Doug Batchelor: Hello friends! This is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? On February 1970 first Lieutenant Gary Fowles was conducting practice maneuvers near the Malmstrom Air force Base in Montana when his F106 Delta Dart aircraft suddenly entered an uncontrollable flat spin. As the jet spiraled down from 35,000 feet Fowles tried everything in the book to regain control. Just after Lieutenant Fowles was commanded to eject at 12,000 feet miracle of miracles the aircraft recovered itself and headed off flying straight and level towards the horizon.
From his descending parachute all Fowles could do was watch helplessly as his fighter jet flew off without him. The pilot touched safely and was soon located and about an hour later the air force base received a phone call from local law enforcement saying they had found a fighter jet in the middle of a field without a pilot and the engine was still running. The plane had managed to make a perfectly smooth landing skidding 400 yards in a snowy meadow without significant damage. The wayward aircraft was repaired and returned to service.
Friends has your life ever felt like it was spinning out of control? Stay with us we are going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Doug Batchelor: If you have a Bible question we have some lines open and it’s a free phone call. That number 800-835-6747 will bring you into the studio. You’re listening to Bible Answers and this is a live international interactive Bible study, and we especially deal with Bible questions. We don’t have all the answers but we have a number of Bible programs on our computers open before us and we will do our best to search the truth together. That number again is 800-835-6747 or 1-800-GOD-SAYS will bring you into the studio. God bless and my name is Doug Batchelor.
Jëan Ross: My name is Jëan Ross and good evening listening friends and Pastor Doug let’s begin the program with prayer. Dear Father once again we thank You that we have this opportunity to study Your Word and we would like to invite Your Holy Spirit to come and fill our minds as we search the Scriptures. Be with those who are listening or wherever they might be, and lead us together Lord according to a clearer and fuller understanding of Your Word. We ask this in Jesus name, Amen.
Doug Batchelor: Amen.
Jëan Ross: Pastor you opened the program by telling a rather remarkable fact of a jet fighter plane that landed itself. Now, that might not sound too astounding to some today because we have computerized systems and we have drones, unmanned planes that fly around, but when this plane landed there weren’t that type of electronics and communications that were available today.
Doug Batchelor: No, typically if a plane went into a flat spin and the pilot ejects it’s just going to be a pile of rubble … a crater on the ground, because it just goes into a totally uncontrolled free-fall, but one of the things he did was he trimmed it and he tried everything and just before he ejected something about the inertia from the ejection corrected the final problem, and it took off flying straight and level all trimmed until it gradually hit a meadow that had just the perfect slope to dissipate the force, and it glided in – I think it skidded up the bottom a little bit, but it didn’t hurt the wings. When the police came they called in and said, “There is a jet here with the engine running and they said, How do we turn it off?” they said, Just let it run,” and it ran another hour and 45 minutes.
Anyway this just makes me think about you know God’s providence and how sometimes we think that everything is totally out of control and that God can have His Hand in guiding the ship even when we don’t think we have control. It reminds me of that verse that, maybe friends who’re listening are wondering you know, “Is my life pre-planned or is everything in control” God sits on the throne, but He promises He can work things together for good when there is a problem. You find that in Romans 8:26 or 8:28 rather we know that all things work together for good to those who love God to those that are the called according to His purpose.
You know some are wondering does that mean that since God can work things together for good that He has already decided if we are saved or lost. Do we have a choice and that’s not what this verse is saying. This verse is saying, “When things happen” because of the devil’s meddling in our choices, “God, when we surrender to Him” He can work those circumstances together for good, but everybody still has a choice on whether or not they follow God. Some choose to follow God and then they choose to turn away. Maybe you would like to understand more about, “How does God’s providence…how much does it control in our lives or how much choice do we have?” and there is a free offer we have that deals with this very deep and interesting subject.
Jëan Ross: We have a book and its entitled Can a Saved Man Choose to be Lost and that is our free offer for this evening. We’d be happy to send it to anyone who calls and asks. Our resource number is, 800-463-7297 again that number is, 800-463-7297 and you can ask for the book, Can a Saved Man Choose to be Lost. We’d be happy to send that to anyone who calls and asks. We are also streaming this program live over the internet tonight so if you’re close to your computer you can join us via the live stream here at the studio. It’s Live.amazingfact.org, Live.amazingfacts.org and you can be a part of the program here as well.
We are going to go to the phone lines and our first caller is Christopher and he is listening from Baltimore Maryland. Christopher welcome to the program.
Christopher: Hello! How are you?
Doug Batchelor: Doing well. Thanks for calling and your question tonight?
Christopher: Yes, I’m rarely, the book of Job, it’s one of my favorite books of the Bible, but I have a question. Job throughout his turmoil his wife told him to curse God and die. I’d say he lost all of his children and lost all of his worldly possessions. Now, at the end of the story he had more than what he had in the beginning he even had more children. What I want to know is, were they by the same woman or wife or did he remarry?
