The Deadliest Natural Disaster in American History

The deadliest natural disaster in American history occurred just 300 miles west of New Orleans. The unnamed, category 4 hurricane struck one century ago on September 8th, 1900, ripping into Galveston, Texas killing somewhere between eight and 10,000 men, women and children and wiping away three-quarters of the city.

However, the fatal storm did not come without a warning. People in Galveston knew that there was a major storm brewing in the Gulf of Mexico. Days before the hurricane reached Texas, Galveston received telegraphed reports telling of a fierce storm that caused havoc in the Caribbean.

One day before the hurricane arrived, barometric pressure dropped rapidly and warning flags were raised as huge waves pounded the shore but less than half the population evacuated the island. And some sightseers even came from Houston to view the powerful surf. People's attitude of complacency greatly increased the number of fatalities.

Wind speeds measured 100 miles an hour before the instruments were blown away. The winds would eventually reach 150 miles an hour. One of the first buildings to succumb to the storm was St. Mary's Orphanage that stood near the beach. Of the 93 children and 10 nuns, the only survivors were three boys who managed to cling to an uprooted tree.

About 50 persons sought shelter in the house of Isaac Cline. Battered by the heavy winds and 16-foot tidal wave, it collapsed and all but 18 perished, including Isaac Cline's wife, May. Strangely, Isaac Cline worked for the U.S. Weather Bureau and had dismissed concerns that a hurricane could someday devastate Galveston.

He discouraged the town from building a seawall to protect the city. One in six Galveston residents died in the disaster. A few months after the hurricane, Galveston began construction on a 17-foot high, three-mile long seawall and raised the ground in the entire city level.

Did you know the Bible forecasts that a terrible storm is going to come before the coming of Jesus that will conclude with a great rescue from above? Are you prepared, friends? Stay with us and learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.

[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]

Pastor Doug: We have phone lines open friends. If you would like to call and you have a Bible question, this is an international, interactive Bible study. All are welcome to participate. You might want to participate by listening, praying for us as we search the word for answers, and calling in a Bible question.

If you'd like to call in your question, once again that number is 1-800-GOD-SAYS, 1-800-463-7297. If you pick up your phone now and call, you have a good chance of getting your question in on this program. My name is Doug Batchelor.

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

Pastor Doug: Good evening Pastor Dick.

Pastor Dick: Well we've had all kinds of interesting things happen during the past week. It's tragic.

Pastor Doug: It has certainly been a historic week that will not be quickly be forgotten.

Pastor Dick: That's right. Why don't we pray before we get started with anything else?

Pastor Doug: Please.

Pastor Dick: Father in heaven, we want to pause just for a moment and think of our fellow brothers and sisters, all of humankind in the South of the United States right now because of the major hurricane that has struck. There are hundreds, thousands of people, Lord, who are displaced and in need of tremendous help. And we pray for those people. We pray for the rescuers, we pray for all the people who are working on the relief efforts.

And Lord, we ask that Your Holy Spirit will fall upon all of these people in such a way that they will gain courage and strength and perseverance; and they will know of Your love for them because You care for each one of us. We praise You and we thank You Lord, and we pray now that You will be with us. Be with Pastor Doug and give him clarity of thought as we seek to answer questions from the Bible from our callers tonight. Thank You Lord, in Jesus' name, amen.

Pastor Doug: Amen.

Pastor Dick: As a matter of fact, I sat watching one of the news networks today, Doug, and I was glued to the TV set watching the rescue efforts of these helicopters hovering over the rooftops and watching people being placed in the baskets. I saw one particular rescue where two young men were on a rooftop and they had a little dog. My daughter was standing there with me and saying, "Oh don't forget the dog please!"

Pastor Doug: Yeah, they're still, of course, plucking people from the disaster- -

Pastor Dick: Right.

Pastor Doug: - -and I remember in 1964 Hurricane Betsy came through Miami, Florida, which was, I think, one of the third major hurricanes at that time; and billions of dollars in damage. My dad decided to weather it and we were right on an island in Miami Beach. In the midst of the storm water was lapping in the doors. The house was surrounded by the sea. It was very frightening.

Pastor Dick: Um m

Pastor Doug: At one point I went outside; and my brothers talked me into going out. I was only about seven years old and I thought, "Hey this isn't so bad" because I was sheltered by the house. And I walked out from behind the shelter of the house not realizing that the wind would catch me there. It just began to roll me down the street.

Pastor Dick: Um m, um m

Pastor Doug: It wasn't until I flattened myself I could crawl back to the house.

Pastor Dick: Um m

Pastor Doug: So, it is a terrifying thing. These people, of course, the water isn't receding. In Hurricane Betsy the water went down within a day or so. So folks are still stranded.

Pastor Dick: This one, of course, the water isn't receding because much of the city is below sea level and so it's- -

Pastor Doug: Right. It has rushed in; and of course the economic loss. But we've seen image after image of people quite literally being rescued from above- -

Pastor Dick: Amen, amen.

Pastor Doug: - -and seeing helicopters flying over with people saying, "SOS, help us, save us, please help!"

Pastor Dick: Yes, yes, um-hm

Pastor Doug: And it makes you think about another time when people will be rescued from dire conditions here on earth; and they are caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

Pastor Dick: Will we be holding signs that say, "SOS!"

Pastor Doug: Well, no [cross talk]

Pastor Dick: No, I don't think so.

Pastor Doug: Just in our hearts. You know actually, I'm glad you asked that. I hadn't thought of this, but technically, Revelation says all those who are rescued will have the seal of God in their foreheads.

Pastor Dick: There you go, that's right.

Pastor Doug: So that will be the sign.

Pastor Dick: Praise the Lord!

Pastor Doug: And we have something, if people want to know about that final storm and that ultimate rescue, it's a lesson we haven't offered. I don't think we've ever offered this new lesson.

Pastor Dick: I don't think so. That's right. It is- -

Pastor Doug: It is perfectly appropriate for what has happened this week.

