Hello friends! This is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? Back in 1981 in the blazing desert near Barstow, California, the U.S. Department of Energy built what is called a solar power tower. It looked something like an ocean lighthouse out in the middle of a barren desert surrounded by a flock of mirrors. Solar One, as it was called, was a pilot project constructed to generate electricity using the sun's power.
The tower is surrounded by 1,818 dedicated mirrors called heliostats that track the sun all day long. Their purpose is to reflect the sunlight to one common focal point redirecting the equivalent of 600 suns to a target at the top of the tower. This hot spot became super heated creating steam from water that turned an electric generator and produced 10 megawatts of power every day.
The U.S. Department of Energy is now building a new solar-powered unit in Boulder City, Nevada that will produce 64 megawatts of power each day. This reminds me of an amazing event recorded by ancient Greek and Roman historians that has been much disputed by modern scholars.
The historians claim that during the siege of Syracuse in 212 B.C., Archimedes, the famous ancient Greek inventor, constructed a sophisticated weapon. Through carefully arranging a combination of mirrors, he focused the magnified light of the sun to burn up an entire Roman fleet. Whenever an enemy warship came within the range of bow shot, he directed the intense light at the vessel until it ignited.
Because highly-flammable pitch was used to seal the boats, they were quickly consumed. This incredible event in history has never been disproved, but many have put it to the test. Recently, a team from MIT tried to recreate the famous Archimedes death ray. With a series of mirrors carefully arranged, they were successful in starting a fire on a ship 75 feet away.
Perhaps we should give more credit to the ancient technology. After all, someone had to be pretty ingenious to build the pyramids. You know friends, the Bible teaches us that Jesus is the Sun of righteousness and that every Christian is to be a mirror that reflects that light and power in this dark world. Stay with us friends. We're going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug: And we do still have a couple of lines open. If you have a Bible question, this would be a good time to pick up your phone and call that toll-free number. Once again, it is 1-800-GOD-SAYS. We use that acronym because we want the Lord to speak to us through His Word. We don't want it to be Pastor Doug or Pastor Jëan, but we want to find out what does the Lord say.
1-800-463-7297 will get you in the studio with your question. And have a pencil handy because we'll be giving out some free resources. You'll want that toll-free number for the resources, and also some websites where you can also download free information, listen to audio messages, videos that you can watch online. There's a kaleidoscope, a plethora, a whole bouquet of different things available at the Amazing Facts website. I may as well tell you what that address is. It's just AmazingFacts--real easy--amazingfacts.com, or .org, and .net. It'll all take you there. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: My name is Jëan Ross. Good evening listening friends. Pastor Doug, we always begin this program with a word of prayer. We recognize that the Bible is God's book. In order for us to understand it, we need His guidance.
Pastor Doug: Amen
Pastor Jëan Ross: So let's do that now. Dear Lord, once more we thank You for Your Word. We thank You for this opportunity to study the Bible. We ask a special blessing upon those who are listening, those who call in, and also be with us here in the studio as we open up Your Word, Father, to find these answers. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen!
Pastor Jëan Ross: You began the program once more with an amazing fact dealing with reflection; and how that the light of the sun is reflected in one area and it produces this incredible heat. When you were talking about reflection of the light of the sun we were talking about in Scripture, where do we find a reflection, or spoken of a light being reflected?
Pastor Doug: Well every Christian is to reflect the light of Christ. There's a story--actually it's a prophecy in Revelation 12, verse 1--and it says, "There appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun,"
Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: --"the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:" Most scholars agree this is a picture of God's church. Jesus said to the church--oh first, the Lord said, "I am the light of the world." But then He said to the church, "Ye are the light of the world," Matthew chapter 5.
And we really don't have any light of our own. The moon will illuminate the night, but it's reflecting the light of the sun. In the same way, Christians are to mirror, to reflect the light of Jesus, in this dark world, both for guiding others, and also for fighting error.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: The light of truth. We have a lesson that explains this whole prophecy about the bride of Christ, the light of the world, and how we can reflect that light. And a lot of people are searching. There are so many different churches. Does the Bible give us any guidance on how do you sift through all the broken glass and find that diamond of God's truth? And this lesson really does help people know what criteria do I use to find a church?
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know Pastor Doug, we want to make sure that those who are listening will have an opportunity to take a look at this study guide. It's an Amazing Facts' study guide. It's entitled, The Bride of Christ. If you would like this, just call the resource number. It's 1-800-835-6747. It's free, so just ask for The Bride of Christ. The number again is 1-800-835-6747.
Pastor Doug, we also want to just make mention that not only are we, as Christians, to reflect Christ's righteousness and His character, but the Bible is a reflection of truth. Thy word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path; so if you want to find the truth and have it guide our lives, we need to go to the Bible.
Pastor Doug: That's right; and it all intertwines. Jesus said, "I am the light," and He is also the Word.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: So they're really one and the same.
Pastor Jëan Ross: We have several Internet questions tonight. The first one is, "After being saved or born again, does a believer still need deliverance from ongoing evil?"
Pastor Doug: Well yes. See, even though God may forgive all the sins of the past, we are still tempted on a regular basis.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: That's why Jesus, when He told us the Lord's Prayer, it's an outline for every Christian to pray. And in that it says, "Lead us not into temptation," in other words, lead us away from our natural bent toward temptation, "and deliver us from evil." Now, in that prayer it says, "Give us this day our daily bread."
So the Lord's prayer is a prayer that can be prayed daily. Paul said, "I die daily." Jesus said we should daily deny ourselves and take up our cross.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: So there's always this battle between good and evil. Our sins can all be forgiven. But you know, sometimes a person may even slip back into demonic harassment. There's the example in the Bible of Mary Magdalene; and it says, "out of whom Jesus cast seven devils."
I think three different times in the Scripture it lists it's seven devils were cast out of Mary. And some scholars believe that wasn't all at one time, like the demoniac; but seven times she kind of slid back into her old ways and the Lord set her free. The Bible does say in Proverbs, "A righteous man falls seven times and rises again." So this ongoing battle with evil is still there. We just have got to press on!
