Seahorses

The seahorse has a long, narrow snout like an anteater where his little mouth sucks up tiny plankton and prey. It has eyes that pivot independently like an iguana so that when one eye is scanning the surface, the other can be directed downward. In addition, to top this fantastic composition, the male is equipped with a kangaroo-style pouch from which the little ones are born.

Ranging from one inch to about one foot long, the seahorse is the only fish that swims upright. He has a special gas bladder that enables him to keep his upright position. Seahorses are classified as fish, but they're very different from other fish because they have no scales, they lack teeth, and they don't have a stomach.

The food goes directly into their intestines; and their intestines process the food very inefficiently so the seahorse needs to eat almost constantly so they don't starve. Most seahorses are monogamous. The male and female dance together for about 10 minutes every dawn, and then they separate for most of the day to feed.

During courtship, the female actively pursues the male until she deposits her eggs in a pouch on her male's belly. In the pouch, the eggs are fertilized and nourished for about 45 days. But the most amazing paradoxical feature of all is when the male seahorse goes into labor and gives birth to its young.

After a series of paternal spasms in which it appears every muscle convulses, the pouch is emptied, and anywhere between 40 to 400 baby seahorses are born. Friends, did you know the Bible talks about seahorses? Well, not exactly, but stay with us and I'll explain as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.

[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]

Pastor Doug: Welcome once again listening friends to a fresh edition of Bible Answers Live. This is a live, interactive Bible study that is going across North America, Canada, over the oceans, and, in some cases, around the world, certainly through the Internet; and it's for you to call in and ask any Bible questions.

It's a venture of faith because we never know exactly what questions are going to come in. It's a live program. If you have a Bible question, then give us a call. It's a toll-free number and lines are open right now, 1-800-GOD-SAYS, 1-800-463-7297. My name is Doug Batchelor.

Pastor Dick: My name is Dick Devitt. Good evening Pastor Doug.

Pastor Doug: Good evening Pastor Dick.

Pastor Dick: And welcome to our listeners this evening, our callers, to Bible Answers Live. We normally start with a prayer Sunday evening, so let's do that Pastor Doug.

Father in heaven, we praise You and we thank You for Your love and Your grace, for this privilege that we can open God's Word and listen to You. And we pray, Lord, that You will speak clearly to us tonight that we may know we've been in Your presence. Please, Heavenly Father, give us clarity, wisdom and understanding of Your Word and what You have planned for our lives. We thank You and we praise You in Jesus' name, amen.

Pastor Doug: Amen!

Pastor Dick: We've talked about there's a city not far from where we're located called Monterey on the coast of California, on the central coast. Monterey has one of the finest aquariums in the world. We talked about it before.

Pastor Doug: Yes

Pastor Dick: It has one of the greatest displays of these little creatures that you just talked about that I've ever seen in my life. The seahorse is a fascinating character. And I've marveled, Doug, at God's--just His creative ability to put something together like this.

Pastor Doug: And I understand the largest of the giant seahorses are actually based right off of California as well.

Pastor Dick: Yes, yes, right, right. But how do you [laughs], Doug, we struggle with this sometimes, you know. How do you tie these things - - [laughs]

Pastor Doug: Well, we find amazing facts and then I always try to link them somehow to some Bible truth. I did the seahorse last night. This morning I was working on this and thought, "Oh that's a great story. This is an amazing creature." And I'm thinking, "Now what is the spiritual analogy?"

But the only thing I came up with, of course, I couldn't find seahorses in the Bible, but there was a passage that talked about horses in the sea.

Pastor Dick: [Laughs]

Pastor Doug: And so, in Exodus 15, verse 1, I know this is a stretch. It says, "Moses and the children of Israel sang this song saying, 'I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea.'" [Chuckles]

Pastor Dick: [Laughs]

Pastor Doug: Of course, that's talking about when the Egyptians and their horses were swallowed up in the Red Sea, when they pursued the children of Israel.

Pastor Dick: Yes, that's right

Pastor Doug: But it does tell us in Revelation, as well as it does in the song of Moses, that it's the 144,000 that will be singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. That's Revelation 14.

Pastor Dick: Okay, um-hmm, um-hmm

Pastor Doug: And it made me think a little bit about that, the way that the enemy was swallowed up and they were delivered and began their journey to the Promised Land. It will be something like what God's people will experience in the near future. The evil forces of the world are going to try to annihilate God's people.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: The beast power will first say you cannot buy or sell and ultimately, there will be a death decree, - -

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm, um-hmm

Pastor Doug: - - as there was in the book of Esther and Daniel. But then at the last minute, God is going to deliver His people. And that song of Moses is one of not only salvation, but great deliverance; when the situation looked hopeless, it looked like the Egyptians were going to destroy them, that's why they sang on the other side of the sea, that "the horse and his rider you have thrown into the sea."

So there's my seahorse.

Pastor Dick: Okay. I'm fascinated by his seahorses, this display.

Pastor Doug: They really do defy logic.

Pastor Dick: Oh they do, they do.

Pastor Doug: But a lot of people have questions about the 144,000 because it appears in Revelation 7, and again, in Revelation chapter 14. They want to know who is this group? Are they the only ones that are saved?

Pastor Dick: Right

Pastor Doug: Will there only be 144,000 people that are left in the last days? What does this mean? Is it a literal number? A spiritual number? And so, we have a book on that.

Pastor Dick: Among our resources at Amazing Facts is a book that Pastor Doug has put together called, "Who Will Sing the Song? Understanding the 144,000." We'd like to make this available to you tonight. If you would like a free copy of "Who Will Sing the Song? Understanding the 144,000", call our resource operators right now. They're standing by for your call, 1-800-835-6747.

Our resource operators are standing by right now, 1-800-835-6747. If you call them, they will answer right now, and just tell them you'd like the book about the 144,000. The title is, "Who Will Sing the Song?" and we'll send it out to you right now. Pastor Doug, a couple of Internet questions we'd like to take before we go to the phones.

The first one is from Devin, and Devin says, "I am 10 years old and I have a question about David and Goliath. Did Goliath die when the stone hit him in the forehead, or when David cut off his head?"

