Hello friends! This is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? Question: What was made by humans and is eight billion miles away? Answer: Pioneer 10, and this week is the 33rd anniversary of its launch. More than nine and a half light hours from earth, Pioneer 10 is presently about twice as far from the sun as the planet Pluto and traveling to deep, interstellar space at 28,000 miles per hour.
Launched on March 3, 1972, Pioneer 10 has a number of record-making distinctions, including the first spacecraft that traveled through the asteroid belt; the first spacecraft to visit Jupiter, collect data and transmit close-up images; the first to use the planet's gravity to change its course and to reach solar system escape velocity; the first human artifact to venture beyond and explore the outer solar system.
Pioneer 10 was only suppose to last long enough for a two-year mission. As it turned out, the spacecraft sent back signals to earth for more than 30 years. Pioneer 10's long mission has finally ended. The instruments powered by the 40-watt RTG's, that's radioisotope thermoelectric generators, fell silent in 2003.
However, the 570 pound spacecraft will continue to coast; and in only 30,000 years or so, it will pass within about three light years of a nearby star in the constellation Taurus. Pioneer 10 is no longer the most distant, man-made object. In 1998, Voyager I, speeding at 35,000 miles an hour, traveled farther from earth than Pioneer 10. But technically, the mission of Pioneer 10 may not be completely over.
You see, this space fearing ambassador carries a 6- by 9-inch gold, anodized plaque bolted to the spacecraft's mainframe. It's engraved with a graphic message of good will from the human race, and a map, showing the earth's location in the solar system; NASA says, "Just in case somebody is out there and they find it."
Did you know the Bible teaches that there are extra-terrestrials trying to communicate a good will message to earth? Stay with us friends. We're going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug: I'm so thankful once again to have the opportunity to be able to share with you another fresh serving of Bible Answers Live friends. We're coming to you from the Capitol of California; and this is an interactive Bible answer program. If you have any Bible-related questions, we would welcome you giving us a call. It's a toll-free number. That number is 1-800-GOD-SAYS, 1-800-463-7297. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Dick: And my name is Dick Devitt. Good evening Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Good evening Pastor Dick.
Pastor Dick: Let's pray as we start our program this evening.
Pastor Doug: Please do.
Pastor Dick: Heavenly Father, we know that You have a word for us tonight. We bow and we ask that Your Holy Spirit would come and be with Pastor Doug and that You would speak clearly to all of us, Lord. Let us hear from Your throne room tonight, a message of hope and peace, and a message for the end-times because we believe, Lord, that You are coming soon. So prepare our hearts, and may we know that we have heard from You tonight. In Jesus' name, amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen!
Pastor Dick: Extra-terrestrial messages. Boy, you know, this is exciting, this technology that we've been able to put together. Certainly, there must be someone out there who's going to find that little machine someday.
Pastor Doug: Well I'm intrigued by space travel. Our regular listeners have heard me make subtle pleas to the space agency. If they're going to send a pastor into space, I'd love to go.
Pastor Dick: [Laughs] Yeah, amen brother!
Pastor Doug: I mean, I do have my pilot's license if that will help [chuckles].
Pastor Dick: [Laughs]
Pastor Doug: But hey, I've got a scuba license too. That ought to help, right?
Pastor Dick: Right! That's good.
Pastor Doug: They train them. I saw they were training the shuttle astronauts again this week and they had them underwater. But you know, really in the Bible, it does tell us that God has life outside of planet earth. Of course, we know He has angels; and they are wanting to send messages to earth.
In fact, if you read in Revelation chapter 14, specifically verses 6 through 12, it tells about three very important messages that these three angels bring to the earth. And the reason they're very important is because this happens immediately prior to the second coming. Right after you read the three messages in Revelation 14:6-12, verse 14 talks about, "I looked, and behold a white cloud, and one sat on the cloud like the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle." It's Jesus coming in the clouds.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmmm
Pastor Doug: So we need to pay careful heed to these messages. I'm not going to read them all, but these messages talk about worshiping God, reverencing God, returning to God. Their warnings regarding the beast, coming out of Babylon, the mark of the beast, very important messages that go to the world just prior to Jesus' return.
And some people out there may not be aware of these angel messages from space, and we'd like to tell them more about it.
Pastor Dick: We have a special offering that we want to make available to all of you, to those of you who would like to add this to your library. It's a lesson study that has been prepared by Amazing Facts called, Angel Messages from Space. This is a lesson that deals with Revelation chapter 14 and these three angels' messages. We want to make it available to you tonight. If you'll call our resource operators, we'll send it out to you this evening.
So please call them and ask for the lesson study, it's called, Angel Messages from Space. Revelation chapter 14, it's not difficult to understand, but it's full of the powerful Gospel message for the end-time.
Pastor Doug: Um-hmm, absolutely, and the lesson is illustrated. It's very enjoyable to read.
Pastor Dick: It is very enjoyable, yeah. So we want to encourage you to please call our resource operators, 1-800-835-6747. In fact, you can also find it at the website, at AmazingFacts.org, or AmazingFacts.com. Pastor Doug, we take a couple of Internet questions before we take phone calls so let's start with this first one.
And you chuckled when I asked you if you wanted to [chuckles] address this one tonight. "My friends and I have a question pertaining to doing dreadlocks. Is it okay for a Christian to weave dreadlocks in their hair?"
Pastor Doug: Well, I'm sure that some will argue that different hairstyles are simply cultural. The Bible doesn't specify how long or short hair should be, as far as in inches. There is one general statement that is made in 1st Corinthians 11, verse 14. Paul says there, "Does not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory for her: for her hair is given her for a covering."
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: And some have built whole doctrines out of these teachings.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: Generally speaking, I think there should be a distinction in styles of the better-worn hairstyles by men and women. The Bible is very clear about that. Some will say, "Well, if it's wrong for a man to have long hair, then why do all the paintings portray Jesus with long hair?"
