spiritual event. Now, I come from a Jewish background and it's just like a wedding. You can go to a Christian wedding, and it'd be a sacred service and then you can go to a wedding that is not so Christian, or pretty liberal and there's a lot of drinking, dancing, people walking around with underwear on their head. You never know what you're going to see at a wedding when they start to celebrate. It depends. [chuckles]
Ramona: Well, the celebration is actually after sundown. This is a morning service.
Doug: I'd say by all means, bar mitzvah or a time to celebrate a spiritual transition for a young lady. If you could support your family by going, what do you think Pastor Ross? I think it might be a good spiritual event.
Jean: I think so, yes. Nothing wrong with spending time with family and on the Sabbath being at a religious house of worship.
Ramona I'm so happy to hear that because I've been getting different feedback. My family's half Jewish and half Christians, and the half Christian are Sabbath keepers.
Doug: Well, the original Sabbath-keepers were Jewish. [laughs]
Ramona: That's right. Now, what's ironic is most of the people attending this really don't keep the Sabbath. Whether it's in a temple, that's a Sabbath-keeping.
Doug: Well, you might be able to be a witness there. Technically, there should be a rabbi there and it would be a sacred occasion, he'll be quoting from the Torah. Hopefully, you can be a witness. It's not something that you do. Paul says, "I become all things to all men that I might reach some for Christ." Paul specifically says to the Jew, "I became as a Jew, that I might reach the Jews." You'll have to pray. I'm not the Holy Spirit, but I would probably not lose any sleep over that. I have Jewish family, I've had the same kind of conundrum so I understand that.
Ramona: I'm delighted to have gotten through. Your wisdom and your opinion, they do count but ultimately, prayer and seeking the Holy Spirit to prompt me.
Doug: Amen. We have a new book that we put out and it's talking about Keeping the Sabbath Holy, how do you keep the Sabbath holy? It does deal with some of these moral crises or dilemmas or a quandary as we say. What should we do? We can send you a free copy of that.
Ramona: I would love it.
Doug: All right. Hey, thank you so much, Ramona.
Jean: The number to call is 800-835-6747 and, Pastor Doug, you mentioned the book.
Doug: It's Keeping the Sabbath Holy.
Jean: Keeping the Sabbath Holy. It's all there in the name.
Doug: Mason, we put it out about a year ago and we had a lot of orders, but I don't think we ever promoted it because it just was so popular through the catalog, but we ought to let people know.
Jean: That number is 800-835-6747.
Ramona: God bless you.
Jean: You too. I'm looking at the clock. It's countdown, 14, 13. See that? 12, 10. Hey, listening friends. We'd love to hear from you in another way. If you'd like to, just go to the Amazing Facts website. Amazingfacts.org