Pastor Doug: Hello friends. This is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact. Baron Fabian Von Schlabrendorff was born in Germany in 1907. Trained as a lawyer, he eventually joined the German army before World War II, and was rapidly promoted. Ultimately realizing that Adolf Hitler was insane and destroying Europe, he joined the resistance. On March 13th 1943, during a visit by Hitler to an army center headquarters, Baron Fabian smuggled a timebomb onto an aircraft meant to carry Hitler back to Germany. The bomb's failure to detonate lead to the baron's arrest. The baron was sent to the Gestapo prison where we has tortured, but refused to talk.
Early in 1945, the Baron was brought before the Nazi court, charged with an attempt on Hitler's life, and after a short trial, the judge found the baron guilty of high treason and sentenced him to death. Because it was war time, the execution was ordered to take place immediately. As the baron was being led away from the court room to a firing squad, suddenly, the terrifying sound of an allied air raid was heard. Before anyone could run safety, a giant bomb scored a direct hit on the court and demolished a new pile of rubble. All of those connected with the trial were killed instantly by the blast. All that is, except one man.
By some incredible miracle, the explosion that killed everyone else in the court room spared the life of the baron. The very man who had just been condemned to die before a firing squad. With no one to hold him, the baron escaped from the shattered building. Later, he was apprehended and sent to [unintelligible 00:01:56], but was eventually liberated by US forces early in May 1945. He eventually became a judge in the very country where he had been condemned to death. Fabian Von Schlabrendorff died in 1980.
You know, friends, this reminds me that the Bible teaches, there's going to be a dramatic reversal of roles between the judge and the condemned when Jesus comes. Stay with us, we're going to learn more. As amazing facts brings you this edition of Bible answers live.
Radio Announcer: Welcome to Amazing facts ministries Bible answers live with Pastor Doug Batchelor. Do 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 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 pre-recorded. If you have a Bible question, lines are open Sundays from 7 to 8PM Pacific time.
Now, here's your host, the president of amazing facts ministries, author and evangelist, pastor Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Doug: Welcome friends, who are listening around the country and around the world. This is Bible answers live. It is the best use for the medium of talk radio. Not talking about the finances or romances, but we're talking about eternal life and the word of God and what is truth. If you have any Bible related question, this program's for you. You can participate by calling in your question, it's a free phonecall in North America. 800 God says is the number, and that's 800 4637297, pick up your phone right now and you have a very good chance of getting your question on tonight's program.
You can also participate by listening, praying for us as we do our best to search the word of God and find the answers together. That number again, if you'd like to call in your Bible question is 800 God says, 4637297. This is Bible answers live and my name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor John: And my name is John Ross.
Pastor Doug: Evening, pastor John.
Pastor Ross: Hello, pastor Doug. The amazing facts that you opened the program tonight is intriguing. Here is a person that's facing a judge and death sentenced has been passed, and then suddenly, there's this bomb and then roles changed later on in life. He becomes a judge in the same country.
Pastor Doug: It's an incredible story. By the way, I want to thank you for sharing that resource with me, because I saw that [unintelligible 00:04:40] that's something we need to share with our friends. You know, it made me think of a couple of things. One, it made me think about the dramatic reversal of roles between Jesus, who stood before an earthly court and was condemned. And how they basically judged the judge of the universe. What a reversal of roles that will be? Then it makes me think about how many who have chosen to follow God have been tried and persecuted and rejected in this world.
But someday, the Bible tells us that the redeemed, is a reversal of roles, they will be liberated and they are in a position of judging, and some of our friends may wonder about this verse, but it says in 1 Corinthian 6:2, "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Don't you know that we'll judge angels?" meaning, fallen angels no doubt. Then you said something just before we went on the air that I thought was a fascinating parallel.
Pastor Ross: If we look at the story that you mentioned about the Baron Von- what is his last name?
Pastor Doug: Schlabrendorff.
Pastor Ross: Schlabrendorff.
[crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: People need to be patient with his-
Pastor Ross: How you pronounce that. But here, he is facing this judge, and then there's this bomb that actually saves his life and then eventually becomes a judge. It's so likewise in Revelation, we read about just before Jesus comes, the saints will be faced with a death sentence that won't be carried out because Jesus will come and of course destroy the plans of the wicked, and the redeemed will be saved, they'll be taken to heaven where they will judge will Christ.
Pastor Doug: Yes. It is an interesting parallel and it's of course a good segue into our free offer for tonight that I don't think we have offered this lesson, especially since the new addition came out.
Pastor Ross: With the new covers, it's called Case Closed, and it's all about the judgement. It deals with the issues of when the judgement will take place and most importantly how we can face the judgement with confidence. [cross talk] that I have looked at Jesus is standing on outside. Case Closed is the name of the amazing facts study guide, and we would like to make that available to those of you who are listening, simply by calling our resource number. The number is 1-800-835-67-47. Again, it's Case Closed. That's 1-800-835-6747.
Pastor Doug: Very good.
Pastor Ross: Well pastor Doug, let's start with a prayer this evening.
Pastor Doug: All right.
Pastor Ross: Dear Father which art in Heaven, again we thank you for the privilege that we have to open your word. We ask that now, this time would be in your hands. That you would direct and be with those who are listening and be with those who call in with questions and give pastor Doug and myself wisdom as we go to your word to answer these questions. For this, we ask in Jesus name. Amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Pastor Ross: We'll always begin the program with some internet questions and we have two very good ones tonight. The first one is, "I was wondering if there's any significance in shoes in the following verse." and then the person quotes Matthew 3:11. Where John the Baptist says, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance but he that cometh after me is mightier than I whose shoes I'm not worthy to bare. He shall baptize you with the holy ghost and with fire." What is the significance of shoes in this verse?