Pastor Dick: Right, right
Pastor Doug: Well, we're not sure that Jesus had long hair. It's speculated He had long hair because it appears that He may have taken the vow of a Nazarite up until His baptism. You could take a limited vow. Some would take the Nazarite vow for a period of months or years.
Samson, it was a lifelong vow. Jesus must not have been a Nazarite by the time He began His ministry because He was drinking grape juice, which was forbidden.
Pastor Dick: Um m um-hmm
Pastor Doug: So, some have said, "Well, if He was a Nazarite, He had long hair." We're not exactly sure; and I've seen Him illustrated all different ways. I've seen Him illustrated with dreadlocks.
Pastor Dick: A little dangerous to have long hair for some people in the Bible, right?
[Cross talking]
Pastor Doug: Yeah, that's right. Absalom, he got caught by his hair fleeing and it ended up his downfall.
Pastor Dick: Uh-huh
Pastor Doug: But you know, if it's a question of is there anything morally wrong with various hairstyles, the Bible is silent on that. I think that men and women, their hair should be neat and clean. I don't think that we should follow fashion for fashion's sake when it ceases to be practical. Christians should be practical.
Pastor Dick: Right, right. Okay, very good.
Pastor Doug: So that's my answer. Am I politically correct enough on that?
Pastor Dick: Fair enough, fair enough. Second question, and I've been trying to paraphrase this a little bit Doug. I'm not sure that I can. It says, "We have a question that maybe you can help us with. We're reading in the book of Matthew chapter 10. Jesus told the 12 to heal, and then He said, 'Freely you have received, freely give.' Thank God for the healing power. We were wondering if this Scripture had any correlation to the Scripture in the book of Acts chapter 8, where Peter rebuked the man for offering money to him to receive the power of the Holy Ghost? We believe that it is an abomination for a man of God to receive, or to charge, money for the teaching of Jesus Christ or the preaching of the Word of God. What do you say?"
Pastor Doug: Oh I would agree 100%. I think that if God has given gifts of the Spirit to any member of His flock, whether it's a pastor or a member, they are to freely use those gifts without charging or invoicing. It is also, at the same time, the responsibility of the flock, according to Paul, not to "muzzle the ox that treads out the grain."
Pastor Dick: Yes
Pastor Doug: In other words, if a person is involved in full-time ministry, then the church should feel some compassion for that individual and help to defray their needs. But they
should never withhold healing, or prayer, or whatever the spiritual gifts are, preaching of the Word, for money.
Pastor Dick: Um mp
Pastor Doug: And that, of course, goes back to this individual, Simon, who offered money to receive the Holy Spirit and Peter basically said, "To Hades with you and your money." It's a gift.
Pastor Dick: Okay, very good.
Pastor Doug: Pardon me, one more example pops into my mind. When Naaman offered money to Elisha for the cleansing from leprosy, Elisha refused it because salvation is free.
Pastor Dick: Right, okay. Let's go to the phones.
Pastor Doug: Okay
Pastor Dick: Alright. We want to go to Spangle, Washington for our first caller for the evening and talk with Laura. Hello Laura, welcome to the program.
Laura: Hi
Pastor Doug: Hi
Laura: Yeah, Pastor Doug, we got the DVDs that Amazing Facts put out about Final Events.
Pastor Doug: Yes
Laura: Great, great show!
Pastor Doug: Thank you
Laura: We really love it. We're just wondering, it said when you're talking about the lake of fire that those with less sin would burn quicker, and those with more sin would burn longer, and Satan would burn the longest.
Pastor Doug: Yes
Laura: And I just wondered where that is in the Bible?
Pastor Doug: Well there are a few principles. First of all, it doesn't say that word-for-word in the Bible.
Laura: Yeah
Pastor Doug: It does seem to teach in the Bible that people are rewarded differently.
Laura: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: And that would mean one of two things, the duration of the punishment, or the intensity. There are really only two ways that you could receive different degrees of punishment, duration or intensity.
Laura: Duration or--okay, that would make sense.
Pastor Doug: So, you do have where Jesus says in Luke 12:48, "He that did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes," stripes is when you got whipped, "shall be beaten with few." And it says, "He that knew," in the previous verse, which I left out, "He that knew his master's will, and did not do it, will be beaten with many stripes."
Laura: Oh okay
Pastor Doug: And then, of course, the Bible says in many places everyone is rewarded according to his works.
Laura: Right
Pastor Doug: Jesus says, "To whom much is given, much is required."
Laura: Okay
Pastor Doug: Jesus also said that, "If you did not know, you would have no sin: but now that you see; your sin remains." I think that's John chapter 9, if I'm not mistaken.
Laura: Okay
Pastor Doug: So the principle can be seen through the Bible, that people who know God's will receive more severe punishment than those who don't.
Laura: Right, okay. Alright, well that makes sense. Thank you.
Pastor Doug: And we do have a lesson. It's called, "Is the Devil in Charge of Hell?"
Laura: Um-hm, okay
Pastor Doug: It goes into more detail on what the Bible says about that.
Laura: Okay, great
Pastor Dick: Laura, go to the website or to the phone number that I gave you and call that phone number or on the website, either one; - -
Laura: Okay
Pastor Dick: - - and look for the lesson. It's called, "Is the Devil in Charge of Hell?"
Laura: Okay
Pastor Dick: Okay?
Laura: Alright, thank you. God bless.
Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call, bye bye. Let's go next to Alberta, Canada. Saul is listening on the Internet. Saul, welcome.
Saul: Hello?
Pastor Dick: Good evening, and your question please?
Saul: Yes. I just want to say bravo for the show to Pastor Dick and Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Thank you
Saul: It's great to be on the show. I have a question. It's about Matthew 24, verse 19.
