Hello friends. Good evening friends. How about an amazing fact? On Thanksgiving Day 1936 two Minnesota boys named Harold and Charlie Peterson decided to go hunting with the man who worked on the family farm. The two brothers and their companion were good hunters, but accidents can happen. A gunshot went off and lodged in his face and when at the hospital it was found that the bullet had lodged in his skull. It was so near to the spinal cord that the doctors did not dare to move it. The fifteen year old boy was told he would have to take his chances and live with the bullet in his body for the rest of his life.
Fortunately it gave him no real trouble and in time he almost forgot about it. And then in 1960 Harold now 39 years old, had been running the same family farm, felt that he might be coming down with a sore throat. A few days later he had a violent coughing spell; he coughed and coughed. And finally he coughed up a bullet. The same soft-nosed rifle bullet that had lodged in his neck twenty-four years before was coughed out. Friends did you know that the Bible speaks of things often forgotten coming back? Stay tuned for more as “Amazing Facts” brings you this edition of “Bible Answers Live”.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Ross: Hello friends this is Pastor Jean Ross. Pastor Doug Batchelor is out of town this evening and I would like to welcome you to “Bible Answers Live”. This is a live, National and International Bible study. We like to take Bible questions and answer them right here on the air I you have a Bible related question the number to call is 1-800-GOD-SAYS or 1-800-463-7297 that’s 1-800-463-7297. The phone lines are now open so if you have a Bible related question this is a good time to call.
I am sitting on the other side of the desk where I usually sit here in the studio and working and working the phones this evening is Brod Boyd, he is the Media Director at “Amazing Facts” Brod, welcome to the program.
Brod: Thank you Jean it is a pleasure to be here again.
Pastor Ross: We appreciate you jumping in and working the phones for us this evening. Before we get into the questions, Brod would you start with a word of prayer?
Brod: Certainly. Most kind and Heavenly Father thank you for granting us another day and we pray your blessings on this program and for our listeners as well oh Lord. In Jesus’ name we do pray. Amen.
Pastor Ross: Amen.
Brod: Jean interesting and amazing fact coughing up a bullet.
Pastor Ross: Now who would have thought of that a bullet lodged in the back of the skull and there for many years; twenty-four years. And then one day it’s coughed up I mean he practically forgot he even had the bullet there.
You know the Bible speaks of things that are often forgotten that one day will come back. Now of course we aren’t talking about bullets here are we? You know Jesus said in Matthew 12:36 “But, I say unto you that every idle word that they shall speak, they shall give an account thereof every word there in the Day of Judgment. For by thy words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.” Often things are said in jest or perhaps in anger and they are quickly forgotten, but according to what Jesus is saying there is an actual record of every word that is spoken, but you know it is more than just the words that we speak that are recorded. Ecclesiastes Chapter 4:12 says, “God shall bring every work in to judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil.” There might be things done in the darkness all on one’s own and a person might think well nobody knows about that. But, the truth is God does. And there is a day of accountability.
In other words every detail of our life friends will be revealed in the judgment. This means secret thoughts, words, and actions. This is what will happen at the judgment. It will confirm those who are saved as well as those who are lost. Now although we are saved by grace; we will be judged by our works, for our works are as a manifestation of our faith. Listen to what James wrote in James Chapter 2:17 he wrote, “Even so faith you can have not works; it is dead being alone. Yea a man may say you have faith and I have works, show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith behind my works.”
You see in the judgment God will judge man by his works and his works is a manifestation of his works; it is a manifestation of their heart. However, let me also add, sometimes Brod we think of the judgment and we are filled with fear and there should be a certain amount of awe when we talk about the judgment. But, on the other hand there shouldn’t be fear from the believer. You see we have an advocate in the Father, Christ the righteous. And He is interceding on our behalf and if we confess our sins 1 John 1: 9 He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So that’s good news.
Brod: Amen. Yeah we don’t…
Pastor Ross: We don’t have to be scared of the judgment if we have placed our confidence and our trust in Jesus. Now we have a study guide that deals with the subject of the judgment. And it is free all you’ll need to do is call the resource number. Brod what is that study guide for this evening?
Brod: It is “case Closed” and you can call our toll free number at 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the study guide “Case Closed”.
Pastor Ross: And just let me remind you that there are two numbers we will give you throughout the program. The one is the resource number that Brod just gave and you might want to have pencil handy to jot that number down because we are going to be handing out some great resources. These are some excellent resources that will aid in your study of God’s word. There is another number which we’ll mention it from time to time it is number into the studio here. And you can call in with your Bible questions the number is 1-800-GOD-SAYS that’s 1-800-463-7297 and that is the number right here into the studio.
We want to begin our program with some internet questions. And friends by the way if you have an internet question you want to have us address on the program you can contact us via the “Amazing Facts” website. “WWW dot Amazing Facts dot org” there is a link that says “Contact Us” and you can type in your Bible question. And we hope to address, but we cannot always address every individual question. We do sometimes do that, but we try and categorize these questions into a broad category and at least touch on the category that the questions are related to. Tonight Brod we have two questions; what are they.
Brod: The first one deals with the resurrection Pastor Jean. And the question is when the resurrection is and who will be raised in it?