Pastor Dick: This is a new lesson that is part of the Amazing Facts study guide set that we've been offering for many years. But this one is new and it's called, Rescue From Above. It answers all kinds of questions: "What must we do in order to obtain the gift of salvation?" "Will a changed life really be happier for us than the pleasures of our current existence?" all kinds of questions about being rescued, having this new life.

We'd like to make this available to all of you tonight. If you will call our resource operators, they are standing by at 1-800-835-6747. Ask for the lesson study guide called, Rescue From Above.

Pastor Doug: Amen

Pastor Dick: Pastor Doug, I have really been blessed by a program that you produced not too long ago. It's called, Final Events. Why don't we just take a minute and tell us about this. It is a DVD?

Pastor Doug: Yes. This has been a phenomenal project in that we have never really produced anything that has met with this kind of response. It is a DVD, a 45-minute movie, basically, that uses animation, some docudrama and recreations that talks about the final events or prophecy, the second coming of the Lord.

We've got pictures of the millennium, of the rapture, of the New Earth. I mean, it is a great educational tool. Kids love it. It is extremely realistic and it's called the Final Events of Bible Prophecy. I was impressed this week and our office was not even open. I just called some of our leaders and said, "You know, I think we need to offer this at half price so people can get this and share it.

People all over the country and the world are asking questions about, "What does this mean between 9/11, and the tsunami,- -

Pastor Dick: Right, right.

Pastor Doug: - -and just other historic disasters this week, are these signs?" And, "What will it look like at the end of the world? Are we getting there?" And this DVD has a whole group of Bible studies. You can play it on your TV with a regular DVD. You can stick it in your computer and it has a series of Bible studies you can delve into with a lot more information; or just plain watch the movie.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: So if people would like to find out more about the final events of Bible prophecy, it's just called the Final Events DVD, go to the Amazing Facts website. All the information will be there on the cost and we're cutting those costs in half; and you'll find that there. Just AmazingFacts.org.

Pastor Dick: Okay. I can tell you, Pastor Doug, that we have bought--I think 25 or 50 of them, I don't remember the exact number--and we're giving them away to people as evangelistic tools to church members and to neighbors, and that sort of thing. The program is in segments, short segments, so they can watch the full thing, 45-50 minutes long- -

Pastor Doug: Um-hmm

Pastor Dick: - -or they can watch it in short segments and use it in- -

Pastor Doug: Right. Like we have one segment, just the Millennium; one segment on the second coming of the Lord;- -

Pastor Dick: Right, right

Pastor Doug: - -and they can just take one study or watch the whole thing straight through.

Pastor Dick: So if you have a small group, a Bible study group, or you want to use it in your Sunday School or your Sabbath School, this is an excellent tool to open people's imagination and discussion around the last day events. It's called, Final Events. If you'll just check in with the Amazing Facts website- -

Pastor Doug: They can see, actually, a movie of it. If they go to our website, there's a demo. They can view a video that shows some of it.

Pastor Dick: AmazingFacts.org.

Pastor Doug: Yup

Pastor Dick: Okay, very good. Let's take our email questions and then we'll go to the phones. The first question this evening, Pastor Doug, comes from Thomas who says, "My question Pastor Doug is this, what was the reason for the types of plagues that God sent, and do you believe it was to show His supremacy over the gods of Egypt?"

Pastor Doug: Good question, perceptive question. There's a reason for everything the Lord does. And the specific nature of the ten plagues--and I might mention right here, it is interesting that on Egypt there were 10 plagues before Israel was delivered. In the last days in Revelation there are seven plagues before spiritual Israel, the church, is delivered.

But those 10 plagues all related in some way to judgments upon the gods of Egypt. You can read in Exodus 12:12, the Lord says, "I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and I will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD." So these plagues were a type of judgment.

For instance, they worshiped the river and the river was confounded with blood. They worshiped frogs, and they worshiped cattle that were smitten. They worshiped the sun and everything went dark- -

Pastor Dick: Um-hm, um-hm

Pastor Doug: So it was really telling them not to worship nature but worship the God of creation.

Pastor Dick: Amen, amen. Good question. Thanks Thomas, we appreciate that. The second question comes from Tom and Jane and they want to know, "What is the significance of there not being any sea in the new heaven and the new earth?

Pastor Doug: Another good question, that's Revelation 21, verse 1. John says, "I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea."

Now, obviously, if the river--you think about this--if the river is flowing from the throne of God and it says there it's going to irrigate the new earth, and this is a massive river. Rivers always flow to the ocean; but here it says there's no sea, except in the exception where the rivers flow into a lake.

There will obviously be bodies of water, but the salt water that we have in the world today, the briny, vast expanses that separate people, that wasn't God's original plan for the world. It was after the flood that two-thirds of the world became water, when the fountains of the deep were broken up and the clouds were broken up.

Until that point, instead the earth looked more like a garden that was irrigated with lakes and ponds. So there still will be water and beautiful lakes, but it will not be the salty oceans that separate loved ones.

Pastor Dick: Amen, praise the Lord. Alright Pastor Doug, you ready for the phones?

Pastor Doug: Let's find out.

Pastor Dick: Let's take our first caller. We'll go to Andrews, North Carolina. Carl is listening on WKRK. Hello Carl, welcome to the program.

Carl: Good evening

Pastor Dick: Good evening, and your question please?

Carl: Yes. My question relates to what you're talking about, you know, rescue from above. It has to do with the second coming.

Pastor Doug: Okay

Carl: It's a question you've been asked many times before but I've never heard you answer it. And so I'm asking it tonight. It deals with 1st Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 14.

Pastor Doug: Yes

Carl: And it reads, "Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." Now my question in regard to this is the King James Version and most of the other translations make it sound like some part of the righteous dead are actually in heaven now and Jesus will bring that part of the righteous with Him. When He returns He will join it with the physical portion of the body which is dead in the ground, and presto! It comes back to life. That's what most people teach. And how do you get around that, because it sure does sound like Jesus is bringing something back from heaven?

Pastor Doug: Alright. Well let's look at this together.

