Hello friends! How about an amazing fact? Did you know the ocean is a very noisy place? You can dive down into the sea and not hear this noise because of a small plug of air in the outer ear which blocks out the sound but upon lowering a hydrophone and underwater microphone into the ocean you’ll discover that the ocean is full of sound. Trigger fish grit their teeth together, sea horses rub their heads against the back of their spines and pistol shrimps dislocate their claws when threatened by an enemy. The resulting noise sounds like gun shots. The greatest noisemakers in the ocean however, are whales. The Humpback whales’ song consists of vast roars and groans interspersed with sighs, chirps, and squawks.
That description may not sound very exciting but some of the arrangements are very interesting to listen to and they go on for quite some time. Each song can last 10 minutes or more. Once completed, the whale will repeat it again and again for hours. Each year the songs change somewhat as whales experiment with new tunes and tones. The largest creature in the world of course, is the blue whale. Some have been measured at 100 feet in length. It has the largest lungs and vocal cords in the world as well and makes the most noise. Blasts of a 188 decibels has been reported. The blue whale can be louder than a jet which reaches only 140 decibels. These extraordinarily loud whistles can be heard for hundreds of miles underwater. Scientists have calculated that the loudest whale sounds can be transmitted more than 1500 miles in open ocean. But did you know friends that the Bible predicts that the loudest noise ever heard is yet in the future? Stay tuned for 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 and practical answers to your Bible-related questions. This broadcast is pre-recorded. If you have a Bible question call us Sundays from 7-8 pm Pacific Standard Time at 800-GOD-SAYS. That’s 800-463-7297. Now let’s join our host, author, speaker, and evangelists Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hello friends welcome to Bible Answers Live. Pastor Doug Batchelor is out this evening but this is a live interactive Bible study and if you have a Bible-related question we would love to hear from you today. The number that you need to call here to our studio is 1-800-GOD-SAYS. That’s 1-800-463-7297. Again that number is 800-463-7297. And it looks as though there’s one or two more lines open at the moment. The number is 800-463-7297. My name is John Ross and Pastor Doug as mention is out this evening but working the phones is one of the Amazing Facts associate speakers Pastor Jason Slyder. Pastor Slyder welcome to the Program!
Pastor Jason: Thanks for having me. It’s good to be here.
Pastor Jëan Ross: We’re delighted that you’re able to join us. Will you tell us a little bit more on the break halfway through the program about what an Amazing Fact evangelist does but for right now why don’t you begin the program with a word of prayer.
Pastor Jason: Sure I’d be happy to. Father, in heaven we are thankful that we have your word that we can go to, to find answers to our questions and Lord we just ask that you will guide us today as we go through this session of Bible Answers Live and that you’ll help us to find all answers from your word. May you bless us now in Jesus’ name. Amen!
Pastor Jëan Ross: Amen! Well thank you. You know Pastor Slyder talking about the noisy oceans as we began the program. You know I find it interesting that the blue whales not only the loudest, biggest and heaviest creature on earth but they also eat the most food on an average about 4 tons of krill everyday.
Pastor Jason: Wow!
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s a lot of food!
Pastor Jason: That’s a lot of food.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know it’s also interesting that the Bible speaks of a very loud event not coming form the ocean, not coming from the earth but believe it or not the Bible says the loudest noise will be ever be heard comes from the sky and let me read you the verse. It’s in 2nd Peter chapter 3:10 where we read, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the heaven shall pass away with a great noise and the element shall melt with fervent heat and the earth also and the works that are there in shall be burned up.” Then in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 we read, “for the Lord himself will ascend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” Seems from these verses it’s talking about the second coming of Christ but the second coming of Jesus will be a very loud event.
Pastor Jason: That’s right!
Pastor Jëan Ross: Lot of things happening, lot of noise.
Pastor Jason: Lot of noise.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Well you know we have a book dedicated to the study of what the Bible has to say with reference to the second coming of Jesus. It’s a book that was written by Pastor Doug Batchelor and it is absolutely free if you would give us a call on our resource line. The book is entitled Anything But Secret.
Pastor Jason: And then our resource line is 1-800-835-6747. Again that is 1-800-835-6747 and you’ll ask for the little booklet Anything But Secret. Pastor Ross it looks like we’ve got a phone call here coming in from Paul and Paul is calling in from New Brunswick and he has a question for us today.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi Paul! Welcome to the program.
Paul: Hello!
Pastor Jëan Ross: Paul Yes! You’re on the air.
Paul: Yeah! I’m calling to ask just few questions about the old testament in Leviticus 23 the holy days and I think they are prevalent today like in religion and even if you guys keep details and you know now that is the question.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay Sure! It’s a good question. You know in the Bible we find four sets of law. We have the Ten Commandments which of course written by God’s finger on tablet of stone. That is sometimes referred to as the Moral law but then also in the Bible we find three other groups of law. We have the Civil laws and the Civil laws govern the nation of Israel under theocracy. It kind of dealt certain on legislation and judicial aspects of the civil government. And also in the Old Testament we find the Health laws that God gave so that his people could be healthy and then we find Ceremonial laws. Now the Ceremonial laws not only dealt with the sanctuary and the sacrificial system but there were also number of certain days or Sabbath days or feast Sabbath that were associated with the ceremonial law. The Ceremonial law pointed forward to the coming of Christ not only was the sacrifice as the symbol of Christ but the various services at the sanctuary and even certain of this feast days were associated with aspects of Christ’s ministry and mission.