Doug Batchelor: Well, it’s a good question I wondered that myself Christopher. It tells us…well obviously we can’t understand the devastation that Job’s wife felt when she not only lost all of her possessions, her husband loses his health, and she loses all of her children. Well at the end of Job’s ordeal which probably lasted a matter of weeks it says, “God removed the curse and began to bless him again” and in the process of time you know presumably after some years went by it says he had more children. He had seven sons and three daughters and his daughters were the most beautiful in the land.
People have wondered, his wife told him to curse God and die, did he have this whole crop of new kids from her? Certainly it’s possible they lived a long time back then and they had children, their bearing years were much longer. Sarah was still having children when she was ninety. Of course that was unusual, but the other possibility is that she died and he remarried. So, the Bible is silent on that, it’s a good questions we just know that he did have a lot more children and not hearing otherwise probably by his wife. Appreciate your call Christopher thank you very much.
Jëan Ross: Our next call is Kevin and he’s listening on radio 74 from Alaska. Kevin welcome to the program.
Kevin: Yeah, good evening gents how are you tonight?
Doug Batchelor: Evening.
Kevin: I have a quick question because I really enjoyed your sermon on salt and I went to my concordance and found six verses Genesis, Judges, Job, Matthew, Colossians, and James and they don’t have one that you mentioned in the sermon itself and I was hoping you could give me a few more examples over these I might be able to look at, because you made a really good point …
Doug Batchelor: Now, so which verse was missing? Was it the one about the covenant of salt or…?
Christopher: I’ve got Genesis 19:26, or Judges 9:45. Job 6:6, Matthew 5:13, Colossians 4:6, and James 3:12, but what else did you say?
Doug Batchelor: Well, Kevin just to be honest with you you’re referring to a sermon I probably preached several years ago that was rebroadcast. I don’t have the notes of that exact sermon I’ve got all the references to salt. Salt is mentioned 43 times in the Bible in 37 different verses because I just looked it up. Many of the time it talks about the Salt Sea meaning the Dead Sea so I couldn’t tell you which ones are missing from my particular sermon without my notes in front of me you know I know some of them but…
Christopher: What I’m most interested in is it points to us being the salt and our duty. I found it [inaudible 0:10:49.7] court angels, and salt of the judiciary in my mind, but I wanted to find some verses that go along with that.
Doug Batchelor: Well, you mentioned the one in Colossians 4:6 it says, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt that you might know how to answer each one.” I think he is kind of referring to where Job says, “Is there any flavor in the white of an egg” and you know so meaning some things are flavorless. I don’t know what Tofu would be like without salt it would be pretty bland. So, some things don’t have a lot of flavor and salt brings it out. The Lord wants us to have personalities that are flavored with grace and kindness and I think that is what he is referring to. The only other thing I could suggest is you email us at Amazing Facts and I’d be happy to send my sermon notes, I still have them.
Christopher: Oh, very good then I could rake through them and find out what stood out in my mind. It was just a flash passed me and then I was listening to the rest of the sermon and I just didn’t catch it, but it was a really good point that I wanted to be able to put on my website.
Doug Batchelor: Well, I sure appreciate that. You know I’ll just have to admit that in the 20 years I’ve been at my current church I’ve preached literally hundreds of sermons. You figure there is 52 weeks in a year and more than half of them I’m preaching, and no two sermons are exactly the same and I’ve got notes from most of them, but boy I don’t even remember at this point what I’ve said. So, I do have the notes on that and I will have to dig it out and send it to you, but hey I appreciate your question Kevin glad someone is watching.
Jëan Ross: We have Michael who is listening from New Jersey. Michael welcome to the program actually listening to WMCA radio. Michael you’re on the air.
Michael: Pastor Doug, Pastor Ross I have two quick questions, but I want to thank you for your service.
Doug Batchelor: Pleasure thank you for calling and your question?
Michael: I want to know what the seven soul spirit is.
Doug Batchelor: Are you talking about where it talks about the seven spirits of God in Revelation?
Michael: Yes.
Doug Batchelor: Well, the best answer that I’ve got is if you go to Isaiah chapter 11 verse – well I’ll do verses 1 and 2. The prophecy about the Messiah and it says, “There will come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse” Jesse of course was the father of David, “And a branch will grow out of his roots” speaking of Jesus the Messiah. He is the stem of Jesse the seed of David, “And the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon Him” right that’s one the Spirit of the Lord. The spirit of wisdom that’s two, understanding three, counsel four, might five, spirit of knowledge six, fear of the Lord, seven.
So, the way I’ve divided this up anyway there are seven facets of the personality of God the Spirit, and like James says, “If any man lacks wisdom let him ask of God”. Wisdom is one of the gifts of the Spirit that He gives us. Understanding, counsel, might, courage, is a gift of the Spirit so, that satisfied me it’s talking about the different facets for which God demonstrates His Spirit.
Christopher: And the second question is – wait a minute now I’ve got it right in my head. Yes, only two people from my studies have faced Satan face-to-face am I wrong or am I right?
Doug Batchelor: Well, you have Joshua the high Priest and…
Christopher: Okay, I’m wrong.
Doug Batchelor: Then of course you have Jesus. Who was the other one you were thinking of Paul?
Christopher: I’m thinking of Eve.
