Hello Friends, how about and Amazing Fact? The Honeyguide, a bird the size of a Robin that lives in East Africa, eats all kinds of insects, but is especially fond of honey bee grubs. But getting them is not so easy, the wild bees of Africa are dangerous and live in secluded areas. Although the Honeyguide has a way of finding them, it does not dare enter into their hive unaided. Even if it could drive off the bees, its slender delicate bill could not penetrate their nests which are in hollow trees or the clay of rocks. So it gets a friend to help with the task. In Northern Kenya for example, men from the Borana Tribe make money selling honey. A tribesman goes out into the countryside and claps his hands, whistles in a certain way or blows across a snail shell. If a honey guide is not too far off, it will generally appear very quickly and sing a special chattering call which he’d never otherwise use.
When sure that the man’s attention has been caught, it flies off in a low swooping flight which is easy to follow. As it flies, its tail feathers are spread wide so that the white outer feathers are clearly displayed. The man follows whistling and shouting to let the bird know that he is coming. As the two travel together, the bird gradually lands on lower and lower branches until its song changes to a low whistle that is repeated 2 or 3 times then becomes quiet and flies over to a perch where it sits quietly. As the man approaches, he can see that the bird is sitting very close to the entrance of the bees nest. The man carefully draws closer and sets a small fire just up wind from the nest. This stupefies the bees and he opens the nest and extracts the honeycombs. He hangs a part of the comb for the bird. The bird flies over and eats the white bee grubs and also some of the honeycomb wax. The Honeyguide is one of the only animals which can actually digest bees wax. Who taught the Honeyguide to lead people to the bees nests? Who gave it its low swooping flight and its white signal feathers in its tail? Who told the bird to be quite when it comes close to the nest, so bees don’t sting it to death? Who gave the bird the ability to digest bees wax? Well, stay tuned for more, as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Jëan Ross: Welcome to Bible Answers Live brought to you by Amazing Facts Ministries. Are you looking for a clear, concise answer to your most challenging Bible questions? Maybe you’re struggling to understand difficult passages or scripture. If so, you’ve come to the right place. Join us now as we open God’s word to discover His will and find honest, practical answers to your Bible related questions. This broadcast is pre-recorded. If you have a Bible question call us Sundays from 7-8pm Pacific Standard Time at 800-GOD-SAYS, that’s 800-463-7297. Now, let’s join our Host, Author, Speaker and Evangelist, Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Hello friends, welcome back this is Pastor Jëan Ross, Pastor Doug Batchelor is out this evening. I wanna welcome you to this national and international bible study. Where we will open up the word of God to find answers to your bible questions. If you have a bible related question, the number to call is 1800-GOD-SAYS, that’s 1800-463-7297 and this would be a good time to call to get your question on the air. The lines are open, and I see that there’s still some open lines. So call now, 1800-GOD-SAYS, 1800-463-7297. As I said, my name is Jëan Ross, Pastor Doug Batchelor is in Michigan tonight. He is presenting a series entitled “Most Amazing Prophecies”, its dealing with the most intriguing and the most fascinating prophecies of the bible. This is a 9 part seminar that is being broadcast live across the country and even around the world on Three Angels Broadcasting Network. If you would like to find out more information about this exciting seminar, “The Most Amazing Prophecies” I wanna encourage you to go to the website - www.mostamazingprophecies.com. This is a 9 parts seminar, it started on Friday evening and so it’s Friday evening, and then last night and there’s one tonight and then it will continue for the rest of this week. And if you will go to the mostamazingprophecy.com website, you will be able to find a local site near to you, where you can actually go view these exciting prophecy seminar. You can also watch it online, by going to the 3ABN website. And for more information about this whole seminar, this prophecy, go to the Amazing Facts Website at www.amazingfacts.com or org.
Friends, this is Bible Answers Live and so we wanna get your calls tonight. We’re gonna open up God’s word, but before we do that we wanna open the program with prayer. For we recognize that in order to understand God’s word, you need to have the Holy Spirit to guide us. So let us do that right now.
Dear Lord, we thank you again for this opportunity to study your word. We ask in a special way tonight that you would be with us. Thank you for this medium of the radio, that we can actually study the bible together. Be with those listening, and those who call in with their questions. Be with me Lord here in the studio as we find bible answers to meet this questions. For this we ask in Jesus name, Amen.
Friends I’ve begun the program by talking about the Honeyguide bird, this small bird that lives in east Africa that works with humans and actually leads them to bee hives. See, this little bird loves to eat the little bee grubs, but it can’t get to the nest unless it has some help. Not only thus this little bird lead humans to the hive, but it also leads an animal which is about the size of the badger. It’s actually the African skunk and it’ll lead these animals to the hive and then wait patiently for the animal to give its portion of the honey comb. Now that’s a remarkable story, who told this little bird to lead someone to the hive? Well friends I believe we know the answer, it’s God Himself. He’s the one that created all of these amazing creatures and He has provided for all of their needs. The bible tells us in Matthew chapter 10 verse 29, Jesus speaking, He says, "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 of more value than many sparrows." If God will care for the birds, and take care of the animals that He has made, how much more will it care for you? You know friends sometimes, we go through trials and difficulties and we might question, does God really care for me? Does He really love me? How can I handle all of the stress in my life? If God is so good, why do bad things happen to us? Well friends, that’s an important question. The free offer that we’d like to make available for you deals with that very thing, how can we be assured that God loves us? How can we go from stress to joy? And be enabled to trust in God’s amazing grace and love for us? The little booklet that we’d like to provide is “From Stress To Joy”. It’s a little booklet put up to our Amazing Facts and it’s free.