Pastor Doug: Well, good question. You know, I've actually wondered this before. If you read in 1st Samuel 17, verse 50, it says that, "David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone." Now it says he prevailed. Then it goes on and it says, "and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in his hand."

Evidently, he struck him with a sword, because the next verse says, "Therefore David ran, and stood over the Philistine, took his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head." So the sling and the stone, David prevailed over Goliath with that. He knocked him out, but he was still alive.

And in order for the Philistines to see their champion was definitely not going to get back up again, David wanted to demonstrate that; and he--it's kind of gruesome--but he hacked off his head and held it up and said, "He's out of the race."

Pastor Dick: It was a pretty big head too.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, and, matter of fact, he took it back to his tent, along with the sword.

Pastor Dick: Wow!

Pastor Doug: But anyway; so yes, he technically dispatched him with the sword but he knocked him out with the sling.

Pastor Dick: Alright. That's 1st Samuel chapter 17 - -

Pastor Doug: 1st Samuel chapter 17, verses 50 and 51

Pastor Dick: Verse 50. Okay Devin. Thanks for sending us the email. Our second question, Pastor Doug, comes from John. And John says, "I heard a religiously ordained man and woman of importance on a TV talk show discussing abortion and other borderline, Christian sensitive issues. They said that a woman had a right to choose abortion, according to the Bible. Did a form of abortion practice really take place? Was there a method for eliminating illegitimate children in the Bible?"

Pastor Doug: Well the pagan nations would take babies that were born and offer them to their various pagan deities. Matter of fact, it refers to the pagans that made their children "pass through the fire." But this was not abortion. This was simply killing the children, which isn't that different from what's happening in abortion in the country.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: The idea that once human life is conceived, that it isn't really sacred until it's born, is unbiblical. For instance, when Bathsheba was only a few weeks pregnant, she, of course, discovered it. She went and told David, this is what she said, "I am with child."

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: She did not say, "I've got a fetus," or "I'm having a growth," or "I'm pregnant." She said, "I am with child." And when Mary went to visit Elisabeth, Elisabeth declares that John the Baptist, who was still in her womb, leaped within her.

Pastor Dick: Yes, yes, uh-huh

Pastor Doug: So here, he's responding at the news of the Messiah, who is now being carried by Mary, as well. I mean obviously, the Bible recognizes these children as human and persons, not just tumors, as some people have argued.

Pastor Dick: Okay, very good. Let's go to the phones and take our first caller for the evening. We want to go to Detroit, Michigan and talk with Jason who's listening on WLQV. Jason, welcome to the program.

Jason: Hi Pastor Doug

Pastor Doug: Hi, thanks for your call.

Jason: Ah, it's a blessing listening to you. I watch your shows all the time.

Pastor Doug: And your question?

Jason: Okay, my question is, in Judges chapter 11, there's a warrior--and I never know how to pronounce his name right--I think it's Jephthah - -

Pastor Doug: Uh-huh

Jason: - - but around 30 to 39; and what happens is, he asked for the Lord to give him victory over the Ammonites. And he says, "The first thing that comes out of my house I'll give as a burnt offering," and it just so happens to be his daughter.

Pastor Doug: Yes

Jason: And this was his saying. I don't believe it was coming from God, but I'm just wondering, does this have to do with, being in the book of Judges, back then they really wanted, like, a king at the time and didn't really trust God all the time; but I can't see the God I know being behind anything like this. I'm wondering if you could just give me a little more clarity on that story?

Pastor Doug: Yes. Well first of all, a lot of people read this, and without carefully comparing Scripture to Scripture, they think that Jephthah killed his daughter. But the Jews had a law. All of the firstborn were offered to the Lord; - -

Jason: Right

Pastor Doug: - - and all of the firstborn of the people. They did not sacrifice them. In place of the humans, they could substitute an animal. But when it says that Jephthah "did unto her as he had vowed," he made the vow thinking that a goat or a sheep or something would come out of his yard; but his daughter came out.

What he did with her is he dedicated her to the service of God, the same way that Hannah had dedicated Samuel to the service of God. That's why his daughter says, the daughter of Jephthah said to her father, "Let me go bewail my virginity with my girlfriends." And then it says that the girlfriends of Jephthah's daughter went to the house of the Lord to weep for Jephthah's daughter.

The same way every year Hannah went to bring a little coat to Samuel, these daughters, every year at the annual feast would go and visit with Jephthah's daughter. You can also read in the New Testament, Jason, where Anna served God in the temple of the Lord. She had consecrated herself through a vow to serve God in the temple for the rest of her life.

Now, this is where, in the Catholic church, the nuns--these are some of the ideas where they get their vow. Of course, the order of nuns is not really supported in the Bible, but it wasn't uncommon for people to consecrate themselves like that. So he did not burn his daughter. He did dedicate his daughter; and it was a tragedy for him because she never would marry, and he had no descendants.

Did we lose Jason?

Pastor Dick: We did. He dropped off.

Pastor Doug: Well, I hope he was able to still hear the answer.

Pastor Dick: Okay. Jason, we're sorry the call got dropped off, but I hope you were able to discern all that Pastor Doug said. Thanks for the call. Let's go next to the Bronx, New York. We want to talk with Miguel who's listening on WMCA. Hello Miguel.

Miguel: God bless you Doug and Dick.

Pastor Dick: Yes sir

Miguel: My question was, is there any archeological proof in this day of Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed by the fire?

Pastor Doug: Yes. I think there is very compelling evidence. I've been down to the Dead Sea. The region of Sodom and Gomorrah is located south of what we now call the Dead Sea. First of all in the Bible, before the great catastrophe that destroyed those cities--and there's a lot of speculation about how that happened--some have wondered if a meteorite was so large it made it through the atmosphere.

Typically, if a meteor does make it through the atmosphere, it breaks into many pieces, and it could have rained down on that area and actually struck the area and caused an earthquake too, because it's the lowest point on the planet. There is a region down there that is filled with nothing but ash that is compacted. And I have in my desk at home, right here in Sacramento, a sulfur ball.