Doug Batchelor: Oh, Eve…there have probably been others in the Bible, David the Bible says, “Satan tempted David” and it specifically called him the adversary, but I think that word is Satan in the Greek Old Testament. Yeah, when David numbered Israel it talks about Satan specifically got involved in that, but I’m sure the devil has through history, yeah.
Christopher: But I’m talking about Scripturally, Scripturally I mean the Word I just want to be sure.
Doug Batchelor: Satan is Scripturally mentioned in the story of David. There are seven devils that said that we know Paul, but that’s not specifically Satan. We know Satan tempted Jesus and like you said Eve, and then there is a parable where Satan…not a parable a vision where Satan is accusing Joshua the high Priest in Zechariah and I forget what that…it might be Zechariah 4, but anyway…yeah, I hope that helps a little bit Michael appreciate your question, and thank you for calling. By the way friends if you do have a phone … call! That number once again is, 800-GOD-SAYS that’s 800-463-7297, got a confession at the top of the program I was giving out our resource number instead of our regular number so, if you’d like to call into the studio it’s 800-463-7297.
Jëan Ross: Our next caller is Sharon and Sharon is listening to WWIS in Wisconsin. Sharon welcome to the program.
Sharon: Thank you.
Doug Batchelor: Hi! Get real close to your phone.
Sharon: Okay, thank you. I was raised to believe to confess my sins to another person another sinner like myself, and then as a young adult I read in Scripture that only God can forgive my sins. I’m just wondering in Matthew 1:21 where the angels told Mary and Joseph to name the baby Jesus, because He shall save His people from their sins. I’m wondering if the name Jesus means Savior or Forgiver.
Doug Batchelor: The name Jesus is of course when you’re reading the New Testament your reading the Greek pronunciation. In Hebrew His name is really “Yeshua” and in Greek it comes out Jesus or something close to that, but Mary never leaned over the crib, basinet, manager she never called Him Jesus as we are saying it now. She probably called Him “Yeshua” which is the exact same name of Joshua in the Old Testament. Same name, “Yeshua” and that name means, Yahweh, Yeshua is Savior, or Yahweh is salvation and that’s why the angels said, “You will call His name Yeshua for He will save His people from their sins” and so, if you want to be more literal that’s the way Jesus’ name is pronounced and His name means Jehovah is Savior.
Sharon: Savior from our sins.
Doug Batchelor: Yep, it matched up perfectly so anyone reading that can in the original or in the Hebrew would have understood it or it was in Aramaic they would have understood His name meant Savior. A lot of the names in the Bible meant different things that – it seemed to fulfill their personalities you know Daniel is, my God is judge, and Jacob, his name meant deceiver and he was tricking everybody the first part of his life, but then he had a change of character and God gave him a different name which means “over-comer with God” , Israel, so yeah names mean a lot in the Bible. Now, we pick names based on how they sound we get a baby book and we say, “I like the sound of that or it’s going to make grandpa happy” but they thought a lot about the meaning in Bible times. Okay, thank you very much Sharon I hope that helps.
Jëan Ross: We have Phil now listening from Grand Rapids Michigan on XM131. Phil welcome to the program.
Phil: Hello! Thanks for taking my call.
Doug Batchelor: Absolutely.
Phil: My question is do you believe after a future tribulation period there is going to be a thousand year period where Jesus will rule and rein on the planet earth in person?
Doug Batchelor: No, there are two views among Christians about the millennium. One view is that the righteous and the wicked are dwelling together with Jesus ruling here on earth during the 1,000 years. The other view is that we live and reign with Christ in heaven and the New Jerusalem comes down at the end of the 1,000 years.
I think Pastor Ross and I fit in that second group where we see that the condition of the earth after the second coming is desolate. You find that in Isaiah it says, “I’ll turn the world upside down” Jeremiah says, “All the cities are broken down and there is no man” after the coming of the Lord that’s Jeremiah 4:23. You can read where Jeremiah also says, “The slain of the Lord will cover the earth from one end to another and no one will be there to mourn or bury them” so, we know we are caught up when the Lord comes. We are caught up when the dead in Christ rise and the living are caught up and we meet them in the air. Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you and I will receive you unto Myself” and He takes us to those mansions He has prepared.
The New Jerusalem descends down to earth … Revelation 21, and we believe that’s at the conclusion of the 1,000 years. It says in Revelation 20, “At the end of the 1,000 years the wicked are raised” and there is this great judgment, the New Jerusalem descends. So, that’s a quick overview of the study so, we believe that during the 1,000 years we’re off in heaven with Christ. We have a free study that has all these Scriptures in it plus many more Phil. Would you like that?
Phil: Well, sure…would I be correct saying that you do believe in a post tribulation rapture?
Doug Batchelor: Yeah, we believe that the rapture happens after the tribulation that’s why Jesus said, “He that endues till the end will be saved” and so – the seven last plagues are the tribulation, and in the same way that the children of Israel were in Egypt during the ten plagues that fell on Egypt and God saved them through those tribulations we will be one earth during the seven last plagues, but He preserves us. He says, “No plague will come nigh your dwelling” God said our bread and water will be sure. At the end of time we are delivered just like the Israelites were delivered at the end of the plagues. For that and many other reasons we do believe that we are on earth and that God will save us not from, but through the tribulation.