Paul tells us in Colossians 2:14 that when Jesus died on the cross He wiped out the handwritten requirements that were against us, which were contrary to us as He has taken them out of the way having nail them to the cross. So those laws that foreshadowed the coming of Christ that were there to teach Israel to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah they came to an end when Jesus died on the cross. Now I still think that the feast, days and some of these other laws of the Old Testament are important for us to study. They have significance, spiritual significance especially as we look at what Jesus is doing for us now in the heavenly sanctuary but the Bible does make it clear that is not required of Christians today the observance of these feasts days.
Paul: So what verses you mention that it wasn’t require for a [inaudible 00:08:45]
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes! The verse I mentioned was Colossians 2:14. Actually there are several verse is in that chapter that relate to the same subject which you have the Gentile Christians and you had Jewish Christians and you had some of the Jewish Christians that were trying to have the Gentile Christians observe the ceremonial laws and so Paul wrote, “the ceremonial laws came to an end when Jesus died on the cross.”
Paul: That verses mentioned the Sabbath as well it’s like the new moon, the Sabbath and like it continues so…
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes! You mentioned in Leviticus 17 there are series of feast days some of which are referred to as Sabbath now this is different and distinct from the seventh day Sabbath. These various feast days could fall on different days of the week. For example like somebody’s birthday one year it’s on Monday another year it might be on Tuesday or Wednesday so these various feast days were associated with specific date in the calendar and they could move throughout the year. When you had a feast day fall on the seventh day Sabbath that was considered the high Sabbath so when it’s talking about Sabbath in Colossians 2:14 it’s not referring to the seventh day Sabbath but rather to this feast Sabbath.
Paul: But, How about in Zechariah 14:9 or 10 I think somewhere it says the one who wouldn’t come to Jerusalem to worship the Lord in the feast of Tabernacle will not have rain or this or that or no so like in the millennium to come we all have to keep the feast of Tabernacle like in some churches they’re like our feast and some who don’t so if you know…
Pastor Jëan Ross: I’m familiar with that passage scripture that you are referring to. What’s interesting is when you look at the various feast in particular the Tabernacles it does have a broader application. During that 1000 year period that we read about in Revelation 20 where you have the redeemed with Christ in heaven for that period it was symbolized in the Old Testament by that particular feast of Tabernacles. That feast will be kept in a far broader and fuller experience when that time comes. That is after the second coming of Christ. You know Paul we’ve got a book that delves into the subject of the feast days and that we’d be happy to send that to you. All you need to do is give us call on our resource line and ask for the book “Feast days and Sabbath -Are They Still Binding?” and we’ll be happy to send that to you.
Pastor Jason: Yeah Paul! You’re going to want to call 1-800-835-6747. Again that’s 1-800-835-6747 and you’re going to ask for “Feasts days and Sabbath - Are They Still Binding?”
Pastor Jëan Ross: Thanks for your call Paul. Who do we have next?
Pastor Jason: Pastor Ross we have somebody here by the name of Robert. He’s calling from Indiana. Robert we’d like to hear your question.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi Robert! You’re on the air.
Robert: Good Evening brothers!
Pastor Jëan Ross: Good Evening!
Robert: My question is verse in John 3:13. By reading it, it seems an apparent contradiction no verse in the Bible does contradict itself.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay.
Robert: But if you would read it.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay let me read it for you. I’m going to begin in verse 12 just so we get a little more with the context. I’m reading from John 3:12 “If I’ve told you earthly things and you do not believed, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? verse 13 No one is ascended to heaven but he that has come down from heaven that is the Son of Man who is in heaven.” and your question Robert.
Robert: Well it says up on I’ve wondered because we know in 2 kings 2 that someone did ascended in to heaven?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Now you’re talking about…
Robert: That individual period the transfiguration was Moses.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s right! So you’re talking about Elijah, that we read about in Kings and then also you have Enoch who lived before the flood that the Bible says was taken to heaven. So what does it mean where your question is what is Jesus referring to when he said no man has ascended up in to heaven. Okay. Good question you know in the context we have Jesus talking to Nicodemus and in verse 12 He says, “if I tell you earthly things and you do not believe how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things.” then He goes on to say, “no one is ascended up in to heaven but he that had come down from heaven.” So in the context of the discussion that’s taking place what is being emphasized is that no one has ascended up into heaven in order to receive heavenly things to bring them back down to make them known other than Christ. Jesus is the only one that has brought heavenly things and can explain them because salvation is through Christ. So it’s not saying here Jesus didn’t say that no one is ascended up into heaven but in the verses before he’s talking about heavenly things. No one has gone up to heaven to get heavenly things to bring them back down to explain them but Christ who is in heaven he had come down to explain and expound upon these heavenly things. Does that make sense Robert?
Robert: Yeah! That makes sense.
Pastor Jëan Ross: So, you just kind of look at the verses before and the verses and find out it. It can be a little bit of difficult first to get your mind around the first time.
Robert: Thank you!
Pastor Jëan Ross: You’re welcome! Thank you for your call. Who do we have next?
Pastor Jason: Pastor Ross, we have a lady a name by Roberta. She’s calling us from South Carolina. Roberta we’d like to hear your question.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi Roberta! Welcome to the program.
Roberta: Good Evening Pastor John.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Good Evening!