All you need to do to get it, is to call our resource number and that number is 1800-835-6747, that’s 1800-835-6747. And just ask for the little book “From Stress To Joy” and they will be happy to send that out to you. Friends, one of the ways that you can also give us your questions is via the internet, you could go to The Amazing Facts Website, and click on the link that says Bible Answers Live, you will find the place where you can actually type in a bible question. And that will be sent to us and at the beginning of each program, we like to take a look at some of these questions that have been emailed to us and give a bible answer. And so that’s what I’d like to do to begin our program tonight. I would like to look at 2 internet questions that have come in, and the first one is this, “Is it possible that one who has committed the Unpardonable Sin can still go to church?” Well that’s an interesting question, of someone who has committed the Unpardonable Sin, can they still go to church? Well, I imagine they could, but the first question we need to find out is what is the Unpardonable Sin? Jesus said in Matthew chapter 12 verse 31, that all kinds of sin would be forgiven men, except the sin against the Holy Spirit. Now what is the sin against the Holy Spirit? We read in Romans chapter 2 verse 4, that it’s the goodness of God that leads us to repentance. In other words, that the Holy Spirit that speaks to our hearts and our minds and draws us to God and to repentance. If we resist the Holy Spirit and turn out years away from that still small voice that prompting, the Holy Spirit speaking to our hearts. If we continually resist that, there comes a point where the heart is so hard that no longer do we hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit. And if don’t hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit, how can we be drawn to God, how can we be drawn towards repentance?
It’s for that reason then, that every sin can be forgiven men, except the sin against the Holy Spirit. Because if we’ve rejected the Holy Spirit to the point where we don’t hear the Holy Spirit any longer, how can we feel sorry for what we have done? How can we come to God for repentance? So, if someone has committed the sin against the Holy Spirit or the Unpardonable Sin, can they still go to church? I don’t think that someone would really have a desire to go to church. Someone who has rejected the Holy Spirit, they don’t even have a desire after God. For it’s the Holy Spirit that’s draws us to God. So, to deal with that important question has someone you know, committed the unpardonable sin, sometimes people will come up and ask us and say, “Pastor, you know I’m afraid I’ve committed the sin against the Holy Spirit, the Unpardonable Sin.” Well the fact that someone is concerned that they might have done that, that helps to prove that they haven’t. Because someone who really did commit the sin against the Holy Spirit really has no inclination, no desire whatsoever to come to God, to find repentance or to seek after God and the eternal life that He wants to provide. We have a study guide that deals with this important topic and I would like to make that available to those of you who are listening. Its entitled, “No Turning Back” it’s one of the Amazing Facts Study Guides and to get that, just call our resource number it’s 1800-835-6747, that’s the resource number 1800-835-6747 and ask for “No Turning Back”. And the number that you wanna call to get your question on the air tonight, is again 1800-GOD-SAYS, that’s 1800-463-7297. So if you have a bible related question this would be good time to pick-up your phone and call, if you wanna get your question on the air this evening.
The second internet question that I’d like to talk about a little bit is this one, and it says, “If the resurrection of the spiritual body and soul occurs in the last days, please help me understand the criminal on the cross with Jesus, when Jesus said to him, “I’d tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” And that’s in Luke chapter 23 verse 43. So the question is well, if a person dies and they remain in the grave until the second coming, when Jesus comes He’s gonna resurrect those who love Him. What did Jesus mean when He said to the thief, “Today you will be with me in Paradise”? Well first of all, I want to just stress that Jesus wasn’t talking about the thief going to Heaven that very day. A matter of fact, that’s not even what the thief had in mind when he asked the question. When reading Luke chapter 23 and verse 42, just the verse before, the thief turned to Jesus and said, “Lord remember me when you come in your kingdom.” In other words, the thief wasn’t expected to go to heaven that very day. But rather he asked that Jesus would remember him when he came in His kingdom and when Jesus comes in His kingdom we know that that will be the second coming, that will be “the resurrection of the righteous”.
If we look in John chapter 20 verse 17, we notice the day Jesus rouse from the dead early Sunday morning, the first day of the week, a Mary was there, Mary Magdalene and she grabbed a hold of Jesus, this is still in the garden where Jesus appeared to Mary. And Jesus said to her in John 20:17, “Do not detain me or Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father in Heaven.” So here we find immediately after the resurrection, Jesus had not yet ascended to His Father in Heaven. So He could have been with the thief in heaven on Friday evening. So what does it mean when it says, “Today, you will be with me in Paradise”? Well friends the New Testament was written in Greek and the Greek language had no commas or ways of adding emphasis, this things were added later as the bible translators translated the original Greek text or Hebrew if it’s the Old Testament into the English language. And they are the ones that added the commas and the periods and so on. And there’s a big difference where you put the comma in that verse where Jesus says, I’d tell you truth today you will be with me in Paradise.
If you put the comma before the word today, it seems to indicate that Jesus is telling the thief that He would be him in Paradise that very day. But if you move the comma after the word today, Jesus is saying, I’d tell you the truth today, today while Jesus was hanging up on the cross. And that very day when the thief asked Jesus to remember him, Jesus assured him that day, even though he didn’t look like a king, but Jesus gave him the assurance that day that one day He would be with him in paradise. “But I tell you today (comma) you will be with me in paradise.” So it has a lot to do with where you put the comma in helping to understand that which Jesus said to the thief on the cross. We have a study guide that also deals with this important subject and actually addresses that question a little bit more, the question of the thief on the cross with Jesus. It’s in the Amazing Facts Study Guide, it’s entitled, “Are The Dead Really Dead?” “Are The Dead Really Dead?” and if you would like a free copy of the study guide, it’s great to share with a friend or to study for yourself. Again, let me give you the resource number its 1800-835-6747 that’s 1800-835-6747 and the number to call to have your bible question on the air tonight is 1800-463-7297 that’s 1800-463-7297.
