Little Tyke - The Vegetarian Lioness

They even advertised a cash reward for anyone who could devise a meat-containing formula that the lioness would like. The curator of the New York zoo advised the Westbeaus that putting a few drops of blood in the lion's milk would help. But the lioness refused to drink the milk, even when only a single drop of blood had been added.

Meanwhile, Little Tyke continued to do extremely well on a daily diet on cooked grains, raw eggs and milk. By four years of age, she was fully grown and weighed 352 pounds. To condition her teeth and gums--seeing that she refused to gnaw on bones--Little Tyke was given heavy rubber boots to chew on, which generally lasted about three weeks. The lioness not only survived on a vegetarian diet, but she thrived.

One of America's most able zoo curators apparently said that the lioness was the best of her species that they had ever viewed. As well as Little Tyke, the Westbeaus also had sheep and cattle on their 100-acre ranch. Visitors to the ranch were often amazed to see a full-grown African lioness wandering peacefully among the sheep and the cattle, and even chewing on succulent tall grass in the field.

Did you know that the Bible predicts that one day every lion on earth will be vegetarian? Stay tuned for more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.

[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]

Pastor Jëan Ross: Good evening friends. This is Pastor Jëan Ross. Pastor Doug Batchelor is not with us this evening. He is at a meeting in Sweden. Perhaps he's even listening on the Internet.

But friends, welcome back to this interactive, national and international Bible study where we are going to open up God's Word to find answers to your questions. The phone lines are now open, so if you have a Bible-related question, the number to call is 1-800-GOD-SAYS. That's 1-800-463-7297.

Well friends, before we get into our questions this evening, let's just bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Dear Father, once more we ask that You would be with us as we open up Your Word. We recognize that in order to understand the Bible, we need the Holy Spirit to lead us. So we ask for Your special blessing. Be with those who are listening and those who call in with questions. For we ask this in Jesus' name, amen.

Well friends, we opened up the program this evening by talking about a vegetarian lion. We began by talking about Little Tyke; and what an interesting story that is. Here was a lion that refused to eat meat. Actually, it did very well on its diet of grains and eggs and milk, and lived a good, long life.

How strange it must have been for the visitors who went to the ranch to see this lion walking amongst the sheep and the cattle, and even chewing on the occasional long, juicy grass that it would see. How strange.

But you know friends, when I was reading about this amazing fact, I was reminded of a prophecy that we find in the Bible that actually describes the time when every lion on earth will be vegetarian. Isaiah chapter 11, verses 6 and 7 talks about this. I'm going to read it for you.

Isaiah 11, verse 6 says, "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." And then verse 7 says, "And the cow and the bear shall feed together: their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like an ox."

Now friends, can you imagine a time when children will be able to actually walk and play with lions and have no fear? A number of years ago I led a mission trip over to Zimbabwe. And on a break that we had, we had a chance to go to a safari. And there was a farm in safari that actually raised lions. We could go in and pet the lion cubs.

Now we couldn't go into the full-grown lions, but we could go in and play with the lion cubs. And even though they were little cubs, we could still feel their power and their strength. And I could just imagine what it would be like one day for children to play with full-grown lions. But will that really happen? Well friends, the Bible says it will.

You know, Jesus is preparing a wonderful place for those that love Him. A place where there will be no pain, no sorrow, no sickness, no death, no fear--not even for the children. The lions will eat straw like oxen. Friends, if you'd like to know more about this wonderful place that God is preparing for those that love Him, I would like to let you know about our free offer for tonight.

It's a booklet entitled, "Heaven: Is It for Real?" And this little booklet deals with the wonderful truth of heaven and the new world that Jesus is preparing for us. And all you'll need to do to get that booklet is just call our resource number and ask for the book, "Heaven: Is It for Real?" So the number to call, our resource number is 1-800-835-6747, and the free offer is, "Heaven: Is It for Real?"

Well friends, as I mentioned a little earlier, Pastor Doug is away and so I am working the phones as well as taking your questions; and so pray for me. This is the first time I've done both. But before we get to the Internet questions, I would like to just welcome a radio station that is joining us for the first time. It's KLPC 94.3 FM, and it's Lone Pine, California.

So, if you are listening on 94.3 in Lone Pine, California, I would like to welcome you; and if you have a question that we can answer, please call in. We'd love to hear from you. Before we go to the phone lines, we always take some Internet questions and so I'd like to begin with that.

The first question that came in--oh, and by the way, before I get to the questions, let me just remind you. At the Amazing Facts' website, at www.amazingfacts.org, there is a link that says, "Bible Answers Live." You can click on that link and you can actually post your Internet question for us. You can email it to us, and we appreciate your questions that come in. We enjoy looking at them and giving you a Bible answer.

Well, the Internet question that we have today, there are two; but the first one is, "When Jesus went to heaven, He said that He would send the Comforter. My question is, therefore, when Jesus was on earth, was the Holy Spirit on earth as well?"

Well that's a great question. The answer to that is yes. The Holy Spirit was on earth even before the Incarnation of Christ. Now, there's a number of examples of this that we have in the Old Testament, but I'd like to look at just two that we find in the New Testament that's closely associated with the birth and early ministry of Christ.

The first we find in Luke chapter 1, verse 41 and it talks about Elisabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. Now we know that the birth of John the Baptist was miraculous. Elisabeth was an older woman when she fell pregnant with John the Baptist. And John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit, even as a child in a special way. Luke 1:41 says that the Holy Spirit came upon Elisabeth and filled her.

