Hello friends. This is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? Pure gold is about the most malleable and conductible of all metals. Because of this a skilled goldsmith can easily beat or hammer gold into a thin translucent wafer; only five millionths of an inch thick. This means that one ounce of gold can be pounded into a thin sheet wide enough to cover a tennis court. So thin that one thousand sheets would be needed to make up the thickness of one newspaper page. Furthermore one ounce of gold can be drawn into a wire more than sixty-two miles long or plate a thread of copper 1000 miles long. Just one ounce. That’s really stretching it.
Gold also serves as an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. And it is extremely inactive meaning it is unaffected by rust, air, heat, moisture and most solvents. Gold is also one of the densest of all metals. For example one cubic foot of gold pure gold might fit easily on your desk, but it would weigh more than eleven hundred pounds. Gold is also extremely rare.
It is fairly well documented that the worlds’ total holding of accumulated pure gold during all recorded history up to the present cannot be more than one hundred and twenty thousand metric tons. Amazingly, this means that the world’s total hoard of the tiny shiny metal would fill a single cube eighty-two feet, by eighty-two feet, by eighty-two feet. All the worlds’ gold together. Of course the value of that one cube would be approximately one point nine trillion dollars.
The largest gold nugget ever discovered was called the 'Welcome Stranger'. It was found in Victoria, Australia in 1869. It weighed about 156 pounds. And it was only lying about two inches below the surface when it was turned up accidently by a wagon wheel. Today that one nugget would be worth about one and half million dollars.
Did you know the Bible contains a map leading to a treasure worth much more than gold? Stay with us friends as we are going to learn more as “Amazing Facts” brings you this edition of “Bible Answers Live”.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug: Hello listening friends. This is “Bible Answers Live” and as you have gathered from the opener and the title of the program; you can get involved. It’s a live, International, interactive, Bible study. People are listening on hundreds of radio stations around the country. Some are hearing pre-recorded versions and thousands are listening on the internet around the world and if you would like to know more about the Bible then this is a good program for you.
We invite you to call in with your questions we do have some lines open right now. That number is 1-800-GOD-SAYS or that acronym stands for 1-800-463-7297. It is a free phone call and keep a pencil handy because during the program we give away another phone number where you can access some free resources as well as some fascinating web addresses. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: My name is Jean Ross. Pastor Doug welcome back. You’ve been gone for about a week or so and we missed having you here.
Pastor Doug: I think I missed two or three weeks and had a nice trip up to Alaska and matter of fact our “Amazing Facts” plays on that a little bit and we’ll get to that in a moment.
Pastor Ross: Well let’s go ahead and start with a word of prayer. Dear Father again we ask for your blessing upon this program. Be with those who are listening and also we pray for those who call in with questions. And direct us to those answers and this we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Pastor Ross: Well you opened the show talking about gold and its’ valuables, but you said in the Bible there is a treasure far more valuable than gold.
Pastor Doug: That’s right. It actually reminds me of a story of a man who’s Aunt before she dies and she said I especially want you to value the family Bible here with all the treasure contained. So he took it and he wasn’t very religious and he flipped through it and stuck it in the attic and it turned out after years of having a very difficult life and ending up in poverty and he was being moved in to live with his daughter and they found that old family Bible. And he said I should probably read it and I probably don’t have much longer to live and I ought to find out about eternity and he was flipping through the bible and found that she had left him some very valuable stock. It was worth thousands of dollars and it would have changed his whole life. If he had just opened the Bible and looked.
Well that’s not the kind of treasure we’re talking about, but even in the Bible it talks about gold. And a matter of fact gold is found about five hundred times in the Bible. Psalm 119: 72 the law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver. Or you can go to Psalm 119: 127 Therefore I love your commandments more than gold, yes than fine gold. And many have heard the song based on Psalm 19 it talks about the law of the Lord is more to be desired than gold, yea than much fine gold. And the word of God and even especially the law of God is golden. Now people have thought about the Ark of the Covenant which it was the central treasure of the Bible’s sanctuary the golden temple in the middle of it was a golden box. But, the golden box was holding two rocks. It’s the rocks in the box that’s the greater treasure. They contain the perfect will of God written with His own finger better known as the Ten Commandments.
Now there had been a lot of confusion in the country about how a free government should relate to the moral principles found in the Ten Commandments. And I have heard people air on both sides. One group says that the government should compel all citizens to observe the Ten Commandments. And the other side says that because America is free and we don’t mandate religion that we should not require people to keep any of the Ten Commandments.
Well both groups are wrong. Actually the founding fathers divided the Ten Commandments because the Bible says they were on two tables of Stone. And that is every individual’s responsibility because we don’t want the government telling us what god to worship, what day to worship, and how to worship Him or so forth or what His name is. In the same way no government can survive when we neglect the last six commandments. If a government does not respect property, if people do not respect the sanctity of marriage, if we don’t respect honesty then the last six commandments affects the relationship with his fellow man. And so there’s a lot of confusion about what should be the Christians relationship to the law and what Christians should want to keep all ten.
But, what about the government if we’re in a free government; what is—you know right now we’re in the verge of the fourth of July, celebrating our independence. I think many people would be surprised to know; what was the position of the founding fathers on the Ten Commandments. And we have a special book that is going to share some important wisdom on that subject.