Pastor Ross: Well that’s a good question. Let me start by mentioning the second resurrection. You can read about that in the book of Revelation and it is Chapter 20 and specifically it is verse 5. “It says and the rest of the dead…” and that is referring to the wicked,”…did not live again until the thousand years were finished.”
Now the second resurrection takes place at the close of the one thousand year period; sometimes referred to as the millennium. Th wicked will be raised at the end of this one thousand year period for the purpose of the judgment; sometimes referred to as the great white throne judgment described in Revelation Chapter 20.
Jesus said in John Chapter 5: 28-29 “All who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come forth. Those who have done good to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation. So we find two resurrections. The one is the resurrection of life referred to as the first resurrection in Revelation and then you have the second which is the resurrection of the wicked.
The first and second resurrections are interrupted by a one thousand year period called the millennium. So at the beginning of the one thousand years you have the resurrection of the righteous and at the end of the one thousand years you have the resurrection of the wicked and the final judgment and the destruction of the wicked as described in Revelation Chapter 20.
Brod: Very good. There is another verse there as well that joins with that and describes the first resurrection and it is 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4:16 and it—God actually mentions that the dead in Christ shall rise first. So it further delineates.
Pastor Ross: There you go. The first resurrection then is for those who die in faith of Jesus and are resurrected when He comes the second time.
Brod: Amen. Our second internet question; what is the chain that binds Satan during the thousand years?
Pastor Ross: Alright staying on the same subject as the millennium we read in Revelation Chapter 20:1 and it says, “An angel having a great chain in his hand came down from heaven, laid hold of Satan, that old dragon and bound him for a thousand years. And shut him up and set a seal on him that he should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years were finished. Now sometime people think of the bottomless pit as some cavern or something deep within the earth and Satan is physically bound by a chain. A big iron chain and also we need to realize the devil being a being not made of flesh and bone as we are; he cannot be bound by a little chain made out of iron rather it is a chain of circumstances that binds the devil to this desolated broken down earth. Now follow the sequence of events. When Jesus comes again there is a devastating earthquake and a great hailstorm and we read about that in Revelation 16: 18-21. As well as Revelation 6: 14-17 and it is when Jesus appears, Matthew 24: 30-31, “The righteous dead are raised to life” and we can read about that in 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4: 16-17 and the righteous when Jesus comes; they’re given immortality 1 Corinthians 15: 51-55 and then it says the righteous are given bodies like Jesus in 1 John 3: 2, “All of the righteous are called up to meet Jesus in the air.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 and then Isaiah Chapter 11: 4 says is that, “The wicked are slain by the breathe of the Lord or by the brightness of His coming.” So all the wicked are destroyed at the second coming of Jesus; they are destroyed by the brightness of Christ coming.
The righteous dead are resurrected and taken with Jesus to be with Him for a thousand years and the wicked who are living at the time of His second coming they are destroyed and the wicked dead throughout ages; they remain in their graves. And so here Satan is bound to this earth and there is no one left for him to tempt. He is bound by a chain of circumstances.
All the righteous are in heaven out of his reach and all of the wicked that for six thousand years are destroyed; they are dead. And so he is bound by a chain of circumstance sin this broken down earth. And that is reversed when Jesus and the New Jerusalem and all of the saint’s return and you get to read about it in the book of Jude. The wicked dead are resurrected now Satan goes out to deceive the wicked once more. That’s the chain that bound him and is now broken and the devil goes out and deceives the wicked and rallies them together to mount their attack upon the city of God.
You know we have a study guide that deals with this important subject sometime referred to as the millennium. We’d like to make that available for you and you can also receive a free booklet in addition to the study guide “Satan in Chains” and also another resource as well as the study guide “A Thousand Years of Peace”. Call the resource number and they will be happy to send that out to you.
Brod: Sure that resource number is 1-800-835-6747 that’s 1-800-835-6747.
Pastor Ross: Alright let’s go to the phone lines.
Brod: Sure we’ll take Max calling from Brooklyn, New York. Max you’re on the air.
Max: Pastor Jean.
Pastor Ross: Hello Max.
Max: Hello good evening.
Pastor Ross: Good evening and welcome to the program.
Max: Ah yes. My question I was wondering why God did not destroy the sea animals?
Pastor Ross: Max can you turn down your set we are getting an echo. Good question. Well first of all God did not destroy the sea animals can be found in Chapter 7: 22 where it speaks of all in whose nostrils were the breath of life, but all that was on the dry land died. So of course the animals that were on the land that weren’t in the Ark they were destroyed. But the sea animals were not destroyed and the obvious reason was because it was a flood that god sent upon the earth and the sea animals were in the water. They lived in the water.
Another possible reason is that the sea animals were not affected the way the land animals were in regards to the sin and the apostasy of man. Man began to interfere with the animals and may have created some rather viscous breeds of animals. Just like with cock fighting today in our life and during the destruction of man; God also cleansed the earth of these animals that man had most likely tampered with. But, the sea creatures were sort of out of the reach of man. And for that reason God didn’t destroy them.
Max: Now I have a verse Revelation Chapter 12: 12.
Pastor Ross: Okay.
Max: Where it says woe unto the inhabitants of the earth and the sea for the devil has come unto you with great wrath.
Pastor Ross: Yes.
Max: Now you mentioned men dealing with the animals and I was wondering if it isn’t sin that is an affliction of Satan himself?
