The God Particle

Scripture:
Date: 12/16/2012 
The Large Hadron Collider is the world’s largest high energy particle accelerator and the most expensive and complex scientific instrument ever built. The collider is housed in a huge, 17-mile long circular tunnel that crosses the border between Switzerland and France and an average of depth of 350 feet.
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Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Hello Friends, this is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? The Large Hadron Collider is the world’s largest high energy particle accelerator and the most expensive and complex scientific instrument ever built. The collider is housed in a huge, 17-mile long circular tunnel that crosses the border between Switzerland and France and an average of depth of 350 feet.

The Large Hadron Collider or LHC was built by the European organization for nuclear research with the aim of allowing scientist to crack the mystery of the high energy physics and, mainly, to prove or disprove the existence of the Higgs boson, also k now as the God particle. This is achieved by firing sub-atomic particles through a vacuum tube and super cold magnets that accelerate them to nearly the speed of light, and smashing them together, and testing the results.

The LHC took about a decade to build, from 1998-2008, and cost for construction and running the instrument presently are estimated to be 13.25 billion dollars. It’s something of a paradox that the biggest instrument in the world is needed to study the smallest particle in the universe. It’s also a paradox how the creator of the universe had to come into the world as a baby to save us.

Stay with us friends. We’re going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.

[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Welcome friends to Bible Answers Live, and yes, this is a live program. We invite you to call in with your Bible questions. Now is a good time.

If you have a question about the Scriptures or Christian life then give us a call. Lines are open.

That number, free phone call, 800-GOD-SAYS. That’s 800-463-7297.

And, I’ll let you grab something if you wanna write it down. One more time, 800-463-7297.

Our website is AmazingFacts.org.

And, the program tonight is also streaming over the internet at live.AmazingFacts.org.

And, we invite you to join us by listening. You can call in with a Bible question, you can watch the streaming on the internet, call your friends and enemies, tell them to tune in, and pray for us as we go.

Before we begin the program, I’d like to start with a word of prayer.

Loving Lord, we are very thankful for the incredible gift that you gave in sending your son into the world to be our example, to be our savior, and to show us what you really like. Right now, Lord, we pray that that Spirit will also come into this broadcast in every way. And that you’ll take charge of the questions that come in and bless the answers given. They’re all in harmony with your Word. We pray, in Jesus name, Amen.

Well, Pastor Ross is not with us tonight. He is on his way to India, and he’s going then from there to Indonesia making a very quick trip because Amazing Facts has – we have an evangelism training school in India. We’re contemplating starting one in Indonesia.

But, I’m joined tonight in the studio by our friend, who’s been here before, Brad Burnham, who’s gonna man the phones for us.

Brad:

Pastor Doug, you began the program tonight with CERN’s Hadron Collider. Can you tell us more about that?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Yeah, this is amazing. Just the mass of the thing, you know.

It’s a big, like a subway tunnel, 17 miles long, and just hard to fathom spending 13.25 billion, so far, to try to understand really, they’re trying to figure out the base component of matter and what happened when the universe began.

Of course, we believe God spoke thing into existence.

They’re trying to understand in the context of the big bang. But, I thought, it’s so amazing that they had had to build something so massive and so expensive to try to find the very smallest particle.

And then, it made me think about when God, somehow, was able to squeeze into a baby, and He came into our world. And, it’s true. It’s a mystery. The Bible calls it the mystery of Godliness that God could be in a baby. You know, Jesus grew up like a child and He thought like a child.

While sinless, He went through the same growth, stages of a child.

Then, I think, it was probably around Jesus 12th birthday when He went to the temple and he observed the Passover sacrifices that he had a Holy Spirit epiphany, realizing what His mission was. That’s why He said to His parents when they found Him in the temple with the rabbis, “Wist you not, I must be about my Father’s business.”, and He wasn’t talking about Joseph, talking about His father in heaven.

And then, when John the Baptist began his ministry and Jesus turned 30 years of age, He knew that His time had come. And, just an amazing thing when you think about God coming to earth, inside a person.

God, who made the vast, limitless space in the universe, that he could somehow be contained, God the Son, in Jesus. And, that’s a mystery of His grace.

Now, we have a free offer tonight that we’re gonna make available to anyone who calls. You just ask for it and it’ll talk to you about that wonderful grace, that wonderful incarnation of Jesus.

Brad:

That number to receive, “Riches of His Grace”, is 1-800-835-6747. The number again is 1-800-835-6747.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Alright, with that Brad, I think we’ve got enough callers. We can, probably, go to the phones here.

Brad:

Our first caller is Daryl. He’s listening on the internet in Golf Springs, Florida.

Daryl, welcome to the program.

Caller (Daryl):

Good evening, Pastor Doug.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Evening.

Caller (Daryl):

How are y’all doing this evening?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Doing great. How are you?

Caller (Daryl):

Doing fine.

My question is, are the wicked that are burned up when Jesus returns to rapture the church, are they burned up at the end of the millennium? Like, are they resurrected along with the other wicked dead and burned up again or do they just get burned one time, like, when Jesus returns to rapture the church?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Well, there’s—

Caller (Daryl):

Are they alive when He returns?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Okay, that’s a good question.

You know, there are some people who, you know, they die from… There are people who are lost, that may die in a house fire. And, sad thing is, they need to then be resurrected, they go through judgment, and ultimately are destroyed in the lake of fire again. And so, they suffer according to what they deserve. And, I know, that’s a horrific thought.