Roberta: My question is also from Leviticus and it’s regarding Leviticus 1:7 and 12 and I’ll read it really quickly, “And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar and lay the wood in order upon the fire and chapter 12, “and you shall cut it into his pieces with his head and his fat and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood it is on fire which is upon the altar.” What does it mean when it’s talking about a certain order that the priest will lay the wood in order and also arrange the pieces of the animal in order?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Well, that’s a good question you know in the Bible especially when it refers to worshipping God and of course the sacrificial system and everything that was done in the sanctuary had to do with worshipping God. God made it very clear that everything associated with worship had to be done in order and even to how the priest would delay the sacrifice in the altar there was a certain order that they had to follow, there was a certain dress that the priest would wear, certain things that had to be done in certain orders and in think there’s a principle that we can apply to us today. Even today when it comes to worship God desires that our worship be in order. The apostle Paul tells us, “let all things done decently and in order.” And that’s the principle that we can find still relevant today.
Pastor Jason: I believe that passage you are referring to Pastor Ross is 1 Corinthians 14:40 “Let all things be done decently and in order.’
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s correct so even in the Old Testament God wanted them to be specific in how they were to do things related to worship.
Roberta: Okay! Well thank you very much.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You’re welcome! Thank you for your call. Who do we have next?
Pastor Jason: Pastor Ross we have somebody by the name of Lenny, who’s calling us from Michigan. Lenny, we would like to hear your question.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi Lenny! You’re on the air
Lenny: Thank you! My question is throughout the New Testament, Revelation and James that refer to Jesus as coming soon and some people can take that as a much shorter time and others can think that time has passed and not that He has come soon. So, how would you explain that soon does not necessarily mean they are in restaurant and he will be here soon, you know what I mean?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure! Sure! Well, you know when you look at the New Testament and you read what the apostles wrote particularly Paul whenever he’s talking about the second coming of Christ there’s always a sense of urgency. You know it gives the idea that Jesus is coming very, very soon. Now Paul also recognized that there were certain prophetic events that would transpire prior to the coming of Jesus. However as far as the duration of time we do get the sense that throughout the New Testament time people were looking for the eminent coming of Jesus. I’m reminded of what Jesus said when he spoke to his disciples he said, “there are many things that I would like to tell but you cannot bear it now.” and there were certain things probably with reference to how long it would take 2,000 years from that time till now that Jesus didn’t reveal to the disciples at least not at that point.
He wanted them to have an urgency in their preaching and their teaching. If they felt as though Christ wasn’t coming for 2,000 years perhaps they wouldn’t have done the work that they had done with such commitment and enthusiasm so I think that’s partly why you have this urgency in the New Testament but then also we need to recognize that Jesus can come very quickly for us as an individual. When our life ends the very next thing we know Jesus is coming. We resurrected if we’re save. It’s a very eminent urgent event so that’s kind of some of the context why we find that in the Bible that refers to Jesus coming quickly.
Lenny: Great! Thank you! Actually you know you reminded me of I believe it’s in Matthew 24 when Jesus is explaining a parable about a household are coming back and living in that state of readiness.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s right! Always ready.
Lenny: We don’t know when He will be coming
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know not the hour and of course that’s true not only for the coming of Christ but that’s true for us individually. We don’t know when our lives will end. Thus we always want to be ready.
Lenny: Thank you very much!
Pastor Jëan Ross: Great call! Thanks for calling Lenny. Who do we have next?
Pastor Jason: Marcus is calling from Ashville, North Carolina. Marcus, please tell us your question.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi Marcus! You’re on the air.
Marcus: Thank you Pastors! My questions is about Revelation 7 when Jesus return He’s going to come back for the 144,000 and the great multitude and my question is are the 144,000 are they the ones to influence the great multitude that He is going to return for and the 144,000 are going to be the one’s that are sealed. They’re going to receive the seal of God. What happens during the times of trouble if they sin if they were already been sealed?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay! Good question. Let me back up a little bit. We’re looking at Revelation 7 I want to begin with Revelation chapter, well let’s start beginning verse 15. It says Revelation 6:15, “and the kings of the earth, and the great man, and the rich man, and the commanders, and the mighty men, and every slave and every free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains and say to the mountains and the rock fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits upon the thrown and form the wrath of the Lamb. Now if you read up even a little bit further it talks about this great earthquake really what’s being described here at the end of revelation chapter 6 is the second coming of Jesus. This description then is interrupted in verse 17 with the question and the question is this, “for the great day of His wrath has come and who shall be able to stand?”
In other words the question is asked who is going to be able to stand when Jesus comes the second time. Revelation 7 then describes a group of people who are able to stand when Jesus comes and you can read about this in Revelation chapter 1 all the way through to verse 4 and then it begins to give us some additional details as you worked your way through. So the 144,000 represent those who are able to stand when Jesus comes and the reason they can stand if you read in Revelation 7:2 it talks about them receiving the seal of the living God in their foreheads. Now that seal represents the character of God in the Greek the word marked or seal is Characteia we get the English word Character from the Greek word Characteia. So here’s a group of people at the very end of time who have the character of God upon their foreheads or upon their hearts. They’re the ones who are able to stand when Jesus comes again. Now the 144,000 they’re alive when Jesus comes the great multitude represents those who are resurrected when Jesus comes the second time. It talks about them being from every nation, kindred, tongue and people. Does that make sense Marcus?
Marcus: Yes! It does but the 144,000 they going to have the character of Jesus…
Pastor Jëan Ross: Correct!