Pastor Ross: And that book is entitled “America and the Ten Commandments” and you can receive it for free by calling 1-800-835-6747 and ask for “America and the Ten Commandments”.
Pastor Doug: And Pastor Ross I don’t think we have ever shared this book before so it is new for our listeners and written by Anthony Lester and I think they will really get a blessing out of this.
Pastor Ross: Alright there is a great blessing in this little book. We’d like to take a few internet questions before we go to the phone line. By the way if you’d like to send us a question you can do so by going to the “Amazing Facts” website and click on the “contact button” and there is a place you can type in your question for the “Bible Answers Live”.
The first question tonight Pastor Doug. What is the difference between the Old and the New Covenant? Well it ties in with the law we have been talking about tonight.
Pastor Doug: Good question. Well first of all to establish the old covenant if you look in Deuteronomy Chapter 4: 13 it says, “And He declared unto you His covenant which commanded you to perform even Ten Commandments.” And He wrote them with His own finger and placed them in the Ark of the Covenant. Now the original covenant was the law of God written on Stone. No question the Ten Commandments were part of the Old Covenant.
You go to Jeremiah 31: 31 it is easy to remember Jeremiah 31:31. That’s where you find the New Covenant. People are surprised to find that the New Covenant is first articulated the Old Testament in Jeremiah and Ezekiel and He says that, “Here the day is come saith the Lord that I will make a new Covenant with Israel and the House of Judah.” Now on this one friends God never makes the new covenant with Gentiles it’s made with the Jews.
Now according to the covenant that I made with your fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt which my covenant they broke. But, the covenant that I will make with them is I will put my law in their inward parts. I will write it in their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people. Now you hear the new covenant repeated if you go to Hebrews Chapter 8:8. Now remember Jeremiah 31:31 and Hebrews 8:8 it is easy to remember. “For finding fault with them behold the days come when I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel.10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days says the Lord. I’ll out my laws in their mind and write them in their hearts that I might be with them their God and they shall be to me a people.”
The old covenant is really the law of God when you know God’s will it is only on the outside and it is sort of represents man’s effort to do God’s will in his own strength. Well that fails; nobody is really able to be saved under the old covenant.
Everybody is saved by the new covenant. The new covenant is when we love God and obey God and not because of what we’re going to get out of it. The new covenant is a different law. This is a where many people make a mistake. The think the new covenant is just the two commandments love the Lord and love thy neighbor. No the new covenant is the law written in the heart. And by the way the Ten Commandments are summarized in love the Lord and love thy neighbor. But, I think there is so much more to this and we actually have an offer that deals with the subject. I’ll send you a copy if you like.
Pastor Ross: The offer is a booklet called “Why Did the Old Covenant Fail?” To receive that call the resource number 1-800-835-6747.
Now here is question number two. In my church there is a lot of confusion as to when one should say he or she is saved. Some say that a person is saved at the end of his or her life. Others say that a person is saved when they accept Christ. What is the correct answer?
Pastor Doug: Well this is one of those areas where it depends something upon what your standing is to the semantics of it and the terminology that is being used. After a person lives a prodigal life if they accept Jesus sometimes we will say well that person has been saved. Well they have turned and it is like in the parable of the prodigal son. He was dead and now he is alive. He was lost and now he’s found. So in that sense they are now on the right road. But, to say that they no longer have the freedom to change is not really accurate. They have been justified is probably more accurate. When we come to Christ just like we are and just like when the children of Israel were saved from the slavery of the Egyptians; they were saved, but they weren’t in the Promised Land. Then they needed to go through the period of sanctification making it through the wilderness. After we accept Jesus we are justified by faith and we are forgiven and if we die in that condition we have eternal life. But, there is a process and sometimes it is an up and down roller coaster process as we meander through this wilderness of sanctification; learning to be holy. When we come to Christ He gives us credit for His Holiness and He teaches us to be holy; that’s sanctification and that really is the work of a lifetime. And I do believe there is going to be a generation of people before Jesus who will have experienced sanctification. Justification and sanctification and be prepared by having new characters to be ready for Him to come.
Pastor Ross: So in one sense if we are trusting Jesus moment by moment and day by day and we are living in a saved relationship with Him, but it doesn’t mean that we can be locked in now and that we can’t be lost.
Pastor Doug: The idea that we don’t have freedom to turn away; God will never let go of us. But, some people choose to draw back the Bible says and to turn away and so that’s where there is a lot of confusion sometimes with predestination and once save always saved that we don’t subscribe to.
Pastor Ross: Well let’s go to the phone lines. First caller tonight is Cori listening on the internet from Easley, South Carolina Cori welcome to the program.
Cori: Hey good to be back?
Pastor Doug: Yeah and your question?
Cori: Pastor Doug my question is about lying under certain circumstances? I am really asking this because there is something on the internet that I have been wondering about. There’s this internet sport. They call it scam bang where you get like they scam email from like a 419 email. Have you ever heard of those before?
Pastor Doug: No I am not sure what that is.
