Bat Ears

The higher the pitch, the smaller the surface its echo can reveal. Some sounds are so high that they enable the little bat to detect the presence of a wire no thicker than a human hair stretched across its pathway. Then there is the intensity of that sound. The louder it is, the more distant the object that can be detected.

So these calls are generally very loud. But wait! If it is necessary for a bat to make such a loud sound in order to have its echo come back from a distant object, how can the bat possibly hear the echo with its ears in the midst of all of the racket that it is making with its mouth?

This is a good question, for it would, indeed, be a very real problem. The ear of the bat was designed to be extremely sensitive so that it can hear very faint sounds; yet, just a few of its screams would quickly deafen it. But God has taken care of this problem.

There is a special muscle in the middle ear of the bat. It is attached to one of three tiny bones that transmit the vibrations from the eardrum to the organ in the skull that converts them to nerve signals sent to the brain. Just as each scream is on the verge of being emitted, this muscle instantly pulls back that bone so that it does not transmit sound from the outer eardrum to the inner ear.

The eardrum is momentarily disconnected. Then after the scream has ended, that muscle relaxes and the bone moves back into place. Thus, the only sound that the bat hears is its own echo. This back and forth motion of that bone occurs more than a hundred times a second. And it always occurs in perfect alignment with the sending of those super-short screams.

Friends, if God has gone through so much trouble to provide for the bat so that it can hear its own echo, how much more does God care for you? 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 in this evening. I would like to welcome all of you to this national and international Bible study where we will go to the word of God to answer the questions that come in through the Internet and through those who call in.

We do have some lines that are still open, so if you have a Bible-related question and you'd like us to answer that on the air for you, just call our toll-free number. It's 1-800-GOD-SAYS, that's 1-800-463-7297. Well friends, before we actually get to the questions this evening, let's just start with a word of prayer.

Dear Father, we recognize that as we study Your word, we need the Holy Spirit's guidance for this is, indeed, Your Book. So please be with us tonight. Be with those who call in. We pray for wisdom as we answer these questions from the Bible. For this we ask in Jesus' name, amen.

Well friends, I began the program tonight by talking about the inner ear of the bat. Now indeed, this is an amazing fact. There is this tiny, little muscle attached to a bone that actually removes this bone from contact with the eardrum in order for the bat to hear its echo.

And when you think about how marvelous it is and God went through all of this trouble to create this for the bat, what does that tell us about His love for us and his concern for each and every one of us? Friends, if God cares about the things that He made with so much concern and providing for their needs, we can have assurance that God cares for us and that He will provide for our needs.

Jesus says in Matthew chapter 10, verse 29, "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? and not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore, you are more valuable than many sparrows."

Friends, sometimes we might ask, "Are we really important to God?" Sometimes, things happen in our lives that bring us to question if God really loves us. But looking in nature and the marvels of God's creation, and looking at Calvary and the price that was paid for our salvation, that testifies, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God loves us and that we are important to Him.

The free offer that we have tonight for any of you listening is a booklet entitled, Amazing Wonders of Creation. And if you're looking for assurance, if you're looking for confidence tonight knowing that God cares about you and that He loves you, I would encourage you to call our resource number and just ask for this free offer, Amazing Wonders of Creation.

The number to call is 1-800-835-6747. Our free offer tonight is, Amazing Wonders of Creation. Well friends, before we go to the phone lines to take your questions, let's take a few Internet questions this evening. And, by the way, if you have a question that you would like to have us address on the air, you can go to the Amazing Facts website. It's www.amazingfacts.org.

There is a link for Bible Answers Live. Click on that link and that will give you an opportunity to place your question and that will come through to us; and hopefully, we'll be able to answer your question on the air. Well, I have an Internet question here from someone. It's concerning Mark chapter 11. It's the story about Jesus cursing the fig tree.

I'm sure those of you who are hearing are, in some ways, familiar with this. It's about Jesus coming from Bethany, and this is in Mark chapter 11, verse 12. Jesus is coming from Bethany and He was hungry.

Verse 13 says, "Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to find out if it had any fruit. When He reached it, He found nothing but leaves because it was not the season for figs. Then He said to the tree, May no one ever eat fruit from you again. And the disciples heard it."

And then sometime later, Jesus and His disciples came out of Jerusalem and as they were walking back towards Bethany, they noticed that that tree that Jesus had cursed had, indeed, withered up from the roots and the leaves were wilted. Well the question is, "Why did Jesus curse the fig tree? Didn't He know that it wasn't the season for figs?"

Well that's a good question. Did Jesus curse the fig tree because He was hungry and there wasn't any figs? No, not at all. Rather, in this experience, we see an important lesson that Jesus is teaching His disciples, and that Jesus is teaching us today. If we go back to the very first book of the Bible, the book of Genesis, we have the story of creation.

God created a perfect world and a beautiful Garden of Eden where He placed Adam and Eve. But Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and, seduced by the devil--and he impersonated a serpent--Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. They lost their innocence and their joy and their peace and guilt filled their hearts. And the Bible says that they realized that they were naked and they were ashamed.

And so they sowed fig leaves together to try and hide their nakedness. Here, nakedness is a symbol of shame. It's a symbol of sin. Jesus came and He looked for Adam and Eve; and when He found them, He removed their fig leaves and gave them coats of skin, which is a symbol of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus and His robe of righteousness.