Marcus: And they’re going to be sealed.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Right!
Marcus: They’re not going to have any problems with sin during this great tribulation?
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s correct! Now let me give you another verse. We go over to Revelation chapter 22 which refers to Jesus saying, “He that is holy let him be holy still. He that is filthy let him be filthy still and then it goes on Jesus says, behold I’ve come quickly and my reward is with me to give every men according to his deeds. So there is what we refer to as the close probation which just precedes the second coming of Christ. At that point in time Jesus says he that’s holy let him be holy still. He that’s filthy let him be filthy still.” Those who are holy are the one’s who have the seal of God upon their hearts and upon their minds. They stay faithful to God and God will strengthen them, they will have the Holy Spirit, they will have the character of God and even though the devil brings all kinds of trials against them just like Job they will stay faithful to God. They’ll say even if I die I will still serve Him.
Marcus: Okay! Alright! Are they the ones that receive the latter rain?
Pastor Jëan Ross: They do receive the latter rain, yes. The latter rain takes place prior to the close probation. They’ll receive the latter rain. They are empowered to go out and share the gospel with the world.
Marcus: Alright! Thank you Pastors!
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know we do have a book talking about the 144,000 then if you call our resource line we’ll be happy to send it to you. It’s written by Pastor Doug. It’s entitled “Who are the 144,000?” So if you call our resource line and just ask for the book a 144,000, we’ll be happy to send that to you
Pastor Jason: And Marcus you‘re going to want to call 1-800-835-6747. Again that’s 1-800-835-6747. Pastor Ross we have Rose on the line now who is calling us from New York, New York. Rose we would like to hear your question.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi Rose! You’re on the air
Rose: Hi! I have a question. Matthew 27 starting at verse 52.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Matthew 27 starting at verse 52 do you want to read that for us?
Rose: Yes! After Jesus after He gave us this where it says verse 52, “The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life and they came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. Now what I want to know Id’ like to know who are these holy people and why did they come out after Jesus’ resurrection instead of before you know. They waited three days to go into the city and appear before the people?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright! Good Question. The Bible describes and this is the only gospel that actually describes this event. It’s a rather significant event yet we don’t have a lot of commentary on it. When Jesus died it says the graves were opened and those saints we don’t know who they were but quite possibly some of the Old Testament characters that we’ve read about they were resurrected and they appeared in the holy city. The holy city would be Jerusalem and they were many people that saw them. Then there’s no further record of them in the early Christian church so what many scholars believe is that this group of people ascended up to heaven with Jesus as first fruits of the resurrection and we have a passage of scripture where Paul talks about when Christ ascended he took captivity laid captives let me think of the wording laid captivity captive and gave gifts unto men and we’ve seen that as quite possibly being those who resurrected at this time.
Rose: I see! Okay, thank you!
Pastor Jëan Ross: And when it comes to first fruits what that basically mean is if the first fruits are good then it means the rest will be good as well. Do we have that verse?
Pastor Jason: Yeah Pastor Ross! That was Ephesians 4:8 “wherefore He saith when He ascended up on high He laid captivity captive and he gave gifts unto men.
Pastor Jëan Ross: So that could refer to those who ascended up with Jesus.
Rose: So what you say is that they ascended up with Him.
Pastor Jëan Ross: No it doesn’t and that is something you kind of have to look into a little bit. People believe that they did ascend with Jesus because they never mentioned in the early Christian church and you would think that this people who are miraculously resurrected would be involve in the church perhaps even hold a position of leadership in the church but the New Testament does not mention them anymore than just this.
Rose: Okay, Thank you very much!
Pastor Jëan Ross: Good question, Thanks Rose! Do we have time for one more question? Who is our next caller?
Pastor Jason: Yes we have Franklin calling us from New York, New York. Franklin we would like to hear your question.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi Franklin, Welcome to the program.
Franklin: Hi! Good evening pastor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Good evening!
Franklin: I’m just curious about Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, all of those days, is there any biblical attachments to those days? And if you would care to elaborate I’ll take your answer on the air.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay absolutely Franklin, of course…
Franklin: Thank you!
Pastor Jëan Ross: This time of the year today would be referred to as Easter Sunday and it’s a time when Christian world remembers in particular the resurrection of Jesus. Now the other days that we associate with Easter that being a Good Friday, and then Resurrection Sunday and then this Ash Wednesday and there’s few others. We don’t find any biblical preference or precedents for these days. It is reality Jesus did die on Friday. He rose from the grave on Sunday and yet we are not admonished any way in scripture to observe these days as being holy days. These are some of the traditions that have been picked up over the centuries. However there’s nothing wrong in remembering and celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. It was a very special and very important event but there is no command from scripture that it needs to be observed.
Well thank you for your call Franklin you can hear the music playing there in the background. Friends were not going away we’re just taking a short break and then we’ll be back with some more Bible questions. During the break if you don’t have a pencil handy you might want to grab one from time to time we give you a number of our resource line. You can call that number and ask for the various resources that we offer throughout the program. Also go take a look at our website Amazingfacts.org. There is a number of resources that we have there. You can also click on the link free library and you can read some of the materials that we offer from time to time. So don’t go too far we’ll be back in just a few moments.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hello, friends this is Pastor Jëan Ross:. Pastor Doug is out this evening but this is Bible Answers Live. If you’ve just joined us we’re halfway through this live interactive Bible study and if you have a Bible-related question, we’d like to hear from you. We have phone lines that are now open, you can call 1-800-GOD-SAYS. That’s 800-463-7297. The number again is 800-463-7297 and call us with your Bible question. Filling in working the phone for us this evening is Pastor Jason Slyder. He is an associate speaker with Amazing Facts and evangelist. Well, Pastor Jason what do you do?