Cori: It’s like a scammer. He is like from a different country. Yeah and like he is sending me email and trying to scam me out of money and sometimes they use charities to try and scam you. And what scam baiting is you like per chance you are falling for it, but you are doing it to frustrate them. But, basically what you are doing is lying to them. Now that may be criminals so what would the Bible say about that? Because it looks fun, but it is just I want to know what God says about that.
Pastor Doug: Well I think a Christian should be honest always. And there should be consistency there. There are people who will argue that in the interest of war sometimes there is deception used. For instance Joshua in some of his battles with the Canaanites he pretended to retreat, he pretended they were losing to draw the enemy away from the city. King David used deception one time to—well actually to save his life he pretended he was crazy. So in war it is not uncommon for Generals to use deception. Police will often set up sting operations for the purposes of saving others and it—you know I am not going to take that to task for that. I think that any Christian who gets involved in any form of deception sort of struggles with a moral dilemma.
But, if I were you I would avoid trying to engage these people by pretending to be interested when you are not. It is in one sense that you might just be encouraging them. It is better to just be forthright and honest.
Cori: Yeah well some people see it that you are actually helping others. But, if you are tying them up and they may think secondly about doing it again, but.
Pastor Doug: Well you know you have got to be careful going down that slippery road of saying I’m going to do something that is deceptive or even slightly dishonest in the interest of helping others because some people have gone down that road and they say well it is okay to commit a little murder here because it will probably save somebody else down the road. You know that’s a very—that becomes a slippery slope. And I think you are always better off when in doubt to do the honest thing. And I just—I wouldn’t even engage them.
Cori: Okay.
Pastor Doug: That’s my advice. Thanks a lot.
Cori: Thank you.
Pastor Ross: Arnold is listening on the internet from Englewood, California. Arnold welcome to the program.
Arnold: Yeah how are you doing Pastor?
Pastor Doug: Very well and how can we help you tonight Arnold?
Arnold: My question comes from Philippians Chapter 1: 18 and my question is why Paul rejoiced that Christ preached it? Because if someone preached about Christ I thought from the wrong position or the wrong heart it could turn people away from Christ.
Pastor Doug: Well that’s a good question. And you know that relates a little bit with our other question. Let me read this verse for our friends that are listening on the road and a lot of folks are in their cars. Philippians 1:18, “What then not withstanding every way whether in pretense or in truth Christ is preached and I there endure and rejoice and yea I will rejoice.”
Let me give you some of the background of this. There were some even in the early church who embraced Christianity and then they kind of began to evangelize and to draw away people after themselves and make a name for themselves. And Paul was saying that you know even though the speaker’s motives might not be pure. They might be doing it for strife; they might be doing it for pretense. There is inherent power in the word of God that reaches people even if the vehicle is wrong.
Now keep in mind Arnold, God can speak through rocks if He wants to. Jesus said if these would be silent the rocks would cry out. God can speak through a donkey if He wants to.
Case in point several years ago several evangelists that were very prominent and on TV; they got into some moral trouble they were selling their souls for hypocrisy, but I met several people who they came to our church and they said you know I came to the Lord through the preaching of this evangelist who is later exposed as a hypocrite. And they said I don’t understand it because I believe in God and I have accepted God and I am still following God, but why would God use this man this person that was living a double life? And I reminded them that the power is not in the person, it is in the word of God. And God’s word even though the vehicle may have been flawed; God’s word does not go forth void. So Paul is rejoicing that the word is going forth even if the vehicle might be using the wrong motives.
Arnold: Oh I see. Thank you.
Pastor Doug: So I appreciate that and hope that helps.
Pastor Ross: Joseph is listening from WMCA from New York, New York. Joseph welcome to “Bible Answers Live”. Joseph are you there?
Joseph: Yes I am here.
Pastor Doug: Okay good you made it on the third time. It is okay how can we help you?
Joseph: I was reading something today and I went back to look for it to get the exact passage unfortunately I couldn’t find it when I went back to look for it though. But, I’ll tell you what it said and perhaps you can put your finger on it. It was coming from Paul and I thought he said something to the Apostles to the effect that I no longer have to speak to you as slaves now that you are free. Are you familiar with that?
Pastor Doug: Well there are several verses similar to that in the Bible and I am trying to think of which one we might be thinking of.
Joseph: Well I just wanted to ask in relation to that when he was talking to them about slavery; he wasn’t talking about physical slavery was he? The guess that I had was that he was referring to the darkness of their minds before he shed any light on them.
Pastor Doug: Well probably most of the time when Paul talks about slavery and freedom he speaking in a spiritual content; context. In the book Fie Lyman he is talking to someone who is a runaway slave that was looking for freedom.
Joseph: Oh.
Pastor Doug: There are fifty-nine references in the Bible to freedom so it is actually hard to know which one you are talking about. It looks like Pastor Ross is doing a search on his computer and I don’t know if he is finding anything specifically.
Joseph: I really thought he was addressing the apostles when he said it Pastor.
Pastor Ross: I haven’t been able to put my finger on it specifically, but it is interesting that Paul often refers to himself as a servant or a slave of Christ. In other words he serves Christ and his life is for Christ. But, that is also in a spiritual application as well not just literal.