The second example I'd like to look at is in Luke chapter 2, verse 23; and it's talking about Simeon. Now Simeon was a God-fearing man who believed in the promise in the coming of the Messiah and he prayed for it. And in Luke 2, verse 23 onto 25 the Bible says, "And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout; waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him."

Now of course, this is actually after Christ's birth, but he's still a baby. Verse 26 says, "And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ." And then if you read on in the chapter it talks about Mary and Joseph bringing Jesus to dedicate Him at the temple; and that's where Simeon sees Him.

So just from these two examples, we find that the Holy Spirit was upon people, even before Christ's ascension to heaven. Well what did Jesus mean, then, when He said "I'm going to go and ask of my Father and he will give you another Comforter. He will give you the Holy Spirit."

Well on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came with power upon the disciples. And that Holy Spirit empowered them to be witnesses for Christ. You see, before Jesus ascended to heaven, He said to the disciples that they were to take the Gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue and people; and here is just a handful of believers with this huge task before them, to take the everlasting Gospel all around the world.

How in the world are they going to be able to do that? But when they gathered together there in the upper room in Jerusalem and fervently sought the Lord in prayer, the Holy Spirit came upon them and empowered them to be God's witnesses. And the Bible tells us that Peter got up and preached with power and 3,000 people were converted in a day.

So the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost is a special empowering of God's people to do the work of sharing the Gospel; but the Holy Spirit has always been present working on the hearts and the lives of people throughout history. I hope that answers that question.

The next Internet question that we have is related to Matthew chapter 18 and it's verses 8 and 9 where Jesus says, "If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off, and throw it away." Well the question that's related to this verse is, "Does this mean that literally if our eye or a hand or a foot offends us that we must cut it off? Is that what Jesus was intending?"

Well friends, I don't believe that Jesus literally wants us to cut off our hands and our feet and our eyes. And the reason I say this is because the Bible tells us in Proverbs 23 and verse 7, "What a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." And Jesus said in Matthew 12:34, "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."

You see, sin begins in the heart. And when we follow those sinful desires or we give into temptation, and those temptations are carried out by what we do with the hand or what we see with the eye, the real cause is not the hand or the eye; but rather it's the heart. We also have the promise in Scripture that if we surrender ourselves to Jesus, He will give us a new heart and put a right spirit within us.

So the real issue is not trying to cut off our hand or pluck out our eye if we sin. But rather it's to give God our life and surrender our heart and allow Him to work within us, to transform us and make us into His image.

Well thank you so much for those Internet questions and again, keep them coming. Just go to the website and you can post your Internet question and we'll be happy to take it. Well friends, if you have a Bible-related question, we have a few lines that are still open. So the number you can call is 1-800-GOD-SAYS. That's 1-800-463-7297.

We will go to our first caller this evening. Joseph is listening in New York, New York. Welcome to the program Joseph.

Joseph: Hello Pastor. How are you my friend?

Pastor Jëan Ross: I'm fine, thank you.

Joseph: Pastor, last week I went into the library. I inquired as to when the dinosaurs roamed the earth. You know, like the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm

Joseph: And the good lady looked it up and she came back and she said approximately 130 million years ago.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes

Joseph: Now could you please tell me what your opinion is? I value it very much.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure. I'll be happy to. First of all, I don't believe that the dinosaurs roamed on the earth 150 billion years ago because I don't believe the earth was inhabited 150 billion years ago by anything, animal, plant.

According to the Bible, the earth was created about 6,000 years ago, give or take a few; about 6,000 years. Then the question comes up, "Well what about the dinosaurs? Where did they come from?" We have the record of the animals, the fossil record. I mean, it clearly tells us that there were these large animals on the earth.

I believe that these animals, these dinosaurs, existed before the flood. And the reason that they are extinct today is because of the flood and the account of the flood that we have in the book of Genesis. Does that make sense?

Joseph: Yeah, yes sir. I respect your opinion.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm

Joseph: I don't have to agree with it, but I do respect you and your opinion.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure. And let me throw one other thing out there as far as dating goes. One of the methods of dating that they use is the different strata, or layers, of earth.

Joseph: Yes

Pastor Jëan Ross: They will look at the way erosion is happening today and how much dirt is building up. Based upon the current time period for a layer to build, let's say an inch or two inches, then they count back the different layers. And they see a bone in a layer much lower and so they say, "Well, for that reason the animal that existed at that time must be millions of years old."

However, what that type of accounting assumes is, first of all, that all things have continued the same way from the beginning of time. In other words, the erosion and the buildup of these different strata or layers in the earth, they all occurred at a standard rate. However, if you consider the flood account that we have in Genesis, a worldwide flood, there was sudden and massive layering of mud and earth over a very short period of time. So it could explain a sudden, rapid increase of these different layers.

It could also explain that some of the bones of the dinosaurs that we have are in these lower layers of the earth. And they were destroyed with the flood. There is an interesting text in Job chapter 40, verse 17 that you might find interesting. It talks about an animal that, I can't think of an animal today that could meet this description; but it talks about an animal that has a tail like a cedar. And it has a leg as strong and as big as a tree stump.

Now when I first read that, I thought to myself well I can understand an animal having a leg like a tree. I mean, that would be an elephant.