So from then on throughout Scripture, it's interesting--the imagery of a fig leaf has to do with man's attempts to atone for his own sins. Whereas that sacrifice of a lamb or a sacrificial animal and the skins that were used is a symbol of Christ and His righteousness that He gives to those that believe in Him.

So the reason that Jesus cursed the fig tree here in Mark 11 was to teach the important lesson, friends, that our own righteousness cannot save us, that we are saved through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It also teaches us that we might look good on the outside, but unless we have the fruit of righteousness and the fruit of the Holy Spirit on the inside, no matter how we look on the outside, it's not good enough. It's not going to save us.

Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7, verse 16, "You will know them by their fruits." Well, the second question that we have that has come through the Internet has to do with the second Commandment. The question is--let me just read the second Commandment. It's taking about concerning making a likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

And the question is, "Does this mean that I should not have pictures of my family on the walls or paintings of scenes hanging, or even ceramic pieces in the shapes of animals, and so on? Thank you for your time in answering this question." Well that's a good question: does the second Commandment forbid us to have photos or pictures decorating our house?

And the answer is no, friends. If we read the Commandment in its entirety, it tells us that we are not to make any graven image and bow down to worship it. Even in the temple itself, we find that there were images of angels that had been embroidered on the curtain, separating the Holy from the Most Holy Place.

There were angels on the Ark of the Covenant that were made of pure gold. And so to have an image or a reminder of something in your home, that is not breaking the second Commandment. But bowing down and worshiping that image, that is, indeed, a different situation. That is violation of the second Commandment.

Well friends, again, thank you for your Internet questions. If you'd like to send us these questions, we do appreciate it. Again, you can go to our website. It's www.amazingfacts.org. Click on the link that says Bible Answers Live and you can just post your question there.

We have some phone lines that are still open. I see there's a number of calls already waiting. If you would like to call on one of the open lines, you can do so by calling 1-800-463-7297. We'll go to our first caller tonight. Beth, listening from Mississippi, welcome to the program.

Beth: Yes, thank you.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi

Beth: Hi

Pastor Jëan Ross: What is your question?

Beth: My question is what significance does the war in Israel have in relation to prophecy and the second coming of Christ?

Pastor Jëan Ross: That's a good question. Of course, today, it's difficult to take a look at the news without it featuring this war that's taking place right now in Israel. It's a sad situation; and it doesn't seem like there's a solution, at least, not in the immediate future. Is there any significance to this in the scope of Bible prophecy?

Well first of all, Jesus said in Matthew 24, speaking about end-time events, He said there would be wars and rumors of wars, speaking about things associated with the coming of Jesus, just before Jesus would come. So there would be an increase in conflict. There would be an increase in strife and war.

Is there any significance in particular to this war in Israel? Well we do know that throughout history, Israel has fought many wars on different fronts, different situations. I don't know if this particular combat or this conflict right now has a very important significance in and of itself. Rather, I think it's another evidence for the time that we are now living in, that we are indeed living in the last days of earth's history and that Jesus will come very soon.

So as an isolated war? I don't know if it has any greater significance than the other wars that are taking place in our world today. Does that make sense Beth?

Beth: Yes. Does it have any significance speaking of the battle of Armageddon?

Pastor Jëan Ross: That's a good question. The battle of Armageddon. You know, when we look in Scripture, in Revelation, which talks about the battle of Armageddon, the battle of Armageddon is when the enemies of God come up against God's people in the last days. Now, we know from Scripture that you have literal Israel, but you also have spiritual Israel.

Those who believe in Jesus and accept Him as their Savior, they become spiritual Israel. They've claimed Jesus as their Messiah. They are God's people. They are spiritual Jews, so to speak. And the battle of Armageddon involves God's spiritual Jews, those who accepted Jesus as their Savior.

The battle of Armageddon will actually end with the second coming of Jesus. Jesus comes to deliver His faithful children and remove them as their enemies gather around them to mount and attack. So, today the significance is spiritual Israel, more so than literal Israel. Does that help?

Beth: I suppose so.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright. I know there's a lot of discussion about Israel today and the role that it plays in Bible prophecy. I think the important thing that we need to note is that today, spiritual Israel a plays a by far more significant role in end-time events and in Bible prophecy than does literal Israel.

Well Beth, thanks again for your call. We appreciate it and I hope that helps a little bit. We're going to go to our next caller. Frank is listening from New York, Manhattan. Welcome to the program Frank. Frank, can you hear me? Frank, are you there? I guess Frank is not there. Frank, if you can hear us, you might want to call back.

We'll go to our next caller. Roberta is listening in South Carolina listening on the Internet. Welcome to the program.

Roberta: Thank you

Pastor Jëan Ross: Thanks for calling. What is your question?

Roberta: Thank you for taking my call. I was wondering if you could explain to me the meaning of the creatures and the wheels in Ezekiel chapter 1?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay, good question. Let me go to that. So I'll just open it up over here on my computer and we can take a look at it. In Ezekiel chapter 1 we have a very interesting passage here dealing with some imagery of--you're talking about the wheels and the eyes within the wheels, and so on, making up the throne of God?

