Hello friends, this is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? You might be surprised to learn that the most deadly poison on earth does not come from an animal that has fangs, claws or a stinger. On the forest floor in Central and South America you can find the jewel-like poison frog. That's a family of poison arrow or poison dart frogs, cover the gambit of bright colors. They can be red, blue, green or yellow. They can also have a variety of colored patterns from spots to stripes. There’s about a hundred and seventy species of poison arrow frogs and most wear a bright splash of color. While the brilliant skin of the poison arrow frog might appear to be beautiful; it is also deadly. A good rule of thumb in regard to these frogs is to look, but don’t touch.
Their skin emits a deadly toxin that can cause paralysis or even death to humans. Poison dart or poison arrow frogs are referred to by a wide variety of names. Their name comes from the practice of South American natives using their skin secretions to poison their blow gun dart tip. One technique used is a sharp stick is forced into the frog’s mouth. This obviously causes the animal much distress and it begins to release a toxic alkaloid and it produces a white froth. Darts that are dipped are rolled in this initial secretion and allowed to dry and can remain potent for about a year. One frog can produce enough poison to treat about fifty darts and the poison is two hundred and fifty times more deadly than strychnine.
Even slight amounts of these toxins can cause convulsions and paralysis and eventually death if it enters the blood stream of an animal. But, strangely these frogs tend to lose a lot if not all of their toxicity when they are bred in captivity. Even if they were originally caught in the wild. Evidently a huge amount of their toxicity is because of an ant that they eat in the wild that they rarely have in captivity. But, friends did you know that the book of Revelation in the Bible warns about three deadly frogs that are going to plague the world in the last days. Stay with us friends, we are going to learn more as “Amazing Facts” brings you this edition of “Bible Answers Live”.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug: Welcome friends if you have a Bible question pick up your phones and give us a call. That number again is 1-800-GOD-SAYS or 1-800-463-7297. My name is Doug Batchelor and I am flying solo tonight because Pastor Dick Debit, our co-host, is on a well-earned vacation. And so you need to be patient with me tonight as I operate both the phones and resources and as I do my best to focus and concentrate on your respective questions. You know I’d like to always begin each program with prayer because I believe with this being a live program the Holy Spirit dictates our schedule tonight and we would like to dedicate this time to God. So please join me.
Father in heaven we want to thank you for this privilege, this opportunity and even the technology that makes it possible for us to have a National and indeed an International Bible study. I pray that through the medium of the Holy Spirit that you will guide those that might have questions about your Holy book, the Bible. I pray that they would call in and give me the Holy Spirit for us to search together and find the answers. Ultimately Lord, we are praying that people will have their questions about Jesus answered and their relationship with Him enhanced. So bless because we are asking in the name of Jesus your Son. Amen.
Pastor Doug: You know tonight I would like to just say a word about a very interesting prophecy in the Bible that talks about frogs. Now most of our friends know that one of the ten plagues that fell on ancient Egypt had to do with that plague of frogs. There are several interesting parallels that you find in the book of Revelation with the exodus experience. Of course you have got in the book of Exodus the plague of blood, the plague of darkness, several others and you have the seven plagues in Revelation. You have darkness; you have water turning to blood, all in Revelation as well. But, when we get to Revelation Chapter 16 and I’ll be reading verse 13. It is talking about these vials that are being poured out and you read at the end of the sixth vial that is being poured out and it is in Rev 16: 13 “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.” (KJV) This is if you will a counterfeit trinity and these frogs have a special work and it says in verse 14 “For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” (KJV) The kings would be the leaders of the earth. And then Jesus says in verse 15 “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (KJV) Then it resumes here verse 16 “And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” (KJV) Now Armageddon is not our study tonight. We’re going to talk a little about frogs.
Pastor Doug: You know it is interesting that the most deadly poison in the world is not found in a scorpion stinger or a bee sting, it is not found in a spider bite, or in the claws of some animal or their teeth. But, it is found simply on the skin of these frogs. Now typically when a person thinks about a frog the only weapon that a frog generally has is their tongue. And that is what they use to catch their prey. When we read about in Revelation these unclean spirits like frogs; you can’t help but to wonder if there is a connection. It says that these frogs are coming out of the mouth of what typically comes out of a frogs mouth is its’ tongue. What typically is in another person’s mouth is their tongue. The danger with these frogs coming out of the mouth of the beast, the dragon and the false prophet is they deceive the leaders of the world. And they gather them to this battle against God’s people. It is spoken of as the battle of Armageddon.
You know the Bible tells us way back in the very beginning in Genesis Chapter 11 that because man wanted to create salvation by way of works and he wanted to work his way to heaven. He’ll just build this tower to heaven and because God was displeased; He confounded the language of the tongues of the people of the world. Up until that time everyone spoke the same language.