Pastor Jëan Ross: Of course, conversion, Pastor Doug, isn't the end of the struggle. It's really the beginning.
Pastor Doug: That's right.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Because the devil is upset; he's not happy that anyone has committed their life to Christ and so he's not going to sit back and do nothing.
Pastor Doug: We're going through the wilderness; and the children of Israel, they had their ups and downs on the way to the promised land.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright. Our second question is one that we get quite a bit. It says, "If someone is cremated or if someone dies and their body is not found, for example, at sea, what will happen to them, especially in the light of the Bible teaching of the resurrection at the second coming of Christ?"
Pastor Doug: Well, that is a good question. I always like to remind our friends that everything the Bible tells us about the resurrection, tells us that God is using entirely new material. "Old things are passed away, all things are made new." We are resurrected, not with the old, carnal, corruptible bodies but we get glorified, spiritual bodies.
And you know, the closest thing I can think of to acquaint with for us is sometimes when I'm traveling, I've got this little thumb drive. It's here in front of me. It holds two gigabytes of information. All of the precious sermons and things I've worked on for years on my computer here, I back it all up.
And, in theory, if I've got that in my pocket, you can take my computer and bury it, and demolish it, and pulverize it and I can stick it in a new computer and have all my information.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: God, somehow, downloads who we are somewhere. I don't know how He does it. It's the spiritual essence, our character, our memory--He saves us to His hard drive, so to speak. And when the resurrection happens, He gives us a whole new body and puts the memories and the essence of who we are in those bodies.
So, you know, typically in the Bible, when a person dies, they were buried. There are a couple of examples where someone was burned. Some of the saints were dismembered. But God is not going to come down for the resurrection and just wring His hands and say, "Oh, I want to put them back together but I can't find all the parts." So people shouldn't worry about that.
Pastor Jëan Ross: So there's nothing wrong. Sometimes folks will ask, "Well is it wrong to be cremated?"
Pastor Doug: No. There's no Scripture that says that it's wrong, or sinful, to be cremated.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm. Alright, well thank you very much. If you have any other questions that you'd like to email to us, just go to the Amazing Facts website. You can click on the link, "Bible Answers Live," and there's an area there that you can actually type your question. And we will try to get to it here on the program.
We're going to go to the phone lines. Our first caller is Beth from Sebring, Florida, listening on Radio 74. Welcome to the program Beth.
Beth: Hi, thank you. Good evening. My question is from Hebrews 10, verse 25.
Pastor Doug: Uh-huh
Beth: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much more, as you see the day approaching." All my life I've been taught "as you see the day approaching," it was the day we worship. I'm thinking, now, it's the day that Jesus is coming. What do you think?
Pastor Doug: Well, the cross-references I have in my Bible point to other references that talk about the "day of the Lord." It's often called, "the day of the Lord," "the great day," and "the last day." John chapter 6 talks about "the last day." This great day, when probation closes, is thought of as the "day of the Lord."
Not only does that refer to the day when Jesus literally comes, but our time on earth is limited. So when Paul wrote this to the believers, when a Christian dies--matter of fact, when anybody dies, their next conscious thought is the resurrection; whether it's the resurrection of the just or the wicked. [Emphasis supplied].
Beth: That's right
Pastor Doug: And so, as we see the day approaching, the day of the Lord will come for us when we die, or when the Lord literally comes. We need to--
Beth: So it's not talking about the day we worship?
Pastor Doug: No. I don't believe that's what it's referring to.
Beth: Okay, because I've been taught that all my life.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, especially if you look at the next verse, verse 27 there in Hebrews, it talks about, "a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation." So we know that's referring also to--
Pastor Doug: Another reference to the Judgment day.
Pastor Jëan Ross: --the Judgment day, the second coming.
Pastor Doug: That's right. Two verses down. Good point. Hope that helps, Beth.
Beth: And thank you.
Pastor Doug: Thank you
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, thank you for calling, Beth. Our next caller is Walt. Walt is calling from York, Pennsylvania, listening on the Internet. Welcome to the program Walt.
Walt: Hello, thank you. My question is throughout the book of Exodus, God speaks of not eating bread with yeast in it. And I was wondering what the significance of that is?
Pastor Doug: Well leaven, yeast, which the leaven causes bread to rise, is a symbol in the Bible for sin. Jesus, one time during His ministry, He told the disciples when they were out in the boat, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees." Now, whether it's baking soda or yeast, they're all leaven.
And the disciples thought, "Well, did we forget bread? What's He talking about?" And Jesus was talking about the insidious teachings. And so leaven is sometimes a symbol for sin in the Bible; and they were to bake their bread without leaven. Christ is the Bread of the world. There is no sin in Him.
So it was saying that Christ was sinless; and also, there should be no sin in us when we eat the Passover. Now, there was no problem with their eating leaven the rest of the year, but for that sacred ceremony, it was to be unleavened bread and unfermented wine. Some people don't drink--
[Cross talk]
Walt: Great, well thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Okay, thank you.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know Pastor Doug, another thing about leaven is it's liken unto sin, probably because just a little bit of yeast, a little bit of leaven, is able to go throughout the whole loaf and make such a big difference. Once it's in the bread, you can't take it out.
Pastor Doug: And I remember I used to actually bake, believe it or not. But you can take some risen bread and take a little piece of that dough that has the leaven in it and mix it in with a fresh batch, and it will spread again.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Absolutely
Pastor Doug: So you just blend it in. That's how sin is.
Pastor Jëan Ross: It's a good parallel. Our next caller is Elizabeth listening on the Internet calling from Salinas, California. Welcome to the program.
Elizabeth: Hi, thanks for taking my call. My question is on 1st Timothy chapter 2:12-15?
