Loud Voices and Ocean Sounds

These songs range from five to thirty minutes long; when completed the whale will surface and take a breath of fresh air, and then descend about fifty feet in a stationary position with its head down and repeat the song verbatim like again, and again, and again, perhaps for hours. As far as we know, only the males sing and all of the male humpbacks in the region of the ocean sing the same song. Each year, the song tunes change somewhat as the whales seem to experiment with different arrangements.

The song of the humpback whales reaches a sound level of up to one hundred and eighty decibels. Just for perspective; this is louder than the Space Shuttle taking off. Because of the way sound travels in the water, researchers believe that some of these low frequency whale sounds can travel more than three thousand miles. Did you know, the Bible tells us that the voice of an angel can reach around the 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 Ross: Good evening; listening friends, and Pastor Doug. Let’s begin the program with prayer. Dear Father again we thank you that we have this opportunity to study Your Word. We want to ask a special blessing on this program. We recognize the Bible is Your book so we want the Holy Spirit to lead us into a clearer and fuller understanding of Your Word and truth found in the Scriptures. Be with those who are listening; where ever they might be. For we ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pastor Doug: Amen.

Pastor Ross: Pastor Doug, you opened the program by talking about the noise in the ocean. Well, there’s a lot more noise than just the sound of crashing waves. You’ve got the sound of whales singing their songs. You talked about the humpback whale, but before the program we were talking about the blue whale that has the largest vocal chords of, you know, all animals; any, all creatures and it’s recorded that he’s, the blue whales, are able to make a sound blast; up to one hundred and eighty-eight decibels, which is louder than a jumbo jet engine. Now as you mentioned, even louder than the Shuttle taking off. That’s amazing!

Pastor Doug: I know, just they compared it to; you could be at a rock concert standing by the speakers and the voice of the whale is louder than that. [Laughter] Not that I go to rock concerts, but you can hear them for a long way. But, you know, I think about loud voices and I looked in the Bible. Revelations is probably the loudest book in the Bible and the phrase, “loud voices” occurs several times.

One place for instance, you can read in Revelation 14:6 it tells us, “I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice…,” Here’s a voice that goes to every nation, and tribe, and people; it’s a global loud voice. ”… Fear God and give glory to Him; for the hour of Hs judgment has come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” And then you go to verse 9, “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receives his mark in his forehead, or his hand,” And there are three angel messages and after these three loud messages go to the world, you read in that same chapter and it says, 14“And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the white cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.”

Jesus comes, and so these are special messages that go to the world, just before the return of Christ and they’re going to the world now! And maybe people would like to know, ‘Where we are according to these angel messages in the continuum and what does it mean about the times we’re living in?’ If you’d like to understand these messages of angels, that’s written about in Revelation; these loud messages that go to the world, we have a FREE lesson that talks about that. And often people talk about the beast in Revelation, 666, and they don’t capture this very important message in the middle of the book Revelation 14. We’ve got a lesson to help you understand that for FREE.

Pastor Ross: And the lesson is CALLED: Angel Messages from Space If you’ll CALL our resource line and ask for the lesson; we’ll be able to send it to you. The number to CALL is: 800.835.6747 that is our resource line and asks for the book: Angel Messages from Space we’ll send that out to you, … Well, Pastor Doug, let’s go to phone lines, our first caller this evening is, Rick, and he’s listening in Georgetown. Rick, welcome to the program.

Rick: Hey. I’m glad to be able to get on the line here.

Pastor Doug: Sure.

Rick: You know I gave the Scripture as Revelation 11: 10, but I really mean Revelation 11: 8

Pastor Doug: Okay.

Rick: And I’ll read it; it says, 8 “And their dead bodies shall lie in the street in the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.” Now I understand that their dead bodies are the Old and New Testament, but where Sodom and Egypt were our Lord was crucified, we know that that didn’t happen there. I know Egypt was because of the Pharoah that totally rejected the Lord, but Sodom, I’m not sure of. Because yesterday was the St. Bartholomew massacre anniversary, I was trying to tie this in because of the French had openly rejected to the Lord and the human slaughter -,

Pastor Doug: Well let me explain this for our friends. You and I know what you’re talking about, but we’re getting deep, so, if you will allow me just a moment. Revelation covers the panorama of the history from the first coming to the second coming of Jesus. Chapter 11 and this part that you’re referring to right now that Rick’s talking about is telling about these two witnesses.

It’s the Word of God and sometimes called the Law and the Prophets, the Commandments of God, the Testimony of Jesus, the New and the Old Testament. It’s the dual nature for the Word of God. Some people say it is Moses and Elijah, but they represent the Law and the Prophets, so it’s a symbol. The Word of God was attacked in the kingdoms of Europe beginning with France; they started the first atheistic nation. Now right now we’re not surprised when a nation is atheistic, but that was unheard of back then. And Sodom was renowned for its’ sexual immorality that you can read about in Jude, of course, Genesis and the pharaoh he denied the belief in God. Who is God? So, you have atheism, immorality, and all those things were rife during these times when they were burning Bibles in the streets and killing Christians. And so this is telling about this phase of history; it was foretold. Paul tells exactly how long it was, too, it was for three and a half days. A day of prophecy is a year and it was three and a half years, huh? I forget what the dates were. It was 1798 when it ended?