Pastor Doug: I could launch into a sermon on shoes right now. One thing I think of is that shoes represent a walk in the Bible. When the children of Israel begin to pass over God said, "Eat it with your shoes on." Because when we accept Christ, we begin a journey. You also think in a Bible how a covenant was made with a shoe in the story of Ruth the redeemer, would take off his shoe and it was a covenant. Even better, the shoe represents the message of the gospel. Isaiah 52:7, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings." The word good tidings means gospel.
John the Baptist is saying, "I'm not even worthy to bare the shoes. Not to mention wash the feet of the one who's going to bring this message." There are some beautiful parallels there. The walk of Jesus was a perfect walk. Everyone else's sin and that's why we have foot washing talked about in the Bible. That's part of the communion service.
Pastor Ross: It tells us also a little bit about John the Baptist, how that this is a great preacher. Tremendous preacher. But yet he felt so unworthy when it came to comparing what he was doing on his ministry with the work of Jesus.
Pastor Doug: He had great humility because when Christ came to be baptized, he said, "I need to be baptized by you." and then later when his disciples were jealous how Christ and his apostles were growing in numbers, John said, "He must increase, I must decrease." a man of great humility.
Pastor Ross: Absolutely. The second question says, "If a person doesn't belong to a church but has accepted the Lord as their savior. Should that person pay Tithe and if so, to who?"
Pastor Doug: Well, I would encourage them. I know that sometimes there are extenuating circumstances where they maybe geographically located where it's not practical for them to be part of a church. Our church service is broadcast every week, here in Sacramento. If anyone wants to see them. Can I do this? I am allowed on my own program to give our website?
Pastor Ross: Sure you are.
Pastor Doug: You just go to saccentral.org O-R-G that's the church's website s-a-c-c-e-n-t-r-a-l-.-o-r-g. We stream our programs live around the world, and we have people all over the world that say you're our church because I know one family that they caretake a ski lodge in the summer when nobody's there. Living their family all by themselves. They said, this is our church. You would want to have a church to be connected to because part of the tithe is to help support the mission work around the world. When people get baptized, we're supposed to be baptized into the body of Christ. For a person to be baptized and not be connected with the body is like a baby being left on a doorstep somewhere. It's not a healthy birth, and so or doesn't have a very good secure future. If a lamb is left outside of the fold, it's very exposed to the wolf.
If you're a Christian you've been baptized, you need the fellowship or you'll become eccentric, you're at risk, and then use the tithe to support the church and ministry you're being fed by.
Pastor Ross: Absolutely. If those of you who are listening would like to give us an internet question, let me just remind you of how you can do that. You can go to the Amazing Facts website. It's just simply www.amazingfacts.org O-R-G. There is a link on that website to Bible Answers Live. Click on that link, and that'll give you a place where you can type in a question.
Pastor Doug: Let me pop something that I haven't thought about doing this, if you don't mind.
Pastor Ross: Sure.
Pastor Doug: Since you're talking about the website, the Amazing Facts website, yesterday something exciting happened. We had a visit at our church from National Geographic. Actually sent a film crew, and they video the services and they interviewed yours truly. Of course, I was very honored, humbled, terrified to have this incident. Very well recognized prestigious magazine.
I asked the producer, and this is something that was done for National Geographic television. It won't probably air for another 10 weeks because they have to still edit the program. Be praying friends with the editing process. But, I said, "How did you pick us?" They said, "Well, we're doing this film on the Book of Revelation and we saw so much traffic went through and to the Amazing Facts website that we began to dig around and said hey this is a resource we should look into."
Friends, hey, if National Geographic found out, you should take advantage of the website.
Pastor Ross: Absolutely.
Pastor Doug: Go to amazingfacts.org. There's a place, a button under Media and it'll have Bible Answers Live. You can listen to old programs and questions you can listen to at your leisure as well as even type in new questions. We need some more new ones. I think that our internet question pile actually got small for a while.
Pastor Ross: That's right. We could always do with more questions. There's a lot more at the Amazing Facts website than just stuff relating to Bible Answers Live. The studies and all kinds of- [crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: I look forward to a chance to use the word plethora because there's a plethora of stuff there.
Pastor Ross: Well, let's go to the phones. Our first caller is Marvin. He's listening on the internet, and he's in Spokane, Washington. Welcome to the program.
Marvin: Yes.
Pastor Ross: Hi Marvin, your question please.
Marvin: Jesus said everyone will [unintelligible 00:13:15] Bible. I looked from Genesis to Revelation. I can't find any case about the [unintelligible 00:13:24] about the [unintelligible 00:13:26]. But it says to the demon possed. It's not the same. [unintelligible 00:13:30] I don't believe that I have [unintelligible 00:13:33] you know.
Pastor Doug: Hold a second here, you're asking-- I can't really even understand you. You're asking about demon possession?
Marvin: Yes, I am. [unintelligible 00:13:44] right?
Pastor Doug: Say that again?
Marvin: [unintelligible 00:13:51] Jesus to heal them?
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Marvin: But [unintelligible 00:13:55] about them. Did you know that?
Pastor Doug: Are you referring to the demoniac that Jesus healed?
Marvin: No, [unintelligible 00:14:02].
Pastor Doug: I'm sorry. We're having problems with our connection and I apologize, Marvin. We can't understand the question. We've got to start there.
Pastor Ross: It's a challenge getting that question there. We're going to have to go to our next caller then. Rick is listening. Rick is listening in Georgetown, California on KNDL. Thanks for calling the program, Rick. Your question please.
Rick: Well, my question is based on Jeremiah 7:17 and 18.
Pastor Doug: Okay.
