Doug Batchelor: Hello Friends, this is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? Giant blue fin tuna are the largest living species of tuna, some reaching up to 10 feet in length and weighing 1,400 pounds. A. Blue fin’s a lifespan is believed to be longer than 20 years but only one in a million of the hatchlings survive to maturity. They're also considered by many to be among the strongest and fastest fish. Their torpedo shaped bodies in the ability to recreate their pictorial fins enable to reach up to 25 miles an hour in short bursts.
Blue fins are also found in all the world's oceans and can migrate up to 5,000 miles of open sea in just 50 days in search of food. Blue fin tuna is popular served also raw as sashimi or sushi in Japanese restaurants. Where plate of slices can command a bill of more than $75. Just one of these animals can net from 5000 to 30,000 dollars at the dock but in September 2000, an enormous 444 pound blue fin tuna sold at the Tokyo fish market for a record $173,600. This was the most expensive fish ever auctioned.
That's right, one they're sold for $391 a pound, it's almost like gold. The tuna was reduced to 2,400 servings of sushi, for wealthy diners at $100 per serving. The estimated takings from this one fish were $240,000. Friends, the Bible tells us that Jesus told the disciples, if they would follow him he would teach them how to fish for men. That's a priceless catch. Stay with us friends and we're going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of the Bible Answers Alive.
Dick David: Welcome to Amazing Facts Ministry's Bible Answers Live with Pastor Doug Batchelor. You find it challenging to understand the Bible? Are there passages of scripture that confuse you? Is it sometimes difficult to connect what you read in the Bible with what you’ve been taught? Then you've found the right program because the Word of God is a quick and powerful sword against evil. Stay tuned to better understand the will of God for your life, this broadcast is pretty recorded. If you have a Bible question lines are open Sunday, from 7 to 8 PM Pacific Time now here's your host, the president of the Amazing Facts ministries author and evangelist, Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Doug: Friends, if you're listening right now, you could be tempted to tune your channel somewhere else but you never know this program could change your life. Because we are going to be dealing with the Word of God, that word its Spirit and its life. This is Bible Answers Live and the principles that we talk about and share in this broadcast, have power. We'd like you to experience that, please stay tuned for the next hour as we discuss your Bible questions.
This is a live interactive Bible program, we encourage and welcome you to call in any Bible related question you might have. We have several lines open for coming from the capital of California and that phone number free phone call, is 800-GOD-SAYS. The Bible is our source book. 800-463-7297 will bring you into the studio. My name is Doug bachelor.
Dick: My name is Dick David, good evening Pastor Doug.
Doug: Good evening Pastor Dick.
Dick: We are celebrating today over many things, not the least of which is the fact that we don't have to pay $391 a pound for blue fin tuna.
Doug: Tuna fish. [laughs]
Dick: That’s amazing.
Doug: It just seems cheap enough, when I was growing up. [laughs].
Dick: That is absolutely amazing, that they would pay that much money for a fish.
Doug: I know, it almost makes you want to take up another calling.
Dick: Yes, we're in the wrong business.
Doug: Some people work hard they can go on vacation and fish, not to pay for their vacation why not just fish for tuna the enjoy both ways.
Dick: Now you've got a spiritual application.
Doug: I do and there's a lot we're going to share tonight, why don't we go ahead and launch our program and we get to those things.
Dick: Heavenly Father, we thank you and we praise you for the privilege of being able to open the Word of God and to delve deeply. We pray that your holy spirit will guide us into the word. That you will speak clearly to Pastor Doug, give him insight and wisdom as we listen to the questions that are posed by our callers, as we seek to share the truth. Lord, we thank you again, we praise you for this privilege, in Jesus' name, amen. Well, where are you going with this, Doug? Tuna fish at $391 a pound.
Doug: I can think of a couple of places in the Bible, where it is much as Jesus loves animals he did make it clear that people are worth more. Jesus said, we will stop and pull a donkey or a sheep out of the ditch and he said how much more is a man worth than a sheep. Jesus said a sparrow doesn't fall without your heavenly father knowing it and you are worth more than many sparrows. How much more is a man worth than a fish?
The people who would pay this price for a fish and value a fish, that you eat and you enjoyed on the palate for a few moments but, how much more is a person are worth than a fish? Jesus said to the disciples, and through them he also says to us, follow me and I will teach you to catch men. That is really I think the highest calling in life is when we can bring souls to Christ.
Dick: Amen.
Doug: When we realize how priceless we are to God.
Dick: Amen that's Pastor Doug leads right into the lesson that we want to offer tonight our special offering. Each week we make available of a special offering from the Amazing Facts library. We haven't offered this recently. It's one of the study guides there is a set of 26 study guides, that Amazing Facts has produced. This one is the lesson on the greatest love story ever told, it's called It's Still There. This lesson answers such questions as, what does the death of Jesus Christ do for me? How do I receive him?
How do I pass Jesus on to others, how do I pass from death into life? Serious questions that we want to delve into and this lesson will do that. We want to offer it to all of our listeners tonight. If you'll call our resource operators at 1-800-835-6747 and ask for It's Still There. This is one of the Bible study guides. By the way, you can sign up for the entire course of Bible study guides while you make this call. Ask for It's Still There.
Doug: We'll send in the first lesson for free and they can go through the whole study program for free. We just don't send the whole packet all at one time because we're worried that people won't go through them. If you send for the first lesson we'll take you through the whole series for free.
Dick: You can do that in two different ways, 1-800-835-6747 are the resource operators or you can go to amazingfacts.org. The lessons are available there. I hope you'll do that tonight and start these Bible lessons. Believe me, it will change your life. You will not be the same when you finish the course of these lessons. Pastor Doug, we normally go to an email question or two, before we take our first phone call for the evening. Let's do that. The first question we have is, how do you know when God answers prayers? Can I use John 14 versus 12 and 13 or other texts to help me understand that God answers prayers in my personal life, or are we taking these out of context?