Joseph: Well I guess that he wasn’t referring to physical slavery because that would be like slaves?
Pastor Doug: Probably not. I mean none of the apostles were slaves that we know of.
Joseph: I do want to thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Alright and thank you for your question Joseph.
Pastor Ross: David is calling from Georgia. David welcome to the program.
David: Hello this is David.
Pastor Ross: Hello David and your question?
David: Yes the question is from James Chapter 1: talking about wavering in faith. What point does a person waver in faith? Because I know Jesus talks about faith a lot and at what point does a person waver? Because it talks about if we waver we receive nothing of the Lord.
Pastor Doug: Well on an elementary basis if we begin to doubt the validity of the doctrines word upon which all of our faith is rooted; that would be where a lot of people waver in their faith and then doubting promises that God has made to us in His word.
David: That is a good point yeah.
Pastor Doug: And then you—know it is like when God said Abraham you are going to have a son trough Sarah and he began to think well I am getting kind of old and maybe that is not really going to happen. He began to waver in his faith and that’s why he took an extra wife.
David: Yeah that’s an excellent point yeah. Okay.
Pastor Doug: So just stay true to the promises of God and even though the evidence seems to be gone continue to believe.
David: Yeah, yeah that story you mentioned about Sarah and Abraham yeah that would be an excellent point. They looked another way and of course they had a child through Hagar.
Pastor Doug: Yeah and then an example of someone who did not waver was when Elijah prayed for rain. After the fire came down he went on the mountain and prayed for rain he knelt down seven times. Every time he said to his servants go back and look go back and look. He just would not give up. Pretty soon the answer came.
David: Yes absolutely.
Pastor Doug: We need this kind of a resolute faith that God is going to hear.
Pastor Ross: You know Pastor that is a good point, but it is worth emphasizing once more that faith needs to be grounded in the word of God. Sometimes people have an idea that they think might be from God or an impression, but it is not a statement in God’s word and then they feel that that might not be God’s will for them at that point and time.
Pastor Doug: Yeah I have seen some pathetic examples where a person gets an impression or they have or they think it is from the Lord and they can spend their whole life and their means to pursue something that god never gave them to pursue. It can be very tragic.
Pastor Ross: That’s right. Faith must be grounded upon God’s word. Our next caller is Diego listening on WOCG from Huntsville, Alabama. Diego welcome to the program.
Diego: How are you doing? Thanks a lot Pastor.
Pastor Doug: Good and your question?
Diego: I have two quick questions.
Pastor Doug: Okay.
Diego: The first one is in the beginning I Genesis, God said he created the earth, but He never really mentions that He creates water. I don’t see that mentioned in there specifically. And also was Jesus scared in the Garden of Gethsemane?
Pastor Doug: Alright. Two questions and the first question about does the Bible say that the Lord specifically created water? Well it tells us that God says he separated the waters. But, you do read in gospel of John Chapter 1, “All things were made by Him.”
Diego: Right.
Pastor Doug: “And without Him was anything made that was made.” So if you believe that water exists, well then God created it. So if there is such a thing as water and lll things were made by the Lord then He made water.
Diego: That’s why I said specifically. That’s all.
Pastor Doug: Yeah right there are a lot of things that God made that aren’t mentioned specifically. But, then your second question; was the Lord afraid in the Garden of Gethsemane?
Diego: Right.
Pastor Doug: Well I don’t know that the word fear is what I would use. I think that He dreaded the separation from the Father that He would experience because of our sin. Now you know that the Bible tells us that perfect love casteth out all fear. And over and over the Lord told us not to be fearful. You know there might be some procedure that I need to go through with the doctor that I might not look forward to, but yet I am not afraid of it. So I think that Jesus was dreading the separation from the Father. But, I don’t think He was being controlled by fear. He was being controlled by faith and God’s will.
Diego: Because I have heard that people say His humanity was afraid, but His divinity was not. Do you understand?
Pastor Doug: Well it is instinctive for any human to recoil if someone I s going to start driving nails through your hands or they are with you. So I think that physically He felt that desire for self preservation. But, I don’t think that Jesus was afraid to move forward He just wanted to do the Father’s will.
Diego: Okay I just wanted to ask about that.
Pastor Ross: you know Pastor Doug I wonder if it made it a little harder for Jesus because He understood about the fact of what was about to come. He had read about this in Isaiah and Psalms and He knew what they were going to do to Him. And He knew what to anticipate what would come.
Pastor Doug: Right the anticipation would not have been much fun. I hope that helps a little Diego. As you can hear we are about to take a break. For our listening friends this just gives us a chance to share some important announcements. Keep in mind we are half way through the program and we are going to dedicate the bulk of the second half to taking your Bible questions. We do have a couple of lines open and that number if you‘d like to call in your Bible questions is 1-800-GOD-SAYS or 1-800-463-7297. I also want to remind you that there are a number of websites that have a lot of information. We like to use this program somewhat as a springboard to direct people to these websites. We can only do the live broadcasts once a week, but you can take advantages of the resources all week long. Go to “Amazing Facts” dot org. If you go there and you have never been there before you will wonder why you have waited so long. So write down “Amazing Facts dot org” you’re going to find a plethora, a kaleidoscope, a vast horizon of resources to learn more about Jesus and your relationship with him. We’ll be right back.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: Welcome back listening friends and for those who may have found us along the way you are listening to “Bible Answers Live”. This is a live, International, interactive Bible study where we would welcome you to participate and listen as we search the word together with our friends. You can call in a Bible question by going to 1-800-GOD-SAYS or 1-800-463- 7297 and you can pray for us as we do our best to search and find truth in God’s word. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: My name is Jean Ross. Pastor Doug you mentioned before the break about some websites and of course the “Amazing Facts” website has some a number of outstanding resources, but there’s more.