Rick: Are you hearing me okay?
Pastor Doug: Yes. Loud and clear.
Rick: Great. Well, okay, it seems like the pagan had a plethora of deities and the one, this queen of heaven that's being mentioned in here, I'm wondering is this the same as Semiramis, the study Cybele, same as the mother of gods, maker of investigation, dove and etcetera, etcetera.
Pastor Doug: All right. Well, in many of the ancient cultures including Babylon, a matter of fact, it goes back ancient Babylon even predating Daniel. There has been this legend of this female deity that was worshiped. If I'm not mistaken Pastor John, this was-- is it the mother of Nimrod? Was is Semiramis?
Pastor Ross: It was believed, yes.
Pastor Doug: She evidently had an affair, and then claimed that her child was the product of the sun and became an object of worship. A whole spectrum of variations of worship of this female deity sprang up throughout the far and middle east. I think that's what's being referred to both in Jeremiah. There's another reference in Ezekiel. She's often seen-- a matter of fact, many have equated the modern Mary worship as going back to Semiramis.
Part of the reason you always see Mary in many of the Medieval pictures with this sun disk behind her head is because Semiramis and Ishtar and Diana and these other goddesses were always pictured as being a daughter of the sun or having a love relationship with the sun. There's a solar disk behind their heads. We call them halos. But you don't find that anywhere in the Bible where it talks about the halo. That is something that pretty certainly does come from paganism.
There's a book that covers that. I think it's Dr. Hislop's book, The Two Babylons.
Rick: Okay.
Pastor Ross: Very good book. Very deep. Very documented, but a good book.
Rick: Were they burning their children to this deity?
Pastor Doug: I believe that this is a different god that when they would make their children pass through the fire. It was Moloch.
Rick: Okay.
Pastor Doug: Which is not the same female deity, but the pagans did have the practice of placing their infant children in the burning hands of these bronze pagan gods, or they'd make them pass through the fire. They called it, it's best referred to in Deuteronomy and in 2 Kings, something Manasseh also did. But it kind of makes you shattered to think about it. That's separate than the female worship. Hope that helps a little bit. We also have a Bible study lesson that talks a little bit about, it's actually not a lesson but one of our sermons that's called Baptized Paganism.
That talks about that and Rick might enjoy that if [crosstalk]
Pastor Ross: Rick, I'm going to give you the resource number again for that. Baptized Paganism is the name of the little book. That's 1-800-835-6747. That's our resource number. Thank you again for your call. Our next caller is Gail calling from Queens, New York. Welcome to the program. Listening on WMCA. Your question Gail.
Gail: Yes, hi. Good evening guys. It's a pleasure treasure to be on the air once again. I would like to ask, I know the Bible says that in Romans 8:29 "To those who he foreknow, he also predestinated to be conformed to the likeness of his son that they might be the firstborn about many brothers." God has predestined people to salvation and everything like that. Seeing that we have the sin problem and all of that and God is perfect, why couldn't, if God is perfect, allow sin not to come into the world?
Pastor Doug: That is the big question in the Bible. Is if God is God, if God is good, if he's all powerful, why did not God just automatically declare there will be no sin and evil?
Gail: Yes.
Pastor Doug: The big answer to that is love. You cannot have love without freedom. If someone is forced to love, it isn't love. In order for God to pre-program his creatures where they will go around like automatic robots and say we love you God, we love you God and do his every bidding, that isn't love. Love must be given by a virtue of choice. In order for God to receive and to give genuine love, I mean I don't love my tape player.
I can make my tape player say I love you Doug, I love you Doug. I can create a video with my own image. God made Adam in his own image. I can make a video in my own image to yell that will say Doug, you're so wonderful. I love you. I will say I love you video player. But that's not love, because it's just reproducing what's I've programmed it to do. It's not thinking and choosing. But in order for that to be real choice, think about this, that means that creature not only has the power to choose to love, it has the power to choose not to love or to love someone else.
God, as the ultimate expression of the freedom we have. He gave his intelligent creatures the freedom to choose to love and and choose not to. That began with Lucifer abusing that choice. He chose not to love God. He rebelled. He passed it on to our world. He passed it on to one-third of the angels first who fell with him and then our world. We are free to choose. God does intervene in the affairs of men. I think that he sometimes extends more intervention and mercy to some than others, but that doesn't mean God takes away the freedom of choice.
Gil: Well, in Matthew 22:14, it says, "For many are called, but few are chosen." How would you respond to that?
Pastor Doug: I think the better way to translate that, and then Pastor John might weigh on this. Many are called, few choose to respond to the call. That's another example where Jesus says broad is the way to destruction. Narrow is the way to life. Few find the way to life. Why? Because few are searching.
Pastor Ross: The ones who are chosen are the ones who respond to the call. We have a part to play, we need to respond to the call. God's willing that no one be perish, that everyone come to salvation.
Pastor Doug: Last words in Revelation. We're sharing this with the interview yesterday. The New Testament closes with Jesus saying whosoever will, it's a broad, inclusive invitation. "Whosoever will, let them come and take the water of life freely." Right?
Gil: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Hope that helps, Gil, and good question.
Pastor Ross: Thanks for calling, Gil. Our next caller is Joseph listening in Brooklyn, New York. Welcome to the program. Listening on again WMCA. Your question please, Joseph.
Joseph: Hello. How are you doing?
Pastor Ross: Good. Thanks.
Joseph: Yes. My question is, why do the Jews observe the Sabbath and why don't Christian observe the Sabbath? Or should Christians observe the Sabbath as well-? I mean, it wasn't in the 10 Commandments. Some Christians do, and they take it as just as bad as, say, committing murder or adultery.