Doug: Well, I the main question is related to John 14:13, where Jesus makes a very broad promise, he said, "Whatever you ask in my name that I will do, that the Father might be glorified in the Son." Someone may be wondering is it presumptuous to say, Lord I'm going to ask for a new limousine, I’m going to ask for to be CEO of a company or something outrageous.
If you keep reading, of course you always need to read the teachings of Christ in context, in the same discourse a few versus later or all you have to do is go to verse 15, verse 13 says, whatever you ask verse 15 he says, if you love me keep my commandments, I'll pray the Father and he'll give you another comforter the helper the Holy Spirit. It's assuming Jesus is talking to those that love him, who are going to also pray according to his will when he says if you ask anything. He means anything according to his will.
In other teachings, Jesus says, when you pray, "Thy will be done." and of course this was the prayer of Christ in the garden. It's understood that we're asking for things in harmony with God's will and he says, if anything us in harmony with his well in his law, I will do that. We should pray in faith, believing that he will.
Dick: It just might be that God wants you to be to CEO of some company. Who knows.
Doug: That’s right.
Dick: As long as it is part of his will.
Doug: If your motives are his glory your love for God and your fellow man, then we can be confident-- And patience, sometimes he doesn't give it to us as soon as the last word leaves our lips, now we need to wait on the Lord.
Dick: An answer to prayer may be maybe. [laughs]
Doug: [laughs] That's right.
Dick Okay. Let's take the second question. Please explain, in the Book of Ruth-- I love the Book of Ruth. It's just one of the greatest books in the Bible to me. In the Book of Ruth, Chapter 4, who removed his shoe, the closer kinsman or Boaz? And why?
Doug: Well, in Chapter 4:8, here Boaz is, he is going through the process to have the right to redeem Elimelech's family. He and his sons had died in Moab. The first person who had the right was with the nearest relative, the near kinsman. If he was refusing his right to marry Ruth, who is the widow, he would draw off his shoe as a pledge. It was done at the gates with the elders watching.
It was a public pledge saying, "I will not step on your rights anymore. I'm forfeiting my right." It was a gesture. Just like we lift a hand in an oath, well in some cultures they pulled off one shoe. It was the near kinsman that did it, not Boaz.
Dick: Okay. Very good. We'll take our first phone call for the evening in just a moment. But first we want to welcome four new radio stations to our network this week, Pastor Doug. From Jasper, Tennessee WJCR 94.9 FM. From Mexico, Oswego, New York, WVOA 103.9 FM. From Syracuse, New York, WSIV 1540 AM. From San Bernardino, Riverside, California, the Inland Empire, KTIE 590 AM. Praise the Lord.
Doug: That is exciting.
Dick: That is exciting. You folks who are listening to those particular stations, if you'll call us and tell us that you're listening, we'll do our best to get you on air tonight. From Jasper, Tennessee, or Mexico, Oswego, Syracuse, or San Bernardino, Riverside. We have still a couple of lines open. If you have a Bible related question, now would be a good time for you to call us at 1-800-GOD-SAYS. That's 1-800-463-7297. Let's go to our first caller for the evening. Pastor Doug, we want to talk with Steve who's in Carmichael, California listening on KFIA. Hello, Steve.
Steve: Hi.
Doug: Hi. Thanks for calling.
Dick: Your question, please.
Steve: Well, my question is I want to know something about demonic activity. I was a backslider. I recently, within the last few months, rededicated my life. I was baptized in Jesus' name. I was actually was involved in drugs. What happened, I hear voices that mess with me, and they physically mess with me like a seducing spirit. I read up a little bit about it, but I was wondering, what kind of prayers could I pray about it? Then, is there anybody here in California, that you know here in Sacramento area, that maybe could help me pray through and be totally delivered from it?
Doug: Well, do you attend church somewhere?
Steve: Yes, I do.
Doug: Have you gone to your spiritual leaders there in the church?
Steve: Yes, I have talked to them about it. I have several books that I read on it and I tried to exorcize. I know sometimes it takes time, but I was just wondering about your views on this subject.
Doug: Well, of course, all of us are tempted by the devil. I would go so far as to say everybody is harassed by the devil, even Jesus was. Because you hear voices, Jesus heard voices when he was in the wilderness. The devil tempting him and saying if you're the Son of God, do this or do that. Pray, and the best thing is, invite people who you believe really are connected with God in your church and say, pray with me that the Lord will dispel these clouds and to just help me to find relief from this oppression.
I believe God can do that. Now, Jesus said there was one young man who was possessed with devils. That wasn't all the time. The father said sometimes the devil overpowers him and the boy falls in the fire, the water, and he would go into convulsions. Jesus said this kind does not come forth except by prayer and fasting. Steve, you may also take some time and invite others to join you or do it yourself. Fast and pray that you can be completely freed.
That's what the Bible teaches. I believe that Jesus has the power to do that. Don't put it past the possibility that there may also be some medical need. Sometimes people do struggle with a chemical imbalance that can cause depression. See a doctor. Some people have wondered, am I harassed by devils? They had a potassium deficiency. That's the truth. Do what you can medically, then give it to the Lord.
Steve: Okay. Thank you very much.
Doug: All right. God bless.
Dick: Steven, a good call. Thank you very much. Let's go next to Orlando, Florida and talk with Susan on WTLN. Hi, Susan.
Susan: Hi. How are you?
Doug: Very good. Susan, just hold one second.
Susan: Sure.