Roberta: Yes, uh-huh.

Pastor Jëan Ross: To give you the details of that, exactly what it means, we know that eyes in Bible prophecy represent wisdom and they're a symbol of God's all-knowing ability. He knows everything. It can also represent the Holy Spirit. Revelation talks about the seven spirits that are before the throne of God; or the seven burning lamps, which also represent the Holy Spirit.

So here the eyes within the wheels represent that aspect of God. He's all-knowing. These wheels carry God's throne and they move from side to side and forward and back. What exactly are these wheels? It talks about them living. To get a clue, if we go to Revelation chapter 4 and Revelation 5, we have a description of God's throne room in heaven.

And we have a description of God's throne; and then it talks about four living creatures that surround the throne and the four living angels, or beings, that surround God's throne, that actually make up God's throne.

Many Bible scholars believe that these wheels symbolized by these eyes that move and God's throne that moves from side to side in vision, Ezekiel was seeing these four living creatures surrounding God's throne and their doing the work of moving God from place to place as needed. So, it's quite an interesting picture, if you read that there in Ezekiel about these wheels moving.

But it's a symbol. It reveals God's throne room. It reveals these four living creatures that are actually surrounding His throne.

Roberta: Do we know who the creatures are?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Well we have a description of the creatures given in Revelation. The one is described as having the face of a man; another is described as having a face of a lion; another one having the face of an ox or a calf; and the last one having the face of an eagle. And if you look at the symbols of all of these different animals in Scripture, they teach us something significant.

A lion represents royalty. It can also represent Christ in His royal phase before He came to earth, the King of kings, Lord of lords. Jesus is said to be the Lion of the tribe of Judah. So it represents royalty and the power of Christ.

You have the ox, which is a sacrificial animal, or a calf; and that can represent Christ as our atoning sacrifice when He died on the cross for our sins. He is the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world.

Then you have the third beast that has the face as a face of a man. We also know that Jesus is our High Priest, ministering on our behalf in the heavenly sanctuary. Hebrews talks about Jesus; and He is a faithful High Priest, and He is touched with the feelings of our infirmity, and He lives to intercede on our behalf. So there, the face of a man could represent Christ's high priestly ministry.

And an eagle in Scripture represents strength; but it can also represent judgment. We know that when Jesus comes the second time, He's coming not as a Priest, but He's coming as a King. He's coming as a Judge. So these four living creatures could represent four different phases in the ministry of Jesus Christ. Does that make sense?

Roberta: Yes, thank you very much.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, well thanks again for calling and good question that you had. We'll go to our next caller today. James is listening in Arizona, Prescott, Arizona. Welcome to the program James.

James: Well thank you. I was asking about Luke 21:24--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay

James: --about, "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles, until the time of the Gentiles are fulfilled."

Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hm

James: What time is he talking about, I guess? You know, what uh, the whole thing I just, you know.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay. The whole chapter there in Luke 21 is similar to that of Matthew 24. And Jesus is talking about certain events associated with, on the one hand, the destruction of Jerusalem, which, of course, happened in 70 A.D. And on the other hand, Jesus is talking about things associated with the second coming.

Sometimes you talk about it as signs of the end, or signs of the times, things that happen just before the second coming of Christ. Here it is talking about Jerusalem being trodden underfoot and given over to the Gentiles for a certain period of time.

Now, there are several significant time periods mentioned in Scripture. You have the 2,300 day time prophecy that's mentioned in Daniel chapter 8; and you also have the 1,260 day or year prophecy, which is mentioned in Daniel, as well as in the book of Revelation. Now the 1,260 year time period is sometimes spoken of as "42 months," or a "time, times, and a half of time." There are 360 days in a Hebrew year, so it works out to 1,260 days. One prophetic day is equal to one literal year.

Now this 1,260 year time period begins in 538 A.D. and goes through to 1798; and that is a time period when church and state united during the Dark Ages and persecuted those who refused to bow the knee to the papal throne. It was a time of persecution.

We have the 2,300 day prophecy, which begins in 457 B.C. and ends around 1844. It's a very interesting and significant time prophecy. Around 1844, the truth of Christ's high priestly ministry and what He was doing in the Sanctuary above, in the heavenly sanctuary, came to light in the great advent awakening of the early 1800's and around 1844.

So some have suggested, and I think there's a certain amount of credence to this, that this time prophecy where it talks about the Gentiles trodding the temple, and so on, underfoot, refers on one hand to the 1,260 year prophecy, which ended in 1798 when Berthier, Napoleon's general, took the pope captive and he died a captive in France; and also, in a broader sense, the 2,300 day prophecy.

Well then after 1844, the truth of Christ's high priestly ministry as our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary really came to light and was proclaimed far and near. Does that make sense?

James: Uh, actually no.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright

James: Because if you look at the context of it, you know, a few verses prior to that, you know, how dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women,--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes

James: --they will be in great distress, they will fall by the sword, taken as prisoners, you know. And then it says (unintelligible). If you take it in the context, it really does seem more of a literal thing than [cross talk] symbolic.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Right. That did definitely have a literal fulfillment. That happened in 70 A.D. when the Romans and Titus came and destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. And, in a very real sense, that did have that type of fulfillment. It was a terrible time. But this prophecy not only is limited to something that happened in the past back around 70 A.D., but it also has an application and significance for the times that we are living in now.