Pastor Ross: Okay Revelation Chapter 12:12. Alright the context of the chapter is talking about the devil and his coming to this earth with great anger and wrath because he was able to deceive Adam and Eve and now Jesus has come and he wasn’t able to overcome Christ because Christ has now ascended to heaven and he is furious and turning on God’s faithful followers here and he knows he has but, a short time and so he’s anger is against all of God’s creation. Not only man, but even beasts.
Now there is an even broader context here and Revelation being a prophetic book sea or water represents multitudes and nations. We read about that in Revelation Chapter 17: 15 so it says that the dragon who was enraged came to this earth, he was angry with those who live upon the earth and upon the sea. It is also referring in a broader sense to multitudes and nations and kindred’s and tongues. Revelation 17:15.
Max: Okay.
Pastor Ross: So it isn’t the devil being mad with the fish, but especially those who are followers of God. But, just those who are the creation of God and he is out to destroy as many as he can. Alright well thanks for calling Max.
Brod: Well we have Trevor calling from Rochester, New York. Trevor you are on the air.
Pastor Ross: Hi Trevor welcome to the program.
Trevor: Hi thanks for taking my call I appreciate it. Actually I had a question about one of the questions you had about the chains of Satan. And just recently about the question of the devil coming down from heaven right?
Pastor Ross: Right.
Trevor: My question is well I just need to say a couple of things if you don’t mind before the question?
Pastor Ross: Sure.
Trevor: In Mark 7 Chapter 7: 15 and 21 I think it is clear that there is nothing outside of man that can defile him. And that the evil that comes from man comes from within a man’s heart. And you agree on that okay.
My question then would be in looking at Genesis is there any evidence; I know there is outside of Genesis, but I just wanted to stick to Genesis. Do you have any verse to prove that the serpent went—which it says in verse 21 made by God was more cunning than any other beast of the field. Is there any other verse in Genesis that can prove that this snake is Satan?
Pastor Ross: Okay. Well first of all there are verses outside of Genesis that proves that the snake is the devil. Or at least the devil took on the form of the snake and probably the most obvious of that is in Revelation Chapter 12 where it says that the devil is that old serpent. The devil deceives so we know that is what he represents.
The phrase there cunning where it says that he was cunning it is not in and of itself referring to Lucifer or Satan rather it is describing the serpent as a beautiful being it was or rather creature. It was a beautiful creature in creation and probably one of the greatest creations and some even believe that snakes before sin had the ability to fly. And that is the reason they were cursed to the ground to crawl about on their belly. But, this beautiful creation is what Satan decided to use and try to get Adam and Eve to disobey God.
Trevor: Okay so in Genesis there are no verses to tell you that the serpent is Satan?
Pastor Ross: No there is no verse in Genesis that says there is the Satan is a serpent.
Trevor: Because before I move on I want to refer to another verse in Isaiah 14: 4 it says to Isaiah, “Pick up this proverb against the king of Babylon” and then it goes on to the king in verse 12 it says, “How you are fallen from heaven oh Lucifer star of the morning are cut down to the ground.” And in verse 16 it says, “Is this the man who made the earth tremble?” Here again it is referring to the King of Babylon and this refers to him and my question would be that Lucifer is not mentioned any other place in the entire Bible, but here.
Pastor Ross: Okay good question. So in other words how do we know that Lucifer is Satan? Especially, when it refers to him as a king of a heathen nation, well we know Satan acts and works through kingdoms and principalities and powers. And here we are referring to the king of Babylon as describing him as Lucifer. It is a description of Satan as he worked through this pagan king, but really Satan is the one behind these principalities and powers and he is moving within that description of the king that God decided to bring in on this fault. You know Trevor we have a study guide that explains this origin of evil as well as Lucifer and his fall and how he was able to deceive one third of the angels of heaven. We would like to send that to you for free and all you would have to do is call the resource number. It is called “Did God Create the Devil?” And it really gives great information and many Scriptures and information and anyone wondering about this call and ask for the study guide “Did God Create the Devil?”
Brod: And that is a wonderful study guide Pastor Jean. It is 1-800-835-6747 that’s 1-800-835-6747. “Did God Create the Devil?”
Pastor Ross: Alright we’ll go to the phone lines and take our next caller.
Brod: We have Bruce calling from Hidden Valley Lake, California and Bruce you are on the air.
Pastor Ross: Hi Bruce welcome to the program. I want to mention for those working on the phone lines you are listening on KFIA. We like to keep a note of that. Bruce what is your question this evening?
Bruce: The question is in Chapter 2: 20-21 of Genesis. It talks about the creation of a woman by taking a rib out of a man. And God did put him to sleep, but how did he do the female animals? Was it the same way do you think? Do you think there is a reason He might do a man and woman different than a lion, a bear or a giraffe?
Pastor Ross: Alright that is a great question. There is no record in Scripture of God creating the animals in that same way for male and female. God simply spoke and the animals were. When we come to the creation of Adam God creates him from the dust of the earth and then breathes into him the breath of life. And then there is a period of time that elapse and we don’t know how long and he sees the animals and notices a pattern male and female and he begins to name them and the God brings this deep sleep over Adam and performs the first surgery in history and removes one of his ribs and with that rib He creates Eve.