Pastor Doug: Okay
Elizabeth: I have had a lot of um, I don't know, doubt about my position in the church. I have quite a few leadership roles in the church; a board member; I lead out a few classes; and I'm a personal ministries leader; evangelism community chair person. So I've been getting a lot of wisdom and instruction through Timothy, except for when I come across the verse where it says that women should not teach or exercise authority. So um--
Pastor Doug: It's interesting that you would ask this question because just the weekend, I took a drive where I listened to a message that I thought was fairly Biblical on this very subject.
Elizabeth: Okay
Pastor Doug: You want me to take a shot at it, or are you done with your question?
Elizabeth: Please do so.
Pastor Doug: Okay. This is one of the passages--and there are a few, mostly by Paul, where he talks about the role of women in church--and I'll read this. It's 1st Timothy 2:12. "But I suffer not a woman to teach, or to usurp authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety."
I don't believe this is a mandate that a woman should never have any kind of a role that involves speaking in a church. Part of the reason for that is because you've got in the book of Acts where it talks about Philip the prophet who had four daughters that prophesied.
Then you've got Anna, when Jesus was a baby, she was a prophetess in the temple, and she spoke. You do have the other prophetesses in the Bible, such as Deborah,--
Elizabeth: Miriam
Pastor Doug: --and Miriam, yeah. And I could go through a litany of others. And so, God would not give a message, an inspired, divine message, to a woman and say, "Now don't mention this in church because you're a woman."
Elizabeth: Right
Pastor Doug: I think the emphasis that Paul is talking about involves two things. One is, respecting their culture. The other is, it's a mandate against women who were, you notice the emphasis is on usurping authority? In other words, claiming, demanding authority over the man. [Cross talk]
See, in that verse, "I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to..." it's a continuation of the sentence, "usurp," or to demand or claim, "authority over the man, but to be in silence."
Elizabeth: So when I am leading out a class and I'm engaging in a leadership role, I'm not doing so in an authoritative manner, but?
Pastor Doug: Well, I think what the Bible teaches--here's where I draw the line; it really helps solve a lot of problems for me--is that you have many examples in the Bible of women who are prophets, but there's not a single instance in the Bible of women serving as Pastor, Elder, Priest.
Amram and Jochebed, two of the children of Levi, had three remarkable children, one girl, two boys. Their names were Miriam, Aaron, Moses, born in that order. All three of their children were prophets. You can read where Aaron is called a prophet; Miriam is called a prophet; Moses is called a prophet. But only the boys served in the capacity of priest, meaning offering sacrifice.
Elizabeth: Okay
Pastor Doug: The role of women teaching in the church is a role that is recognized as a Pastor, who is the leader, recognizes that, then she is not claiming that. Otherwise, they are to be silent; in other words, they're not to demand that place--
Elizabeth: I'm so glad you said that because I was actually approached by my Pastor a year ago. And I really sought after spiritual gifts intensively. I mean, I really knew that God had something great planned for me; and I was always looking for purpose. And so I wasn't seeking after these roles, um, but the Lord has blessed me entirely with skills and the ability. So I went after it.
Pastor Doug: Well then, you know, use your gifts; and what I understand the Bible saying is that there is a distinction in the roles of men and women in the family, and in the church. Men should have the leadership role, and it's a servant leader role. Jesus said He's our Master, but He came to serve. And Pastors are to be servant leaders.
In the same way, women, their role in the church is something like in the role of a family. The church is an extension of the family.
Elizabeth: Yes
Pastor Doug: The smallest possible church is a family.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: So, that's how I understand that. Sarah did speak, but she spoke with respect and submission to Abraham. And, you know, he was, sort of, like the priest or the patriarch in his family.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know Pastor Doug, you mentioned about the role that God has placed upon the shoulders of the man to be the spiritual leader in the home. That doesn't mean that the woman doesn't play a role. It's a very important role.
But it seems to me that if, for example, the father in the home doesn't want to fulfill that function, God is going to ask him, "Well, I gave you the responsibility?" He might say, "Well my wife did a better job." But that doesn't remove the responsibility that God has placed upon the shoulders of the man. I think that's true, even in the church.
Pastor Doug: Yup
[Cross talk]
Elizabeth: That's exactly my life. You answered it perfectly. Thank you so much.
Pastor Doug: Alright, well thank you for your question and glad we could help.
Elizabeth: Thank you so much. Have a good night.
Pastor Doug: You too
Pastor Jëan Ross: Thanks Elizabeth. Our next caller is Joseph calling from New York, New York, listening on WMCA. Welcome to the program Joseph.
Joseph: Good evening
Pastor Doug: Good evening
Joseph: Someone I know who claims he's secular asked me a question--
Pastor Doug: Get real close to your phone Joseph. I can barely hear you.
Joseph: Someone who I know that is secular asked me a question. I don't know if I answered it well. He asked me if Mary, the virgin, was a human being. And I said she was. And he asked me, "Well how could a human being give birth to a deity?" So I think I quoted something from the Old Testament, in Isaiah. But he said the Bible is all mythology anyway. How would you have answered that, Pastor?
Pastor Doug: Well there's something that is called "the mystery of godliness." And the Incarnation--the word "incarnation" means the "coming in the flesh;" "carneae" in Latin means "flesh." The Incarnation of Jesus is a mystery, but Jesus was not a spirit. He was a real baby.
Joseph: Yes
Pastor Doug: And the angel told Mary, "the Holy Spirit is going to come upon you", and she would conceive this child who was going to be miraculous. Well, her whole pregnancy was a normal pregnancy. She probably had all of the, you know, the aches and pains and processes of a pregnancy. Jesus' whole childhood, He had to learn to walk. He needed diapers. He was a regular baby. He was a physical human. He ate, He slept, He cried.
And so, they've got this idea that Mary gave birth to a ghost; and that's not what the Bible teaches. Jesus was 100% human, but He was also 100% divine. And that's the part that is the mystery.
Joseph: Pastor, a moment ago when you were talking to that lady, I didn't understand one word that you said. You mentioned a woman prophet? Did you say her name was Anna or Hannah?
Pastor Doug: There was Anna, A-n-n-a, who was in the temple when...I think it's the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1. When Jesus was a baby, she and Simon blessed the child.