Pastor Doug: Yes. There’s more just get your credit card out.
[Laughter]
Pastor Doug: There’s more. Well let me just tell you real quick if you have a pencil handy friend. One website that I think you will enjoy is called “The Most Amazing Prophecies dot com”. This is a series that we recently recorded at Andrews University in Michigan where we go through ten presentations dealing with some of those very hot topics in the Bible and in Prophecy imparticular. Then in Washington D.C. a couple of years ago we also taped another series called “Prophecy Code dot com” you can find those programs watch the videos, listen to the presentations, just by going to “Prophecy Code dot com” and you’ll find that information there. We always get questions on the “Sabbath Truth” a lot of people are wondering where does that come in and fit in and a lot of this discussion amongst the churches and Pastors on that so we put together this whole website that is dedicated to the history, the most common questions, and it is simply called “Sabbath Truth dot com”. Go there and feel free to pass the link onto your friends and what more shall I say; we’ve got the website called “Hell Truth” we got a lot of questions on the punishment of the wicked. There is so much misinformation on this subject. Go to “Hell Truth dot com”. Questions about death what does the Bible say there’s so much about spiritualism and ghosts and people turning into angels and what happens when you die: “Truth About Death dot com”.
So there’s some websites that should keep you busy for a few years, but we hope you will take advantage of that.
[Laughter]
Pastor Ross: We are hoping to get some more.
Pastor Doug: Yes we are it is not so much getting the websites registered it is getting the web designers to develop them.
Pastor Ross: Right a lot of good information there. Our next caller is Anneal listening from Fresno, California. Anneal welcome to the program.
Anneal: Hello.
Pastor Ross: Hi and your question.
Anneal: Yes my question is we know Jesus Christ is going to return soon; at any time, but my question is about the second beast that is the same beast of the Revelation who is going to cause people to receive mark on their forehead and their right hand. I do know it is not going to be a physical mark it is going moving toward—following somebody. For hand stands for labor, but without that Jesus Christ is not going to come back right?
Pastor Doug: Yes the mark of the beast will be implemented before Jesus returns.
Anneal: Now do you know on the movement that is going on presently to have this mark on the people’s forehead and hand?
Pastor Doug: Alright for our friends that are listening; what our brother here is talking about is in Revelation 13 and most of the time people just think about the mark of the beast and actually there are two beasts.
Anneal: That’s right.
Pastor Doug: In Revelation 13 you’ve got the first beast then in verse 11 you’ve got the second beast comes up out of the land. And I think you are asking is there a movement afoot now?
Anneal: Umm-hmm.
Pastor Doug: My answer would be the movement is certainly afoot now and you have asked a big answer and it is hard to give a quick answer to Revelation 13 because it is one of the most volatile and engaging Chapters in Revelation. We have two study guides that deal with this. One is “America in Prophecy” it is a study guide called “America in Prophecy” and the other one is called “The Mark of the Beast”.
And if you would like to get either one of those study guides Anneal please go to the “Amazing Facts” website and you’re going to find out some shocking information there. Matter of fact some of that information can be found online by going to the “Amazing Facts” Bible Study Course. You can even order those studies at “Amazing Facts dot com” or Amazing Facts dot org” and you can probably read them online by going to a website called “Bible Universe”.
You know I was so surprised Pastor Ross that these lessons have become so popular with people all over the world is using them now. There must be 1000 websites out there that have the content or links to the Amazing Facts study guides because they are just so full of truth and have become very popular.
But, if you have not seen the study guide on “America in Prophecy” Anneal go ahead and call the resource number and we’ll send you one.
Pastor Ross: Let me give you the number. It is 1-800-835-6747. There are two study guides imparticular we want to highlight. They are “The U.S. in Bible Prophecy” and it describes the latter one, the second beast and the other one is “The Mark of the Beast “ which deals with the first beast in prophecy in Revelation 13. So call the resource number 1-800-835-6747 and ask for those to study guides and we’ll be happy to send them out.
Our next caller is John from Columbia, South Carolina. John welcome to the program.
John: Good evening. I’ve got another question for you out of the book of Revelation it deals with the millennium and it says that during the millennium that the devil will be cast into a bottomless pit. I don’t think that is a physical bottomless pit, I think he will just be bound on this earth for 1000 years with no one to tempt, but I cannot find the Scripture to back that up.
Pastor Doug: Alright that is a good question. And before we get too deep in the question because I am always afraid I am going to lose a caller before I give them and answer; there is a study guide called That talks about the millennium and in that study guide it goes into great detail to talk more about the bottomless pit. And-–I am having a brain cramp Pastor Ross—what is the name of our lesson on the millennium?
