Hello friends, this is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? Men who live in Jerusalem’s ultra orthodox religious community openly object to women wearing tight jeans, short skirts and sleeveless blouses in public. As a possible solution, members of the modesty patrols are now selling the ultra orthodox men special glasses that blur distant images, thus preventing them from seeing immodestly dressed women.
How odd, most people wear glasses to sharpen their vision. These glasses are deliberately made to distort vision in an effort to supposedly protect your heart. But this presents a bigger question. How does a Christian maintain a pure heart in this wicked 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 Batchelor: Welcome again listening friends to Bible Answers Live. We are very happy that you've tuned in for another hour's program dealing with your questions about the Word of God, the Bible. If you’d like to give us a call we do have lines open right now.
So the number, free phone call, are you ready? 1-800-GOD-SAYS, there’s the acronym. If you want the numbers, 1-800-463-7297, will bring your Bible question into our studio here in Sacramento, California and going around the world. One more time, 1-800-463-7297.
Right now is a good time to pick up the phone if you have a question about the Bible, the Word of God, living the Christian life, and we’ll do our best to search the Word of God together to find the answers. 1-800-GOD-SAYS, 1-800-463-7297. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: My name is Jëan Ross. Good evening listening friends and Pastor Doug. Let’s begin with a word of prayer. Father, once again we thank You that we can study Your Word together. We do ask Your blessing upon this program. Be with those who are listening. Father, we recognize the Bible is Your Word. We want Your leading and guiding as we search for truth. For we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Amen.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Pastor Doug, now you opened the program by talking about a pair of glasses that blur a person’s vision on purpose. Well, you can somewhat understand the predicament of somebody, who, well, who lives in our modern culture and yet is trying to maintain modesty in their thought and their action. It could be a real challenge at times.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, I don’t think this is a challenge just for men who might be ultra orthodox Jewish men living in Jerusalem. I grew up in New York City and we had the very strong ultra orthodox Jewish community there in Brooklyn and I’ve seen them as well in Jerusalem. But it isn’t reserved for ultra orthodox Jewish men, it isn’t reserved for just men.
Every Christian wants to have purity of heart because Jesus said it is the pure in heart that will see God. Really He's saying that the pure in heart will be saved because we hope to see Him face to face someday. But in this world where we are just surrounded--there's just a kaleidoscope of all kinds of immoral images that are around us all the time.
How does a Christian maintain a pure heart? Jesus said in Matthew 5:27, “You have heard it said by them of old, You shall not commit adultery: But I say to you, That whoever looks on a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery in his heart.” And again He says, “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than your whole body should be cast into hell.”
I suppose if one of those orthodox Jewish men wanted to, they could quote from Jesus here. It says, "If your eye offends you, pluck it out." Why not wear modesty glasses where you walk around and you’re bumping into telephone poles because you can’t see where you’re going. So is that the answer, or, how do we control our thoughts? How do we maintain purity of heart in this culture that is just steeped in all kinds of immoral images?
It’s not just sex. It’s the violence and just all kinds of pagan ideas. What can a person do? We have a book that gives some answers. First of all, I’ll give some quick answers. I don’t want to leave people and just say, "You’ve got to order the book," we’re not telling anything. In order to have purity in heart, it has a lot to do with what you feed on and what you choose to look at.
A person can direct their eyes. I think Job said, "I made a covenant with my eyes; why should I behold a maiden?" So, it has to do a lot with what we dwell on. And is it a sin for someone to look and notice something immoral? That’s a question we often get. Maybe someone will call that in. I’m not going to answer that right now. That’s just a teaser, but we have a book here to offer.
Pastor Jëan Ross: We do. The book is entitled, Culture and the Christian, and we’ll send it to you for free if you’ll call our resource line. The number is 1-800-835-6747. You can ask for the book, Culture and the Christian. We’ll be happy to send that to anyone who asks.
We’re also streaming our program live this evening and if you’re close to your computer, you can go to Live.AmazingFacts.org and you can join us right here in the studio via the web. We're going to go to the phone lines. Our first caller for this evening is George and he’s listening in Wyoming. George, welcome to the program.
George: Hi, good night, well, good evening Pastors. Thanks for taking my call.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Good evening, and your question?
George: Well, my question goes back to ancient Israel when the Ark of the Covenant was hidden away, and we’re talking about hundreds of years up until the time of Christ. How did ancient Israel perform the Day of Atonement, and how does that relate to when Christ entered the temple and cleansed it?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, when the children of Israel were carried off to Babylon, as near as we can tell, the Ark was still in their possession up until the time of Jeremiah, when Jeremiah the Prophet told King Zedekiah that the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar would destroy the temple. Evidently, Jeremiah and some of the priests hid the Ark somewhere, probably a tomb, because Jerusalem is a honeycomb of tombs underneath the city.
Because Nebuchadnezzar, when he carried off the implements of the temple, the Ark is never mentioned; and the things they brought back of the furniture, it is never mentioned. It disappears before Nebuchadnezzar sacks the temple. So they did not go through the Day of Atonement exactly the way they had done when they rebuilt the temple. During the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, there was no Ark in it.
And in the time of Christ, when Herod had refurbished the temple, there was no Ark. So, I don’t know that they celebrated the Day of Atonement the exact same way because they probably still went through the motions, but they couldn’t go into the Holy of Holies. There was nothing in there.