Pastor Doug: To answer that question, the first thing I would have to say is does God want us to keep the 10 Commandments? Now, I think that's a rhetorical question because obviously, how can anyone say, "No, God doesn't want us to keep the commandments. It's okay to lie or steal or commit adultery or dishonor your parents." The only time people have problems with the 10 Commandments is when you mention the fourth commandment.
You say no, no, that's the old Jewish law. But I would submit that to be biblically honest, you have to say that the Sabbath commandment goes back to creation. On the seventh day, chapter two of Genesis. God blessed the seventh day, made it holy. Jesus said the Sabbath was made for men. Mankind, not the Jewish or one race of people. I believe, Joseph, that the Sabbath should be kept by Christians.
Matter of fact, if you have a pencil, I can jot something down or people, it's a website that answers a lot of questions. We get probably as many questions on the Sabbath as any of the subject. It's called Sabbathtruth.com. Sabbathtruth.com. You might want to look on that site.
Joseph: Sabbathtruth.com?
Pastor Doug: Yes, and I think we have a free lesson dealing with this subject we'd be happy to send you.
Pastor Ross: Yes, we'll give you that resource number. One of the thing pastor, to talk about the Sabbath, not only do we find it kept in Eden before man send, and then we find of course Jesus keeping the Sabbath, the disciples and the Jews keeping it. But Isaiah 66:23 talks about the Sabbath being kept in the new heavens and the new earth. So what it's saying is, once and for all we're moved still, the Sabbath will be kept.
Pastor Doug: You see, a love of relationship deals with time, and the Sabbath is the time for a love relationship. That free lesson, if you want to get the lesson, Joseph, is called The Lost Day of History. The Lost Day of History. Just call the resource number.
Pastor Ross: Again, the number is 1-800-835-6747. Thank you for your call Joseph. Let's see if we can get to one more caller before our break. Dexter is listening from Forrest City, Arkansas on the internet. Welcome to the program, Dexter. Your question please.
Dexter: Praise the Lord. My question is about Acts 2:38. It's about being baptized in Jesus' Name. If you can allow just a second to state my case.
Pastor Doug: Okay.
Dexter: If you remember Matthew 28:19 says be baptized go forth teach therefore all nations. Be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Since we all know that Jesus knows the future, Amen?
Pastor Doug: Right.
Dexter: He predicted about Peter's denial. I believe when he left he said in Acts 1:5. He said, "For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence." He knew that Peter would speak of his words. He knew that Peter was going to be baptized in Jesus' Name. I heard on a program, you said that bottom is does not mean anything at baptism.
It's like if-- when we pray, we ask in Jesus' name, and that all we do be in Jesus' name. Can you tell me a little bit about that?
Pastor Doug: Yes. There's actually three, or four different times that it talks about baptism and what name to be baptized into. You got Matthew 28:19 which you just stated baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then in Acts 2:38, Peter says be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Name of Jesus Christ. Acts 8:16, he says baptize in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 10:48, baptize in the name of the Lord, just the Lord. It's stated differently in so many different places that I don't think the emphasis among the disciples or early church was the exact utterance. It was a concept that they were to be baptized in the name of the Messiah.
Pastor Ross: That's right.
Pastor Doug: That would be including the Father, the Son, and I've told people before when I baptize, I try to cover all the basis and I say I baptize you in the name of the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Any of those, God does not disqualify baptism if someone says Lord Jesus instead of Jesus Christ, because they're all here. I think that's the issue.
Pastor Ross: I think he's got more concern about the heart, the commitment.
Pastor Doug: Yes, it's the commitment to the Lord. I don't know if we have time to get in. We have two minutes. Can we do one more question before the break, Pastor John?
Pastor Ross: Let's try and do that quickly. Again, Dexter, thank you for calling. We hope that answers your question. We're going to go to Lenora who's listening on the internet in Greensville, North Carolina. Welcome to the program. Your question please Lenora.
Lenora: Yes, my question deals what you were just talking about the Sabbath. I'm just learning to observe the Sabbath. I just wanted to know what exactly do we do, or what we are not allowed to do. Can we go to dinner? Do you house clean? Do you cook?
Pastor Doug: A lot of questions. If you heard the website Sabbathtruth.com, there's more there. But the concept of the Sabbath, Lenora, is when you love somebody and you have quality time with them, you don't want a lot of the worldly distractions to encroach on that quality time. The idea of the Sabbath is to preserve as holy. Holy means set aside for. Preserve as holy your time with God.
The Bible does say it's not a time for buying and selling, it's not a time for worldly endeavors or work or business. But as you can tell the music is chasing us into the break. Take a look at the Sabbath Truth website. There actually is a section there about keeping the Sabbath, Pastor John.
Pastor Ross: We also have a study guide on that called The Last Day of History that I think you can get from the Amazing Facts website file resource.
Pastor Doug: Absolutely. Just a moment friends. We're going to take a break. We're taking a break. Pastor Dick has some announcements he'll be sharing. It's still not too late to call on your Bible questions. We do have a few lines that have opened up. That free phone number is 800-GODSAYS. That's 463-7297. Again, don't forget to check at the Amazing Facts website.
You'll find there that there's a lot of archives of this program. We'll be back in just a minute after these important announcements.
Announcer: Stay tuned, there's more. Bible Answer Live coming in just a moment. We'd like to invite you to tune in at Pastor Batchelor teaches the word of God on the Amazing Facts television programs. These studies are on each week on major networks like the ABC Family Channel, Black Entertainment Television, The National Network, the Inspirational Network, and 3ABN just to name a few.