Jëan Ross: That study guide that you mentioned again is called A Thousand Years of Peace and we will send it Phil to you or anyone who calls and asks. Our resource line is 800-835-6747, that’s 800-835-6747 and ask for the study guide A Thousand Years of Peace and if you have a Bible question the number to call here to the studio is 800-436-7297. Our next caller is TJ and he is listening from Lincoln Nebraska. TJ welcome to the program.
TJ: Hi there! I was wondering about Daniel 8:14 unto two thousand three hundred days, “Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed” I was basically wondering how do we know for sure when the starting date is?
Doug Batchelor: Well, that’s a good question. It’s an interesting prophecy because at the end of Daniel chapter 8, it says before the angel can finish telling him everything he passes out and it says, “I fainted” and that’s verse 27, “And, I was sick for days and afterward I rose and went about the kinds business and I was astonished by the vision, but none understood it” he doesn’t know the starting point. The starting point is not given yet, and then you keep reading chapter 9, he’s praying then the angel comes back to him and says, “I’ve come now to give you understanding” and so, in Daniel chapter 9, the angel gives him the starting point. He says, “From the going forth of the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince.” So, the starting point for both the 2300 day prophecy and for the 490 year prophecy or 70 week prophecy telling when the Messiah comes there is only one starting point given. It’s the final command and that command by the way is in the book of, Ezra I think it’s chapter 7…Pastor Ross?
Jëan Ross: Ezra 7, you can read from verse 1 all the way through to verse 26.
Doug Batchelor: Yeah, it’s the command of Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem and that was 457 BC, so yes, I believe that’s the starting point for both prophecies.
TJ: All right thank you very much.
Doug Batchelor: Absolutely, you know we have a study guide on that, that’s a great question and I think it’s called; God Sets a Date for the Judgment is that right Pastor Ross?
Jëan Ross: I think its Right on Time.
Doug Batchelor: Oh, Right on Time. Thank you.
Jëan Ross: To get that study guide just give us a call on our resource line and TJ, its 800-835-6747 and we have a study guide called, Right on Time that looks at Daniel 8:14, and also these time prophecies in Daniel chapter 9. I think we have time for one more caller before our break. We have Michael who is listening from Kentucky. Michael welcome to the program.
Michael: How you doing today?
Doug Batchelor: Doing great. Michael what’s your question tonight?
Michael: You know in the Bible where it talks about – let me go to my Bible right quick. You know where is says, “They will have the deceiving spirits.”
Doug Batchelor: Where they will have the…what spirits?
Jëan Ross: Deceiving spirits is that what you said?
Doug Batchelor: The Bible talks about devils in Revelation that the three unclean spirits like, devils go out to deceive the kings of the earth.
Jëan Ross: That’s Revelation 7:14.
Doug Batchelor: Oh, watch out for seducing spirits in first Timothy? Yeah, well what’s your question about these deceiving spirits?
Michael: Actually it’s, you know of the unclean could people eat unclean food or…?
Doug Batchelor: I understand what you’re saying. You’re wondering about that statement that Paul makes – is it 1 Timothy where he says, “On the last days deceivers will come commanding to abstain from meats.” They will be saying you can’t marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God has created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believed the truth. Yeah, I want to be careful not to be too specific or be unkind, but there is a prominent church in the world that tells people they can only eat –wait do you have that verse?
Jëan Ross: Yeah, it’s 1 Timothy 4:3.
Doug Batchelor: Why don’t you go ahead and read it?
Jëan Ross: Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
Doug Batchelor: Yeah, there is a large church in the world that tells their Pastors they can’t marry, and they say you’re not supposed to eat certain foods on certain days of the week like, maybe fish on Friday or something, and there are certain things God has created to be received with thanksgiving. Then he goes on and he says, “Every creature of God is good and nothing is to be refused if it’s received with thanksgiving if it’s sanctified by the Word of God and prayer” well, it goes on to say, “There are foods that are sanctified by the Word of God and prayer” Paul is not saying as some have taken this verse that, that gives Christians permission to eat any kind of food no matter how healthy, good, bad, clean or unclean it might be.
Just say a prayer over it and you know Christians don’t have to worry about cholesterol; Christians don’t have to worry about sugar just pray over it. So, that verse has been abused, so that has nothing to do with clean or unclean foods that God specifies in the Bible it’s really talking about a deceptive religious institution that would come about. See in Paul’s day there was also a problem with them telling the Jewish converts that they couldn’t even eat the clean meats that had been sacrificed to Idols.
Jëan Ross: You know Pastor just before our break we’d like to let people know that we have a great resource that Amazing Facts has just released it’s hot of the press, actually hot off the duplicator and it’s the new DVD series Revelation: The Bride the Beast & Babylon.