Then you get to Revelation and it talks about Babylon again, which is a counterfeit system of religion. They have a counterfeit holy spirit; they are demons rather than the Spirit of God. They have counterfeit worship and I believe that there are even counterfeit gifts of the spirit. Now friends I believe in all the gifts of the Spirit and I believe in the entire Bible. But, I think many of us listening would agree that it appears that there has been an unhealthy focus on specifically the gift of tongues in the last days. A lot of people are confused and some people are being told that unless they speak in tongues that they do not have the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And this is absolutely contrary to the teaching of God’s word. I believe in the gift of tongues and I believe in all of the gifts of the Spirit. But, this unhealthy emphasis on this one gift as the qualifier to determine if someone has the gift of the Spirit is not Biblical. And I can’t help but to wonder if this is one of the false or counterfeit gifts of the spirit. Is it a deception that the devil is perpetrating on people in the last days? I have finished a book that I would like to make available. Actually, I completed a book a couple of years ago and it is still comparatively new and it is called “Captured by Tongues” it actually has a picture of a frog on the cover with his tongue wrapped around someone’s leg and he is reeling them in. “Captured by Tongues” and I address some very sensitive issues dealing with the truth and the authentic and the counterfeit gift of tongues and some of the abuses that are being taught about his gift. You know the Bible says that you can determine if a person belongs to the Lord; not by the gifts of the Spirit, but Jesus said you will know them by their fruits. And yet many Pastors in churches are teaching you can tell if a person has the Holy Spirit by the gifts of the Spirit.
Pastor Doug: This is not Biblical and people can imitate and counterfeit gifts, but the real fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace and those are things that the Holy Spirit gives and cannot be concocted or manufactured. If you would like to get a free copy we are going to offer this book for free tonight. If you have had questions about the gift of tongues and how it applies and you would like to know more about it the I recommend this thorough study called “Captured by Tongues” and all you have to do is call the toll free number 1-800-835-6747. Pick up your phone and call and if you don’t get a response call later because it is a 24 hour number that is 1-800-835-6747. When you call tell them you are listening to “Amazing Facts” and “Bible Answers Live” and you’d like the free offer “Captured by Tongues”. You can just say it is the book on tongues and they will know which one. That number one more time is 1-800-835-6747. You can also find out more about that book and our other Bible study resources at our “Amazing Facts dot org “website. Or “dot com” or “dot TV” and “dot net” and that will take you to our website where we have just a mine a treasure of a storehouse full of resources that will bless you in your studies. So give a call at 1-80-835-6747 and ask for “Captured by Tongues”.
Now tonight because I am missing Pastor Dick I will not be able to address any of your internet questions. But, we are going to go right to the phones. So to begin with we are talking to Jim from Barksdale, Oklahoma. Are you there Jim?
Jim: Yes, I am.
Pastor Doug: Thanks for calling and you have a question for us.
Jim: Yes, thanks for taking my call. My question is about something I have been talking with a Pentecostal brother with. That is about blaspheming and we had a discussion about the unpardonable sin. I have had a problem trying to resolve this with this good brother of mine and if you look up blaspheming in the dictionary and then try to find what it is in the Bible; it basically gives you two different meanings. He thinks it is kind of like cursing. So what you were just talking about of someone who has a gift of tongues he believes if you curse someone who is speaking in tongues that you have committed the unpardonable sin.
Pastor Doug: Umm-hmm.
Jim: My question is and I guess I really more or less want to value your opinion that if the logic here is God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are all three God. They are all three one in what they do except for the Holy Spirit’s work is to draw the person to Christianity through Christ. Correct?
Pastor Doug: That’s true.
Jim: You cannot commit a sin without being selfish. And setting yourself up to be a God per se in your own life. And in the Bible; blaspheming, if I am reading it correctly, is setting yourself up to be like God because Jesus said by what good works do you come? And they say we don’t stone you for good works, but because as a man you are a man and you’re setting yourself up to be God.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, John 10: 33 says, “But for blasphemy, because you being a man make yourself God.” So when a man puts himself in the place of God; that is blasphemy.
Jim: Right.
Pastor Doug: And for instance, there is another place that Jews were going to stone Jesus for blasphemy because He said He could forgive sin and the religious leaders said only God can forgive sin. They were right, but they just didn’t know that Jesus was God the Son. So in the Bible it gives us the definition for blasphemy as putting ourselves in the place of God. So blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not letting God be God, but we say I am going to do my own thing. I am going to be God and we resist and grieve; and that is why Paul says do not grieve away the Holy Spirit wherewith you are sealed. And so when a person grieves away the Holy Spirit, we can’t be forgiven because it is the Holy Spirit that gives us repentance.
Jim: Right.
Pastor Doug: For the lost the capacity to repent so we can’t be forgiven.
Jim: Right.
Pastor Doug: So that is what people don’t understand and they try to think of the most heinous sin and they say, oh that is the most unforgivable sin and it must be killing a child. Or they think of the worst thing they can think of and I can show you an example of every kind of sin being forgiven by God in the Bible. And Manasseh made his children go through the fire and God forgave him.
Jim: Right.
Pastor Doug: You know David committed adultery and God forgave him and killed a friend and just go down the list, but when we grieve away the Holy Spirit by putting God off and telling him manana; we can eventually get a callous on our ears where we do not hear the Holy Spirit. It is like King Saul. He is an example. He continued to resist and rebel against God’s spirit and he would not listen to his prophets and finally he was in a crisis and he prayed and God did not answer him. He tried to get the priests to talk to him and the Purim and the Phylum to give him some directions and there were no directions so he went to a witch. Which showed that he was rebellious in his heart,
Jim: Right. Didn’t Jesus say that you can blaspheme the Father and blaspheme the Son?
Pastor Doug: No He doesn’t word it like that. Let me read it to you. It is Matthew 12: 31 “Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.” (KJV) Then He says in the
Jim: Okay.