Carl: Okay

Pastor Doug: When we are caught up to meet the Lord in the air, the resurrected are with Him.

Carl: Right

Pastor Doug: Because you notice, one of the things that Paul is emphasizing here in 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 is the sequence. He says, "The dead in Christ will rise first." First before what? First before we are transformed and caught up. So when the Lord comes, they are caught up to meet Him in the clouds; so it's telling us that right now in verse 16.

First the resurrection, then they're with the Lord, THEN we who are alive and remain are caught up together with them. So by the time we get there, they're with Him. That's all it's saying. It's dealing with the sequence.

But you asked something else, just to be more precise I need to agree. There are some with the Lord when He comes. We know that there have been some that were resurrected, such as at the crucifixion of the Lord. It says many of those that slept in Jerusalem were raised and ascended with Jesus, Matthew 28.

Moses is there, Elijah is there, Enoch is there, you know what I'm saying?

Carl: Yes

Pastor Doug: So there are some exceptions; but the general resurrection happens when the Lord descends. They are with Him- -

Carl: No. They are no longer sleeping in Jesus, so the ones that are there in heaven are awake. So at this point when it says, "them also which sleep in Jesus," that couldn't really include that exceptional group that's already in heaven.

Pastor Doug: Correct, correct. But it's mainly emphasizing that the sequence, [cross talk] that when we are caught up to meet the Lord in the air, they are with Him. He is bringing them with Him when He gets us because they have been resurrected at that point.

Carl: You're saying that the emphasis is on, the "with" relates to the righteous dead and the righteous living are together?

Pastor Doug: Well let me give you one more. I don't want to belabor this but if you look in verse 15,- -

Carl: Alright

Pastor Doug: - -he's dealing with the emphasis on the sequence. "For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain," those who should live to the coming of the Lord, "shall not precede those who are asleep." We don't go before them. They get to the Lord first.

"For the Lord will descend from heaven; the dead in Christ rise first, then..." So he's putting big emphasis on the sequence here.

Carl: Yeah

Pastor Doug: You got it?

Carl: Okay

Pastor Doug: I hope that helps a little bit.

Carl: Thank you very much. God bless you and have a good Labor Day, what's left of it.

Pastor Doug: God bless you Carl, thanks a lot.

Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call Carl. God bless. Let's go to Doniphan, Missouri. We want to talk with Pat who is listening on KOKS. Pat?

Pastor Doug: I'm impressed Pastor Dick. I couldn't say Doniphan.

Pastor Dick: [Laughs]

Pat: Hello [Laughs]. I think somebody pushed the button [laughs].

Pastor Doug: We're there.

[Laughter]

Pat: We're there huh?

Pastor Doug: And your question?

Pat: Yes. I had a jail ministry and I lost it because of the way I believed that people need to be baptized in this day and time.

Pastor Doug: Yup

Pat: And my question is, because everybody is telling me that the thief on the cross in Luke 23, that he made a deathbed repentance, so it's not necessary to be baptized. And then there's a lot of people that are coming against me now because I believe that we need to be baptized in this day and time. And my question, basically, do you believe that we need to be baptized in this day and time? And in your belief, do you believe that the thief on the cross made a deathbed repentance?

Pastor Doug: Well let's start with your second question first. I do definitely believe that that one thief who put his trust in Jesus will be saved- -

Pat: Right

Pastor Doug: - -because Jesus made a very clear promise to him that cannot be misunderstood.

Pat: Right

Pastor Doug: The other question about the necessity of baptism, obviously, there will be many people in heaven who were not baptized because you've got all the folks in the Old Testament- -

Pat: Right, right

Pastor Doug: - -and so baptism, in other words, baptism is not a criteria for everybody to be saved.

Pat: Yeah

Pastor Doug: But for a Christian in our day and age Jesus very clearly says, "Go ye therefore, teach and baptize."

Pat: Yes

Pastor Doug: And there are many, many verses in the Bible, in Matthew, in Mark, in Luke, in Acts, and through the writings of Paul, baptism is given a high priority.

Pat: Uh-huh, yes it is.

Pastor Doug: Baptism is the Christian service by which we obtain admission to the church in the body of Christ.

Pat: Okay

Pastor Doug: "So how could the thief on the cross then," someone might say, "be saved because he wasn't baptized?" I've got an interesting answer for that.

Pat: Okay, because I have something that I had been praying.

Pastor Doug: Well let me tell you what my answer is here and I'll see what you think. I'm going to ask you a couple of questions. Was Jesus baptized?

Pat: Yes He was.

Pastor Doug: Was He baptized to wash away His sin?

Pat: No. I don't believe so because He never sinned.

Pastor Doug: No, I agree, of course. So Christ was baptized for a couple of reasons; one is an Example for us.

Pat: Right

Pastor Doug: But here's something else. Jesus died, right?

Pat: Yes He did.

Pastor Doug: Did He die because of His sin? The penalty for sin is death.

Pat: No. He died because of our sins.

Pastor Doug: Alright. So we get credit for His death, correct?

Pat: Uh-huh

Pastor Doug: Could it be that Jesus was not only baptized as our Example, but He was baptized in behalf of those who couldn't be? In other words, He will give credit to the thief for his baptism.

Pat: Right

Pastor Doug: Now, anyone who can be that doesn't, it's disobedience.

Pat: Okay

Pastor Doug: But as a Pastor, I'll sometimes go to the hospital and someone is on their deathbed and they accept Christ, but they can't be baptized. They've got all these tubes and apparatus and [cross talk]- -

Pat: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: - -or I've been in prisons, like you, where someone is maybe on death row and the prison will not accommodate a baptism.

Pat: No, that's the one thing they told me, that I could not baptize because I'm an ordained minister.

Pastor Doug: Right

Pat: They told me I could not because of differences of opinion of other people that were in there.

Pastor Doug: Different doctrines, right. Well my question is, will baptism be an obstacle to their salvation, or will Jesus give them credit for His baptism if they can't be baptized?