Doug: Steve, if you're still listening, we've got that book, When Days are Dark. It talks about those times. I just felt impressed to mention that. If Steve will call, we'll send that to him. All right. Go ahead, Susan.
Susan: My question has to do with the guards of the tomb after Jesus was crucified and put in the tomb.
Doug: Yes.
Susan: An atheist asked me this question. It's seeming contradiction, of course, they're wanting to attack all these seeming contradictions and I just didn't have an answer for him.
Doug: What is the contradiction.
Susan: Well, why would the guards of the tomb lie and say they fell asleep when under Roman law, falling asleep would mean a death sentence?
Doug: Generally speaking, when a Roman soldier was guarding a prisoner, if he fell asleep he would die. An example of this is Acts Chapter 8. The soldiers who allowed Peter to escape were executed. You have to admit, the guards, I'm sorry, the generals overseeing the guards couldn't be that hard on them guarding a dead body. We don't know that they, the Jews were saying look, the body was dead, the Jews there saying that he escaped.
A stolen body for 100 soldiers to die was not the same thing. It was a religious, Jewish event, they didn't see it so much as something they were involved in. I can easily see where the Roman officials could be, or the guards could be bribed to say we were sleeping after all we're guarding the cemetery.
Susan: Okay. It was more because it wasn't a Roman trial?
Doug: Well, they weren't guarding a criminal. They're guarding the body in a tomb. It wasn't Pilate's idea, remember? The Jewish leaders came to him and said they might come and take the body away. This was really something they were doing just to accommodate the religious leaders. I don't think that even under Roman law they were going to kill the guards for falling asleep guarding the cemetery. You know what I'm saying?
Susan: Yes, I do.
Doug: They probably put it in a different category.
Susan: Okay, that's what I was explaining before and I just curious about your views on that. Thank you very much.
Doug: All right. Thank you.
Dick: Thanks for the call, Susan. Let's go to St. Petersburg, Florida. Chris is listening on the internet. Welcome, Chris.
Chris: Hey. Good evening.
Doug: Evening. Your question.
Chris: Yes. I have a question regarding in the creation, that God created the Flora and Fauna and the world to be mortal just like Adam and Eve were.
Doug: Well, I believe Adam and Eve were created to be immortal. That's why as long as they ate from the tree of life, they were immortal. That's why God evicted them from the garden. The Bible says, "Lest they eat from the tree of life and live forever." I believe that the trees and the vegetation, they did not die. That doesn't mean fruit did not fall from the trees, but I don't believe that the leaves and the flowers faded the way they do now.
Dick: The Bible says that Adam and Eve were placed there to tend the garden.
Doug: You know what else you can add to that Chris is, after the curse of sin, then it says God declared that thorns and thistles would come out. You know what makes a thorn a thorn? It's the end of a sharp leaf that dies like a fingernail. Do you realize that a cactus, if the end of a cactus didn't die, it would be like a fur? It'd be soft. It's when it dries and dies it hurts.
Chris: What about the animals?
Doug: I don't believe that the animals died either. One reason I know that is if you look in Isaiah I think it's 11, it tells us that the animals in the new earth will not hurt or destroy. The lion will eat straw like the ox. Everything is a vegetarian there. The lions don't even kill. I don't believe there'll be any death in the new earth. The Bible says there is no more death, and I do not believe there wasn't a paradise. Because keep in mind, when God made everything he said it was good, good, very good.
Chris: Basically, after the fall, the nature of animals was changed to be predators and herbivores?
Doug: Yes, and I think it was compounded even after the flood. Things got worse after all the vegetation was destroyed after the flood. I think a lot of animals probably turned to a carnivore diet at that point. It's been proven that a lot of these carnivorous animals thrive on a grain diet, a vegetarian diet. Matter of fact, I read a story about, ever hear of Little Tyke? The book that was written on this tiger in California. They couldn't get it to eat meat.
It lived a full life and just something [unintelligible 00:19:54]. Gorillas, of course, big canine teeth and they're vegetarians. The Bible says the whole creation groans and travails together because of sin. Everything has been altered. In heaven, the animals, the lion eats straw like the ox, I think that's how it was back then. Okay?
Chris: Yes. Thank you.
Doug: Alright. God bless.
Dick: Alright, Chris. Thanks for the call. That opens up another line, Pastor Doug. We still have a couple of lines open. 1-800-GOD-SAYS. 1-800-463-7297. If you have a Bible related question, give us a call. We'll do our best to get you on the air. 1-800-GOD-SAYS. Let's go to Middletown, California. Bruce is listening on KNDL. Hello, Bruce.
Bruce: Hi. How are you guys doing?
Doug: Very well. How about you?
Bruce: Just outside [unintelligible 00:20:39]. It's always beautiful here, you know?
Dick: Yes. I was there yesterday.
Bruce: You were? It wasn't rainy for a change.
Dick: No.
Bruce: About a month ago, I heard you guys and you were talking about prophecy and I thought I heard you said that it stopped. Can I just hear what you said again before I ask my question?
Doug: That prophecy stopped?
Bruce: That there were no more prophets in our days?
Doug: No. I didn't say that. You may have been listening to another program.
Bruce: No. I was. I was driving. I was probably focusing on a lot of things at the same time.
Doug: Yes. I believe this for the record. The Bible tells us that one of the gifts of the Spirit is prophecy and, of course, Joel says, "I'll pour out my spirit and all flesh in the last days and your sons and daughters will prophesy." I believe that the gifts of the Spirit, all of them, are still available. I don't believe we need them less just before the Second Coming. I believe we need them more.
Bruce: I need to just ask you a question about Revelation Chapter 11, the two witnesses.
Doug: Okay.