Pastor Jëan Ross: And that is in Luke chapter 2, verse 36 where it talks about Anna.
Pastor Doug: Thank you, chapter 2, sorry. Okay?
Joseph: Hannah was another person?
Pastor Doug: Hannah was another person, the mother of Samuel; and that's in the book of 1st Samuel.
Joseph: Thank you. I didn't understand what you had said. Thank you Pastor.
Pastor Doug: Alright. God bless.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Thanks for calling Joseph.
Pastor Doug: And you know, it makes me wonder, Hannah may have even qualified as a prophetess when she prayed that prayer, so--
Pastor Jëan Ross: That's right. And even the birth of the prophet Samuel was very special.
Pastor Doug: Yup
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright. Our next caller is Martine calling from Brooklyn, New York, listening on the Internet. Welcome to the program.
Martine: Hello, good night Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Good evening
Martine: How are you doing?
Pastor Doug: Good, and your question tonight?
Martine: My question tonight is why do some Christians today celebrate the holiday Christmas, then we have other Christians who don't believe in this holiday? Thus they don't celebrate it.
Pastor Doug: Well you know, I usually expect that question to start coming, on a regular basis, around November; but you're asking me in August.
Martine: Yeah
Pastor Doug: You're getting a jump on it.
Martine: Yeah
Pastor Doug: I'll tell you what I understand is, and I think most Christians have come to realize that December 25th, there's no Biblical support for that date.
Martine: Right
Pastor Doug: The date of December 25th can be found in many pagan cultures because--well it's actually an astronomical date. It's a date of the winter solstice. The winter solstice is about the 21st. The days do not begin to get normally longer until the 25th; and of course, we're talking about in the Northern hemisphere.
So among many cultures, that was the day that was celebrated because they called it "the rebirth of the sun." Well, when the pagans in Rome began to convert to Christianity, they already had this celebration of Mithra the 25th of December. And since they didn't know exactly when Jesus was born, they took all the stories about the birth of Christ and they applied them to December 25th to make Christianity more attractive to the pagans.
That's where it really happened. Jesus was probably born in the fall; and I can prove that from a couple of Scriptures very quickly. One is that the shepherds would not be out in the field with their flocks on December 25th because their climate is like Northern California, and it's pretty cold.
Secondly, Augustus Caesar would not have issued a census for everybody to travel in the middle of winter to go be counted and taxed. They always did that in the harvest time so people could have food, which was when Jesus was born also.
And then finally, we know that Jesus died 33 1/2 years after His birth. And we know He died in spring on the Passover. So you count back 33 1/2 years, and that means He was born in August or September.
Martine: Okay. So are you saying that being that we're not sure exactly what day He was born, that there is nothing wrong with not celebrating [background, feedback noise]
Pastor Doug: No. There's no requirement for a Christian to celebrate Christmas. It's one of those issues where I would apply Romans 14--if you're going to regard a day, regard it to the Lord, not to Santa Claus and elves and all that. And if you're not going to remember the day, there's no command that you have to.
I just think for a Christian, the best thing is to overcome evil with good and, you know, take advantage of the opportunity evangelistically. People are thinking about Christ; and nothing wrong with giving gifts.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: Just stay away from the pagan trappings. Hope that helps Martine; appreciate your question. Do we have time for...
Pastor Jëan Ross: Should we try one more?
Pastor Doug: Well, pick an easy one [laughs]
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, let's go to Chuck in Davenport, Iowa, listening on KRQC. Welcome to the program.
Chuck: Hi, thank you for taking my call; appreciate your ministry. My question is about witnessing and I need some advice. In Matthew 7, it talks about, "Not all people who sound religious or really godly, they may refer to Me as Lord, but they still won't enter the kingdom of heaven." And it goes on to say, "On judgment day, many will say to Me, 'Lord, Lord, we prophesied'" and so on; and Jesus says back to them, "I never knew you. Away from me...."
Pastor Doug: Uh-huh
Chuck: How do you witness to someone who's not trying to be deceptive, but just, maybe out of ignorance or maybe "a little knowledge is dangerous" kind of thing, how do you witness to someone who would fall into that category?
Pastor Doug: Well I'll tell you the first thing that comes to my mind, Chuck, is those people generally don't have a concept of the holiness of God and the offensiveness of sin. Being a godly witness before them, having a consistently Christian life, is a rebuke to those people.
Nicodemus thought that he was a good Christian, until he ran into Jesus. And Christ said, "No, you might be a teacher in Sabbath School, but you need to be born again." [Paraphrasing]
Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: And he was converted through that encounter with the holiness of Christ. Then, of course, share information. The more you can get them studying, the more they will realize that there is a deficit between what they are living and what real Christianity is. So, hope that helps. I didn't mean to cut you off, but we have a break we're about to take, some announcements we're going to be sharing with you when we come back.
This is not the end of the program. We build our momentum for this time. We'll take as many phone calls as we can in the second half; and it looks like we still have one line open. If you
want to call in, 1-800-GOD-SAYS. Don't forget, get a pencil, write down the website, that's amazingfacts.org. There's so much information there, and it's free!
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: Hello friends, if you have just tuned in, or tuned in in the last few minutes, you may not know this is Bible Answers Live. It is a live, international, interactive Bible study. We invite people to call in their Bible questions. We do our best to find the answers in the Word of God.
Our phone number to get your question on the program tonight is 1-800-GOD-SAYS. That's 1-800-463-7297. My name is Douglas Batchelor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: And my name is Jëan Ross. Pastor Doug, we have a new radio station to welcome to the program. It's WJOF 97.9 FM in Stanley, North Carolina. So we'd like to welcome all of those who are listening on that radio station. Also, a reminder, our free offer for today is an Amazing Facts' study guide, The Bride of Christ.
The program was opened by talking about this amazing fact of light being reflected; and we spoke about how that we are to reflect Christ. So if you would like to get a free copy of The Bride of Christ, the Amazing Facts' study guide, just call 1-800-835-6747. Pastor Doug, something important is happening September the 11th; and it's going to be broadcast on I-TV.