Pastor Doug: Okay
Saul: It says, "Woe to those who are pregnant and those who are nursing babies in those days."
Pastor Doug: Yes
Saul: Is that applying to us now?
Pastor Doug: Well yes. Let - -
Saul: Okay, then why is it applying for us?
Pastor Doug: Okay, good question. Keep in mind, in Matthew 24, at the beginning of the chapter, the disciples ask Jesus three specific questions. One question is, "When will this be, the destruction of Jerusalem?" "What will be the signs of Your coming? "And the end of the world?" That's the third question.
When Jerusalem was destroyed, the people were besieged in the city for some time before the Romans took it and there was a terrible famine. They were starving. Women that had little babies, many of those babies, of course, died--and that's why Jesus said that.
In the last days, some of those same events will be repeated. In other words, there will be a great persecution. When the abomination of desolation tries to annihilate God's people, or the beast power, they're going to have to flee into the wilderness. It's going to be harder on young mothers who are nursing babies, or pregnant.
So it's just a practical admonition. Typically in most cultures, women with babies, women who are pregnant, need the most stable and tender care. The reason that Jesus said woe unto those in that condition because it's going to be a very trying time.
Saul: Hm mp
Pastor Doug: Okay? Does that make sense?
Saul: Yeah. I'm just kind of worried if that's going to be soon, that's all.
Pastor Doug: Well you know, a lot of people have asked me this question over the years; and I've asked the question as I started a family. And they're wondering, you know, "With the idea that Jesus is coming soon, should I marry? Should I have children? I don't want to be with child and have to flee into the hills."
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: You just have to pray about that individually and ask God to guide you.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Saul: Alright, thank you
Pastor Doug: Thank you very much for your question Saul.
Saul: Thanks very much.
Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call Saul. God bless. Let's go next to Gainesville, Florida. Linda is listening on the Web. Welcome Linda.
Linda: Hi, thank you for taking my call. I'm 54, and I suffered from agoraphobia and panic disorders, anxiety. I don't have them as often because I'm on medication since I was in my twenties. I've grappled with this over the years, "Do I just not have enough faith?" because in Revelation, I think it said something about the fearful and the unbelievers will be cast to the lake of fire, or something like that.
Pastor Doug: Yes
Linda: And I'm just wondering, because I didn't ask for this condition, and I think Jesus Christ is my Savior.
Pastor Doug: Well let me talk to you a little bit. Some of what you struggle with may have nothing to do with faith. It may have something to do with a physical or medical condition, which would be different. I don't know; of course, I'm not either a psychiatrist or a medical physician.
But if it is because you are cultivating faithless scenarios, and if you're cultivating fear, well that's something you can do something about. There are a number of promises in the Bible where Jesus talks about "do not be afraid." I think it was Dwight Moody did a study one time and he counted that there are approximately 365 "fear nots" in the Bible. It sometimes says, "do not be afraid," or "be courageous," or "do not fear." That's one "fear not" for every day of the year.
Now, there's nothing wrong with being God-fearing, because that's one of the messages we talked about tonight, "Fear God, and give glory to Him." But living in fear, "perfect love casts out fear." Jesus, over and over, said, "Why are you so fearful? Do you not have any faith?" And so if your fear is based on looking at circumstances, then ask the Lord to help you keep you eyes on Him, and not the things that make you afraid.
So my counsel for you, Linda, would be--we'll have special prayer with you in just a moment here--but get a Bible and go through two things: the verses that talk about fear and the verses that talk about peace. Read where it says, "Fear not," and then read where God promises you peace. And by reading those things, the Bible tells us we can become partakers of the divine nature, those things happen. Does that make sense?
Linda: Yes it does.
Pastor Doug: Would it be okay if Pastor Dick and I have a brief prayer with you?
Linda: Oh, it would be wonderful.
Pastor Doug: Well let's do that right now. I know, Pastor Dick, there's a lot of other people that, like Linda, struggle with fear; even men are afraid to admit it.
Pastor Dick: And you use this word "cultivated." I like that Pastor Doug because human beings were given this tendency by God to be farmers, to work the land. He said we were going to work the land because of sin, right?
Pastor Doug: Right
Pastor Dick: And so we have a tendency, both physically and spiritually, to want to grow things, to want to cultivate things.
Pastor Doug: Um-hmm
Pastor Dick: And we do this to ourselves oftentimes.
Pastor Doug: I do it sometimes.
Pastor Dick: Oh I do.
Pastor Doug: Well let's have prayer with Linda.
Pastor Dick: Let's have prayer, yeah.
Pastor Doug: Father in heaven, we just want to come before You in behalf of Linda, and many others I know who are like her, that struggle with fear and anxiety, sometimes even panic. Lord, we know that You are the Prince of Peace and that You have come to give us peace. The message of the angels was peace and good will towards men.
Pastor Dick: Amen
Pastor Doug: And I pray that You will flood Linda's heart and the others with this peace that passes understanding, so that no matter what the external circumstances might be, with Christ inside, we can have that perfect peace. I pray that You will just give that to them right now as they receive You. We ask in Jesus' name, amen.
Pastor Dick: Amen, amen. Pastor Doug, let's go to Stockton, California and talk with Warren who's listening on KFIA. Hello Warren.
Warren: Hello Pastor Doug. I just had a question that has been kind of bothering me here of late about sexual prohibitions in the Bible - -
Pastor Doug: Okay
Warren: - - particularly fornication, adultery and incest, which we know, according to the Scripture, is outlawed. There's no question about God being against them.