Pat: Well I believe that He will give them credit for it because He died for our sins- -

Pastor Doug: There you go.

Pat: - -on the cross when He died.

Pastor Doug: So you're doing the right thing, Pat, in teaching baptism because Jesus told us to teach it; and Jesus told us to teach, baptize, and there's more teaching after baptism.

Pat: Right

Pastor Doug: You know, we've got a booklet we'll be happy to give you for free and it's- -

Pat: Well I've got quite a few from yours and I've been ordering quite a few things because it has really helped me; and I really appreciate your ministry because I listen to it every Sunday night.

Pastor Doug: Oh, bless your heart. Well you know then we've got a booklet, specifically, "Baptism: Is It Necessary?"

Pat: Okay

Pastor Doug: And you can read that probably for free at our website or order it for yourself; but we've got a little sermon book by Joe Crews dealing with baptism. I'd invite you to take a look at that Pat, and we'll send that to you for free.

Pastor Dick: Pat, call our resource operator and ask for the baptism book, 1-800-835-6747. If you call, we'll send it out to you. Just ask for the book on baptism and we'll be glad to send it out to you, okay? We appreciate your call.

Pastor Doug: It's called, "Baptism: Is It Necessary?"

Pastor Dick: "Baptism: Is It Necessary?" thanks Pastor Doug. Let's go next to, well we want to go to Mount Prospect, Illinois and talk with Sherman who's listening on the Internet. Welcome Sherman.

Sherman: How are you guys?

Pastor Dick: Great

Sherman: I have actually two questions. I'm hoping that they can be both answered. The first one is will there be a need to pray privately once we are in heaven?

Pastor Doug: Good question. I'm looking up a verse right now that deals with that. Hang on a second.

Pastor Dick: And the second question?

Sherman: The second question is had Adam and Eve repented for their sin, would they have been forgiven and all of this sin crisis that we're going through- -

Pastor Doug: Wouldn't have happened?

Sherman: - -wouldn't have happened?

Pastor Doug: Alright, well let me deal with your first question. I found my verse.

Sherman: Okay

Pastor Doug: Isaiah 65:24, speaking of heaven. It says, "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." That is, of course, we won't need to pray in heaven the way we do now because we'll be in the presence of God.

You ever heard of that song called, Sweet Hour of Prayer?

Sherman: I don't think I have.

Pastor Doug: That's a famous church hymn. But there's one line in there that says, "When we get to heaven we'll say, 'Farewell sweet hour of prayer.'" We won't need to pray when we're in heaven like we do now. Prayer is, sort of, talking to God on the phone. When we can see Him Face to face, you don't pick up the phone.

Sherman: Right, right.

Pastor Doug: Every now and then I'll play a joke on my wife. I'll call her on her phone while I'm two feet away or something just to get her attention. But we don't do that in heaven because if you can talk to someone face to face, that's better. Your second question I forgot already. What was it again?

Sherman: Well, if-if- -

Pastor Doug: Oh. If Adam and Eve had repented....

Sherman: If they had repented, instead of running away, if they had repented of their sin, would they have been forgiven on the spot?

Pastor Doug: Well, now I'm speculating. Whenever you ask that kind of hypothetical question, all I can do is speculate.

Sherman: I apologize for the hypothesis.

Pastor Doug: No, it's okay. I thought the same thing; and I've read some commentaries that address where they believed that God would have forgiven Adam and Eve. But something still would have to be done to atone for their sin because the penalty is death. How Jesus would have paid that penalty, we really don't know. But somehow, Christ would have still taken their penalty, you see what I'm saying?

Sherman: Yes

Pastor Doug: You know, if history had not evolved and the Romans and Israelites had not conspired against Jesus to crucify Him, we don't know how Christ would have laid down His life. But somehow Jesus would have taken their penalty; and probably, the race would have been healed and you wouldn't have had all these generations of sinners.

Sherman: So it wouldn't have been sufficient that they just repented?

Pastor Doug: Well, here's the problem. There's a penalty for sin and the penalty is death, right?

[Background interference]

Sherman: I'm sorry?

Pastor Doug: The penalty for sin is death.

Sherman: I understand.

Pastor Doug: So God said to Adam and Eve, "If you sin, you will die," and either He had to lie and say, "Well I didn't really mean it," or somebody had to die.

Sherman: Good point, okay.

Pastor Doug: Okay. Again, we're being hypothetical, but it's good to reason like this. Hey thanks a lot Sherman. Hope that helps a little bit.

Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call Sherman. The music is going to start here in just a couple of seconds Pastor Doug so- -

Pastor Doug: Good time to remind people again, if they'd like to take advantage of the new Final Events DVD that deals with the closing scenes of prophecy, we're even thinking of putting it on TV- -

Pastor Dick: Very good!

Pastor Doug: - -and just buying some cable time and show it to people; but go to the Amazing Facts website at AmazingFacts.org. Also, this is a great opportunity to witness. Amazing Facts has a magazine. We don't say much about it. It's called, Hidden Truth.

In this magazine it has the answers to some of the most commonly asked Bible questions that people call in with this program. It's color, it's full of Scriptures, and illustrations and amazing facts. It's the Hidden Truth magazine. I'd like to encourage our friends that are in the gulf states, if they know any of these centers where people are, sort of, holed up and waiting for their lives to come together again, order a batch of these magazines and hand them out.

These people can find the Lord and get answers to their questions. It talks about salvation, and the Bible, and heaven, and the second coming of Jesus, and it's called the Hidden Truth magazine. So that, again, can be found at the Amazing Facts website. We are going to be taking a break here in a moment- -

Pastor Dick: Yes, in 30 seconds.

Pastor Doug: - -for our affiliates. And we want to just also remind you, you can study a lot of the things that we talk about at our website by going to BibleUniverse.com. Take the special Apostle of Prophecy series. Go through those Storacle of Prophecy lessons. You will understand Bible prophecy better than just about anybody. Just BibleUniverse.com. We'll be right back.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Pastor Doug: That's me. This is Bible Answers Live. If you are just tuning in, we're halfway through the program. It's still possible to get your question on. We're going to do our best to race through what we have on the screen right now. If you do call and you don't get through right away, don't give up - 1-800-GOD-SAYS, 1-800-463-7297.