There are these balls of sulfur that are buried and mixed in with the ash in this area, this region, I believe it's southwest of the Dead Sea, and I've demonstrated this before. You just take a match and put it to this stuff, and it's one of the hottest flames you can have. It burns blue.

There's no other place on the planet like this where you've got these balls of sulfur that are mixed in with this compressed ash over hundreds of acres.

Miguel: Wow

Pastor Doug: And maybe thousands of acres. So I think there's very strong evidence. Matter of fact, there's even a marker there that says, "The Ancient Sites for Sodom and Gomorrah" and there's nothing there.

Pastor Dick: Um mp

Miguel: Wow, that's beautiful to know. That's incredible!

Pastor Doug: So the people in Israel certainly believe it.

Miguel: Mmm, thanks a lot for that.

Pastor Doug: Alright

Pastor Dick: Alright Miguel, thanks for the call. Let's go to New York. Gil is listening on WMCA. Welcome Gil.

Gil: Yes. Good evening to you guys. God bless you and Doug Batchelor. Hi to you.

Pastor Doug: Hi

Gil: Hi, good to speak to you again. I want to ask you a question about prayer. I know that in Proverbs 15:8, it says that, "the prayers of the upright are his delight."

Pastor Doug: Uh-huh

Gil: And I know that in Matthew chapter 6, I don't know if it's verse 7, you know we're told not to pray prayers that are like repetitious prayers.

Pastor Doug: Yes

Gil: And um, I have, like, a problem you know, like I love my church and everything, but the only problem I have it's like sometimes, like we'll pray for the service, we'll pray that the pastor will be anointed; and of course, I'm very close to my pastor. But I just, like, have a problem with, like, you know, let's say I pray with one person, and then we pray as a congregation. Should I have to pray that same prayer again if God already hears and He already knows what we ask, you know, before we ask Him?

Pastor Doug: Okay, good question. Well first of all, in the Bible when it says, "Pray not in vain repetition," Jesus does not stop there. He says, "...as the heathen do."

Gil: Yeah

Pastor Doug: Vain repetition of the heathen was they would say the same prayer over and over in one sitting.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: Now, Jesus was not saying, "Don't repeat the same prayer once you've prayed it." In other words, I pray for my children every day; and I'm sure many of those prayers sound the same.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Gil: But in different ways.

Pastor Doug: Well, yeah, but maybe not. I pray every night when I go to sleep. Our family prays that God will bless us, we thank Him for health and life. We ask Him to station angels about our house; and I'm sure we've repeated different components of that prayer many times.

Gil: Yes, components.

Pastor Doug: Yeah. The kind of repetition prayer that Jesus especially tells us to avoid is like the heathen do. For instance, I don't mean to be critical, but I once went to a Hari Krishna temple before I was a Christian.

Gil: Yeah

Pastor Doug: And they said the same prayer over and over. They'd say, "Hari Krishna, Hari Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hari, Hari. Hari Rama, Hari Rama, Rama, Rama, Hari, Hari. Hari Krishna, Hari Krishna, Krishna--over and over and over. That's praying in vain repetition.

Gil: Yeah

Pastor Doug: Or, you know, if you go to a church where they tell you to say the Lord's Prayer 10 times, that's vain repetition.

Pastor Dick: Um-hm, um-hm

Gil: Yeah

Pastor Doug: There's nothing wrong with repeating the Lord's Prayer once a day or once a week, but it can start being mundane.

Gil: But it's not wrong if you don't want to repeat the same prayer?

Pastor Doug: No. I think part of the art of Christianity is to keep our prayers fresh.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Gil: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: I know in my - -

Gil: What do you mean by fresh?

Pastor Doug: Well, I think that in the same way, when you communicate with people, even though you might tell your spouse that you love them, the more different ways that you say that and articulate it, the more they appreciate it. If you only say the same old phrase, it gets old after awhile.

Gil: Well, like let's say I ask God to send me a Christian companion, and I kept saying it again and again, you know, like, isn't that kind of wrong, because He already knows?

Pastor Doug: If you are praying that God will help you to find the right person, if you were to pray that prayer once a day and just, maybe, word it differently for your own benefit, nothing wrong with that.

Gil: Yeah, different components.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, nothing wrong with that. Jesus said, "Give us this day our daily bread." Now think about that. In the Lord's Prayer, is there anything wrong with thanking the Lord for your food everyday?

Gil: No, there isn't anything wrong with thanking

[Cross talk, unintelligible]

Pastor Doug: You don't have to change the wording of the prayer either, you know what I'm saying?

Gil: Yeah

Pastor Doug: So, when it says, "Pray not in vain repetition," it's talking about these mantras, or just saying the same thing over and over again. It's echoing these prayers. There's no value in that.

Gil: Right, but if we have a relationship with God, it doesn't matter if we don't want to repeat, or if we want to repeat the same prayer, either way it's okay, right? Like God is annoyed?

Pastor Doug: First of all, we're not praying to inform Him of anything. He knows what we need before we ask.

Gil: That's what I meant, yeah.

Pastor Doug: So if you want to keep your prayers fresh, ask God to help you find new ways to articulate your prayer. Prayer doesn't bring God down to us. Prayer elevates us to up to God.

Pastor Dick: Yes, right, right.

Pastor Doug: So anyway, I hope that helps a little bit Gil, and it's a good question.

Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call Gil. Let's go to Maupin, Oregon and talk with Belva who's a first-time caller. Welcome Belva. Your question please?

Belva: My question was, it was asked me and I can't answer it, so I thought I'd come to Doug Batchelor to answer it. And I was asked the people that John the Baptist baptized, what church were they baptized into?

Pastor Doug: Okay good question. The word "church" is a New Testament word. You also have that word for the Old Testament, but the Old Testament is written in Hebrew. The people of God were His church in the Old Testament, meaning Israel. When John the Baptist baptized people, they were being reconsecrated, largely, but they were part of God's church, which was the children of Israel.

Belva: Yeah

Pastor Doug: And then after Christ died on the cross, when the apostles started baptizing, they were baptized into the people of God, His New Testament church, because they had been basically ex-communicated; but they were almost all Jews for the first three and a half years, the ones that were baptized.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Belva: And Jesus was baptized into that same church?