Pastor Doug: Right
Warren: I was talking to a friend of mine who's agnostic and he feels that God has violated His principle by prohibiting these activities; and yet, has allowed children to be created in situations like this. And I know for a fact that there are many Christian believers who are married who are in the bonds of matrimony, who were never blessed with children; and yet, I know of youngsters going out into the park fornicating, or what have you, and a child is born. And I kind of find that kind of hard to explain to an agnostic. The Bible said, on the one hand, "Do not participate in these activities"; and yet, to them, it looks like God is blessing the activity that's taking place. I was wondering, have you or anyone that you know have ever really sat down and looked at this - -
Pastor Doug: Well - -
Warren: - - and wondered, "Why is life created out of such an ungodly union?"
Pastor Doug: Well let's talk about that for a second. The very fact that God wants people to reserve intimacy for marriage is because it is a powerful, procreative act; and that children can be brought into the world without the benefit of a mother and a father and a family unit.
God does not force us to obey Him, gives us freedom, and He doesn't always take away the results of our disobedience. And the very fact that many prisons are filled right now with both men and women who came from broken homes, or came from single parent homes, tells you that the ideal is for joint families.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: The statistics bear out that it is much more difficult for people to be raised in these situations where they don't have a father and a mother, and sometimes circumstances that can't be avoided. But that doesn't mean that God does not love the children who are born as a result of that.
God loves people who go through divorce. He doesn't stop loving us when we make bad choices. But, you know, it's just very clear that we are allowed to experience the consequences of our decisions. The blessing of sex is to be reserved for the union of marriage. And when people do not follow that, whether they are children or not, there are always consequences.
I hope that helps a little bit. That's a difficult question, I know.
Pastor Dick: It is, yeah. Let's go next to Queens, New York. Gil is listening on WMCA. Gil welcome.
Gil: Hi, good evening. It's a pleasure, treasure speaking to you guys again. And good evening Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Doug: Good evening
Gil: Good evening my friends. I wanted to ask you because of the fact that I'm concerned that I don't want to quench the Holy Spirit, or the spiritual gifts, or grieve the Holy Spirit. And I never want to put God in a box, but I basically believe in the spiritual gift of tongues for today.
Pastor Doug: Okay
Gil: And yet there are certain groups that say that the gift of tongues today is of the devil; and if women speak in the church, women are to be kept silent and yet, in some services, you do have where people do speak in tongues and people do speak in different languages. And women are also in the service speaking and all of that. I would like to know your perspective on it, because I think I heard you do believe in the gift being (unintelligible) for today.
Pastor Doug: Yes. I do believe in all the gifts of the Spirit. I believe in the gift of tongues. It's in the Bible.
Gil: Yes
Pastor Doug: My understanding of the gift, I'm sure you will find, is different from what some pastors make it to be. I go by, and I'm sure others say this too, but I like to go by what the
Bible says. In the Bible, when the gift of tongues is evident, God supernaturally, in Acts chapter 2, Acts chapter 10, Acts chapter 19, God supernaturally gives the ability to believers to speak in languages that they did not formerly know.
And it is for the purpose of glorifying Him, preaching the Gospel, and proclaiming the truth, magnifying Him. But the idea of senseless babbling, where the person who is speaking has no idea what their saying and the people listening don't know what they're saying, I don't find that in the Bible.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Gil: Right
Pastor Doug: So that is the example of tongues that I think is, in some cases, very popular, that is not biblical.
Gil: It's the abuse of the gift.
Pastor Doug: Yeah. Well, let me give you an example of the gift of tongues. I know missionaries that have traveled to foreign countries, and before they had an opportunity to study the local dialects, they were supernaturally given the ability to speak those languages, and to preach in the language of the people.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: So, matter of fact, my children and I were reading during our worship about another case of that where some bushmen in Africa were given the supernatural ability to understand languages they had never heard before, because the Gospel was being preached in those languages.
Pastor Dick: Amen, amen
Pastor Doug: So, I had it happen to me, Gil.
Gil: Wow
Pastor Doug: I picked up a Spanish hitchhiker about 25 years ago. I spoke very little Spanish. I mean, I spoke, like, ordering at Taco Bell Spanish, just "Uno, Dos, Tres" kind of Spanish. Picked up a Mexican hitchhiker who spoke no English, and I prayed for the gift of tongues. By the time we got to my house, he ended up living with me and got baptized. I was communicating with him.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: And I was able to preach to him; and to this day, I haven't practiced much lately, I can still speak enough Spanish to get around. The words were coming to me. So I think this is the gift of tongues. Now, I've written a book on this.
Gil: I'd like to get that even though I'm visually impaired.
Pastor Doug: I'll send it to you free. Pray before you read it, and then tell me what you think.
Gil: Yeah
Pastor Doug: It's called, Captured by Tongues.
Gil: Right
Pastor Doug: I talk about the true version and the counterfeit version, Captured by Tongues. You say you have the book?
Gil: No, I said that I'm blind and visually impaired. I would need someone to read it to me. So I'm looking forward of getting it.
Pastor Doug: Okay, well, hopefully you'll find someone who can do that for you.
Gil: Absolutely
Pastor Doug: And some of our books we have on tape. We don't have that one on tape.
Gil: Oh, okay
Pastor Doug: Alright?
Gil: Alright. That will be a pleasure to receive that book because I, you know, I want some ammunition.
Pastor Doug: Yeah
Pastor Dick: Gil, please write this phone number down. You'll need to call this phone number and ask for the book.
Gil: Okay. I remember I called the number before. They were sending me another book so I kind of know which number you're talking about.
Pastor Dick: 1-800-835-6747.
Gil: Thank you
Pastor Dick: Alright Gil
Gil: Bye bye, God bless you.
Pastor Dick: God bless, thank you. Well Pastor Doug, there's the music.
Pastor Doug: We'll take a break.
Pastor Dick: We need to take a break. We'll talk about this when we come back.
