Hello friends, this is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? You might be surprised to learn the most deadly animal in Africa is not the lion or the crocodile, it’s a hippopotamus. The name "hippopotamus" comes from the Greek words for “river horse,” but they’re more closely related to pigs.
The hippo is the third largest land mammal in the world after elephants and rhinos. Measuring up to 17 feet long and five feet high, these three-ton vegetarians are very territorial and fiercely aggressive. Hippos can easily outrun a man and have been known to bite small boats in two. The bite of a hippo has actually been measured by scientists at 1,821 foot pounds.
With the ability to open its enormous mouth nearly a 180 degrees and teeth as sharp as razors, hippos kill more people with their big mouths than any other animal in Africa. As you might have guessed, the Bible teaches that the hippo is not the only dangerous big mouth out there. 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 once again listening friends to Bible Answers Live. One the favorite things for us to do is get together with you during this time each week, open the Word of God and search for truth together. If you have Bible question, we have lines open. It’s a free phone call. That number one more time, 1-800-GOD-SAYS, 1-800-463-7297.
One more time in case you weren’t ready, 1-800-463-7297 will bring you into the studio. Call now, we have some lines open for your Bible question. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: My name is Jëan Ross. Good evening listening friends and Pastor Doug. Let’s begin the program with a word of prayer. Dear Father, once again we thank You that we’re able to be here and study Your Word together. We ask Your special blessing upon this program. Be with those who are listening wherever they might be. And guide us, Lord, into a clearer and deeper understanding of Your Word. For we ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Amen.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Pastor Doug, you opened the program by talking about the most dangerous animal in Africa; and, like you said, at first one would think, "Well, there are so many dangerous animals there. You’ve got snakes, and you’ve got the lion, and you’ve got just all kinds of things." But you think of the hippo, you don’t think of that as being a ferocious animal that you should fear, but apparently, their looks can be very deceiving.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, and I’ve heard that the Cape buffalo is also pretty dangerous as well. Now you lived in Africa.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s right, yeah.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: You didn’t even let me get through the fact and you already knew what the answer was.
Pastor Jëan Ross: [Laughs]
Pastor Doug Batchelor: But, you know what you think of when you think of the hippo is when they’re there in the water and they yawn, and they have this great big gaping maw that they open with their teeth. It must win an award also for the biggest mouth of any creature in the world, next to a whale.
It also makes you think about the power of the tongue and how much damage it can do. I was thinking about Psalm 109 where King David said, verse 1, “Do not keep silent, oh God of my praise; For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful have opened against me. They have spoken against me with a lying tongue."
The Bible has a lot to say about people who have been hurt by people talking too much. And James, he--you know, I’ll take a moment and just read this. I think there's a lot of people out there that can relate; we maybe have been hurt by people saying things that aren’t true, and maybe we’ve been guilty of doing it too.
James chapter 3, verse 5, “Even so the tongue is a little member, and it boasts of great things. See how little fire a forest kindles! And the tongue is a flame, a world of iniquity; the tongue is so set among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and is set on fire in the course of nature; and it has been set on fire by hell. For every kind of bird, and reptile, and creature of the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind.”
I heard about someone that had a pet hippo, but it turned on them. Just thought I’d throw that in. "But no man can tame the tongue; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith we bless our God, and our Father; and therewith we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives or grapevines bear figs? No, thus the same spring does not yield both salt water and fresh.”
He’s saying basically that if our mouths are open in prayer and praise to God and then we’re speaking ill of our brother or sister, and gossip, that’s unbecoming if we’re a Christian. Jesus said we’ll give account for every idle word we speak in the judgment, Matthew chapter 12.
Maybe there are some out there who would like to know, "You know Lord, how can I be more careful with what I say and say only those things that will glorify You, to be consistent in my speech?" Maybe you've been hurt by the idle words that someone is speaking against you. We have a special offer. I don’t think we've offered this probably in a couple of years. It talks about the power of the tongue. Now it’s called, Tiny Troublemakers, is that right?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yeah that’s right.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: I'm thinking that some people are going to say, "Oh, I know just the person I need to send this to, a book about gossip. I've got the person to send this to." Well friends, if you're going to request this free offer, you're welcomed to. You just have to read it before you give it to somebody.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s right, you might learn something, and the book, Tiny Troublemakers. We’d be happy to send that to you if you’d call our resource line. The number is 1-800-835-6747. Ask for the book, Tiny Troublemakers. And also for thoseof you--we didn't mention this at the beginning of the program Pastor Doug, but for those of you who are close to your computer, you can join us live via the stream if you go to Live.AmazingFacts.org.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: And if you do that, you might see we have a special guest in the studio tonight. Mrs. Batchelor has joined us. I'm very thankful that she's here for the program. I offered her a microphone. Say hello dear, they'll pick it up.
Mrs. Batchelor: Hello!
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Okay. That's as close as she has said she wants to get to the microphone, so glad to have Karen. This is actually our anniversary tonight so we’re celebrating together. This is our idea of an exciting evening, to come to a radio program. We invite you to call in with your Bible questions and also, you can join us online as well.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright. We’re going to go to the phone lines. Our first caller is Darrell and he’s listening from Gulf Breeze, Florida. Darrell, welcome to the program.