Joseph: Yes

Pastor Jëan Ross: But the tail of an elephant is just this thin, little rope. It doesn't look like a cedar tree. The animal being described in Job 40, verse 17 seems to me to be a dinosaur. And we know that the book of Job was probably one of the oldest books that was written, one of the first books written that we have.

Joseph: Was that written before Genesis?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Moses we believe was the author of the book of Job. And he, quite possibly, wrote Genesis, and Exodus, and so on, around the same period of time.

Joseph: Oh I didn't know that.

Pastor Jëan Ross: But the story of Job is an older story. Now, it happened after the flood. But it could have happened a short period of time after the flood. And so some of the animals were still fresh in the people's mind, or at least in the stories or legends that have been passed down. But it is a very interesting verse there in Job chapter 40, verse 17. You might want to take a look at that.

Joseph: I will read it. Pastor, I do want to thank you very much for taking the time to explain that.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Well thank you for your call Joseph.

Joseph: God bless you.

Pastor Jëan Ross: God bless. We'll go to our next caller who is Brandon in Norfolk, Virginia, listening on WPAC. Welcome to the program Brandon.

Brandon: Thank you Pastor. My question is coming from Exodus 24, verses 6 through 8. My question is about the blood of the covenant. What was the meaning behind that when Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and on the book?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay, great question. Why don't I just read the text here in Exodus 24 verse 6 so that our listeners have a bearing on what we're talking about. It says, "And Moses took half the blood, and put it in a basin; and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read it in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient."

"And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you concerning all of these words." Back in Bible times, we find that covenants were made a little different than we do today. Today we go to a bank and we sign a document and, you know, it proves that we're going to be hopefully honest to our word. But in Bible times, they did things a little bit differently.

Often, especially in the area of making a religious covenant, there was often a sacrifice that was involved. And a sacrifice--there was always blood. Here we find the children of Israel making a covenant with God and saying, "Lord, everything that you do or said, we will do." And God also made certain promises to Israel. If they would follow and do the things that He asked, He would bless them abundantly.

And so as a token or a sign of that covenant that was being made between God and His people, a sacrifice was offered. The blood of that sacrifice symbolizes that sacrifice and symbolizes that covenant. But on a broader scale, if we think of it a little bit more, that sacrifice, and all of the Old Testament sacrifices, pointed forward to Jesus Christ, who is the Lamb of God who would die on the cross for our sins.

And it's through His sacrifice and through His blood that we are forgiven and cleansed; and we can enter into heaven and have eternal life. It's through His blood that we are cleansed from our sin. So the blood covenant in the Old Testament was a shadow, or a type, of the covenant that Jesus provides when He died on the cross for our sins. Does that make sense?

Brandon: Yes Pastor.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, thanks Brandon. Well hopefully that helps. We appreciate your call. We'll go to our next caller. David, who is listening in Victorville, California. Welcome to the program David.

David: Thank you Pastor Jëan. How are you?

Pastor Jëan Ross: I'm fine, thank you.

David: God bless you. My question is in respect to the book of Daniel, chapter 12, verses 11 and 12. In those two verses, there are two dates or two time periods that are mentioned. One is 1290 days; the other is 1335 days. Now, I know what the 1260 days is. I was wondering if you could help me with the two. Now I do have the reference in my Bible, with respect to verse 11. That would Matthew 24, verse 15. However, I'm not to sure what the exact time period is of those dates; and I was wondering if you could help me?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright. Let me see if we can address this. Of course, this is a big study whenever you're dealing with time prophecies. But very briefly, let me see if we can address some of it. There are different time prophecies that we have in Daniel, some of which are repeated in the book of Revelation.

The longest one is the 2300 day, or year, time prophecy that we have in Daniel 8, verse 14. "Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed." Now, that is the broad time prophecy. These other prophecies fall within that 2300 day period; some exceed it a little bit; some come just a little bit short.

If we look at Daniel 12:11, it's talking about the one thousand two hundred and ninety; and then we have the other one in verse 12, which is, let me read it here. "Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. So 1335 day period is talking about different events.

Let me go to the 2300 first. The time period of the 2300 begins in 457 B.C. and continues through to 1798 A.D. Are you familiar with that time prophecy?

David: Yes I am. You're referring to the 2300 days in 8:14--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Daniel 8:14.

David: And that was from um--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Oh rather, sorry, it ends in 1844. It starts in 457 B.C. and then you go forward in time 2300; and you end up in 1844 A.D.

David: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright. The other time prophecy, which I didn't mention, is the 1260-year prophecy that we have in the book of Revelation. That started in 538 A.D. and went through to 1798.

David: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: That was the 1798 period. And that was the Dark Ages. That's when church and state combined.

David: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: If you go with the 1290, and then the longer time period that we have, the date comes--if we start with the 457 B.C. date, we end up around 1843 for that longer time period, "Blessed is he that waiteth..." for the extra time period, it ends up around about 1843. And the reason for that is around 1844, and just before that, we had the great awakening, the advent awakening that was taking place.

David: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: There were people in different denominations, different churches, preaching the soon coming of Jesus Christ. Initially, they thought that that time period, the 2300 days, would finish around 1843; but they didn’t calculate the year zero when you go from B.C. to A.D.

And so there were many people that were waiting anxiously for Jesus to come, because that's what they thought the cleansing of the sanctuary was there in Daniel 8:14; but it didn't. And yet, they had a genuine commitment and a love for Jesus; and it wasn't until after 1843 and then later on in 1844 that they actually understood the true meaning of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary.