Pastor Ross: Right around in that time period. The French Revolution was part of it. You know Pastor Doug, there’s an interesting thought there with since Revelation Chapter 11 speaks of their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of that great city which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt and then it also says, “…Where our Lord also was crucified.” You know Jesus said,”If you have done this unto the least of these you have done this unto me.” There were many who were standing for the truths of God’s Word who faced severe persecution and death; during that time period and, of course, just before and I think St. Bartholomew Massacre could fall into that category because it did happen in France in the area surrounding there and that was a horrific massacre of those who were holding to these Bible truths.

Pastor Doug: Yeah. And people ought to look that up and if they don’t know the history; I’m sure there’s Wikipedia or something that-, blood was literally running in the streets during that time. Did we answer your question?

Rick: You did, you did. I had Googled the King Louis the Czar because he had three frescos of the slaughter and of the admirals plotting those deaths and so, of course the Pope the thirteenth, he had this coin minted with his name on one side and the words ”generous at arms” or something like that of the slaughter of the [inaudible], so I was trying to tie all this in here.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, well it sounds like you’re on the right track and this is an amazing study in history. It shows how God foretold all these things were going to happen. Appreciate your call Rick.

Pastor Ross: We have a book on the two witnesses and we’ll be happy to send that, Rick, to you or anyone who calls and asks for it. Our resource line is 800.835.6747 and we have a book called: The Two Witnesses Again that number is: 800.835.6747 and the book is: The Two Witnesses We have Michael listening from West Orange, New Jersey. Michael, welcome to the program.

Michael: Pastor Doug, Pastor Ross, God Bless and thank you.

Pastor Doug: How can we help you?

Michael: I have a question about the morals of Bathsheba. Now some women you would really have to threaten in order for them to betray their husband’s intimacy, but it seems like she went along pretty willingly.

Pastor Doug: Well, you know, there’s very little said in the Bible, almost nothing said about what role Bathsheba had in and how compliant she was, but the context seems to say that David, basically, seduced her. She was, you know, willing, he was the instigator, but it definitely was not called rape. She did comply with him in the cover-up to pretend like it was their child, and they had a quick marriage and so she did seem to be an accomplice in it. Probably would have been pretty hard, her husband is at war, here you’ve got one of the most talented, handsome men in the kingdom and one of the most powerful men in the kingdom and he invites you to the palace. He is one of the most beautiful singers in the kingdom. He begins to play and he begins to play and he gives you a little wine and I think that’s how things played out, but she cooperated, I think. I think Bathsheba cooperated with the whole scandal.

Pastor Ross: But, she suffered, as well, it was when the baby died.

Pastor Doug: When the baby died.

Pastor Ross: She bore judgment, as well, for that.

Michael: Thank you Pastors.

Pastor Doug: Alright. Thanks, good question.

Pastor Ross: We have Tim and he’s listening from Michigan. Tim, welcome to the program.

Tim: Hi. How are you?

Pastor Doug: Doing great, thanks for calling and your question?

Tim: It’s a two part question, sir. First part, based on my own personal experience in 1975, I came to the saving knowledge of our Savior, Jesus Christ. For the next twenty-five years I was in the military etcetera. I was a pretty mean person. I always was a mean person, I struggled with that and I still struggle with that, today. So my two-part question is: Is once saved always saved? The reason I say that or ask that question; I know what it says in I John about the everlasting life or eternal life; yet in the Old Testament it says that your life may be blotted out. And the reason I ask this is I know even though I have been saved I still struggle with sin and the second part of the question is: I was a professing, practicing, homosexual; that’s a sin; you may be saved yet can a practicing homosexual, enter into the kingdom of heaven, as well?

Pastor Doug: Alright. Well, you’ve got two questions there. Let me see if I can separate the answer. First answer is about, once saved always saved. And people need to understand that a believer can have assurance, I spoke about that, this weekend. That God is the Author and the Finisher of our faith and the Bible says that He which has begun a good work in you will perform it. Paul said I fought to finish the race, I’ve kept the faith, for here is laid out in front of me is a crown of righteousness.

So, Paul believed that he was saved. So, a Christian can have assurance, but having that assurance that God is going to finish and living in faith does not mean that you are not free to choose to turn from God. And if we take our lives out of God’s hands, or if we refuse to yield our will to the Lord, then we’re free to be lost. And you’ve got several examples in the Bible of people, who once followed the Lord, but then; they turned away or they fell away or their name was removed from the Lamb’s Book of Life, it says in Revelation. So, can a Christian have assurance?

Yes. But, does that mean that once they have accepted salvation that they can never do anything to be lost again? No. The Bible doesn’t say that, it’s a very popular doctrine that’s out there, but, it doesn’t have much Scriptural support. The other question is can a person be a practicing homosexual and be saved. The Bible is pretty clear in a number of places that you can read in Leviticus and Deuteronomy that if a man lies with a man as he lies with a woman it’s an abomination and it was a death penalty. Now a person may struggle with temptation or struggle with gay tendencies and still be living a chaste Christian life, just like any heterosexual who is single has to struggle with temptation and try to live a Godly life. And so, you know, it’s a battle for either, but, if a person is living in known disobedience; you’re not in a saved condition. So, we’ve got a book that talks about return to Sodom and it talks about just how prevalent that‘s becoming and God said that would be one of the signs of the last days.