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Friends, please remember, we are a faith-based, listener supported ministry. Fully dependent on God to sustain us through your prayers and financial gifts. Write us at post office box 909 Roseville, California 95678. Or you can find us on the web. The address is easy to remember. It's amazingfacts.org. Welcome back to Bible Answers Live with Doug Batchelor because this is a free recorded broadcast of our Sunday night program, call from 7-8PM. 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 authoritative angelus pastor Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Doug: Welcome back friends this is the second half of Bible Answers Live, we know there are some stations around the country in the world that can only tune in for the first or second half but we are in progress answering bible questions from around the country and the world if you have any bible questions feel free to give us a call in North America it's toll free 800-God says 800-463-7297 and my name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: My name is John Ross and pastor Doug will go straight to the phone lines. Sherry is listening on his cellphone, listening from Bakersfield California, welcome to the program Sherry your question please.
Sherry: Hello, my question is when Jesus chose his disciples, he picked them from the poor and he took them from their families now my real question is, what happens to the families? Who supports them when the disciples are following Jesus?
Pastor Doug: That is a good question and I've often thought that before, of course there are many endeavors in life that require painful sacrifice and even separation to fulfill this noble endeavor. Preaching the gospel especially for itinerant preachers, for someone who was an elder of the church and their house became a church obviously they didn't need to separate but the evangelist who traveled and preach some of them maybe took their wives with them in the case of the Priscilla and Aquila, but others were evidently having to leave their families for extended periods. That could be why Jesus said, "No man hath forsaken their father, sister, brother, wife or lands for my sake of the gospel but he will be rewarded." There were some like Peter who had to leave the family during that time but you would trust they would make arrangements for their support while they were gone.
Pastor Ross: We read also andask them when the holy spirit came upon the disciples it wasn't just coming upon 11 at that time, that they were over a hundred. 120 that the holy that received the Holy Spirit. So, it could be possible that family members and those that had been with Jesus and his ministry were also present there.
Pastor Doug: Well, and keep going and ask Acts chapter four and five. Acts four ends with Barnabas making this big sacrificial gift in Acts five says, "Everyone gave and waived their money if the disciples feed, they sold houses and land." These resources were used to sustain the preaching of the gospel and I would think that would mean to help the families of those who are out doing the itinerant work, that's why Paul says, "you do not muscle the acts that shreds out the grain," and these evangelist that were out doing the itinerant preaching those offerings would help sustain their families and their houses while they were doing this. I'm hoping that was part of the plan.
Pastor Ross: I think so, well Sherry we hope that answers your question there. Again thank you for the call, we're going to move on to Robert who is listening from Alaska on the internet. Welcome to the program Robert your question please.
Robert: Good evening pastors.
Pastor Doug: Wait I've got a question for you.
Robert: Yes.
Pastor Doug: My wife is thinking of going to Alaska for vacation in March, what's the weather like around Anchorage?
Robert: t's break-up time which means it's a lot of dirt and nothing snow.
[laugh]
Pastor Doug: Not's the prettiest time.
Robert: No
Pastor Ross: Well she wants to go snow skiing in March and I said, "well let me talk to someone who knows" and I'm glad you called.
[laughter]
Robert: Okay. My question has to do with the Passover meal. It shows in the synoptic that the last supper with the Passover meal which is a Thursday night but it says in John that the Jews didn't want to enter the praetorium where Jesus was being judged, they want to be at the Passover. Was the Passover on Thursday or Friday? It would make more sense being on Friday since Jesus died after the Passover.
Pastor Doug: Well the ultimate Passover sacrifice that week began when the Sabbath started Friday evening, the reason we believe that is because John says in his gospel and maybe pastor Ross will look that up. He said this was a high Sabbath, in other words they had a regular Sabbath but when an annually feast day landed on the weekly Sabbath because you realize that the feast days landed on different days of the week every year just like your birthdays on a different day on the week. The feast days were dates, they were not a day of the week and it could be on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, any day varying years it change. When the Passover date landed on the 7th day of the week, the Sabbath, they call it a High Sabbath and that would mean that that Passover that Jesus died the very moment he died on the cross they were sacrificing the Passover lamb in the temple. And so the significance of that is overwhelming but people sometimes forget that the celebration of the Passover took place over a period of a week. They would begin having community dinners earlier in the week and that's when he had communion service Thursday night.
Pastor Ross: The text their referring to the Sabbath of being a high day is John 19 verse 31, where it talks about the day of the- [cross-talk]
Robert: Yes I understand it was a week and that the Thursday was Passover then there was a feast of the bread for seven days. The actual Passover day was that on a Thursday or a Friday?
Pastor Doug: Jesus says in Luke, "I''d long to eat this Passover with you" and so we're led to believe that when the sun went down Thursday evening and he had this meal with them that becomes Friday. Correct? Yes because the days begin and end at Sunday and so they begin celebrating that Passover on Thursday evening which would be biblically Friday with the sixth day of the week but the sacrifice-- the Sunday sacrifice that Friday was also the welcoming of the Sabbath which was a high day for them.
Robert: That was my wife answer actually.
Pastor Doug: Okay then you got to listen to your wife they're pretty smart.
Robert: Thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Thank you.
Pastor Ross: Again thank you for calling Robert, we're going to go to Joyce who is listening in Vancouver British Columbia on the internet. Welcome again to the program Joyce, your question please.
Joyce: Hi my question is if there is going to be families, father, mothers and children in heaven.
Pastor Doug: I believe there will be families I think ultimately the family will be the family of God. When entire families or parts of the family are saved and they're in the kingdom together, I would think that their relationship they'd begin eternity with the bond that would carry on. Even though there may be no new marriages and this is something that I don't say by command but by permission. Based on what I read in the bible, I don't see evidence that there are any new marriages. Jesus says they neither marrying or are given in marriage but at the same time I don't think God is handing Adam and Eve divorce papers when they get there.