Pastor Doug: Alright listening friends, we are going to come back. We have some more Bible questions coming in. I think we have one or two lines open if you want to call, 1-800-GOD-SAYS, 1-800-463-7297. And also, don't forget to check out the free library that we have at the website. You can listen to archived Bible Answer Live programs by just going to AmazingFacts.com
There are people out there that want to get engaged in a more serious Bible study. We have a series of lessons you can study for free on the Internet. It's called, Storacles of Prophecy. All you'll need to remember is BibleUniverse.com. You could also go to BibleUniversity.com. They'll both take you to the school. You can study through the Storacle lessons and become an apostle of prophecy.
In a minute, we'll be back with more Bible questions. Don't go away.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: We're back listening friends. If you have just tuned in, this program is called Bible Answers Live. It's a live, interactive, international Bible study. You can participate by listening anywhere in the world where you've got the Internet, or to the station obviously. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Dick: My name is Dick Devitt. Pastor Doug, you are going to be leaving on Tuesday. Where are you going and why?
Pastor Doug: I am flying back to the Nation's Capitol. The purpose is beginning Friday night, Amazing Facts and yours truly will be engaged in an international satellite broadcast that will be on a number of cable stations, satellite networks. It'll be on Hope Channel, 3ABN, some Central and South American TV stations, a number of cable stations. It'll be on two stations here in Sacramento I know of. And it's called, The Prophecy Code.
You know, people have been very interested in prophecy of late for good reason: they see things happening.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: And, of course, we've had a series of books that have been overnight best sellers that deal with prophecy. People are capitalizing on everything from Left Behind to American Prophecies, the DaVinci Code, the Bible Code, and we could go just on and on. There is some truth out there, and there's a lot of error.
This series is really going to focus on Bible prophecy and what the Bible really says about what has happened. And after showing people how dependable the Bible has been in predicting world events, we're going to show them what it says is coming. If you would like to know how you can participate in this series, it's very easy to remember. Just go to ProphecyCode.com. One word, ProphecyCode.com, or ProphecyCode.org.
You might find a location near you. We have in North America right now just about 1,800 locations where you can go to a church or an auditorium in your neighborhood and participate, plus the satellite and TV stations. ProphecyCode.com. We hope that you'll pray for Pastor Doug and tune in. It's a series of 20 meetings on Bible prophecy.
Pastor Dick: Twenty meetings; alright Pastor Doug. Well we will be praying for you and we know that God will work in a mighty way. We're counting on it, anticipating it. Let's go next to our first caller for this part of the program, to Quartz Hill, California. We want to talk with Ron. Welcome Ron.
Ron: Good evening, yeah. I need some clarity on [tape skips], I had no idea you were going to talk about this earlier, was Revelation 14, verses 9 through 12, especially on the third angel's message, - -
Pastor Doug: Okay
Ron: - - regarding the mark of the beast; and I'd like to preface my question and let you know my study of eschatology, I'm not a left behind, pre-trib, you know, secret rapture. We're not going to be around for this as Christians, okay?
Pastor Doug: Okay
Ron: Here's my concern, and this is very important for me and my family as the spiritual leader of my household. In verse 9, I just want to paraphrase where basically the third angel says, "Anyone that takes the mark of the beast will experience the full wrath of God." I mean, there are terms of His anger, - -
Pastor Doug: Right
Ron: - - torment by fire. And my concern is, I've always thought through my studies that that was basically the nonbelievers, the people who have not trusted in Jesus Christ our Savior or who have denied Jesus Christ, not for the believers who have trusted in Christ. And I got a book from your ministry by Joe Crews?
Pastor Doug: Yes
Ron: Search for the True Church
Pastor Doug: Yes
Ron: And as I was reading this book, I have a concern here because for my own self, talking for me, there's one quote that's written in the book, real quick, I'll read it to you. It says, "The book Revelation exposes a diabolical plan of the end-time beast power to enforce the mark on every individual. And those who will not receive that mark will be condemned to death. As you might suspect at this point, those who resist the mark of the beast are those who keep the Commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus," which is Revelation 14:12. "In other words," Mr. Crews says here, "is the remnant church." Now, through my studies, I'm not a member of this particular true church or, you know, that he's talking about here. So my concern, as a believer in Jesus Christ, because I'm not a member of the true church to resist this mark, am I in danger when this time comes?
Pastor Doug: Okay, good question. It is interesting that this was our opening amazing fact for tonight, - -
Ron: Right
Pastor Doug: - - and so let's assume that it's providential that you called. The phrase "remnant church" is, very simply, it means the true church that remains at the end of time. If you said, "The remainder church," that's what it's talking about. Keep in mind Ron, in the last days just before Jesus comes, God's genuine people that follow His Word are probably not going to have a church on the corner anywhere because their religion is going to be outlawed.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: God's true church is going to have to go underground to some extent. They will not experience the plagues. If you would like to know exactly what's going to happen in the last days, first of all, when you hear about the plagues, that ought to call to mind what happened to ancient Israel.
The plagues fell on Egypt because the Pharaoh would not let the people go back to the Promised Land. The last seven plagues in Revelation fall on those who are not going to the Promised Land. But while the plagues fell on ancient Egypt, here's my question, were the children of God, the Israelites, still in Egypt? And the answer is yes, they were there when the plagues fell.
Did God protect them through the plagues? I'm going to hold for your answer Ron. Did God protect the Israelites when the plagues fell on ancient Egypt?
Ron: The Passover lamb.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, well I mean but even before the Passover lamb, the Bible tells us that when darkness came on Egypt, - -
Ron: Oh, sure
Pastor Doug: - - Israel had light.
Ron: Right
Pastor Doug: When the lice came on Egypt, God protected the Israelites. So, He's going to protect His people. That's why it says in Psalm 91, "Neither shall any plague come nigh your dwelling. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand. Only with your eyes will you see and behold the punishment of the wicked."