If you're where you can keep a pencil handy, we give out another phone number that tells how to get our free resources that we offer. We like to think of this program as, sort of, an opportunity to be a fountain of Biblical truth, not just what we do in the one hour, but by going to the website and ordering the material. You can study all through the week. Pastor Dick, you think we can get back to the phones? Let's see.

Pastor Dick: Let's see what we can do. We'll take our first caller from Sacramento, California. Irene is listening to KFIA. Welcome Irene.

Irene: Thank you.

Pastor Dick: Get real close to your telephone. We can barely hear you.

Irene: Oh okay, thank you.

Pastor Dick: And your question please?

Irene: Why do the orthodox Jews not offer animal sacrifices anymore because they don't believe that Jesus was here?

Pastor Doug: Okay, good question. Now, of course, Christians don't offer animal sacrifice because we believe that Jesus is our Lamb. He is the fulfillment of what that all represented. But the question is then why would the Jews no longer offer animal sacrifices?

You remember when Jesus died on the cross, the Bible says that there in A.D. 31 the veil in the temple was ripped from top to bottom; and that disrupted the sacrificial service that particular Passover. But they repaired the veil and they continued to sacrifice animals until 70 A.D. when the temple was destroyed by the Romans and it has never been rebuilt.

When the Jews were scattered, the great dispersia spread all over the Roman empire, because they did not have a temple anymore and they don't sacrifice animals at their synagogues, they ceased to sacrifice. Orthodox Jews would like to see the temple rebuilt, and in spite of rumors that they're going to do that someday, there really are not tangible plans.

So that's why they don't do it now. It has basically ceased with the conquering by Rome and the destruction of the temple and they were spread everywhere. They didn't have the high priest system anymore and that brought an end to it.

Irene: Thank you very much.

Pastor Dick: Thank you for the question Irene.

Pastor Doug: And I should also add they do still, of course, celebrate the Passover dinner but they don't sacrifice the lamb the way the priests used to.

Pastor Dick: Right

Pastor Doug: Okay. Let's go to Queens, New York and talk with Gil who's listening on WMCA. Hi Gil.

Gil: Hi. It's a pleasure, treasure once again getting through to this program. And, as I stated before, I've called the program several times before and I believe that God can use anyone to glorify Himself; but I'm also blind and visually impaired. The Bible talks about in John chapter 9, verse 3 where it says, "But this happened that the work of God might be displayed in his life." And Doug Batchelor, I want to ask you what you think about ministers--when a guy and I were preaching the gospel on Queens, New York, some guys were telling me that we're preaching a false gospel because of the fact that I'm not healed, and that Jesus was sent to heal people that had various kinds of diseases. And we were told that we're preaching a different gospel when I was telling them that I was content the way that God had made me; because the Bible says in Hebrews 13:5 be content with what you have because God has said, "Never will I leave, never will I forsake you."

Pastor Doug: Well let me- -

Gil: They said, "This brother has got to repent because he's going to go to hell."

Pastor Doug: Ah yeah, let me address that Gil. That's a misapplication of Scripture, for someone to say that because a person is blind that it's a lack of faith if they're not healed, they must have the wrong gospel. There are several examples in the Bible of great patriarchs that lost their vision.

Isaac was probably blind the last 30 years of his life because, of course, he blessed Jacob before he left home. He was blind then and he lived to 180. So there are a number of patriarchs that their eyes grew dim in their old age. That happened to Jacob. He got confused when blessing Manasseh and Ephraim, which was which, because Joseph had to put his hands on their heads. He had lost his vision.

So, the idea that because they weren't head they didn't have enough faith is absurd, Gil. And, you know, I do believe God can heal the blind. It is a first-class miracle if a person is totally blind and they're healed. Sometimes it's even done through medicine, I mean, the surgical procedure. God has given great wisdom in those areas. But, I wouldn't hang out with people, if I were you, that are saying that you don't have enough faith because your vision hasn't been healed.

Gil: Um-hmm. Well, I wasn't hanging out with these guys. You know, the Bible says to be very careful with the people that you hang around with.

Pastor Doug: Right. That's right.

Gil: And, you know, and the Bible says that bad company corrupts good morals; but the thing is that they were disrupting us- -

Pastor Doug: Oh

Gil: - -while we were preaching.

Pastor Doug: Oh, I got the picture now.

Gil: I think that's terrible.

Pastor Doug: It is, but I wouldn't be discouraged by that Gil. And you know if you're preaching for the Lord, if you're doing God's work, people will persecute you. Hey, thanks for your question and- -

Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call Gil.

Pastor Doug: - -God bless.

Pastor Dick: Let's move on to Brooklyn. We want to talk to Onithiel who is listening on WMCA. Welcome Onithiel.

Onithiel: Hello?

Pastor Dick: Good evening sir.

Pastor Doug: Onithiel?

Onithiel: Yes. I have a question here. The question is why, after God had already set forth the gospel of salvation in the Bible for all men to follow, why would He later turn around and send the angel Gabriel a different gospel to Muhammad to give to the Arab people?

Pastor Doug: Well, my question would be how do we know that God sent the angel Gabriel to Muhammad?

Onithiel: Well- -

Pastor Doug: Because the Qur’an says so?

Onithiel: Well I have my opinion about that, but you see, I just want to hear your answer because I don't think that God sent the angel Gabriel. Now, this is what they believe.

Pastor Doug: No, I realize that; but that's part of the reason I'm a Christian and not a follower of Islam, is because I have questions and doubts about the validity of the Qur'an.

Onithiel: But I, myself- -

Pastor Doug: And I'm sure that the Muslims may feel the same way about the Bible, but I'd have to respectfully disagree. I don't believe that Gabriel did appear to Muhammad; and the very nature of the message in the Qur'an there are some things that are very contrary to the teachings of Jesus- -

Onithiel: I'm aware of that.