Pastor Doug: Yeah. Well all of the people that John baptized, not all, but most of the people that John baptized were already members of the temple in Israel, or the synagogues, so they were Jews, they were Hebrews.

Belva: Okay

Pastor Doug: Baptism is not only induction into the church. Baptism also can be connected with revival. And these people who were baptized, it was largely a symbol of revival, being spirit-filled. Okay?

Belva: Okay. That's good.

Pastor Doug: They did not have all the different denominations broken up the way we do today back then.

Belva: Well we were discussing baptism and stuff and there's a few people that I've been talking to. And they said they were wanting to be baptized but they didn't want to be baptized into a certain denomination. They want to be baptized in the same church that Jesus was, and - - [cross talk, unintelligible]

Pastor Doug: You know, I hear that frequently. God does want us to join a church. Matter of fact, we have a book we can send that's called Search for the True Church. We'll send you a free copy of that. But whenever anyone was baptized in the Bible, they were baptized into Christ. And the Bible says, "The church is the body of Christ."

So when someone says, "I want to get baptized, but I don't want to join any particular church," there's something wrong with that; - -

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: - - because baptism is induction into the church.

Belva: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: So we'll send you that book, Search for the True church.

Belva: Okay

Pastor Doug: Hopefully that will help. Pastor Dick will give you the number.

Pastor Dick: Belva, call our resource operators. It's a free phone call. It's a 1-800 number, 1-800-835-6747, and ask for the book on the true church.

Pastor Doug: Search for the True Church

Pastor Dick: Search for the True Church, and we will send it out to you tonight; and thank you for the call. "Ekklesia," I think, is the Greek word, "Ekklesia."

Pastor Doug: For the "church", yeah

Pastor Dick: For the church; and it means the "called-out ones" in Greek, the "called-out ones," those who are called out of paganism, called out of - -

Pastor Doug: And into the body.

Pastor Dick: - - into the body of Jesus Christ.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, we don't get called out to just float. And the word "synagogue" means "gathering," - -

Pastor Dick: Right

Pastor Doug: - - which is in the New and Old Testament.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm, right. Okay. Let's take our uh - -

Pastor Doug: One more question, maybe, before our break.

Pastor Dick: One more I think, let's try to do that. We want to go and talk with Jason in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Hello Jason, welcome to the program.

Jason: Well this is Rufus in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Pastor Dick: Oh I'm sorry. They typed in Jason. [Cross talk]

Pastor Doug: But you're on, we'll talk to you Rufus.

Rufus: That's quite alright.

Pastor Dick: Give us your question quickly so that we can get it in.

Rufus: There we go. I'm seeing a lot and hearing a lot about, you know, the appearance of Mary to different people throughout the world.

Pastor Doug: Uh-huh

Rufus: I don't know if y'all are familiar with that. This is kind of a two-part question. It appears that she has predicted the future, even going back to the early 1900's, with three children in South America, saying that two of them will join her shortly; and, of course, two of them died shortly thereafter. And, of course, some predictions about some other things. My questions are, you know, I certainly do not believe it is Mary, of course.

Pastor Doug: Right

Rufus: But I didn't realize that Satan can predict the future. I didn't think he could. And also, is Satan, in that form, able to harm you as he harmed Job's family in the Old Testament, or did Christ change that?

Pastor Doug: No. Jesus has not changed, in that there are still occasions where the Lord withdraws His protection, and the devil causes problems. But you've asked a couple of important questions. Some of these Mary apparitions, they're called "Marian apparitions", where Mary appears here and there, and sometimes, in more places at one time.

I am very suspicious of that because the Bible tells us that Mary was human, she's not divine.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: And the idea that Mary is a goddess that is to be worshiped is not biblical. As much as she was a holy woman, she was a saint, the same way that we can be saints. In other words, we are called to live holy lives, according to what Paul says. But you asked a question about the devil predicting the future. The devil can make a prediction, and then make it come true.

In other words, you know, I could tell my kids--and I'm just human--I could tell my kids that, "As you go to sleep tonight, you're going to hear the closet door slam." Well, they can go to sleep and I could wake them up by slamming the closet door. It doesn't mean I'm a prophet. It means I'm making it happen.

And so, in many respects, the devil will foretell these things, and then he'll see to it that his "prophecies" come true.

Rufus: In the case of the prediction to the three small children in South America, where she says, "Two of you will join me shortly," - -

Pastor Doug: Yeah, now, I don't think it was South America. Wasn't it Spain, Fatima?

Rufus: Well, I was thinking it was South--it may have been Spain, but it was in the early 1900's. Did she cause those two children to die shortly thereafter that?

Pastor Doug: It could be. And I don't know if the third one is still alive, but she's very old. She's in her 90's.

Rufus: Yeah, she was in her late [cross talk]. The late 90's she was still alive anyway, yeah.

Pastor Doug: I think it's Sister Lucia. Yeah, anyway, well certainly we know the devil can kill. He did do that to Job's children. He still does it today. The devil is a murderer, Jesus said.

Rufus: So the answer to the question is, certainly, Satan could make predictions, and then cause them to come true; but he would not be omnipotent and know the future.

Pastor Doug: Correct

Rufus: And he certainly can still harm you today, just like he did Job's family, - -

Pastor Doug: Yes

Rufus: - - if God withdrew His protection.

Pastor Doug: You see, Satan had to get permission to attack Job; and so God had to withdraw His protection to that extent, and yeah, that still happens today. I hope that helps a little bit Rufus. We're sorry we got your name wrong.

Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call Rufus. Pastor Doug, we have a few seconds before we have to take a break. There's the music. Tell us about March quickly.

Pastor Doug: Yes, for our listening friends, if you are able to access the Internet, we'll give you a couple of websites. Can you remember the name Prophecy Code? You know, someone told us that tonight on the History Channel, they're having a program called the DaVinci Code.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: And that has created a stir. Then there's the book on the American Prophecies that's a best seller; and, of course, people have heard of the Bible Code, and we get questions on that.