Well friends the phone lines are open and we’re gonna go to our first caller tonight. David who is listening on KDIA from Richmond, California. Welcome to the program.
David: Hi.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi David.
David: I was wondering, can a devil read our minds?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yeah that’s a good question, we know God can read our minds right?
David: Right.
Pastor Jëan Ross: But can the devil read minds? You know one of the characteristics of divinity is being able to read the minds of people. We have a couple of experiences where Jesus knew what people are thinking. I’m thinking particularly about the experience in Mark, I believe its Mark 2, where there was a paralytic that was lowered down by his 4 friends, maybe you’re familiar with the story, and he was brought down right to the feet of Jesus. Jesus was in Peters house, and then Jesus said to the man, “Your sins are forgiven you” and they were some scribes and Pharisees there that said, “This man blasphemes for who can forgive sins by (Inaudible 17:17) and Jesus knowing what they were thinking, said to them, “Why do you reason this evil in your hearts?” What’s easy to say, “Your sins are forgiven you” or to say “rise up and walk”? And then Jesus went ahead and healed the man and rouse him up. So we know God is able to read our thoughts but can the devil? I don’t believe that the devil can’t, because the devil is number 1, he’s not divine, he’s a creative being, we know that from scripture. And so if a characteristic of divinity is being able to read the minds of people, the devil being not divine, he can’t do that. However, the devil is very good at reading our body language. He knows us well, he knows our strengths, our weaknesses and so I think the devil can look at us, and he knows you know how to tempt us. He can read our body language, he knows our whole life history. He knows where we are falling and so the devil I think is very sharp and able to that, but no, he can’t read our minds. Does that help you a little bit?
David: I talk to him sometimes.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You talk to the devil?
David: Yeah.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Now why do you do that?
David: To get him away from me.
Pastor Jëan Ross: To get him away from you?
David: Yeah.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, I don’t know if it’s the best thing to talk to the devil to get him away from you, but I know you can talk to Jesus and ask him to get the devil away from you. You see, we really have no power in our self to tell the devil to do anything. But when we claim the name of Jesus, and then the devil has to obey.
David: Yes.
Pastor Jëan Ross: and so, sorry go ahead.
David: Sometimes I have to say, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes. Now, that’s possible I mean now you are claiming the power of God. You are rebuking the devil in the name of Jesus, and the devil can’t stand the power of God. And so if you claim God and pray and ask God for strength, Yes, then the devil will leave you.
David: Ok. Yeah.
Pastor Jëan Ross: And you know that’s our secret of victory against sin. And there’s another way that we can get the devil to leave us alone, and that’s when we quote scripture. Remember what Jesus did when the devil came and tempted him in the wilderness? He didn’t argue with the devil.
David: He didn’t argue with the devil.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s right he says, “It is written, men shall not live by bread alone.” So, by quoting scripture that’s an added safeguard that is the way that we can resist the devil and overcome it.
David: Ok.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright David, well thank you so much for calling. Hope that helps.
David: Alright, thank you.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, take care. We’re gonna go to our next caller, Joseph who is listening on WMCA. Listening in New York City, welcome to the program.
Joseph: Hello Pastor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi, how are you?
Joseph: Ok, thank you. I was reading that when Paul was stopped on the Damascus Road,
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes.
Joseph: he was a murderer.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes.
Joseph: Now how many people did he actually murder?
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know that’s a good question. The bible doesn’t tell us specifically, the number of people that he murdered. The first mention that we have of Paul, was still when he went by the name of Saul. And that of course was at the stoning of Stephen in 34 A.D.
Joseph: Did he participate in that stoning?
Pastor Jëan Ross: The bible tells us that he held the coats of those who stoned him.
Joseph: Yes.
Pastor Jëan Ross: So, you know, we’re not sure. I don’t believe he actually particape in that stoning, but he is definitely in agreeance with what was being done. It could very well be that, that event sort of spurred Saul on to persecute the Christians even more. And he went along and he got letters, which actually gave him the ability to go in to different towns and round up all of those who believed in Jesus, all other Christians and then drag them off to prison. How many of they may actually in self put to death we don’t know, did they just bring him to the Jewish authorities and they were the ones that put them to death, the bible doesn’t say. But we also know that Paul recognized that he was a great sinner. You know, after experience of the Damascus Road where Saul became Paul and when he wrote in some his epistles he speaks of himself as being the chief of sinners. Have you come across that verse? Where Paul says, I am the chief of sinners and Christ died for me?
Joseph: I think I have seen that Pastor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes, so he recognized that he himself was a sinner and a great sinner. And he also recognize that if Jesus could save him, Jesus could save anyone. That’s of course that gives us hope and courage. But we don’t know specifically how many people Paul himself was involved in putting to death. He did persecute the Christians but we do know that.
Joseph: But you don’t know if he participated in the murders?
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know I don’t know if he actually participated in the murders. But even though he might not have physically have done that, he could have we don’t know.
Joseph: He called the shots.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s right, the fact that he went and rounded up these people and brought them to the authorities. Yeah he was involved, he was just as involved
Joseph: As a participant yes,
Pastor Jëan Ross: as anyone else that actually put these people in.
Joseph: Thank you so much pastor. God bless you.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, well thank you so much for calling Joseph. We’re gonna go to our next caller and let me just remind you friends before I do that, the number to call to get your question on the air again is 1800-GOD-SAYS, that’s 1800-463-7297, 1800-463-7297. We do have some lines that are still open, so this would be a good time to go ahead and give us a call. Maybe we can get to your question before the break at the half an hour. We’re gonna go to our next caller who is Von, and he’s listening on WTLN in Orlando, Florida. Welcome to the program Von.