Pastor Doug: - -in Islam. And it is, as you say, it would be a very different kind of gospel. So um, you know, it's just a question of I can't answer you with a Scripture, except to say where Paul says, "If any messenger or even an angel,- -

Onithiel: That's right

Pastor Doug: - -preaches any other gospel than what we have preached, let him be accursed."

Onithiel: But what I was saying, if that's really- -

Pastor Doug: Oh, by the way, pardon me, one more thing. Paul also warned, and I think it's 2nd Corinthians chapter 11, that Satan, himself, can impersonate an angel of light. So some angel may have appeared to Muhammad, but we don't know that it was Gabriel. It could have been an impostor.

Onithiel: But that's what I--that's my belief too. That's what I was about to ask, because since he came with a different gospel, it could not be the angel Gabriel. That's common sense, you know. But the point is um, they the ones seem to know that now, you know? They don't know that.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, well, there are people in the world--the Buddhists, of course, believe a different set of inspiration; and all around the world people choose what they're going to believe. I have found, and by the way, I studied many world religions before I became a Christian.

I was an atheist and I looked into a number of religions and I just found that of the inspired writings, or so-called inspired writings, that the only one I found to be genuinely accurate and inspired in my opinion is the Bible.

Onithiel: Right

Pastor Doug: And that's why I chose Christianity.

Onithiel: Yea

Pastor Doug: I appreciate your observations, Onithiel, and hope that helps you a little bit.

Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call. Let's go next to Tappahannock, Virginia. We want to talk with Kevin who's on the Internet. Kevin, welcome to the program.

Kevin: Yes, thanks for taking my call.

Pastor Doug: That's got to be an Indian name.

Kevin: That's right

Pastor Doug: Okay

Pastor Dick: Did I say it right?

Kevin: Tappahannock.

Pastor Dick: Tappahannock, okay.

Kevin: That is correct.

Pastor Dick: I was close [chuckles].

Kevin: [Chuckles] I have a question in regards to how does one differentiate between the judgments of God for disobedience such as, say, natural disasters, things of this nature that we see going on in the world today, and destruction caused by Satan? And the other part of the question was this, in Genesis chapter 9, verse 20 through 27, if you could just explain those verses for me too.

Pastor Doug: Alright. Let's start with your first question. A number of people have wondered if this disaster in the gulf states was some form of divine judgment and I need to be very careful how I answer this. The Bible is clear that good and evil will often suffer. Jesus said God sends the sunshine on the just and the unjust, and He sends the rain on the good and the bad.

So, in other words, bad things may encompass good people. When people are hurt in a war, good people could be hurt in a war. It doesn't mean that they were all bad; but it could have been a judgment of God. See what I'm saying?

Kevin: Um-hm

Pastor Doug: And, in the same way, bad people might be blessed when God blesses the good, because they're getting some of the good people's sunshine. Sometimes the good people get some of the bad people's rain. Now, there's a verse in the Bible in Luke 13:3 where some messengers came to Jesus and they were basically saying, "Did you hear that there was a tragedy in Galilee? A tower, a wall fell on some Galileans and eighteen people died?"

Here's what Jesus said, "Do you suppose those Galileans were sinners above all Galileans, because they suffered these things? I say, Nay: but, except you repent you will all likewise perish. And again, or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, do you think they were sinners above others that dwelt in Jerusalem? I say, No: except you repent, you will all likewise perish."

There are judgments that come. We have seen in the Bible in the book of Job, the devil brought some natural disasters. It says a wind came out of the north and smote the house of Job's sons and the roof fell in. Well that's like a tornado or a hurricane, it killed them, but the devil sent it.

And then, again, in the Bible it talks about God sending a flood. So there are judgments that come; and I've already heard people speculate that because New Orleans and- -

Pastor Dick: And Biloxi and Muldoon

Pastor Doug: Well that, sort of, is a center of voodoo in North America.

Pastor Dick: Yes, I've heard that too.

Pastor Doug: In addition, this weekend I believe, was suppose to be what they called the decadence celebration, which is one of the big, gay pride parties that they have there in New

Orleans. And some have said this was a judgment that basically brought that to an abrupt end. But I think we need to be very careful about taking that approach, because there's a whole lot of other innocent people that got wrapped up in that judgment.

Pastor Dick: Right, right.

Pastor Doug: God has more precise ways of doing that. So, I don't want to presume that I'm God and I can answer that, Kevin.

Kevin: Um-hm

Pastor Doug: Um- -

Kevin: I guess the reason why I asked that question was, in the sense that, as you had indicated, like for instance, we actually call things that God has not done--something that He did not do--that Satan actually did; and call things that Satan did, something that God is actually doing.

Pastor Doug: Yeah

Kevin: Then we're actually grieving the Holy Spirit and calling- -

Pastor Doug: Bad good and good bad.

Kevin: Right, right, exactly.

Pastor Doug: Yeah. That's a good point. Now, you had two questions you said?

Kevin: Yeah, Genesis chapter 9, verse 20 through 27.

Pastor Doug: Well that's a lot of verses. I don't know if I'm going to get to all that.

Kevin: Okay

Pastor Doug: What's it about? Is it something simple?

Kevin: Yeah. Well basically, I was just concerned about what had happened with Ham- -

Pastor Doug: Oh, good.

Kevin: - -in regards to looking upon his father's nakedness?

Pastor Doug: Yeah

Kevin: What that was; and as far as Noah pronouncing a curse upon Canaan.

Pastor Doug: Yes

Kevin: Yes

Pastor Doug: Alright. This is the story where Noah planted a vineyard. He got drunk- -

Kevin: Um-hm

Pastor Doug: - -and then it says Ham came in and saw his father's nakedness. His brothers, when they discovered that their father was naked in the tent, they walked in backwards with some sheet or robe to cover their father's nakedness. It was considered very rude and disrespectful to look upon your father's nakedness.