Pastor Dick: Right

Pastor Doug: Well, we have a meeting that's coming from the Nation's Capitol starting in about a month, March 4th, and it will be broadcast by satellite all over North America. It will be all over the world because it will be on about 10 different satellites.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: If you would like to know how you could find a location and go and see this live broadcast called the Prophecy Code, where I will be explaining some of the prominent prophecies in Daniel and Revelation, then just go to ProphecyCode.com, or you might look up Net05.org; and while you're on the Internet, don't forget to go to AmazingFacts.com and look at all the free resources. We'll be right back.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Pastor Doug: This is Bible Answers Live. It's a program for you. If you have any Bible questions, you can listen. We might be dealing with a question you've wondered about from the Word of God; or you can call us up. It's a toll-free number, 1-800-GOD-SAYS, 1-800-463-7297. My name is Doug Batchelor.

Pastor Dick: And my name is Dick Devitt, and we want to go to New York and talk with Hermione who's listening to WMCA. Welcome Hermione.

Hermione: Good night Doctor

Pastor Doug: Good evening

Hermione: Yes. I would like to know where is it written in the Bible where Jesus said, "Will I find faith on earth when I return?"

Pastor Doug: Your referring to Luke 18:8 where Jesus says, "Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on the earth." Is that the verse you're talking about?

Hermione: Oh, yes.

Pastor Doug: Luke 18, verse 8.

Hermione: Oh thanks a lot.

Pastor Doug: Oh you're easy to please. Thank you for your question.

Pastor Dick: [Chuckles] Thanks for the call, bye bye.

Pastor Doug: We can help them find Scripture. We've got the Bible programs here. We find them quick.

Pastor Dick: That's easy huh? [laughs]. To Lemon Grove, California. We want to talk with Karen who's listening on KPRZ. Hi Karen.

Karen: Hello, and good evening. I just wanted to let you know that I watch all your shows on cable TV here in San Diego County.

Pastor Doug: Oh, praise the Lord!

Karen: And I love it. I don't miss it. I watch each week. My question is basically based on a statement that a pastor made during the Christmas season, and my question to you is, does the queen of Sheba's meeting with King Solomon in the Old Testament, 1st Kings book, foreshadow the entering in of, or visit of, the wise men to the infant Jesus in the Gospels?

Pastor Doug: Well in a sense it does, in that here, when you visit a king, you don't come without a gift. In Proverbs it says, "A gift paves the way before a king."

Karen: Correct

Pastor Doug: And Sheba wanted to interrogate Solomon regarding wisdom.

Karen: Right

Pastor Doug: And Solomon said, "Wisdom is worth more than any rubies or anything a man might possess." So she brought this--I think 120 talents of gold and a fabulous amount of money--so that she could really spend some time with him and probe his wisdom. It was a little different in the New Testament, in that the wise men come to Jesus. And think about it, Solomon was the son of David that the queen of Sheba brought her gifts to.

Karen: Right

Pastor Doug: Jesus is the Son of David also. He's the spiritual Son of David that the wise men brought their gifts to. Of course, they were not seeking wisdom. The other parallel there would be when Jesus was in the temple and the scholars were amazed at His wisdom.

Karen: Right

Pastor Doug: But there is a parallel there I think that you could argue.

Karen: And the second and final question, recently I have discovered that the Old Testament is frequently, or it used to be frequently, mentioned as the Hebrew Scriptures. And in some faiths or denominations, it's still referred to as the Hebrew Scriptures. What's the difference, or, is there a difference in referring to the Scriptures as "Old Testament" and "Hebrew Scriptures" when it's the same set? Thank you.

Pastor Doug: Okay, good question. The Bible is written in three primary languages. Of course, the first 40 books of the Bible, the 39 books, are the Old Testament, principally written in Hebrew, some Aramaic. The New Testament is largely written in Greek, though there is a Latin translation. It's all the Word of God.

Karen: Right

Pastor Doug: In the New Testament, Karen, when it says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God," when Paul wrote that, there was no New Testament. So when he says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God," he's most certainly talking about--maybe the Gospels, but, at least, the Old Testament. Whenever Jesus talks about Scripture, He's talking only about the Old Testament because none of the New Testament was written yet.

Karen: Right

Pastor Doug: So, you know, it's unfortunate when people make these distinctions. And some people call the Old Testament the "Jewish Bible" because, it is true, the Jews do believe in the Old Testament. They have a problem with the New Testament because it basically says Jesus is the Messiah that the Jews were looking for; and the majority of the Jews don't accept that. There are many who do. But that's another reason that the delineation is made. Okay?

Karen: Right. Okay, great. Thank you for your time.

Pastor Doug: Thank you

Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call Karen. Let's go next to College Place, Washington. Dennis is listening on KORS in College Place. Welcome Dennis.

Dennis: Good evening Doug and Dick

Pastor Doug: Good evening

Dennis: I hope you're both having a blessed new year.

Pastor Doug: Well thank you. And your question?

Dennis: My question is, recently where I lived, there is an increasing controversy over what type of music is beneficial for, or reverent for, worship service.

Pastor Doug: Okay

Dennis: And I was just wondering if there were specific biblical references or any principles that might be able to clear this issue up? And what should one do if they are convicted about what type of music should be done during worship? How should this be approached?

Pastor Doug: Well, of course, it is a very divisive subject in the church today, and not in any one denomination; but as I travel across the board, in a lot of denominations, there's a big struggle. Amazing Facts carries a book on worship and music that's not written by my church, but it's a masterpiece. It's called, Why I Left the Contemporary Christian Music Scene.

It's an interesting study of a youth pastor who was really into some very contemporary worship, and he started noticing that it was spiritually causing a detriment in the church and he became very convicted about it. There are a number of principles you find in the Bible, Dennis, regarding how we worship God. And you apply those same principles to the music.

First of all, in 1st Corinthians 14, Paul says that we should worship God decently and in order. So some of these worship services where it looks like a hootenanny, and folks are jumping all over the place, the Bible tells us that when we worship the Almighty, it should be done with order and decency. Again, in Ecclesiastes chapter 5 it says when you enter into the house of God, let your words be few.

And--oh I'm trying to remember the verse, Pastor Dick, where it says, "The LORD is in his holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence."