Joyce: Yes, I couldn't find it anywhere and I thought that I would just call and ask. Thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: All right. God bless. If anything the family relationship that we know now will be deeper and broader because love will be complete, they won't be sent into failing relationships in heaven.
Pastor Ross:What a rejoicing that will be. Let's go to our next caller then is John listening in North Dakota, welcome to the program and your question John.
John: I have a questions, I was reading in a children's bible and in their it describes king David's father as Jesse. I'm curios to ask you. Did they ever say who his mother was?
Pastor Doug: No but it does tell that he had a sister name Zeruiah but David's mother it's a good question you're asking John, David's mother never named and it's sort of frustrating neither is the mother of Samson. It talks about Manoah and the wife of Manoah and you keep wondering, "yes yes what's her name". It does tell us about Jochebed and Amram but so many of these great women they're names aren't given and you'll always want to know who was David's mother, what was her name, it doesn't say. If I'm wrong, I'd love to have someone email me but I've never found it.
Pastor Ross: I've never heard of it either.
John: I was just curios because I believe Ruth would have been his grandmother then correct?
Pastor Doug: Great grandmother.
John: Great grandmother.
Pastor Doug: Wait a second, his father was Jesse and then Jesse's father was Obed and Obed's father was Boaz, yes great grandmother.
John: Okay so it doesn't mention anything about the mother's name.
Pastor Doug: No, no we'll have to get to heaven and ask her but she'll have a new name then. [chuckles]
John: Okay, well that's I guess all my question was.
Pastor Doug: It's a good question, appreciate it. Don't think anyone's asked us that before. Thank you John.
Pastor Ross: Thank you John. Our next caller Catherine calling from Clear Lake California listening on WMCA, welcome to the program.
Catherine: Hello
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Catherine: Hi, I just had a question. I've worked with developmentally disabled and mentally disabled people and some of them are to the extent where they can't understand you and some of them do but can't talk and at certain like they do want something to drink or what not and I've talk to them about
Catherine: Jesus before, just talking with him about something about [unintelligible 00:40:04] and what they did that day. I was just wondering, how do you know if, because one of them actually recently passed away. I had worked with him for a while, and we're really close. I was just wondering how-
Pastor Doug: Will they be saved?
Catherine: Yes. Do they go to-- I mean to what extent did they have to be when they go to heaven if they don't know. You know what I mean? If they will-
Pastor Doug: It's a good question.
Catherine: I just don't-
Pastor Doug: In most cases, in my understanding, salvation is not based upon IQ. Salvation is not based upon age, in other words the Lord does not say, I want you reach 13 or 12, you passed the age of accountability and then you're accountable. God judges accountability based on their comprehension. If a baby can't comprehend the gospel and it dies, it dies innocent. It has not committed sin. I think the Lord especially looks upon the weak with compassion.
I would like to hope that God is going to judge them and treat them with compassion, and that you'll see many of these people in the kingdom because they'll be stored and whole at that time.
Catherine: Yes. I was really close to them and I was just really sad, and I just was hoping and praying that-
Pastor Doug: God is merciful. Jesus especially loves. I mean, all through the Bible that you find where Jesus especially reaches out to, Paul says not many wise, not many noble, but God has chosen the weak and the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God uses the simple, the weak, those who are humble and trusting him. I expected he'll show that compassion in the judgment day.
Catherine: Right on, our God is so awesome. [laughs]
Pastor Doug: Thank you. Well, hope that helps a little bit Catherine. God bless and thanks for your question.
Pastor Ross: Thanks for calling, Catherine. Our next caller is Amanda listening from Grand Folks, North Dakota. Welcome to the program, Amanda. Your question please.
Amanda: Hello. [laughs]
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Amanda: I just was wondering, where does it talk about men being Pastors rather than women?
Pastor Doug: Where does it talk about men being Pastors?
Amanda: That they are the ones that are supposed to be the Pastors and not the women.
Pastor Doug: Well, in the references, now Pastors in the Bible sometimes that uses the word Priest, sometimes it uses the word Bishop, sometimes it uses the word Elder. Generally, it's the leaders of the flock. I was going to say, whenever they are mentioned in the Bible, they're always mentioned in the context of Paul says when you ordain Elders, that it should be the husband of one wife. Well, that's a very masculine reference.
All the other examples of Elders are always put in the male context. There's no example in the Bible of a Bishop, Elder, Pastor or Priest in the female context.
Pastor Ross: [crosstalk]
Amanda: The last lady that had told about her working with different people and stuff, well my sister has people that work with her because she's not at the age that. The age that she's at, she's not at that understanding level. She's below that or whatever. Anyway, she was writing me a letter. She wrote me a letter and she was saying how she wanted to go to college and become a Pastor, but I didn't think that it was right for females to be Pastors but that it was right for males to be pastors.
Pastor Doug: Yes, Amanda. It's a very controversial subject. Even within different churches, they disagree within the same denomination. Obviously, there are churches that have female pastors. I respectfully disagree, but I still respect these people. I don't find, you see I'm stuck to the Bible. I want to Bible to be my guide. I don't see an example in the Bible. I see examples of women in the Bible in ministry, evangelism, even women prophets.
But there is no example of a woman in a capacity of a Priest, Pastor, Apostle, Elder, Bishop. They're always masculine. Because the church is an extension of the family and the Bible seems to teach that men are are to be the servant-leaders in the family. They're to be the Priest. That's the position of my understanding. There is an article that I wrote, it's a few years ago but it's still at our website. It's called The Unisex and Jesus.
It's free to read it or download, and if you go to the Amazing Facts website, look for the inside report article and it's called The Unisex and Jesus. I go through some of these references there. Hope that helps a little.