Now I think I hear you asking, "If I'm not the member of a specific church denomination, does that mean that I'm going to get the mark of the beast?" I think the criteria is not going to have to do with your named membership. The criteria is going to be, are you and your family following the Word?
There are two groups in the last days: those who keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and those who get the mark of the beast. Those are the two groups.
Ron: I see. Okay, so I guess I was misinterpreting this book by Mr. Crews, because from what I read here, he did not identify a specific denomination that's in existence today in 2005 and I am not a member of that denomination, so what I read, maybe I'm misinterpreting the book. The Bible doesn't specifically say this, but from what I'm reading in this book, that I need to join this specific church come that time or I will receive the mark of the beast, even though I'm a Bible-believing, I'm saved by Jesus [cross talk]
Pastor Doug: Well every church, pardon me, but every church denomination has foundational beliefs. And the bigger question would be, "Are you in harmony with those beliefs?" And if the beliefs are not biblical, that's the big issue. When people call into this program sometimes, there are other radio programs that focus on saying what's wrong with everybody's church; or what's right with their church.
Ron: Right
Pastor Doug: I'd like to stick to what does the Bible teach and let's make sure we're following what the Bible teaches. That keeps it from being too personal and not running down someone else's church or puffing up someone's church.
Ron: Right
Pastor Doug: But that's the big issue. I would evaluate the beliefs of any and every church you're leaning towards and say, "Are they the teachings of the Bible?"
Ron: Right
Pastor Doug: And you obviously know where I'm coming from.
Ron: Right, I do, and just let you know that there's a criteria in this book, Search for the True Church, for the end-time true church; and the church I attend meets every single criteria.
Pastor Doug: Well, then praise the Lord
Ron: Yeah, but it's not the church that he says it is. So I guess, again, my question--I want to avoid the mark of the beast and I feel that church membership is not going to do that. It's faith in Jesus Christ.
Pastor Doug: Well ultimately, it's faith in Jesus, but the faith of Jesus is going to be evident in following His teachings.
Ron: Right
Pastor Doug: Are you anywhere--let me see here, where are you calling from? Quartz Hill, California.
Ron: Lancaster, Palm Springs area.
Pastor Doug: Oh I know where Lancaster is. I was going to say if you go to the Prophecy Code website, you might find that there's a location in your neighborhood where you can attend the series we're starting this Friday.
Ron: Is it going to be on 3ABN?
Pastor Doug: It will. Do you get 3ABN?
Ron: I have Sky Angel. I've got a plethora of programs.
Pastor Doug: Great! Plethora. Alright. Well I've got Sky Angel too. You go ahead and tune into 3ABN starting Friday night and you'll be able to get the Prophecy Code meetings.
Ron: Okay, well thank you so much.
Pastor Doug: Alright, God bless.
Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call Ron. Good call. Let's go next to Wisconsin and talk with Rico who's listening on the Internet. Rico, welcome.
Rico: Yes, thanks for taking my call. I ask you to pray for me for God to give me wisdom on the subject that I'm asking about.
Pastor Doug: Okay
Rico: I believe it's not a coincidence that I'm just asking about this because of the last caller, and I know time is against us on this, so I'll just go ahead and get straight to it. I'm currently studying radio frequency identification technology. And some of the capabilities of this technology is enormous. You can store tons of information on it, like your debit card, credit card, your passport, your visa, your social security number, if you're a diabetic, if you're allergic to penicillin or - -
Pastor Doug: Your medical record, right, I understand.
Rico: Yes, all that information - -
Pastor Doug: Yeah
Rico: - - all into one.
Pastor Doug: All your personal information.
Rico: Yes sir. So now, we have people in Latin America, they're getting them because there's a high rate of kidnapping going on in Latin America.
Pastor Doug: Um-hmm
Rico: So these rich people are getting them. Now, we come over to the United States. We have poor people in New Jersey. They're getting them. They've got this program going on, it's just starting - -
Pastor Doug: Are you wondering if--let me help you cut to the question. Are you wondering if this might be connected with the last-day prophecies, about buying and selling and tracking people?
Rico: Yes sir. What we have now is, like, what it's coming down to is if we have another terrorist activity inside America, they're talking about in the distant future or the near future, distant meaning 10 to 15 years, they will turn this thing into, "This is the way we're going to be buying and selling stuff."
Pastor Doug: Well - -
Rico: Now, the thing I'm going to get to is, now this thing is going to take over the universal product code, what the UCC comes out with, the uniform code council, you can't buy or sell without going through them. So now, I get to Revelation chapter 13, verse 16, - -
Pastor Doug: Can't buy or sell.
Rico: - - "And he will cause all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their forehead: And he cannot buy or sell without it, save ye that have the mark of the beast, or the number of the beast, for it is the number of man or a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." Threescore means 60.
Pastor Doug: Alright, are you wondering if this technology is going to be the means for fulfilling this? I'm just trying to help you get to the question before we run out of time.
Rico: Yeah, yes, um, from what I believe, like, all the signs are pointing to this thing, because I know Donahue did a story on the universal product code awhile back - -
Pastor Doug: Yeah
Rico: - - and [cross talk]
Pastor Doug: Rico, are you making a statement or do you have a question?
Rico: That's what my question was, how all these things are pointing to this chip that where people are getting them in their hand already, in their wrist, and - -
Pastor Doug: Well, let me comment on that for a second. Just give me a moment please. It is true they are developing more and more technologies for controlling information. Matter of fact, I think it was last week, this national identity card, they're pushing this through Congress in its connection with the Homeland Security.