Pastor Doug: Then He says in the net verse, 32 “And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.” (KJV)
Jim: So the wording is not exactly what I was saying, but I was just thinking you know that the work of the Holy Spirit is to draw the person to Christianity and to God. That is the work of the Holy Spirit and so when you put yourself because you cannot sin without being selfish and setting yourself up to be a god in your own life. When you are taking control of your whole life, then that is grieving the Holy Spirit, if you continue to do it.
Pastor Doug: That is right and I think you are on the right track.
Jim: Okay. Well, it is just kind of hard to get the definition out of a dictionary and then take a Bible and then compare them. Jim chuckles.
Pastor Doug: And yes, you are absolutely right. Well, bless your heart and you Jim if you go to the “Amazing Facts dot org” website, we have a book that deals with this unpardonable sin. And I think we even have a lesson so you might want to go there and get some additional information.
Jim: I do really appreciate that and for this ministry.
Pastor Doug: Thanks so much. Keep us in your prayers Jim and God bless you.
Jim: Thank you very much and bye-bye.
Pastor Doug: Alright and now we are going to go to Newbury Park, California and we are talking to Wayman. Did I say that right?
Wayman: Yeah. Hi, how are you doing?
Pastor Doug: Pretty good and do you have a question?
Wayman: My question is where in the Bible does it show that Adam actually gave the possession of the earth to Satan? We know he ate of the tree because Eve was deceived by the serpent or Satan.
Pastor Doug: Well you do--I am sorry; go ahead and finish.
Wayman: Well, Eve was deceived and she ate of the tree and then gave it to Adam. And then their eyes were both opened and at that point that is when he gave the possession of the earth to Satan, but it does not clearly say that.
Pastor Doug: Alright, well it is a little detective work that I think makes it clear. First, of course, in John 14: 30 Jesus says, “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” (KJV)
Wayman: Yeah, right.
Pastor Doug: And so you are not questioning that Satan is called the prince of this world?
Wayman: Right.
Pastor Doug: And of course in Revelation Chapter 12 it says, “Satan is cast down to the earth.” Now here’s detective work. In Romans it says whoever you obey you are the servants to the one whom you obey. When Adam and Eve had a choice and it was a very clear decision fifty fifty, and God said do not eat of the tree for you will die. The devils said go ahead and eat for surely you will not die. When they chose to obey the devil and not God, it said in Romans whoever you obey you are the servant of and they have dominion over you. Adam surrendered his dominion from God; you know God had made him a steward and he basically asked for the devil to be in charge. And the devil moved in and he set up his office in this world because the stewards of this planet basically said we are going to listen to him instead of God.
Wayman: Okay.
Pastor Doug: And so you need to do a little deductive reasoning to see that, but then of course you look at the evidence through the Bible and even Satan said to Jesus; bow down the world is mine and I will give it to you if you will bow down to me.
Wayman: Yeah, that is right. Yeah, I know when it happened and I know that it happened, but it is not clear for someone reading the Bible. And maybe they might even have doubts that Adam had dominion over earth at all.
Pastor Doug: Well, that is right and when you read the panorama of Scripture, it becomes clear that he has dominion and then you do a little deductive reasoning and you look at the various verses and you can see that Satan-you can also read in Ezekiel 28, Isaiah 14, and it traces it back to Eden. Do you remember when Ezekiel says you were in Eden and it was there that Satan started to make a merchandise of the human race?
Wayman: Right. Yeah, alrighty.
Pastor Doug: I hope that helps and good question.
Wayman: Yeah, and thanks.
Pastor Doug: Thanks. Alright and now we are going to Grain view, Washington. Am I saying that right? Sabeo?
Sabeo: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Alright and your question tonight? Welcome to the program.
Sabeo: Thank you very much. My question is about Cain and Abel. Well anyways, what happens to Cain after he kills Abel and I am going to read from my Bible Genesis 4: 16 “And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. 17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.” (KJV) Who is his wife and where does she come from?
Pastor Doug: Now let me ask you a question.
Sabeo: Yes, sir.
Pastor Doug: How long have you been listening to our program?
Sabeo: You know, actually this is the first time that I have caught your program.
Pastor Doug: I thought it might be and I am glad you asked the question. But, you know probably number one most popular question that people ask is the one that you just asked. And it is a good one and I am going to answer it.
Sabeo: Okay.
Pastor Doug: Do you know what the number two question is?
Sabeo: What is that?
Pastor Doug: People want to know if their pets will be in heaven.
Sabeo: Laughter.
Pastor Doug: Well, that may not be number two. But, that is high up on the list somewhere. Let me answer your question for you. If you read in Genesis Chapter 5 Sabeo--
Sabeo: Umm-hmm.
Pastor Doug: --it’ll tell you that Adam and Eve not only had Cain and Abel, but later Seth, it goes on to say that they had sons and daughters.
Sabeo: Right.
Pastor Doug: And keep in mind that Adam lived hundreds of years.
Sabeo: Right.
Pastor Doug: And assuming that Eve considering she was fertile and productive that when you know you start doing the math and they could have had every twenty years another generation or every thirty years; whatever. There could have been thousands of people. Now it was not forbidden for a man to marry his sister until the time of Moses.
Sabeo: Okay.
Pastor Doug: Some Bible evidence, of course you know Abraham, the father of the faithful, he married his step sister. They had the same father, but different mothers.