Darrell: Hello Pastor Doug, Karen and Pastor Jëan Ross.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Good evening.
Darrell: How are you all doing?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Doing well.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Good.
Darrell: And happy anniversary!
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Thank you.
Darrell: My question tonight is was Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego all in Babylon at the same time? And the reason I ask is because in the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, when they were going to be thrown into the fiery furnace because they didn’t bow down...
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Where's Daniel?
Darrel: ...I was like wondering, yeah, "Where’s Daniel?" And then Daniel was praying with his windows open because, you know, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would be doing the same thing. Where were they?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Alright. To the first question, where was Daniel when the king made that great golden image and how come you don’t see him standing up when everyone else bowed down along with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? How come it wasn’t the four of them?
You know, there has been some speculation on that. Some answers I’ve heard are that when the decree was sent around Daniel knew what the king was up to. It may have been that his friends were not aware; they may not have even gone if they had known what was afoot. It could have been he was in a different part of the realm on the king’s business because he was the prime minister.
Sometimes the vice-president and the president don’t attend the same functions because if something happens to the president, you've got to have someone else to administrate. So I’ve heard different theories. But for whatever reason I'm sure he wasn’t there, or he would have been.
You know, it's possible--I've also heard he wasn’t invited because Nebuchadnezzar knew his golden image celebration was totally at odds with what Daniel had told in the vision. You've got a thought there?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yeah, I was going to add to that Pastor Doug. It seems as though it's possible Nebuchadnezzar knew that Daniel would, by no means, bow down to this golden image but the king had forgotten about Daniel’s three friends, who were just as faithful and just as committed as Daniel was.
And perhaps he sent Daniel on some important mission outside of Babylon just at the right time so that he wouldn’t be there. The last thing Nebuchadnezzar wanted was for Daniel, such a prominent person in his government, to cause a problem in not bowing down to the golden image.
That seems to be the case because when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego finally stood before the king, notice how the king gave them a second chance. Then, of course, they respond and they say, "We don’t need a second chance. We’re not going to worship your golden image no matter what"; as if Nebuchadnezzar forgot about them and said, "Oh alright, well, kind of do this for me, don’t embarrass me." And then, of course, when they stood firm then the king got very angry and wanted them destroyed. So that’s one explanation as to what happened to Daniel.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Oh, and then the second part is where was Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego when Daniel--now keep in mind this happens, Daniel is like eighty--so it's at the end of the 70 years of captivity. They may have died at that point. Daniel lived a long time but it could have been they died. It could have been they were at another part of the realm as well, and we don’t know.
It doesn't say that they did not pray to the king but it is very likely they did not. They were especially trying to get rid of Daniel at that time, and that’s in Daniel chapter 6.
Darrell: Because uh, yeah, well, wait a second, at that time wasn’t that a different king? That wasn’t Nebuchadnezzar? It was Darius.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: King Darius. Yeah, King Darius made the law, but it's after their 70 years in captivity so a long time has gone by from Daniel 3 to Daniel chapter 6. So, hopefully that helps a little Darrell. We appreciate your question. We do have a study guide that talks about not bowing to the image. You can call Amazing Facts and ask for that. It’s about worshiping the beast, really.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The Mark of the Beast probably touches on that story in Daniel. If anyone would like to learn more about what the Bible has to say about the beast and the mark of the beast, which is, of course, very significant as you get to the book of Revelation and Revelation is tied in with Daniel, call our resource line, we’ll send you the study guide for free. It’s 1-800-835-6747and you can ask for the study guide, The Mark of the Beast. We’ll be happy to send that to anyone who calls and asks. We have Bernie who is listening on the internet from Idaho Falls, Idaho. Bernie, welcome to the program.
Bernie: Hey, and thanks for taking my call. Pastor Doug, I have a question regarding the remnant church it talks about in Revelation 12:17 and Revelation 19:10. But first off, I live in an area here in eastern Idaho that's predominantly--there’s a religious group here that claims to be the true, restored church. As I was doing my studies, I ordered something from your resource line. It was called, The Search for the True Church by Joe Crews.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Right.
Bernie: I’ve read that pamphlet. Thank you very much, very informative. I’ve read it two or three times. And in that book, as you well know, it identifies a specific denomination that is the true, last-day, remnant church. It breaks it down in detail and, you know, has specific Scriptures to back it up. You’re familiar with all that, right?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, I think so. What was the question?
Bernie: Well, my question is this. As I read this book it identifies--and it’s not the religious group where I'm here locally. I would say it identifies another specific group. So my question is this, would it be safe for me to assume that the resources that I get from your ministry, or Bible Answers Live, or Amazing Facts, would it be predominantly supporting that view of Joe Crews' book that there is a certain last day remnant according to Scripture?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah. I think that if you look in Revelation chapter 19 and Revelation chapter 12, well even Revelation 13, it tells us that just before Jesus comes back everybody is going to be polarized into one of two groups. We freely state that in the material that, in the last days, one group is going to be worshiping the beast and his image, and another group is going to be receiving the seal of God, and everybody is going to be forced to choose.