Pastor Ross: We’ve got two books. One deals with the first part of the question. It’s called: Can a Saved Man Choose to be Lost? and we’ll send that to you FREE. And then we also have another book called: Return to Sodom and we’ll send both of them to you and anyone who calls and asks. The number for our resource line is: 800.835 6747 and again the books: Can a Saved Man Choose to be Lost? and Return to Sodom.

Pastor Doug: You know, I’d like to remind our listeners that many; not all, but many of the books that we mention as FREE offers that we can mail to you. We like to put a hard copy in people’s hands if they’d like, but maybe you’d like the answers tonight. And you can go to the website and a lot of them are under our FREE library; both the lessons, and the study books. And that’s simply: Amazing Facts dot org www.amazingfacts.org. So we’ve got Bible studies on many of these doctrinal questions right there at the website: Amazing Facts dot org www.amazingfacts.org or www.amazingfacts.com will take you there.

Pastor Ross: We have Shantelle who is listening from Oregon, Shantelle, welcome to the program.

Shantelle: Hello. Thank you for taking my call. My question is about intercessory prayer. And, I’d like to know, when we pray for specific people, that the Holy Spirit opens their hearts to Bible truth. Is the Holy Spirit’s work different or more limited than if there’s no intercessory prayer for these specific people?

Pastor Doug: Well, I think that when you pray for people that you empower God to intervene. You know, this planet’s been kidnapped by the devil. But, when we appeal to God, God will do when we pray, things, which He otherwise would not do, if we don’t ask. Jesus says ,”ask” and it’s not just asking for daily bread, part of the Lord’s prayer is that we’re asking that He deliver us from evil; not just me, but others because it says us.

So God wants us to intercede for others, and He’s telling us to ask; which means, it makes a difference! How exactly the Holy Spirit intensifies His efforts, but I think He does things when you pray. It’s like when Abraham prayed for Lot. Lot was carried off and God spared Lot and saved him and gave him another chance. Not only when he was carried off captive, but later when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. But, I think it was the intercession of Abraham that preserved him.

Pastor Ross: You know, sometimes the Bible speaks of while it’s clear in different portions of Scripture, the great controversy between the forces of good and the forces of evil and it seems that there are certain rules of engagement; certain things that God will not allow Satan to do. Remember the story of Job? Satan was complaining because God had put a hedge of protection around Job, but God being fair and just also limits what He does; in other words, with these rules. But, when somebody intercedes on behalf of somebody else, it’s in essence giving God the right to do more to try and reach that person or protect that person, and when Satan says this is unfair; you’re breaking the rules, God says, no, I have a right to do so because someone is interceding on that person’s behalf. I think it can go both ways.

Shantelle: So, it sounds like the person may have stronger inclinations towards thinking about the Bible and studying and maybe more questions will go through their mind?

Pastor Doug: I think the Spirit does more to appeal to them both through the Spirit, through Providence, through others, but when you pray things will happen that might otherwise, not happen. And I do believe it makes a difference.

Pastor Ross: We have a book called: Teach Us to Pray we’ll send that to you Shantelle, or anyone who calls and asks for it: 800.835.6747 that is our resource line.And ask for the book: Teach Us to Pray. We have Andy who is listening in Hawaii, Andy, welcome to the program.

Andy: Oh, hello. Yes, I have my parents who they both died early. I guess God gave or somebody gave him another life and a couple of years ago they ended up killing them. And so now I don’t have any parents. I’ve got mu Auntie and her husband who they are the grandparents of a famous basketball player and-,

Pastor Doug: And so what’s the question?

Andy: My mother was a vegetarian and would not eat pork; she believed in doing what was right. So, the question is: What people do that makes people mad? Psalm 91 says that we’ll live a long life and be prosperous.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, there are a number of promises in the Bible that God will take care and preserve. Psalm 91 is one of them that if we place our lives in God’s hands, He said He will protect us and watch over us, but that doesn’t mean that there are not exceptions. You know, there are waves of persecution that goes through different countries and there’s war. And even the apostles; many of them were persecuted for their faith. Jesus said you’ll be hated by all nations for My name sake. So, why God blesses people like Job, even Job went through trials. Joseph ended up a prime Minister in a palace, but he went through some trials. Christians also suffer.

Pastor Ross: You know, David asked the same question, he was wondering why it is that the wicked seem to prosper.

Pastor Doug: Psalm 37.

Pastor Ross: Yeah, and he was puzzled by this until he entered into the sanctuary and he says he saw their end, of course, the sacrifice would be burnt on the altar and there would be nothing left, but ashes. The Bible speaks of the wicked being turned to ashes in the final judgment. So when he understood that this little life, whether it is eighty or ninety years, is really nothing in comparison to eternity. For the righteous they have an entire eternity to look forward to.

Pastor Doug: That’s right.

Pastor Ross: Of course, all the wicked have are just these years now.

Pastor Doug: That’s right. So, by the way Andy in a couple of weeks I’ll be in Hawaii in Honolulu if you come by the Honolulu Central Church, maybe we’ll see you there. Thanks for your question.

Pastor Ross: We have Carlos who is listening from Bakersfield. Carlos, welcome to the program.

Carlos: Hi. How are you guys doing?

Pastor Doug: We’re doing good and your question?

Carlos: It’s really great to talk to you I’ve been waiting for a long time, but you know, I was sitting back the other night and this question popped in my head and I was wondering if you could help me answer it. Out of all places in the Universe why would He, why did He cast one third of the angels down to earth?