Pastor Ross: Again, thank you for calling, Amanda. Of course, Pastor Doug, as you said, it is a controversial subject, but we need to study that. Yes, we want to make sure we stay close to the Bible. Our next caller is Jason calling from Queens, New York. Listening on WMCA. Welcome to the program Jason.
Jason: Hello. God bless you.
Pastor Doug: Hi. Your question.
Jason: My question is in the Ephesians 6:10-18, it's more about demon invasion. It's pretty much Ephesians 6:10-18. I understand that Paul's talking about the spiritual battle. But my question was, because there's a debate amongst Christians today that Christians can be demon-possessed. I wanted to get your take on that.
Pastor Doug: Well, I feel like that statement is an oxymoron. In other words, what makes a Christian a Christian?
Jason: He's to be [unintelligible 00:45:36] by the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Doug: You would think, yes, that a Christian is not a Christian in name only. It's not a label. A Christian has Christ within. If a Christian is demon-possessed, then really, they might have Christian on the forehead as a label, but if Satan is in the heart. You're making me think about this even as I'm talking. I believe there are people who want to follow Jesus that are struggling with temptation. They're struggling with demon harassment.
It doesn't mean they don't want to be Christians, that just means that the devil still has a foothold. They're not completely free. Jesus said if the Son will make you free, you're free indeed. Part of coming to Jesus is being safe from the devil.
Jason: Okay.
Pastor Doug: You see what I'm saying?
Jason: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Christians were tempted. Even Jesus was tempted, but demon possession is not just being tempted. It's much more severe than that. It means the devil is in control.
Jason: Yes, because it was more of-- from my understanding, they were saying that Christians can be demon-possessed, but those who honor God, that's what they were saying. They were saying that those who are sincere in their faith, and as I was reading the word of God, the Bible says, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching." Am I saying why, the sincere Christians truly love the Lord God and they want to obey God, how can, like Jesus say-- when he accused them of being demon-possessed, he says I honor my father?
I don't know if you remember that scripture. I mean, people are saying that Christians could be demon-possessed, but then he was saying that if you love me, you'll obey my teaching, and demons will trespass but will not win a war.
Pastor Doug: There's a paradox as a conflict there between people who are wanting to follow Jesus. I actually wrote a book. I spent a couple of years working on this. It's called Broken Chains. Now, we can't give it away, but they're not very expensive. If you go to the Amazing Facts website. It's called Broken Chains. It's the story of the demon of Gadara, the one who is in Mark chapter five, his liberation, and it goes into great detail about demon possession and how do we be free, and what does it mean to be delivered.
You may want to pick that up. You might even find it free on the internet somewhere you can read it. It doesn't bother me.
Pastor Ross: The name of that book again is Broken Chains.
Pastor Doug: Broken Chains. It might be $2 or $3 I forget, but it is a sharing book at the Amazing Facts website.
Pastor Ross: I had a interesting experience Pastor Doug with demon possession. We were doing some meetings in Africa once. We had a lady, a young girl that was coming to our meetings, and she wanted to give her life to Jesus, but she was demon possessed. Finally, she made that full commitment and was baptized, and that's when the demon left her. It was quite an event baptism to say the least. But then she was freed from that.
I remember her coming back to the meetings and she was just beaming from ear-to-ear. The Lord had liberated her and set her free.
Pastor Doug: That's the greatest evidence, is the chains have been broken.
Pastor Ross: God's got the power to change lives.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Kevin. Kevin is listening from New Orleans. Welcome to the program. Your question, Kevin.
Kevin: Hey, Pastor Batchelor. How are you doing, sir?
Pastor Doug: Good. Appreciate your call.
Kevin: Listen, I have a question about Ezekiel 39:11-12. It talks about Gog being buried. Seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them that they may cleanse the land. What is that talking about?
Pastor Doug: Well, it's interesting when you talk about Gog and Magog. Gog and Magog are mentioned in Revelation. These were enemies of God's people, but sometimes they're identified with the original Canaanites. Magog means from the matrix of Gog. Gog and Magog means Gog the mother of Gog and her children basically. They used to have battles where the dead were left on the field for many years before they got them all buried or before the evidence was gone.
Matter of fact, I was looking at Amazing Facts yesterday, Pastor Ross, and they actually made dentures from the dead at the Battle of Waterloo because they were so many young soldiers died, and they had good teeth that they would take their teeth, and the dentist back and used them to make dentures, and they called them Waterloo dentures.
Pastor Ross: Isn't it that fun?
Pastor Doug: Yes, because they didn't get them buried fast enough, and so, this is-
Kevin: There's this that's called-
Pastor Doug: - describing big battle, and it says there's so many slayed that it takes seven months to bury them. So was that what you're wondering about?
Kevin: Somebody was telling me that, that was talking about when God destroys the earth at the end of the time, and when he comes, and it's going to take seven months of burying the dead, and I thought that can't be right.
Pastor Doug: Well, who would be burying when Jesus comes back? Why-
Kevin: Jeremiah says it's going to be desolate.
Pastor Doug: Yes, but when the wicked destroyed and Christ returns, it says that, "Fire ranged down on them and devours them." So there's really no funerals going on.
Kevin: Thanks a lot Pastor Batchelor.
Pastor Doug: Okay, I hope that help a little bit, but Ezekiel does talked by Gog and Magog. I should also mention, that is also talked about in Revelation 20, and whoever sharing this with you, they are correct. The Gog and Magog in Revelation are a symbol for the enemies of God's people, but not that it can takes seven months to bury them. That's talking about the Old Testament battles. Hope that it helps Kevin. Thank you for your question.