George: Yeah, and then when Christ came into the temple [cross talk]
Pastor Doug Batchelor: I'm sorry, I was going to say, unless...
George: Yeah, okay go ahead.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: ...and what history doesn’t really tell us is they may have made another mock ark or another second type of one, I don’t know, but I’ve never read that.
George: Ah, okay, okay, because my thought was is when Christ came in and cleansed the temple, removed the money changers and healed the sick, was that sort a form of a cleansing?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yes it was, actually. He probably did that twice during His ministry. The way the Gospels line up it sounds like He did it at the beginning of His ministry; and then in the Gospel of John it sounds like they had brought all the money changers and animals back and then He did it one more time at the end of His ministry.
But that is certainly a type of the cleansing of the sanctuary; but Jesus died in the spring, so it wasn’t in the same time of the year.
George: Okay, that answers that. Thanks a lot.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Good question. It made us all think about things we haven’t probably thought about in awhile.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, we have a study guide that talks about the sanctuary and it’s entitled, God Drew the Plans. There's so much one can learn when one studies the sanctuary, what the Bible says about it. If you’d like to receive this study guide, call our resource line. The number is 1-800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide, God Drew the Plans, the Amazing Facts' study guide on the temple, or the sanctuary.
Our next caller is Loretta and she is listening in Savannah, Tennessee. Loretta, welcome to Bible Answers Live.
Loretta: Yes, good evening Pastor Jëan and Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Good evening.
Loretta: I appreciate your taking my call. I was so thankful I heard Pastor Doug mention something about the book of Revelation in terms of the numbers being literal, but the names and things being symbolic.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yes.
Loretta: I have a question about the--it talks about one-third of the angels were tossed out of heaven.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yes.
Loretta: I was reading one of your favorite authors and she mentioned that at, I guess at least some point, nearly a half I guess had been deceived?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yup. Well all of them were wondering what was going on when Lucifer started to challenge God because, keep in mind, angels had never heard a lie before because no one had ever sinned.
Loretta: Oh, okay. Now my question is this. It refers to one-third of the angels being tossed out, not a specific number; and I think later on I think with the plagues, it talks about one third of the fish or something being killed in the sea?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yes. You’ll find a lot of one-thirds. It says one-third of the trees are burnt.
Loretta: Yes, yes, yes. Is that referring to a literal one-third, or is that just a reference to a large number?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: You know, I think that it is telling us those numbers, in other words, are literal; that with those various plagues--and we’ve got a whole separate study on the plagues--that there was like one-third decimation. When you look in the book, for instance, of Judges and it talks about Gideon, he had this army of three hundred that he then divides into three parts to attack a threefold enemy, the Amalekites, the Midianites and the people of the East
So there’s a lot of threes even in Bible history so it doesn’t surprise us in Revelation you see things continue on being divided up in thirds.
Loretta: So it’s not a reference to an actual number? Of course, that one-third doesn’t give an actual number.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Third is usually an approximate number.
Loretta: Okay, because they were trying to convince me that it basically is a reference that’s used when it’s just referring to a large number, versus an actual one-third.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yes. Of course, a third of something is a large percentage; but you know, as far as I know, Pastor Ross, you just finished a study in Revelation?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes. I think the emphasis is a large number but not the majority. So many theologians look at a third, especially when you’re talking about Revelation, as being a large number or large group but not the majority with reference to the group. So, in Revelation 12:3 where it says the dragon was able to swoop a third of the stars of heaven with his tail, well you’re talking about a large number of angels that joined his rebellion, but it was not the majority of the angels.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: I always think about when you divide a dollar three ways. You can do it, but not exactly with the decimal points.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Hmm.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: It doesn’t divide perfectly so it must be an approximate number. Thank you Loretta, appreciate your call. Who's next?
Pastor Jëan Ross: We have Dave who is listening in Willits, California. Dave, welcome to the program.
Dave: Hey, hello there Pastor Ross, hey Doug. How are you guys doing?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Doing good, appreciate your call.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Good.
Dave: Yeah, I’m from the Willits area and so I'm sure you are familiar with that Doug.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yup. I drive through it whenever I head up to our place.
Dave: [Laughter] Hey, I’ve got a question and I’m wondering if you can help me understand a little bit here on 1st Corinthians chapter 15, starting in verses 20 to 29. I want to emphasize on this baptized for the dead.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah.
Dave: I'm really confused about that.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: First Corinthians 15, 20 to 25 you say?
Dave: It's 1st Corinthians chapter 15, starting in verse 20 and it ends in 29.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Okay, but it's especially the baptism for the dead part?
Dave: The huge emphasis is on 29.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Right.
Dave: That’s what some try to use. Can you give me a little bit of understanding what Paul is trying to say here?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah. I think that this has often been misunderstood and it's largely because of the punctuation. Keep in mind in the original Greek, if you look at the original Greek text, there’s no punctuation. The translators had to read this choppy sentence by Paul...
Dave: Right.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: ...and figure out where to punctuate it and how you punctuate it. It totally changes the meaning.