Doug Batchelor: Yeah, absolutely we have worked for 1260 days, 42 months, and 3 ½ years on this project, and it is a great study. We have never done anything this long it’s 90 minutes and it goes all the way from the birth of Christ, and it follows the prophecies that you see in Revelation 12, and Revelation 17. The one about the bride of Christ you find in Revelation 12, and the woman who is called Babylon you see in Revelation 17, and it explains who is the beast, who is the bride, and who is Babylon?
Friends this will really open your eyes. go to Revelationmystery.com, Revelationmystery.com and watch the trailer. We will be back in just a moment.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Doug Batchelor: We are back and we are live and if you have a question this program is going to be dedicated to try and answer your Bible questions. We have now been doing this for about 17 years and we still hear new questions every broadcast, so don’t be afraid to call in with your Bible question it’s a free phone call. Lines are still open, 800-GOD-SAYS that’s 800-463-7297, ready one more time 800-463-7297 brings you into the studio, and I’m Doug Batchelor.
Jëan Ross: I’m Jëan Ross and we are going to go straight to the phone lines. We have Richard who is listening in Canada Manitoba. Richard welcome to the program.
Richard: Hi! Thank you. I had a question that pertains to the teaching of the investigative judgment. I was wondering where Jesus went when He made His public ascension?And, also I was wondering if the throne of God is moveable because Hebrew seems to say that He went right into the presence of God and Ezekiel has this prophecy about the wheels turning, and it looks like the throne of God is moveable. In Daniel 7, He seems to sit down on His throne that was moved. I’m wondering if the Father and the Son made this movement together in the transition from the Holy Place ministry into the Most Holy Place ministry.
Doug Batchelor: Well one thing I will tell you is there is at least one example in the Bible, a couple of them I can think of, of mobile thrones. Jehoshaphat had a throne in Jerusalem and when he went down to see Ahab they sent a throne for him down there so, it wasn’t unusual when a Monarch sat in some kind of hearing that they gave him a throne. But, when Christ ascended to heaven He went right into the holy of holies to sort of have His sacrifice declared. That’s why He told Mary don’t cling to Me I’m not yet ascended to My Father, and He said, “Go to my brothers and say I ascend to My Father and your Father My God and your God.”
So, then at the end of Sunday afternoon He’s come back down to earth and He said, “All hail” and then He received their worship. So, somewhere between the time He rose from the grave and Sunday afternoon when He met with the apostles He went into the presence of the Father, no doubt into the holy of holies, and His sacrifice was declared successful and victorious. Then at the end of the forty days, for forty days He continued to appear among the disciples and instruct them and encouraged them, and ten days before Pentecost He ascended to heaven, and He began His work on our behalf as our High Priest working on what we would think of as the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary. Now, those things are hard for us to picture because the scope of them is so much more awesome than anything on earth.
Jëan Ross: Yeah, just to add to that you know we find in the Old Testament God saying to Moses, “Build me a sanctuary so that I might dwell amongst my people” and then the sanctuary on earth is a shadow or type of the heavenly. Once the completion of the sanctuary was made it was fully built then we find Moses going in and sprinkling blood sort of setting the sanctuary apart and he did so in the holy and in the most holy place.
Then we find the High Priest ministering and the Priest ministering in the first compartment throughout the year until the day of the Atonement when he went into the most holy place. So we find in the ministry of Jesus Christ as Pastor Doug mentioned ascending up to heaven – He gets the approval from His Father that His sacrifice was sufficient, and then He ministers on our behalf in the first compartment or the holy place. Then we find a transition at the end of the 2300 days, Daniel 14 where Jesus ministers in the most holy place.
I think it’s accurate to say that God’s throne moves. We find in Daniel 7, the Ancient of Days entering in and He is seated upon a throne in the most holy place and then one like unto the Son of man … that would be Jesus entering in before Him.
Richard: Yeah, also there a veil separating the two compartments? I’m wondering because…I mean Jesus has no danger of being consumed in the presence of the Father as did the regular Priests did so, like is there really…?
Doug Batchelor: You know Hebrews seems to say the veil is removed in Jesus and that doesn’t mean there isn’t any kind of heavenly architecture that distinguishes the first from the second room, but on earth they had the veil, the presence of God, because man was sinful … to keep him from being consumed. Obviously Jesus doesn’t need to be veiled from the presence of the Father so, not only was it a barrier showing that there is two different rooms, but I think the veil was more to protect the Priests when they went into the holy place in the presence of God. Good question you know we have a lesson actually it’s the Ark of the Covenanton the cover of the lesson and we will send you a free copy of it.
Jëan Ross: That study guide is called God Drew the Plans and we will send it to you for free Richard, and anyone that calls and asks. The number for our free offer is 800-835-6747 and again, the study guide is called, God Drew the Plans. We have Alex who is listening in Florida on WTLN. Alex welcome to the program.
Alex: Yes, thank you Pastors for your ministry
Doug Batchelor: Get real close to your phone Alex.
Alex: My question has to do with the first [inaudible 0:36:24.0] is Jesus, “We ruled the path” so where is [inaudible 0:36:31.7] that He goes and He [inaudible 0:36:34.6 - 0:36:38.4]? Where does He and when [inaudible 0:36:43.6]?