Pastor Ross: It’s called the “Thousand Years of Peace”.
Pastor Doug: There you go that makes sense “A Thousand Years of Peace” it talks about the bottomless pit. But, here’s your quick answer John. The word for bottomless pit in Revelation Chapter 20 is a Greek word “abusos” that is where we get the word abyss. Why the King James translators chose the word bottomless pit is still a mystery today among most Bible scholars because that is the exact same word you find in Luke Chapter 8 you know the demoniac he said to Jesus do not send me out into the abusos “abyss” –see it is the exact same word. One place they translate it deep and the other place as bottomless pit. And it is the same word that you find in the Septuagint which is the Greek version of the Old Testament when they talked about the creation of the world in its’ chaotic state. It says the world was abusos, it was void and chaotic and so it’s describing the earth in this void and the chaotic state. You find that in Jeremiah Chapter 4, there the prophet describes the earth when it is broken down and the cities are broken down and there is no man and all the birds in heaven have fled, but he says it happens from the presence of the Lord coming. So during the 1000 years the earth is in this broken down abusos condition. And that is where the devil and his minions are bound with nobody to tempt or manipulate for 1000 years. So I am giving you the punch line, but make sure to call and get that study guide. Does that help a little bit John?
John: Yes that’s called “A Thousand Years of Peace”.
Pastor Doug: “A Thousand Years of Peace”. It talks about the bottomless pit and will give you the Greek references and a lot more content.
Pastor Ross: That verse Pastor Doug was referring to is in Jeremiah 4:23-26.
Pastor Doug: Yes very important and I am glad you mentioned that.
Pastor Ross: The study guide is “A Thousand Years of Peace” the number is 1-800-835-6747.
Dan is listening on the internet and calling from North Carolina. Dan welcome to the program.
Dan: Hey thank you guys and I just want to say thank you for this great radio program I have learned a lot and it has been a great blessing to me. My question is concerning baptism. I was baptized by a woman elder from a church and the reason why I was is that the Pastor wouldn’t baptize me because his church had some statements I had to believe that I didn’t necessarily agree or disagree with. And the woman saw that my desire to be baptized was very strong and my question is; is that a valid baptism? It was complete immersion under water.
Pastor Doug: Is the baptism valid because a woman did it? Is that your question?
Dan: And an elder.
Pastor Doug: And she was an elder rather than an ordained minister?
Dan: Correct.
Pastor Doug: Well for our listening friends I am of the belief based on my reading of the Bible that there’s no example in the Bible of a woman who serves in the capacity of a Pastor, a Priest, an Apostle, an Elder. There is just total silence on that. I do think there is a difference I men and women in ministry. I think that women are called to ministry women are called to teach, to preach, to evangelize, to prophesy. There are women prophets in the Bible women judges, but we still have that vacuum of women serving in those other capacities. I think that is Patriarchic and those men are supposed to be the servant leaders in the family. The church is an extension of the family and men should be the servant leaders there. Now there are some conditions in the absence of men where God calls women to lead in those positions.
There are some places where all the men are arrested or they are just not standing up to the plate and God calls women to do things. If your baptism is by a woman Pastor and you believe that women are not really called to the office of Priest or Pastor in the Bible that would not negate your baptism. Let me give you an example, baptism is like marriage you might get married and if the wedding is illegal and the vows are sincere the Judge or the lawyer or the Priest or the Sea Captain who officiates they might lose their title and it does not alter your wedding. It doesn’t alter your marriage so you see what I am saying?
Dan: Okay.
Pastor Doug: So your commitment to Christ in being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and declaring that publicly; I wouldn’t think that would invalidate it, but I would be of the personal opinion that I don’t find Biblical support for women serving as Pastors. I’ve got a lot of women Pastors that are friends of mine and we smile and disagree, but I’ve just got to tell them. Do you know what I am saying?
Dan: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: So I just want to be faithful to the word.
Dan: Right and I’ve got one more part of that question. The statements of belief I didn’t necessarily agree or disagree and the Pastor would not baptize me because I did not agree on all the statements of belief. My question is, is that Biblical? I mean is that Biblical to have all these statements of belief in order to be baptized? I just wanted to serve Christ and I pretty much turned my life over to Him. And I quit doing all my sinful ways and everything and I was studying His word and I’d been doing that for about seven or eight months and I realized I needed to be baptized.
Pastor Doug: Well that’s an interesting question. Every church Dan-- I should say virtually every church—recognizes that there is some element of knowledge that you must have before baptism. Because Christ says in Matthew 28, “Go ye therefore teach all nations, baptizing them.” The area where different preachers and even Pastors might disagree is how much a person should need to know. Well before two people get married they need to know something about each other. But, if they wait until they know everything about each other they’ll never get married. So where do you draw the line?
Dan: Right.
Pastor Doug: And in my church we have a statement of I think it is about twelve fundamental statements of belief that a person must have clear and you know a child ten or thirteen years old can understand these things, but it is basics like, who is God? What are the basics for the foundation for the faith? It’s the Bible. The second coming of Jesus so forth. So the foundational principles should be clear. And if a person is not clear on some of those crucial ones like if a person says I’m not clear on whether I believe the Bible, but I love Jesus and I want to get baptized; I have a problem baptizing them.