Dave: Yeah, because in ancient Greek they didn’t have any dots or commas.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: There was no punctuation so every translator could do this a little differently, just how you punctuate it. Very quickly, it's like a woman wired her husband from France once. She wanted to buy an expensive mink coat and he telegraphed her back. It’s when you paid for every letter back then and he said, "No price too high."
Well she thought he was saying no price is too high and she came back with this mink coat. He had really said, "No (comma), price too high." So it’s a completely different meaning based on punctuation. The way I understand it is in 1st Corinthians 15:29 Paul is saying, "Else what should they do which are baptized (period)." "For the dead if the dead rise not at all then why are they baptized (comma), for the dead (question mark)?”
Dave: Yeah, it’s the keyword, it seems like the "otherwise." I've got the New King James Version and it says, "otherwise." So it's saying, “or else it would have been,” or something like that. And I’m just trying to...
Pastor Doug Batchelor: The bottom line is, in the Corinthian Church they are doubting the resurrection and Paul is saying, "Then why are you bothering getting baptized? Because if the dead don’t rise, then why are you getting baptized? For the dead?"
Dave: Yeah.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: He’s not telling anyone to get baptized for the dead and he’s not saying there was any practice of getting baptized for the dead, so...
Dave: Well, if the dead aren’t living, I mean, how can you baptize them anyways?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, once a person dies their judgment is sealed. Nobody alive redeems those who have died. Everybody is rewarded according to their works; so if everyone is rewarded according to their works according to Jesus in Revelation, then my getting baptized for someone who lived a wicked life, what good is that going to do?
Dave: Yeah. So if I tried to explain this to somebody it would just be, you know, from what you’re saying is, you know, it has to do a lot with the punctuation, and also what he’s referring to is the resurrection of Jesus, not anything about baptizing dead or anything like that.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: No. Hypothetically he's saying, "If you don’t believe in the resurrection, why are you getting baptized? Are you doing it for the dead?"
Dave: Yeah, that doesn’t make any sense.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah. He’s asking, basically, a ridiculous rhetorical question.
Dave: I see, okay. That makes a lot more sense because, I mean...
Pastor Doug Batchelor: And it makes me wonder, there are several English translations out there, there must be fifty different English translations.
Dave: I know.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: You could look at some of the different cross references and I bet you’d find one that punctuates this differently.
Dave: Well I have the ancient New Testament Greek and I can just translate it and see what it really says in the ancient Greek.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah. Do a transliteration and you’ll see if you’ve got different options for the punctuation. Hey, I appreciate that and by the way for you, Dave, you probably know, but for anyone else that wants we have a book that talks about is baptism necessary.
Pastor Jëan Ross: If you’d like to learn more about this important Bible subject, give us a call on our resource line. It's 1-800-835-6747 and the book, “Is Baptism Necessary?” and we’ll send it to you for free, 1-800-835-6747. Now if you have a Bible question we’d like to hear from you. The number here to the studio is 1-800-463-7297. Kevin is calling from Colorado. Kevin, welcome to the program.
Kevin: Good evening.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Good evening.
Kevin: I was going to ask a question about something else, but then you mentioned, the one Pastor just mentioned about the tail of the dragon in Revelations.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah.
Kevin: How do you interpret that and is that applying to--you see, I read online the other night about Planet X Nibiru, and I’m associating it with so much of Revelations that it almost seems to me that that’s what that is. It's the red dragon with the tail on it. Does that make sense to you?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, I think I know what you’re talking about. But in Revelation where talks about the dragon, it tells us as we compare it with other verses that, first of all, ultimately, the dragon is the devil, and the Lamb in Revelation is Jesus. The serpent, or the dragon, is a symbol for the devil because it says in Revelation chapter 12, I forget what verse it is, "...that old dragon, serpent, the devil...." Is that verse 9, Revelation 12?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Uhum.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: So it makes it pretty clear the dragon is the devil. So when it says he’s cast down to earth and he draws a third of the stars with him, you read in Revelation 1 these stars represent angels. Well, these angels that are cast to the earth are not the good angels. They’re the fallen angels, and that’s why they move to Los Angeles. No, I’m sorry...
Pastor Jëan Ross: [Laughs]
Pastor Doug Batchelor: I just made that up. So just because it says there are stars I don’t think it’s really talking about anything astronomical, per se.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, something else interesting about the phrase where it says, “the tail,” or, "the dragon used his tail," if you read in the Old testament in Isaiah Chapter 9, verse 15, it tells us that, "The prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail." So in the Old Testament “the tail” is often associated with falsehood and lies.
How is Lucifer able to deceive a third of the angels? Through his lies, through his deceit.
Kevin: Okay. Thank you. I’m newly saved and I don’t really know a whole lot so I’ve just got a lot of questions. But that will do for tonight and I appreciate your show so much.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Kevin, well thank you. I'm assuming you’re driving now?
Kevin: I am.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: When you get back where you can get online, don’t do it in your car.
Kevin: Right.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Go to the Amazing Facts website and there’s a free study course you can take at our website. So you just type in Amazing Facts and you can find our Bible school; and you’ll really enjoy it, especially if you’re a new Christian. It will really, really change your life.
Kevin: Okay.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s just AmazingFacts.org, or .com I should say, AmazingFacts.com, and that will take you to the website. Our next caller is Chester and he’s listening from Ohio. Chester, welcome to the program.