Sabeo: I see.
Pastor Doug: Jacob married his cousin and Isaac married his cousin and it was not uncommon. But, it is a fact of genetics that as time goes by and certain people of families intermarry there is more probability of genetic weakness. That’s where you get-have you heard of the bluebloods of Europe?
Sabeo: Yes.
Pastor Doug: That’s because they were intermarrying between the royalty of Europe in the families and they started having problems with hemophilia. That is a little amazing fact for you. That is where they got the word bluebloods. And so in any event Cain married his sister. And think about it Adam and Eve were they brother and sister? Had the same parent right?
Sabeo: Right.
Pastor Doug: So it was not that uncommon in the beginning when man came from the creator’s hand, his blood, his DNA and his genes were all vital, full of life and no defects. It became a problem later with the degeneration of the race.
Sabeo: Alright, well thank you so much and God bless you and your ministry.
Pastor Doug: Thank you so much and keep listening.
Sabeo: Okay, I sure will thanks.
Pastor Doug: Alright. God bless you.
Sabeo: Alright bye-bye,
Pastor Doug: Now we are going to go and talk to Ralph, who is calling from Bloomfield, New Jersey. Ralph welcome to the program. Are you with us?
Ralph: Yes, I am with you.
Pastor Doug: Okay and your question tonight?
Ralph: My question is in Proverbs 5: 18 through 21.
Pastor Doug: Proverbs 5 let me find that. I use this computer program just a minute please. It is this Bible program called quick verse and it helps me to negotiate pretty quickly through the Bible. Proverbs 5: 18 through 21?
Ralph: Yeah do you want me to read it?
Pastor Doug: Well, yeah either you or I go ahead.
Ralph: Well, I will. 18 “Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.
20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.” (KJV)
Pastor Doug: Okay, now what is your question about this verse?
Ralph: Okay, what is the woman is that a mistress?
Pastor Doug: Well, when it talks about the strange woman here Proverbs has a lot to say about a man violating his marriage vows. Or going after a harlot. And so he is dealing in part with that. And he is saying do not take your eyes and your affection off the wife of your youth; be satisfied with your wife and he is using this beautiful poetic language. Why be ravished with a strange woman and embrace the bosom of a stranger? And then he said earlier can a man take fire into his bosom and not be burned? So Solomon is giving some very strong advice about faithfulness in marriage and avoiding adultery. You see he even talks about a young man who is not married who should not go after a prostitute.
Ralph: Oh so you should not go after a prostitute. Like a regular woman?
Pastor Doug: Now I am not saying that there would not be some spiritual significance for this because in the Bible a woman also represents God’s church. But, I think primarily this is telling us that a man and also a woman should be satisfied and focused on their spouse. Okay?
Ralph: Yes.
Pastor Doug: I hope that is helpful and a good question. I appreciate that.
Ralph: Thank you.
Pastor Doug: Thanks a lot Ralph. You know listening friends, we are going to be taking a break in just a couple of minutes for our affiliates. But, this is not the end of the program. If you would like to take this time to go get a cup of water and still call in we have several lines open. Good time to ask any of the Bible questions that may have been creating an itch in your spiritual curiosity. The number is 1-800-GOD-SAYS that’s 1-800-463-7297. If you have a pencil and I would like to also encourage you to take down the Bible Universe or Bible University websites. On this website we have a study that you can go through as a Bible study course and it is really unique. There are some special lessons at the Bible University website. And when you complete the course that you can do all online; you will be receiving a graduation certificate. Now this series uses something called Storicals of prophecy. And they are found, of course, at the Bible University web site. What these Storicals do is take these stories of the Bible and use them as keys to unlock the major prophecies of Daniela and Revelation. So if you have not yet been to the Bible Universe or Bible University websites, we encourage you to do that and also you can do your daily devotions there. There is an online Bible that you can read and it can even read to you there is an audio Bible where you can listen to the Bible being read over your computer by Alexander Scorby. He also has the daily devotionals where if you want to get a fresh devotional each day you can go to that website as well. And don’t forget about “Amazing Facts dot org” our regular web site. Or “dot com” we have a special offer of a book that is dealing with the gift of tongues. There is a lot of confusion on the subject today and it is called “Captured by Tongues”. All you have to do is call 1-800-835-6747 our resource number. When you call tell them you want the free offer tonight called “Captured by Tongues”. And if you have been blessed by the broadcast we would love to hear from you and tell us how this has been an encouragement to you. This is not the end, we are just going to a break. Pastor Dick has some important announcements and we’ll be right back.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: Welcome back friends and in case you have just joined us this is “Bible Answers Live” an interactive, live, National and International Bible study program. You can participate by picking up your phone and calling 1-800-GOD-SAYS or 1-800-463-7297. My name is Doug Batchelor. I am the President to “Amazing Facts”. Pastor Dick Debit who is normally our co-host is on a well-deserved vacation tonight. So will you all pray for me because I was at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska on this weekend and had a wonderful time there at the college doing convocation and sharing with the people there and flew in today because I wanted to be back in Sacramento in time to do our Bible study together? But, I am navigating phones and the computer and the resources so I feel like an octopus, but all things are possible with God. So we’re going to go back to the phones and I think next on our list we are going to be talking to Darren who is calling from Thousand Oaks, California. Welcome to the program, Darren.