David: The sanctuary, right, right.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Right. And Jesus is our High Priest in heaven ministering for our behalf. [Cross talk] And so those last two verses there in Daniel 12, verses 11 and 12 relate to that experience; and they fall into that same time period, around 1843, 1844. Now, I can't go into too many of the details of that because I'd have to kind of back up and lay the foundation and so on.

David: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: But that's what they relate to.

David: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, well I hope that helps. That's a big study David. We just kind of hit the surface of it, but maybe can point you in the right direction there, to do a little research.

David: Alright. God bless you. Thank you.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Thanks for calling. I think we have time for one more caller. We'll go to Chris in Birmingham, Alabama. Welcome to the program Chris.

Chris: Hi, how are you doing?

Pastor Jëan Ross: I'm fine, thank you.

Chris: I have a question about the blood. I was reading Hebrews 9:22--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes

Chris: --where it says that, "almost all things are by the law purged...." And in some translations it reads "cleansed by the blood."

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes

Chris: And, you know, I think of blood, I'm thinking of blood usually stains--

[Cross talk]

Pastor Jëan Ross: Right

Chris: Is there some kind of scientific or reasoning behind the blood or the significance of blood?

Pastor Jëan Ross: That's a good question. First of all, we need to understand when it's talking about the blood cleansing, it's talking about spiritually cleansing. If we look at verse 22, and I'll read it here. Hebrews 9:22, "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood. " When it says, "by the law," it's talking about the Old Testament system, the sacrificial system, cleans with blood; "and without the shedding of blood there is no remission."

Remission is forgiveness. So in other words, it was through the sacrificial system that people had their sins cleansed, or their sins forgiven. It's talking about the cleansing from sin; and it's referring to the blood in that situation. Does that make sense?

Chris: Yes

Pastor Jëan Ross: So it's not talking about a literal cleansing, but it's talking about spiritually cleansing. Then verse 23 of Hebrews 9 expands on it and says, "It was therefore necessary that the pattern of the things in the heavenly should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these."

Chris: Um-hmm

Pastor Jëan Ross: In other words, the Old Testament sacrificial system pointed to the ministry of Jesus. But Jesus, our High Priest, is ministering on our behalf in the heavenly sanctuary. And it's not the blood of animals that cleans us from sin; but it's Christ's own blood that was shed on the cross that cleanses and removes the old sin from our hearts and life. Does that make sense?

Chris: Um-hmm, yes, thanks.

Pastor Jëan Ross: So I don't think it's referring to a literal cleansing of blood, but it's talking about the spiritual cleansing that we find.

Chris: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: Well Chris, thanks for your question. That's a good one. I think we've got two minutes. I'll tell you what, let's try one more. Alberto is listening in Florida. Welcome to the program. Can you hear me Alberto?

Alberto: Yes I hear you. God bless you. I have a question about Matthew chapter 12 and it's about the Sabbath. Let me read it real quick, verse 1 through 3: "At the time Jesus went through the grain fields on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, Look, the disciples are doing what is unlawful on the sabbath. He answered, Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered into the house of God, and his companions ate the consecrated bread which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priest. Haven't you read...." and it goes on. I don't know if--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Right, we--

Alberto: --I'm pretty sure you're familiar with it.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure. We're familiar with that. I'll tell you I hear the music playing in the background Alberto. We might not be able to get all the way through this question. Tell me, what is you question related to the verse?

Alberto: Can you explain Jesus' answer? Because it seems like He's not giving that much importance to the Sabbath in this particular action.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay, good question. I'll tell you what, I think we'll have to address that question when we come back from our break. We're going to be going on a break here in just a few minutes, but it's a good question. If you want to hang on, you can do so; otherwise you can take the answer to the question off the air. But I'll address this as soon as we get back.

So friends, stay tuned. This is, of course, Bible Answers Live. We'll be right back. We'll just take a short break.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Pastor Jëan Ross: Welcome back friends to this live, interactive Bible study. This is Pastor Jëan Ross. Pastor Doug Batchelor is not with us tonight, but I believe, God willing, he'll be back next week. We do have a few lines that are still open so if you have a Bible-related question, we invite you to call.

The number is 1-800-GOD-SAYS. That's 1-800-463-7297. Now just before we went on the break we were talking about the verse in Matthew 12, verses 1 to 3 where the disciples were walking through the field picking some grain. Alberto, are you still on hold there?

Alberto: Yes sir

Pastor Jëan Ross: You're still there. Okay, great. Let me address that question firstly by saying Jesus wasn't talking against the Sabbath, but rather the Jewish leaders of His day had put so many traditions and regulations they associated with observance of the Sabbath that they made the Sabbath a burden for the people. It was tedious for the people to keep the Sabbath.

Alberto: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: Jesus wanted to help them, the Jewish leaders and the Jewish people, see the true blessing behind keeping the Sabbath. God intended it to be a joy. And so, here these Jewish leaders were criticizing Christ's disciples because they were eating on the Sabbath, picking the grain and eating it. And Jesus is saying, "You're missing the whole point of the Sabbath."

Alberto: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: "Haven't you read..." and then He gives the example of David, when he hungered then he went in and ate the shewbread. In other words, God is more concerned about the heart, more concerned about our commitment to Him than just the letter of the law. Although keeping the law is important, don't get me wrong, but if we're keeping the law from the wrong heart, it doesn't mean anything. Does that make sense?