If they don’t receive the beast's image or mark or worship the beast image, they can’t buy or sell. The material we send out to people tells them that you want to be part of that remnant group when that time comes.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, I think what's important for us to know is that God has faithful men and women who love Him and are living up to all of the life that they have in many different denominations and churches. But, as you read the Bible, especially prophecy, we begin to see certain characteristics of a group of people as we get closer and closer to the end, who are holding to the teachings of God’s word, who are trusting in Jesus, who are keeping the Commandments.
The Bible describes them in Revelation 12:17 as it's mentioned and refers to them as "the remnant," "the remnant of her seed." It is important for us to understand what is it that God is looking for from His people in the last days? What are the characteristics that the Bible describes as the remnant?
We’ll send anyone the book entitled, The Search for the True Church, which gives these Bible principles that anyone can study it out and read it for themselves, and reach their own conclusion as to where is the remnant and who are the remnant...
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah.
Pastor Jëan Ross: ...and how do I become part of the remnant? The number to call is 1-800-835-6747. You can ask for the book, The Search for the True Church. We’ll be happy to send that out to anyone who calls and asks.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: We also have the lesson, The Bride of Christ--or, Clothed with Light, I’m sorry. Clothed with Light, and it talks about the bride of Christ, or the church. It’s based on Revelation 12. You know Jesus said, “Other sheep I have that are not of this fold." Christ has many sheep in many churches.”
But it says, “Them also I must call, and there will be one fold and one shepherd.” When Jesus comes back, His prayer is going to be answered that His people will be one. So we believe that. Alright, hey, thank you for your question Bernie.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Our next caller is Maria and she’s listening from Chicago, Illinois. Maria, welcome to the program.
Jesse: Hello, this is Maria’s husband, Jesse. We're both hearing the program right now.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Okay.
Jesse: And it's a pleasure speaking with both of you. God Bless you. It's a great program.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Thank you.
Jesse: I'm enjoying it very much. Our question is, basically, in Genesis 1 it says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." And then in Ezekiel, I believe it's 23, it says, “You were the cherub that covereth: you were even in the garden of God,” which is speaking about Lucifer at the time.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah.
Jesse: And we kind of got intrigued by those two verses because we are thinking, were the angels created during the time frame of God’s creation before man was created? Or were the angels created way before any of the six days before man?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well I think that the angels needed to be created before the world was created. You read in Job 38:7, it says, speaking of the Creation, it says, “When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” So you’ve got these ministering spirits, these heavenly beings, that are rejoicing at the creation of world.
So I believe the angels did exist and that Lucifer and the war in heaven all took place before our world was created. That is a good question. I'm trying to think, we have that lesson on angel messages.
Pastor Jëan Ross: We also have the study guide called, “Did God Create the Devil?” That goes back a little bit and describes what a happened to Lucifer, this beautiful angel that rebelled against God. We’ll be happy to send that to anyone who calls and asks for it. Again, our resource line is 1-800-835-6747, and the study guide is entitled, “Did God Create the Devil?" and we’ll be happy to send that out.
We have Mark who is listening from Knoxville, Tennessee, listening on WITA. Mark, welcome to the program.
Mark: Yeah, does Romans 1:8 and Colossians 1:6, were they a fulfillment of Matthew 24:14, which would mean that the preaching of the Gospel was only intended for the known world before 70 A.D.? And then what happened to people after they died who lived in North and South America before Jesus was heard about here?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well stated Mark. In Romans 1 and in Colossians it talks about the Gospel going to the world. I think Paul is using a generic term when he says the Gospel is going to the world. It really went to where they had a map. Thomas went to India; and Paul, of course, and Peter went to Rome and they went through Asia, and others went down into Africa, and some went to China.
So the Gospel kind of went to the then-known world. That doesn’t mean that there were, necessarily by 70 A.D., missionaries in Australia and North America or South America. I think it's just saying that they used to call that "marching off the map" back then. I think at that point that the Gospel hasn’t gone to all the world yet, because you read in Matthew chapter 24, is it verse 14? “The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world for a witness unto the nations, and then the end will come.”
The fact that Christ hasn’t come yet means it hasn’t gone everywhere. So in Romans 1 and Colossians he’s talking about a general sense, the Gospel going to the world.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, you have historically, for example in the story of Alexander the Great, the story is that he conquered all of the then known world and then wept because there was nothing more for him to conquer. Beyond India, really, that was almost considered...
Pastor Doug Batchelor: The ends of the earth.
Pastor Jëan Ross: ...the ends of the earth. They had no idea, really, what was out there. Their world revolved around the Mediterranean and what was happening in Western Europe and a little bit of Northern Africa.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: And even when Marco Polo came back in the twelfth century talking about China they said, "No, none of that stuff is really there." So Europe was living in its own little world. As far as Paul and the apostles knew, they had reached the extent of civilization.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Now I think a follow up question that Mark had is what happens to those who were in some distant land before Jesus died? What opportunity did they had for salvation?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well Paul, even in Romans, he tells us that those who maybe have not heard the Gospel, if they’re living up to the light that they have through the Holy Spirit, God sends a light through His Spirit, through His Providence and angels. Those that walk in the light that they have Jesus said they're judged. "To whom much is given, much is required. To whom little is given, little is required." I think there's still hope for people who maybe had not heard the whole story.