Chester: Thank you. Enjoy your show.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well thank you, and your question?
Chester: My question is, and I know there's a lot of older people in the same situation that I am, this woman I’m dating, we’re engaged. She lost her husband and four months later I lost my wife, are you there?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yes, I’m very sorry to hear that. We are here.
Chester: Okay, and my question is that she, her--we’re engaged, but we want to get married sometime, but her benefits are better, mine and where I work and all that. So what does a person actually do?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: So you mean, in other words, if you get married, you’ll lose benefits?
Chester: She’ll lose her benefits, yeah.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, obviously, you don’t want to pretend to be married and you don’t want to not get married because of insurance benefits. So you need to do the right thing and ask God to help you sort out the details. If you believe the Lord has brought you together, then nothing should keep you apart.
If you have doubts about if the Lord has brought you together, then you should not move forward. But don’t let something like employment benefits be a determining factor; and you don’t want to live like you’re married but tell the government you’re not or your employers you’re not.
I knew an old couple, sweetest old couple, and they said, “You know, if we get married we’re going to lose one of our Social Security.” So they kind of lived together. I mean, you usually don’t hear about sweet old Christian couples living together. They told everyone they were married, except the government, but there’s something dishonest about that. So you either are or you aren’t, and I know it does create a dilemma for some people.
Chester: Well see, we’re not married but we’re thinking about it, but I don’t know. She has her own place and I have mine, you know, and I’m on the road all the time. I’m a truck driver and I’m only home on weekends, you know, so, we’re actually not living together. Do you know what I’m saying?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah. Now do you go to church somewhere?
Chester: Yes.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: You guys ought to sit down with your pastor and just lay it out and say, "Here’s what we’re praying about. Do you have any council for us?" It’s always easier when there’s someone that knows you, that ministers to you during the week that can give you more pertinent council on that, but, there’s certainly nothing wrong. You’ve got biblical grounds for remarriage.
By the way Chester, there’s a new book that we wrote this year and it’s talking specifically about marriage, divorce and remarriage. It will cover a lot of the principles that we are discussing right now. If you’ll call us, we’ll send you a free copy.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The number to call is 1-800-835-6747. That is our resource line. You can ask for the book, Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage, written by Pastor Doug and we’ll be happy to send that out to anyone who gives us a call and asks for it. Our next caller is Linda and she is listening from Tennessee. Linda, welcome to the program.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Linda, are you there? Linda in Tennessee. Hello, are you on? Linda, Tennessee. Have we got the right phone number?
Pastor Jëan Ross: We've got the right one. We’ll come back. We’ve got Fred who is listening in Connecticut. Fred, welcome to the program.
Fred: Ah, yes, I was going to ask you if the Antichrist is in the world at the moment, how that would affect us today?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, I think that the Antichrist is alive in the planet right now. We have a lesson that we’ll send you for free, Fred, on “Who is the Antichrist?" Is that the title of it?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Um-hm, that’s what it’s called.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, and how does it affect us? Well, there’s an agenda, according to the Bible, that the Antichrist has that revolves around worship and I think it’s just very important for us to understand these issues. It’s a little difficult for me to take and kind of unpack the book of Revelation and that whole scenario in the three minutes of a phone call.
But what really confuses people, when they think about the mark of the beast that the Antichrist is going to enforce, some people think it’s a tattoo and it’s not. You read in Revelation, it talks about a mark "in the right hand or in the forehead," but if you look in Deuteronomy and in Exodus, it talks about having the law of God in our hands and between our eyes, they're called frontlets on your forehead. So that was talking about having the law of God in your mind and in your hand. It means in your actions.
So when it’s talking about the Antichrist power requiring people to have a mark in their hands or in their forehead, it’s not a tattoo, as some ministries have told people. That's going to really confuse folks. I think nobody would be fooled if some government agency told everybody to line up and get a tattoo or a bar code or something in their hand or forehead.
It’s really something about your thoughts, your worship and your works, your actions, and that goes all through the Old Testament. So Fred, we’d like to send you that book on “Who is the Antichrist?” All you’ve got to do is call the number, anybody out there who wants it. It’s free too.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The number again is 1-800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide, “Who is the Antichrist?” You can also go to the Amazing Facts' website, AmazingFacts.org, and you can read it for free online. Also, while you’re there you can enroll in our free online Bible school that will guide you through some of the most important Bible truths. Again that’s AmazingFacts.org.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: You know, especially with everything going on in the world right now and just all the transition, everything from here in North America to the Middle East, people are wondering, “Is this a pivotal point? Is something going to happen with this beast power?” And people really need to understand the issue.
A lot of people are also surprised to learn, the word Antichrist does not appear in the book of Revelation. And, one other thing friends, I often hear people talk about the book of “Revelations.” It’s actually not the book of "Revelations." It’s the book of Revelation. It’s "The Revelation of Jesus Christ." But, yeah, the term "Antichrist" appears in the letters of John, who wrote the book of Revelation.
Now, you do find the person of the Antichrist mentioned in Revelation, he's just not called the Antichrist; and you find the Antichrist power mentioned also in the book of Ezekiel, and especially the book of Daniel, in chapter 7 and chapter 8. So, you really ought to send for that study guide to understand the subject of the Antichrist. A lot of misinformation out there.