Pastor Doug: Yes. We're going to have a major, prime time broadcast on 9/11, seven o'clock pm. It's on what formerly was known as the Pax Network. Some people may still have it listed that way on their program guides but it has now changed to I-TV; the same affiliates have been bought, 91 million homes across the country.
Plus, all of them, Amazing Facts, other television stations like the Family Channel, BET, they will be broadcasting different times. But it's called The Final Events of Bible Prophecy. And this half an hour broadcast that we recorded with Dr. Dwight Nelson, we're going to be talking about the final events of Bible prophecy and offering a free, 45-minute recreation, with animation, DVD that depicts the final events of prophecy that are all ahead of us right now.
And a lot of confusion about that. A lot of people have mixed up ideas that are sort of a hodge podge of the left behind scenario with modern news. And we'll show you what the Bible really says about these things. That's 9/11, at 7 pm, I-TV, all across North America.
Also, that program is going to be announcing a special prophecy seminar that I'll be doing for nine days from Andrews University, which is called, The Most Amazing Prophecies. It will be on TV across the country on 3ABN, Hope Channel, (unintelligible) Spanish, English. In addition, it will also be in host sites all across the country.
In case you don't get it in your vicinity, just go to the website. You'll find a location near you for this ten-part series. It's called, The Most Amazing Prophecies. We talk about the millennium, the second coming of Jesus, the beast, the final kingdom, Armageddon, just so many of the high points of prophecy. We're going to take an hour each night to cover these topics.
So, you can go to the website for more information, mostamazingprophecies.com.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Pastor Doug, I just want to mention one other thing about this. You're going to be talking about the Final Events DVD that Amazing Facts has. We get reports coming in all the time of people that have been blessed by watching this because it does chronicle final events! Clear, from the Bible,--
Pastor Doug: Filled with Scripture
Pastor Jëan Ross: --it's practical, it's easy to understand. So that's just a great tool to understand final events, and also to share with somebody else.
Pastor Doug: Yes
Pastor Jëan Ross: Just a great resource, Final Events DVD; and more will be said about that September 11 on the I-Network. We'll go to the phone lines. Our first caller for the second half of the program is Max. Max is calling from Brooklyn, New York. Welcome to the program Max.
Max: Hi, good night Pastor Doug
Pastor Doug: Good evening. Thanks for waiting so long.
Max: Yes. My question comes from Genesis chapter 2, verses 16 and 17.
Pastor Doug: Okay
Max: When God commands Adam about the tree and the fruit--
Pastor Doug: Uh-huh
Max: --and He tells Adam that the day that he eats from the tree of good and evil he will die. My question is how did Adam and Eve know exactly what death meant, being that, prior to sin, nothing ever died?
Pastor Doug: That's a good question. Well, in some respects, keep in mind, Adam may have understood better than us, even though there had been no death; because when God created Adam,--how long did Adam live Max?
Max: Uh
Pastor Doug: Over 900 years, right?
Max: Uh-huh
Pastor Doug: Okay. When God first made Adam, Adam came from the factory pre-programmed with incredible intelligence. The very fact that he knew what God was saying at
all means that he had been pre-programmed to understand language. That would mean that he also understood the definitions of words. So the concept of ceasing to exist, dying, he knew that, here, he had new life but if he disobeyed, he would lose that life, and that was death.
Max: Okay
Pastor Doug: So I think he understood that even though--you're right, he had never witnessed anything dying--that's a good question. So I would just say that God created Adam with a pre-programmed intelligence. Most of us have to learn by process. Adam was created with a certain amount of knowledge.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm
Max: Yeah. With the knowledge of death, would that not be a knowledge of evil?
Pastor Doug: No, because his understanding that ceasing to exist is not the same thing as understanding, or experiencing, evil.
Max: Okay
Pastor Doug: I wouldn't think in my mind. Matter of fact, I believe that the Lord had warned him. I mean, even when He told him about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, I believe the Lord had warned him that there was a renegade angel named Lucifer, Satan; that he needed to be on his guard,--
Max: Right, right
Pastor Doug: --that he would come to tempt him. And I think that they had fair warning from the Lord about staying away from the tree. That was the only place the devil could meet with them.
Max: That makes sense.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright. Thank you for calling Max, appreciate your question. Our next caller is, let's see. I just got a note here. Somebody is waiting on a cell phone. We have Peter, who's waiting on the cell phone, calling from New York, New York. Welcome to the program Peter.
Peter: Thank you Pastor Doug. Thanks for taking my call.
Pastor Doug: Yes sir
Peter: Please answer for me Zechariah chapter 13, verse 6.
Pastor Doug: Zechariah chapter 13, verse 6.
Peter: Yes
Pastor Doug: Alright, I'm heading there right now. And New York, New York, that's sort of like Manhattan isn't it?
Peter: Oh, you mean where I am?
Pastor Doug: Yeah. You're living in Manhattan?
Peter: No, I live in Westchester.
Pastor Doug: Oh Westchester, okay. Zechariah 13:6, "And one shall say to him, What are these wounds in thy hands? Then he will answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends." Now are you wanting me to explain this?
Peter: Yes. Who are those that asked that question? Because I'm thinking that everyone who is saved, is saved through the Gospel. And if anybody knows I'm saved through the Gospel, I'm thinking that person knows that the Gospel is about Christ.
Pastor Doug: Right
Peter: And he knows what Christ has done for us. So is this talking about Old Testament saints who died before Christ came, or people now who are not Christians, who by God's mercy; because first, being a gift and they are saved because God give them the gift of saved at death, or something like that, without hearing the Gospel? [Transcribed verbatim.]
Pastor Doug: Well, it may be a combination. Obviously, there are going to be some people who are saved from Old Testament times. You've got the conversion of King Nebuchadnezzar. You've got Naaman the leper, and others who were not Jews; and even many of the Jews did not understand the nature of how Jesus would die. He will explain how He received those wounds in the kingdom.