Pastor Doug: Well, it was after Adam and Eve listened to the devil. They sort of had given some permission to the devil to have access to our planet. God told Adam and Eve do not eat this forbidden fruit. The devil tempted them and they chose to listen to the devil, instead of listening to God. And I think it is Romans Chapter 6 where it says, “Whoever you yield yourselves servants to obey, you are the slaves of the one you obey.” When Adam chose to obey the devil, instead of God, God told Satan, ‘Look, I’m limiting your access through the universe; you can stay on that planet. You’re going to be cast to earth and you have to stay there because you did find creatures there that follow you instead of me.’ So the earth ended up becoming the staging ground for Lucifer’s rebellion against God. And our planet has become sort of a spectacle Paul says for the universe.

Pastor Ross: We have in the book of Job Satan showing up from the planet earth. God says, ‘Where did you come from?’ He said, ‘Oh from walking up and down on the earth.’ Satan claims the earth as his. The temptation of Christ, remember Satan came and tempted Jesus and said, ‘If you bow down and worship me, I will give you all the kingdoms.’ So, Satan claimed this kingdom as his own. But, at the cross Satan really lost that dominion even though now, he’s still active and we see the results of sin, but, ultimately, the earth is going to be the Kingdom of Christ.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, even Jesus said the prince of this world.

Carlos: Well, thank you for all that.

Pastor Doug: We have a lesson we can send you; it’s FREE and it really talks about what happened to the devil and it’s called: Did God Make a Devil?

Carlos: Nice, okay.

Pastor Ross: The number to call for that is: 800.835.6747 and again the study guide is called: Did God Create a Devil? That number is: 800.835.6747 we have Mario and he is listening from Brooklyn, New York, Mario welcome to the program.

Mario: Yes. It’s a pleasure to be on your program and I thank you for taking my call. My question is: The people of the Old Testament that believed in God, the Lord, were they one person, if you will, one-Spirited God; monolithic God? After the birth and crucifixion of Christ; the Triune God came into play; the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. My question is how the people of the Old Testament and the non-believers stand spiritually with the Triune God as opposed to the monogamous monolithic God of the Old Testament? I’m a little confused about that.

Pastor Doug: Alright, well, I appreciate your question. See, I believe that God has always been a Triune God; that it didn’t just begin when Jesus came because in the beginning when God said let Usmake man in Our image. And in Isaiah Chapter 6 the angels cried, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’, you know, holy for the Father, for the Son and for the Holy Spirit. And you can read in Genesis 11 or Genesis 3 God says, “The man has become like Us.” You get to Genesis 11 and God uses the term “us” again when He scattered the people at the Tower of Babel. And so I think even in the Old Testament, you’ve got God and the Spirit of God and you’ve got the Spirit as a separate entity; you can read it in Daniel Chapter 7 they’re talking about one like the Son of Man comes before the Ancient of Days; this is still the Old Testament, and so you’ve got pictures of, you know, Nebuchadnezzar looks and in Daniel Chapter 3 in the fiery furnace he says, ‘I see one like the Son of God’.

And so you see the Son of God even in the Old Testament and, of course, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are very clearly identified in the New Testament. So those who think that the God of the Old Testament is only one person are misinterpreting the words of Moses. Moses said, “Hear o Israel, the Lord our God is One.” Moses didn’t mean that God was one person; he meant that my God is united, our God is united. The Egyptians gods were all fighting among themselves that’s for the Greeks and the Romans, but the God out of the Bible is One God. We’ve got a book on the Trinity we’ll send you a FREE copy Mario. Just go to the website: Amazing Facts dot org www.amazingfacts.org and look up the book on the Trinity. You’re listening to Bible Answers Live.

Pastor Ross: Pastor Doug, we’re going to take a break in just a few moments, but, before we do we’d like to mention one of our websites. Tonight we want to talk about Bible History dot com www.biblehistory.com it’s a brand new website; just released about two weeks ago. I think we mentioned it on the program, last week, but, it is worth mentioning again. It is just a tremendous resource for people wanting to study the Bible.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, it’s-, you’ve got to go there; it’s simply: Bible History dot com www.biblehistory.com and it’s a Bible timeline that you can back it out and you can get the panorama of all the ages of the Biblical history; starting with the creation up through the second coming. No, we have not set a date for the second coming, but, it just tells you where we are in this scope of history. And you can click on all the major events, the major characters, and it will tell you their lives and how long they lived and how they appeared and how their lives overlap and you can click on sermons! And there’s so much more! Bible History dot com www.biblehistory.com we’re going to be back with more questions.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Pastor Doug: And with that we are back for more Bible questions. If you’ve got a Bible question, yeah, we’ve got two; three lines open. Pick up the phone you can call. It’s a FREE phone call with a Bible question. We don’t have much expertise when it comes to talking about your romance or finance, but, we’d love to talk to you about the Word of God. That number: 800.463.7297.

That’s 800. God Says and I am still Doug Batchelor and I’m still Jean Ross.

Pastor Ross: Pastor, we need to go straight to the phone lines. We have Clark, who is listening in Buffalo, New York, Clark, welcome to the program.

Clark: Well, you should probably have four lines open because last time when I was on with you guys a couple of years ago, you cut me off! I think the term in your industry is you podded me down so that I wasn’t able to continue. This is supposed to be a dialogue; not a monologue.