Von: Hi Sir, Pastor so you’re doing a very good job and you know, we appreciate the question and answer that you do.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Thank you.
Von: God bless you for that, you really have inspired us a lot.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Good, I’m glad to hear that. What’s your question?
Von: Ok. There was a discrepancies (Inaudible 23:30) in 2 Kings Chapter 8 and 26, it says, two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign 2 Chronicles 22:2 says forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign. And for example 2 Kings 1:8 tells Jehoiachin was 18 years when he began to reign. 2 Chronicles Jehoiachin 8 years old when he began to reign. You know?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Ok.
Von: Give us enlightenment.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, how do we understand that? First of all, let me mention that this different forms of reckoning that’s used in the Old Testament, sometimes it’s not always the same. So, there’s different ways of counting, sometimes they used what we called inclusive method where they included if there’s a portion of the year, they included that entire year as one. We find the same thing present when talking about the death of Jesus where it says, you know, He is dead for 3 days, He’s in the grave for 3 days. He died Friday, Sabbath the whole day, He was dead and then He rouse early Sunday morning. It wasn’t a full 20 or 3 23 hour days, but a portion of each of the days they count the whole day. So, could be that in the reckoning depending upon which system is being used, and there were several that we use. Remember, the Old Testament was written over a long period of time and so the ways of reckoning sometimes changed. So depending upon which system was used, there are some differences in some of the dates, of the kings, some of those types of things. So that’s one area that we can look at. Second…
Von: Ok, what about the names?
Pastor Jëan Ross: The names?
Von: Like 2nd Samuel 8:9 to 10 and 1st Chronicles 18:9 to 10, it says like the name Hadadezer you know and Jerome or Hadoram you know?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Ok, how about same names.
Von: Yeah different names but the same people.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, you know we find the same thing in the New Testament where Jeremiah and Elijah is even spoken off differently, where it’s pronounced differently. And I think the same was in the time in the Old Testament, depending upon who was speaking or what was the background that they were using. The names’ different somewhat, just a little, but people were clear on who that was. It was pretty clear to them that you know, we’re speaking about this person, talking about this Old Testament King. Again, I think part of it is because we have a long period of time that has elapsed. You have generations that pass by and language might change just a little, the way they pronounce different names or look at different things that might even come in to play. So, because of the long time period of the Old Testament, and then also with the different languages in that type, the influence in the different languages I think you can see that difference.
Von: Ok, so if a question comes there Pastor, right? If a question comes in, like that, is God’s word were always true or whatever? And someone said well what’s the difference is? And since God will never be true then this is not agreeing right?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Well you know, I think right. I think it is agreeing. We know that it’s agreeing but recognizing that the bible is dividedly inspired, there are different things that are emphasized by different authors in the bible.
Von: Ok.
Pastor Jëan Ross: And especially if you get to the New Testament, you know you look at the 4 gospels, they don’t say exactly the same thing in some cases, they might talk about the same sorry but each gospel writer might bring out a different aspect of it or focus on something a little bit different. And under the influence of the Holy Spirit, that’s what was being impressed upon the heart or the mind of that prophet when he was writing. And so in order to understand it, it’s not a contradiction but we wanna look at the whole and see both sides of it as its being revealed in scripture.
Von: Because see there’s something they called direct inspiration by God when He speaks and then by history that man wrote.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Well you know we do have things that God himself spoke in scripture and you know He actually wrote it on tables or stone. We have the 10 commandments, we know that comes directly from God.
Von: Ok.
Pastor Jëan Ross: But all of the bible is inspired, you know we are told in Peter that all scripture was given by the inspiration of God. So the Holy Spirit inspired all of the prophets of old, but in that inspiration, God had been bring out certain things to emphasize different parts of the story or what was being relayed. Well you know Von, I hear the music playing there in background that means we’re coming up on our half an hour break. I wanna thank you for your question, it’s been a good one. You know it’s something that we can look at and study and recognize that all scripture is indeed inspired by God.
Well friends we’re gonna take a short break, I’ll just remind you before we go to that, this is Bible Answers Live. And if you have a bible related question, the number to call is 1800-GOD-SAYS, that’s 1800-463-7297. We will be back in just a few minutes and you can actually then call and we will answer your bible question right here on the air. Stay tuned we’ll be right back.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Don’t go away, there’s more Bible Answers Live in just a moment. Don’t forget to tune in to Pastor Bachelor’s weekly television broadcast – Amazing Facts which is aired on major networks including: Black Entertainment Television, iNetwork, Black Family Channel, Vision TV and Superstation KTLA, check your local listings or contact us to find out when and on what channel the programs will be aired.