Then there will be others that will be saved from many parts of the world that, maybe, followed the light they had. Paul said that they can see God through the things He has created. And they may have found the Lord and trusted God through preaching through His creation. They're not going to understand why Jesus' hands are wounded; and He will explain that to them in heaven.
Peter: Okay
Pastor Doug: And even more than this, I think that this is a prophecy that is a spiritual metaphor where Zechariah is saying how the Messiah would be wounded by His own people. He would be betrayed by one of His own disciples. Okay?
Peter: Okay. Thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Good question. Thank you for waiting.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Our next caller is Caval calling from Newfoundland, Canada, listening on VOAR. Welcome to the program.
Caval: Hello
Pastor Doug: Hi
Caval: How are you tonight?
Pastor Doug: Good
Pastor Jëan Ross: Real good, thank you
Pastor Doug: Your question?
Caval: My question is, is cremation Christian?
Pastor Doug: Well now, you know, we talked about that--maybe you didn't hear--at the very beginning of the program.
Caval: Yes, I just heard the scanty.
Pastor Doug: Alright, and you're wanting to know is cremation Christian?
Caval: Yes
Pastor Doug: Well, typically in the Bible when someone died, they were buried.
Caval: Everywhere, I think, they were buried.
Pastor Doug: You mean all the references in the Bible.
Caval: The Old Testament and the New Testament.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, well there are a couple of exceptions. You've got the story where Jonathan died in battle and his body was cremated by the people of Jabesh-Gilead who retrieved his body. And I believe Jonathan is going to be in heaven. And many of the martyrs through the ages were cremated.
There was one prophet uh, oh, and I guess he wasn't eaten by a lion, was he? But some of the saints were torn asunder, the Bible says. Others were sawn asunder. They were eaten by wild beasts. I thought about one prophet that was killed by a lion, but the lion didn't eat him.
And you know, that's not a problem with the resurrection. Now, this is a delicate question because people are often asking is there a Scripture that forbids cremation. There is not.
Caval: Well there were so many crematoriums, you know, that are man-made today. You know, it's intentional.
Pastor Doug: Well yes it's-- [cross talk]
Caval: The people are deciding, you know, they're asking the Pastor you know.
Pastor Doug: Cemeteries are also man-made.
Caval: The Pastor may say, "Well, we don't believe in cremation, but the people want to be cremated."
Pastor Doug: Yeah. I know that is true. As far as I'm concerned, I would plan on being buried. But I wouldn't worry if somehow I was cremated, that God couldn't resurrect me.
Caval: Well He can always create another body.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, well He's going to create another body whether you're cremated or not. God is not using any of the old body.
Caval: No, I --
Pastor Doug: I don't want my old bones. I don't want old anything. I want the whole new--
Caval: But what would happen to Joseph down in Egypt, if they had cremated Joseph? He wanted to return to Israel.
Pastor Doug: Well actually, they did mummify him; and you know what that involves. They used to remove the brain, and the heart and some of the internal organs; so it was a little bit of a dismemberment to mummify.
Caval: Yeah
Pastor Doug: But, you know, I think you're right, Caval, that the main thing in the Bible is, the example in the Bible is typically burial. But is there a Scripture that forbids cremation? No there isn't; none that I can--you know of any, Pastor Ross?
Pastor Jëan Ross: No. I think, like you mentioned, there are different examples of people dying in different ways that we have in Scripture. God is not going to have to reuse any of our body now in the resurrection.
Pastor Doug: Another thing to consider is in Bible times, there was a whole lot more land than a lot less people. And now, when you consider that there are 6 billion people in the world, kind of stacked on top of each other, cemeteries are just so expensive.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: Some Christians say, "I just can't afford...." In some cemeteries in New York City--a friend just went to bury his father in New York City. And it cost like $14,000 for a little square of earth.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Um m!
Pastor Doug: Real estate is so expensive. You know, I don't think God is going to keep anyone out of heaven for resorting to cremation.
Pastor Jëan Ross: I come to think the popularity of it is because of financial reasons. It is getting more expensive in a lot of areas to bury. But it's an important question. A lot of folks seem to question that [cross talk].
Pastor Doug: But don't worry that God won't be able to reassemble you [cross talk].
Pastor Jëan Ross: I think that's the most important. Let's go to our next caller. Gabriel is calling from New York. Welcome to the program.
Gabriel: Hi, am I on?
Pastor Doug: You're on.
Gabriel: Okay, thanks. Yeah, I had a question about the word "hell" in the Old Testament.
Pastor Doug: Okay
Gabriel: It's the word, "sheol." And I always thought it meant the "grave." I looked it up in Strong's Concordance because I was debating with someone about it. I looked up the definition in Strong's Concordance and it says--here, I'm looking at it right now. It says, "Hades," or the "world of the dead." And then it says it's used as the "grave" 31 times; "hell" 31 times; and the "pit" three times, and I thought it was just the "grave." So I'm wondering if, perhaps, you could shine some light on that?
Pastor Doug: Now "sheol" is the Hebrew word that typically means the "grave." Do you find any references there in Strong's for where it is used for a place of torment?
Gabriel: No, not yet.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, see, because I can't think of an example in the Old Testament where the word "sheol" is used to depict a place of torment.
Gabriel: Oh okay
Pastor Doug: You can find many examples where it is simply the "grave." It means the "dark regions." David said in Psalms, "You will not leave my soul in hell," and that's "sheol," the grave. And it's a prophecy, of course, about Christ also being raised.
Gabriel: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: But the Bible doesn't teach that hell is a cavernous inferno down below where the oil deposits are.
Gabriel: Right
Pastor Doug: I remember reading on the cover of one of these supermarket tabloids, Pastor Ross, that they said the oil drillers in Russia drilled too deep and the devils escaped.