But, let me read this to you. 2 Peter, Chapter 1, and we can start with verse 10, “But the day of the Lord…”, speaking of the return of the Lord, “… will come as a thief in the night in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise and the elements will melt with fervent heat and the earth and all the works in it will be burned up.”

And then, you can read in Malachi, Chapter 4, it says, “The day that comes will burn as an oven and all the proud and all that do wickedly will be stubble.”

So, the final judgment is at the end of the 1,000 years, and that you find in Revelation 20.

You know, we have a lesson. We have two lessons, really, that talked about this.

One lesson is called, “Is the devil in charge of Hell”. And, you can not only request that, we can send it to you. You can read it for free online. It’s called, “Is the devil in charge of Hell?”, and that’s at the Amazing Facts website. And, the other lesson is talking about the millennium. It’s the “A Thousand Years of Peace”. Or you can request it by calling the number.

Brad:

The number to that is 1-800-835-6747.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Did that help answer that, Daryl?

Caller (Daryl):

Yes. So, they… basically, they get burned up twice.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Yeah. Well, when the burned up when the Lord comes, it’s pretty much vaporized, I think. It’s not like the punishment where everyone gets what they deserve. They’re destroyed, the Bible says, by the brightness of His coming, in 2 Thessalonians.

So, you know, the presence of the Lord is a consuming fire to the wicked.

And, I heard someone explained it once, that when you have a light in the darkness, cockroaches will run from the light and the moth will go towards it.

So, when the Lord comes, the righteous are gonna be looking with joy at His appearing, but the wicked who still have, you know, the sin because if they’ve not confessed it and given it to Jesus, they’re gonna be destroyed by the brightness of His coming. Then, later they’re resurrected and judged and that’s when the lake of fire comes in.

Caller (Daryl):

Uh-hmmm. Okay. Thank you.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

So, would you like us to send you that study guide?

Caller (Daryl):

Well…

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Or, you can read it online.

Caller (Daryl):

… I got pretty much all your material.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Oh, good for you. [laughs] Alright.

Caller (Daryl):

[laughs]

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Well, thank you very much. You have a good evening. And, probably, ought to go to the next caller then.

Brad:

The next caller is Mark, listening on WITA in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mark, welcome to the program.

Caller (Mark):

Hi. Thank you for taking my call. My call may be similar to the one in Florida…

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Uh-hmmm.

Caller (Mark):

But, is the earth gonna be burned up twice? And, if so, why? And…

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Okay. When the Lord comes… Now, I was just reading from 2 Peter, Chapter 3, and I could actually read on, he says a little more. If you go to verse 11, 2 Peter 3:11, “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved and what man or person should we be on our holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, where in the heavens”, that’s speaking of the atmosphere, “… being on fire will be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat.”

Now, the world’s not completely burned up when Jesus comes the first time. ‘Cause you can read in Jeremiah, Chapter 4… A matter of fact, I’m gonna go there real quick. In Jeremiah 4:23, there the prophet talks about the condition of the world during the 1,000 years.

And, let me just read this. It says, “I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.”, notice this, verse 26, Jeremiah 4:26, “I beheld, and the fruitful place was a wilderness, and the cities thereof were broken down...”

So, it appears like there are ruins of the cities still left. And, it says, “at the presence of the Lord and by His fierce anger.”

So…

Caller (Mark):

Is that the second coming or the…?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

That’s when He comes next.

When the Lord comes and the saints are caught up, the wicked are destroyed by the brightness of His coming. The cities are broken down.

But, at the end of the 1,000 years, in Revelation 20, it tells us that God reigns fire down on the earth upon the wicked, and it devours them. And, all around the city of God, it’s basically, and, you can read that on Revelation 20:9, it forms a lake. So, the whole world, outside of the New Jerusalem is like a molten lake, and that fire purifies the planet.

And, on the ruins of this purified planet, on the ashes, God builds a new heaven and a new earth.

Caller (Mark):

Uh-hmmm.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

And, you can read—

Caller (Mark):

How long… What’s the longest, do you think, the wicked will burn for their sins? Like, for say, the guy who shot up the school the other day, and things like that?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Well, I wouldn’t wanna come in the second resurrection with that on my record.

But, you know, the Bible tells us that the devil’s gonna burn day and night forever and ever. And, the word “forever and ever” there means, you know, until he’s all gone. So, at least, satan’s gonna be burning for many days.

Just think about that, how awful that would be. But, you know, I don’t know. I’d be reluctant to give a time table.

And, keep in mind, God knows how to measure the punishment for each person. And, the intensity for suffering for someone in one hour could be more than another person in one hour. You know what I’m saying?

It’s not just the duration. It’s the intensity.

Caller (Mark):

Oh, okay.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

So, the intensity and it’s also the agony of knowing what you’ve lost. That you had an opportunity to live forever and it was squandered for a few, you know, wicked years in this world.

Caller (Mark):

Yeah. I used to be taught that sin is sin no matter if you tell a lie to someone or if you shoot 26 people at an elementary school.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Well, sin is sin. But, there are varying degrees of sin. The Bible’s pretty clear.

Matter of fact, Jesus, when He talked to Pontius Pilate, He said, “The one who delivered me to you has the greater sin.” So, Judas was more culpable than Pilate ‘cause Judas walked three years with Jesus. He knew better.

And so, there are definitely varying degrees of sin.

You know, many times in the Bible, it tells us about God’s patience and then it tells us there are some people that he said, boy, enough of that. He zapped them with lightning.

So, there are different degrees, no question about that.