Darren: Thanks you Pastor Doug. Hi.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Darren: I have a question I was your show every Sunday that I possibly can when I am not working and a couple of weeks ago you were talking about the seven year tribulation. And you said how people think that if they are not taken in the first rapture that they have a second rapture and a second chance.
Pastor Doug: Right.
Darren: And I want to know about the fact that I have been taught there is a seven year tribulation, but I never really looked into the Bible to see if it is true and you kind of opened my eyes to kind of look into it. So my question is that I didn’t see anything in the Bible about a seven year tribulation or a like a second chance. So I just have to agree with you, but is there nowhere in the Bible that these people are teaching on this?
Pastor Doug: Well, I need to be fair and I can tell you where they get the teaching rom.
Darren: Okay.
Pastor Doug: There is a prophecy in Daniel Chapter 9 and it is called the 490 year prophecy. It is probably one of the most stirring and incredible prophecies in the Bible. And it deals with 70 weeks. And then the angel when he gives that prophecy to Daniel he divides up those 70 weeks three ways. First, he says from the going forth of the commandment to the rebuilding of Jerusalem until the city is finished and the wall it is going to be about 49 years or 7 weeks. Then he said there will be another 62 weeks until the Messiah causes the sacrifice to cease. And that was in 27 A.D. when Jesus died. Remember the temple curtain ripped?
Darren: Right.
Pastor Doug: This happened when Christ died and it was the end for the purpose of sacrifices. Then there is the last week, which is where it is dealing with where in the midst of that last week He causes the sacrifice to cease. Jesus taught for 3 ½ years and then for 3 and ½ years His disciples only taught specifically Jews. It wasn’t until 34 A.D. when Stephen was stoned that the apostles started to go to the Gentiles; now that all adds up to 70 weeks; 490 years because a day is a year in Bible prophecy. But, for some reason some of my charismatic friends take the last week of that prophecy and they tear it off from the 62 weeks and they have it or 63 weeks; they then have it floating around at the end of time.
Darren: Hmm.
Pastor Doug: And they say that this is the seven year tribulation. But, there is not any reason for ripping a prophecy that is in all one piece of 70 weeks into saying, well we are going to take the last week off and we are floating it somewhere. That is where they get the phrase the seven year tribulation, but you cannot find this seven year tribulation anywhere in the Bible.
Darren: Right. Right.
Pastor Doug: Now I have a book I will send you and other people who may have questions about this. It deals with the rapture and the time of trouble and it is called “Anything but Secret”. It addresses several things, but one thing is the second coming and the rapture which is not a secret and I do believe we are going to caught up to meet the Lord, but it is not a secret. It says every eye will see Him. There will be a trumpet, and there will be a shout and there is going to be an earthquake and the dead in Christ rise and there is a resurrection and it is not a secret.
Darren: Right.
Pastor Doug: And so this idea that folks are going to be walking around and saying what you know everyone disappeared yesterday. I don’t believe that is Biblical and I think about half the Christian world doesn’t believe that is Biblical. But, we are the more silent majority.
Darren: Right.
Pastor Doug: And so it needs to be addressed that even though there are people who are very outspoken about this it is not what the founding fathers of the Christian church believed and it is not what they believed up until the last 100 years.
Darren: Right, okay.
Pastor Doug: Now somebody. Have you heard of Scofield’s Bible?
Darren: Right.
Pastor Doug: Scofield got this from the Plymouth reverend who made it popular and Hal Lindsey made it even more popular, but up until then I am teaching what has been traditionally been taught by Jesus, the Bible and the Church.
Darren: Right, okay that answered my question.
Pastor Doug: Okay, I hope that helps, but send for the book called “Anything but Secret”. The resource number to call is 1-800- 835-6747.
Darren: Okay; great and thank you Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Thanks a lot. God bless you. And that opens another line if you would like to call in. And now we are going to talk with Raquel calling from the Bronx, New York. Welcome to the program Raquel calling in from WMCA.
Raquel: Hi and how are you?
Pastor Doug: Hi, yes and your question?
Raquel: Okay, my question is in the Bible, we are the fruit that Eve ate was an apple right?
Pastor Doug: Umm-hmm.
Raquel: Well, I mean most people do believe this, but is there any actual roof in the Bible this happened? Was it that fruit or another fruit?
Pastor Doug: Well, let me tell you where the confusion comes in. No, it was not an apple and what we think of as an apple. The word apple in Old English does not mean the same thing as the common apple that you and I eat like a red delicious or golden delicious apple or a Macintosh apple. The word apple meant a ball of fruit and so in Old English there were some versions that said the apple of good and evil. It was a ball of fruit and was it an apple like we think of as an apple? No, it wasn’t an apple like we think of. Well, it tells us what it was in Genesis 2: 9 it was a fruit called the knowledge of good and evil. We have no idea what it tastes like and no idea what it looked like. It was probably pretty attractive because the Bible says it was pleasant to the eyes and good for food. Now you know that lump on a man’s throat is called an Adam’s apple.
Raquel: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: And that comes from a fable of course that Adam choked when he was swallowing the forbidden fruit. And because of this people think when Eve ate, it was the apple, but it is really not what you always hear about in the Bible. It was called the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. There were two primary trees in the Garden of Eden that did not reproduce. In other words, there may have been a hundred coconut trees. There may have been one hundred plum trees and been banana trees, but there were only two trees where there were only one of them in the whole, world and one was the tree of life; only one tree. And the other was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; one tree. One tree if they ate it would give them life, but they must not eat of the other tree and it doesn’t tell us what the fruit was.