Pastor Dick: Mm um-hmm

Pastor Doug: Maybe I'll look that up in a moment here. So there's a number of principles in the Bible that talk about reverence. In Isaiah chapter 6, it talks about the angels covering their faces and their feet saying, "Holy, Holy, Holy." And so, we serve a holy God. The most reverent time in the week is when we worship.

You know, we have family worship in our home. We kneel in the morning and at night with our kids and we pray. But the most reverent point of worship is the Sabbath worship, where we officially come together as a church and we worship God as God. That should not be done like you're at a hoedown. I believe it should be done with a sense of awe, and reverence, and respect, because people will view your God based on the way you worship Him.

And many of the pagan cultures, the way they worship their god is by screaming, and blood sacrifice, and it's just bedlam. Our God, He says, "Come now, and let us reason together." Go ahead Dick.

Pastor Doug: I was just going to say that this, as Pastor Doug said Dennis, this is an explosive issue in the church; and there are lots of people who will point to the texts, primarily around David's life, where they say he danced and he played musical instruments. And they use some texts like that to justify the use of drums, for instance, in modern-day worship.

Other people believe that the way that the instruments are used are a detriment to providing reverence in the sanctuary; and I think that's the issue. Reverence is the bottom line here. What is it that brings honor and glory and worship and praise to Jesus Christ as our Lord?

Pastor Doug: Yeah, I found that reference. It's Habakkuk chapter 2, verse 20, "The LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him." Some people take Psalm 150, which is really a military celebration Psalm, and it talks about all these instruments; and they use that to say, "See? We're suppose to praise the Lord with all these instruments in the sanctuary."

And actually in Psalm 150, it's simply saying, "Praise God who is in His heavenly sanctuary." They're coming home from victory in battle and they said, "We're going to praise God who's in His sanctuary with these instruments." It is not how they praise God in the temple.

Pastor Dick: Right

Pastor Doug: Matter of fact, the worship music in the temple was very carefully structured - -

Pastor Dick: Yes

Pastor Doug: - - and even the instruments were chosen by David and the priest, Asaph.

Pastor Dick: That's right

Pastor Doug: So, you know, I might recommend the book. I know it is a divisive issue and we don't want to encourage you to cause a split in the church, but, you know, share your concerns respectfully with leadership and, hopefully, if enough people unite, it'll make a difference.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm, um-hmm

Dennis: Okay, thank you. I also wanted to mention I heard one of your previous callers ask about Fatima.

Pastor Doug: Yes

Dennis: That's in Portugal.

Pastor Doug: That's in Portugal?

Dennis: Yeah

Pastor Doug: Yeah, I said Spain, but you're right, it is in Portugal.

Dennis: Yup

Pastor Doug: Thank you very much.

Dennis: Alright, have a nice evening.

Pastor Dick: Dennis, thanks for the call and God bless. Let's go next to Buena Park, California. James is listening on KTIE. Hello James.

James: Hello Pastor Dick, Pastor Doug. How are you doing tonight?

Pastor Dick: Good

James: That's good. Yeah, I have a question from my Bible. If a person wants to stop eating meat and practice vegetarianism, from the Bible's point of view, how do you start? Do you, just, cold turkey? No meat, or just slowly?

Pastor Doug: [Chuckles] Yeah, pardon the pun. Cold turkey huh? Cold turkey is what you eat after Thanksgiving!

[Laughter]

James: Do you slowly, like, try to become a vegetarian, you know, but you still eat meat, but, it's like, get off it, or is there a way you can do that?

Pastor Doug: Well, good question. You know, some things are better being done in degrees.

James: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: I know some people who have moved towards vegetarianism. Now the first and best things, of course, the Bible does command us to abstain from eating unclean food. Those are the foods that the Bible condemns as an "abomination."

James: Yeah

Pastor Doug: Then you would want to get away from, I would think, the most unhealthy of the foods, of the meats, which would be the ones that are the highest in fat content. And some people will stay away from red meat, and maybe chicken.

James: Right

Pastor Doug: There's salmonella; and then they might still eat a little fish. So you might do it in degrees. I kind of did it, I tapered off until I just quit and I haven't had meat in 30 years.

James: Oh, wow!

Pastor Doug: And I'm in pretty good shape. I played four games of racket ball today and did alright.

James: That's good [laughs]

Pastor Doug: For a grandfather, I'm doing alright.

James: That's good

Pastor Doug: But uh - -

James: And, uh - -

Pastor Doug: And it's a process, especially when you travel and you eat out. You need to know how to order and where to go because a lot of the American culture revolves around meat. You know, I might say one more thing James. For our friends that are listening, the Bible does not command vegetarianism, but the Bible does hold it as an ideal.

In the Garden of Eden, God made man to be a vegetarian. And in heaven we will not be killing any animals.

Pastor Dick: That's right

James: Oh really?

Pastor Doug: So it is the ideal.

James: So in heaven, actually, we're going back to the vegetarian diet that was placed in Adam and Eve?

Pastor Doug: Yes

James: They didn't eat meat [tape skips] back when Adam and Eve were alive back then, so when we get to heaven, we're going to have, actually, vegetarian - -

Pastor Doug: Yeah. The Bible says in heaven there is no more death and so, obviously, there will be no butchering of animals there.

James: Oh

Pastor Doug: There's no more death.

James: Oh

Pastor Doug: So we'll be eating from the Tree of Life; and it says every man will sit under his fig tree and under his grapevine, not underneath his cow or his chicken.

Pastor Dick: [Laughs]

Pastor Doug: So, yeah, we're going to go back to a vegetarian diet. You know, we have a book we could send you on that that might give you a little encouragement. It's called, Hogs & Other Hazards by Joe Crews. We don't offer that very often, but I think you'll get a kick out of that. Hogs & Other Hazards. It's fun reading.

Pastor Dick: James, write that title down, Hogs & Other Hazards, and call the resource operators at 1-800-835-6747. It's an 800 number, 1-800-835-6747. It's called, Hogs & Other Hazards.

Pastor Doug: One more book I'd add to that Pastor Dick, it's a nice stereo set, is, Death in the Kitchen.