So when we look at it, it not only has historical fulfillment, but also in its present and how it applies to us today, we see a broader significance, especially if we line it up with the time prophecies that we already have in the Bible. I want to thank you for your call. That's a good question. We appreciate it.

James, we're going to go to our next caller now. Marla is listening in North Carolina. Welcome to the program.

Marla: Hi

Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi, thanks for calling.

Marla: Thank you. My question is about the tribulation period.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes

Marla: I know that God expects for us to prepare spiritually for a second coming. But as a wife and a mother, I'm concerned about whether or not I need to prepare, you know, food, water? I mean, are there things we're suppose to do physically to prepare for His second coming so that we don't have to suffer as much when the time that we're unable to buy without the mark comes?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Right. That's a good question. I know there are a lot of folks who are saying, "Well what do we do? Do we go find a piece of land up in the mountains and sell everything we have and start gathering up food?"

You know, when I look at how sophisticated people are today, as far as their scientific advances and being able to search and find people with infrared and so on, I ask myself, "How in the world could we ever hide when the time of trouble comes? Is there some place that we can go to hide that no one can find us?" It seems very unlikely.

What's going to happen during this time of trouble is that God is going to guide us, and reveal to us, and provide for us. And we need to trust in Him. Now, some folks suggest that if we do start storing up things for that time of trouble when there is nothing to buy, others will probably come in and break in and steal that which we have.

Probably the greatest preparation that we can do is the preparation of the heart, making sure that we are connected with God, that we are listening to the promptings of His Holy Spirit so that He can direct us and guide us and show us where we need to go and what we need to do.

Marla: That makes sense.

Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, we do have a wonderful promise in the Bible that those who trust in God, they don't have to be afraid of these things that are coming upon the earth. It can seem fearful--

[Cross talk]

Marla: And I am.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yeah, I know. It can seem fearful when we look at it and we read about the seven last plagues in Revelation; but--

Marla: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: --God has promised to take care of us.

Marla: Yes

Pastor Jëan Ross: Psalm 91 is just a wonderful Psalm, and you might want to read it sometime.

Marla: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: It talks specifically about that time that's coming upon the earth. And it talks about no plague coming close, or coming nigh, the dwelling of those who are trusting in God. It says, "A thousand shall fall at your one side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come nigh thee. Only with your eyes will you see the reward of the wicked." So that gives us courage--

Marla: Yes it does.

Pastor Jëan Ross: --that God will take care of us during that time; and we don't have to be afraid.

Marla: Well I appreciate that.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Does that help?

Marla: Thank you very much. It does.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright. Well hang onto that promise. We know God is with us and He will see us through whatever the future might have in store for us. Well friends, it's coming up on our break, but I think we have time for just one more caller before we take our break. Joseph listening from New York. Welcome to the program.

Joseph: Hello brother, how are you?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Fine, thank you.

Joseph: I have a question that concerns--somewhere in the Bible it refers to the four corners of the earth.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes

Joseph: Now, if the four corners of the earth--you can't take that literally because, as we know today, the earth is round. Now does that mean that the good prophet that wrote that at that time believed like everybody else, that the earth was flat?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay, very good question.

Joseph: Or is that in the Bible?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay. Let me address that. The first verse that we have that you're referring to is Revelation 7, verse 1 where the prophet John writes, "And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree."

Now he's not talking about the four corners of the earth as we think of a square. But what's being referred to here is the four points of the compass. You have North, South, East and West. And when it talks about these four angels holding back the four winds of strife, symbolically, there are these angels holding back the strife, this tribulation that's coming upon the earth until something happens, and that is the sealing of God's people.

So this needs to be understood symbolically. Remember, Revelation is a symbolic book. There's not literally four angels holding back wind, but rather, it's a symbol of this conflict coming upon the earth and these angels are holding this back. Does that make sense?

Joseph: Oh well Pastor, yes and no. It makes sense the way you explained it; but literally, it still says four corners of the earth, doesn't it?

Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, it does. Again, once again, we want to consider the symbolism connected with this. This is a symbolic book. And something else that's interesting, I hear the music playing in the background, that means we're going to go out of time here in just a moment. But the Bible does talk about the earth being round.

Job talks about the circle of the world, which is kind of interesting if, [cross talk, unintelligible] you know, back, yeah, back at that time, people didn't know that. Well, we're going to have to end the program for just a few moments. We will be back after the break. Again, thank you, stay tuned.

If you have any further questions, you can call us. The number is 1-800-GOD-SAYS, that's 1-800-463-7297. Again friends, stay tuned. We will be right back just after a short break.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Pastor Jëan Ross: Welcome back friends. This is Pastor Jëan Ross. Pastor Doug Batchelor is not in this evening. I would like to remind you, if you would like to have assurance of God's love for you, why not call our resource number and get our free offer for tonight? It's Amazing Wonders of Creation.

And all you'll need to do to get that free offer is call 1-800-835-6747. If you'd like to call in a Bible-related question, the number to call is 1-800-463-7297, and the acronym is GOD SAYS. Friends, we would like to welcome a radio station that is broadcasting Bible Answers Live this evening.