I’m sure that people like, the gentleman you described, and Hitler, and Stalin, and Pol Pot are gonna be suffering more.

Hey, thank you for your comments Mark and your question. We appreciate that.

Who do we have lined up next?

Brad:

Our next caller is Archie, and listening on KFIA in Lodi, California.

Archie, welcome to the program.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Archie, you’re on the air.

Caller (Archie):

Yes, thank you. I appreciate your program.

We’re told in the Bible that one time when the disciples traveled across the sea of Galilee, they saw a fire burning on the shore and they recognized Jesus, and He had a meal cooking there for them.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Uh-hmmm.

Caller (Archie):

When he handed out the food to the 5,000, it doesn’t say that it was cooked. Was he handing out sushi or…?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

[laughs]

Caller (Archie):

Was it cooked as He divided the food, and where did they get the baskets? The 12 baskets that they used to gather up the remains.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Alright, good questions. I think these are interesting details.

You know, they also used a salt fish, and I believe that , probably, the fish that the boy had brought for his lunch, he probably just wasn’t carrying some wet fish in his lunch because that would probably decompose pretty quick. But, he probably had salted fish and that’s not very much just to have two of them. And so, I think Jesus multiplied it. I don’t think they had a big barbecue for everybody. And, somewhere, someone was able to round up baskets to get. They’ve 12 baskets full.

But, if you got 5,000 people, and that’s 5,000 men, and there were probably women and children beyond that, well, someone in the group probably has some baskets they used to carry their burdens. They, maybe, dumped their clothes out and say let’s put the fish in here.

Not sure but good questions. Interesting details. Appreciate that Archie.

And, who do we have next?

Brad:

Our next caller is Victor. He’s listening on WMCA in New York.

Victor, welcome to the program.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Hi, Victor.

Caller (Victor):

Hi, Mr. Batchelor. Thank you very much for taking my call.

I have a question in regards to comparison in religion.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Okay.

Caller (Victor):

I see a world of difference between the world of Jesus Christ and other religions.

And, one time, I sat with a friend of mine, who’s a Hindu, and we were discussing the similarities.

I saw similarities years ago and I would see how the triune God here is reflected also in their triune God, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.

But, I have to make one point, did your God ever die for you?

And, he said yes. The god of Shiva, were that part of their triune god, the one god drank a poison and died for the world.

And, I don’t know if you’d like to comment on that because I didn’t know what to say.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Well, no question there are elements of truth in many religions. If there was no truth, there’d probably be no attraction at all.

And, you know, that’s one of the things that makes, I believe, deception dangerous is you can take many things that may be true, and then you mix in something that isn’t true and it can be very dangerous at that point.

I’ve made two trips to India and we have a work that’s on going there. I’ve just a lot of lovely friends there. I’ve met tens of thousands of Hindu people. Prayed for thousands of Hindu people, I mean, one at a time as I would meet them after the programs. And, just lovely people.

But, I know, as I drive around, I look at the Hindu gods, they have, not just three gods. There are hundreds of Hindu gods.

Caller (Victor):

Well, he was commenting to me that, and I’m familiar with a lot of them, but he said it’s all part of a manifestation of one god.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Well, you know, many of the religions, even the Native American religion believed that there was a great spirit.

And, some people have wondered if there’s similarities between Allah and the God of the Bible because Abraham was the father of both religions.

And, you know, you’re gonna find similarities between many of these religions.

And, I think, God looks down from heaven and he sees people that are sincere in many different religions. It’s not just there are only good people in Christian religion. There are hypocrites in our religion as in any religion, and there are sincere people.

But, the question is, “What is the truth?” And, Jesus said, “Thy Word is truth.”

We believe that the Bible, really, is the most perfect reflection of God’s truth.

I think you’ll find, for instance in the… it’s called the Epic of Gilgamesh where in the Babylonian writings, they tell a story of a global flood. And, there are many similarities to the story of Noah. But, it’s different. It’s off in certain key points.

Some have compared the story Pandora’s box to Eve in the garden eating the forbidden truth.

And so, you are correct, Victor. You are gonna see some similarities between Hindu, Buddhism, and many religions of the world.

But, there really is only one truth. And, that’s the message of God’s Word and the message of Jesus.

And, you know, while other gods may have, you know, some of these fabled gods, have extensively died, none of them really were killed like Jesus who died for the sins of the world. And, where we’re only redeemed by faith in him. It’s very unique in his resurrection.

Hey, I appreciate your question, Victor. And, that opens up the line. Who’s next, Brad?

Brad:

Next caller is Elo. He’s listening from Long Island, New York.

Elo, welcome to the program.

Caller (Elo):

Hello?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Hi, Elo. Are you there?

Caller (Elo):

Yes, I’m here. Hi Pastor Doug. How you doin’ today?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Doing well. Thank you for your call. And, your question?

Caller (Elo):

Well, actually, I have a friend – I’m actually new to the faith.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Okay.

Caller (Elo):

We both share the same faith. I’ve been talking to a friend of mine, actually a cousin, and he got baptized about two weeks ago…

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Uh-hmmm.

Caller (Elo):

But, he is questioning a little bit about the part of the tithing. For me, I try to give the best reference I could, but for me it’s not a problem because I try to do it from my heart. But, people are different and I was wondering if you have any references in the New Testament that could, you know, give me a hint.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

About tithing?

Caller (Elo):

I know that the Holy Spirit is the one who convinces people…

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Uh-huh.