Pastor Dick: That's right. That's another good one.

Pastor Doug: It's a good book.

Pastor Dick: That's right. Okay. Let's go next to Buena Park, California. We want to talk to Mari who's a first-time caller. Mari, welcome to the program. Are you there? Mari, are you with us? Okay, we're going to go to - -

Pastor Doug: Put her on hold. We'll try back again.

Pastor Dick: - - put her on hold. This is Bible Answers Live, and it's a live, interactive Bible study program. We are taking callers. We want to talk with Roger in Austin, Texas. Roger, welcome to the program.

Roger: Thank you very much. Good evening.

Pastor Doug: Good evening

Roger: And my question deals with, there's a Scripture in the Bible that talks about spiritual warfare; - -

Pastor Doug: Yeah

Roger: - - like, it's not going to be of flesh and blood.

Pastor Doug: Okay

Roger: And I was wondering, does that happen now? And what can we do as Christians to be ready for that kind of fight?

Pastor Doug: Well, the spiritual warfare that's described in a few verses, one of them is in Ephesians chapter 6, verse 11. It says, "Put on the whole armour of God, that you might be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, and powers, and rulers of darkness of this age, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places."

Paul talks about fighting the good fight of faith. There is a fight of faith. There's a spiritual war we're engaged in every day when we resist temptation. When we battle against the carnal nature, the flesh, we all have these carnal thoughts and desires that are raging inside that must be crucified. And on a daily basis, that's a battle that we fight.

And so, the best preparation is to take these implements of armor that Paul describes. The most important is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; to be praying for the helmet of salvation. As you go through the implements of armor that are mentioned in Ephesians, it helps us to understand how to apply these Gospel principles in our lives in a practical way.

Now, I've actually written a book I'll send you for free Roger. It's called The Armor of God. It talks about how to fight the spiritual battle and how to apply this armor. Would you like a free copy of that?

Roger: You know, it's amazing. You've always got the right book for the right caller.

Pastor Doug: [Laughs] Well you know, we have hundreds here at Amazing Facts. I've only written about 10% or 15% of them, but we have a lot of books.

Roger: Hopefully someday I'll get to read all of your books Pastor Doug.

Pastor Doug: Alright, and by the way, you or anyone listening, if you can access the Internet, we can send it to you; or you can read that for free at our free library. Just go to AmazingFacts.org. If you want a copy you can hold in your hands, we'll send you one. So I hope that helps Roger. God bless.

Pastor Dick: Call our resource operators Roger, 1-800-835-6747, or go to that website that Pastor Doug just gave you, AmazingFacts.org, and you'll find the book there also. You can read it online.

Pastor Doug: The Armor of God.

Pastor Dick: The Armor of God. Pastor Doug, we'll go to Newark, Ohio and talk with Mel who's listening on WJHE. Welcome Mel.

Mel: Hey

Pastor Doug: Hi Mel, how are you doing?

Mel: I'm alright. How about yourself?

Pastor Doug: Good. And your question tonight?

Mel: I was reading that book Plain Bread by Ben Kinchlow.

Pastor Doug: Uh-huh

Mel: And one part he was talking to his dad and his dad said that speaking in tongues causes problems in the church. How and why can it cause problems in the church? I don't understand.

Pastor Doug: Now here we go again. I've got a book on that.

Pastor Dick: [Laughs]

Pastor Doug: There's a book called Captured by Tongues. I probably ought to rename that book because I don't want people to think that we don't believe in the gift of tongues. We do, but there's a lot of folks who are deceived by the misuse of that gift.

Mel: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: And there's a counterfeit for every truth of God. But I want to give you an answer to your question besides just offering a free book.

Mel: Okay

Pastor Doug: The gift of tongues, when you read in the New Testament, Mel, Jesus has 12 disciples that are bright but they're mostly uneducated; and they speak Galilean. And He tells them, "I want you to preach in all the world," but they only speak Galilean. Jesus says in Mark 16, "You will speak with other tongues."

Then when you go to Acts chapter 2, the Lord gives the apostles, on the day of Pentecost, the supernatural ability to speak in languages they did not formerly know. And that was for the purpose of spreading the Gospel.

Mel: Um-Hmm

Pastor Doug: The way tongues is used in the church today is very different from what you see in the book of Acts. It's used, sort of, like a party trick in some cases, where people babble and someone else interprets; and you don't see that happening in the Bible.

Mel: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: In 1st Corinthians 14, it's talking about translating other languages so people can understand, not the gibberish that you often hear in churches; and it's disruptive. Paul says, "You're better off in church speaking five words with your understanding that you might instruct others, than ten thousand in an unknown tongue."

So read 1st Corinthians 14, Mel, and call the resource number. I'll send you the book, Captured by Tongues. Take a look at that and let me know what you think.

Pastor Dick: 1-800-835-6747, Mel, 1-800-835-6747. Captured by Tongues is the book, and we'll send it out to you tonight. Let's go to New York. We want to talk with Dora who's listening on WMCA. Welcome Dora.

Dora: Hello, praise the Lord Pastor!

Pastor Dick: Amen!

Dora: Yes, I would like to ask you a question. My friend and I have been--well at least he's been saying it--he called and he said that God intends for us to give our whole paycheck, you know, for tithes?

Pastor Doug: Um-hmm

Dora: And I want to know, I know it's not true; but I want to see what you've got to say about giving your whole paycheck for tithes.

Pastor Doug: Well, the tithe, the very word "tithe" means "tenth." So when you give 100%, you're not giving a tithe, because the very name "tithe" means a "tenth."

Dora: A tenth.

Pastor Doug: So anybody who is calling 100% of their income tithe, it's a misnomer, it's not accurate.

Dora: No.

Pastor Doug: You can give 100% as an offering if you want. I mean, you better be sure the Lord is telling you to do that. But that's not tithe. Tithe is one-tenth of your income. Anything beyond that is - -

Dora: One-tenth of your income. It's not all of it, is it?

Pastor Doug: No.

Pastor Dick: Nope.

Dora: Uh-uh

Pastor Doug: Now anything beyond tithe is called an offering.

Dora: Yeah offering, or either 10% of what you make, right?