Are you in need of additional Bible-based materials for further study, consider Amazing Facts Free Correspondence Bible Study Course or our Sale Catalog featuring hundreds of inspiring books and tapes. To order call our resource line at 800-835-6747, 800-835-6747. Don’t forget friends, Amazing Facts is a Faith-based, Listener-supported Ministry operating only by God’s Blessings through your Prayers and Financial Gifts. We’d love to hear from you, write to us at P.O. Box 909 Roseville, California 95678 or online at amazingfacts.org
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Welcome back to Bible Answers Live with Pastor Doug Batchelor. This broadcast is pre-recorded, if you have a Bible related question, you can call us from 7 to 8pm Pacific Standard Time on Sundays. And receive clear, honest answers directly from scripture. Call 800-GOD-SAYS that’s 800-463-7297. Now, please join us as we look to God’s word for more Bible Answers Live with Author and Evangelist, Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Welcome back friends this is Pastor Jëan Ross, Pastor Doug Batchelor is not here tonight. He’s actually in Michigan and he is presenting an amazing seminar called, The Most Amazing Prophecies. This is a 9 part seminar that is being uplinked live from Berrien Springs, Michigan and if you would like to actually find out more about this seminar it’s being broadcast across the country and around the world. Carried by Three Angels Broadcasting Network as well as HopeTV. You can go to the website, the Amazing Facts website just www.amazingfacts.org and you can click on the link that says Most Amazing Prophecies or you can go to www.mostamazingprophecies.org and you can click on that. On that website you’ll be able to view and listen to the presentations that have already been done. This seminar started on Friday evening, and then of course last night, tonight was another presentation, and they we’ll continue for the rest of this week. On the website mostamazingprophecies.org you can also look for a local host site that is broadcasting the Most Amazing Prophecies, so I’d encourage to go ahead and look at that, there’s some tremendous things, Pastor Doug is explaining some of the most important, some of the most interesting prophecies of the bible, someone encouraged to do that. This is Bible Answers Live, our phone lines are open, and if you have a bible related question the number to call is 1800-463-7297, that’s 1800-GOD-SAYS, 1800-463-7297. I also would remind you at this point, if you wanna go to the Amazing Facts website and click on Bible Answers Live, you can also give us a question via the internet. At the beginning of each program we read this internet questions and I give bible answers to them. So you can type a question email it us here and we will try and get that on to the program.
Well friends we’re gonna go back to the phone lines so if you have a question don’t hesitate to call 1800-GOD-SAYS, that’s 1800-463-7297. And we’re going to go to Donna, who’s listening on KSTG in Lodi, California. Welcome to the program Donna.
Donna: Thank you.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Your question?
Donna: My question is when someone passes away, what happens to their spirits? And can you tell me where I can find your answer.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Ok. If you can come a little bit closer to the phone,
Donna: Ok.
Pastor Jëan Ross: so we can hear your question just a little bit better, let me just quickly summarize your question. If someone dies what happens to the spirit?
Donna: Their spirit.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Their spirit when they die? First of all, let me just give you a few text that deal with the subject of death. What happens to a person when he dies? We know Ecclesiastes chapter 9 verse 5 and 6 says that, “The living know that they’d die, but the dead they know not anything, neither have they any more a portion for anything that is done under the sun.” And then the bible also tells us a little bit further that, “The dead cannot praise the Lord in songs.” And so the idea is then, well what happens when a person dies, do they go to heaven? Do they go to hell? The bible speaks of the spirit returning to God, but we need to understand is, what is the spirit? Is the spirit the conscious part of a person do? Are they able to reason and think? Do they feel? When we look at Genesis, and God created man in the beginning Genesis 1, the bible says that God formed man out of the dust of the earth molding out of clay. Then He breathe into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being or a living soul. And so in order for a person to be alive, there needs to be a body and there also needs to be this breath of God or the spark of life. Sometimes the bible speak for that as being the spirit, that’s the spark of life that God gives us. All living beings, all living creatures have their life from God. God is the source of all life, so when a person dies, that spark of life, that breath of life returns to God who gives it and the body returns to dust. And then at the second coming, at the resurrection, God reunites that spark of life, that spirit, with the new glorified body and the person is resurrected. So the spirit does return to God, but we wanna emphasize that the spirit is not the conscious part of a person. It’s not the soul, but it’s that spark of life, it’s that breath of life that God has given to all of those whom he has created. Does that make sense Donna?
Donna: It does.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright
Donna: Thank you so much.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Let me also just mention a resource that you might be interested in, it’s the Amazing Facts Study Guide, “Are The Dead Really Dead?” and it’s a great resource to take a look at. It’s something that someone might even want to share with a friend. And to get that resource all you gotta do is just call our resource number, it’s 1800-835-6747 that’s 1800-835-6747 and of course for anyone who’s listening, if you would like to get a copy of the Amazing Facts Study Guide “Are The Dead Really Dead” just call that number, tell them you’re looking for “Are The Dead Really Dead” and they’ll be happy to send that out to you.
Donna: Alright, thank you so much.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, thanks for calling Donna. We’ll go to our next caller, James, who is listening on KADV calling from Modesto, California. Welcome to the program James.
James: Thank you sir for taking my call.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You’re welcome.
James: Yes. In Romans 8, dealing with the spirit of the Holy Spirit. Now, we are praying and meditating to the Lord and I feel that the spirit is communicating with me on the do things, and thinking of it and praying about it through myself and in my mind. If that is of the Holy Spirit of doing something, is that doing it with God and then it’s been done? If that makes any sense.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, let me see if I understand you, when we pray the Holy Spirit is speaking to our hearts and our minds. And in praising upon us, what we need to pray or what it is that we need to do?
James: Well, and then in that aspect to doing it, in my mind to the Holy Spirit that I’m doing it, is that my spirit doing it with God?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Ok. Alright, you know the Holy Spirit works upon us. And is impressing us and convicting us at different things. As we pray, we ask the Lord to reveal to us what it is that He wants us to do. Or maybe we pray and say, Lord reveal to me where I have fallen short, reveal to me some sin perhaps that I’m not even aware of, then it’s Holy Spirit that actually speaks to us and convicts us of what it is that God wants us to do or what it is that we have done that is out of harmony with God’s will.
James: Right.
Pastor Jëan Ross: As the Holy Spirit convicts us of that, then we can respond and pray about that. It said Lord give me courage to do the right thing or Father I’m sorry for doing that, which is not pleasing to you, so the Holy Spirit works with us. The bible also says that the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf before the Father. And so,
James: Yes, and that’s why I had a premonition that I was doing something through the Spirit, or not physically, but in the Spirit and that it was a done thing. If that makes sense.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Right, you know, if the Holy Spirit convicts us of something and we recognize that this is God’s leading in our life, something that God wants us to do.