Caller (Elo):

But, if you could elaborate on that, I would really appreciate it so I can take some notes.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Alright. Well, one Scripture comes to mind, there are probably several, is in Matthew 23:23. And, I pick this ‘cause it’s the actual words of Jesus.

Jesus is telling the scribes and the Pharisees, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, …”, those are herbs in their garden. They were paying tithes on the little herbs in their little garden, you know, 10% of the herbs. It’s like us, you know, giving parsley, sage, and rosemary. He says—

Caller (Elo):

Because it is necessary to do.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Yeah. And, He says, “But you’ve omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.” Now, notice what he says, “These you ought to have done and not leave the other undone.”

In other words, don’t neglect being faithful in the little things like even paying tithe in your herb garden. But, don’t neglect the way to your matters.

And so, you know, Paul even reiterates that those who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel.

Caller (Elo):

Correct.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

And, when God establishes a principle in the Old Testament for supporting His work, unless you find in the New Testament where God says it’s abolished, you should assume it’s still in place.

And, since there’s no Scripture in the New Testament that says tithing is, you know, now we’ve got a discount on that.

If you look in the New Testament, people actually gave more that 10%. You read in Acts, Chapter 5, it says, they sold their possessions and they laid a hundred percent—

Caller (Elo):

Correct.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

-- at the apostle’s feet.

So, no man said that “ought that he had was his own”.

You know, people were extremely sacrificial in the New Testament, more than just a tenth. So…

Caller (Elo):

Yeah, that’s correct.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

… I would hope that a new Testament Christian wouldn’t have a problem with tithe ‘cause that’s really a discount on what you see the apostles and the early church doing.

Hey, I appreciate your question, Elo.

And, we do have a book we’ll be happy to send you, and it’s called, “In God We Trust”.

There’s a number of references here, New and Old Testament, on the principles of offering and tithe, and what the Bible says about it.

“In God We Trust”, and we’ll send you a copy. Just call the number.

Brad:

That number is 1-800-835-6747. And you can get “In God We Trust”.

The next caller we have is Eva. She’s listening on WMUZ in Taylor, Michigan. Eva, welcome to the program.

Caller (Eva):

Hello?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Evening. Hi.

Caller (Eva):

Good evening. How are you doing?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Doing well.

Caller (Eva):

Good. I’m kinda confused on this so I wanna make clarity of it.

In Matthew 24:23-27, it talks about the false Christ who will appear and do miracles on the earth.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Uh-hmmm.

Caller (Eva):

In the same reference, a lot of believers, as well as myself, was referring to when the Lord comes in the second coming, He will remain in the clouds above the earth.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Right.

Caller (Eva):

He will not touch the earth.

A lot of believers think that He’s gonna come down and get us. He’s coming with a host of angels, and He’s gonna remain.

That’s why we’re gonna be caught up in the air with him.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Right.

Caller (Eva):

I want to make clarity to the false Christ that would do miracles on the earth.

During that time, I wanna say, how will a believer know, to fix their eyes to know that this is not the Christ. Even though I’m reading and is bringing clarity to me…

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Right.

Caller (Eva):

… but there’s a lot of believers that don’t know that part that—

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Well, you’ve just…

Caller (Eva):

-- miracles will be performed. Yes?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

I’m sorry. Yeah, you have actually pointed out one of the main things and that is that, it says that in 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 4 that “we are caught up to meet the Lord”.

So, if anybody, Jesus said, if they say He’s in the desert or s in secret places, don’t believe it. If anybody says Christ is walking around on the earth and they’re showing Him on TV or something like that, Jesus said forget about it. Right away, you know that that’s an impostor.

‘Cause it’ll be like lightning shining from the east even unto the west. And, so the whole world is gonna see when Jesus comes.

Anybody who’s going around saying “I’m Christ”…

Now, I believe, satan is ultimately going to seek to impersonate Christ, and that would be, sort of, the grand act of the devil at the end.

There are gonna be many false Christ prior to that. Jesus said, when he first began his discourse in Matthew 24, “For there will arise false Christs and false prophets, and there’ll be many signs and wonders so that it were possible to deceive even the very elect.”

And then, you can also read in Revelation, Chapter 16, tells us that “three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the beast, the dragon, and the false prophet, and they go forth to the kings of the earth to deceive them, and gather them together to the battle of Armageddon”.

And so, there’s this diabolical deception that’s going on. There’s counterfeit science and wonders. Satan can even go so far, the bible says, of bringing fire down from heaven in the sight of men to deceive them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles that he had power to perform.

And so, yeah, there’ll be lying signs and wonders.

Paul tells us the devil, himself, is transformed into an angel of light.

And so, if anybody is walking around saying they’re Jesus, principle thing is Christ will know them by their fruits. And so, their teachings…

I met somebody one time that claimed to be Jesus, and kinda spooked me ‘cause I was alone in the mountains when it happened. But, it didn’t take me very long to realize that he was a little bit deranged or something.

Anyway, I hope that helps a little bit. In a moment, we’re gonna take a break.

By the way, Eva, if you would like to send or anyone wants to know more about these signs, we have a book we’ll send you for free. And, it’s called, “Anything but Secret”.

Some people think that when the Lord comes it’s a secret. We’re saying it’s anything BUT secret. It’ll be like lightning, it’ll be like earthquake, a resurrection, and there’s gonna be a trumpet blowing, and everyone’s gonna know when Jesus comes. You won’t read about it in the paper the next day.

You like a free copy of the, Eva or anybody, It’s called, “Anything But Secret”, and, the number, Brad.