Pastor Doug: Yeah; and if you read in Malachi chapter 3, it talks about the difference between tithe and offering.

Dora: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: But you can read in Genesis chapter 28. Jacob said, "I will promise to give a tenth to You."

Dora: A tenth.

Pastor Doug: Later, it's called a "tithe," yes.

Dora: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: We've got a study guide we can send that goes into more detail on that Dora. It's called The Worldwide Embezzlement. You call and we'll send that to you for free.

Pastor Dick: Again, 1-800-835-6747 Dora, and ask for The Worldwide Embezzlement, and we'll send it out to you tonight. It's a free call, and just ask them to send you the book, 1-800-835-6747. We want to go to Athena, Oregon and speak with Jean who's listening on KLRF. Welcome Jean.

Jean: Hi

Pastor Dick: Hi

Jean: I have a question concerning prayer.

Pastor Doug: Okay

Jean: And, by the way, I sure appreciate your program.

Pastor Doug: Thank you

Jean: When people are praying, I hear a lot of using God, saying "God" or "Father" over and over and over and it's very distracting to me. I was just wondering is there any place in the Bible that talks against that? Is that using God's name in vain?

Pastor Doug: You know, I think one of the best ways for us--oh well, to answer your question, it can be. And I have heard pastors kind of shout at God and use His name in a very flippant, irreverent way, and it sounds like using His name in vain to me. I don't want to judge them.

Jean: Well I'm talking about repeating.

Pastor Doug: Well it can be.

Jean: You know, like talking to you, Doug, I would say, "Well Doug, I was wondering, Doug, if this is wrong, Doug? Would people say, Doug," you know [chuckles].

Pastor Doug: Yeah, it starts becoming tedious.

Jean: I don't talk to you that way.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, it becomes tedious. I think one of the best exercises that people could engage in is take four or five of the primary prayers in the Bible and read them. And look at how the great men and women of God prayed.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: Read the prayer of Hannah. Read the prayer of Daniel. Read the prayers of Jesus in John 17; and noticed how they addressed God. That is our pattern that we should follow.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: They're very reverent. They did use His name. It was done with trembling on their lips.

Jean: But not repeating it every other word.

Pastor Doug: No, no, no. That's the thing, is, you won't find Elijah or Nehemiah and some of these great prayers that you find in the Bible, they don't just keep saying God's name like a monotonous mantra. It's disrespectful I think.

Jean: That's what I mean, yes, okay.

Pastor Doug: Now, by the way, if you're able to go to our website, I've got an article called The Name of God that I wrote on that subject. You can read that for free Jean.

Jean: Thank you

Pastor Doug: Alright, God bless.

Jean: Alright, bye bye

Pastor Dick: That's AmazingFacts.org. Go to AmazingFacts.org - -

Pastor Doug: The free library, yeah.

Pastor Dick: The free library, and that article is available along with a lot of other resources. To Spring Valley, New York. Cliff is listening on WMCA. Cliff, we have about four minutes. What can we do?

Cliff: Okay, shalom Pastor Doug, shalom Pastor Dick. It's in reference to Revelation and why the tribe of Dan isn't mentioned with the 12 tribes of Israel, and what is its destiny?

Pastor Doug: Very good question. Matter of fact, the book that we're offering tonight, the main offer was the 144,000; I specifically answer that question on the names of the tribes in that book. But very quickly, the tribe of Dan--the word "Dan" means "judge"--Daniel means "my God is Judge." And Judgment is passed for the saints when they get to heaven.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: And so that's one reason the name Daniel is left out, or Dan. But read the book, 144,000. We'll send it to you for free, and there's more detail there than I have time to share right now, okay?

Cliff: Great, awesome. Thank you so much!

Pastor Doug: Alright. Maybe we have time for one more call?

Pastor Dick: I think; let's try and get to Cory in Duvall, Washington who's on the Internet. Welcome Cory.

Cory: Hello?

Pastor Dick: Yes, your question please?

Cory: Yes. Pastor Doug, I just wanted to tell you that your ministry is awesome. I enjoy it so much! And also, my question was about salvation. I was listening, I believe it was last week, and then I had some questions about it. My understanding of salvation was that the whole world was saved, all men were saved when Jesus Christ was crucified; and that the time that we accept our salvation is when we become saved. But every man, regardless of if he accepts it or not, was saved at a certain time, and I thought that time was at the time of crucifixion.

Pastor Doug: Well I've heard that argument before, and I've got friends who believe it. I respectfully disagree, but you know what we're talking about is semantics.

Cory: Uh-huh

Pastor Doug: The bottom line is when Jesus died, He died for the whole world, but we know the whole world is not going to be saved. It's because we must make a choice to accept the salvation and the offer.

Cory: Absolutely, uh-huh

Pastor Doug: So that salvation, when He died for the whole world, they're not saved already because they're not saved until they respond.

Cory: Well, yeah, I understand that. That was my point, was that as soon as we accept our salvation that's when we are saved. But what I understood was that He died for the whole world and that the whole world was saved, regardless if they accepted that salvation or not.

Pastor Doug: Well, in a sense, that Jesus did suffer for the sins of all, - -

Cory: Uh-huh

Pastor Doug: - - in that sense, a provision was made, an abundant provision was made more than enough to cover the sins of the whole world; but only those who cash the check will benefit from that. And so again, it's almost circular logic; but the bottom line is we must respond to His sacrifice.

Oh Cory, I'm sorry. You can hear we're being chased off the air by the music. Listening friends, if we did not get to your question, I pray you'll give us another chance. Please give us a call back. God willing, we'll be here week after week if the Lord tarries. We'll see.

Pastor Dick: Amen

Pastor Doug: Again, make sure to check out the Amazing Facts' website. Don't forget to look up ProphecyCode.org. If your church or your home wants to be a site where you can participate, we'll even tell you how to get the little satellite dish so you can receive this program and have an evangelistic program right there in your home. It's 20 nights from Washington D.C., March 4th through the 26th, called the Prophecy Code. We'd love to hear from you.

Most of all, remember we're doing this program, listener-supported, that keeps us on the air, and it's all about Jesus. God bless!

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