Alberto: Yeah absolutely.

Pastor Jëan Ross: I'm reminded of what Jesus said in Matthew 15, verse 9, talking of the Jewish leaders. He says, "But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

Alberto: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: And so their worship was in vain because it wasn't heartfelt; and they had put so many traditions on the various Commandments it burdened the people.

Alberto: I hear you.

Pastor Jëan Ross: That's what Jesus is referring to there in Matthew 12.

Alberto: Okay sir, thank you.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Thank you for calling. We appreciate it. Our next caller is Darren. Welcome to the program Darren, listening from Franklin, Tennessee.

Darren: Yes Pastor Jëan

Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi

Darren: Yes. I have a question concerning the Holy Spirit. Jesus told Nicodemus you must be born again spiritually to see the kingdom of God. And that Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to those who love and keep His Commandments; and that believe He is the Messiah. Pastor Jëan, is it possible, or could it be that many Christians have not received the Holy Spirit because they have not asked God in prayer? Or, if you have not received the Holy Spirit, are you a Christian to begin with? Because Jesus there is talking to the disciples, and it seems like Jesus wants us to ask if we have been given the Holy Spirit?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Hm m

Darren: Or to ask for it--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Absolutely

Darren: --or ask for Him I should say--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Absolutely, absolutely. You know, there's no question about it that in prayer, it's our privilege and responsibility to ask for the Holy Spirit.

Darren: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: Now there are two ways that we understand this. First of all, we recognize that the Holy Spirit is the one that brings conviction to the heart and leads us to Jesus. So the Bible says, "Know ye not that it is the goodness of God that leads you to repentance?" So in a sense, the Holy Spirit is working on the hearts of all people, trying to convict them and leading them to Jesus, working upon their hearts, softening their heart.

But when we respond to the Holy Spirit and we accept Jesus as our personal savior, God gives us an extra portion of the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit comes and works within us and transforms us, gives us power to gain victory over sin. But then there's even another outpouring of the Holy Spirit. And that we see as an example of which was at Pentecost--

Darren: Right, in Acts.

Pastor Jëan Ross: --and we also find, right, in Acts, and we also find the promise of another outpouring of the Holy Spirit in power just before the second coming of Jesus that empowers God's people to take the Gospel to the world, just before Christ comes again, especially in power of the Holy Spirit.

So I don't want to necessarily say there are degrees of the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit uses us more effectively if we are more surrendered to Him. Does that make sense?

Darren: Yeah it does. It does make sense. And so I guess it's--so when you become a Christian and truly believe that Jesus is Who He claims to be, you will be given the Holy Spirit--

Pastor Jëan Ross: You are given the Holy Spirit.

Darren: --is that correct?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Absolutely.

Darren: Okay. Alright, well--

Pastor Jëan Ross: You're given the Holy Spirit, but there's no limit to the Holy Spirit. You can continue to receive more of the Holy Spirit, as you surrender yourself more and more to Him.

Darren: I see. That makes sense.

Pastor Jëan Ross: So it's a continual growing experience; and it's so important. We need the Holy Spirit. That's why Jesus says pray for it, ask for it,--

Darren: I see.

Pastor Jëan Ross: --and the Holy Spirit can work within us.

Darren: I see. Pastor Jëan, that answers my question and I appreciate the love of Christ you're sharing with the world. Thank you very much.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Well thank you Darren. We'll go to our next caller, Ed is listening in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He's listening on the Internet. Welcome to the program Ed.

Ed: Yes, I got a question, does God kill?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Does God kill?

Ed: Yes

Pastor Jëan Ross: The answer to that is yes.

Ed: Okay. It was concerning especially the wicked at the end time, when they are surrounding the City and the fire comes down and consumes them. I was just confused on that, because some people take it as literal, and some people take it as symbolic, because, you know, Revelation is symbolic.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm

Ed: Is that coming from God Himself, or do we interpret it as literal or symbolically?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, good question. You know, if we go to the verse--I'm just going to pull it up here, it's in Revelation. I believe it's Revelation 20, and we'll read it there. Alright, fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them.

Ed: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: So the actual text says, "Fire comes down from God out of heaven, and devours them." I think there are several things you need to understand. First of all is, God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. We know that. God is a God of love; and the Bible refers to the final destruction of the wicked as being His "strange act." So it's not something that God enjoys, not in the least.

Ed: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: But He's also a God of Justice. The Bible says, "The wages of sin is death."

Ed: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: And as a result of clinging to sin--you know, the time is going to come where God is going to purify the earth from sin. And those who persistently cling to sin, even though it's not God's will that they be destroyed, but if they persistently cling to sin, and God is going to purify the universe of sin, they're going to be destroyed as well.

Ed: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: Because God has had enough sin, enough pain, enough suffering, and He's going to make all things new.

Ed: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: Does that make sense?

Ed: Yes it does. Yeah. And I had just one more, who's concerning justice and mercy of God? Some people can say it's God's justice, but they also can translate it as righteousness. What would you say about that?

Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, I think justice and righteousness are very closely linked together.

Ed: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: One can only do justice if they are righteous.

Ed: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: Otherwise, their justice is filled with selfishness. But God being righteous, His justice is perfect.

Ed: Okay. So there shouldn't be no confusion then.

Pastor Jëan Ross: No. They work together.