It is KPRL 1230 AM and they are in El Paso Robles in California. We want to welcome those who are listening on KPRL 1230 AM. And if any of you are listening, give us a call. Call in your Bible-related question.

Amazing Facts has a number of outstanding resources that we'd like to remind you of. To take a look at it, go to the Amazing Facts website. It's simply www.amazingfacts.org, and there are some free study guides that you can take a look at. There are books you can even download; programs of Bible Answers Live and you can listen to it. It's just a great resource. So be sure to take a look at that.

Also at the Amazing Facts website, you will find a link to something called MAP. It's the "Most Amazing Prophecies." Later on this year, September 15th through to the 23rd, Pastor Doug Batchelor will be doing a series of presentations. It'll be broadcast from Berrien Springs, Michigan. It will be a live up link dealing with the most amazing prophecies of the Scripture.

We've called that MAP as an abbreviation. MAP, Most Amazing Prophecies, because the Bible is indeed a map to us. It guides us and leads us ultimately to heaven. So take a look at that. There are great resources and I think you'll be blessed. Well we're going to go back to the phone lines. Our next caller, Frank, is listening from New York. Frank, welcome to the program.

Frank: Hi, how are you? Peace be with you.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Thank you, and yourself?

Frank: Okay. My question is--I have two fast questions.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure

Frank: Let me look--I'm going to read to you from the Old Testament of the New King James version, and the New Testament. Okay. "In the beginning Yahweh created the heaven and the earth," okay, the heaven and the earth. Now this is the New King James version, "In the beginning Yahweh created the heavens and the earth." Why is it that the old King James version says, "heaven" and why is it that the New King James version says, "heavens"?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Good question. You know, I think the question needs to be addressed, as far as translations go. Of course, you've got the New King James, you've got the regular King James version, you've got the Revised Standard, you've got a number of different translations.

The Bible, of course, was written--the Old Testament--in Hebrew. There's a little bit of the book of Daniel that's written in Aramaic; and then the New Testament was written in Greek. So different translators have translated the Old Testament to Hebrew and the New Testament to Greek in different ways.

And it's an important thing to note, when we study the Bible, that we want to make sure that we have a good, accurate translation. Even the best translations out there I would encourage you, if you don't already have this, to have a good concordance. And even if you can, have some sort of a way of looking at the original language and the different ways it can be translated.

Sometimes some translations do a better job of translating some things than others. I think the verses that you gave an example of does just that, different translations will translate it just a little differently.

Frank: One of the true books to me is the (unintelligible) bible.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm

Frank: Okay. That is true. Okay. Let me go to one more fast thing here. Let's go to Revelation chapter 20. "And the mysteries of the seven stars which are in my right hand which are the seven golden lamp stands." You see that? Golden lamp stands?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm

Frank: Now, watch when I go to the--that's the New Testament. Watch when I go--I mean the, yeah, the New Testament. Watch when I go to the Old Testament now. Okay, let me get my bearings, okay. "In the mysteries of the seven stars, which are the servants in my right hand, which are the seven golden candlesticks." Now we have candlesticks on here.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm, yes.

Frank: Then we have--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yeah, I know exactly what you're saying. Different translations will do it differently and that's why I encourage you. You know, I use a number of translations in my study. I know Pastor Doug does the same thing. We like to compare with different translations. But it's always good to be able to go back to the original.

Go back to the original Hebrew. Go back to the original Greek. There are a number of excellent software programs out there that actually help you in your Bible study by going back and taking a look at what the actual original has to say. So when it comes to translations, I would shop around. I would look for something that is as close to the original that I could find.

And I recognize that these Bible scholars did the best that they could to try and translate the Bible, but they didn't always necessarily get it right on. One other thing I want to mention about translations is the difference between a paraphrase and a translation.

A translation is where the original text, the Hebrew, the Greek, was taken and translated into English, or whatever the language is. But a paraphrase is where an English translation of the Bible is written by somebody using different words.

Now paraphrases can be good for devotional reading and so on; but when it comes to Bible study, I would encourage folks to go with a translation and try and find one that's as close to the original text as you can possibly find. Well Frank, thanks for calling. It's a good question that deals with the Bible. We want to make sure that we are following Scripture in its entirety.

We're going to go to our next caller. Lawrence calling from San Marcus, welcome to the program.

Lawrence: Hi, thank you for taking my call.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Thanks for calling.

Lawrence: Yes. My question is Caesar lived in the time of Jesus? Is there anything written from Caesar's perspective about Jesus, and he knew about Jesus?

Pastor Jëan Ross: From a historical source outside of the Bible?

Lawrence: Right, right.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay. Well there are a number of historical sources that actually talk about Jesus. I've actually read in the writings of Josephus. There isn't much, but he does talk about Jesus of Nazareth and actually states that Jesus was crucified by the Romans. It's a very interesting quotation.

You know, Josephus has a well-known and trustworthy account of history so that is interesting, Josephus does. And then there are also some other writings that speak about Jesus, the historical Jesus that lived during the time of Pontius Pilate and Herod, and so on. So there's a number of outside references to Jesus that helped to validate what the Bible says.