Brad:

1-800-835-6747. You can get, “Anything But Secret”.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

You know friends, we’re gonna take a break in a moment.

But, as you might expect, as we’re nearing the end of 2012, we just like to ask you to please consider Amazing Facts and what this ministry does in your year-end giving.

Of course, we are a non-profit organization, and your gift is tax-deductible.

If you’ve been blessed, we ‘re very grateful for anything you can do to help us stay on the air. You can donate online. Just AmazingFacts.org.

You’re listening to Bible Answers Live.

You know, also, we wanna remind our friends that a lot of what we talked about, a lot of these studies that we offer, we make available, we’re gonna mail to people, they can read them right now.

90% of the books in the studies we talked about, Brad, are on the website.

And, not only can they read them, there’s pictures and there’s lessons they can do. But, we also have videos, copies of the radio programs, audio sermons.

And, I had fun the other day, I just typed in Amazing Facts on YouTube, and we’ve just got… of course, we have a YouTube account, but even if you just type in Amazing Facts in YouTube, I think, we fill the first dozen pages.

[theme music starts]

And so, we invite you to look at the other materials.

This radio program is not over yet. We’re gonna take a brief break. But, we want you to know there’s a lot more we do all year long.

Be right back.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

We are back and you are listening to Bible Answers Live. We trust and expect some of you have joined us along the way as we opened up.

This is a live, international, interactive Bible Study. You’re invited to call in with your Bible questions. Yes, we still have, I count, two lines open.

And so, that number one more time is 800-463-7297. I said one more time but that was speaking symbolically. One more time, 463-7297.

I know, whenever I hear number given over the phone, I said, what was that? One more time. And, sometimes, you don’t catch it first time around. One more time, 463-7297. I was serious that time.

Alright, who’s next?

Oh, by the way, we are streaming on the internet. If you want to tune in the air in your computer and see what’s going on in here, it’s live.AmazingFacts.org.

Brad:

Our next caller is Nat. He’s listening on WMCA in New York.

Nat, welcome to the program.

Caller (Nat):

Is this Pastor Doug?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

This is him.

Caller (Nat):

I appreciate and like your show very much.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Thank you. Your question?

Caller (Nat):

My question Is this, if God gave Adam the control over the earth in terms of naming the animals and all that. I know this isn’t the name Tyrannosaurus Rex and wooly mammoth. What part is any do they play in man’s history, if they exist at all?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Well, I do believe they existed.

I just read in the news today that some boys playing in the creek behind their house in Massachusetts, found a rock with a hole in it. They thought that was interesting. It turned out it was the vertebrae of a mastodon.

And so, I do believe that there are… a lot of these, what we are thinking, either the large extinct mammals or the dinosaurs, I think the dating methods that are being embraced by science are very faulty and that these creatures existed contemporaneously with man.

I think, it was very significant that a couple of years ago, they found a thigh bone of a Tyrannosaurus Rex and when they cut it with a band saw, they found soft tissue in the marrow.

And, that just completely violates anything they knew about fossilization.

They thought beyond 10,000 years, everything will be fossilized. And, here they got something that’s ostensibly 30 million years old or 60 million years old, what difference is it? And, it still got soft tissue.

I just think that there’s a catastrophic mistake that’s being made in the dating methods.

And, that dinosaurs, these large reptiles, when the flood came, they do not bloat and float the same way that mammals do. Their body structures, cold-blooded animals, are different. And, they sank and they were just buried by layers of mud deeper than you would find the mammals had.

And, so yes, I do believe they live at the same time.

The names that Adam gave these creatures are probably different than anything we could pronounce today.

We probably have to go back to the Tower of Babel and find out exactly what he called them ‘cause our languages have sort of been scrambled since Babel, and they’re getting scrambled more all the time.

Thanks for your question Nat, and hope that helps a little bit.

Brad:

Our next caller is Jacob. He’s listening from Quebec, Canada on the internet.

Jacob, welcome to the program.

Caller (Jacob):

Yeah, hello. How are you, Pastor Doug?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Dong fine, and your question, Jacob?

Caller (Jacob):

Yeah, I was wondering about Christmas. I mean, wasn’t it a pagan holiday? And, I was wondering what’s your take on Christians celebrating it?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Okay, good question.

It is fairly certain that, I think, most Christian churches recognize that Jesus was not born the 25th of December. What we do know is that Jesus was born.

No one knows the exact date, but we’re fairly certain it’s in the Fall.

I’ll tell you three or four reasons quickly why it was probably September, October sometime. One reason is, we know that Jesus was baptized, according to Luke, Chapter 3, as He began to be 30 years of age. Jesus could not enter His ministry until he had had His 30th birthday because the law, regarding the high priest, He could not be a priest and instruct as a rabbi until you are 30. So He waited until He’s 30th birthday and that’s when He was baptized. He then thought 3 and a half years. So, we know that. And, we know when He died. He died in the Spring, at Passover. All you’ve gotta do is go back 6 months or 3 and a half years from when He was born and it’s easy to tell He probably… or when He died rather, you can tell He was born in the Fall.

And then, of course, I guess the Caesar would not issue a census having everybody travel to their home downtown in the middle of winter, and shepherds in Bethlehem would not be out in the fields watching their flocks. It’s kind of like Northern California. It’s very cold there. So, for that reason and many others, Jesus, we know was born, probably, in the Fall.

Is it wrong for a Christian to participate in celebrating His birth during this time of year? No.