Doug Batchelor: You know it does not actually say – we are hearing pretty bad echoes so we are going to bring down your audio. It doesn’t actually say, “He rules with an iron fist” it says, “He rules with a rod of iron” and it’s probably what you’re referring it. You can find that first in Psalm 2:9, “He will break them with a rod of iron” and Revelation 2:27, “He shall rule them with a rod of iron, They shall be dashed to pieces” it says, “The bride of Christ brings forth a male child who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron.” Iron was the strongest metal they had back in Bible times. You know brass, you hit it hard enough and it, or bronze or brass rod would bend or break, but iron could break all the others that’s why that image has feet of iron or legs of iron it was a symbol of strength. That’s why David when he had Goliath’s sword it was an iron sword, and so when a king had an iron scepter it was symbolic that it would break everything else.
Iron broke the clay it broke the…you know it could dent the gold. Iron was considered to be the most powerful scepter and they were probably embedded with jewels so, that’s my understanding. You know of course shepherds carried rods to chase away the Jackals the enemies of the sheep, and like the rod of Moses and the rod of Aaron the idea that God would have a rod of iron meant strength.
Jëan Ross: You will also find specifically in Revelation 2:27 where it talks about Jesus coming to rule with a rod of iron it says, “He breaks the wicked as pots of clay” well that of course is a reference to Daniel chapter 2, when you have a stone cut without hands that strikes the image in the feet and iron and grinds all of the metals to powder, and the wind comes and blows it away. It’s a symbol of the second coming of Christ, and Jesus the Good Shepherd He’s coming to the defense of His sheep, because just before Jesus comes there is a death decree according to Revelation chapter 13, but before that death decree can actually be carried out Christ comes to the deliverance of His sheep. The Good Shepherd comes to defend His sheep with a rod of iron.
Doug Batchelor: Hope that helps a little Alex I appreciate your question. Who do we have next?
Jëan Ross: We have Ken and he is listening in Vallejo California. Ken welcome to the program.
Ken: Yeah, good evening.
Doug Batchelor: Good evening.
Ken: My question has to do with, I’ve been taking a correspondence course on Biblical interpretation and I’ve gone through the early books of Pentateuch and all of that, and I’ve had a question rising out of divorce, because there has been quite a bit of that in our family. The provision that was allowed for in the Old Testament law that allowed for divorce under certain circumstances adultery and so forth.
I’ve heard discussions that Christ cancelled that out and took it back to Adam and Eve and apparently cancelled it out saying it was, because their hearts were evil that they were allowed to have divorce and so, I would like to get some clarification on that, because situations where people are abandoned or where there is extreme violence in a marriage you know what is a person to do?
Doug Batchelor: All right, that’s a big subject and before I delve very deep Ken into answering that – we get this question so often and it’s such an important question. About a year ago I completed a book and it’s called, Marriage Divorce & Re-Marriage and if you call Amazing Facts we will send you a copy. It has the Scriptures and the principles, but let me give you one of the most popular verses you would study on that is Matthew 19:7, the disciples said, “Why did Moses give a certificate of divorce to put away a wife?” and Jesus said in verse 8, Mathew 19:8, because of the hardness of your hearts permitted he, you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so, and whoever divorces his wife, of course wife husband same thing – except for sexual immorality.
So, Jesus still made the provision that except for marital infidelity…if they divorce to marry another they are guilty of adultery and whoever marries her or him who is divorced without Biblical grounds commits adultery, because they sort of become an accomplice then. Yeah, so Jesus did say marriage is very sacred you know what God has joined together let man not put asunder. Paul explains, you talked about abandonment or what about if there is some kind of physical abuse. Certainly if a person is in a situation where their life and health is being threatened or endangered they ought to separate immediately from that … If there is potential for counseling, and recovery and if not they should remain separated especially if there are children in the situation.
Abandonment well that creates a lot of other problems you know. After a while some spouses typically men, but not always will abandon the wife and children and they don’t have any contact no idea where they are, and years go by and they wonder, “Am I destined to spend the rest of my life alone or can I have this annulled and get remarried” and I really think they need to bring a Pastor in and get some good Biblical counsel on that. Paul talks in 1 Corinthians 7, about if there are two unbelievers or two pagans and one accepts Christ, and the unbeliever then says, “I’m leaving you I didn’t want to be a Christian” then that person who is left or abandoned they may be free to remarry. It says they are not under bondage in such cases.
Ken: Was that 1 Corinthians that’s chapter 7?
Doug Batchelor: Yeah, the whole chapter deals largely with those marital issues.But, Paul is not talking about two believers who suddenly decided they are incompatible he’s talking about, because Paul was going and preaching throughout the Gentile world and many were accepting Christ and when they accepted Christ their pagan spouse would say, “Look I worship Jupiter I don’t want to be married to a Christian I’m leaving you” and then they would come to Paul and say, “Look I accepted Christ and my husband or my wife left me what do I do” and he said, “Do everything you can to win him back” you might have a sanctifying influence on them.
Try and save the marriage if there are any redeemable qualities – I’m paraphrasing – save the marriage, but if they depart and there is nothing you can do, you’re not under bondage in those cases. It’s implied that you’re free to accept the consequences of the divorce that you can’t help and remarry.