There are other technologies where they're controlling information and, under the pretense of protecting people, protecting their money, preventing criminal activity, more and more people's information is being stored on cards and other things. Is that the mark of the beast? No. Will it be used by this final power to control buying and selling? No question.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: Obviously, this religious-political power that's going to tell people how to worship is going to utilize the latest technology to control trade and identity. And we see people, because of fear, we're losing more and more freedoms, and Rico is on track. Exactly which technologies or combination of technologies, we're not sure; but we do see that they're moving towards a global economy and control of everyone's identity. It would be very easy to control their purchasing.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: I hope that helps Rico. I didn't want to cut you off, but we try to budget about three minutes per call.
Pastor Dick: We appreciate the call Rico. Thank you. Let's go to Stamford, Connecticut. We want to talk with David who's listening on WMCA. David, welcome to the program.
David: Hi Pastor. Pastor, I was listening to your introduction and you mentioned angelic beings, or visitors, from outer space. My question would be relevant to emphasis on outer space. Could you elaborate on that a little bit please?
Pastor Doug: Well, perhaps I was guilty of using some colorful language in the opening amazing fact. Angels do indeed come from outside of our world because there are many examples where it talks about them coming and going, a division of Jacob, the angels of God ascending and descending. It talks about angels coming from heaven.
And the three angels seen in Revelation 14 are seen in the heavens. So assuming, as many Christian astronomers believe, that God does have a dwelling place in the cosmos aside from earth, you know, the way we see up in heaven, well technically, if the earth revolves it could be in a variety of directions. But there is a place. Some believe it's in the nebula Orion, which is mentioned twice in the Bible.
So do these angels have the ability to travel through space? We believe they do. Do they come in UFO's? No. How they do it, I don't know but it seems they are able to quickly go through space not the speed of light or sound, but maybe even the speed of thought.
One example of that, David, is in the book of Daniel chapter 9. Daniel begins to pray. At the end of his prayer, the angel, Gabriel, appears and he says to Daniel, "At the beginning of your prayer, God sent me from heaven." He comes to earth and it only takes him a matter of, oh, four or five minutes to get there. So they're pretty fast.
David: Yeah, I understand. What came to my mind immediately was in Revelation, where during the last days of the tribulation, angels would visibly be in the sky preaching the Gospel for all men to see. And even then, people would harden their hearts. I was just wondering if you, perhaps, have seen something to the effect that we should be looking beyond the planet earth?
Pastor Doug: Well, you know - -
David: But I know you're not.
Pastor Doug: I think that when it says in Revelation that, "I saw an angel fly in the midst of heaven having the gospel to preach," I don't think there will be a specific angel flying around the different continents with a bullhorn. I believe that those angels are symbolic of messages, because the word "angel" means "messenger."
David: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: And one reason for that is the beginning of Revelation where it talks about the seven angels. It says these are the "messengers" to the churches. You know what I'd like you to do? Send for the free lesson that we're offering on angel messages. Read that David and let us know what you think, okay?
David: Sure
Pastor Doug: It's a free phone call and the number is, Pastor Dick?
Pastor Dick: Yeah David, call our resource operator, 1-800-835-6747, and ask for Angel Messages from Space; or you can go, if you have access to the Internet, go to the website at AmazingFacts.org and you can find it there. Angel Messages from Space. This is Bible Answers Live, a production of Amazing Facts.
We want to go next to, oh, let's go to Jackson, Michigan. We want to talk with Gary who's a first-time caller, listening on the Internet. Welcome Gary.
Gary: How are you doing?
Pastor Dick: Good, your question please?
Gary: My question is about Noah and how he fit two of every animal on the ark, being the size given of the ark, and how many animals there are on earth?
Pastor Doug: Good question. Let me try and answer that for you. There's a number of misconceptions. I saw an excellent documentary on that by the Moody Bible Institute and there are a lot of misconceptions. First of all, Noah did not need to bring two of every kind of dog. He didn't need to bring two Cocker Spaniels and two Dachshunds and two German Shepards.
All the dogs that you see in the world today can trace their DNA back to an original pair of two wolf-life dogs, all the different variety of breed. And the other thing is, when we think of the animals, we always assume elephants, hippos, rhinos, the fact is that the average animal on earth is smaller than a sheep.
Another thing to consider is, not only did Noah only need to bring two of each category of animal from which the other breeds came, but they didn't have to be full-grown.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Gary: Right
Pastor Doug: The ark was a massive vehicle. Of course, he didn't need to bring any of the sea creatures. They stayed in the water during the flood. He did have the birds; and, you know, there are only really a few varieties of birds. You've got thousands of different finches; thousands of different pigeons, but they all came from two pigeons.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: You can breed many different varieties from the original two. So, once a person recognizes some of those misconceptions, there was more than adequate room, not only in the ark for all of the different variety of animals, but for food to sustain them. Matter of fact, I would recommend, if you're able to go to the Internet, the Moody Bible Institute has that video available--it's very impressive--on Noah's ark. They actually do the math.
Gary: I think I'll do that. I'm on the Internet now and I think I'll check that out.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, I don't remember the title of it, but it'll say something about the flood or Noah's ark; and it's a documentary they have, okay?
Gary: Thank you
Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call Gary. We appreciate it. That's a good question Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Yeah
Pastor Dick: A lot of people wonder about that. Let's go to Bozeman, Montana. John is a first-time caller listening on FM 107. Welcome John.
John: Good evening gentlemen.
Pastor Dick: Yes sir
Pastor Doug: Thanks for waiting.
John: I don't know if you're call screener arranged it, but mine is on Noah as well - -
Pastor Doug: Okay
John: - - or at least, refers to it. I study with a Messianic friend of mine. One thing that has been bothering him is what he calls the "Noahic covenant"--it's called that--where God said, "They're all handed over to you, all the creatures." Then He says, "Every living and crawling thing shall provide food for you."
Pastor Doug: Yes
John: He says, "I give you everything."