Pastor Jason: Well, we enjoyed travelling the countryside and we go from one state to another trying to share the good news of Bible Prophecy with folks around North America and we just so happen to be near Sacramento, California right now holding a Bible Prophecy seminar and really we just want to get people into the study of Daniel and revelation because they’re important books we believe for the time we’re living in today.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know these kinds of seminars that take place are really eye-opening. It’s exciting. Matter of fact, Pastor Slyder is doing this series of prophecy lectures at my church in the Sacramento area. So we’re just delighted that you are here and I’m just delighted that you’re joining me on the radio.
Pastor Jason: It’s been fun.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Trusting you on that but we really appreciate you coming in and joining us. For our listeners if they like to learn more about these Bible Prophecy seminars that Amazing Facts has, where can they go to learn more and find the seminar location near them.
Pastor Jason: Well, Amazing Facts has several different evangelists that travel the countryside. So we have their schedules posted on our website prophecyseminars.com. www.prophecyseminars.com. You can log on to that website and find a prophecy seminar near you or if you see one maybe near your family member or a friend you can let them know that Amazing Facts is coming to down and we would love to have them at our Bible prophecy seminar.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s great! Again the website is www.prophecyseminars.com. I believe you can go to the website and put in your zip code and it will actually pull up a search of any seminars near you.
Pastor Jason: Is it correct that if you pre-register for a seminar, you get a free gift?
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s correct! If you see a seminar near you and you want to reserve a seat please do so. You’ll receive an Amazing Facts DVD called Cosmic Conflict. So that’s worth doing and it’s just an exciting experience to get together and study the word of God. This is a pretty intense Bible study.
Pastor Jason: Yeah it is.
Pastor Jëan Ross: By the time you get through, you’ll understand the various themes of Bible prophecy and even some of those tough prophetic topics are dealt with like mark of the beast, 666, the beast of Revelation 13 and Daniel and just a great experience. So take a look at the website. ProphecySeminars.com. Again our phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7397. If you have a Bible question, it’s 800-GOD-SAYS, 800-463-7297. Alright let’s go to the phone lines. Who do we have next?
Pastor Jason: Pastor Ross we have Robert with us calling from Bloomsville, New Jersey. Robert, we would love to hear your question.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi Robert you’re on the air! Yes?
Robert: Yes. Good evening pastors.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Good evening.
Pastor Jason: Good evening.
Robert: Hi! My question’s concerning the beliefs in life that a lot of people are not, knowing what the Bible says on that, knowing the woman mentioned before when He would resurrect in Matthew 27 and where Lazarus was resurrected in John 11:43-44 and what Peter said about in the Book of Acts, David sleeping with his fathers. David had been dead for about a thousand years, he still slept, you know.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s right.
Robert: Now my question is where, would the last of pastors who preached on immediate life after death, a) where do they think they get the basis for that and b)do they know what the Bible really says about it, wouldn’t it be, when they feel conflict, they’re contradicting themselves on this?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Well, you know Robert I cannot speak for these pastors. But I...
Robert: Yeah.
Pastor Jëan Ross:: would agree with you it seems to me that the Bible is very clear with reference to the promise of the resurrection. That is the great hope of the Christian. The Bible also tells us that the resurrection takes place when Jesus comes the second time. 1 Thessalonians 4 says the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel.
Robert: Right.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The trumpet in God and the dead in Christ will rise first. It’s also interested to notice what Jesus says in Revelation 22. Jesus said, “Behold I’m coming quickly and my rewards are with me to give every man according to his works.” So Jesus will give the reward of eternal life to those who put their trust in Him when He comes the second time. So for the Christian the hope is the resurrection. Now, some people say, “Well you know I don’t like the idea of being in the grave but what we need to recognize is that when a person dies the very next conscious thought that he has he sees Jesus coming in the clouds of heaven. He doesn’t realize that 10 or 15 or a hundred years have passed or even more.
The very next thing that a person knows when he closes his eyes in death is the coming of Jesus and Jesus himself likened death to a sleep. Remember the story of Lazarus who we refer to that where Lazarus died Jesus said to His disciples, “Lazarus is sleeping but I’m going to go wake him up.” And they said, “Well Lord if he’s sleeping he’s doing well.” And then Jesus said, “No, he’s dead.” Jesus likened death into a sleep. When a person is tired and they worked hard all day and they closed their eyes and sleep the very next thing they know is the alarm clock rings. It’s time to get up and go. So kind of the way it is with the person who dies in believing Christ the next conscious thought that they have is the glorious resurrection and that’s really the hope of the Christian.
Robert: Right.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know we do have an Amazing Facts Study Guide that deals with this subject and I think it will help any questions that people might have. It’s called Are the Dead Really Dead? It’s an Amazing Facts Study Guide and for anyone listening if you would like to learn more about the subject. Give us a call on our resource line ask for the study guide “Are the Dead Really Dead?". Pastor Jason before you give that number let me also remind our friends we have a website that is also dedicated to this subject. It’s called TruthAboutDeath. www.TruthAboutDeath.com and this is really an in-depth Bible study into this subject. What is the number that we need to call for that free resource?