Lawrence: Right, but was it that Caesar knew of Jesus? Was he told of Jesus,--

[Cross talk]

Pastor Jëan Ross: Are you thinking about the--

Lawrence: --what was going--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Are you're thinking about the Caesar that was in Rome?

Lawrence: Yeah, yeah, because wasn't he the same time of Jesus, the same time frame?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Right. Rome had a number of Caesars that ruled during that whole time period, during the empire of Rome.

Lawrence: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: Palestine, Jerusalem, where Jesus was, that was a territory of the Roman empire;--

Lawrence: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: --and then there were local governors and local leaders. Pontius Pilate, of course, was the Roman governor at the time of Christ's crucifixion. And Herod was also the tetrarch, or the overseer, the governor of an area of Galilee and that part of Palestine. So, they were the local leaders and without a doubt they knew about Jesus.

How far did the story go? Did it go all the way to Rome? We're not quite sure.

Lawrence: Yeah, so--

Pastor Jëan Ross: We know the Christians eventually did take it all the way to Rome.

Lawrence: Uh-huh, okay.

Pastor Jëan Ross: But if you have access to the writings of Josephus and you look up Jesus Christ, if you have it on computer or something, it's a very interesting statement that he makes; and it's worth looking at.

Lawrence: Oh okay. That sounds good.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, well thanks for calling.

Lawrence: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright. We'll go to our next caller. Ramone, calling from Orlando, Florida. Welcome to the program.

Ramone: Thank you so much for taking my call.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Thanks for calling.

Ramone: Yes. I have a question, and it could be a little controversial, but I do not want no controversy please.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure

Ramone: I just want to get to the bottom and learn more about what this preacher said. And this is the question: What does the Bible say about the Holy Spirit for today's church, and what is the role of the Holy Spirit in the church and for the end time?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay. First thing we want to mention is that the Holy Spirit plays a very important part, not only in the New Testament, but also in the Old Testament. We find that there were many God-fearing men and women in the Old Testament that were filled with the Holy Spirit.

But in the New Testament, we find the church recognizing the importance of the Holy Spirit or being guided by the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would be given in a special measure for those who trust and believe in Him. Jesus also admonished the church to pray for the Holy Spirit and ask for the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, "If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those that ask him?" [Luke 11:13.] So the Holy Spirit plays a very important role. What is the work of the Holy Spirit? Well I'm going to just give you a couple of verses here and try and summarize it.

It's a big topic, as you can imagine, the Holy Spirit but it does have an important work. One of the first things that the Holy Spirit does is it sanctifies us, cleanses us; 1st Peter chapter 1,

verse 2 talks about the Holy Spirit as a sanctifier. We have the Holy Spirit doing the work of a comforter. Jesus spoke about this in John chapter 16, verses 7 through 11, where Jesus said, "The Comforter will come."

Romans chapter 8, verse 14 says that we must be led by the Spirit of God; and those who are led by the Spirit of God are, indeed, the sons of God. So it's important for us to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us. How does the Holy Spirit speak to us? He speaks to us through the Word, through the Bible, and He also speaks to us through our conscience, that still, small voice.

The Holy Spirit will convict us. The Bible says, "You will hear a voice behind you saying Walk this way, walk in it," and you will be blessed. The Holy Spirit also makes intercession for us. We read about that in Romans chapter 8:26 through 28.

Ramone: Um-hmm

Pastor Jëan Ross: The Holy Spirit actually intercedes on our behalf. John chapter 15, verse 26 says that the Holy Spirit will come, and speaks of Him again as being a Comforter. John chapter 14:26, Jesus says that the Holy Ghost will teach and bring to remembrance those things that He (Jesus) had taught. So the Holy Spirit plays an important role as being our teacher.

Now, let me also add that the Holy Spirit always teaches and leads in harmony with the Scriptures. Does that make sense?

Ramone: It makes sense. But also you say It's given in a measure. As I read chapter 5, Galatians, he talks about the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Can you elaborate on that?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes. Now there are two different things that we find that come from the Holy Spirit.

Ramone: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: There's more, but there are two that are highlighted in Scripture. The one is the gifts of the Spirit.

Ramone: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: The other is the fruit of the Spirit.

Ramone: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: Now the difference between the two is this. The fruit of the Spirit is that which must be manifest in the life of every true believer. If you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you, then you will have the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is spoken of in Galatians 5:22 and 23; and it's love, joy, peace, patience, longsuffering, gentleness, meekness, and kindness, and so on.

If we have the Holy Spirit living within us, then we'll manifest those characteristics. The gifts of the Spirit, on the other hand, were given to the church for the purpose of spreading and preaching the Gospel. Gifts of the Spirit are gifts of administration, gifts of prophecy, gifts of tongues, gifts of evangelists, pastors, and so and so forth.

Ramone: Teachers

Pastor Jëan Ross: Teachers, and so forth. So these were given for the purpose of edifying and building up the church and expanding the Gospel, the preaching of the Gospel. But every Christian individually, we want to pray and ask for the Holy Spirit, and also ask for the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that we will be like Jesus.

Ramone: Can I say for a statement, not from you, from me, that a believer must have the Holy Spirit?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Absolutely, absolutely.

Ramone: And, you know, otherwise how would you meet Jesus?