A lot of folks have been told a lot of comic book scenarios about what the Antichrist is and what this beast power is. Find out what Christians and the Protestant Churches believed about this for hundreds of years, and ask for our study guide on the Antichrist and we’ll be happy to send that to you.
Don’t forget, it’s free and the phone call is very simply, 1-800-835-6747. We’ll send that out to you, and then read it and share it with a friend. You’re listening to Bible Answers Live.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know Pastor Doug, we’re coming up on our mid-break here in just a few moments, but, before we do that, I’d like to remind folks about the Amazing Facts' website, which is newly-designed, filled with great resources. If you go to the website one of the topics right on the front, it talks about the last days of destruction, at least with reference to the Mayan calendar.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, a lot of people are wondering, “Is something going to happen with the prophecies of Nostradamus or is there going to be a meteor?” There are supposed to be some meteors and asteroids coming close to the earth; or, these Mayan prophecies that are ostensibly are saying that the world is going to end, what is it? December 21, 2012?
Pastor Jëan Ross: December 21 to 24 or something.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: That’s not very far away!
Pastor Jëan Ross: It’s just a few--well, we've got six weeks, seven weeks?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah. That would kind of defeat the purpose of voting if the [chuckles] world is going to end in a few weeks.
Pastor Jëan Ross: [Laughing]
Pastor Doug Batchelor: As you can tell friends, we don’t think that people are interpreting those things right; but it is going to end someday, and there are signs. There will be many false signs about the end of the world before the real thing happens. So we’re going to talk more about that. If you've got a Bible question, give us a call because we’ll be back in just a minute to answer your questions.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Welcome back listening friends. This is Bible Answers Live. If you have a question about the Word of God, we’ll do our best to search for the answers together. We’ve got a lot of Bible resources at our fingertips here, mostly on the computer. If you want to call in with your Bible question we still have one or two lines open. That number, 1-800-463-7297, 1-800-GOD-SAYS.My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: My name is Jëan Ross. Pastor Doug, we’re going to go straight to the phone lines. We have Marlene who is listening from Medford, Oregon, listening on KFJL. Marlene, welcome to the program.
Marlene: Thank you, and thank you for taking my call.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hi, how can we help you Marlene?
Marlene: Well, I have a question. I read in a book, it’s called, “Natural Cures They Don’t Want You to Know About” by Kevin Trudeau. He was talking about--it's more before this--about this kind of sleep. But he ended it with, “Each week, a lunar cycle occurs starting at sundown Friday evening and at sundown every Saturday. This time period is absolutely the most ideal time for the body to recharge and rejuvenate.” I have two questions.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Okay.
Marlene: Could this be how God blessed the Sabbath day?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, I do believe that God blessed the Sabbath day. I’ve not seen any plausible evidence that there’s a certain day of the week that your body is going to get its optimal rest, as far as the day of the week. They have done surveys in the military where they’ve wanted to find out what is the best work schedule to get the most work out of humans.
They tried a ten-day work week and they tried, I think, a five-day work week. They found out that the most optimal schedules for the rhythms of the working person are to work six days and have a seventh day of rest. Now, of course, we know that God blessed the Sabbath day. But as far as the other research, I’ve not really seen that, but for you, or for anyone who wants to know more about the Sabbath rest and how important that is, there's a website that we highly recommend.
It's simply called, SabbathTruth.com. You’ll find out about the spiritual advantages, physical advantages, and just the cycle of rest that God intended according to His word. But I really couldn’t comment with any kind of real authority regarding this individual’s book.
Pastor Jëan Ross: For anyone else wanting t learn more about what the Bible has to say about the Sabbath, I encourage you to go to the Amazing Facts' website, AmazingFacts.org. You can read the study guide entitled, The Forgotten Day in History. You can also call our resource line, that’s 1-800-835-6747.
You can ask for that study guide, The Forgotten Day in History, and we’ll be happy to send it to you. Michael is listening from Baltimore, Maryland. Michael, welcome to the program.
Michael: Good evening.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Good evening.
Michael: Thank you for your wonderful program about Amazing Facts. I have a question about a study of the Jewish orthodox man wearing glasses. How did you source everything around that, including human bodies as a woman's human body" What is your source and do you agree with wearing these glasses? How do you feel about that?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well first of all, my source is that a lot of newspapers right now, just even as you’re talking, I went online and typed in "modesty glasses" and there’s article after article about this. It’s a fairly recent occurrence, August 10th is one, September 7th is another one; but they’ve even got pictures of men wearing the glasses there that you can see online so you can pick your source.
Do I agree? No. I don’t think that it's God’s plan for Christians to have to walk up the street getting a headache with blurred glasses. It is difficult. Now if I lived in a community that is that immoral I’d probably move. I wouldn’t want to have to live in a place like that. I wouldn’t want to live in a nudist colony. That would be pretty distracting. So I’d probably move.
I wouldn’t want to wear those glasses and live in a nudist colony. So, yeah, I don’t think it’s a good idea. I don’t think that’s God plan. And one reason I would say that is Jesus lived in a time where, not only were there were very religious Jews and Pharisees, but during the time of Christ the Romans and the Greeks, they were famous for orgies and all kinds of decadent behavior.