Pastor Doug: This is from a Jewish friend?
John: A Messianic Jewish friend, yeah.
Pastor Doug: Okay, go ahead.
John: He's not genealogically Jewish, but we both are pretty much on the same page. But he attends the Messianic Jewish church and we study weekly. And we discovered the richness of Christianity's heritage, which was basically lost.
Pastor Doug: Right
John: And hearing your radio show--just to digress a bit--hearing your radio show, I see how so many people come up with a lot of comments or questions because of their lack of knowledge of the heritage of our faith.
Pastor Doug: Right
John: And I thoroughly enjoy the show, Doug, because you changed my life back in '99 and 2000 because of your Millennium of Prophecy, which I purchased the tapes of that; and it's still a little bit of a library for me.
Pastor Doug: Praise the Lord. Well I hope you'll be tuning in this Friday when we start The Prophecy Code meetings.
John: I would like to, I'm so busy now, but I would like to.
Pastor Doug: And so your question is on Genesis 9:3, "Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you"?
John: Yes, and then later, God prescribed animals that were clean and unclean for eating - -
Pastor Doug: Right
John: - - to the nation of Israel. I'm curious which one are we under? How does that work with the new covenant? And that has been kind of our study.
Pastor Doug: Well, there really is no conflict. Let me see if I can explain. When Noah is getting on the ark, God tells him to make a distinction between the clean and the unclean animals, right?
John: Right, yeah
Pastor Doug: The unclean animals are taken by what? By twos.
John: By twos, yeah.
Pastor Doug: There were only two pigs. Now, if Noah was given permission to eat the pigs, they would be extinct today. When it says, "Every moving thing that lives," Noah understood that that meant of the clean animals, because God previously had made a distinction between the clean and the unclean.
Why were some called clean? Well all through the Bible, the clean animals were safe to use for food or for a sacrifice. The unclean animals - -
John: Up to that time, they didn't eat meat though, correct?
Pastor Doug: Well yeah. The reason - -
John: Up to that time, clean and unclean were ceremonial is what I understood.
Pastor Doug: Well, you're on the right track. Up to the time of the flood, there was an abundance of fruits and vegetables and vegetation. The flood destroyed that.
John: Right
Pastor Doug: So now God is saying, "You are free to eat of the animals." And it's understood by Noah that's the clean animals.
John: That's where we hook up on stuff because it's not stated, though I'm trying to study to uncover that.
Pastor Doug: Well you know, if I had time, I'd show you a number of places in the Bible where God makes a statement; and if you don't read the rest of God's information on that, standing by itself it sounds outrageous.
John: Right
Pastor Doug: But those that He was speaking to understood the exceptions.
John: Right. Do you have any material that would help me in this subject?
Pastor Doug: We do. We've got a book called, Hogs & Other Hazards. That's one book, Hogs & Other Hazards; and you can read that for free online. Another one is called, Death in the Kitchen. It's kind of a humorous book, Death in the Kitchen. So, you could look at those two and I think those would be a good starting point. Read that and let me know what you think.
John: Okay
Pastor Doug: Thank you, John, for your call.
Pastor Dick: Thank you John. We appreciate the call. Let's go to Akron, Ohio next. We want to talk with Sherry who's a first-time caller. Welcome Sherry.
Sherry: Thank you. My question is, it's fairly simple. I watched a movie today called Something the Lord Made. It was about the people who invented bypass surgery - -
Pastor Doug: Okay
Sherry: - - and it raised questions for me about doctors. According to the Bible, are doctors appointed by God, or do they interfere with His will?
Pastor Doug: Well, that may depend on the doctor. Does God use people to use their knowledge to heal? Absolutely! And I am very thankful for the work of doctors. There have been a few doctors over time that have been exceptions; and I think we all know that medicine has improved greatly.
Some of the doctoring that is done in more primitive times was really superstitious. I mean, even in our country, doctors, at one point, were bleeding people for a fever and infection. So with the proper knowledge that God gives, good medical attention is a great blessing that God works through. One of the writers in the Bible was a physician, Dr. Luke.
God sometimes recommended a procedure for healing. You read the book Leviticus, or even where Isaiah tells Hezekiah to put a lump of figs on a boil. There is actually medicinal value in that. So there's nothing wrong with using treatment that doctors know about for healing. Is that your question?
Sherry: Well yeah, but I was, you know - -
Pastor Doug: And God will work through those things. I'm very thankful for the knowledge about bypass surgery. My heart is fine, but I know a lot of people that wouldn't be alive today if it wasn't for it; and I think God gave that knowledge.
Sherry: Well, I think, you know, I was just wondering because if it's His will for, you know, if He's calling someone to heaven, if somebody is--if it's their time to die, if it's His will for them to die and they should go to a doctor and be healed, that's interfering with His will [cross talk]
Pastor Doug: Well, that approach, you need to be careful, Sherry, because that starts sounding a little fatalistic. That's sort of, somewhat, what the Hindus believe. People around them are suffering and dying and they don't intervene to help them; they say, "Because it must be God's will;" and there are even some radical Islamic beliefs that say somebody's dying, they don't interfere, they say, "It must be Allah's will."
Well no. Jesus spent a lot of time going out of His way to heal people that were sick, showing that He's not willing that any should suffer. So, oh, we've run out of time. I hope that helps your question a little bit. For our listening friends, if we didn't get to your question tonight, please forgive us. Give us another chance.
Don't forget to tune in Friday evening beginning March 4th to The Prophecy Code coming to you from the Nation's Capitol. Please pray for Pastor Doug and the Amazing Facts team as we go back to Silver Springs and broadcast. Just go to ProphecyCode.com.
And remember, it's not so much the details, it's about the Person, a relationship with Jesus. He is the Truth that will set free. Keep us in your prayers friends. God willing, we'll talk to you again.
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