Now I think there are some significant lessons in this. First of all God allowed Adam to realize that he needed a companion; a human companion the same way as all of the animals that God had created had companions and so God creates this companion. It was this help mate for Adam and it was Eve. He takes a rib from Adam’s side symbolizing that he man was not to Lord over the woman. God didn’t take a bone from Adam’s foot. Nor was the woman to rule over the man. God didn’t take a bone from Adam’s head. Instead from Adam’s side where there was a rib close to his heart. And God was teaching a lesson of the relationship of marriage how a husband and wife are to stand side by side. The husband is to protect the wife so here is much significance with them and of course if you go on in Scripture you discover that marriage is a symbol and a type of God’s relationship with His bride the church. Did that help Bruce?
Bruce: Yes a little thanks.
Pastor Ross: Alright we appreciate your call thanks.
Brod: Okay let’s go to another caller. We’ll pick up Joel calling from Ft. Worth, Texas. And Joel you’re listening from looks like KCJR in Texas. Joel you’re on the air.
Pastor Ross: Hi Joel welcome to the program.
Joel: Hey how you all doing? I would just like to say praise the Lord and praise the Lord and I am thankful for what you are doing.
Pastor Ross: Amen.
Joel: And actually sir you answered my question I was trying to witness to a friend last night because she believes in the rapture. And she was talking about how the sinners will be left alive after Jesus comes for seven years and you mentioned in Isaiah earlier of the verse I was trying to show her was is like where the breath of the Lord overcomes them and kills the sinners or something like that you know. I was trying to find that specific verse and Chapter in the Bible would you be able to tell me that again?
Pastor Ross: Yes and a matter of fact there is more than just that when Jesus comes than to destroy the wicked the second time. Let me give you several of them.
Joel: Oh okay.
Pastor Ross: If you look up Isaiah 11: 4, “With the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.” And that’s the one verse I mentioned little earlier. Jeremiah Chapter 25: 33 is a rather important verse. It says, “And at that day the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of earth, even to the other end of the earth.” Then it goes on to say, “They won’t be gathered and nor will they be buried.” And the reason being the wicked are all destroyed, but the presence of Christ’s coming and the righteous are heaven with Him for a thousand years.
We have a study guide dealing with this subject of the second coming and there is some confusion about the manner of Christ’s coming. So you might want to take a look at it and it is free all that you have to do is just call our resource line and ask for the study guide entitled ”The Ultimate Deliverance”. It is talking of the second coming of Christ “The Ultimate Deliverance”.
Joel: And one more sir I was shown and I guess it helps this theory in Ecclesiastes 12: 5 that is where they talk about also, “They were afraid of the height and he terrors in the waves. When the almond tree blossoms the grasshopper is the burden and then the desire fails. For the man goes to his eternal home and the mourners go about the street.” It was actually my grandfather that showed me this verse. He was saying that’s proof about the rapture and how about the bad people are going to be left here.
Pastor Ross: Okay and that’s a good text, but it’s not talking about the second coming, it is speaking about old age. It is not speaking about the second coming at all. There is no talk about Jesus coming in the clouds of glory and no talk about the resurrection of the righteous and it’s not talking about the righteous going to heaven, it is simply referring to old age and if you go on in Ecclesiastes the whole theme of Ecclesiastes is don’t wait until you are an old man to choose God; choose him now.
Brod: Matter of fact Pastor Jean that verse there starts off with remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth.
Pastor Ross: And that is the emphasis and then it goes on and it talks about what happens when a person becomes old. And it is rather descriptive there it talks about when the grinding ceases or the grinding cease referring to the teeth; when the teeth fall out in old age. So it is a very interesting Chapter, but it is not referring to the second coming. It is referring to old age.
Joel: That kind of gave me a stumbling on it like whoa wait a minute. Yeha okay it makes more sense now there.
Pastor Ross: Right now balance that out with many of the other Scriptures that clearly describe what will happen to the wicked when Jesus comes and it talks about they will be destroyed. You might want to call that resource number and get that free offer.
Brod: Sure let me give you that resource number again 1-800-835-6747 that’s 1-800-835-6747.
Joel: And it is called the Ultimate truth?
Pastor Ross: It is called the “Ultimate Deliverance”. By the way we also have some other material on the second coming that is on the “Amazing Facts” website. For those of you who don’t call the resource number and get the offer you can always go to the “Amazing Facts” website and get all the information that we are sharing with you.
You know we have one minute so let’s go ahead and at least get the question and if we are interrupted by our break we will go ahead and come back and address that question.
Brod: Sure let’s take John this looks like.
Pastor Ross: Well you know what? Let’s hold on I hear the music playing in the background.
[Laughter]
Pastor Ross: that means we are coming up on our break so instead of taking that question let’s just hold it until we get back. Friends this is not the end by any means we still have a half an hour to go of Bible questions here. We do need to take a break and be back here in just a few minutes.