Bruce: It always sounded to me, the way the whole world would be watching these two to see if they came back to life. We're in the times now where we provide the satellite transmissions and the cameras and all the things. We could actually access the prophet's death and the prophet's resurrection and the clouds coming in to pick them up because of our technology right now. Do you think they're here yet? What do you guys think about this?
Doug: Alright. Well, you asked a question. Let me interrupt you for a second and say, first of all, I would agree with you that deceptions in the last days can be multiplied because of the modern media technology. With the two prophets, there are two views about these two prophets. One group of Christians-- Two principal views, I should say. There are probably a thousand views but two primary views. One group of Christians believes that this is literally Moses and Elijah that would come back to earth, die, and be raised again.
Some believe it's Enoch and Elijah. Then there's another group the believes that these are symbols for the Word of God, the Law and the prophets, which is Moses and Elijah are symbols of. Now, I am of the latter group. I believe that the two witnesses represent the Word of God that is under attack. For instance, if you look at many examples in the Bible, Revelation Chapter 12, the next chapter, says, "The Dragon makes war with the woman that has two characteristics, keeps the commandments of God, and has the spirit of prophecy as the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophecy."
Jesus said according to the law and the prophets, "That's how we learn to believe." That's Luke 24. These two witnesses, you also find them in Zachariah Chapter 14, they represent, I believe, the Word of God. Moses represents the Law, Elijah represents the prophets. If you look in your Bible to Malachi Chapter 4, the last thing it says in the Old Testament, Bruce, "Remember the law of Moses, my servant and behold, I send you Elijah the prophet." You remember that?
Bruce: Yes. I do.
Doug: Those two individuals represent, of course, the Word of God. Moses and Elijah now have glorified bodies, correct?
Bruce: Yes. They had been seen on the mountain of transfiguration.
Doug: Right. In other words, they've been here at their reward. For Moses and Elijah to enter back into this world after they are glorified and then die their mortal deaths again, which seem very bizarre. What it's going to be is their word is going to be under attack. The law and the prophets is going to be under attack and then appear dead and then rise again. These are the two views and I'll still love people who disagree. I'm not of the opinion that Moses and Elijah are coming back to earth to die and be raised again. The Bible says it's a point that [unintelligible 00:24:31] the men wants to die and then the judgment. They've already entered the reward.
Bruce: I have a little trouble. You said that the other view would verses 11 and 12 in Chapter 11 of the Book of Revelations, where the loud voice that they heard when Jesus was alive on the earth. They were speaking to him from a cloud like the day he was baptized with John the Baptist. It seems apparently be there for the whole world to witness again just like that they witnessed that voice when Jesus was being baptized in the Jordan. The other follow-up question I had is how apparently prophets aren't always Jews because Noah was a prophet, Enoch was a prophet but there were no Jews in the world yet. They weren't called that?
Doug: Correct. Prophets are not all Jews.
Bruce: They could be gentiles now too because they weren't always Jews.
Doug: Absolutely. Not only that, but you remember, even though he turned into a false prophet, he started out a true prophet, and that's Balaam?
Bruce: Yes.
Doug: That affected the prophecy of Balaam that you find that the wise men were reading when they weren't looking for the star in Jerusalem. Balaam is the one who said, "A star would rise out of Jacob and that would be a sign of the king."
Bruce: The star that was over the manger the night Jesus was born probably in the morning
Doug: Well, all night long they followed it. But the bottom line is that would also be prophecy from Balaam who was not a Jew. Bruce, we try to budget our questions so that we can get one more in, if it's okay with you, before our break. Who's next, Pastor Dick?
Dick: Let's go to Walla Walla, Washington, talk with Jessie who's listening on KGTS. Jessie? Welcome.
Jessie: Hi. God bless you. My question is about the Lord's birth. In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her she would conceive which is in Luke 1:26.
Doug: Okay.
Jessie: Then, she conceived the sixth month of the Jewish calendar, that would be September, according to Leviticus 23:5. Jesus would have been born nine months later sometime in June.
Doug: What was the verse say on Luke 1:26?
Jessie: 1:26?
Doug: Okay.
Jessie: I feel I celebrate his birthday on December 25th which is a pagan festival. I feel like I'm mingling Christian and pagan beliefs. In parallel somewhere in the New Testament-
Doug: I agree with half you're saying but I think you're making one assumption on a miscalculation. In Luke 1:26, when it says in the sixth month, it does not mean in the sixth month of the Jewish year. It means in the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy. Six months after the angel told Zachariah's that his wife would have a baby then he comes and he talks to Mary. It's not the sixth month of the Jewish year.
Jessie: Oh, Jesus.
Doug: Because when Mary goes to visit Elizabeth, she's already great with child, because the baby's kicking and jumping.
Jessie: Right. So, it doesn't say anywhere that that was the sixth month?
Doug: Yes. Exactly. Doesn't say either. But most scholars believe through the context-- Isn't this your understanding, Pastor? It's the six months of Elizabeth's pregnancy or six months after he had spoken to Zachaeus.
Dick: That's not to say that June is that far off either. Most scholars believe that Jesus was probably born in the spring.
Jessie: Alright.
Doug: Not the spring, you mean the fall.
Dick: No. I'm sorry. In the fall.
Jessie: Sometimes I feel like if I celebrate Christmas on December 25th, which is a pagan festival, I feel like I'm mingling Christian and pagan beliefs and [unintelligible 00:27:54] Belial or Beelzebub somewhere. I couldn't find the scripture--
Doug: We've got a book that you would probably enjoy. It's called Baptized Paganism. At this point, what we tell people, we don't get too many questions about Christmas this time of the year but we do occasionally. We tell people, go to Romans 14. It says, "One man regards that the end of the Lord, another man regards not today." And if there's one of these quasi-Christian holidays, if you're going to observe it, do it to the Lord. Don't do it with the trappings of Santa Claus and everything. Hopefully, that would be of some help.