I think it’s kind of dangerous to assume that entire continents where everybody born was lost because they'd not had an opportunity to hear the Gospel story. I think God was still able to reach some people.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Paul says in Romans chapter 12, verse 3 that God has dealt to each man a measure of faith. So even those that hadn’t heard all the truth, they had some degree of faith where they were able to believe, if they followed whatever revelations God gave them.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: You know it’s interesting, you hear stories among the North American Indians, South American Indians, the Aborigines in Australia, where they had elements of the Gospel story, this redemption story. So you wonder if angels somehow communicated something to them.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Well, they have this legions of floods and of (unintelligible) and people being preserved. So a certain degree of truth was carried down.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hope that helps Mark. Thank you for your question.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Our next caller is Lavertus and he is calling from Georgia, listening on the internet. Lavertus, welcome to the program.
Lavertus: How are you doing Pastor Doug and Pastor Ross?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Doing well.
Lavertus: Hey Pastor Doug, I just wanted to thank you. I have been listening to you for like four years and you’ve brought me all the way to the truth. I really do appreciate it.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well praise God for that!
Lavertus: My question is, Pastor Doug, when Jesus had told the disciples, I think it was in Matthew, that it was so much that He had to tell them that they couldn’t learn it all or it was too much? What did He mean by that?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Oh, let me see where--Jëan might look that up for us, where Jesus says, "There are many things I have yet to say to you but you cannot bear them now." I think it’s something like when your kids are six years old and they start asking questions about where babies come from. You want to give them a generic answer, but there are some things they just can't bear right away.
You want to share things with them as they can handle it. Even when Jesus told the disciples about His going to Jerusalem and dying, they just couldn’t comprehend that; and when He said, "My kingdom is not of this world," they kept saying, "Will you now set up the kingdom?" There were many things that had been so ingrained, and false ideas, it was going to take them awhile to get it.
Pastor Jëan Ross: I think the verse you're referring to is John chapter 16, verse 12 where Jesus said to His disciples, “I still have many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now.” And then, of course, Jesus also said to His disciples that, "When the comforter comes," that being the Holy Spirit, "He will guide you into all truth."
So there were certain things which that the disciples were not able to receive. For example, they didn’t fully understand the extent of the persecution that would break out against the church. Jesus spoke about it, but they didn’t fully comprehend that; nor did they understand fully the destruction of Jerusalem that happened in 70 A.D.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: They also struggled when God said He wanted them to go to the Gentiles.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That's right.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: It took awhile for that to sink in, so they were growing in their knowledge. I appreciate that Lavertus. Thank you for your question.
Pastor Jëan Ross: We have Melissa who is listening in Brooklyn, New York. Melissa, welcome to the program.
Melissa: Good evening. My question is concerning health but it's part of Christianity in the Bible. As Christians, can Christians get medical procedures such as getting their tubes tied, their Fallopian tubes tied, getting a vasectomy, or getting Botox and things?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, why don't we separate those answers, because I think the first question you're really asking is, if a Christian takes some precautions to limit their families is that considered a sin? I'm sure there are some churches that would say that anything you do, other than being fruitful and multiplying to your fullest capacity, is wrong.
I don’t believe that. I think that Jesus said that if you’re going to build a house, you want to count the cost. You’re responsible for the people you bring into the world. Now, doing something to prevent conception is completely different from aborting a baby that is conceived. I think the Bible is pretty clear that life begins at conception and human life is sacred, and it's to be respected and preserved.
And I’m totally--I believe the Bible says that an unborn child is a human. But preventing conception, I don’t really see anything in the Bible that says there's something wrong with that. Seems like you'd want to be prudent in how many children you have.
Melissa: No, I’m young right now I’m not thinking about that. I'm just--not concerned--but I just want to know. I'm curious. Like you told me, Christians can get their tubes tied or something like that; because right now...
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, if a person--go ahead.
Melissa: ...I'm sorry; because right now the economy is really bad and children are expensive, very expensive.
Pastor Doug Batchelor and Pastor Jëan Ross: [Chuckles]
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah. I’ve had six of them so I understand and got six grandchildren now. But yeah, I agree that I think it is appropriate for Christian families to do things to prevent conception, whether the family says they want to do a surgical procedure or some other legitimate means.
If they are preventing conception, that's one thing. If they’re terminating life, then I think that would be inappropriate. Then you asked about Botox, which is, as far as I know, is used principally for cosmetic enhancement. You know, I think some people get so caught in trying to protect and preserve their appearance that they can actually hurt themselves after awhile.
We’ve all heard about people in Hollywood who become so obsessed with cosmetic surgery that pretty soon they start looking a little freaky after a while. It doesn’t mean that it's wrong to do anything to improve your appearance. You know, if you’ve got crooked teeth and you’ve got an orthodontist, by all means, straighten your teeth and improve your smile.