Raquel: Okay.
Pastor Doug: We don’t know what color it was and it was probably beautiful because if it were ugly, Eve probably wouldn’t have eaten it. Okay? God bless.
Raquel: Okay, thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Thank you; good question Raquel.
Raquel: Bye-bye.
Pastor Doug: Thank you and now we are going to go next to let’s see we have got two-and I try to pick the calls based on who has been waiting. And we have two people been waiting quite a long time so why don’t we go next to Alisha? On line 5 listening on WMCA calling from Elwood, New Jersey. Did I say that right; Alisha?
Alisha: Yeah, Alisha.
Pastor Doug: Okay, and your question tonight?
Alisha: I have a question about 1 Corinthians I believe it is 11 about the covering for the woman and the head?
Pastor Doug: Yes, correct.
Alisha: Okay, I used to be in a church a long time ago where we had to wear this little thing on our head. This covered our head and said that this is proper for a woman in church and now I am in a regular evangelistic church and we don’t believe that and when you think about the other way it seems so legalistic, but they are and one day I was reading the Bible and just at face value and it says about the spiritual. Like I have always heard that nowadays or when I talk to people that that was a culture thing that the women shaving their head was a symbol of rebellion and the prostitution that was going on. And so that was why Paul told them to wear a covering and I can understand, but do we as evangelicals to be on the safe side and not sound legalistic because we don’t want to get in trouble because we say you don’t have or need to wear a covering, but that’s leaving me asking what about the verses that make it a spiritual thing? It says because of the angels a woman should have something on her head. And then goes into the spiritual relationship between Christ and Adam.
Pastor Doug: The spiritual nature of Adam.
Alisha: Of Adam right. It says so the woman should have a covering on her head because of the angels and goes into the same as if she cut her hair. So we know it is not referring to the hair as a covering.
Pastor Doug: Okay, let me dive in if you don’t mind.
Alisha: Yes, go ahead.
Pastor Doug: I think I hear where you are heading with this question.
Alisha: And so the second question has to do with them both and is about the--
Pastor Doug: Okay, go ahead.
Alisha: --men having long hair since churches teach you are taught that men shouldn’t have long hair what do you think about that as well?
Pastor Doug: Alright. Boy you have given me a lot on my plate. Very quickly keep I mind that it says nowhere in the passage about covering heads or that a woman should not go to church without her head covered. What it says is that a woman should not prophesy or pray without her head covered. So if we establish it is still in effect today. It is not a rule about going to church; it is a rule about public prayer because you are supposed to pray without ceasing. So Paul was not talking about praying in your heart he was talking about public prayer and the word prophecy there means to proclaim, to teach, to preach and if she is doing that in public; she needs to cover her head. Now that was the issue and now we have got to address the other part of the issue. Was it still in effect today or just a custom? This is one of those places in the Bible where Alisha I don’t ever want to say anything that is untrue and I want to be faithful to the word. I would not tell any woman that if the Holy Spirit is urging her not to obey it because the Scripture is confusing. Now here is a possibility that I need to share. First of all never build a doctrine on one verse. The Bible says in the mouth of two or three witnesses let everything be established.
Alisha: Umm-hmm.
Pastor Doug: Right, so you would want two or three Scriptures to support you and this is the only place in the Bible where this is mentioned and so you have, you wonder if it is only mentioned once; how big an issue was it? And it is a fact that in the Middle East even to this day the women cover themselves out of submission to the man and they are using some of the same principles that Paul is using here. They don’t want to do anything to tempt a man or do anything to attract attention to themselves because that could be proud. So they want to be humble and they want to be modest. Now that is commendable, but I think they take it too far. At the other extreme in North America girls strut around with as little as possible on to wear without being arrested. Which is obviously not modest and it is not humble. I think the model is that when a woman or man goes before God, there should be an attitude of submission of humbling and a meek spirit, you know? Paul and Peter in the Bible talked about chaste behavior, modest apparel and these are the principles. Now I think if it was something more than cultural then you probably would have heard a lot more about it in the Bible because the Roman and the Greek women did not cover their heads. And it is only mentioned this time. It is also true that the prostitutes used to weave gold and chains in their hairdo to advertise their profession. That is why Peter said do not let the adorning be with adorned hair. You have another reference to hair there. In other words elaborate hair that attracts attention. In order for someone to have embroidered hair you would have to see it and it couldn’t be all covered. He doesn’t say don’t let anyone see your hair; he says don’t let it be broidered. So that is something else you want to factor in when Peter says it he never says anything about a covering. He said don’t let it be broidered and that is not a prohibition against braiding.
Alisha: Yeah, I understand he was basically talking about modesty.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, so I think the principle is modesty. Now you asked about men and I don’t’ think I can give you an answer about it because I need to ask the Lord when I get to heaven.
Alisha: I think you have because it says in verse 16 that if anyone wants to be contentious about this we have no other practice. So I think you are right in the sense that it is not that important because if it was why that verse would be there saying if it is going to cause problems then it is not worth letting it have problems over it.
Pastor Doug: Right and you don’t want to leave the church over this.