James: Yes.
Pastor Jëan Ross: And then we accept that and cling to it by faith, then in essence it is a done thing. Because we’ve grasp the whole of it by faith and God will bring it about. Let’s say we’re praying for something in particular,
James: Right.
Pastor Jëan Ross: the Holy Spirit is convicting us in a certain thing or maybe we’re praying for victory over some particular Son. The Holy Spirits convicting us about that and when we pray in faith and grasp the promise of God and say Lord, you know, I can’t do this on my own. But you can do all things, and so I’m the claim the promise and hold on to you. And we claim that by faith, then the victories ours.
James: Yeah, I feel the victory is mine, because I felt the premonition that He was proud of me for doing it and taking the courage to take step in doing it in the Spirit. I praise God for that.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, absolutely. You know God looks upon and He’s compassionate, He loves us. And I think when we reach out even though our faith is weak, when we reach out and try and grasp a hold of His hand or say, Lord, I’m gonna do what you are asking me to do. I’m sure God is pleased, a matter fact, I know God is pleased.
James: Yes.
Pastor Jëan Ross: And that brings joy to His heart.
James: I believe.
Pastor Jëan Ross: So, we can press the name and a hold on to him. One other thing I wanna mention about praying in the Holy Spirit or praying with the Gods and the Holy Spirit, we wanna make sure that what the Holy Spirit reveals to us is always in harmony with the word of God.
James: Right.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Because, remember the Holy Spirit will never contradict the scriptures.
James: Right.
Pastor Jëan Ross: And so, you know, we don’t wanna be praying and then have this strong impression that we need to go and do something that is counter to what the bible says. Because you know, God will never have us do something counter to what He has already told us in His word. But if the conviction of the Holy Spirit is in harmony with the principles of the bible, then we can claim that promise by God, by faith, claim the promise, hold on to God and God will bring it about.
James: Right. Ok, well thank you very much sir.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, thank you for calling James. Our next caller is Arlene, she’s listening on KPRZ listening in San Diego, California. Welcome to the program.
Arlene: Yes, thank you.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi, your question Arlene?
Arlene: In the New Testament, frequently, especially when it comes to the Passion Week, that they attribute certain things happening of certain times. They say this has happened the 3rd watch or the 2nd watch. And from what I’ve been told that there is like the Jews had one watch and one time table and then the Roman, to another.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes.
Arlene: Could you explain to me what the 2 time tables are?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure. The time table that’s used in the bible, we find right back in the very beginning in Genesis. And it comes from the creation story where it says, the evening and the morning, was the first day, or the evening and the morning was the second day. And so with bible reckoning, a day starts when the sun is setting and then it goes, you know the night and then the whole of the next day, the light part of the day, it’s still part of that same day. So from evening to evening, that’s a complete day. That’s why the Jews with their ceremonies and of course with the Sabbath Day, it was observed from sunset to sunset. When the sun set on Friday evening, the Sabbath is beginning and that continues right throughout the night, and then the following day, Saturday. And then sunset, Saturday evening, that’s the end of the Sabbath. And that type of reckoning, continued throughout the Old Testament, until the Roman era. Then it was Roman Era that started or changed you know, with their time. Where started dividing a day into 24 hours that started at midnight and that the same format that we use today, from midnight to midnight. But of course back in the Old Testament times in Bible times, how could they know when it was midnight? They use the sun dial, and it was very difficult to determine what exactly you know, midnight was. We also have in the bible different watches, and you’d probably read about that in the New Testament books. The light part of the day was typically divided up into twelve hours and so they would have watches for the day, 12 hours and watches for the night. And so this different watches would just kind of give you a bearing of where they were, as they went through the day or as they went through the light part and as they went through the dark part of the night. Does that help Arlene?
Arlene: Yes, I just, I know that they talked about like the 3rd watch and something’s happening with this. Like, things happened during 3rd watch and
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes, now that would be at night. You know, different times would be at the different watches of the night. I believe there were 4 and I’m not a 100% sure on this, I believe there were 4 different watches that the night was divided up into. So the 3rd watch would be early hours of the morning.
Arlene: Mm-Hmm.
Pastor Jëan Ross: And I think the verse that comes to mind is where the disciples were on the sea of Galilee and it was the 3rd watch of the night and they looked out and they saw Jesus walking on the water. Are you familiar with that story?
Arlene: Mm-Hmm.
Pastor Jëan Ross: So early hours of the morning, they had been struggling against the waves or a good part of the night and it was early hours of the morning when they looked out and they saw Jesus walking towards them on the water. And so the night was divided up into this different portions and they call it the different watches.
Arlene: So that’s actually a Roman influence?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes, partly Roman influence, but it was also something that the Jews did. You know, people would be on the watch tower of the city, and they would be standing watch for a certain number of hours. And then somebody else would come and take their place and stand watch for the next you know, 3 or 4 hours. And so, that’s where the watchers came from, it was used both by the Jews and the Romans. It doesn’t really have to deal when you calculate a day, you know the day for the Jews started at sunset, for the Roman it started at midnight. But the watches didn’t really affect that that was just ways of dividing up the portion of the day.
Arlene: Mm-Hmm. Mm-Hmm.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright,
Arlene: Alrighty, thanks with the call.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Ok. Thank you Arlene, appreciate your call. Our next caller is Christine, and she’s listening on KFIA, from Citrus Heights, California. Welcome to the program Christine.
Christine: Thank for having me. I have a question, I know in the bible that you know, there’s clean food, blistered and unclean foods.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes.