Ed: Okay. Alright. Hey, that answers my question then. Thanks a lot.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, thanks so much for calling Ed. We will go to Mary. She's listening in Fresno, California. Welcome to the program.

Mary: Good evening sir. I have a question about Rachel. Where did Jacob bury her? Because in Genesis 35 it says Bethlehem; and 1st Samuel it says Benjamin [cross talk]

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay. Alright, let me address the Genesis 35:19 here that says just outside Bethlehem is where Rachel was buried. Apparently, she died in the way as they were traveling--

Mary: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: --and was buried in Bethlehem. The name, possibly, could have been changed as time went on of the actual area, but the tribe that eventually inherited that area was the tribe of Benjamin.

Mary: Oh so, okay.

Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, Benjamin wasn't a city. Bethlehem eventually became a town or a place. But the tribes inherited different parts of the promised land and one of the tribes is Benjamin.

Mary: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: Does that make sense?

Mary: Yes it does, it just turns on a light.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright

Mary: Okay, thank you.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Well thanks so much for calling Mary. We appreciate it.

Mary: Okay thank you, bye.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Our next caller is Linda and she's listening from Port Chester, New York on WMCA. Welcome to the program Linda. Are you there? Linda, can you hear me? Alright, I don't think we've got Linda. Let's try another one. Angelo, listening from Brooklyn, New York. Can you hear me?

Angelo: Yes, hello Pastor.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi, how are you?

Angelo: Fine, thank you. I'm calling here from Brooklyn, New York.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright

Angelo: I wanted to ask you about the anointing of God. How do you tell the difference of a false prophet and a true prophet?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Good question.

Angelo: I have another question for you.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure, go ahead with the other question.

Angelo: Okay. Where were you before you were born?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, where were you before you were born.

Angelo: [Laughs]

Pastor Jëan Ross: Let's tackle the first one. Alright. How do you know the difference between a false prophet or a true prophet? Let me begin by saying in Matthew 24, Jesus warns us that just before He comes, there will be many false Christs and false prophets. And they will deceive many. In other words, the devil is trying to deceive as many people as he possibly can.

Angelo: Yes

Pastor Jëan Ross: So we need to be on our guard. So how do we know if someone is a true prophet or a false prophet? One of the first things we need to consider is what they are saying. The Bible says, "To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

Angelo: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: In other words, what they say, their teachings and their doctrines must be in harmony with the law and the testimony. Now, when the Bible talks about the law and the testimony, the law refers to the first five books of Moses, sometimes called the Pentateuch, more specifically to the Ten Commandments.

So if someone says, "I'm a prophet and you can go out and steal or you can go and kill," that should immediately raise a red flag. Does that make sense?

Angelo: Of course, of course.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Then the testimony is the rest of Scripture that we have. And so the prophet's teaching must be in harmony with the Scriptures. The second test Jesus says, "By their fruits you shall know them." A good tree will bear good fruit. A bad tree will bear bad fruit. So by the fruit, by the life that the person is living, are they bringing honor and glory to God?

Is their life filled with sin? Are they gathering selfishly for themselves? Or are they genuinely manifesting the Spirit of Christ?

Angelo: Like a capitalist? [Laughs]

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yeah. You know, sometimes, unfortunately, folks will use religion to try and profit themselves--

Angelo: Um-hmm

Pastor Jëan Ross: --to increase their banking account--

Angelo: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: --to try and make money; and they almost use the Gospel as a means to make--almost like those in the temple that Jesus cast out. The moneychangers, remember that? They were trying to profit on the Gospel. You can't do that. So their teaching needs to be in harmony with the law and with the testimony; and by their fruits you shall know them. Consider their life. Does that make sense?

Angelo: See if they--if they have their hands out. [Laughs]

Pastor Jëan Ross: That's right, yeah, consider that.

Angelo: Right. I think the most important is, where were you before you were born?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright. I believe that before we were born, we weren't anywhere. In other words, we weren't alive, we weren't spirits floating around [cross talk]

Angelo: What about these transient, the eternal soul?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Well you know, that's a good question. Is there a verse in Scripture that talks about an eternal, or an immortal, soul? I can answer that. The answer is no. There is no text anywhere in Scripture that talks about an immortal soul.

Angelo: I beg to differ.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Well, do you have the text?

Angelo: I beg to differ Pastor, because we were all created, all souls, animals and humans, in similar form.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay

Angelo: Now I can't quote (unintelligible), but it's in the Bible.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright. Let me address the soul. Again, it doesn't say that it's immortal.

Angelo: We're not the same souls, but we're similar--

Pastor Jëan Ross: We're similar?

Angelo: --similar souls.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Soul means life. Reading Genesis, God breathed into Adam and he--

Angelo: And where's the soul? Where's the soul in the body?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Well God breathed into Adam, Genesis 2, verse 7 and he became a living soul. So one way that I think of it that helps me--

Angelo: What happens to the soul after death?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Well let me say this. Related to the soul, I think of the soul as being the body and the spirit, or the breath of life, combined. In other words, let's just say--and this is just a little illustration that, hopefully, will help explain it.

I'm going to build a box. So I have some nails and I have some wood. I have nails and wood. The wood can represent the body; the nails can represent the spirit, or the breath of life that God gives us. So I take the nails, I take the wood, and I build a little box. That box is the soul, and the living, breathing creature--

Angelo: Pastor Jëan, Pastor, then it comes to another question. What about reincarnation?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Right, I don't believe in reincarnation.