So they probably were able to see both in Israel in the time of Christ and Jesus just really said, "We need to keep our eyes on God, keep our hearts pure, and follow those principles," like Joseph, who would not be with Potiphar’s wife.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s what I was going to mention. At the time when Joseph was in Egypt, there was probably so much of that taking place in society around him; and yet, he was still able to maintain a pure heart and keep his mind focused upon Christ.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Or Daniel in Babylon, because Daniel was a eunuch so he had different challenges. But there have been other men of God that--Nehemiah, let’s use him. In the Persian court they had harems and so they just needed to maintain purity of heart by keeping their eyes focused in the right place.
So I appreciate your question, Michael, and hope that helps a little. We’ll send you the offer we’re making available tonight about Culture and the Christian, a free copy.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The number is 1-800-835-6747. That is the resource line and the book is Culture and the Christian. Ask for it, we’ll send it out. Our next caller is Ryder and he’s listening from New Jersey. Ryder, welcome to the program.
Ryder: Thank you. Thank you very much. Can you hear me well?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Loud and clear.
Ryder: Okay. My question is out of Isaiah 65, verse 20. I understand it seems to be speaking about a new heaven and a new earth.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Can I read this for our friends who are listening because you’re looking at it and I’m looking at it and people don’t know what verse we’re talking about.
Ryder: Absolutely.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: So let me read it real quick. This is a prophecy dealing with the new heavens, as Michael was saying. And it says in chapter 65, verse 17, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former will not be remembered, nor come into mind.”
And you jump down to verse 20 and it says, "There shall no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that has not fulfilled his days: for the child will die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old will be accursed.” Now a person is wondering, "Does that mean the child will die a hundred years old? Are children going to die in heaven?" Is that what you are wondering?
Ryder: As we were studying the book of Isaiah church, we became very puzzled about it and I would like just your personal breakdown of this verse.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Alright. I think what helps is when you understand it's not saying that a child dies. It’s saying the child ceases at a hundred years old. Now let me explain. Nobody’s going to die in heaven because the Bible tells us there is no more pain or death. There’s no death in heaven so children aren’t dying, for sure. But when does a child stop, or cease, being a child?
If you look in the Old Testament in the early genealogies you'll notice that some of the patriarchs did not even get married until they were 100 years old. Abraham didn’t have children until he was 99, or at least Isaac. Isaac didn’t get married until he was 60, if I'm not mistaken. I think he got married at 40 and didn’t have children until he was 60.
They did things much slower further back because they lived much longer. Well when we get to heaven there will be children in the resurrection, for it tells us a little child will lead the leopard and the wolf; a little child will be playing on the hole of a venomous serpent, but they won’t stay children forever. They will go forth and grow up.
Malachi chapter 4 says they grow up. So when do they cease being children? So it’s not “die," "cease" is the word there, and it’s an unfortunate translation from the Hebrew to the English.
Ryder: But it also says in the same verse, "...but the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed."
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah. Well the sinners are accursed after a 1,000 years old. It tells us in Daniel chapter 12 that the wicked, they "come forth to everlasting condemnation." There’s a curse forever upon the wicked. The name of the wicked and their destiny is forever cursed.
Ryder: But they’re not in heaven then?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: No, they're not in heaven. It’s just saying that even after a hundred years their memory is still accursed. It’s contrasting that the children are going to live a hundred years as children, but even after a hundred years, the sinner is still accursed. There’s no hope for a second resurrection. It's the second death they die.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: I hope that helps a little bit. It is a difficult verse. Pastor Ross, did you want to add to that?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Just one quick thought there. The word used for "child" in the verse can also be translated as a youth or lad; so a lad or a youth will die or cease at a hundred, so the transition from childhood or youth to adulthood.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: That means that they can’t get their driver’s license until they’re a hundred in heaven.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Their wings.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Is that what it is? [Laughs] Yeah, and they've got to have a learner’s permit for the first six months. I’m sorry, we don’t mean to make light of your question Ryder. It’s a good question and it’s a difficult verse, but I think that the word "death" there is not the right word. It’s really "cease" and that these are older children, they're not babies. Appreciate that, thank you, very much.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Our next caller is Emmanuel and he’s listening from New Mexico. Emmanuel, welcome to the program.
Emmanuel: Hello.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hi. How can we help you?
Emmanuel: I had two quick questions. One is regarding, I was studying with a friend. She asked me a question and I really didn’t know how to answer it too well. And the question was why didn’t God destroy the devil when He found out he became evil if He had the power to do so?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well that’s a good question. Of course, a person could also ask, "If the Lord knows everything, why didn’t He send him back to the recycle bin right when He made him if He thought that he was going to sin someday?" Well God makes His creatures free, and they are perfectly free to love Him or to not love Him. And as the ultimate proof that God wants genuine love, He even makes creatures that choose not to love Him.
We have real freedom of choice and intelligence. That means we get to make decisions regarding our destiny and who we love. You can’t force love. So God made Lucifer knowing what he’d do. After Lucifer rebelled against God and he told the other angels, "God isn’t fair and I’d be a better god. If I was in charge, we’d all be happier," if God had destroyed Lucifer right then--which He could do--God could do it right now by blinking His eyes. But if He had done that, then the other angels in the universe would have obeyed God out of fear, instead of love.