So there are some things you can do but you don't want to get obsessive about that. It can kind of turn into self-worship after awhile. Eventually, beauty fades the Bible says and we do get old.
Pastor Jëan Ross: No matter what you do you’re going to get old eventually, yeah.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, your hair will turn gray or fall out or something. Hey friends, we just want to encourage you to call in. We do have a couple of Bible question lines still open. If you want to call in with your questions, we’re going to take a brief break in just a moment.
That number is 1-800-463-7297. I'd also like to mention at halftime about the Amazing Facts' website. We’ve got a lot of good information at AmazingFacts.org. You’re listening to Bible Answers Live.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, Pastor Doug just before we take our break, we'd like to just mention a few resources that people might want to take a look at to enhance their study of the Bible. You mentioned just a few moments ago the Amazing Facts' website. The website is newly designed and I think it's actually easier to navigate and find information on our newly-designed website.
I'm just looking at it right now. We've got information there on how to study the Bible. We've got training and broadcasts. Sometimes people are wondering were they able to see the programming by Amazing Facts or how can they hear Bible Answers Live? All of that information is available at the Amazing Facts' website.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, and the search engine in the new website, it’s the latest, greatest, most powerful. I don’t know what the number is but we must have a thousand different sermons that are available, not all mine. There are great books and material just to enhance your Bible study.
So take a look, AmazingFacts.org. I think you’re going to find a lot of great material there. Also, use it if you’re a teacher. Hey don’t go away, we’re not done yet.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug Batchelor: We’re back friends with more Bible answers and hopefully more questions too. If you’ve got a Bible question, give us a call. The number is 1-800-463-7297. To call in with your questions, 1-800-463-7297; and once again you can join us, not only by listening on this frequency, but you can look online at Live.AmazingFacts.org. I’m Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: My name is Jëan Ross. Pastor Doug, just before we go to the phone lines, we have a question that was sent in and it’s with reference to the international dateline. I think a few weeks ago we had a question similar to this. "What happens if you try to keep the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week and they move the dateline on you so that the seventh day ends up being called something different than what it was?"
And I think this is a question that arose out of some recent changes to the dateline involving Samoa and Sabbath-keepers on the island of Samoa.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Right. When you get out in the Pacific where the dateline changes from one day to the next, it’s just a line where you sail across or fly across that line and you have flown into a different day. People have wondered for ages how can it be that you're on one island there in the pacific and it would be Saturday, and you can almost throw a rock at another island and it is Sunday.
It just seems so strange. Well I'd say whatever island you're on they're observing the weekly cycle according to most of the world, either west of them or east of them; and I would go with what the world is recognizing as the weekly cycle where you are. Now, it does make it confusing if you are keeping the Sabbath and you're on an island, and all of a sudden, Thursday turns into Saturday at midnight and a whole day is missing.
You think, "Wait a second, this is now not the seventh day." In Samoa, if I'm not mistaken, the way it is now it was interrupted for many years. Now they've changed it back again trying to align, I guess, more with Australia and New Zealand. But it really created a lot of consternation and confusion for people on the island.
Keeping Saturday and Sunday, I mean, anybody who's observing a seventh day, suddenly it throws it off and you say, "Now what do I do?" And so it makes you think about that verse in the Bible, "They will think to change times and laws." It is a difficult question and, you know, and we don’t always claim to have all the answers.
I’m still wondering how to keep the Sabbath on the Space Station because I hope to go someday.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You’d have to have a lot of Sabbaths because I think it rotates around the earth.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well yeah, every 80 minutes.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yeah.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: I forget what it is. But yeah, it’s pretty regular.
Pastor Jëan Ross: We’ve got Landon who is listening from Illinois. Landon, welcome to the program.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Landon, are you there?
Brandon: Hello. It’s Brandon, but anyways...
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Oh we're sorry. You’re the one.
Brandon: Yes. I was kind of curious on how to even ask this question, but it’s about the thousand years in Revelation?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yes.
Brandon: And how--well, there are certain beliefs that I've paid attention to. Some folks preach that there will be a rapture and the church is sitting there watching all this stuff come upon the earth, and there are still a few people remaining that have yet to be determined in their faith, so to speak. So I was kind of wondering if you guys could maybe possibly clear that up as far as--you know--because there are going to be martyrs, apparently.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yes. Well, let me state very quickly, if I might Brandon. There are three principle views about how the second coming is going to happen and who's left behind, is anyone left behind. You’ve got one group that believes that the second coming takes place before the tribulation, that the Christians are raptured out of the world, there are seven years of tribulation, some will be converted under the preaching of 144 thousand Jews.
Then there are some who believe in the middle of the seven-year tribulation. First of all, you're not going to find the phrase "seven-year tribulation" anywhere in the Bible. It's speculated that the tribulation is seven years. There is a big tribulation, but I don’t think it says anywhere it's seven years; and some believe it's in the middle of the seven years that the second coming happens.
Then we’re in the last group, which is the traditional Protestant view, that the church is in the world during the tribulation and Christ comes at the end of that period; and that those that are saved are saved and those that are lost are lost, and that we are raptured up at the end.