Pastor Jëan Ross: That's right. How can we reflect Christ's character? How can we be what God wants us to be without the Holy Spirit? It's impossible. So the Holy Spirit is for everyone. The Holy Spirit will come into the heart and dwell in the life of everyone who sincerely wants the Holy Spirit and surrenders their heart and their life fully to Jesus.

Of course the Holy Spirit empowers us to live a life that brings honor and glory to God.

Ramone: And to overtake or overcome any trials and difficulties.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Absolutely, absolutely.

Ramone: Okay. Now, you know, in today's society, or say, in general,--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm

Ramone: --I think we're lacking the Holy Spirit in today's church.

Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, I think in a certain measure, you're right. I believe that God would want His church to reflect His image more than what it does now.

Ramone: I believe--

Pastor Jëan Ross: I mean, you think of the early Christian church--

Ramone: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: --with their fervor, their love, their commitment, their zeal; they were filled with the Holy Spirit; and God worked through them in a powerful way.

Ramone: And the times, like you said, in the early church, they didn't worry about being politically correct.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yeah. They followed God's Word and the leadings and promptings of the Holy Spirit. I mean, that's what was their guide.

Ramone: And that's why, you know, He leads me to--I enjoy your program, especially Doug Batchelor's--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm

Ramone: --and I catch it over here in Orlando, Florida. But what lead me to compare that is today you see, not to mention anyone, but figures in the church, per se, you know, well-known people trying to compromise.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Right

Ramone: I believe that the principles of a believer, of the genuine, find and sanctify faith with politically correct statements.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes

Ramone: You know, what's happening now in the Middle East, if you're a student of the prophecy, it's part of the end time. We should be praying for the Hebrews.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Right. You know, it brings to mind, what you're talking about, it's important to rather obey God than man. I'm thinking of the experience of the disciples there in Jerusalem when the Jewish leaders told them to stop preaching Christ. And Peter said, "We must obey God rather than man."

And so if ever there is political power, or an individual that is telling us to compromise something that God has told us to do, then we want to always stand for God and stand for the truth. Thanks for much for calling. We do appreciate it. Our next caller is listening in California. Lorena, welcome to the program.

Lorena: Hello?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi, thanks for calling.

Lorena: Hi. This is Lorena.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi, what is your question?

Lorena: My question was in Leviticus 12, verse 4. It's talking about when a mother has given birth to a child, she's not allowed to enter the sanctuary until the date of her purifying be fulfilled. I was just wondering if that um--if there is a law from the Old Testament, or it's something that we should keep?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Still keep today--good question. In the Bible we find at least three different types of law. You have the moral law, which is the Ten Commandments.

Lorena: Uh-huh

Pastor Jëan Ross: You have the ceremonial laws, which had to do with the sanctuary service and the sacrificial system, sacrificing lambs, and so on. You had the health laws that we have mentioned in the Bible. And actually, there's a fourth group of laws, and that is the civil laws, laws that related to the running of Israel under a theocracy when God was the King.

A certain amount of these ceremonial laws that had to do with cleansing; and this particular verse that you're reading about here would fall under that category, the ceremonial laws. All of those laws and types pointed to Jesus. I mean, Jesus died on the cross. He was the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world. All of those ceremonial types of laws came to an end in the death of Jesus.

But the moral law, which is the Ten Commandment law, that has never changed. And certain of the health laws are true today. For example, clean and unclean meats; that has practical, good advice for us today in order for us to be healthy. Some of the other laws, the ceremonial laws, which I'm speaking of here specifically, they did come to an end when Jesus died on the cross.

Lorena: Oh okay.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Does that make sense?

Lorena: Yes it does. [Cross talk] Yes, I just--

Pastor Jëan Ross: This particular one that's talking about being unclean or ceremonially unclean to where they couldn't enter into the temple, that was part of the ceremonial system, part of the ceremonial laws that came to an end when Jesus died on the cross.

Lorena: Oh I see. Okay, thank you.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, thank you so much for calling. Our next caller is Susan calling from Lincoln, California. Welcome to the program Susan.

Susan: Am I on the air?

Pastor Jëan Ross: You're on the air.

Susan: I think she just answered my question about Colossians but can I ask another one?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure

Susan: I want to know in Genesis chapter 4, verse 5, why was Cain's offering not accepted by God?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Genesis chapter 4 and verse 5. In that story, we have Cain and Abel, two brothers, the first two sons of Adam and Eve, and they were bringing the sacrifices to God. Now Abel's sacrifice was a lamb, according to what God had said; whereas Cain's sacrifice was fruit and vegetables and whatever he produced in his garden and he brought that.

He brought the best of what he had, but he brought to God and he placed it as a sacrifice. Abel's sacrifice was accepted, but Cain's was not. Now there's much significance to this, the fact that Abel's sacrifice was accepted. First of all, Abel obeyed what God said. God asked for a lamb and Abel, in willing obedience, brought the sacrifice that God required.

God didn't ask for fruit and vegetables to be offered up as a sacrifice. And so, on the one hand, Abel was obedient to what God had said. Cain, on the other hand, instead of bringing what God desired, he brought something that his hands, to a certain degree, had produced, he had worked. It was the work of his hands; and he brought that to God. But that was not accepted.