Pastor Jason: Yeah, you’re going to call 1-800-835-6747. Again, that’s 1-800-835-6747 and the offer that you ask for the study guide Are the Dead Really Dead? And don’t forget that website www.TruthAboutDeath.com. Pastor Ross, we have Keith on the line that is calling us from New York. Keith we’d like to hear your question.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi Keith you’re on the air.
Keith: Hi goodnight Pastor John, Pastor Jason. My question is from Luke 24:39 when Jesus was speaking unto John, Thomas I believe and He said, “behold my hands and my feet defying myself handle me and see for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have. My understanding upon reading this scripture is that Jesus had no blood since all His blood was shed in the cross of cavalry and with the beatings and so on. So I’m a little confused about that, have asked several others who question with them and so on and we couldn’t really figure out. My interpretation is that He didn’t have any blood. What is your take on that?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay, well that’s a good question. First thing we need to know when Jesus rose from the dead He rose with a glorified body. Remember He said to Mary Magdalene, she was the first one to see Him after His resurrection. He said to her, “Do not cling to me for I have not yet ascended to my father in heaven.” So Christ had a glorified human body when He rose from the dead which enabled Him to travel to heaven. He left Sunday ascended up into heaven and then He appears Sunday evening in upper room with His disciples and He says to them, “See it is I.” So it appears that in the gloried body of Christ, there is still flesh and blood. There is bones but He had to be different from our bodies. When Jesus died on the cross, He shed His blood for our sins and yet when He rose from the dead he was a glorified body. Something different than what we have right now but similar.
Keith: I understand that but the thing is why did He say flesh and bones and he didn’t said blood?
Pastor Jëan Ross: I see what in a specific image and they…
Keith: No because as I’m saying I’ve looked at it over a number of years and it’s confusing the vast several members of even my pastor and he really couldn’t explain unto me for me to understand because as I’m thinking I know He was beaten severely more than we could ever understand and then He lost probably all of His blood during the whipping on the cross of Cavalry. So I’m thinking could that be a possibility that He’s just flesh and bones?
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, it could be we don’t know. I mean that’s a great observation that you’ve made there, I’ve never look at that from that angle but you know the reality is the body that Jesus had at the resurrection after He rose from the dead is different. It’s special. It’s glorified. Will the glorified body has blood? We don’t know. I suggest flesh and bone. We know flesh and bone, Jesus mentioned but what type of flesh, what type of bones. It’s different that what we have now. I don’t know we’ll have to wait and ask Jesus that question when we see Him, when He comes again. It’s a great question. Thanks for asking Keith.
Keith: Okay. Good night!
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright. Who do we have next?
Pastor Jason: We have Aaron calling us from Sacramento California. Aaron we would like to hear your question.
Aaron: Hi! I’m calling because I’m actually reading a book called 1844 Made Simple and having really a hard time understanding the 2,300 day prophecy and it’s separate from the seventh year prophecy. It’s really I don’t know it’s kind of, it’s not that I… I think it’s wrong it’s just that I think I’m just confused on how it’s separate.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure! Alright. We’ll let’s see if we can address that by the way before we’re getting into this you do realize this is probably one of the most fascinating and detailed time prophecies that you find in the Bible. Matter of fact that 2,300 day prophecy that you’re referring to is found in Daniel 8: 14. It’s the longest time prophecy that you have in the Bible. Now it’s interesting when you look at the book of Daniel there are certain structures that are present. Daniel 2 Nebuchadnezzar the king has a dream and in his dream he sees this giant image. The head of the image is made of gold, chest and arms are silver, belly and thighs are brass, legs of iron, feet of iron and clay. These various metals represent different kingdom and then it says there is a stone that comes out and strikes the image upon its feet. That represents judgment represents the second coming of Christ.
Now these various metals representing these different kingdoms are repeated in Daniel chapter 7 but using different imagery. Instead a head of gold in Daniel 7 it’s a lion with eagle’s wings. It represents the kingdom of Babylon. The next beast that Daniel sees in Daniel 7 is a bear rise up on one side with three ribs in its mouth that represents the kingdom of Medes and Persia which conquered Babylon. Then the next beast in Revelation 7 is described as the beast that is a Leopard-like beast with four wings and four heads that represents the kingdom of Alexander the great as the Grecian empire which conquered the Persians. And then you have this fourth beast that is sort of like a dragon-like beast with iron teeth and ten horns that represent the kingdom of Rome. The next thing that comes to view then in Daniel chapter 7 is the judgment. It describes how that the ancient of days is seated and it says one like but the Son of Man was brought in before him the judgment were set and the books were open so you have these various kingdoms all the way down to the kingdom of Rome then the next prophetic event is judgment. You find the same thing in chapter 8 where you have different kingdoms represented by different beast. In that case it is a ram with two horns, it is a he-goat and then you have this horn which represents the empire of Rome and then there is a time prophecy in Daniel 8:14. That time prophesy tells us when the judgment that was described in Daniel chapter 7 was to take place.