So the Lord had to allow Lucifer to reveal what his character was like and what his government would be like. This world is an example of the outcome of Lucifer’s government. There is just so much bloodshed, and disease, and sickness, and death and violence in this world; and it’s a result of what Jesus calls, "The prince of this world," the devil. And he has come down with great wrath because he knows his time is short.
There is a day when God will destroy him and when that happens, everyone in the universe will always know that God is good, God is fair and that Lucifer’s accusations were false. Now Emmanuel, we have a DVD that covers this in great detail. You can order it from Amazing Facts. I think most of it has been chopped up and put on YouTube.
It’s called, Cosmic Conflict, and it talks about the fall of Lucifer. Now you said you had two parts to your question. Did I answer it?
Emmanuel: Yes sir, that was the first question. Thank you, very beautiful, thank you. The second one was I studying with some friends and I shared with them the Sabbath truth to the best of my knowledge. They also shared something with me, too, some verses, but they told me that the Sabbath was not binding on Christians, according to them, and it was only in observance for ancient Israel. The verses they gave me were Ephesians 2:15 and Colossians 2:16. Could you shed some light?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yes, I’ll do my best, and for anybody who is listening, you could also look at that Sabbath Truth website and you’ll see a lot more information there on the subject. But the idea that the Sabbath was just made for ancient Israel is, I think, is easy to debunk by the fact that when the Sabbath was made there were no Jews in the world.
It's Genesis chapter 2 when God makes the seventh day, He blesses the Sabbath day, He makes it holy, there’s only Adam and Eve. That’s why Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man," m-a-n. He didn’t say that the Sabbath was made for Jews. And yes, God did call Israel and gave them the law, the Ten Commandments, but that was the whole law.
All Christians believe that we should keep the Ten Commandments, or at least they used to.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Uhum.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: So you’ll find the breakdown on Colossians 2, that’s talking about ceremonial sabbaths that were nailed to the cross. The ceremonial Jewish annual sabbaths were part of the Levitical law that all came later. Those were annual sabbaths which came once a year.
The weekly Sabbath goes back to creation. It’s for all mankind. It’s very different. One was on the Ten Commandments. The other was part of the Mosaic law. Just go to Sabbath Truth. We’ve got a whole section there that explains that, SabbathTruth.org or SabbathTruth.com, either one.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You can also call our resource line and ask for the study guide on the Sabbath. The number for our resource is 1-800-835-6747, and the study guide is entitled, Lost Day in History. Our next caller is Ed and he’s listening in Illinois. Ed, welcome to the program.
Ed: Good evening friends. I just want to tell you that I love you guys and I always pray for you.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well thank you, appreciate that.
Ed: I had two questions for you at this time. The first one is we know that the Bible says that at the end of time that the Gospel will be preached all over the world--and I know that not everyone will accept it or, I mean, people will hear about it. But my question is, will everybody on earth hear it, believe it and decide whether to follow it or not? Or will some people be deceived and not know exactly what to believe?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, before Jesus comes, I believe it‘s pretty clear that the Gospel is going to go forth in power so that people are going to hear the claims of it. The nations of the world will have a fair opportunity to embrace the Gospel, something like when Jesus came the first time and the Holy Spirit was poured out, and Paul says the Gospel has been preached to every creature.
The apostles and disciples went everywhere preaching the word. I mean, Thomas made it to India, and I forget which one of the apostles supposedly made it to Spain. They went to all corners of the known world back then preaching the Gospel. Well when Christ comes again, the Holy Spirit is going to be poured out before Jesus comes and you’re going to see that kind of power.
And it’s going to happen, people preaching the Gospel face to face. It will happen maybe through the Internet or through satellite television. I think through the printed page. Right now the Gospel is going to the world and that’s why I think Jesus is coming soon.
So if it’s okay Ed, we have several people lined up and we’re running short on time so if you could call us with that second question next week. We just want to give these other people a chance, and appreciate your call.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The next caller is Keith and he is listening from North Carolina. Keith, welcome to the program.
Keith: Hello.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hi, how are you?
Keith: Alright, how are you doing Pastor Doug?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Doing well, and your question tonight?
Keith: Okay. It’s in reference to Psalm 83:18. I don’t know if you’re familiar with it, but it’s about Jehovah, the name of God. I was wanting to know is that referring to God the Father or God the Son?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well I think this is going to be a little surprising for you, but Psalm 83:18, it says, “That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.” "Jehovah" is a term that applies to Jesus as well as the Father. It’s a name for God, and God is Father, Son and Spirit.
Now here’s how I know that. In the Old Testament it says that Jehovah created all things. Well, in the New Testament it says Jesus created all things, all things that were made were made by Him. In the Old Testament it says there is no savior but Jehovah. Well you go to the New Testament it says there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved, in the book of Acts, but Jesus.
It tells us in the Old Testament that only Jehovah knows the thoughts of men’s hearts. When you go to the New Testament it says Jesus knew what was in their hearts. And I could keep going, but you start stacking up the characteristics of Jehovah that you find in the Old Testament and you’ll find Jesus also fits those definitions in the New Testament.
So Jesus is Jehovah the Son, and God the Father is Jehovah the Father. Jehovah is a name for the real God; but God has got many names. Some churches--and I respect them--it is a name of God that is sacred, no question about it. But when you go through the Bible, it says, "His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."