Dick: Jessie, thanks for the call. We're going to take a break here for just a couple of minutes and we'll be back with the second half of our program. For those of you who have Bible related questions and you're on hold, just stay with us and we'll be back in a few minutes. If you have a Bible related question, give us a call now. We've got a couple of announcements and then we'll be back with the second part of the program. We'll be right back.
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Voice over 2: Welcome back to Bible Answers Live with the Bachelor. Because this is a prerecorded broadcast of our Sunday night program, call from 7 to 8 PM Pacific time on Sundays with your Bible related questions. Receive clear practical answers from the Bible about prophecy, doctrine, biblical principles. Call 800-GOD-SAYS, 800-463-7297. Now join us as we open our Bibles for more Bible Answers Live with author and evangelist, Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Doug: Welcome back listening friends and for those friends who have just joined us, this is Bible Answers Live. It is a live interactive Bible study going across the oceans, international, interactive. If you'd like to participate there is a free phone call you can dial to call in your Bible question and that number is 800-GOD-SAYS in acronyms, spells out to 463-7297. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Dick: My name is Dick David. Pastor Douglas, let's head right to the phones. We'll go to New York and talk with Alexis who's on WMCA. Alexis, welcome.
Alexis: Yes.
Doug: Your question, please.
Alexis: I don't want to say names of churches but how come they emphasize on the fourth commandment than other commandments?
Doug: Well, I know different people emphasize different Commandments in different countries. Typically, based upon what is being ignored. For instance, in San Francisco right now you're hearing a lot of talk among Christians about the seventh commandment because of course there are people are getting involved in these you call bisexual marriages or homosexual marriages. If you go to certain countries where they worship statues in icons, you'll hear an awful a lot about the second commandment.
Because people are bowing down and praying to Buddha or Krishna or some of these idols. There's also a lot of discussion among Christians about the fourth commandment. Because it deals with the seventh day. It's one of the Ten Commandments and the better part of the Christian world is worshipping on the first day of the week, which is the resurrection but there's no commandment for that. That's what generates all that discussion.
Alexis: Does it comein that order when you think about itpretty much?
Doug: The order of the Ten Commandments is divided in a couple of ways. First of all, the first four commandments deal with our personal relationship with God, the last six commandments deal with man's relationship with his fellow man. The other way they're divided, do you know the Lord's Prayer, Alexis?
Alexis: Yes, I pray it every day.
Doug: Okay, well in the Lord's Prayer there are seven petitions. We say, hallowed be by name, thy kingdom, thy will. The first three petitions or 40% deals with God, the last four petitions, forgive us our debts-
Alexis: Forgive one another.
Doug: -deals with one another's needs. Even the Lord's Prayer is divided something like the Ten Commandments, but that has something to do with the order. Of course, both starts with God, hallowed be by name, the first commandment is, don't have other gods, right?
Alexis: Yes.
Doug: All of our obedience must start with an understanding of who God is.
Alexis: Going to be Yahweh pretty much [unintelligible 00:33:32].
Doug: If you're speaking Hebrew, keep in mind after 3500 years pronunciations do change a little bit and as near as we can tell it was something like Yahweh, others argue for Jehovah. Jesus name was Yeshua in the Hebrew, the Greek pronunciation is Jesus. The pronunciations of the words I don't think is the bigger issue.
Alexis: Okay.
Doug: I hope that helps a little bit, Alexis and appreciate you're waiting. Let’s go next to Olan Mills, Maryland. Will is on the internet listening to our program, welcome Will.
Will: Yes, thank you very much. I may need your help for this question and I'll try my best to clarify it. From listening to some Christian radio stations, I realize that I a lot of them are trying to use God blessing for financial gain. I know that God wants us to be successful, both in our personal relationship with him and in our finances as well. But what is the balance there and the text that many use is Deuteronomy right before Moses died? He basically told the Israelites that if you do all these things, then God will do all these things to you as well.
Doug: Right and that's where you go to Deuteronomy 28:3, where it says, blessed you will be in the city, blessed you will be in the field, blessed will be the fruit your body. You know what the word says, there he says, if you're heartened diligently to the voice of the Lord your God and obey all his commandments, that I command you, he will bless you. So many of the problems we experience, Will, have to do with things we bring on ourselves. It's cause and effect through disobedience.
The blessings that God is promising in Deuteronomy, he's not promising everybody is going to never have any poverty or never have any sickness. Generally speaking, the people will be blessed when they obey. Keep in mind, so many of the things that God commands deals with work. Someone just asked a question about the fourth commandment which is the Sabbath commandment. Everyone always focuses on what day do we rest but they forget about the part of the commandment that says six days you shall work.
That's part of commandment. If people work they will be blessed in the field and blessed-- You know what I mean? The idea that there's some special formula we can go through and God takes care of all our financial problems, those that followed Jesus also struggled with sickness and poverty and persecution. The greatest blessings God offers us are the spiritual blessings but he does also saying if we are faithful in our tithe, this is Malachi 3, “He will open the windows of heaven.”
He would probably enjoy, Pastor Dick, our study guide on the Worldwide Embezzlement. It talks about Christian stewardship and the blessings and what the criteria are.
Dick: Will, if you will call our resource operators and ask for Worldwide Embezzlement Scandal, will send it to you for free, would you like that?
Will: Yes, Worldwide Embezzlement?
Doug: It will tell you about some of the principles in the Bible that God promises his blessings.
Will: Okay.