Angelo: Who's to say that? Who are you to judge? Are you anointed of God, or am I anointed of God? I'm a messenger of the Lord.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Well let me just mention, I understand; and maybe we can disagree on that, but the Bible doesn't talk about someone coming back in another form, or reincarnation. That's not a Biblical teaching. The Bible says, "The soul that sins, it will die," Ezekiel chapter 18, verse 4.

And we get eternal life through Jesus. And we have the resurrection when Jesus comes the second time. So the great hope of the Christian is not coming back in another form, or in an animal form, or a mosquito. But the hope of the Christian is that when Jesus comes, we receive immortal bodies and we will live forever with Him in heaven. And that's good news. That's the hope of the Christian!

Well I want to thank you for your call. I hope we addressed a little bit of your question there. We do have a study guide that deals with this subject. So if anyone wants to know more about the question of death, all you need to do is call our resource number. It's 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the study guide, "What Happens When You Die?" That will be able to provide you with more information.

I also mentioned earlier we had spoken to one of the callers and we had spoken about the time prophecy in Daniel 12. And I forgot to mention, we have a study guide at Amazing Facts that deals with the whole 2300-day time prophecy. You can also receive it for free just by calling the resource number.

It's 1-800-835-6747, and just ask for study guide number 18 and they'll be able to send that out to you as well. Alright, I think Linda is back, and we'll take that call. Linda, can you hear us?

Linda: Hi, how are you? Good evening.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi

Linda: Thank you for taking my call again. My question is according to chapter 5 of Acts, this issue of being slain in the spirit. I've been dealing with this for many years with other pastors and there's nowhere in the Bible where it teaches that this is from God. So I need you to explain to me, kind of talk about this being slain in the spirit; because Ananias and Sapphira, I was told that they were slain. They didn't get up and walk around again. So would you kind of touch on this please?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure

Linda: I'll take my answer on the air.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay, sure. Thanks for calling. I like your illustration about being slain in the spirit, talking about Ananias and Sapphira. I think you're right. They were slain. They didn't get up and walk around afterward. But there is prevalent in a lot of churches and there is the teaching that, "You don't have the Holy Spirit unless you fall to the ground, or sometimes you might speak in voice or a language that nobody can understand, and that's the gift of tongues."

But if we take a look at what the Bible says about the gift of tongues, the first mention of this we find in Acts chapter 2, and it's verses 1 through 11. We find that Peter, being filled with the Holy Spirit, got up and preached; and everyone who was there was different regions, they heard the Gospel in their own language. So the gift of tongues was used for the purpose of communicating the Gospel.

And in 1st Corinthians 12:28-31, and also verses 7 through 11, Paul talks about the diversity of tongues in the church used, once again, for preaching and sharing the Gospel. And then 1st Corinthians 14: 2 and 4, and verse 23, pretty much the whole chapter of 1st Corinthians 14, deals with this issue of speaking in tongues.

The short of it is this, a tongue represents a language. A language is something we use to communicate in. Especially back in the church of Corinth, there were people coming from different regions. They spoke different languages. And for somebody to get up and speak, or even pray, in a language that nobody could understand, it was only edifying for themselves.

That's why Paul says what does it profit if someone prays in an unknown tongue? He just edifies himself because you understand it, but nobody else understands. So for that reason, Paul admonishes that there needs to be an interpreter and let people speak one at a time who have different tongues and want to speak in different languages.

So the whole issue there of tongues is for the purpose of communicating the Gospel. Amazing Facts has a book dealing with the whole issue of tongues. I believe it's entitled, Captured by Tongues. And if you'd like more information on that, just call our resource number, and they'll be happy to get it sent out to you. Again, it's called, Captured by Tongues; and the number for the resource line is 1-800-835-6747.

Our next caller is Adam listening in Tennessee. Adam, welcome to the program.

Adam: Thank you Pastor. There are two verses that, maybe, they seem in contradiction. I wondered if you can help me reconcile them. I won't give exact citations, but you probably recognize where Jesus is saying we should fear not, you know, Satan who could destroy the body only, but we should fear God who can destroy the body and soul. And then you go to 1st John and it said, of course, God is love, and it says, "A perfect love casts out fear." Can you address this?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes, alright. So the first part of your question, if I'm understanding correctly, is this verse here in Matthew 10:28, does God destroy people, body and soul? And how do we reconcile that with God being a God of love? Does that make sense? Is that your question?

Adam: Well, it's just a question of should we fear God, or does God want to not have us to fear at all?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay

Adam: I mean, where does the fear stand, or what kind of fear?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay, good. The fear that the Bible speaks of in different cases; for example, I'm thinking of Revelation chapter 14 where it says, "Fear God, and give glory to him."

Adam: Yeah

Pastor Jëan Ross: The fear there is a reverence. It means we stop doing what we're going and consider what God's will is and God's purpose. We don't just keep going on in our life doing the same old thing, but we stop and consider God. We reverence God. We respect Him. That's the type of fear that we need to have.

But in the same line, God doesn't want us to be afraid of Him. Time and time again, Jesus said to the people, "God is love." "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son." Jesus says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." So God is a God of compassion. God is a God of love.

Adam: Sure

Pastor Jëan Ross: I don't know if you can come to someone that you're afraid of. So the fear that's referred to there is a fear that results in obedience and righteousness; but it's not a fear that causes us to flee from God, or run away from Him. Does that make sense?