This is where I would apply Romans, Chapter 14, where it says, “One man regards one day above another.”… I’m sorry… Yeah, it’s Romans 14:5. “One man regards one day above another, another man esteems everyday alike. Let everyone be persuaded in his own mind. He that regards the day, regards it to the Lord.”

So, if you are gonna remember the birth of Christ this time of year, do it to the Lord.

And, he that regards not the day to the Lord, he doth not regardeth. Whether we eat or drink, do all to the glory of God.

And so, I think each person… there’s no command in the Bible to celebrate Christmas but it can be a good opportunity for witnessing.

So, anyway, since we don’t have any other day that we know He is born, I’d say make the best of it.

Hey, I appreciate your question. Thank you, Jacob.

Brad:

Our next caller is Sharon, listening on the internet in Newark, Delaware.

Sharon, welcome to the program.

Caller (Sharon):

Thank you.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Evening.

Caller (Sharon):

Hi, Pastor Doug. Thanks for taking my call.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Okay. Appreciate it.

Caller (Sharon):

I have a question. The tragedy that just happening in Connecticut.

I have my friends who are non-Christians, and of course, they jump on it and they say, okay, where was your God when these things were happening. And, of course, I explain to them that there’s a war going on in this world, and it’s a war between good and evil. And, I also explained that gives us a choice as to what we’re going to take.

But then, they always say, yes, but your God could have stopped it. Why didn’t He?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Okay.

Caller (Sharon):

And, I know that you’ve… I know they’ve asked pastors and they were really… they had a time to stand up on television and it seemed… it kind of brought me down.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Yeah, I’ve heard some. I’ve heard a couple of good answers that were given, but I’ve heard some, some feeble answers that I thought were given to that important question.

You know, what I would say… well, first of all, our hearts go out to the people that are struggling with this calamity.

And, as somebody who--

Caller (Sharon):

Absolutely.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

I got a phone call once that we lost one of our children. And so, I know how that feels.

Caller (Sharon):

Yes, I know.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

And so, my heart breaks for them.

Caller (Sharon):

Micah.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Yes.

Caller (Sharon):

Yeah.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

But, at the same time, I think we could really even ask the question, if God is gonna stop anything bad from happening, then why is anything bad happened?

In other words, you don’t have to wait until there’s a school massacre to ask the question, “Why does God allow bad things to happen?”

And, it is especially as acute when you see that there are such pure, innocent children, at that time in their life when, you know, their eyes are just wide with wonder. And, it’s just such a precious age, and it’s just heart-wrenching. And so, people say, why did God allow this?

You know, really, our whole planet has been kidnapped by the arch fiend, the devil, satan, is called the dragon. Jesus, speaking of this fiend, it says “The thief comes…”, John 10:10, the gospel of John, I hope everyone is listening to this.

The gospel of John,, Chapter 10, verse 10, “The thief comes but to steal and to kill and to destroy.” Satan has come down to our world. Revelation 12 tells us, “with great wrath because he knows his time is short”.

People have a misconception because God’s all powerful that everything that happens in the world is His will. It’s not His will.

There is a power at was with God. And, He is allowing certain things to happen because the world, basically, is rejecting God in many cases.

And so, the devil is rampaging around this planet, and there’s a battle going on in every person’s heart.

And so, God is Good.

If you wanna know what Jesus is like or if you wanna know what God is like, you look at Jesus.

And so, this is a tragedy and, you know, I would say to any of the families that are reeling from this disaster, nobody… nobody is hurting more from this than God.

This breaks God’s heart.

And, God knows what it’s like to lose a child. He so love the world, He gave his son.

So, just understanding there is a titanic battle happening in the world. Why do we pray, “Thy will be done”? Why did Jesus tell us to pray “Thy will be done”? If God’s will is always done then why would we ask for that?

But, He’s will is not always done in this world, and I’m certain it’s not His will for innocent children to suffer like this.

It shows you not how bad God is. It shows you how bad the devil is.

For anyone listening, I thank you for your question Sharon. I wonder if that might come up tonight. For anyone listening, if you like to know more about this great controversy between good and evil, we urge you to send for the book, and send it. If you send for the book then send it to your friends. It’s free.

“Did God Create the Devil?”… “Did God Create the Devil”, ask for that and we’ll give it. The phone number, please send it.

Brad:

The phone number is 1-800-835-6747, and ask for “Did God Create the Devil. That number again is 1-800-835-6747.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Matter of fact, Sharon, if you or any of your friends, you can get the link to that lesson on the Amazing Facts website.

Send the link to anybody who’s asking that question, “Why did God allow this?”

They don’t understand why evil’s in this world. It’s not that God is up there like some kind of Greek mythology where he’s manipulating people for His entertainment.

God does not want evil. God is Good. And, this grieves God greatly.

Anyway, more than I can say in just a sound bite here. But, appreciate your question, Sharon. And, our hearts go out to all these families that are just reeling right now from this tragedy.

Brad:

Our next caller is Lisa. She’s listening on the internet in Boston, Massachusetts.

Lisa, welcome to the program.

Caller (Lisa):

Thank you, Pastor Doug. I always love you and you’re a wonderful teacher.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Well, thank you very much.

Caller (Lisa):

My question is… I’m wondering if people that worship on Sunday, and you know there is so many that are so loyal and believe that they’re doing the right thing, you know?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Uh-hmmm.

Caller (Lisa):

I’m wondering if they are going to be received by the Lord.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Oh, there’s gonna be millions of people in heaven that may be misunderstood what day was the seventh day or what day was the Sabbath. I have no doubt about that.