Christine: And I was reading in Deuteronomy and its verses 15 and then jumps into the last part of 21, 22, and 23. And it’s saying here, “So whatsoever that I saw left a (Inaudible 45:24) accordingto theblessingof LORD thy God, which isgiven thee. The unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart. And then jumping over to 28 is “Whatsoever they fall left of after that they could eat the clean and the unclean of them alike, only be sure that thou eat not the blood.”
Pastor Jëan Ross: Mm-Hmm.
Christine: And knowing that there’s other areas that say you know, give a list of what you can and can’t eat. What does this mean then?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Ok, good question. You’re right, Deuteronomy does list and Leviticus list specific animals that are clean to eat and others that aren’t clean to eat. The verses that you mentioned here in Deuteronomy 15, it’s not referring to the animals, but it’s referring to the people. In other words, it says, “You may eat within your gates the unclean and the clean person alike may eat of it.” Now the person there is added to explain, I’m reading from the New King James version, where they added “person” for clarification. Remember someone could be ceremonially unclean back in the Jewish system. And so if someone was ceremonially unclean or if someone was not, then they were free to eat of this. So the clean and unclean there is not referring to the animal, but it’s rather referring to the person who’s doing the eating. Does that make sense?
Christine: Yes, it does.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Ok.
Christine: Because the Gentiles were considered unclean, and Ok.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Well the Gentiles are considered unclean but so was someone who had leprosy, they would consider it to be unclean.
Christine: That’s true, yeah.
Pastor Jëan Ross: They were also, depending upon if someone went out to war, they were considered unclean for a certain days following that. A woman was considered unclean during a monthly cycle for a period of time. And so, you know, it was ceremonial clean or unclean and there it’s saying that, in respect of whether the person is ceremonially clean or unclean, they can’t part take of these things that God has blessed. So that would be the clean food that God has set apart for years.
Christine: Ok, that makes sense.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright.
Christine: Ok. Thank you.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Great. Good question, thanks for calling. We’re gonna go to our next caller, Hermina, is listening on KFIA from Sacramento, California. Welcome to the program.
Hermina: Good Evening,
Pastor Jëan Ross: Good Evening.
Hermina: I had one question.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes.
Hermina: I was reading from the Act of the Apostles and as I was reading, I was reading that the Holy Spirit told Paul several times what was gonna happen to him in Jerusalem
Pastor Jëan Ross: Mm-Hmm
Hermina: And in Acts chapter 21 starting verse 10 through 12, He even sends a prophet to tell him that he’s gonna be tied down his hands and feet in Jerusalem. Why would still Paul go to Jerusalem, if he was already warned by the Holy Spirit?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Ha, that’s a good question. You know it’s clear and the verse that you mentioned makes it very clear in Acts 21 verse 11. To give you a little bit of a background, Paul is with some believers and he is on his way down to Jerusalem, and there is a prophet there who actually takes Paul’s belt and ties it around his hands and his feet and says, “The Holy Spirit says that this is what the Jews will do to you in Jerusalem,
Hermina: Mm-hmm
Pastor Jëan Ross: and they will deliver you into the hands of the Gentiles.” So it’s pretty clear to Paul that something’s gonna happen in Jerusalem, but yet Paul is convinced that he needs to go. I don’t believe Paul just went down to Jerusalem because he wanted to go, but he knew that it was God’s purpose for him to accomplish something important at Jerusalem. So, irrespective of what would happen, Paul was determined to go. He had a conviction of God, that that’s where God wanted him to go. If Paul felt as though that’s something that God didn’t want him to do, then I’m sure he wouldn’t have gone. But Paul didn’t have a clear conviction from God that this is where he shouldn’t go. But on the same line, God did reveal to Paul what was gonna happen when he was there. Now, the phrases here that we have and the different references, it doesn’t say that Paul will be killed and he wasn’t.
Hermina: Yeah.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Of course at Jerusalem he’s turned up of a Gentiles and then he journeyed over to Rome. And he did quite the work Rome, in strengthening and building up the church and the number of the letters that he wrote that we have in our new testament. They we’re written by Paul from Rome, to the different churches in Asia Minor.
Hermina: Mm-Hmm.
Pastor Jëan Ross: And so God had a purpose and a plan in having Paul travel up to Rome. And you know that happened because of the Gentiles and so when they took him, took him a prisoner.
Hermina: Right.
Pastor Jëan Ross: So, Paul felt as though this was still God’s will, even though he knew something difficult or bad was waiting in store for him at Jerusalem.
Hermina: I guess what was hard for me at first was like, how do you make the difference when you hear the Holy Spirit telling you, what’s gonna happen to you? And how do you know if that’s not a warning and it’s just basically for you to know, where it was gonna happen?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Mm-hmm. You know I think one of the things that would give us an understanding you know, if the Holy Spirit reveals to us that something bad is gonna happen to us, the next question we wanna find out is, is that a warning for us not to go or not to do that? Or is God sharing that with us, in order to prepare us and strengthen us for whatever is ahead. And I think what happened to Paul is that God revealed these things to him, so that he could be prepared and strengthened for what was to come.
Hermina: Ok.
Pastor Jëan Ross: And so, we wanna know, Yes, Lord are you revealing to me because you don’t want me to do this? Or are you revealing this to me to strengthen me. And I think with (Inaudible 51:14) prayer if we’re honest with God, we’d say, “Lord I wanna do your will, whatever it is.” “Whether that’s going to bring me pain or whether that’s gonna bring me joy, I wanna make sure that I’m following your steps in doing what you want me to do.” Then God is gonna lead us and guide us through the Holy Spirit, through his word, God is gonna lead us and guide us. But God doesn’t always lead us into just easy good times. Sometimes it leads us inside difficult situations. Does that makes sense?
Hermina: Yes. Thank you so much.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, oh I wanna thank you so much for calling. Let’s go to our next caller, Steve who is listening on WMCA in New York City. Welcome to program Steve, your question?