Pastor Doug: Was this the situation of your call?

Clark: No, I didn’t even hear your first call.

Pastor Doug: I came in a little late, when you called the first time.

Clark: Last time I was on with you guys, I stated something quite factually and you were working with a different partner that night, Doug, I can’t remember his name, but he corrected me or so I thought and since I figured he knew a lot more about the Bible than I did I said, ‘Okay.’ And then I checked up on it with a couple of theologians and I turned out to be right. All I said was that there’s not a single date in the Bible. And he says, ‘Sure, there are lots of dates in the Bible.’ But, there isn’t, I checked with two theologians. There’s not a single date in the Bible.

Pastor Doug: Now let’s talk about it. Let’s just clear that up. You know, you’re not going to find in the Bible where it says, 1850 B.C., but they did date things in the Bible-,

Clark: Of course because you’re before Christ.

Pastor Doug: But, they dated things by the reign of various kings and there’s some very precise dates given in the Bible.

Clark: I’m aware of that! But, unless it’s a date that concludes a specific day, not just merely a year because we know as far back as the sixth century B.C.; we know certain events that happened on specific dates. Most-,

Pastor Doug: There are specific dates given in the Bible, it tells about days actually. It tells when certain feasts were on certain days, of the months, of the years. And we know exactly what day it was. Sometimes it even tells us what the hour was. So, go ahead.

Clark: That’s the only point I was making. Let’s quit talking about history and we’re talking about current events. The other day I was listening to Janet Medford’s show and she’s pretty good, particularly when she’s talking about secular issues, she’s very often right on the mark. But, she was interviewing a guy that I think is a certifiable clown, theologian, R.C. Scroll. And he had the audacity to tell her that when it comes to worship, you should worship primarily the God of the Old Testament. And why she didn’t say, ‘Come on R.C. why are you telling people to worship a God who clearly was genocidal; look at the flood, which clearly was supporting slavery, look at Leviticus.

Pastor Doug: Clark, do you think that the God of the Old Testament and the New Testament are a different God?

Clark: No, but I think He got influenced by His supposed Son Christ to the point where He’s a much less … benign entity in the New Testament. In the Old Testament He’s blood thirsty for heaven’s sake. You know this.

Pastor Doug: Are you saying it sounds like God changed? Is that what you’re saying?

Clark: Far be it from me to suggest that God is this or that, I don’t know -,

Pastor Doug: So well, I’m just saying we’re going to give you the Bible answers. The Bible says that God does not change. And the God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament. And you’ve got a lot-,

Clark: well, then why, why didn’t He have any more genocidal episodes; like the flood in the New Testament, if He didn’t change?

Pastor Doug: Well, there is judgment that’s pronounced in the New Testament. If you’ve read Revelation where it talks about where the plagues are going to happen and one third of humanity dies and-,

Clark: Well, when I read Revelation that’s like, to me, Revelation makes Lucy in the sky with diamonds read like a news story by comparison. It’s so darn allegorical. I don’t think anything can be said about it.

Pastor Doug: Those prophecies in Revelation can actually be understood and by the way Clark, we’re podding you down, I just thought I’d let you know. But, I think you ought to consider going to our website and studying, you’ll find out Revelation can be understood. And it does make a lot of sense and a lot of those prophecies have been fulfilled. Appreciate your calling in, but we have to give another caller a chance. Thank you.

Pastor Ross: We have Michael who is listening from New Foundland, Michael, welcome to the program.

Michael: Hi.

Pastor Doug: Hi, Michael thanks for calling.

Michael: My question was I don’t understand the seven days that God made the earth.

Pastor Doug: Are you wondering about the literal seven days?

Michael: Yes, did He make in seven days, hourly or seven days in His life? I was told the other day by a non-believer, they said they knew a lot about it and they told me that seven days of God’s life-,

Pastor Doug: You know, your phone’s breaking up Michael. I don’t know if it’s because you’re so far or your receiver or something, but, very quickly the seven days of creation, we believe are seven literal 24 hour days. The wording that is used there in Genesis is the same wording as you’d find other places in the Bible where God is talking about the morning and the evening. He uses the terminology that is as specific as it can be to make it clear that God was able to speak these phases of things into existence in a 24 hour period. Now one way we know they‘ve got to be literal days is God makes the vegetation on the third day, but He doesn’t make the sun, moon, and stars until the fourth day. And vegetation would not have lived without the sun, moon, and stars for a long phase of time. But, certainly could make it 24 hours just being illuminated by God’s presence.

So, yeah, we’re from that old-fashioned view. Some people will say, but wait a second, but tree rings; they’ve got tree rings that show that they’re thousands of years old. Trees go back, some of these petrified forests that look like they’re six thousand years old or eight thousand years old. My answer is that when God made Adam, Adam was made a full grown man, if you looked at him you’d think, well, he’s been around for forty years, but he was made with a certain amount of built in age. When God first made trees, they probably already had tree rings on the first day He made them. When He made certain stars the light was already enroute, so.

People say oh, but, the light from those stars couldn’t have gotten to earth, it would have a taken them thousands of years. Well, so why wouldn’t God be able to make the stars with the light already in transit? So, it’s nothing, if God says I can do it, He can do it. And, so, I believe He did it in seven literal days in a week. We have nothing really scientific to disprove that! So, I appreciate your call Michael. We do have: When Evolution Flunked the Science Test. I don’t know if that will help you, but-,

Pastor Ross: Just give us a call Michael on our resource line: 800.835.6747.