Doug: It's very balanced.
Will: InDeuteronomy the specific verse that you just mentioned, it wasn't for Israelite nation like individuals can describe the promises?
Doug: No. I think this is for everybody. For one thing, once you become a Christian, I'm assuming you're a Christian, the Bible says, if you are Christ then you are in Abraham's seed, you become grafted into the stock of Israel and all the promises for him belong to you.
Will: Okay.
Doug: Okay?
Will: Okay, Worldwide Embezzlement.
Dick: Call our resource operators that number is 800-835-6747. Anyone else listening if you would like that study guide or any of the other resources that we talk about, call that number one 1-800-835-6747. Pastor Doug, to Sandra who is listening on WMCA in Hartford, Connecticut. Hello, Sandra. Sandra, are you with us?
Sandra: Hello?
Dick: Hello.What is your question, please?
Sandra: Just a minute. [unintelligible 00:37:50] Hartford, Connecticut?
Doug: Yes, you are alive on Air.
Sandra: My question is there forgiveness for suicide?
Doug: Is there forgiveness for suicide? Well, that's a difficult question because if a person kills themselves-- First of all let me ask this are you asking that question because you're thinking of it?
Sandra: No. No, I'm not.
Doug: Do you know somebody who committed suicide and you're wondering if they can be forgiven?
Sandra: No. My pastor was listening somebody on TV, their last name is Duplantis.They were talking about somewhere in the Bibles that says you can be forgiven for suicide but I haven't found that in the Bible.
Doug: Well, I don't know where that is either. One of the dreadful things about suicide is that of course, it's self murder and the Bible says you shall not kill and that would include yourself. Once you kill yourself, you can't repent after you kill yourself and repentance is the criteria for forgiveness. It is a hopeless circle at that point, but I want to hasten to add there may be suicides that will be forgiven by God and be in heaven because of the circumstances.
There are some people who we don't understand the physical suffering they may be going through that leads into suicide. There's some people in terrible agony and they do things that their spirit isn't doing it, the flesh just can't bear it anymore. Others may have some psychological problem but I don't know of any scripture that says that God will forgive suicide after it's committed. I know you talk about Jesse Duplantis. He's a very colorful speaker and sometimes he says, some off the wall things. I don't mean to be critical but I don't know of any scripture that says that.
Sandra: Okay thank you so much, Pastor Doug. God bless you.
Doug: God bless you.
Dick: Let us talk with Aileen who is with us on WMCA in Linden, New Jersey. Hello, Aileen?
Aileen: Hello. Can I please ask the test to this question? In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says to pray for our enemies, can you please be specific, Pastor? What exactly should I pray for those that do wrong to me?
Doug: Well, keep in mind when Jesus said that, first of all, he's speaking to a nation of Jews that are occupied by the Romans who they hated. Nobody wants their native country to be occupied by an enemy. Jesus was telling them to pray for their enemies, meaning the occupying forces. It also means that Christians should pray for those who maybe personal enemies for their conversion.
Aileen: There's conversion, okay.
Doug: Also, it may be very hard to do it sometimes, but pray to God or bless them with spiritual blessings. Another way you might pray for your enemies, pray God will bring them through whatever circumstances they need to change their heart. Now, that might mean trial. Let me give you an example. The kingdom of Israel was persecuting the prophets of God. They were officially, I'm talking about the Northern Ten Tribes, during the time of Elijah, were killing the prophets. That was during the time of Ahab and Jezebel.
Elijah prayed for his enemies that there would be a famine to bring about their conversion. He prayed that God would try them to bring about the conversion of the nation, and God answered that prayer. When you pray for the enemy, the ultimate thing is not that God will just punish them, but convert them.
Aileen: I see because I do want to do things like God wants it. I want to love the Lord and to love my neighbor as myself. I, how would you say, have to go on each day, but I don't want to experience bitterness or even perhaps a nervous breakdown. The point is, what to pray? That's what I want to know is. What to do along the lines of what my Savior wants me to do.
Doug: Let me give you two examples in the Bible. One is when Jesus was on the cross and he said, "Father, forgive them." And then again when Stephen was being stoned in Acts Chapter 7, he said, "Lord, do not lay this sin to their charge." They prayed for those that were persecuting them. Ask for that spirit, the spirit of Christ, and he'll help you do that Aileen.
Dick: Thanks for the call Aileen, let's go next to Sacramento, California. Christine is listening on KFIA. Hi, Christine.
Christine: Good evening.
Doug: Evening.
Christine: Pastor Doug, I quickly just wanted to mention that the caller that called about Mary and her pregnancy, if he would back up a couple of verses, he would see very clearly that the references to Elizabeth's pregnancy.
Doug: Okay, I appreciate that.
Christine: My question has to do with the time in Gethsemane before Christ was arrested. The disciples were sleeping, and Christ had asked them to watch and pray, but three times, he found them sound asleep. And so, they weren't prepared. They hadn't spent that time with the Lord to go through the arrest and crucifixion ordeal. In fact, in Mark 14:51-52, one of them fled from the scene naked leaving his linen garment behind when the arrest took place.
Is this a parallel to the last days, when we've been warned by Christ in Mark 13:33, to watch and pray, and also to keep our garments in Revelation 16:15, so that we don't walk naked? After all a characteristic of the last days [unintelligible 00:43:31] churches that its members are naked, and apparently too asleep to be aware of their condition.
Doug: Probably, the young man that tried to follow and find out what was happening to Jesus, he had been sleeping. It was a warm spring night. They just had this bed sheet wrapped around him, doesn't mean he was streaking, it just means that he didn't have his garments on. The Romans in trying to grab him grabbed his bed sheet and that he fled naked. I think there's a spiritual analogy. This was probably John Mark because only Mark mentions it in his Gospel.