I wanna just remind everybody that, you know, God does look on the heart, man looks on the outward appearance.

It’s wrong, polygamy is wrong, but there will be people in heaven that didn’t understand it like David and Abraham and Jacob that have too many wives.

Slavery is wrong. But, again, for people that lived through that age where it was just a norm, there are gonna be people in heaven that didn’t know any better.

Caller (Lisa):

Okay.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

See what I’m saying?

Caller (Lisa):

Yes.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

And, God winks at our ignorance, the Bible tells us.

So, sure there are people that don’t understand that the seventh day is the Sabbath.

Now, when person knows the truth, whether it’s the Sabbath truth or whether it’s the truth about slavery, the truth about polygamy, and they reject the truth for popular tradition, that becomes a sin.

So, sin is knowing to do good and not doing it.

So, when He sends light and we chose darkness instead of light, that’s more serious.

But, there’s no question if a person goes by the Bible that the seventh day is still the Sabbath, and it’s still one of the ten commandments, and it’s not just a recommendation of the Lord.

It’s a blessing He wants us to have and He wants us to remember. That’s why it says remember. He knew that people would forget.

So, thank you Lisa. And, for you or anybody who would like our free study guide on that subject, it’s called the “Forgotten Day of History”. We’d be happy to send it to you. Call the number.

Brad:

1-800-835-6747. “The Forgotten Day of History”.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Appreciate that.

Brad

Our next caller is Con listening on KFIA in Sacramento, California. Con, welcome to the program.

Caller (Con):

Hello?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Hi, you’re on the air.

Caller (Con):

Oh, how you doin’? My question is, is Jesus God or a part of God? Or is he just a part of God?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Alright, the Bible tells us that in the gospel of John, all things that were made were made by Him, the Word, Jesus. And, without Him, was not anything made that was made.

Now, then you read in Genesis, “God made the heaven and the earth”.

So, I would ask you, if Jesus made everything and if Genesis tells us that God created everything, is Jesus God?

Caller (Con):

Good question. That’s why I’m asking.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Yeah, so I believe He is.

The Bible tells us that God and God only can forgive sin. That’s in Mark, Chapter 2. And, obviously, Jesus forgave sins many times.

He said to the woman in the temple caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” And so, Christ, frequently forgave people’s sins.

The Bible tells us only God knows the thoughts of men’s hearts. Or, frequently tells us, Jesus knew what was in men and he read people’s minds. Even the devil can’t read our minds. He can guess, but he can’t read our hearts.

So, when you look at the definitions for God in the Bible, Christ said “Before Abraham was, I am”.

And, the Jews took up stones to stone Him ‘cause they knew Christ was claiming that same divinity, that person that talk Moses at the burning bush that said “I am that I am”. That means the self-existent one. The everlasting one is the great I am.

And so, there’s a lot of evidence when you piece it together that Jesus is God the son.

And, you know, I have a book I’ll be happy to send you, Con, on that. It’s called the “Trinity: Is it Biblical?”, and it talks about the divinity of Christ.

And, I know it’s a very contentious subject for people but I studied it out with an open mind years ago and I became convinced that the only way that God can forgive our sins is God needed to take the penalty. You couldn’t send an angel or create a creature down here to die for man’s sin.

The creator of man, the creator of His law ultimately have to be the substitute.

So, if Jesus isn’t God, we are all sunk.

So, we’ll send you that free book, Con. It’s called the “Trinity: Is it Biblical?”. Just call the number.

Brad:

The number to that is 1-800-835-6747. And, again that number is 1-800-835-6747.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Of course, we also have the book on the internet at AmazingFacts.org. You can read it for free there right now if you can get online.

Thanks for your question.

Brad:

Our next caller is Juliet. She’s listening on the internet from Alabama. Juliet, welcome to the program.

Caller (Juliet):

Thank you. Good evening.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Evening.

Caller (Juliet):

My question is, according to the Bible, there are only two religions. Well, history, all the way down to ur time, people think that there are more than two religion, but the Bible only speaks of two.

Could you enlighten on that please?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Yeah. Well, you know, Revelation helps us recognize that in the last days everything is gonna be shaken down into two principal categories.

Of course, Jesus said there are two roads. There’s the broad road to destruction and there’s a narrow road and a strait gate to eternal life.

Jesus said “if you are not with me”, that’s one option, “you’re against me”, that’s the other option. There are two options.

In Revelation you’ve got two women that represent those two ultimate churches. You got a woman clothed with light that God made, the sun moon, and stars. She is the bright of Christ. She represents the truth in Revelation 12. And then, in Revelation 17, you’ve got this other, they call her the scarlet harlot ‘cause she’s a woman who’s dressed in scarlet and purple and she’s drinking the blood of the saints. She represents… she’s called Babylon. And, Babylon means confusion. That’s, sort of, the composite for all the false religions of the world.

Caller (Juliet):

Uh-hmmm.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

It’s kind of a melting pot for that.

And then, of course, finally you’ve got the mark of the beast and you’ve got the seal of God in the last days. One group has the seal of God, the other group’s got the mark of the beast.

So, there’s only two categories.

Now, among those who are part of Babylon, there’s many ways that Babylon manifests itself. And, there are many who comprise the church of God.

And so, there’s a lesson I’m thinking as I was talking here, we have that lesson called the “Bride of Christ”. We’d be happy to send you a free copy, Juliet. You can read it online or you can call us and we’ll send you one.

Called the “Bride of Christ”.