Some have suggested and some commentaries say, "Well he had unnatural relations with his father." I believe that he's cursed because, evidently, when he saw his father drunk in the tent, instead of doing something to respect and cover his father, he went out laughing and told his brothers. He mocked his father and that is considered disrespectful, no matter how good or bad what Noah did was.

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: Canaan was the son of Ham; and it's believed that Ham came into the tent with his son and they both mocked dad and grandpa. That's why Canaan was part of the curse.

Kevin: Okay. I've never heard that before.

Pastor Doug: Well I read that in a commentary and, you know, it made sense to me. I read a lot of commentaries to find out what the great men have to say; and sometimes the Holy Spirit and other Scriptures resonate with one more than another, so I'm standing on the shoulders of others.

Kevin: Okay

Pastor Doug: Okay?

Kevin: Alright. You know, I know this--I'm just going to piggyback. Is it possible that the three sons of Noah could have been triplets?

Pastor Doug: Well you know, I've wondered that before, because in all the other genealogies it tells their ages when they were born, but when it gets to Shem, Ham and Japheth it says, "Noah lived 500 years and had three boys." And you think, "What? Was it all the same year, or was it simply saying that by the time he was 500 he had three?"

I'm inclined to think they weren't triplets because the whole world was populated from those three boys and that would have narrowed the gene pool drastically.

Kevin: Okay

Pastor Doug: You know what I'm saying?

Kevin: Yeah, I follow you.

Pastor Doug: Alright. Hey, I hope that helps a little bit.

Kevin: Hey, thanks so much.

Pastor Doug: Good question.

Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call Kevin. To Melvin, Oregon, Belva is listening on Satellite 74.

Pastor Doug: Oh welcome, praise the Lord!

Pastor Dick: Belva?

Belva: Hello

Pastor Dick: Hello, your question please?

Belva: Well, my question is from Isaiah 6, 9 and 10. It's chapter 6 and verse 9 and 10.

Pastor Doug: Okay

Belva: And it said that this is God talking to Isaiah, "And he said, Go, and tell this people, hear and hear continually, but understand not; and see and see and see continually, but do not apprehend with your mind. Make the heart of these people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed." It sounds like God is telling him He doesn't want these people to be repenting- -

Pastor Doug: Right

Belva: - -and I don't understand this because in the New Testament, God said He wants everybody to be- -

Pastor Doug: He does. God is not willing that any should perish.

Belva: Yeah, but- -

Pastor Doug: And why would God send a prophet of salvation like Isaiah to people to deliberately prophesy that they shouldn't be saved and shouldn't understand?

Belva: Yeah

Pastor Doug: You know, the Lord appears to sometimes use a little divine sarcasm. And God is basically saying--even parents do this with their children. They'll say, "Go ahead, touch the stove. You're going to burn your fingers."

Belva: Uh-huh

Pastor Doug: Now, do they want them to touch the stove? No. They're, sort of, warning them. They might be in the habit of not listening to their parents and the parents are anticipating their disobedience and saying, "Go ahead, touch the stove. Don't listen to me. You'll burn your fingers."

They don't really want them to touch the stove. And what God is saying here to the children of Israel, they weren't listening to His prophets and so God says to Isaiah, "Go preach to them. Some might believe, but they're going to hear and their eyes are going to be closed, their ears are going to get thick. You still need to preach so they have a chance, but I can tell you what's going to happen. They're not going to listen."

Belva: Uh-huh. Oh, just one more quick thing. I just read from the Amplified Bible- -

Pastor Doug: Yes

Belva: - -but I always check with my King James.

Pastor Doug: Right. I've got it in the King James in front of me right now.

Belva: Well, I have King James too right here, but I read it from the Amplified because I'm reading it through the Amplified Bible.

Pastor Doug: Yeah. I sometimes use the Amplified and it gives you some additional background. It gives you a lot of background. Matter of fact, I've got a Bible program called Quick--no, wait a second--I've got Quick Verse, but I also have a program--I'll tell our friends. I don't know if I've done this before. It's called e-Sword. You can download it for free and it's a great program, e-Sword.net.

I can line up 10 versions and look at one verse in 10 different versions altogether. It's really helpful. Hey, hope that helps a little Belva. Thanks for your question.

Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call Belva. We really appreciate it. Let's go next, Pastor Doug, to New York and talk with Hermione who's listening on WMCA. Welcome Hermione.

Hermione: Pastor Doug, this is a quick question.

Pastor Doug: Yes

Hermione: Where does it say in Genesis that because of idolatry God regret He made man?

Pastor Doug: Well, it says in Genesis chapter 6 that God was sorry that He made man, but it doesn't say because of idolatry. It says in verse 6, "And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." [Cross talk]

Hermione: It's Genesis chapter- -

Pastor Doug: "And the LORD said, I will destroy the man whom I have created...both man, and beast...it repenteth me that I have made them."

Hermione: Oh so it's Genesis chapter what?

Pastor Doug: Genesis chapter 6, verses 6 and 7. Genesis 6:6, that's all you've got to remember.

Hermione: Oh yes, yes, yes. That's all I wanted to know because I've been searching and I couldn't find it.

Pastor Doug: Alright, well you're an easy customer to please.

Hermione: Thanks a lot.

[Cross talk]

Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call. To New Jersey, Ann is listening on WMCA. Ann, welcome to the program.

Ann: Hello?

Pastor Doug: Yes?

Pastor Dick: Hello, your question please?

Ann: Hi Pastor Doug, I wanted to find out exactly if there is any place in the Bible where it says that as a single mother, your baby cannot be blessed before a congregation, that the baby should be blessed within the Pastor's study?

Pastor Doug: You know, I don't know that I've ever heard that. There is no church doctrine or Bible verse that says that. The reason you're hearing me drag my voice is because I'm thinking either you, or you know somebody, who is facing this dilemma right now.

Ann: Yes. We've been through it a couple of times. My mother was a nurse who worked in Labor and Delivery and actually, as her ministry, she was trying to get some of the single ladies, whoever bore a child, you know,- -

Pastor Doug: And the church--let me guess--the church was reluctant to have a dedication because they were unwed mothers?