Furthermore, I think it's true spiritually that when we do flee from Christ, we flee naked without that robe. There is an analogy there.
Christine: Is there any significance to Christ finding the disciples asleep three times?
Doug: Often, when things are done in three times, it is sealing the profundity of something. Peter denies Jesus three times, then he asks Peter, "Do you love me?", three times. Three times, he comes finding them asleep. I think it talks about the general condition of the church during that pivotal hour. It has always been true that the church seems to be sleeping at the critical moments. Yes, I think you're on to something.
Christine: Thank you very much.
Doug: All right, God bless.
Dick: Let's go next to Brooklyn, New York. Stacy is listening at WYMCA, welcome Stacy.
Stacy: Hi, my question is, how does the existence of the dinosaurs fit into the act of God's creation?
Doug: Well, dinosaur is a big, broad, general term that has to do with these large thunder lizards, reptiles, that the fossils indicate existed. I don't doubt for a minute they did exist. Some of these creatures may have been the product of creation being altered a little bit by sin. I believe that there were a broad spectrum of very large reptiles and mammals that existed in the world that are now extinct, that they lived I believe. I'm sure what you're asking. I don't think that they're all-- typically, the artist because the fossils only have bones. They don't really know what their skin looks like. I think there're probably many beautiful colors and not the drab, gray, green that you always see.
Stacy: I guess what I'm asking, as the creation is described in the Bible, the actual word dinosaur is never used.
Doug: Well, the Lord doesn't identify very many of the animals specifically. Out of the thousands of different categories of animals in the world, only a handful are mentioned. It talks about the fish, the birds, the mammals, creeping things. I believe he did make some very large reptiles back them. Of course, you've got the Psalms, that talks about the Leviathan you probably heard about. Even the Bible writers knew there were some very great creatures.
One of the interesting thing that you find Stacy, is when you study History and you look around the world, there are carvings almost in every corner of the world of these massive dragons. It's usually myths are built on some degree of truth. We have a book at Amazing Fact, and it's specifically called-- we can't send this away for free, it cost a couple of dollars, and you can look at it online. It's what the Bible says about the dinosaurs. If you just look at the Amazing Facts website, you'll find that book. I recommend you go there and order one. It's illustrated too, you'll enjoy it.
Dick: amazingfacts.org Stacy, if you'll go to that website and you'll find it there. And anybody else who might be interested in that, amazingfacts.org. Pastor Doug, we knew there would probably be a question about this coming along the way. Let's go to Cave City, Oregon. Oops, I'm sorry, wrong button. We want to go to Cave City, Oregon, and talk with Perry who's a first time caller. Welcome, Perry.
Perry: Hello.
Doug: Hi, thanks for calling.
Perry: Yes. God bless you. I watch your show all the time. My question is about the Passion of Christ, and if you've seen it, and how Biblical do you think it is?
Doug: You know, I've been avoiding answering these questions.
Perry: I'm sorry.
Doug: No, it's okay. I took your question on purpose because I think I should probably say something. I'll tell you why. I never go to the theater.
Perry: Yes, it's the first time me and my wife has been in over 20 years.
Doug: Well, and I still don't go, and I didn't go, but I did see it. Let me explain. I am a member of the religious broadcasters, and they get together once a year. It's called NRB, National Religious Broadcasters. We just get together, share broadcasting technology for presenting Christ. They did a pre-viewing a few weeks ago. I was one of the people, that I was there with David Jeremiah, and Chuck Swindoll and the others that saw the previewing. Mel Gibson sent somebody to address everybody. I would never have gone to a theater. It's just something I don't do. You're asking my comments I assume?
Perry: Yes.
Doug: First of all, it's always moving when you consider the sufferings of Jesus for a Christian. And you think about, "What does this mean to me?" I don't think anybody who has come to the foot of the cross and asked Jesus to forgive their sins, realized that he suffered in their behalf, cannot be moved by seeing any representation of those sufferings again. It brings that back to mind.
I need to tell you that I also have never found as good and sincere as any actor might be, I've never seen an actor be able to accurately represent, what I think Jesus was like in my mind, in my heart, my relationship with Jesus. I've never known Hollywood to be able to replicate that and why I don't doubt for one minute Mr. Gibson's sincerity, the nobility of the what he was doing. I am just a little more cynical that whenever you bring out the camera and the special effects, it's really hard to reproduce what you find in the Word of God.
Perry: True
Doug: I should say that it was extremely emotionally draining because you're basically watching torture for about half the film. It is certainly not something that you would ever want the young people to see. They probably have nightmares of extremely grizzling graphic but in any event, those are my comments. I have written something that is at our website because we had so many questions on this. Anyone who goes to the Amazing Facts website, you'll see we're offering a book there and it's called The Passion of this love. This book specifically deals with the same time period.
It is an inspirational book and it deals with from the time for the garden of Gethsemane through the resurrection. I was a little disappointed that Mr. Gibson's felt the film spent so much time dealing with the sufferings and the beatings and when it comes to the resurrection, it's just a few seconds and it's not even complete. You don't even see him get out of the tomb but these are my thoughts. One thing I will say I'm Jewish and I don't think the film was anti-Semitic, I thought that was odd because the hero of the whole movie is Jewish. In any event, go to the website just Amazing Facts right on the homepage, it talks about the passion. You could click there and if you want my comments, I've written some stuff up, all right?
Perry: Okay, thank you and God bless you.
Doug: Thank you, God bless.
Dick: Thanks for the call Perry. Let's go next to Sacramento California. Fran is a first time caller listening on KFIA, welcome Fran.
Fran: Hi.