Adam: Yeah. It's just that Matthew 10 that kind of hangs me up; because He brings out the illustration of death. And it sounds like a mortal fear for your life. And He says, "Fear him," fear God, in the context of that He can destroy you. You know, personally, I think there's a place for that. Sometimes we can get too mushy in our concept of God; and I see people that talk that way. They seem to take a lot of liberties.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Right. Well we do need to recognize that sin is a dangerous thing. And by clinging to sin, we, one day, will be destroyed; and that's what Jesus is referring to in Matthew 10, verse 28.

Adam: Yeah

Pastor Jëan Ross: It's talking about the final destruction of the wicked.

Adam: Pastor, I get the impression with 1st John, that really John is speaking of not fearing any man because the context seems to be reaching out for Christ's sake.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm

Adam: You know, and I believe if we fear God, we need fear no man.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Right

Adam: I think that's, I think that, maybe, [cross talk, unintelligible]

Pastor Jëan Ross: Right. It is that. There is that certain awe, there is that respect, that leads to obedience that we need to have for God. But it's not a petrified fear of Him where we're running away from Him. We want that fear to draw us to Him.

Adam: Yeah. There's one verse in the Old Testament that says we should fear God and love Him. It says it all in one verse.

Pastor Jëan Ross: That's right

Adam: Fear Him and love Him.

Pastor Jëan Ross: That's right

Adam: There must be different aspects [cross talk]

Pastor Jëan Ross: It's a different type of fear than we often think of today.

Adam: Yeah

Pastor Jëan Ross: That's a great question.

Adam: Thank you so much Pastor.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Thanks for calling Adam. We'll go to our next caller, Rich, Sacramento, California. Welcome to the program Rich, your question?

Rich: Yes, hi Pastor Jëan. I was wondering, can Satan come into the presence of God?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Can Satan come into the presence of God? Well we have an example in Old Testament where Satan appeared in the presence of God; and I'm thinking of the experience in the book of Job where it says that the sons of God appeared before God and Satan was there.

And God said, "Where have you come from?" And Satan said, "From wandering up and down in the earth." And then God said, "Have you considered my servant Job?" So there, in that case, Satan was in the presence of God. We also find, of course, when Jesus was on earth that Satan came into His presence because Satan tempted Jesus. In a particular sense, there in the Garden of Eden; and also during the wilderness experience.

Although, I think one day Satan is going to be consumed by the presence of God, there in the final destruction that the book of Revelation talks about.

Rich: Yeah, thank you; because I always wondered about that, about God burning up sin. He's a consuming fire and about Satan being in His presence, so--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Absolutely. You know, God is a consuming fire for those who cling to sin. And sin will, ultimately, destroy; and God is going to purify the earth. He's had enough pain, enough suffering, enough death, and He's going to put an end to it one day. Those who cling to sin, they're going to be destroyed as well. Good question Rich.

Rich: Thank you

Pastor Jëan Ross: Thanks for calling. I think we have time for one more caller. Let's go to Jerry, listening in Sacramento, California. What's your question Jerry?

Jerry: Yes sir. My question is does the Bible say anything about self-defense?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Does the Bible say something about self-defense? Well the first text that comes to mind is the one where Jesus says if someone strikes you on your right cheek, what do you need to do? Turn to him the left, right?

Jerry: Yes sir

Pastor Jëan Ross: So in that respect, I think we need to be a little different than the average person that would respond with, you know, anger, or maybe a fist. We want to be like Jesus. Did Jesus ever use self-defense?

Jerry: Not that I'm aware of.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Right. However, having said that, that is clear in the Bible that there's nothing wrong with moving ourselves out of a dangerous position; or trying to avoid a difficult situation. Jesus says when you're persecuted in one city, then you are to flee to the other. He doesn't say take up arms, but He says flee.

Jerry: Yes

Pastor Jëan Ross: So I think we don't want to be so passive that we don't do anything. I mean, we want to take careful steps to avoid being in trouble. But on the same line, I just can't picture Jesus beating up on people that come against Him.

Jerry: My question basically derives from in terms of law enforcement.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay, law enforcement. That's a little different. And the reason for that is because there are those who work for the purpose of protecting others; and they do an important job to keep law and order. There were even soldiers back in the New Testament times that were Christians. And they went about doing their duty.

So I think, in that case, it's a little different, when you're trying to protect those around you and you need to use force.

Jerry: Hm m

Pastor Jëan Ross: That's a little different situation than just one on one. Does that make sense?

Jerry: Yeah, yeah it does. It kind of, it's a tuffy for me [cross talk]

Pastor Jëan Ross: It is a tough one, it is a tough one.

Jerry: I kind of struggle with that one.

Pastor Jëan Ross: It is a tough one. And you know, I think those who are in law enforcement, it's something they need to pray about and say, "Lord, how do You want me to handle this?" I mean, we appreciate what the people do in law enforcement. They protect us, keep us safe, but it is a difficult position to be in as a Christian.

Jerry: Yes sir, it is. I thank you for your time.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Well thank you for calling Jerry. We appreciate your calls. Friends, I hear the music in the background, and that means we are running out of time. It has been great to be with you this evening and take Bible questions.

We want to thank you for those of you who called in. We'd like to remind you that there are a lot more resources that you can get at the Amazing Facts website. The web address there is www.amazingfacts.org. Go to the website and dial in.

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