You can ask for the book: When Evolution Flunked the Science Test. We’ll send that out to you or anyone who calls and asks. We have Terry who is listening from Pennsylvania, Terry welcome to the program.

Terry: Thank you, Gentlemen; it’s good to hear your voices.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, happy to hear yours.

Terry: Pastor Doug, I have a question on buying and selling on the Sabbath. Is it alright for someone to go out for dinner on the Sabbath?

Pastor Doug: Well, I’ll tell you what the Bible says. You can look in the book of Nehemiah. I think you will find something in both Chapter 9 and I think the other Chapter 13 is the other place. Where they were, the people were kind of returning back to God and sure enough they started bringing goods outside of the city and Nehemiah said you know, that’s not appropriate, don’t be bringing wares and supplies to be selling to the people; this is the Sabbath, this is a day of rest, it’s not a day of commerce. And they kept coming back and he said look we’re going to arrest you if you keep doing this.

This is not appropriate. So, God says also in the writings of Moses regarding the Sabbath, on Friday, bake what you are going to bake and boil what you are going to boil and get your food ready as far as possible and so you don’t have to be doing that kind of cooking. Get your meal prepared in advance. So you can rest that day. And for Christians to say,’ oh we don’t want to take time to prepare and remember the Sabbath, so, we’re just going to go out and hire someone else to cook our food, you’ve got to pay for someone to work for you; just because you didn’t prepare. So you’re kind of sinning buy proxy. I think that you probably shouldn’t be going out to eat on the Sabbath.

Pastor Ross: Yeah, absolutely. We know the Sabbath comes every seventh day, so now granted there might be some circumstances where things happen and you know, you try to plan and but, maybe something came up. I can’t even think of an example for that.

Pastor Doug: Oh, it happened to our family once we were flying from the Middle East back to the U.S and our plane got half way and got stuck and delayed and we should have been back before Sabbath and we had three kids and no food and it was just we couldn’t control the situation.

Pastor Ross: You know, and God understands, but, really the principle is to prepare for the Sabbath and get ready, you know it is coming and so make plans.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, it is a Holy day and so you should get everything done ahead of time so you can rest and enjoy it. Does that make sense, Terry?

Terry: Absolutely, thank you so much!

Pastor Doug: Alright appreciate that. You can read that in Nehemiah Chapter 9. We a have a website and we have questions every week practically about the Sabbath. We have a website that talks about the Sabbath in great detail. It’s Sabbath Truth dot com www.sabbathtruth.com and there’s a section there that talks about keeping the Sabbath. I think it’s very helpful information with Biblical support.

Pastor Ross: We have Maria. She is listening from Washington, Maria, welcome to the program.

Maria: Hi. Thank you for taking my call. I have a question. I can’t find the reference in the Bible, but it’s the time when Jesus was talking to Peter and he asked him who men say that he is, you know. And then Peter says, “You are the Lord.” Right; or something like that-,

Pastor Doug: He says you are the Messiah.

Maria: The Messiah, yes.

Pastor Ross: That’s in Matthew Chapter 16:16-17.

Maria: Umm-hmm. And then Jesus tells Peter He’s going to give him the-, some sort of keys, right? I just kind of wonder what do those keys mean? My Spanish Bible says different than, keys to the heaven.

Pastor Doug: That’s interesting so what in the Spanish Bible it says I’ll give you the keys to heaven?

Maria: I think it says something else or maybe I was just wondering what those keys mean?

Pastor Doug: Well, I think the “key” to understanding the “keys” can be found when you look in Revelation. It talks about the I AM the One that has the keys to death and hell so Jesus has the keys to help people out of death and bring them to life and then it tells us in Revelation Chapter 3, it says: “He who has the key of David who no one opens and no one shuts and shuts and no one opens.” And so what the Lord gives His followers is: keys to communicate everlasting life. For as we share Jesus with people; they’re getting the keys.

Pastor Ross: I mean, what was it that Jesus gave the disciples; that could open heaven to somebody who received the message, while it was the Gospel, so the Gospel is really the “key” and Pastor Doug, every person has the opportunity to share the Gospel with somebody else and open heaven to that person, if they choose to accept it and believe. It’s not just given to Peter, but, to any who follows Christ.

Pastor Doug: That’s right and all the apostles; all the believers were to share the Gospel, so. Hope that helps a little bit Maria. And we do have a lesson that talks about that Gospel and we’d be happy to send you a FREE copy and it’s called: The Ultimate Deliverance

Pastor Ross: All you have to do is call our resource line: 800.835.6747 and ask for the Study guide: The Ultimate Deliverance and we’ll send that to you, Maria, or anyone who calls and asks for it. We have Bonnie who is listening in Iowa. Bonnie, welcome to the program.

Bonnie: Hi. Thanks for taking my call. I kind of wonder about end time events, I know, I really believe we’re living in the last days. I know Satan is going to impersonate Christ’s return, but what I want to know, too, is when Revelation talks about the winds were being let loose like in catastrophes, so, will he impersonate Christ first and then will the catastrophes start before or after he impersonates Christ?