Alisha: Yeah. Exactly and you don’t want to base a doctrine off of that. So I think it was kind of crazy that we had to wear that, but at the same time I kind of felt that like in a way we were missing something and why did Paul go into this image of nature and the image of God when that would stand through any test of time.
Pastor Doug: Let me give you an example. Today let me take what Paul said and bring it up to date and I am taking longer than I normally to do because this comes up a lot. Suppose I would say it is not appropriate for a man to stand and preach from the pulpit without a tie on. Now you are not going to find that in the Bible. But, it is a fact that it is considered. You’ll not see the President make a speech without a tie on. It is considered disrespectful casual attire and formal attire in our culture says a man wears a tie. Now I could also bring in a spiritual application and say out of respect for God and out of respect for the country for his office it is appropriate and I could bring in other spiritual applications, but I fifty years when ties are not part of the customs that might not apply. But, today it is considered casual not to do a national address without a tie on. Am I right or not?
Alisha: Right.
Pastor Doug: Tell me one good reason to wear a tie?
Alisha: I think it is a culture thing.
Pastor Doug: It is awful for a man to begin his day by putting on a noose isn’t it?
Alisha: Yeah, that is funny because we had this Pastor that was in Baltimore and he specifically wore Hawaiian shirts in the pulpit. But, he was an awesome speaker, but he did that.
Pastor Doug: And I bet it really bothered some people because they thought it was too casual.
Alisha: He did that on purpose. I mean I am not saying that agree with him completely, but he was funny, he wore the Hawaiian shirts on purpose because he knew that if the legalistic people came in that they knew right away that this wasn’t the church for them and then they would walk right back out.
Pastor Doug: I need to hurry because I want to answer your second question. And it is a shame for men to have long hair. Paul I don’t think was saying that a man cannot have long hair because then what do you do with Samson? What do you do with Nasserites in the Bible that were not to cut their hair? A group of people across time and this is borne out in industry in esthetics that never washed or cut or combed their hair and their hair was long, matted and dirty and they considered it holy. Then we have people in the world like that today.
Alisha: As far as dreadlocks?
Pastor Doug: Yeah. And that is not a new thing; it goes all the way back to the time of Paul.
Alisha: Were they wearing dreadlocks then?
Pastor Doug: Well, I am not going to say that. I just wanted to tell you that this is why Paul said if people are not washing and cutting their hair that is a shame. He thought that it was inappropriate and unsanitary. And so otherwise what do you do with people like the Lord said Samson was not to cut his hair. Absalom had long hair. And you know what how short is short and what is long? Are we talking Marine, are we talking shoulder length or are we talking to the hips? Sort and long are relative words. Am I right?
Alisha: Umm-hmm.
Pastor Doug: And so that is a hard one to say where you draw the line. I think he was addressing a specific group of people. I probably need to move on because folks have been waiting okay Alisha?
Alisha: Okay, thank you very much for your time. Bye-bye.
Pastor Doug: Okay, thank you very much. Alright, next we are going to go to Brooklyn, New York and talk to Nicolette.
Nicolette: God bless you, yes.
Pastor Doug: Welcome to the program and your question?
Nicolette: Okay, I have a question.
Pastor Doug: Okay, make it one because I have several people waiting.
Nicolette: Okay, I just wanted to find out where did the forgotten books of the Bible ever come about?
Pastor Doug: Well, there are some authors who have written on their own that they know about lost books of the Bible. And they could be talking about some of the Epochal books like Barnabas and Thomas and some of the others. These books suddenly appeared in history and there is no record that they are authentic. And it appears that they were manufactured like somebody who creates a treasure map so they can sell it to somebody. These books were manufactured to prove a point and let me give you an example. You have heard of Benjamin Franklin?
Nicolette: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Benjamin Franklin was a real joker. He was a Christian, but he also had a strange sense of humor. He would get into a theological argument with his friends and he would go back to his printing press because he was a printer and he would print an extra page for the Bibles. He would then stick it in the Bibles and then read it to his friends. He would make something up. Now I don’t approve of what Ben Franklin did. But, he would make up a page in the Bible to prove a point to his friends and they were so Biblically illiterate that they did not know that he had made it up.
Nicolette: Chuckles.
Pastor Doug: Now during the Dark Ages only the priests had the Bible. The Bibles were chained in Monasteries. And it is believed at that time to prove certain church doctrines that some of these scribes would manufacture books and say ha--look in our library; we found this dusty copy of the Gospel of Barnabas. So they are very suspicious and that is why Martin Luther and the other Bible translators Wickliffe and Tyndale; they rejected them and said they are illegitimate and they are not authentic. For instance, Jesus refers to the writing of Daniel and 10 per cent of what Jesus said He is quoting the Old Testament. Paul said he refers to the writings of Peter and he refers to Paul and Jude refers to Peter and they endorse and support each other. These alleged extra Biblical books appear out of nowhere and are not supported by them and that is why I would not base my support in them.
Nicolette: Okay.
Pastor Doug: That is sort of the history of them.
Nicolette: Thank you very much. God bless you.
Pastor Doug: Alright Nicolette and God bless you. Next we are going to talk with John calling on line 7 and he is from Fort Pierce, Florida and been waiting a long time. Thanks for your patience.
John: You’re welcome.
Pastor Doug: I am sorry.
John: Not a big problem. I’d like to know when you started out in the program you said something about the frogs.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, that is Revelation 16.