The wicked who are left behind are destroyed at that point. So there is no group that has a second chance to accept the Lord. Jesus said, "He that endures to the end will be saved." Why does He say "endure"? Well you've got to endure the time of trouble, the plagues, the wrath of God that you read about in Revelation.
Brandon: Oh, not to interrupt you or anything, so you basically probably believe that the dead that arise there in Christ will, you know, the folks that are still standing will be with them at the end of it all?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, it says that the Lord will descend from heaven, this is 1st Thessalonians chapter 4. The Lord descends from heaven with a shout, the trump of God, the voice of the archangel, the dead in Christ rise first, then we who are alive are caught up to meet them in the air. So at the time of the resurrection of the righteous is when the rapture takes place, and it’s at the second coming of Christ.
We believe that event is at the end of the tribulation, however long the tribulation is. We have a book we’ll send you on this. It’s a free book and it just gives you all the Scriptures. It’s called, Anything But Secret.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That number to call, Brandon, is 1-800-835-6747. You can ask for the book, Anything But Secret. This is an important subject. Jesus said that before He comes many people will be confused on this issue because the devil is trying to deceive as many as possible.
So it is important for us to know what does the Bible say about the manner of Christ's coming? The book gives you plenty of Scripture. It's entitled, Anything But Secret. The number to call is 1-800-835-6747. We’ll be happy to send that out to you. We have Grant who is listening from Lake Charles in Louisiana. Grant, welcome to the program.
Grant: Hey, how are you doing? I’m a first-time caller so...
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well thank you for calling.
Grant: ...I’ve got a question that I've asked a lot of people and I haven’t really gotten a good answer. It has to do with the 40 days. I know Noah was in the ark for 40 days and 40 nights; Jesus wandered the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. It’s just the 40 days and 40 nights keeps coming up. What is so special about 40--why not 39 or 41, or 8 1/2 weeks or whatever, you know? What is so special about 40 days specifically?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well that’s a good question. We just want to mention for you, or anyone who's wondering, there’s not only 40. There's certain numbers that continue to pop up in the Bible in unusual clusters; the number 7, 12, 3, 10, 70, and 40. At Prophecy Code website, there's a website called Prophecy Code, you can download this free study that talks about Bible numbers and their significance if you've wondered about why do certain numbers appear over and over in the Bible.
Forty typically represents a generation. The children of Israel wandered for 40 years. Of course, the time that the flood waters came, 40 days and 40 nights; Jesus was in the wilderness tempted 40 days; Moses was 40 years in the wilderness; the 40 years going through the wilderness into Egypt; King David reigned 40 years. I mean, there's just lots of 40s in the Bible and it just seems to represent a generation, a cycle of opportunity.
Pastor Jëan Ross: It also can refer to, along those same lines, a time of testing or trial. You have, for example, the children of Israel that wandered for 40 years. That was a time of testing. Jesus fasted for 40 days. That was a time of testing in the wilderness. So, 40 is also associated with a testing time period.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: And even the 40 days and 40 nights for Noah.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That was a testing time period of his faith, yeah.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: So hope that helps a little bit Grant. You might enjoy that study.
Grant: I just go to ProphecyCode.com did you say?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: ProphecyCode.com. If you just go to Google and type in "prophecy code" it'll take you to the website. Alright? Hey thanks so much.
Pastor Jëan Ross: We have Sharon who is listening in Wisconsin. Sharon, welcome to the program.
Sharon: Thank you, thank you. I'm just wondering if...
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Get real close to your phone.
Sharon: Okay, thank you. I'm wondering if you can tell me from Scripture if there's anything that tells us what would our roles would be if Adam and Eve hadn’t sinned? What would we be doing? What would our function be?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well God told Adam and Eve that He made them perfect in Paradise. He said they were to enjoy Paradise; everything was "good, good, very good." He said to fill the earth. He told Adam to go forth and subdue the earth. I think that they probably would have populated the world and continued living in Paradise. Are you talking about the roles between Adam and Eve, you might be wondering?
Sharon: No...
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Or just the role of man?
Sharon: ...just if Adam and Eve hadn’t sinned, what would we be doing?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Well one of the things we know they would have been doing is Genesis 2, verse 15 prior to the fall it says, “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” [KJV] So, something they’d be doing is gardening. They'd be working with the plants and guiding the various vines. They would be involved in gardening.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: And then, of course, if you want to also know what God’s plan was for man, look at what His plan is for man after Jesus comes again. It says they will plant vineyards and eat of the fruit of them; they will build houses and inhabit them; that there's no more death or sorrow or pain. He intended man to live in a blissful existence with God.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Of course, the highlight of mankind, Adam and Eve before the fall--and will also be the case in the world made new--is communion with God. Jesus would actually commune with them. They could speak to God face to face. They would meet with the angels. They were always learning.
Their minds were expanding in knowledge and truth. And that’s God’s plan for us, for us to keep growing and understanding more about Him.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: So hope that helps a little bit Sharon. Appreciate your call.
Pastor Jëan Ross: We have Joey who is listening from South Carolina. Joey, welcome to the program.