Dan: Right. I would understand that.
Pastor Doug: So then you have to decide what those immovable pillars that must be understood are and so if you would like to know more about that you are welcome to go to my church website. I’ll show you what we have at our church website and I think we have a statement of beliefs and it is just “SAC Central dot org”. That is spelled: S A C C E N T R A L dot org and we’ve got a list of beliefs there somewhere and you will see the basics okay?
Dan: Alright thank you.
Pastor Doug: Thank you.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Michael listening on 107.7 and calling from Pennsylvania. Michael welcome to the program.
Michael: Thank you and how are you?
Pastor Doug: Very well and how are you?
Michael: I am doing very well. I wonder how when I was reading the Bible earlier today and I came across—oh I forget what Chapter it was. It was in Matthew about Judas after he realized what he had done he tried to return his thirty pieces of silver and then he ended up going out and hanging himself. And I also saw in Acts it’s Chapter 1: 16-18 that it says Judas took those thirty pieces of silver and purchased a field with it and then he died in that field somehow. And I was wondering what is going on there?
Pastor Doug: Well first of all it is in Mathew Chapter 27: 5. It says he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple and he departed and he went and hanged himself. Now Judas did not use the money to buy a field. The priest did not know what to do with the money and you can read that in the next verse. The chief priest and he said it is not lawful for us to put this in the treasury because of the price of blood. It was betrayal money. They took counsel and they bought a potter’s field with this money to bury strangers in. It was a field that was not good for farming because it was full of clay and that’s why they call it a potter’s field the clay content and the potters get their clay out of it.
Michael: Right.
Pastor Doug: They said well we could use it to bury strangers that don’t have any money and that are what it means when it says that Judas purchased this field of blood the potter’s field which was a fulfillment of a prophecy in the Bible.
Michael: But, it does say in Acts that he used this reward of his iniquity to purchase this field and then Judas then died in that field. That he was near a tree and he fell and ended up hanging himself.
Pastor Doug: Yeah he had a bad accident. Yeah, but I don’t think that Judas bought the field before he died. I think it is just saying that…
Pastor Ross: I think you are referring to Acts Chapter 1: 16 where it is just a summary of what happened to Judas. Speaking about the field that was purchased was just a field with the ways of iniquity. It sounds as if Judas had paid for it, but he didn’t he just took the money and threw it in the temple back to the chief priests and they are actually the ones who actually purchased the field after Judas’s death.
Pastor Doug: Yeah sometimes a person will die with their estate and they will do something with the money and hey will say this person with their estate has bought this new children’s center. Well they didn’t and it didn’t happen until after they died and it might give them credit for it. But, yeah Judas didn’t go out shopping after he hung himself.
Michael: Well who is it speaking of the when it says that he fell in this field and it—I forget the words exactly, but I guess his bowels opened up or something?
Pastor Doug: Yeah it is not very pretty. It basically he fell and hung himself from a high tree the rope broke and he fell down and he was busted up pretty good. One legend tells us that this happened not far from the road where Christ was crucified and people coming to and going from the crucifixion already saw the fate of the one who had betrayed him. And that is a pretty scary thought when you think about it.
Michael: So it wasn’t Judas who purchased this field then?
Pastor Doug: No. It tells you in Matthew 27 that it was the priests who used the money to buy the field very clearly.
Michael: Alright then.
Pastor Doug: Okay I appreciate your question Michael.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Lori listening on 107.7 from St. Joes, Missouri. Lori welcome to the program.
Lori: Hi how are you doing?
Pastor Doug: Good Pastor Ross knows where that is.
Lori: Yes I remember Pastor Ross.
Pastor Doug: Okay and your question?
Lori: I have a question About Revelation Chapter 11 and about the two witnesses.
Pastor Doug: Alright.
Lori: The doctrine concerning the two witnesses is that they are the Old and New Testament. If this is true why does the book of Revelation say their bodies are healed and then raised and then a voice of heaven speaks and says come up here?
Pastor Doug: Well of course in Revelation you get a lot of use of allegories.
Lori: Okay.
Pastor Doug: It talks about the—you know a lamb with seven horns and seven eyes and obviously that is a symbol. So when it talks about the bodies of these two witnesses actually the word of God did physically Bibles were stacked in the street. And for our listeners we believe that the two witnesses represent the law and the prophets. Moses and Elijah are a type of the two witnesses. Moses represents the law and Elijah represents the prophets. The rejection of the word of God when atheism was born during the French Revolution they were burning Bibles in the streets for three and a half years and trying to eradicate Christianity. This is that time period so to say that their bodies were on the streets in the Bible when a person doesn’t have a respectful burial it is considered disgraceful and it is considered dishonoring them. And it is simply the Biblical language for saying that the word of God was dishonored and disgraced for that period of time.
Lori: Okay do you have any literature on that subject?
Pastor Doug: We do; I wrote a little book called “The Two Witnesses” and it goes into that a little bit. There is another classic about the controversy it is a whole chapter on the French Revolution that talks about the two witnesses of Revelation and it is very interesting.