You go to Revelation His name is called Alpha, the Omega. He’s called the Door, the Bread, the Good Shepherd, the great I AM, the Living Water. I mean, you can go on and on with the names that God has to identify His characteristics. So there’s a book I can send you. It’s a book called, “Is the Trinity Biblical?” Keith. In that book it has the line up of the characteristics of Jehovah and of Jesus and I think you’ll see that they’re one and the same person.
Keith: Yes.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: So if you’ll call the resource number we’ll send that to you.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The number is 1-800-835-6747 and the book, “Is the Trinity Biblical?” Just ask for that, Keith, and we’ll be happy to send that to you or anyone who calls and asks. Our next caller is Juno and he’s calling from New Mexico. Juno, welcome to the program.
Juno: Hello, Pastor Doug?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hi.
Juno: Hi, good evening.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Good evening, your question?
Juno: Yeah, my question is in Revelation 6 and verse 9 to 10. I just want to know who this soul is?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Alright. Let me read this for our friends who are listening. A lot of folks listen to the program while they’re driving and they can’t always fumble for their Bible. It says in Revelation 6:9, “And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held."
Now when it talks about souls under the altar, this is not talking about literal martyrs that are writhing somehow under this altar in heaven that are crying, "How long oh Lord?" That wouldn’t sound like a very happy existence. It’s really talking about people who had died for their faith and justice is calling out.
It’s something like when you go to Genesis and God said to Cain, "The blood of your brother Abel cries to Me from the ground." Well the little blood cells were not shouting up at God from the ground. It’s just using figurative language that justice was crying out. So these souls under the altar represent all those who had been martyred for their faith. And they’re saying, "Will there ever be justice? How come God is so patient with these people persecuting His followers, especially in the last days?"
And God is saying, "Wait." It says in verse 11 that, "...they should rest for a season," so they’re resting. They’re sleeping in the grave, "until their fellow servants, their brethren, that should also be killed." Following the persecutions of this life, there will be a judgment day when God will mete out justice. That’s all that’s saying. So I hope that helps a little bit Juno.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The next caller is Peter and he’s listening from New Hampshire. Peter, welcome to the program.
Peter: Hello.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hi. How are you?
Peter: I have a question--I'm fine, thanks. I have a question about business. Is there any biblical guidance about believer having an unbeliever as a business partner?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, you’ve got this broad principle where it talks about--and Pastor Ross will help me find it--"Do not be unequally yoked together." I think that's not only for marriage. I think you've got to be careful about the kind of partnerships you enter into.
There are certain partnerships that you could probably have with non-believers because we live in a world where, you could say that there’s some kind of a partnership. When you go to a supermarket and you buy your groceries, are you then supporting the alcohol and cigarettes they also sell? Well no, but you are entering into some kind of a covenant whenever you purchase something from someone.
If you get into a partnership with somebody, you’ve got to be very careful that their morals and beliefs are not going to become a test for you. Now, you don’t have to sacrifice any of your principles in order to enter that partnership. And so--you found that verse?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes, 2nd Corinthians chapter 6, verse 14 says, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? and what communion has light with darkness?”
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, now that wouldn’t mean that you can only rent a house from a Christian. I've seen people who have taken this to the place where they said they couldn’t buy pizza from someone; or you can’t eat food in a Chinese restaurant because they’ve got a Buddha when you walk through the door. So you can take that to an extreme, but you don’t want to get into any kind of covenant with somebody on an ongoing basis where their morals and values are going to interfere with yours.
Peter: Co-owning a business, for instance?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: That could be a problem.
Peter: It could be.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, it depends. Well, let me give you an example. Let’s suppose you co-own a business and you say you think it should be shut one day a week and they say, "No, we need to be open seven days a week." It could be a little bit of a dilemma; or if they say, "I want to sell something in the business," and you say, "Oh no, we can’t sell that."
Pastor Jëan Ross: Or if you feel as though you want to pay a tithe on your increase and the other person says, "No, don’t want to do that." That could create some challenges.
Peter: Well thanks, very much.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Alright, thank you, appreciate that. You know, I’ve got a friend and I started going into business with him and after we were in business a short time together he said, “Doug, what’s more important, the business or our friendship?” I said, "Well, friendship." He said, “We probably ought to part ways with the business then,” because it can be a challenge.
Pastor Jëan Ross: [Laughs] I think we have time for one more caller. We're going to have Victoria here from West Haven, Connecticut. Victoria, we have just a few moments. Welcome to the program.
Victoria: Hi. How are you doing?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Doing well. How can we help you?
Victoria: Well my question tonight is that I know you had a caller who had a question about a translation from the NIV, which is the New International Version, and the translators, they didn’t necessarily translate it with accuracy?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, we’re going to run out of time. Can you summarize real quickly?
Victoria: What is the most accurate version of the Bible?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, my favorite would be the King James Version. There are other good translations. You’ve got the New American Standard; and I like the ones that came from the Textus Receptus Manuscripts, and that’s, of course, speaking of the New Testament translation.
We’re out of time friends. We hope you have been blessed. We’d like to hear from you, go to AmazingFacts.org. Until next week, take care.
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