And I think it's significant: we cannot bring to God anything that we do. The Bible says our righteousness is as filthy rags.--

Susan: Um-hmm

Pastor Jëan Ross: --All we can bring to Him is what He has provided for us, and that's Jesus. Jesus is the atoning sacrifice. We cannot wait to make ourselves clean before we come to Jesus. We can go to Him just the way that we are and He will accept us, He'll forgive us, and cleanse us. Our own righteousness can never save us.

And I think that's the lesson that we can learn from the story of Cain and Abel.

Susan: Okay

Pastor Jëan Ross: Does that make sense?

Susan: Yes it does.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright

Susan: Okay, thank you.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Thanks so much for calling Susan. We'll go to our next caller. Frank is listening in California on KRM. Welcome to the program Frank.

Frank: Hello

Pastor Jëan Ross: Hello. Thanks for calling. What is your question?

Frank: My question is on 1st Corinthians--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes

Frank: --chapter 14, verse 34 through 35; and also with a follow up of 1st Timothy chapter 2, verse 11 through 13--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm

Frank: and also chapter 3:12, talking about the deacons--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes

Frank: --and also with a follow up question about one also has to do with jewelry in the church.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright

Frank: Um--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Well let's tackle the first--

Frank: Can you please answer that for me--

Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure

Frank: --and give me an answer why?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay. Let's tackle the first one, the one in 1st Corinthians 14:34. Let me read it for those who are listening. It says, "Let your women keep silent in the church: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church."

Now, at first reading, this might seem that women should not say anything the moment they step into the church or step into the sanctuary. Is that really what God is teaching us? Is that the point? If we look at the context of this in Corinthians, we realize that Paul's letter to the church in Corinth, that had a number of issues, addressed those issues that he was dealing with in the church.

One of the issues was just commotion that took place in their church service. Things were done disorderly. And they tell us that, based upon that church system, there was often women that would be calling out to their husbands during the church service; or even contradicting their husbands, trying to say something, and it was disorderly for the church.

For that reason, Paul says let the women listen in silence and if they have any questions, let them speak to their husbands later on at home. So I think this instruction was specifically for that church at that time. But I think the principle is important for us, that church needs to be orderly and things need to be done right. Does that make sense?

Frank: It does, and it doesn't.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright

Frank: Is, is... [caller is talking to someone in his background, stammers]

Pastor Jëan Ross: Is it okay for a woman to preach or to lead out?

[Cross talk]

Frank: No, to preach, to go up there and pray, and be a deaconess, and all that? When I just uh--

Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, I believe it is because we find in many of the writings of Paul where women played a very important role in the church. They played a leadership role in the church. In the greetings that Paul has at the end of some of his letters, he speaks to specific women in the church and the role that they played.

We know Timothy's mother and grandmother played an important role in raising him in the way that he should go. So women do play and important role. And I don't think that's really what Paul is speaking about here when he says, "let them keep silence in the church." Rather, he's talking about a specific situation that was taking place there in the church at Corinth.

Well I want to thank you, Frank, for calling. I hope that gives you a little further light on that text. You might want to study it a little bit further and look into it. I know we're beginning to run out of time, but let me see if we can get just a few more calls here. Ken is listening from Hudson Bay, Canada. Welcome to the program Ken.

Ken: Hi, thank you very much.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes

Ken: My question today is what do the Scriptures speak about in regard to women being pastors and elders?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Okay, good question. It sort of ties in, I think, a little bit with the one that we had just sometime earlier, the caller had in 1st Corinthians 14:34. To kind of give the short version of this, we don't find a whole lot in the Bible as far as women being pastors or being elders in the early Christian church. We find them playing important roles, but not necessarily that of being an apostle, or that of being a pastor or elder.

If we go to the Old Testament and we look at the Old Testament, we find that when it came to religious things, God placed the responsibility for religious instruction upon the shoulders of the man. The priest was always a man. In the home, the father was the head of the home. He was the priest of the home. It was his responsibility to bring to his family the Gospel and the teachings of Scripture.

So, based upon that, again, in the New Testament there's not clear instruction on that. But based upon the Old Testament and then based upon the lack of examples in the New Testament, I think we can come to the conclusion that pastors and elders, at least in the early church in the Old Testament, it was the responsibility that God gave to the male.

Ken: Okay. And I guess one of the Scriptures I was thinking was in Titus where it speaks about the elders; and it talks about that should be the man?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Being married--the man, the husband of one wife.

Ken: Right

Pastor Jëan Ross: Right. It would be hard if, you know, if that was a woman, to be married to--

Ken: Right, right.

Pastor Jëan Ross: So I think there is some evidence in Scripture that that brings into light. Well Ken, I hear the music playing in the background. That means--

Ken: Thank you very much.

Pastor Jëan Ross: --we are running out of time. I want to thank you for calling Ken, and all of the callers who called in. We do appreciate your calls. We appreciate your support. I'd like to remind you of the Amazing Facts website again. It's www.amazingfacts.org. There's a number of excellent resources there; and I encourage you to take a look at it.

Our free offer that we're offering tonight is, Amazing Wonders of Creation. If you'd like that, just call our resource number. It's 1-800-835-6747; and the book is called, Amazing Wonders of Creation.

Again friends, thank you so much for joining us, and God bless until we meet again. Good bye.

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