Lori: Yes I have that. Okay thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Okay thank you Lori.
Pastor Ross: Okay Lori call the resource number it is 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the booklet “The Two Witnesses” and that will help explain Revelation Chapter 11.
Carl is listening on KRIF from Oregon. Carl welcome to the program.
Carl: Yes in Revelation 13: 12-14 and in Revelation 13:13 it says he and I believe is Satan, and it looks to me like he makes the second beast make an image unto the first beast is that correct?
Pastor Doug: Alright let’s go there real quick. Revelation 13 verse 12 you said?
Carl: Yes.
Pastor Doug: It says, “And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him and causes the earth and all that dwell in them to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. Well when you look at the behavior of the first beast Satan is obviously instigating that beast and then in Revelation 12 the he again is another power and a different power. That is why it is identified as the second beast, but he is exercising the power of the first beast and Satan again is behind it.
Matter of fact most of these beasts that you find in Daniel and Revelation they represent the kingdoms of the world and the devil is behind the curtain like the wizard of Oz pulling the strings and it is in all of those cases; trying to use those kingdoms to eradicate God’s people.
Carl: Now in Revelation 13:13 now when he doeth great wonders so he maketh fire come down from heaven is this not Satan?
Pastor Doug: It is Satan. Or are you asking if it is?
Carl: No does Satan come himself and tell this second beast that they have to make an image of the first beast and talks them into everybody worshipping the first beast. Well I believe that the power of the second beast is going to use miraculous signs because you read in Revelation 16 that they are the spirits of devils and working miracles. I believe the second beast is going to be using miraculous signs to deceive.
Now keep in mind Carl that most of the time when fire comes down from heaven in the Bible God was bringing fire down to consume a sacrifice. All the way back to the time of Abel in the wilderness fire came down from God and burned up the sacrifice. For also in the days of Solomon and Elijah on Mount Carmel he prayed for fire to come down from heaven. Matter of fact there are three times when Elijah prays and fire comes down. So these are usually indications of God’s power so Satan is going to counterfeit the power of God to deceive the nation’s of the world.
Carl: Umm-hmm. So…
Pastor Doug: So whether it is the devil impersonating or possessing in a person and pretending to be Christ or he is doing it through this political power is not clear.
Carl: I think he shows up himself.
Pastor Doug: Well I have reason to believe and agree with you that God came to earth in the form of a man to save and His name was Jesus and before the whole story is over I believe Satan is going to either going to possess a person or he is going to himself appear as he did in other times in history and the bible says in 11 Corinthians 11: Satan can be transformed into an angel of light.
Carl: Correct yeah.
Pastor Doug: So I do think Satan is going to pull a master deception and I hope that helps answer your question Carl.
Carl: Okay.
Pastor Ross: And of course Carl we want to remind you of those resources we gave out a little earlier on the mark of the beast and the U.S. in Bible Prophecy; both of them. Two very good study guides 1-800-835-6747 to order those study guides.
We have Sandra listening on the internet. Sandra welcome to the program.
Sandra: I have run into several friends who are going through divorces and one had received warnings prior to going into the marriage not to go into the marriage. And sometimes I wonder just because a person or a couple gets married in the church does that mean that God ordains that marriage? I guess my question is does it stand or…?
Pastor Doug: Well yes every time a person makes promise and gets married that marriage is very important because they are making promises I the presence of God. They may be marrying the wrong people that is why you have to be careful not to marry the wrong people because you are making a promise in the presence of God and you want to keep.
Sandra: Correct.
Pastor Doug: Let’s face it a lot of people stick in their marriages and they don’t enjoy them, but they endure them because they say I made a promise in front of my family, my community and my God and it is important to keep. But, if everybody gave up on the remarriages as soon as there were some problems every marriage would fail because every marriage has problems.
Sandra: Umm-hmm.
Pastor Doug: Now there are instances where even God told someone to get divorced. When Abraham took one wife too many when he married Hagar there came a time when God said Abraham put her away. You’re only supposed to have one wife at a time so God certainly did not bless or endorse what Sarah and Abraham did and then in bringing a third party into their marriage. But, let’s face it some young people they get married they are not thinking clear and they are totally incompatible and they are not making good decisions. And they get married and what do you do once they get married? Well then they are married and they should do everything they can to work it out. And to grow and to obey God and to honor their commitments that is a very serious and important commitment.
Sandra: I absolutely agree. What about in this one friend’s case they have seemed to have exhausted every measure of counseling from their minister.
Pastor Doug: Well I would agree there are and I don’t mean to cut you off, but we’re running out of time and the program is going to end. I do agree there are times when in the interest of preserving the safety of the family one wife had to divorce her husband or she was going to get in prison for his debts and there are just rare occasions where the pastor may counsel you have to take a radical step. They are certainly not free to remarry, but oh listening friends we are out of time. I hope you have enjoyed our program. Remember this is a faith ministry and we’d love to hear from you. Go to “Amazing Facts dot org” And send us a note. Tell us how the program has been a blessing. God willing we will see you again this coming week. Remember this message is all about Jesus. He is the truth that will set you free. Take care friends.
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