Pastor Jëan Ross: [Laughs]
Pastor Doug: I mean, you know, there are all kinds of wild scenarios. The Bible doesn't teach that there is a torture chamber down yonder somewhere. That teaching isn't in the Bible. Greek mythology teaches that.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: And that's where the word "Hades" comes from. It's a Greek word. And there was a god of Pluto who was in charge of Hades and they had the gates of hell and the hounds of hell; and Jesus referred to that. But that's not a Christian teaching that there's this molten place of torment. There is a lake of fire where the lost are punished.
Gabriel: Right
Pastor Doug: Christians believe this,--
Gabriel: Right
Pastor Doug: --but that's after the Judgment.
Gabriel: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: So folks that think that God is burning people in hell now before the Judgment day, it doesn't teach that.
Gabriel: Okay. That's great.
Pastor Doug: Some use the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, but that is just that--a parable.
Gabriel: Right, right. Exactly. If there's time, could I ask one more real quick question?
Pastor Doug: Yeah, quickly.
Gabriel: Okay. If, as a Christian, you get a parking ticket wrongfully, like, they were in error in giving it to you, and you contested it and they persist in saying it's valid, and it's a lot of money, should you pay it?
Pastor Doug: Well, you've just got to count the cost. And if you're not going to pay it, you need to be prepared. Jesus said, "If your adversary has a claim against you, try to settle because, otherwise, you'll pay the utmost farthing."
Gabriel: Okay
Pastor Doug: And so I know how you feel; and I have felt wrongfully cited before.
Gabriel: Uh-huh
Pastor Doug: And the Lord spoke to me and said, "Doug, there are some times you were speeding and you got away with it. This compensates for that." [Chuckles] So--
Gabriel: Right
Pastor Doug: --you just grin and bear it and pay it, then move on.
Gabriel: Okay
Pastor Doug: Alright, God bless.
Gabriel: Thanks Pastor, God bless you.
Pastor Doug: Bye bye
Pastor Jëan Ross: Our next caller is Billie calling from Wellston, Ohio. Welcome to the program.
Billie: Hi Pastor Doug, Hi Pastor Jëan
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi
Billie: My question is on Daniel 12.
Pastor Doug: Okay
Billie: Alright. We have a Bible study class on Friday nights and we're trying to figure this out because the whole thing is just a mess. And it took us, like, three hours on one chapter.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, so you're wanting a quick overview of Daniel 12?
Billie: Yes, a quick overview.
Pastor Doug: Well, you're asking me to give you a summary of a whole chapter, which is hard to do in three minutes.
Billie: I understand, but you are good.
Pastor Doug: Well let's see how quick I can do this.
Billie: Okay
Pastor Doug: Daniel 12 begins with Michael standing up. And--
Billie: When?
Pastor Doug: When probation closes, there is a resurrection, a great time of trouble at that. Then He reviews the history of God's people with a series of three prophecies.
Billie: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: One is the 1,260 days; the 1,290; and the 1,335.
Billie: And that's literal days?
Pastor Doug: No--well there may be a dual application, but primarily there's a historical understanding here. The 1,260 that's referred to in other prophecies of Daniel and Revelation refers to that 3 1/2 years of the Dark Age persecution, from 538 to 1798 A.D.
Billie: Okay
Pastor Doug: And then it talks about the 1,335 and the 1,290. That is talking about a special time that began, not in 538, but 508, a 45-day difference. Do you have the book--oh man, it's hard to explain this to you quickly. Do you have the book of uh--and of course, the end of the chapter says, "And you will stand in your lot at the end of the days."
Billie: Right
Pastor Doug: Daniel is going to be in part of the resurrection. He'll be among those who's awake.
Billie: Right. Yeah, I understand that.
Pastor Doug: You have the book, Uriah Smith's book, Daniel and the Revelation?
Billie: No
Pastor Doug: You can read it for free online I think.
Billie: Okay, it's—
Pastor Doug: Yeah it's public domain now, if I'm not mistaken. It's called, Daniel and the Revelation, and the author is Uriah Smith.
Billie: Okay
Pastor Doug: He goes through Daniel chapter 12 and explains those three time periods, because I think that's your biggest question.
Billie: Yeah. And the two that are standing on the side of the river, are they talking to Jesus?
Pastor Doug: Those are angels. No. I don't believe uh--
Billie: And they're enclosed in linen?
Pastor Doug: I think they're angels that are conversing in Daniel's presence. That happens also in Revelation where an elder is talking with an angel--
Billie: Okay
Pastor Doug: --and it's like a teaching vehicle. But, yeah, find Uriah Smith's book. Another book I'll recommend is by Stephen Haskell and it's called, Daniel the Prophet. I think it's called, Daniel the Prophet, by Stephen Haskell. They're both old books but they're great commentaries; and it'll give you a good exposition of chapter 12.
Billie: Okay, thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Alright
Billie: I appreciate it. You guys have a good night and God bless.
Pastor Doug: God bless, and thank you for your call.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Our next caller is Troy and he's listening on 570 AM in New Jersey. Welcome to the program Troy.
Troy: Yes, thanks [cross talk]
Pastor Doug: I want to hear you say "Hoboken" Jëan.
Pastor Jëan Ross: "Hoboken" [laughs]
Pastor Doug: [Laughs] Sorry. I tease Pastor Ross a little bit, Troy, with his South African pronunciations. Your question?
Troy: Yes, thank you for answering my call. Yes, my question is is that, there's a lot of confusion in the Christian community, especially in this country, about what is the right day of worship. But, according to the Scriptures, it seems to be the Sabbath; but a lot of the Christians that worship on the first day say that that was abolished, it's old Jewish law. I'd like to know how did this division develop; and where in the Scriptures, what verses in the Scriptures corroborate the fact what is the right day of worship?
Pastor Doug: Well, there is no verse in the Bible that tells us that we are to worship the first day of the week. There's no command to keep the first day. The only command in the Bible--and there are many of them--refers to remembering the seventh day. Then you have to say, "Which day is the seventh day?"