Joey: Thank you Pastor Doug. I'm a first-time caller as well. My question centers around 2nd Kings 2 and 11, where Elijah went up in a whirlwind to heaven under the reign of King Jehoshaphat. Now, after I read 2nd Chronicles 21 and 12, it said there was a letter sent from Elijah under the reign now of Jehoshaphat's son. I want to get some clarification of that, [cross talk]...
Pastor Doug Batchelor: How could he send a letter if he had gone up to heaven?
Joey: ...because I'm understanding--I'm sorry, say again?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: You're wondering how could Elijah send a letter if he had gone up to heaven.
Joey: Yes.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: It’s because Chronicles and Kings are not written in chronological order. In other words, the book of 1st and 2nd Kings is the history through the perspective of the scribes, I think, of Israel; and in Chronicles the same history is given through a different scribe.
Joey: Right, I understand that, but what confused me a little bit was Jehoshaphat [cross talk]
Pastor Doug Batchelor: There are two Jehoshaphats. There was a Jehoshaphat of Israel, and there was another Jehoshaphat. One king was called two names but then there was a Jehoshaphat of Judea.
Joey: Judea, yup Judea.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, so that confuses people. It's because you have two kings by that name. So yeah, that’s a good question. You’re studying if you spot that. Most people miss it.
Joey: Yes sir, yes sir. I spotted that.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Keep up the good work.
Joey: Thank you now, appreciate it very much.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: God bless.
Pastor Jëan Ross: We have J.B. who is listening from Toronto, Canada. J.B., welcome to the program.
J.B.: Thank you. My question is why is it that the church is not talking about the cross more? They’re always saying we’re saved by grace, so on and so forth; but we are really saved by the blood of Jesus on the cross.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well you know, you’re right. There needs to be more emphasis. If grace is important as that truth is, it’s not the only part of the truth. Paul said, "I am determined to know nothing among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified." And so, when we look at the cross and we see what our sins cost, it brings us to repentance and confession and conversion. So that is the truth.
Christ said, “If I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.” And it says Christ, Him crucified, the blood of Christ, as those things are exalted, it brings about the conversions that the Bible talks about.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, I think also, maybe, why it is not as popular as it should be is the cross also has the connotation of a death to self. Jesus says, "Whoever wants to be My disciple must take up his cross and follow Me." There is a crucifying of self which, of course, is not popular; and yet it is necessary in order for us to have the new life that comes from God - is to surrender ourselves to Him.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: We have a book that we can send to you J.B. It's called, The High Cost of the Cross. We‘ll be happy to send you a free copy of that. I think you’ll really appreciate it.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The number to call for our resource line is 1-800-835-6747 and the book is entitled, The High Cost of the Cross. We’ll send it to anyone who calls, 1-800-835-6747. We have Mike who is listening from South Carolina. Mike, welcome to the program. [Long pause] Mike, you’re on the air.
Mike: Hello? Okay. I just want to say I listen to you every night. I enjoy your show.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well thank you.
Mike: I’ve got a little two part question here. A lot of times I hear you say that Cain married his sister but there's no Scripture that verifies that. Is this just a personal thing that you think? And the Bible says that when Cain killed Abel, they cast Cain out of the Garden and he said, "Do not cast me out for they will surely kill me." I wonder who "they" are?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, okay. Why did Cain worry about other people killing him as time went by? For one thing, they knew back then God told Adam and Eve that He made them to procreate. Of course, Adam and Eve had already proven they could procreate by having Cain and Abel. They knew as the eons went by.
See, they were designed to live forever originally. They knew as time went by there was going to be swarms of people living in the world and Cain was going to have this infamous reputation as the first murderer. He was thinking ahead when he said, "All men are going to kill me when they think about what I have done and my name will be infamous." So he was just looking ahead.
By the way, it's in Genesis 5:4. It tells us that Adam and Eve not only had Cain and Abel. Principally, it just gives the names of the first-born sons in the chronology. It says Adam lived 930 years and it says he had sons and daughters, so it wasn’t just Cain and Abel and Seth. I mean, how many children could you have if you were fertile for 500 years out of 900? You would have lots of them.
So there were thousands living in the world by the time of the flood, maybe millions. Hope that helps a little Mike with your question, and appreciate that.
Pastor Jëan Ross: We have Richard who is listening from Manitoba, Canada. Richard, welcome to the program.
Richard: Hi Doug.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Good evening. How are you?
Richard: Oh very good, thank you. Your programs have really been a blessing to me. I was wondering what would be the criteria for finding God's end-time church? And could you give Scripture references?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well, first of all, if you’re going to find a true church, you would want to have a church that is following the teachings of Christ. If they’re not saying what Jesus said, then that eliminates it right there. They would also be fitting into a template that you find in prophecy.
It tells us in Revelation the church had to go underground several years during the Dark Ages when it was being persecuted. The woman fled into the wilderness and God sustained her there, kind of like when Israel went into the wilderness when they were escaping from Egypt.
Sometimes God’s prophets have gone into the wilderness where God sustained them, like Elijah. Then it tells us that when the beast receives a deadly wound, the church kind of comes back into visibility again. If you've followed the program, we've got a lesson that gives some of those prophetic dates.