Pastor Doug: Well, that’s a good question. There are two phases that talk about the winds of strife and that’s really the same thing as the time of trouble when the angels release that strife. I think it may be in the midst of what we sometimes call a small time of trouble when Satan is going to somehow appear and say that he is Jesus. And that happens just shortly before the last plagues fall, what’s your view on that?

Pastor Ross: Yeah, you know if you look at it in Revelation it speaks about these three unclean spirits like frogs in Revelation 16 coming out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. And they go out to gather together all of the world and then it talks about this battle called the battle of Armageddon. Part of that deception that gathers together all of the wicked and unites them in opposition to Christ and to the followers of Christ is Satan impersonating the coming of Jesus so he’s really galvanizing his forces for this final showdown and that really will take place during that time period that the Bible speaks of as the plagues. The seven last plagues, so.

Pastor Doug: So does that help a little bit, Bonnie?

Bonnie: yes. Thank you. I appreciate your program, thank you guys.

Pastor Doug: And we do have a lesson that talks about the second coming and the Tribulation and it’s called: Anything but Secret and the last half of that talk about the tribulation and time of trouble. We’ll send that to you FREE.

Pastor Ross: The number to call is: 800.835.6747 you can ask for: Anything but Secret and we’ll send that out to anyone who calls and asks for it. Next caller is Melissa and she’s calling from Berkley, New York. Melissa, welcome to the program.

Melissa: Good evening. My question is: Can you give me some Bible reference on what day is the Sabbath? Because the denomination we worship on Sunday and I wondered if we should worship on Saturday. Could you please give me what Bible text states that Saturday as the Sabbath?

Pastor Doug: Yes. There is actually no verse in the Bible that says that the Sabbath is Sunday or Saturday because the names Saturday and Sunday are Roman names that were adopted years later. The Romans-, our months are named after July, Julius Caesar, August for Augustus Caesar so our calendar is a Roman calendar and the days of the week we use the Roman names. Sunday was the day of the sun, Monday was moon day, Tuesday was Tiw, Wednesday was woden’s day, Thursday was Thor’s day, Friday I think was Freya, Saturday was Saturn, so they all were named after celestial bodies.

In the Bible the Jews named the days of the week First day, second day, third day, fourth day, fifth day, sixth day; which was the preparation day, seventh day the Sabbath. We can know today how to correspond those Biblical days with our days of the week because it tells us that Jesus was crucified on the preparation day. He rested in the tomb. Even on the Sabbath He kept the Sabbath, in His death and He rose on the first day of the week and we all know they call that Easter Sunday, the day of the resurrection. So if you look in the dictionary and you look up the word first day, it’ll say first day of the week, Sunday. Look up seventh day it will say Saturday. So all over the world in recorded history there’s no question about the days of the week.

Calendars have been adjusted, but, that never affects the weekly cycle. And so the weekly cycle has been a perpetual cycle of one, two, three, four, five, six, seven from the time of Adam to the present day and even the Naval Observatory; I wrote a letter to them and they said there’s been no change in the calendar that has affected the continuity of the weekly cycle in recorded history; yet in the dictionary or the encyclopedia, first day of the week Sunday, seventh day of the week Saturday. We have a website that explains all that and those quotes are all there. It’s a very popular site.

Pastor Ross: The website is: Sabbath Truth dot com www.sabbathtruth.com

takes a look at that. You can also call our resource line 800.835.6747 and we’ll send you a study guide entitled: Lost Day of History. Just ask us for the study guide on the Sabbath and it will give you some additional Bible references.

The number for our resource line is: 800.835.6747 ~ 800.835.6747 ask for the study guide on the Sabbath: The Lost Day of History. Our next one is Dan and he’s listening from Connecticut. Dan, welcome to the program.

Dan: Good evening Pastor.

Pastor Doug: Good evening.

Dan: I’m a first time caller and I love your program.

Pastor Doug: Well thank you glad you called. You must be on the road?

Dan: Yeah, I’m on the road. My question is: I’ve always wondered at my father’s funeral and he was a gardener and he loved children that because he would be out in his garden and working among children. My question is I’ve also heard this belief when you go to heaven is you going to be doing work for the Lord like the same as what you do here on earth? Or does He have you hanging around playing a harp? Will you do the work of the skill you had here on earth?

Pastor Doug: Yes. Let me give you a couple of verses on what’s going to happen in heaven. And your father will be real happy in the kingdom because it does say that they’ll plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them, they’ll build houses and inhabit them. And you can read in Isaiah 11:6 “The wolves also will dwell with the lambs and the leopard will lie down with the kid and the calf and the young lion and the fattling together…” meaning lions and lambs usually don’t get along in this world. …”and a little child will lead them.” So there’s children there, the wild animals are tamed, you’ll be able to garden and you know, if the promised land flowed with milk and honey, just the earth made new is going to be even more beautiful than the Garden of Eden.

There’s nothing in our Bibles that say anything about floating on clouds and playing the harp; that kind of came out of medieval mythology, the Bible talks about heaven to be in a very real world that God is going to create. He creates a new heavens and a new earth meaning the atmosphere around our planet and our world is made new and we have a lesson that we’ll send you if you can remember this, Dan, that talks specifically about the subject of heaven.

Pastor Ross: The lesson is entitled: A Colossal City in Space. You can just ask for the space city talking about heaven. The number is: 800.835.6747. That’s: 800.835.6747 and you can ask for the study guide: A Colossal City in Space. It’s all about heaven and what the righteous will do. Our next caller is Reginald and he is calling from Ohio. Reginald, welcome to the program.