Well if you go to any dictionary or normal calendar, the first day of the week, the day of the Resurrection, is Sunday. Christ was crucified on Friday. Jesus died on the Jewish Sabbath, which is the Sabbath for man. Christ said the Sabbath was made for man, not for Jews. He rested in the Sabbath--or He died just before the sun went down.
Pastor Jëan Ross: He died Friday.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, just before the sun went down. He rested in the tomb on the Sabbath. And He rose Sunday morning. So, that would be Saturday. So there's really no question about what day the Sabbath is. The reason for so much contention over this is over the last 1,000 years, approximately, the Christian church, at large, has drifted towards keeping the first day, and away from keeping the seventh; and it's just hard to change a tradition that has set in concrete.
And for people to say, "How am I going to start keeping the day that God has set aside and blessed when everybody in my church keeps another day?" It creates quite a stir. So that's what the issue is. We try and give people Bible answers, and we can't give you a Bible verse for keeping the first day of the week holy.
Some will say, "Well Jesus rose that day and so that's the new Christian Sabbath." Well they're just assuming something. Are we to keep Friday because Christ was crucified Friday? Are we to keep Thursday because the Last Supper was on Thursday? And if it's done away with, is it the only one of the Ten Commandments that is done away with? Can Christians now lie, and kill, commit adultery, steal?
No Christian argues for breaking the other nine Commandments; and the only Commandment that begins with the word, "Remember" is the Sabbath Commandment, Troy. So, to me, personally I'm a Sabbath keeper because it's Biblical and I want to follow the Bible.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know Pastor Doug,--
[Cross talk]
Troy: I do--I'm sorry. Okay. I just wanted, you know I...I mean, I agree with you 100%. Now what verse was it that where you said Jesus said that the Sabbath was for man--how did you, um, that verse go?
Pastor Doug: "The Sabbath was made for man." I'm going to look it up.
Troy: No, you said--
Pastor Jëan Ross: Well, while you're looking that up Pastor Doug, I just want to mention one verse here.
Pastor Doug: Mark 2:27. I should have known that. Any evangelist worth his salt ought to know that verse.
Pastor Jëan Ross: [Laughs]
Pastor Doug: Mark 2:27.
Troy: Mark--
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, what makes it clear for me is where Jesus, in Matthew 24, He's talking about events relating to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. forty years after Jesus has given this prophecy. And He tells His disciples that they are to pray that their "flight be not in winter, neither on the Sabbath day."
And if Jesus intended that they were not to be keeping the Sabbath after His ascension, after His death and resurrection, why did He specifically tell them don't flee on the Sabbath? Because how can you rest?
[Cross talk]
Pastor Doug: Or pray you wouldn't have to.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yeah, pray that you don't have to. How can you enjoy the Sabbath if you're fleeing for your life?
Pastor Doug: Good point.
Pastor Jëan Ross: So that makes it clear to me that Christ's intention for His disciples and His followers that, after His ascension, they still were to keep the Sabbath.
Pastor Doug: Yup.
Troy: I was in Luke--[cross talk]
Pastor Doug: I hope that helps a little Troy.
Troy: And I was in Luke--I'm sorry--where He says, as far as the apostles fleeing, that was in uh--
Pastor Doug and Pastor Jëan Ross: Matthew 24
Troy: Matthew 24.
Pastor Doug: Matthew 24, yup. You'll find it there. Hey Troy, I hope that helps a little. We're going to try and get another call or two in. We do have a study guide on the Sabbath subject. If you'd like that, just call Amazing Facts and ask for, The Lost Day of History, and we'll send you that, Troy. It has a whole study on the subject.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Let me give you the number. It's 1-800-835-6747, and you can ask for the study guide, The Lost Day of History. We'll try and get one more caller in. Eunice is calling from Carmichael, California. Welcome to the program.
Eunice: Hi Pastor Doug, how are you?
Pastor Doug: Hi Eunice, how can we help you?
Eunice: Oh I have a question. It's a weird question. Out-of-body experiences, can you explain that to me?
Pastor Doug: I'm having one right now! [Laughs]
Pastor Jëan Ross: [Laughs]
Eunice: I've had one before. [laughs]
Pastor Doug: Well of course, people dream. And a dream can seem very vivid. Some people who die on the operating table, those are typically called, "near death experiences."
Eunice: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: That's different from an out-of-body experience. John in Revelation chapter 4, it says he was taken away in the Spirit, and that would be an out-of-body experience. He says I was carried away from my body to seeing things that were in the spiritual realm.
But you know, the Lord can give a person a very vivid dream or a vision. That doesn't necessarily mean they're a prophet or a prophetess; He might be telling just them something personally. And the mind is a powerful thing. Sometimes the mind is so powerful that you can sense all the sensations of something that you're not really even feeling.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, that happens sometimes if somebody is suffering with a high fever. They begin to hallucinate, and they see things, and they feel things that are just not true.
Pastor Doug: Yeah. Does that help you at all Eunice? You still there? Oh, you've got to press it again uh, press number 8. [Cross talk] Sometimes the phone clicks you off by accident. Eunice, did you hear that?
Eunice: Yeah, yeah
Pastor Doug: Did that make sense?
Eunice: Well, yeah. About 30 years ago, um I --
[Exit music begins]
Pastor Doug: Oh, yeah--I don't know if we're going to have time for you to tell me.
Eunice: Oh okay
Pastor Doug: We've got the music chasing us.
Eunice: That's okay, thanks anyway.
Pastor Doug: I'm so sorry. I hope that helped a little bit with your question. Friends, if we did not get to your call tonight, we are sorry. Give us another chance. God willing and with His blessing, we will be back for more Bible answers and questions in a week from now. And keep us in your prayers as we prepare for the Most Amazing Prophecies series.
If you want to know more about that, go to mostamazingprophecies.com and you'll find out more there. Also check out all the free resources and archives of this program that you'll find at the Amazing Facts website. Just click on amazingfacts.org and then go to "Media." You'll see archives of Bible questions people have asked before.
And keep in mind, the reason we do this is because we want to get the truth out. It's not about the details so much as knowing about Jesus, who is the truth that will set you free.
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