We’d also like to remind you of the many free resources that you can find on the “amazing Facts” website. It is just simply “WWW dot Amazing Facts dot org” there are old “Bible Answers” Programs that are archived if you can listen to them. And even you can download some of these things Brod and put it on your I Pod the when you travel around you can listen to Bible questions. So “Bible Answers Live” will be back in just a few moments friends stay tuned for more “Bible Answers Live” we’ll be back in just a few moments.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Ross: Hello friends we’re back. Welcome back to “Bible Answers Live”. My name is Jean Ross. Pastor Doug Batchelor is out this evening. And if you are just joining us now we are half way through this hour of “Bible Answers Live”. This is a live, interactive Bible study and if you have a Bible question you can give us a call and we have just two lines open at the moment. To call 1-800-GOD-SAYS that’s 1-800-463-7297 with your Bible related question. My name is Jean Ross.
Brod: And I am Brod Boyd.
Pastor Ross: Brod thank you for sitting in with us and working the phones. We appreciate it. Friends before we go to the phone lines I just want to remind you of the many resources that are available at the “Amazing Facts” website. And another website that is excellent is “Sabbath Truth dot com” or “dot org” you have underscoring the Sabbath a lot of questions that people have. There’s another website called “Hell Truth dot com” it tells what happens to the wicked. Sometimes people are concerned about a God that would burn people eternally and it simply isn’t the truth; that is not what the Bible teaches. Go to that website to find out the truth about hell. It has a rich amount of information. We are going to go to the phone lines now.
Brod: Okay. Pastor Jean we have someone who probably has the best name in the world. We have Jean calling from Lynn, Massachusetts.
Jean: This Jean that’s right.
Pastor Ross: Oh fantastic. That is a very unique name at least here in the States. It is a French name and very common overseas, but it is very nice to have somebody else with the name of Jean.
Jean: That’s right and I was asking a question on what prophecy of the Old Testament is Mark 9: 13 referring to? It was talking about Elisha’s ministry not being accepted.
Pastor Ross: Alright that’s a good question Let me read the verse for our listeners. This is Mark Chapter 9:13 Jesus says, “But I say unto you that Elias or Elijah is indeed come and may have done unto him what so ever they listed as it is written of him.” Now the verse there that Jesus is referring to is in Malachi the last book of the Old Testament speaks of Elijah coming before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he’ll turn the hearts of the fathers toward the children and the hearts of the children toward their fathers. So the Jews were aware of this prophecy and John the Baptist fulfilled that work. He came in the Spirit and power of Elijah. And so Jesus is referring to that and not everyone received it. But, to those who did receive it Jesus said it is he who is in the Spirit and the power of Elijah. So John the Baptist was a fulfillment of that prophecy that you can find in the book of Malachi. It is the last book of the Old Testament and I believe it is Chapter4: probably the last two verses of the Chapter.
Jean: Alright I am familiar with that verse. It I just that in Mark 9 it seems to indicate that people are not going to receive his ministry. Do you know what I am saying? It doesn’t say that anywhere and doesn’t say that in Malachi actually. It just says he will come, but it doesn’t say anything else as far as people receiving him and I’m just curious if we do if there is something been left out?
Pastor Ross: Okay what you are saying is there another hidden prophecy that we weren’t aware of.
Pastor Ross: I think that what Jesus was referring to is that everything that was prophesied was concerning the coming of Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord. It was in the ministry of John and he did preach and he did turn the hearts of the children to their fathers. And he did prepare the way for Jesus. John said I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness to make straight the path and preparing for the king. In that sense everything of John was fulfilled but, like John the Jews did with him anything they wanted and just the same ways they did Jesus whatever they wanted and they rejected him and he was crucified by the Jewish leaders.
Jean: Okay alright. Just a quick question. It is not too long.
Pastor Ross: Okay.
Jean: Do you believe that the angel of the Lord is Jesus Christ?
Pastor Ross: You know sometimes in Scripture the angel of the Lord does refer to Jesus not always though and let me back up and give you a little bit of the word angel especially in the New Testament, but also in the Old also means messenger. Now sometimes it is a being with wings as we think of today as an angelic host. Other times it can be a messenger of the Lord or one with a message of the Lord. Some of the descriptions given of the angel of the lord are descriptions of Jesus and people fall down before Him so. Again we are not saying that Jesus is an angel. We just want to clarify that. The word there is messenger. Sometimes the angels of the Lord can be a messenger.
Jean: I agree with the God and the angel somehow got—the reason I have that question is because in Zachariah 3:8 it says that the angel of the Lord called a branch which is Jesus Christ is his servant. Do you know what I am saying it is like he is moving through the branch which is the prophecy of Jesus Christ? I look at the verse like I was the branch. My servant I am the angel of the Lord speaking.
Pastor Ross: Alright well let’s see if we can find Zachariah Chapter 3: 8, “Now hear oh Joshua the high priests thou are fellows that sit before thee for thou are men wonder that for behold I will bring forth my servant the branch.” Now of course my servant the branch is referring to Jesus. “For behold the stone I lay upon one stone shall be seven eyes” And so on referring to Jesus the messiah. So at least in the King James it doesn’t say there that the branch is the angel of the Lord.
Jean: Yeah alright.
Pastor Ross: Alright.
Jean: Thank you.
Pastor Ross: Thanks for your call.
Brod: Jean is listening to us on WROL in Massachusetts. Let’s take Arnold it looks like from Englewood, California. Arnold.
Arnold: How are you doing?
Pastor Ross: Hi Arnold.
Arnold: Hi I’m doing alright my question comes from Revelation Chapter 3:14 and my question is if Jesus is equal to God why was He created?