Ann: Right. That's correct.

Pastor Doug: Okay. You know, and this varies, this is not a church doctrine. I'll just tell you--and this varies from Pastor to Pastor. Now, I've never asked Pastor Dick this and we're on the

air, but I'm a Pastor and he's a Pastor. We have different churches. In my church, if a young mother who comes to the Lord and she's had a child out of wedlock and she wants to dedicate that child to the Lord, I dedicate him.

Pastor Dick: Absolutely.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, because, it's, you're wanting- -

Ann: In front of the congregation, right?

Pastor Doug: Yeah, you're wanting to dedicate--yeah I would do it in front of the congregation. You're wanting to dedicate the mother and the child.

Pastor Dick: The challenge to the mother is that she's going to raise the child in the way that the child should go.

Ann: That's right.

Pastor Doug: And let me take that a step further. Suppose that a young lady who is a member of the church, she then gets into trouble and she has a relationship and has a child while she's a Christian,- -

Ann: Um-hm

Pastor Doug: - -you know, you might have to deal with her membership because of immorality, but if she repents and says, "I want to dedicate my baby," dedicate the baby.

Pastor Dick: Absolutely.

Ann: Right

Pastor Doug: Jesus said, "Let the little children come unto me."

Ann: Right. It has happened, and I'm very concerned. As a matter of fact, I kind of lost my temper a little bit on a church sister who disagreed and thought that that was acceptable.

Pastor Doug: Well don't lose your temper because then you're no better than others that uh-- [chuckles]

Ann: I know, I know, I know; and I never have done that so I was kind of concerned. You know, it really, really had me boiling. I was really concerned about that, that she thought it was acceptable, so- -

Pastor Doug: This is something that is done at the discretion of every church and Pastor. There may be churches and Pastors that feel like it sends the wrong message to people, that single-parent families are being encouraged and--I don't know--but I won't judge the Pastor.

But in our church, we see dedicating the children as something between the children and the Lord and I think it's a different issue.

Pastor Dick: Let's go to San Diego, California. Thanks for the call Ann. We want to talk with Nancy in San Diego who's listening on KPRT. Welcome Nancy.

Nancy: Hello, how are you this evening?

Pastor Doug and Pastor Dick: Good

Nancy: I'm hoping you can help me with my question. I realize that Satan was given choice. My question is--and also man was given choice of good and evil. My question is where did it come for Satan to choose to rebel against God? In other words, if everything- -

Pastor Doug: If everything was perfect, then how could it go wrong?

Nancy: Exactly! If everything was perfect and holy and pure, where did this seed of impurity come from?

Pastor Doug: You know, before- -

Nancy: Unless I look at it and think, "Well, God must have put that potential in him because nothing is outside of God."

Pastor Doug: Nancy, Nancy?

Nancy: Yes?

Pastor Doug: Before we run out of time, do you have a pencil?

Nancy: Yes I do.

Pastor Doug: This is a big question with a big answer and we've got just a couple of minutes. I'll send you a lesson on this, and it's called, "Did God Create the Devil?" It deals in great detail with how Lucifer fell. If God makes everything perfect, then how come He made a defective angel, or at least it seems that way?

Nancy: Right

Pastor Doug: Did God create a devil? Let me tell you real quick.

Nancy: Thank you

Pastor Doug: God made all of His creatures free. You cannot love without free choice. And in order for creatures to be truly free, that means they're free to choose not to love. Satan chose to love himself more. His name was Lucifer back then. God gave him that freedom because of his [Lucifer's] pride.

But let Pastor Dick give you the phone number. All you've got to do is call and they'll send you that lesson, "Did God Create the Devil?"

Pastor Dick: Nancy, here's the number. It's a toll-free call, 1-800-835-6747. Call that number and we will send that lesson out to you. Pastor Doug, I'm going to try to get one more call in. We're almost out of time. We'll go to Toronto, Canada and talk with Lil who's on KTIE. Welcome Lil.

Lil: Hey, thank you very much for taking the call.

Pastor Dick: Yes, your question quickly. We have about two minutes.

Lil: My questions--I'm going to make it as quick as possible. One is, our church does Communion services every quarter.

Pastor Doug: Uh-huh

Lil: It just seems like everybody, when I go down there, I've just come back to the church after a long time being away; and they talk about (unintelligible) and everything. And I still thought that it was once a year. Is every quarter correct?

Pastor Doug: Well there's no Scripture that says every quarter. Biblically, there are two cycles for holidays, for ceremonies. One is the weekly Sabbath, the other is annual.

Lil: Right

Pastor Doug: Now, many churches, including my church, well at Central we do it three times a year.

Lil: Okay

Pastor Doug: Churches are allowed to do it--you know it says, "as often as you come together," whenever you want. But there's no Bible Scripture. Do you do it three times a year also?

Pastor Dick: Four times.

Pastor Doug: You do it four times a year, Pastor Dick?

Pastor Dick: Um-hmm

Pastor Doug: Most churches do it quarterly and our church got it from the Methodists. The reason they do that is because in case people don't make it that one time a year, it offers more opportunity to renew their covenant with the Lord. But there's no command in the Bible. It should not be less than once a year.

Lil: Okay

Pastor Doug: And some churches do it every week and that's too much.

Lil: Oh thanks so much.

Pastor Doug: Thank you very much. We're out of time listening friends. If we did not get to your question tonight, then we did our best. Give us another chance. God willing, we'll be back against next week. Please remember to keep in your prayers our friends, our fellow citizens that are struggling in the gulf states under this catastrophe. And pray for our leaders- -

Pastor Dick: Amen

Pastor Doug: - -that are grappling with how to serve so many people that have been devastated and are displaced. Please also remember that there is a fountain of resources at our website. The show can go on when we go off the air. We have a lot of Bible questions that are archived at AmazingFacts.org.

We've got 10 years worth of some of the best questions. Just check out AmazingFacts.org. God bless.

-----------------------------------------------------------END-----------------------------------------------------------