Now Daniel chapter 8:14 you have the 2,300 day or the 2,300 year prophecy but you don’t have a beginning point so not until you go to Daniel chapter 9 that you actually have the beginning point of that time period and the angel Gabriel appears to the prophet in Daniel chapter 9 and says, “know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and rebuilt Jerusalem.” So the 2,300 year period begins with the command to restore and rebuilt Jerusalem. The first 70 prophetic weeks or 490 years of the 2,300 year period was especially given to the Jewish people was a special time of probation that God had given to Israel. But the 2,300 year period as well as the 70 week or 490th period both have the same starting date. That was a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. Now I’ve covered a lot of information in a fairly short period of time and as mention that this a very deep study. What I would suggest Aaron is that you take a look our Amazing Facts study guide and kind of get some further details on that and there’s two study guides that we can offer you. The one is called Case Close that deals with the 2,300 year period as well as the judgment time. There’s another one that’s called Right On Time. So if you can jot down those two study guides: Right On Time and Case Close, call our resource line or go to the Amazing Facts website AmazingFacts.org and you can study it out and read about it further and don’t get discourage if you don’t get it the first time. This is a very deep study.
Aaron: Yeah.
Pastor Jëan Ross: And it takes some research.
Aaron: The author of the book said re-read the first section again until you get it.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure! Hey it is a deep study so just keep reading. Keep reading those passages and scriptures and cross reference and see what else does the Bible say about it and it begins to come together.
Aaron: Yeah! Basically it makes sense. It’s just I think I’m having a hard time sometimes piecing it together because of lot of information.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s right! It can be a little difficult to put it all together. Again these resources, that’s Right On Time and Case Close.
Pastor Jason: Aaron you’re going to want to call 1-800-835-6747. Again that’s 1-800-835-6747 and you’re asking for the study guide Right On Time and Case Close. Pastor Ross we have our caller by the name of Henry who is calling us from Detroit, Michigan. Henry would you please tell us your question.
Henry: Okay. I’m having a problem with Genesis 1:27 which says “God created a male and female” then I’m looking at Genesis 2:22 where it say, “He took Adam’s rib” like I saw a program on the history channel say it was more than one [inaudible 00:45:55] more that one why?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay. Yeah I think I’ve heard that before. We’ll let me see if I can shed a little light on this. What you find in Revelation rather in Genesis chapter 1 is an overview of creation. It goes through the first six days of creation. It tells you what God made on each of those days. Then what you find in Genesis chapter 2 is a repeat but God now is giving the details so when it talks about in Genesis 1:27 so God created man in his own image, in the image of God created the he male and female it’s giving you the overview. Then when you go to Genesis chapter 2 and it talks about God causing a deep sleep to come upon Adam and he took out his rib and with the rib He made Eve that’s kind a filling in the details as to how God created man in his own image. So it’s not referring two separate acts of creation but rather chapter 2 is filling in the details that were left out in the overview in chapter 1. Does that make sense?
Henry: Okay.
Pastor Jëan Ross: And by the ways it’s not something that unique just to Genesis. We also find that same feature of giving an overview and then coming back and filling in the detail in Revelation as well as in Daniel. So that happens quite a bit where you’ll have an overview and then in the next chapters you’ll have the details filled in.
Henry: Can I ask another quick question?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure!
Henry: Like when they say Cain got married. Who do he married?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Well, that’s a good question. Cain married one of his sisters. I believe and of course today we might think, “Boy that doesn’t sound right.” but it wasn’t until the nation of Israel that God told Israel that it was forbidden for them to marry a sibling. But up until that point in time especially before the flood we have people living these long ages. They were strong and healthy and they were permitted to marry their siblings and so Cain married his sister.
Henry: Okay.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright! Great! Appreciate your call. Who do we have next?
Pastor Jason: Pastor Ross, we have Darren calling us from South Carolina. Darren your on Bible answers live.
Darren: Good Evening! Yeah I have a question concerning the unforgivable sin blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes.
Darren: I’ve been in churches before where they you’ll see them they like speaking in tongues and stuff and they do slaying in the Spirit and they’ll pray over people and they fall down and stuff and shake around and stuff and my question is, is that possible that these things could be blasphemy against the Spirit if they are actually not the Spirit working?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Well that’s a good question. You know in the Bible where Jesus says every son of will be forgiven men except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. You know when you look into the New Testaments especially in the gospels and you allow the Bible to define what blasphemy is. It helps us understand what blasphemy against the spirit is. There were two things that the Jewish leaders in particular accuse Jesus of blaspheming about. The one was where Jesus claimed the ability to forgive sins and they said this man blasphemes for who can forgive sins but God. Another time where they accuse Jesus of blasphemy is when he claimed the titles of God. He referred to himself as the son of God. They said he is blaspheming and they wanted to stone him. So when somebody commits blasphemy against the Holy Spirit what that person is doing is they are trying to put themselves in the place of the Holy Spirit.
Now what I mean by that is this. The Holy Spirit was given to convict us of sin and to lead us into righteousness but when we are convicted of sin and we excuse that and say that’s not really that important. God doesn’t care and we harden our hearts against the promptings of the Holy Spirit. In essence we are pushing the Holy Spirit out of our life. We are trying to take the place of the Holy Spirit and if we continue to do that eventually we will reach a point where we can’t even hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit any longer. We have no interest in Spiritual things. We make excuse for sin and we get to a point in time where we cannot come to the point of repentance. We have hardened our hearts against the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us that it’s the goodness of God that leads us to repentance but if we harden our heart against the promptings of the Holy Spirit there’s nothing more that God can do for us and that’s really what blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is.