Pastor Ross: Alright I—well first of all Jesus wasn’t created. And when it refers to the first of all created things—can you give me that verse once more?
Arnold: Revelation Chapter 3:14.
Pastor Ross: Verse 14 alright here it is, it says “And unto the angel of the church of Laodicea these things saith the amen, the faithful, the true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. I know thy works and so on and so forth.” Now don’t get confused here where it says the beginning of the creation of God it is not saying that Jesus is the created, but rather He is the head of all creation the first; the one in charge. Jesus is also referred to as the arch angel. Not meaning that Jesus is an angel, but He is the one above the angels. He is the one governing the angels. He is the one in charge of the angels. So He is the first of all of God’s creation. Does that make sense?
Arnold: Yes that makes sense.
Pastor Ross: And that is—by the way –let me give you another verse there in Hebrews. Hebrews Chapter 1 where it says that Jesus by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth and without Him was not anything made that was made. So in Hebrews Chapter 1 and John 1 it refers to Jesus as being through Him all things. So if Jesus created all things then He couldn’t have created himself. Or God couldn’t have created Himself. Does that make sense?
Arnold: Yes that makes sense.
Pastor Ross: Alright.
Arnold: Thank you.
Pastor Ross: Thanks for your call.
Brod: Next up we have Tammy listening to us on KYHO in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Welcome Tammy.
Pastor Ross: Hi Tammy welcome to the program.
Tammy: Thanks. I have a really need basically, but I need to know what do you do for a loved one and this loved one lives eighteen hundred miles away from me. She’s been plagued with demons since forever that I have ever known. And these demons have displayed themselves very violently before and then they settle down for another number of years and nobody has had to deal with them and then my loved one has been very timid and very quiet and never with any outward display of demonic action and until recently. So my question is what do I do because I have been called upon by the other loved ones who live closer to her and what do I do?
Pastor Ross: Alright what do you do? Are you going to go visit with her or you mentioned she is far away.
Tammy: Yes she is really far away and it is really not possible. I have a large family of my own here and can’t.
Pastor Ross: Does she want to have deliverance from this evil spirit?
Tammy: Well that question has been asked before. But, I don’t really know that because she speaks a different language than I do for one and for two I don’t believe that she has ever been ministered to.
Pastor Ross: That would be one thing that you want to ask the member first and more than likely if this has been going on for a while she realizes how absolutely terrible it is to become controlled by the devil. It is just a terrible thing. And if she wants deliverance from the devil and she wants freedom it is possible. Of course she needs to commit herself totally to God and you can pray on her behalf and ask the Lord to move in a special way, but she must want freedom. If she does not want freedom then there is little anyone else can do for her. In other words God won’t force the demon to leave her if the person who is demon possessed wants the demon to stay. But, if she wants to be freed from this then you have the assurance of God’s word that if we come together in fervent prayer submitting ourselves to His will He is stronger than the devil and He will cast him out.
Tammy: I have to go a little deeper because she is very violent so the rest of the family who lives close to her is afraid of her. And they want somebody who can cast out these demons.
Pastor Ross: You know that is a good point to bring up. Excuse me for interrupting; be careful especially for someone who boasts of having the ability to cast out demons. In other words don’t look up in the yellow pages for a demon caster outer because it is probably just a front. The reality is that God casts out demons and it is really not so much some power that a person has within him, but rather it is a heart that is fully surrendered to Jesus that appeals to somebody else asking God to intervene in that person’s life in a mighty way that enables God to cast out that demon.
So what you might want to do if she does want deliverance form this you might want to contact a Bible believing Pastor. Explain the situation and ask him if he would visit with her. And then allow him to pray as well as you and your family to pray and ask that God would bless in a very special way to bring strength to that situation. You know it is a very difficult situation, but I want to give you hope.
I have experienced firsthand someone who was demon possessed in Africa I did some meetings there one time. And this young girl she was possessed by a demon, but she wanted freedom and so it came time for baptism and we invited hose who wanted to be baptized to come forward. She came forward and as she was being baptized she began to wrestle with the preacher terribly and began to make these strange guttural sounds typical of demon possession, but because it was her desire to be free from that after she came up out of the water and the demon was cast out. That evening at the meeting she was sitting in the front and she was just glowing from ear to ear. She had deliverance from God. So God is powerful He can and is able to overcome the enemy. But, again the people who have experienced this they need to call upon the Lord and they need to desire deliverance.
Tammy: Alright thank you so much.
Pastor Ross: And if you just stay on this is a thing that requires much prayer and if you just stay on someone will pray with you that the Lord will give you deliverance Tammy. Alright let’s go to our next caller.
Brod: Sure Pastor Jean it looks like we have Martine calling from New York, New York. And she is listening to us from over the internet. Martine you’re live on the air I hope I pronounced your name correctly.
Martine: Yes it is Martine.
Brod: Okay.
Martine: How are you doing Pastors?
Pastor Ross: Good.
Martine: I am calling in reference to Romans 14: 5. I need a brief clarification for that particular verse.
Pastor Ross: Alright let me pull it up here for those who are listening. It says, 5 “One man esteemeth one day above another; another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he does not regard it. He that eateth eat unto the Lord for he giveth God thanks and he that eateth not, to the Lord, he eateth not and giveth God thanks.”
So probably then the question you are asking is does this have anything to do with the Sabbath?