Reginald: Hello. Thank you for taking my call. My question is this: Many Christians believe in if a person has heard the gospel and hasn’t accepted Jesus as their Savior, they are eternally lost. Does the Bible teach that? My first part; and if that’s not true, what difference does it make for Christians to witness?

Pastor Doug: Yeah, well, first of all the Bible is pretty clear the whole world has sinned and the penalty for sin is death. And to be saved requires accepting Jesus. Now there will be people; the Bible seems to be clear, Jesus says to whom much is given much is required. And we stop short of saying that every single human being that was in North America or South America or Australia that lived prior to missionaries showing up; they’re all going to burn in hell because the Lord says that even the barbarians know the law of God as it is given to them in nature. And so people in these countries that listened to the Spirit that followed maybe the instruction of angels; that embraced the truth, which they had and walked in what light they had I think God is going to show mercy to them, but they’ll be saved by the grace of Jesus. Nobody is getting to heaven without Jesus.

There will be people in some of these dark countries that maybe never heard about the Gospel who the Lord spoke to their hearts, you know, like that widow woman that Elijah stayed with and who was not an Israelite. You’ve got Naaman the leper. Matter of fact the Bible says many will come from the east and the west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But, there are the exceptions, the ones who did not know and that is why doing mission work is so important. Now you seem to have-, go ahead Pastor Ross do you have something to add?

Pastor Ross: Yes. To add to that real quick, the reason we do evangelism is not because it is the only opportunity that a person has, as Pastor Doug mentioned the Holy Spirit speaks to the hearts of all people, but, we believe it’s the best opportunity a person has to make a decision for truth. When the gospel is presented in a clear way where they can understand it. So, it is important to share because it is giving people the best opportunity that they can get to make a decision for the truth and for Christ and receive Him as their personal Savior.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, the truth sets you free. Now you said you have two parts to your question, Reginald?

Reginald: Yeah, that was both parts.

Pastor Doug: Well, good. Alright let’s hope we have a happy customer. Thanks a lot. Appreciate your call.

Pastor Ross: We have Gilbert who is listening from New York. Gilbert, welcome to the program.

Gilbert: Yes. Hello. I have a question about predestination. My Bible teacher talks about-, my question is that if someone is not predestinated, okay, and then judgment they could say; make an excuse and say I was not chosen so are you going to send me to hell?

Pastor Doug: Well, see we don’t believe in the typical view of predestination and the idea that God has predetermined who He is going to save. God knows in advance who will be saved and who will be lost because He knows everything. But, people are saved and lost based on a choice He gives us. That’s why Joshua said, “Choose who you will serve…“ And Jesus said who so ever believes in Him will not perish. Who so ever; that’s an open invitation. And the Bible ends and says, “Whoever wants to drink the water of life, just come.” And so, everyone has a free choice.

Gilbert: Oh, so it’s a choice?

Pastor Doug: Yeah. That’s why we must choose; you can’t force someone to love.

Pastor Ross: You know, I think some of the confusion about predestination is in reference to Paul and what he had to say in the book of Romans. But, if one studies it carefully what Paul is really talking about is God choosing Israel, as a people. To be the ones who were to share with the world the good news about the coming of the Messiah. It wasn’t because of anything that Abraham’s descendants had in and of themselves and they weren’t better than everyone else and that’s why God chose them. No, God called and God predestinated them to be the ones who were to bear the message. But, it did not affect their individual salvation because everybody has a freedom to choose God or reject Him.

Pastor Doug: Do we have time for one more? Two minutes.

Pastor Ross: We do; we have Patrice who is listening from Hawaii, Patrice, welcome to the program. We have two minutes.

Patrice: Thank you. Thank you for taking my call. I’ll be really brief. My question is: In reference to the law, the dispensation of the laws; being under the law vs. now us living under grace. What is the difference because I am hearing two different sides from Pastors, one side says we still keep the law and the Commandments? But, then I heard a Pastor say the other day that Jesus Christ came to do away with the law, so we’re under grace. And we no longer have to abide under the Commandments.

Pastor Doug: Let me jump in, I appreciate your question. But, we’re going to run out of time, we are expected to obey God’s law. Jesus said do not think I have come to destroy the law and the prophets I did not come destroy, but to fulfill. Fulfill doesn’t mean do away with. Fulfill means He kept it in His life and showed us how to obey. When it says we’re no longer under the law it means we’re no longer under the penalty of law because of Christ’s grace. But, when Jesus dies He didn’t then give us Carte Blanc to commit adultery or to lie or to steal or to use God’s name in vain or worship idols; any of the Ten Commandments, if we love the Lord; we’ll want to obey Him. Jesus said, “If you love me keep my Commandments!”

So some people have abused this concept of grace as though it does not matter if we obey God or not. Of course He wants us to keep His law. Paul says in Romans Chapter 3:13 “It is not the hearers of the law that are just before God, but the doers of the law will be justified.” And friends you can tell the music is chasing us off the precipice of time. Hey, check out the website, Amazing facts dot org www.amazingfacts.org we’d love to hear from you, help us stay on this station; you could drop something in there and we’d appreciate it. Hope the program has been a blessing. God willing, we’ll be together again next week.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ END ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~