Steve: Yes, good evening Pastor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi.
Steve: I have a question I’m a referring back to a statement you made in the beginning the program, about “Are the Dead Really Dead?” and the verses I would use would be John 11:24 to 26.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Mm-Hmm.
Steve: In 24, Martha seems to be saying that she understands that the resurrection will be in the last day,
Pastor Jëan Ross: Correct.
Steve: which is from what I gathered, there at the time in understanding that time.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes.
Steve: Jesus seems to be adding further information for her understanding, and in verse 26, it seems to be saying, just least as how I read it, that everyone who lives and believes in me, will never die.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Mm-Hmm.
Steve: and it’s you know, I mean, of course
Pastor Jëan Ross: What does Jesus mean by that? Well, that’s a good question, first of all, here in John 11, you know the background of the story is Jesus is over at Bethany and Mary and Martha lived there and Lazarus has just died. And if we just backtrack a little bit earlier, Jesus wasn’t there, he wasn’t in the area. Bethany was up closer to the area of Galilee, and Lazarus was sick and so Mary and Martha send a word to Jesus, and it was simply, “The one that you love is sick”, and they expected Jesus to come right away, but Jesus didn’t come. Remember that?
Steve: Mm-Hmm
Pastor Jëan Ross: And so what happens is Lazarus dies and then you know word comes or that is Jesus says, “Now we’re gonna go.” Then He says, “Lazarus is sleeping.” and disciples say to Jesus, “Well if Lazarus is sleeping, he’s doing well.” and Jesus says, “No, he’s dead.” So, in the mind of Christ, death is like a sleep. And for a Christian, someone who believes in God, that’s what death is, it’s not a fearful thing. Or when a person dies they are dying the death of sleep and the very next thing they know, Jesus is coming in the crowds of glory, they are resurrected and they’ll you to heaven. So, when a person goes to sleep you know, we don’t know how long we sleep, time just seems to vanish in a moment. And so it is with someone who dies in faith in Christ, the very next conscious thought that they have, Jesus is coming to take him. And Martha also had that understand, she says that, “I know that Lazarus will be raised again at the resurrection at the last day.” and Jesus says to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.” In other words, the only hope of being resurrected is Jesus. “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” So, even though a person who believes in Jesus does die, in the mind of God, death is but a sleep. And the very next thing they know, Jesus is coming the clouds of glory to take them home. Does that make sense?
Steve: It makes sense but the problem I have again is with verse 26 where it says, “In everyone who lives
Pastor Jëan Ross: Mm-hmm
Steve: and believes me will never die.” And that seems to imply for the Christian at least, you know, act when you’re further than that.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure.
Steve: But for the Christian at least, right? There is no such thing as death.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Well do Christians die today?
Steve: Well physically,
Pastor Jëan Ross: Mm-hmm
Steve: but we’re more than just physical beings. You can understand there’s a paradigm of theological paradigm that’s you know, is used to interpret many of these verses. Right?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Sure, sure.
Steve: It just seems to me that you know the understanding come down in many verses I can go to Corinthians and Philippians, seem to say that we don’t die.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Mm-hmm
Steve: You know, we go to be with Christ.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Right, now, you know, no it doesn’t say in the bible, that when we die we go immediately to be with Christ. But the bible does say, “Those who believe in Jesus, though they die, they will live or he who believes me shall never die.” And again and again, we find in scripture that death is referred to as a sleep, over and over again, talks about the patriarchs slept with their fathers. And Jesus several times, referred death as a sleep. So in the mind of Christ in the mind of God, death is not something to be fearful of, but rather it’s just a sleep of which Jesus will awaken that sleeping saint when He comes the second time. You know, the New Testament talks about the hope of the Christian, the hope of the Christian is the second coming of Jesus. That’s when the resurrection takes place and that’s when the saved will be with God forever, so that kind of deals with that. You know Steve let me give you, if you haven’t got it yet, a great resource that deals with this question “Are The Dead Really Dead?” It’s an Amazing Facts Study Guide, and I’d encourage you to take a look at it. To get it, all you need to do is call the resource number. It’s 1800-835-6747 and you can go ahead and get that free offer. Again, “Are The Dead Really Dead?” just call them, ask for it and they’ll be happy to send it out.
Well friends, I hear the music playing there in the background and it’s been a great 1 hour of bible questions. You know, it’s one of the fastest hours that we have here at Amazing Facts is the Bible Answers Live Hour, where you call in your questions. I wanna thank those of you who called, if we didn’t get to your question tonight, I apologize, please give us another chance next week. Call us and we will try and take your question. Remember, you can also go to the Amazing Facts website and click on the link, Bible Answers Live and you can type your question there as well and we will be happy to address that question at the beginning of our program. Our free offer again tonight is “From Stress To Joy” and to get that, just call our resource number. And until we meet again friends, may God bless you and be with you. And we look forward to hearing and visiting with you next week.
Pastor Jëan Ross: This has been a pre-recorded broadcast of Bible Answers Live, a Production of Amazing Facts Ministries. If you would like to order the materials mentioned on this broadcast call 800-835-6747 from 8am to Midnight, Eastern Standard Time, that’s 800-835-6747. If you’ve missed an episode of Bible Answers Live, you can find it on our website amazingfacts.org. You’ll also find our online sale catalog of books, tapes and other materials, as well as numerous free resources on nearly every Bible Topic, putting the answers to your Bible Questions right at your fingertips. If you’re being blessed by this program, let us know. Write to us at P.O. Box 909 Roseville, California 95678. Be sure to tell others about the program and join us again next time for more Bible Answers Live with Pastor Doug Batchelor.
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