That happens around 1798, and there’s great revival of Protestant Puritan thinking during that time from the preaching of Whitfield and Wesley and the Gospel was really taking off. But the Biblical criteria, Jesus tells us that we need to follow what His teachings are.
Pastor Jëan Ross: I think of a few verses related to this. Revelation chapter 12:17 says that the remnant keeps the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus. Revelation 14:12 says that the remnant keeps the Commandments of God and they have the faith of Jesus. So these are some of the characteristics that are given in Scripture as to who the remnant would be, who's God’s true church in the end days.
You know, the book that we mentioned a little earlier I think you'd find very helpful, anybody wanting to study this important subject further. The book is entitled, The Search for the True Church. We’ll send it to you for free if you’ll call our resource line. That's 1-800-835-6747. You can ask for the book, The Search for the True Church.
You can also go to Amazing Facts' website, AmazingFacts.org, and you can read the book for free online. You just type in our search engine there at the Amazing Facts' website "true church” or “search for the true church” and you will be able to read that book.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Also, that lesson as well called, The Bride of Christ and they can enroll in the Amazing Facts' Bible course and do the lesson, lots of Scripture there. Just go to BibleUniverse.com. Do the lessons there. There's one specifically on the true church with all the Scriptures. Thank you, Richard.
Pastor Jëan Ross: We have William and he is listening from Detroit, Michigan. William, welcome to the program.
William: Good evening and thank you for taking my call.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Good evening. Yes sir, and your question?
William: Yes, I wanted to know about Daniel. I think it was under Nebuchadnezzar and they were taken away. I was told they were made eunuchs. I wanted to know is that true?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah--well we believe it is true. There is a prophecy that Isaiah gave to Hezekiah in 2nd Kings 20:18. Hezekiah had kind of become proud when these ambassadors came from Babylon and instead of talking about God he talked about all of his stuff.
One of the judgments that Isaiah said God was going to bring on his family, it said, “And of your sons that will issue from you, which you will beget, they will take away to Babylon; and they will be eunuchs in palace of the king of Babylon." And then it tells us that Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were put in the charge of the prince of the eunuchs.
Well, the very fact that it's the leader of the eunuchs that's watching over them makes it pretty clear they were in the category of eunuchs. And then, of course, you never hear of any wives or family or children for Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. When someone was working as a wise man in the king’s palace, they had access to the king’s harem and the king wanted to make sure that the counselors that were coming and going from the palace weren’t ever distracted or tempted. So they took care of that right from the start, keep their mind on business.
So yup, Daniel was a eunuch, as was Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Hope that helps a little bit. Does that make sense?
William: Psychologically it does but emotionally it feels very distasteful.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yeah, and I can relate. When I first learned that I had problems with it; but I looked at the Word and said, "You know, it's pretty clear from the Bible, and also from history, that that’s what they did." Hey thank you William. We're going to try and get in one more question here before we run off the air.
Pastor Jëan Ross: We have Tim listening from San Antonio, Texas. Tim, we have about three minutes left, a little less.
Tim: Well hey, hi guys. How are you guys doing? This is Tim, the street evangelist. My wife thought my question is funny. I told your host. It's about concubines. Is there anywhere in the Bible--I've never really seen it--where it said anything negative about it. All the Greeks seem to have it, Solomon, King David. Are there any verses that actually speak against it?
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Well you know, it was never God’s plan. I think the best verse for that is going to be in the Garden of Eden, where God made His ideal plan, which is for one man to have one wife. By the time you get to the New Testament, you don’t hear of any of the apostles or any of the disciples having multiple wives.
In fact, when it talks about the qualifications for an elder, it's talking about a "husband of one wife." It wasn't talking about that man could not have had a wife that died and then remarry. There was no prohibition against that. They did still have some multiple wives in the Middle East. And so just to squash that notion, Paul was pretty clear that anyone who wanted to qualify in leadership in God’s church, he couldn’t have multiple wives.
So while it was common in Bible times, it was never God’s plan. The Lord even made laws in Deuteronomy to protect the second wife or additional wives so that they had equal rights because it had become so common. But, now you’re not getting any ideas hopefully Tim. Your wife will help you with that if you are.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, I’m thinking about Matthew chapter 19, verse 8 where Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees. It was on the subject of divorce but I think the principle applies. Jesus said, "Moses because of the hardness of your hearts permitted you to divorce your wives: but from the beginning it was not so."
You know in the beginning God created Adam and Eve; and all of this other stuff that happened along the way was because of the hardness of the hearts of the people.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Yup, and that would include not only include the divorce, but the polygamy and bigamy that was happening. Well listening friends, we have run out of time. I wish we could have taken more time. We sure enjoy talking with you and studying the Bible.
Please keep in mind that, especially this time of year when people are thinking about expressing their gratitude by giving support to ministries and gifts to one another, please remember to keep Amazing Facts in the mix. We'd love to hear from you. You can give online.
Just go to AmazingFacts.org, enjoy everything at the new website. God Bless you. We'll to you later.
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