Pastor Ross: Thanks again Kevin for calling. Let's go to our next caller who is calling from Brooklyn, New York, and it's Elise. Welcome to the program. Hey, we got some open lines. Let me just mention that. Elise hang on a second. Bunch of lines just opened up. Friend, you still got time recalling your question, 800 God says, "Pick up your phone now. I'll bet you'll get on the air."
Pastor Doug: That's 800 4637297. Elise, are you there?
Elise: Yes, I am.
Pastor Doug: Welcome to the program. Thanks for holding on.
Elise: Thanks for taking my call.
Pastor Doug: Your question?
Elise: Revelation 22:12 said, "Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me." Is there a degree of sin as well?
Pastor Doug: Are there varying degrees of sin?
Elise: Yes, there are degrees of sin.
Pastor Doug: Yes. The Bible seems to indicate Jesus said that Judas was going to be punished more severely than Pilate. Jesus said to Pilate, "He who delivered me to you has the greater sin." I don't know if he's talking specifically about Judas or the religious leaders, but obviously there are varying degrees of sin. In Luke where it talks about beating with many stripes and few stripes. It says, "He who knew his master's will and did not do it, he will be beaten with many stripes. He who did not know his master's will, will be beaten with few stripes.
Pastor Ross: That's Luke 12 verse 48.
Pastor Doug: There are varying degrees of sin and varying degrees of punishment for sin. Elise?
Elise: Thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Okay, I appreciate that and hope that it helps a little bit.
Elise: Yes, it does.
Pastor Doug: Oh, by the way, we do have a lesson that deals with the punishment of the wicked. It talks about the lake of fire in Revelation, and if you would like our free copy of that It [unintelligible 00:53:00] tonight's lesson about judgement.
Pastor Ross: That would be [crosstalk].
Pastor Doug: Case closed. The free lesson we're offering tonight. Elise, if you call the resource number, we'll send that to you.
Elise: [inaudible 00:53:08].
Pastor Doug: And another one dealing with the destruction of the wicked is the devil in charge of hell.
Elise: What is the resource number?
Pastor Doug: The resource number is 1 800 8356747 6583747. Elise, again, thank you for calling. We're going to try and get at least one more caller in here. Okay? Ahmed is listening from Vallejo in California. Welcome to the program Ahmed
Ahmed: Hi, sir. How are you?
Pastor Doug: Fine. Thank you.
Ahmed: My question is that are Muslims sir, and I was wondering which custody denominations tell's that through Word of God because when I first came to United States, all of people have telling me that she also witnesses [unintelligible 00:53:48]. I want to know if they are telling me the truth, the true meaning of God.
Pastor Doug: Well, you need to obviously, first of all, if you were the devil and you wanted to hide something that was precious, you would try to create as many counterfeits as possible. Does that makes sense?
Ahmed: Yes, sir.
Pastor Doug: To confuse people. In other words, if you want to disguise or hide a real diamond floating in a pile of broken glass, and you'll make it very difficult, but you can apply test to the glass. Apply some heat and pressure, the glass will melt. It'll break, pulverize, the diamond will not. Buried in all of the broken glass of the Christian religion, there is a diamond, and you need to find it by searching, and the answer is to examine the Word of God. Now, because we get this question so frequently, we've got a lesson that will send anybody who wants it, including you. How do you know what church is a true church? What are the Bible test to determine where to go and what is the truth? It's called The Bright of Christ. It's based on prophecy and it's a very clear lesson, but Ahmed if you would like to study that, and if you're open. I realized that you come from the background of Islam, but I cam from being an Atheist. I wanted to know what the truth was, and I examined all these different religions. Your question is near to my heart because Jesus promises, if you seek, you will find, and don't forget, buried in all of the broken glass of religion, there is still a truth. There's not many truth, there is one truth.
Ahmed: Thank you. Where could I get that book sir?
Pastor Doug: The lesson will send it to you. Call the [unintelligible 00:55:26] number. Just say, "I'd liked it. Give me your address." They'll send it to you. Ahmed the resource number is 1 800 8356747. Ask for the Bride of Christ.
Pastor Ross: The Bright of Christ is the lesson.
Ahmed: The Bright of Christ. Thank you sir.
Pastor Doug: Thank you.
Pastor Ross: As tonight, do we have time for one more?
Pastor Doug: Let's try one more.
Pastor Ross: All right. Tamarah is calling from Queens, New York. Tamarah, you'd like to give us your question quickly.
Tamarah: Yes. In Revelation does refers to the 144,000. It indicated that they were all undefiled by woman.
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Tamarah: I wonder if they were virgins young men that only men going to be the 144,000.
Pastor Doug: Well, actually it says they are virgins for they are not defiled with women, and so, it sounds backwards. It says here they're virgins, and they're not defiled with women. The word virgins there is feminine, I think, in the Greek. Now, keep in mind Tamarah that it Revelation you've got two women. You've got Babylon and her daughters that represent false religion, and you've got God's bride, we just talked about in Revelation 12, which is true religion. It's simply a saying the 144,000 are not defiled with the false teachings of revelation 17. They are pure doctrinally. By the way, we've got a lesson. Just call and ask for the lesson, the free booklet on 144,000 I wrote. Call, we'll send it to you.
Pastor Ross: The number is 1-800 8356747 and that's the resource number. Ask for Pastor Doug's on the 144,000.
Pastor Doug: Listening friends, you can tell the music is starting to chase us awayway, and before we say farewell, and before you changed the dial, remember, this is all in done by faith. We are a listener's supported station. If you wanted to get to know us better, the internet's one of the best way. You just go to amazingfact.com or .org. Remember, the reason we're doing this is we want people not just to know the details, but to find Jesus. It's all about the relationship, the truth that will set you free.
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