Doug: Hi, thanks for calling.
Fran: Would you have time and would you be kind enough to explain the visions that Ezekiel had in the first chapter. What were they about?
Doug: You know what you're really asking Fran, you're asking me to give you a tour of Yellowstone Park in 15 minutes so it's not going to be easy. Let me quickly summarize.
Fran: Well, tell me if I didn't see a UFO.
Doug: [chuckles] No I don't think you saw a UFO and this is somewhat of my opinion. He talks about seeing this wheel within the wheel and God moving like this-- What comes into my mind when I see that as I read my Bible is Ezekiel was able to gaze into the mystery of life. All of life is composed of wheels within a wheel, our galaxy is a wheel within a wheel. Our solar system is a wheel within a wheel. Atoms and neutrons, if you get out a telescope or the microscope you continue to see in every cell of life a wheel within a wheel you know what I'm saying?
Fran: Yes.
Doug: I think that he actually got a glimpse into the throne of God and this mystery of life. It is something I'm looking forward to finding out more about when I get to heaven, that's one aspect of Ezekiel, I don't really have time to delve into all of it okay?
Fran: Yes, okay thank you.
Doug: Thank you but good question, Fran.
Fran: All right thanks.
Dick: To Brooklyn, New York. Billy is listening on WMCA, welcome Billy.
Billy: How are you doing?
Doug: Good.
Billy: My question is about the church, whether or not it's going to be here during the tribulation time or is it going to be ruptured?
Doug: I'm glad you asked. Will you just accept a yes or no or do you want some scripture? [laughs] That's good I don't want you to take just my opinion on it. I believe the Bible teaches that the church is the world during the Tribulation. I'll mention right now I have a book I'll send you for free on that, anyone who wants it. We wrote this book because we had so many questions it's called Anything But Secret and it talks about the tribulation and the rupture.
Now we do believe in the rupture that the saints will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air but we don't believe it's a secret and we believe they are here during the tribulation. Based on the Bible Jesus said you'll be hated Matthew:24, "of all nations for my name's sake, he that endures to the end will be saved" Furthermore, Billy, the plagues in Revelation are the great tribulation, the seven last plagues.
Billy: Right.
Doug: They are very much like the ten plagues that fell on Egypt, many of them are identical. Were the children of Israel in Egypt when the plagues fell? The answer is yes.
Billy: Well, yes of course, they were.
Doug: Did he protect them through the plagues?
Billy: He did.
Doug: He saved them after the plagues fell in Egypt, then they cross the Red Sea to the promised land. We are going to cross to the promise land after the plagues fall. We will be here that's why it says in Psalm:91, " A thousand may fall at your hand, 10 thousand at your right side but only with your eyes will you see the destruction of the wicked, no plague will come near your dwelling" so God saves us not from tribulation Paul says in Acts, "God saves us through tribulation." There's a big difference.
Billy: The Jewish nation is going to be saved, it says something like 140,000.
Doug: 144,000?
Billy: 140,000 Jewish people will be also saved at that time? I'm Christian, my wife is a Jewish and she's also a Christian.
Doug: I'm a Jewish Christian too, are you able to get on the internet Billy?
Billy: Yes.
Doug: You're asking a real big question like our former caller. You're asking about the 144,000 and you're asking about the Israel. Two books that you can get for free on the internet and what I mean by that is you can read them for free. I've got a book called A Hundred and Forty Four Thousand. I'll send it to you or you can read it on the internet. I've also got a book that says Spiritual Israel, what is the role of Israel in last day prophecy? Wrote with Steve Wohlberg, another Jew. You go to our website friends, you can order that or we'll send it to you free, one copy free or you can read it for free. Will you want to fill it out?
Billy: I'd love it. Thank you so much.
Doug: That answers some of those questions Billy.
Billy: Great
Doug: Good bless.
Billy: God bless you and thank you.
Dick: Billy, that website is amazingfacts.org. If you'll go there we'll send it to you for free or you can call the resource operators at 1-800-835-6747 [music playing]. Pastor Doug there's the music.
Doug: Oh, I feel so bad because we still have several people standing by. We will stay in the studio for a few more moments friends if you are patient to try and take those calls we did not get to. For our friends who are listening on the radio in your home or in your vehicle, please keep this program in your prayers. I mean that I'm not just speaking clichés. We want you to pray for us and also help us keep going. Drop us a line, let us know if you've been blessed. You can even drop us a line online.
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Voice over 3: This has been a prerecorded broadcast Bible Answers Live production of Amazing Facts ministries. To order the free materials mentioned during this broadcast or to sign up for our free correspondence Bible study course, call our resource line at 800-835-6747. To learn more about Amazing Facts or receive a free catalog, visit our website at amazingfacts.org or write us at P.O. Box 909 Roseville, California, 95678.
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Voice over 4: You know the story the beating, the cross, the nails, the forms, the innocent one condemned and brutally murdered. But do you know what else Jesus experienced during the crucifixion which caused him so much suffering that at times he nearly forgot his physical pain? Amazing Facts latest release The Passion of Love Revealed at Calvary will awaken your understanding of what Jesus truly suffered in his final hours. Including the heart wrenching separation from his heavenly Father.
Kneel with him, Garden of Gethsemane, as the terrible weight of sin, presses upon him and brings him to the point of sweating blood. Understand why he cries out, "My God, my God why have you forsaken me". Call today, order this powerful book The Passion of Love Revealed at Calvary, available now from Amazing Facts. Call now 800-835-6747 or order online at amazingfacts.org, The Passion of Love Revealed at Calvary will fill you with a deep gratitude for what Jesus really went through for you. Order now for our special price just 299 which includes shipping and handling, call now 800-835-6747.
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