Brad:

The number to receive “The Bride of Christ” is 1-800-835-6747. That lesson is “The Bride of Christ”.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Thank you, Juliet.

Brad:

Our next caller is Rich listening in on WMCA in New Jersey.

Rich, welcome to the program.

Caller (Rich):

Pastor…

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Yes.

Caller (Rich):

… you know, I have one question and then possibly a second.

My first is, Jesus, when He was in the garden of Gethsemane, mentioned that there was so much sorrow in His soul that He was near death. And, I’m wondering, could that much sorrow bring us to death here on earth.

Well, I’ll wait ‘till you answer that, and I did have a second question, so go ahead.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Alright. Well, I think nit has been demonstrated many times in history that some people received some tragic news that either immediately broke their hearts and they died from cardiac arrest or some anxiety or it happened shortly after.

So, yes a person can die from just by being overwhelmed by sorrow and shock and heartache.

Caller (Rich):

Uh-hmmm.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

It can stress the body so much that, you know, they can die from it.

Caller (Rich):

Okay, my second question is, during the time of Christ, they were already producing wine in those areas of the mid-east.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Uh-hmmm.

Caller (Rich):

And, Jesus did say, during His last supper that He would not drink wine again until He was next to His father in heaven.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Okay.

Caller (Rich):

So, is there a divine connection with wine?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Yeah. Wine, now keep in mind when you say the word wine, you’re talking about two things.

The word “wine” is both used to describe the fermented grape juice, and the word “wine”, it’s derivative of the word “vine”, and the word “wine” is used biblically to describe the unfermented. For instance, I believe, it’s Isaiah 65, where it says, “For as the new wine is in the cluster”.

Jesus, in Matthew 28, when He talked to the disciples at the last supper, He said, you know, you drink this cup, this wine is a symbol of my blood. I will not drink it until I drink it with you again new in the father’s kingdom.

So, for the Lord Supper, the bread was to be unleavened and the grape juice was to be unfermented ‘cause they represented the body, the perfect body and the perfect blood of Jesus.

It’s interesting that the first miracle that Christ performed was turning water into grape juice.

And, at a Jewish wine, you save the best for last because it was still pure. They can have fermented grape juice all year long because they didn’t have all the preservation techniques we have now. Best thing they could do to preserve it back then was to dehydrate it so there was so much sugar in it, and then they’d re-constitute it with water later.

But a wine is a symbol for the blood of Christ.

And, it’s interesting that the first miracle of Jesus was he turned water to grape juice at a wedding and gave it to the people.

One of the last things that happens before Jesus dies on the cross, Rich, they offer Him sour wine, and then He died.

It’s almost like Jesus had a blood transfusion with the human race.

By the way, I have a book I’ll send you for free if you just call and ask for it. It’s called “Wine in the Christian”. Or, actually, it’s called “Alcohol in the Christian”.

“Alcohol in the “Christian”. And, it talks a lot about wine in the Bible.

Call the toll free number, we’ll send you a copy of that, Rich.

Brad:

To receive the book, just call the number 1-800-835-6747.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Okay, very good. We have time, maybe, for one more quick call. Who’s next?

Brad:

Next, that call is Patricia. She’s listening in Senor, California.

So, Patricia, welcome to the program.

Caller (Patricia):

Yes. Good evening Pastor Doug and Brad. Thank you so much for blessing us with your program.

I have a question regarding the nativity.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

Uh-hmmm.

Caller (Patricia):

Is there a Scripture stating that there were animals – sheep, oxen, etcetera, present at Jesus’ birth?

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

No.

Caller (Patricia):

No? Oh, okay.

Host (Pastor Doug Batchelor):

The closest we can get is just that it says that He was placed in a manger.

And, a manger was, of course, a container that they put grain in for animals. So, it’s very likely that there were animals around.

It sounds like there was no room where the humans normally stayed. And so, the only thing was they had some kind of primitive shelter where, you know, Mary and Joseph might find some hay, she was about to give a baby, and, unfortunately, in some of the stalled area. They did have protected places for the cattle, and maybe, they had a clean stall somewhere.

So, there may have been some donkeys, or could have been some cows or oxen that were around, or goats or something. The Bible doesn’t refer to them.

And, you know, Mary, when she left when they had to flee Bethlehem for Egypt, you know, she probably was riding the donkey. So, Joseph and Mary going that 70 miles from Nazareth, I think, they probably had some kind of a beast to burden. So, there may have been at least their donkey there.

But, I appreciate that Patricia. I don’t know of that helps.

You know, one thing I do think that’s interesting is the name Bethlehem means “house of bread”. And Jesus, is the Bread of Life. And, he was born placed Him in a manger which is a place where you put bread for an animal.

So, here you’ve got the Bread of Life that was born in a town called the “house of bread”, and He was placed in a manger where they put grain.

So, Christ is that bread.

Hey, thank you for your question, Patricia.

Friends, you can probably tell, we are winding it up now.

Once again, we love hearing from you. If you would like to do something to keep this program on the air, we sure appreciate it. You can go to our website. We’d like to hear from you. Just a testimony.

If you are being blessed by Bible Answers Live then please contact us. I know people think about it and then they forget to do it. Please remember.

Just go to AmazingFacts.org.

If you’d like to click “donate” and put a little something in to keep us on this station you’re listening to, we’re only supported by people like you. We’ve got no denominations or organizations, just friends like you that listen.

Would you be one of our partners? We sure appreciate it.

Keep us in your prayers for this coming year. You folks have a Happy Holiday!

We’ll talk to you next week.

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