Darren: Okay. Yeah, I guess I’m looking so close that the instance that you and the scripture were that you referred to I guess it’s 1 in Matthew, 1 in Mark for what I’ve studied where in both he said, “yes I am the Christ.” and they had heard His blasphemy of course we know He was the Christ. He was not guilty of what they were charging Him but if he were and not been then people would have actually been committing blasphemy against the Christ.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Right! He would have been claiming the titles of God.
Darren: Where Jesus said to John in Revelation. He said to John, “I know the blasphemy of them who say they are Jews and are not.” so that’s why I’m getting this sort of this idea of you know saying something is the Holy Ghost working like saying in church services in the middle of churches for God’s sake I mean but if it is not… Really that is very important actually.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You were right. That is very serious thing to try and tamper with God to tamper with the Holy Spirit
Darren: Right!
Pastor Jëan Ross: When someone claims to be lead by the spirit even when somebody claims to be a Christian yet we don’t live like a Christian in essence we’re blaspheming the name of God. We’re blaspheming the Holy Spirit.
Darren: Yeah!
Pastor Jëan Ross: And you’re right that is a very dangerous thing.
Darren: Yes! So, that is what I’m trying to you know to try to get a good reasoning in my mind about that.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s right!
Darren: To put it out there and see if I can get some feed back.
Pastor Jëan Ross: I agree, and you know that’s partly one of the signs for the near coming of Christ is where we’ll have people that are blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. They claim to be Christians but in reality they lead by a different spirit not the Holy Spirit but a different spirit.
Darren: I got you okay. Great! Thank you.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Good question, who do we have next?
Pastor Jason: Yeah, we have E. Frank calling from New York. E. Frank we would like to hear your answer.
E Frank. Yes my question is in regards to the book of Genesis 6:1-6. Now I’ve been reading this chapter for many years now and it indicates that if the daughters of men and the son of Gods would come from heaven and would lie down with the daughters of man but I’m a force of the green Knight of Columbus, I’m also a third degree knight of Columbus in good standing and an inside guard officer and many members of my order have indicated that this chapter specifically the six verses indicate that this is a form of matrimonial law. They’ve also won me that the highest degree in the Knight of Columbus is the fourth degree.
Pastor Jëan Ross: I’ll tell you what Frank. Get to your question they’re jus showing me that we are running out of time.
E. Frank: Yeah, my question is, is this about a form of matrimonial copulative understanding of God’s law or is this something to do with angelic hosts that came from heaven and earth?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay. Good question you know we sometimes get this question. It can be a little bit confusing it talks about the sons of God seeing that the daughters of man were fair and they took them to their wives. Really what’s that referring to is that the descendants of Seth that intermarried with the descendant of Cain. You have the two sons of Adam and Eve. The first two Cain and Abel. Cain of course kills Abel and then Cain moves away and at this point in time it appears that though Cain is married and he has children and then moved away and then you have another son that Adam and Eve had by the name of, it has the name of Seth. He’s righteous, he worships God. He’s faithful to God. The descendants of Seth are referred to as the sons of God just like we find throughout the scripture God’s people too often referred to as being sons and daughters of God and then you have the daughters of men that would be the descendants of Cain and as long as this two groups kept separate the descendants of Seth the sons of God they remained loyal to God but when they begin to inter marry with the descendants of Cain that’s where we began to see evil increase on the earth and finally it ended with the coming of the flood. So this is not referring to angels. Jesus says that angels neither marry neither are they given in marriage. Angels can’t procreate so it’s not referring to angelic beings.
E Frank: Okay.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Good question though thanks for calling. Alright do we have time for one more? Alright! Who else do we have?
Pastor Jason: Pastor Ross, we have Jasmine calling us from Michigan. Jasmine you are on Bible Answers Live.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi Jasmine!
Jasmine: Hi! How you doing? I have a question about after that like He comes and take you like those who are left behind like what happens because I’ve seen a movie where like you know I have to deny God or their head cut off or something like that? And they don’t really they have to sell their soul again for food and different things like that so what happens after God takes off his people and the soul that left behind?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay. That’s a good question. When Jesus comes the second time, the righteous dead are resurrected, the living righteous are changed in the moment in a twinkling of an eye. We read about that in 1 Corinthians 15. Together the righteous dead who are resurrected and the living who are changed are caught up to meet Jesus in the air in John 14:1-3 Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. I go to prepare a place to prepare for you.” That would be in heaven. “In my father’s house and then I will come and receive you unto myself.” So when Jesus comes again the righteous get taken to heaven. The wicked who are dead they remain dead. The wicked who are alive when Jesus comes according to Revelation chapter 6 as well as the number of other passages in the New Testament they’re destroyed with the brightness of Christ coming. You can read about it in 2 Thessalonians that refers to the wicked being destroyed with the brightness of Christ coming. So really when the righteous go to heaven the wicked are destroyed. Well Jasmine I hear the music playing.
I’m sorry I can’t give you a more complete answer there but if you would give us a call on our resource line you can ask for the study guide on The Second Coming of Christ and that will also give you some additional verses and information on that subject. The number again is 1-800-835-6747. That’s 800-835-6747. Ask for the Amazing Facts study guide on the Second Coming of Christ. Well friends you can hear the music playing there. We want to thank you for joining us for this edition of Bible Answers Live. If we didn’t get to your call I do apologize. Please try and give us a call next week and we will try to take it then on the air. Be sure to take a look at our website AmazingFacts.org. God bless. Until next week.
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