Ken: Well, the one passage that you mentioned in Mathew 19. I am familiar with that passage. I wasn’t familiar with that one part where you said he allowed for divorce in cases of adultery. Is that how it’s written in the old Bible?
Doug Batchelor: You will also find it yeah, in regular King James Bible Matthew 5:32, Jesus says the same thing. He said…
Ken: I will have to write that down so I want to go to Matthew 5:32.
Doug Batchelor: Go to Matthew 5:32 and you will see it there as well. Thank you very much Ken and don’t forget you can request that book, and anyone listening out there we would trust you’d find it a blessing, Marriage Divorce & Re-Marriage, what does the Bible say.
Jëan Ross: The number to call for that is 800-835-6747 and you can just ask for the book, Marriage Divorce & Re-marriage and we would be happy to send that to anyone who calls and asks. We have Michelle who is listening from Loma Linda California. Michelle welcome to the program.
Doug Batchelor: Michelle, are you still there?
Michelle: Yes, I’m still here.
Doug Batchelor: Hi! And you’re question tonight?
Michelle: Hi! I just had a question I’ve been giving Bible studies to my cousin regarding the investigative judgment and also the millennial judgment, and she brought up a text in Mathew 19:28 regarding that we will be judging the 12 tribes of Israel, so her point was saying, “Well that means we will be judging innocent people” but I just wanted to know what the actual interruption is?
Doug Batchelor: That’s a good question. I think in heaven when it says, “The 12 apostles are going to sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes.” Our idea of judgment is always you know people are coming with a problem and your saying, “This one is innocent and that one is guilty” I think that judges Biblically we are also people who are teachers like, when you think about the judges in the Bible that you know like, Debra was a prophetess and she was called the judge. While they did sometimes settle disputes – Moses was a judge he did a lot of teaching and I think in heaven the 12 apostles who had this close relationship with Jesus they’re going to be talking about the character of God and it means they will be sitting in positions of honor.
Judges were considered one of the highest positions of honor. They’re obviously not going to have people come in and say, “This guy stole my chicken in heaven and then how do we divide that chicken now” and stuff like that.
Michelle: Yeah, okay.
Doug Batchelor: So, I think – Pastor Ross?
Jëan Ross: Yeah, I think the verse you’re talking about there in Mathew 19:28 I think it extends past the 1,000 years in heaven, and even continues to the new earth it says there, Jesus said “…in the regeneration when the Son of man sits on the throne of His glory those of you that have followed Me will also sit on 12 thrones.” Now we know that for 1,000 years the redeemed are in heaven, but at the end of that 1,000 years the New Jerusalem comes down. It’s at that point that God creates a new heaven and a new earth after the wicked are finally destroyed. We also know from Isaiah the righteous actually build their own houses and they will scatter out from the big New Jerusalem that glorious city. So, as life continues throughout eternity it appears as though there are different responsibilities that will be involved, and again, as Pastor Doug says I don’t think it’s judging guilt and innocence, because that’s already been done, but they will hold some position of leadership it seems in the earth made new.
Sharon: I see that makes more sense it kind of gives me a broader picture of it.
Doug Batchelor: Now, we do have a lesson we will send you for free that deals with facing the judge it talks about the Bible and judgment so just call and ask for that.
Jëan Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747 and the study guide is entitled, Facing the Judge and we’d be happy to send that to anyone who calls and asks for it. Julio is listening from Roseville California on KFIA. Julio welcome to the program.
Julio: Hello! Good evening.
Doug Batchelor: Good evening, and your question tonight?
Julio: Yeah, I wanted to see what the Bible tells me about – I’m struggling with a drug addiction and want some studies or some help with the Lord to break this bondage by drug addiction?
Doug Batchelor: All right first thing I wanted to tell you Julio is that we have a free study guide series that we will send you. We will either send it in the mail or you can call and request it or you can look at it online, and if you go to – there is a website called Bible Universe and they are free online. We have them in about 10 different languages, but you do these Bible studies … there is power in the Word that will change your life. I used to use drugs and alcohol and smoked cigarettes and everything else and the Lord saved me. The power of His Word can just totally set you free and give you a purpose.
What the Lord will do for you is, God will give you what you are really looking for in the drugs. You’re looking for some satisfaction and you’re looking for something exciting, and when you find out how exciting it is to know about eternal life and God’s plan for you and that you can share this with others you are going to realize, “I’ve got to get off the drugs so I can get on the real thing.”
He will give you encouragement so it’s a transformation of your mind and that begins by humbling yourself, just giving yourself to God and repenting of your sins saying, “Lord I’m sorry” and inviting Him to take control of your life. By the way it talks about that in Romans 12:1, how you can present yourself just a living sacrifice and invite God to renew your mind. He will renew your mind He will heal your mind.
I have friends that I know that were just so strung out on drugs they couldn’t even read anymore and now they are teaching the Bible.
Julio: Amen, I believe that thank you.
Doug Batchelor: All right, thank you. So, if you go to that website Bible Universe and then you can get the free study guides…and can I have prayer with you Julio?