Martine: Yeah.
Pastor Ross: Alright. That’s often a question that we have connected with this verse. The answer is no this verse has nothing to do with the seventh day Sabbath. What Paul is doing here in Romans is he is writing to the believers in Rome many of which were Gentile believers. There were some Jewish believers who insisted that the Gentile believers observe the various feast days as well as certain additional man made additions which he Jews observed one of which was some days of fasting and certain things that could be eaten on certain days and certain things that couldn’t be eaten on other certain days. And here Paul is writing to the believers and he says let each man be persuaded in his own mind. Referring to or regarding certain festivals or ceremonial days of worship as well as eating certain things or not eating certain things and if someone wants to fast on that day they can to the Lord they fast and if someone doesn’t want to fast to the Lord they don’t fast. Let each person be convinced in his conscious.
It’s not referring to the Ten Commandments here by any means or to the Sabbath. Does that help Martine?
Martine: Do you have any other Scriptures that can support this verse?
Pastor Ross: Yes as a matter of fact the same book where we see the apostle Paul referring to the Ten Commandments and he says, “Then do we make void the law through grace; God forbid we establish the law?” so the every same writer in the same book is saying don’t do away with the law; we establish the law by faith.
And then also in Corinthians 4 it speaks extensively of these ceremonial days that were trying to be pushed upon the gentile believers. Paul said you don’t have to do that these ceremonial; Sabbaths and ceremonial holidays pointed forward to Jesus and when Jesus came those things were done away, but the seventh day Sabbath points all the way back to Genesis as part of God’s Ten Commandments for it. You know we have a free study guide dealing with the subject of the Sabbath and if you call the resource number; we’d be happy to send that out to you it is called the “Lost Day in History”.
Brod: Sure that resource number is 1-800-835-6747 that’s 1-800-835-6747.
Pastor Ross: This would also be a good time to also give a plug for our website “Sabbath Truth dot org” if you go and take a look at it this text in Romans is dealt with as well as some others for people who may have some questions about the Sabbath.
Brod: Our next caller is Freeh listening to us on the internet calling from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Welcome Freeh.
Pastor Ross: Hi Freeh welcome to the program.
Freeh: Thank you. Hi. I have a question in Daniel 8: 11 this is referring to the daily and it has been a controversial issue for and I have gotten different opinions from different people. So I was wondering; what you guys have to say about that?
Pastor Ross: Alright this is a deep subject that you are getting into of this whole Chapter of Daniel 8 if you read on especially to Daniel 10 it is a deep study. Just to give you a quick overview. The “daily” here or the continual sacrifice represents a type of Christ’s atoning sacrifice on our behalf. Jesus is our high priest according to Hebrews ministering on our behalf in heaven. Now when it speaks about the daily being taken away as well as the place of the sanctuary it is talking about a counterfeit system that was established during the Dark Ages that to a large extent eclipsed Christ’s high priestly ministry and His atoning sacrifice on man’s behalf. For that reason we had the great reformation which brought to light the truth of saved by grace and faith that it wasn’t a result of his works. And so this daily symbolizes that sacrifice that Jesus as the high priest ministers on our behalf in heaven in the sanctuary.
Freeh: Are there any other resources you can point me to so that I can continue my study further?
Pastor Ross: Yes we have an “Amazing Facts” study guide that deals with the sanctuary and the work that Jesus is doing on our behalf. It is entitled “God Drew the Plans” and if you will call the resource number we will be happy to send that out. As well as take a look at the “Amazing Facts” website and type in “daily” it has a little search box and see what you come up with. I’m not quite sure what resources we have online, but cal the number for the “God Drew the Plans” study guide and then go ahead and take a look at the website.
Freeh: Okay thank you so much.
Brod: That is a wonderful resource and the number is 1-800-835-6747 that’s 1-800-835-6747.
Pastor Jean we are going to go ahead and pick up Wallace calling in from Altoona, Alabama. Wallace you are live listening to us on WOTC.
Wallace: Thank you sir.
Pastor Ross: Hi Wallace.
Wallace: I would like—I mean I wonder so many times why people now Christians can’t just accept the Bible for just the way it is written? One example is a Scripture and I am a blind person. So I can’t tell you exactly where the Scripture is, but it tells us not to add to or take away from the word of God.
Pastor Ross: That is Revelation.
Wallace: And I know that you tonight have spoken about the return of Christ as being the second coming and that is what the Bible tells us. But, a lot of your Christians whenever they speak of the second coming; they call it the rapture. And the rapture is not in the Bible anywhere. They are adding to the word of God when they call it the “rapture”, aren’t they?
Pastor Ross: Well Wallace you are correct. The word “rapture” is not found anywhere in the Bible. You can look it up in your concordance and you just won’t find it. Now the word rapture means to be caught up; caught up. We do have a phrase of when Jesus comes where the righteous will be “caught up” to meet Him in the air, but the word rapture is not used. 1 Thessalonians 4 so the idea of being “caught up” is in Scripture, but the word rapture; especially secret rapture, it’s just not there.
Wallace: Okay well then they’ve used the rapture as part of the second coming. Is it appropriate then?
Pastor Ross: It is appropriate if you understand it in its’ Biblical terminology of being “caught up”, but sometimes then the word rapture is taken on a broader meaning than just being “caught up” when Jesus comes.