John: Okay. The question I have got for you Pastor is also; do you believe Jesus is on His way back to the earth?
Pastor Doug: No, I don’t think He is on the train right now. I believe He will be soon. But, it says in the Bible that just before He comes He will cease His intercession of the earth and there is silence in heaven. I don’t think that we are at that point yet because I think that when Christ comes that the plagues will begin to fall. And it appears in the Bible when the seven last plagues in the Bible of Revelation fall; Jesus declares in Revelation 22 “He that is just, let him be just still and he that is filthy; let him be filthy still.” They saved are saved and they cannot be lost and the lost are lost and they cannot be saved. In other words probation closes. It is sort of like when God closed the door of the Ark for Noah.
John: Right.
Pastor Doug: Noah and his family were sealed and Noah and his family were saved and those on the outside were doomed.
John: Right. Okay and do you believe that most of the Revelation has come true already or not?
Pastor Doug: Well, I believe that a lot of Revelation has come true.
John: Okay.
Pastor Doug: I mean it is obvious that a lot of things that you read in Revelation 12 that talks about the woman being persecuted by the dragon and we already know that the church has been persecuted by the dragon quite a bit. But, all of Revelation 12 has not been fulfilled yet. We know that the two witnesses in Revelation 11 and I believe that is fulfilled. You sound like, sound like someone that would be interested in our advanced Bible study course on Prophecy.
John: Yeah, but I don’t have a computer.
Pastor Doug: No, no. We’ll send it to you in the mail.
John: Okay, yeah.
Pastor Doug: I will give that number again. 1-800-835-6747 and tell them you would like to enroll and that way they will send it to you.
John: Okay, thank you very much sir.
Pastor Doug: The “Amazing Facts” prophecy course okay?
John: Okay, God bless you.
Pastor Doug: God bless you. Thank you John and thanks for your patience.
Pastor Doug: Let’s see if we can get another call in here. We are going to talk to Patricia, who is calling from New York, New York. That’s where I grew up Patricia. Yes, in Manhattan and your question tonight.
Patricia: My question is that my son gambles and I read in the Bible that it said you shouldn’t, but he just is saying it is a game of chance. But, I don’t remember the Chapter or the verse. And I would like to know it so I can show it to him.
Pastor Doug: Now I know my Bible pretty good Patricia and there are principles in the Bible that say that gambling is forbidden, but it does not say anywhere in the Bible that you should not participate in games of chance.
Patricia: No.
Pastor Doug: No, it doesn’t say that. There may be varying English translations that say that and there might be something out there that has done something with Proverbs or maybe interpreted it that way, but in traditional translations you don’t find anything like that. Now it does say in the Bible that he who strives to get rich quickly will not be without sin. And all of the gambling is around getting rich quick and the principle of gambling is all about that. It says that he who doesn’t work should not eat. Now we can get something at someone else’s expense without working and that is not appropriate for a Christian. Almost everyone knows that the house wins. Ninety per cent of the people who gamble they give money to the institutions and many of those institutions are corrupt and it is like handing money to the devil. Why would a person want to take money that they have worked for and give it to the devil? You know that is just what the principles in the Bible tells us and anything that is addictive; we shouldn’t be doing anything that destroys our witness. Gambling is an addiction right?
Patricia: Well, he is not addicted though he just is like a lot of people who go to this to have somewhere to go to Atlantic City, but if he sees it in the word of God it will stop him and he hasn’t seen it. So that is why I wanted the Scripture and also I thought it was in the New Testament. I don’t know. Corinthians or something like that when it was telling all the things that we shouldn’t do and then I thought I had read you know the games of chance. But, he is not addicted to it, he is just like a lot of people who are also Christians who gamble. Who play the lottery and things like that?
Pastor Doug: And they shouldn’t do that because the majority of people already know they lose their money. Your chances of winning the lottery are compared to a better chance of getting struck by lightning. More people get struck by lightning than win the lottery. And so it is really not smart to throw our money away on the lottery. Now I just did a search in my Bible program and it says that the word chance only appears six times. And none of these verses say anything about a game of chance. So I think there is not a verse the way that you stated it, but the principle that we should not gamble is there. Let me share something with you real quick Patricia. We just published an article that deals with finances and faithfulness for a Christian. And it is called “Life After Debt” and if you will call “Amazing Facts “they will send you that and it seas with I believe a little bit with gambling in there. Okay?
Patricia: Yes.
Pastor Doug: And we also have a study guide called “Worldwide Embezzlement Scandal” if you as for the study guide and we will send those to you for free. Call the resource number 1-800-835-6747. Okay?
Patricia: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Thank you Patricia we appreciate your call.
Patricia: Thank you.
Pastor Doug: Oh friends, my engineers are telling me I don’t have enough time. There is the music he was right. I am sorry to those waiting and hope you will give me another chance and call back God willing next time. We will be back again next week and do our best to keep the Scriptures answered depending on your question. Give us a call then. We want to thank you for participating and before you change the dial; how often have you listened to Christian programming that is donor supported and been blessed by it? Have you ever sent a donation to keep these programs on the air? If ever you do, please consider giving this support to “Amazing Facts” we receive no subsidies and no help from billion dollar institutions. It is people just like you that keep us on the air. But, most of all, the reason we are here is not the details it is Jesus who is the truth that will set you free.
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