Julio: Yes sir, yes absolutely.
Doug Batchelor: Father in heaven we just want to pause right now and I want to pray for Julio and others like him that might be struggling with some kind of addiction whether it be drugs, alcohol, and they want to be free Lord. I pray that You will just send Your Spirit into their minds, and hearts and set those free. Help them to experience Your power right now in their transformation. Show that You’re real Lord. I pray this in Jesus name.
Julio: Amen. Thank you.
Doug Batchelor: Okay, Julio God bless and we hope to hear a good report.
Jëan Ross: We have Sharon who is listening from Detroit Michigan. Sharon welcome to the program.
Sharon: Hi!
Doug Batchelor: Hi! And your question?
Sharon: My question is – let me put it on speaker. My question is I’m kind of confused about the curses you know that God said, “He will send upon three, fourth generation.”If the three or fourth generation is cursed before coming out [inaudible 0:50:33.7] what type of chance do you know like if I said I’m that criteria with the generation…what type of chance would we have of ever being, you know a born again Christians, and you know walking with the Lord if we already are cursed from you know…
Doug Batchelor: Right, well you’re not cursed and this is often misunderstood the Lord is very clear and Pastor Ross might help me with this. I think it’s in Ezekiel where it says, “The son will not bear guilt for the sins of the father” is that Ezekiel 18, I … will let you look that up? I’m going to read in the Ten Commandments Sharon if you look in like, Exodus chapter 20 he says, “Don’t make any graven images, a likeness of anything in the heaven above or the earth beneath, or the water under the earth. Don’t bow down and serve them for I the Lord your God am a jealous God” here it is, “Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of those that hate Me”, notice, “showing mercy to thousands of those who love Me.”
Now when it says there is a curse on the generations of the three and fourth generations it means the bad behavior of parents is often modeled and adopted by the children, and it may go on two or three or four generations before they develop a new cycle. So, it’s not saying God is waving His wand or putting some curse on people and saying, “Because your father is bad I’m going to curse you” because the Bible says God doesn’t do that. God is saying, “You need to be careful about your behavior because you will model and pass that behavior on.” It’s often true if kids see their father abusing their mother there is a much higher case of them growing up and being abusive to their spouses.
Sharon: Right and then that goes along with like the other caller to was more [inaudible 0:52:24.7] you know you [inaudible 0:52:26.5].
Doug Batchelor: Exactly, my parent’s smoked I started smoking, but I decided by God’s grace to break the cycle. I quit smoking and my kids don’t, praise God, you know what I’m saying you need to just [???] by God’s grace. Whenever anyone accepts Jesus you can break that cycle of the generational curses that are passed on by behavior and you can create a new model. That is because you are a new creature and you’re born again. Did you find that verse?
Jëan Ross: I did yes, Ezekiel 18:19, says that, “The son is not to bear the guilt of the father” that’s Ezekiel 18:19-20.
Doug Batchelor: All right thank you Sharon I hope that helps a little, and we have time for maybe one more before our winding up here.
Jëan Ross: We are going to Rose who is listening here from New York, New York. Rose welcome to the program.
Rose: Hello! Can you hear me?
Doug Batchelor: Hi Rose! How are you doing?
Rose: Hi! Okay, I had Bible class yesterday and some believed we can live a perfect life without ever sinning, because when we sin it’s a choice that we make, and they use the verse, “We can do all things through Christ with strengthens me” now I disagree and I wanted to know what you thought?
Doug Batchelor: All right I want to send you a book and I read this book. I was actually flying across country I put the plane on auto pilot, I was on radar and I read this book in the air it’s called, Is it Possible to Live Without Sinning and it is a very good book. It was written by someone who does not claim to be sinless. I don’t claim to be sinless and I don’t think Pastor Ross does. But, the question is that with God’s power He can help us overcome every sin.
Now, see that’s a different question. Do we believe it’s God’s desire for us to be like Jesus who was sinless? Are there any Christians out there who claim sinless-ness? I don’t know any and I’m very scared of anyone if I ever meet people that claimed that, that scares me. [???] become perfect when we accept the righteousness of Jesus, and our goal is to become Christ-like, and He was perfect. You see what I’m saying Rose.
Rose: Right.
Doug Batchelor: Chances before the sun goes down most of us make mistakes, but I think we should not settle for anything less than doing our best by His grace to be like Christ who was perfect and sinless. So, don’t be discouraged when you fall that’s why John says, “If any man sins we have an advocate with the Father.” This book has a really good balance and if anyone out there listening it will really challenge you when you read this book; it’s full of Scripture, Is it Possible to Live Without Sinning? Rose I hope you will send for that book it’s free and we would be happy to send that book to you. I knew that music was going to sneak up on us.
Hey, friends we want to thank you for tuning in and we want to thank our Amazing Facts volunteers in the studio and our program been engineered tonight by Molly Lynch. Keep in mind we are on the air because of you. We don’t get subsidized by any organization or denomination or deep gold reserve we have somewhere, it’s because folks like you enjoy the program and keep us on the air. Send us a note at AmazingFacts.org telling us you enjoyed the program. God bless till next week.
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