Wallace: Thank you so much and I appreciate you talking with me.
Pastor Ross: Alright. Thank you for calling Wallace we appreciate it.
Brod: Pastor Jean we’ll go ahead and pick up Linda listening on to us on WJJD in Kokomo, Indiana. Welcome Linda.
Linda: Yes hi. Doug was talking about there were going to be different degrees of punishment for the wicked. In other words Hitler would be punished way more than a fifteen year old kid that probably did something wrong. And I was wondering where to find that in the Bible; that it would say that?
Pastor Ross: Alright that is a good question. One of the verses you can look at is Matthew Chapter 16: 27 it says, “For the son of man shall come in His Glory and the Glory of His Father and His angels and He shall reward every man according to his works. So that reward is in degrees according to the works. Now that is referring to the righteous in other words there are a degree of rewards and of occurs everyone who is saved gets eternal life. But, anymore than that the Bible doesn’t go into too much detail, but there appears to be rewards. But, that also will be true of the wicked; they will be rewarded according to their works. And God being a God of justice He wouldn’t give the same punishment to someone who lived a fairly good life, but never believed in Him let’s say. Then there is someone who purposely worked to tear down God’s Kingdom.
Linda: Okay, but the reason to that and in God’s eyes isn’t sin, sin. You know how they say well that’s a little white lie and this is that or the other. But, in the Lord’s eyes isn’t sin, sin and there’s not such a thing as a little sin ad a big sin it’s all sin?
Pastor Ross: Yes every sin required the death of Jesus.
Linda: Okay then why would there be different degrees of punishment in hell then?
Pastor Ross: Okay first of all even in today’s society we don’t judge someone who perhaps stole a car as we would someone in the category as a mass murderer. You realize that justice demands certain degrees of punishment. So likewise the wages of sin is death; that’s the beginning, but in addition to that there are certain rewards.
Linda: Oh. Okay.
Pastor Ross: About in hell it would be unfair and unjust for God to give Hitler the same punishment as someone who has never served Him. God is a God of justice as well.
Linda: Yes I agree with that. Where else beside Matthew 16:27 would that be?
Pastor Ross: There are several references in the book of Revelation that speak about the structure of the verses other verses that refer to the wicked being destroyed. In the interest of time can I perhaps refer you to our study guide? It will save me looking up these texts right at the moment.
Linda: Okay alright that’s fine.
Pastor Ross: The study guide called “Is the Devil in Charge of Hell?” That talks about the destruction of the wicked at the end. We’d be happy to send that out just call the resource number.
Linda: Okay.
Brod: 1-800-835-6747 that’s 1-800-835-6747.
Pastor Ross: Alright thanks for your call Linda.
Brod: We are going to pick up Mike and Mike is listening to us over the internet with a few minutes left and calling from Calgary, Canada. Mike you’re on the air.
Mike: Yes according to Matthew 5: 17 -20 that talks about the Law of Moses now if you look at the reference and I am a Jewish background and a Jewish believer. If you look in Exodus and the account given of the Ten Commandments; it says right here in verse 20, “Moses” sorry verse 19 that, “Moses they said speak to us yourself we will listen, but let not God speak to us or we will die.” When it gets to the die part and it says that the Lord spoke again to Moses and said speak to them.” And so my question is why don’t we follow the Law of Moses and just the Ten Commandments?
Pastor Ross: Alright that’s a good question. First of all the verse that you are referring to in Matthew Jesus said, “I have not come to destroy the Law or the prophets, but to fulfill.” In that sense Jesus did fulfill the Law of Moses as it relates to the coming of the Messiah. Now in the bible in the Old Testament we have four types of law. Categories of law are the one is the Ten Commandments or the moral law, the wages which is death the moral law points out sin. Then we have the ceremonial; law often referred to as the Law of Moses. This had to do with the sanctuary service the sacrificing of the lambs, the various ceremonial sacrifices and various ceremonial holidays that were connected with that and that pointed to Jesus and Hs atoning sacrifice and it came to an end when Jesus died on the cross.
In addition to these two groups of Laws you have the civil laws that were evolved governing Israel as a nation under God as a theocracy. Many of the principles of that are valid; and we find that in democratic societies, there are many of these principles. But, today there isn’t any nation that has God as their King as Israel had. So that makes that some of the applications of that law might differ.
And then the last group of the four laws is the health laws. The health principles that we find in the Bible these health laws are applicable for us today. They were given to the Jews in order for them to be healthy. So following these health principles helps us be healthy today. So it was some of the laws; that pointed to Jesus, came to an end. There were other laws, too, those refer to Israel as a nation and refer to the laws of Moses these pointed to Jesus; they ended at the cross, but the Ten Commandments stands forever.
Well friends we hear the music playing there in the background and that means we have run out of time. We have finished another series of “Bible Answers Live”. We have appreciated your calls friends. Thanks for listening and if we didn’t get to your call this evening; call us back next week same time and we will try to get your questions on the air.
We would also like to remind you that “Amazing Facts” is a non-profit organization. We volunteer our time to do this. We would appreciate you giving us a call and keeping us in your prayers and we appreciate your financial support. Until next time may God richly bless you and continue to study God’s word and we look forward to hearing from you next week on “Bible Answers Live”.
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