Doug Batchelor: You know, I haven't told too many people my personal testimony on the radio, but I was raised pretty much an atheist and got into a lot of trouble when I was growing up, mother was Jewish, Jewish background but not religious, father was from a Baptist background but they are both pretty much agnostic as I was growing up and I had no idea about God. Did the typical teenage thing in the 60's where I got into trouble and was thrown in jail and got involved in drugs and trouble in school. Eventually, I ran away from home, I was hitchhiking around the country and I landed in a cave.
I wanted to live like a hermit and find God through nature or see if there was something in nature that would teach me the truth. I ended up moving into a cave way up in the mountains above Palm Springs, California and I lived like that, like a hermit for about a year and a half. Then, at the end of that time, I was transformed and the reason is, when I moved into that cave, somebody had put a Bible in the cave. That totally changed my life.
At first, I had problems because I was reading the Bible and it was a King James Bible somebody have left up there, and we didn't speak King James English in New York when I was growing up. So, I had trouble with some of the wording but as I kept studying the Word of God, it began to make changes in my heart. Gradually, I thought, "Well, how can this be true?" I went down to a library and I said, "Did Jesus actually live?"
Sure enough, it said that Jesus did live. I was faced with really three choices. I was so moved by the things that Jesus said in the Bible. I said, well, "Either he was crazy or he was a liar or he was telling the truth." I think it's C.S. Lewis who said that Jesus is either liar, lunatic or Lord. You only have one of those three options. I knew he wasn't a liar because everything he did was all about truth and it is resonated as truth and he said, "I am the truth." Christ claimed that he'd actually be the embodiment of the truth. I knew he wasn't a deceiver or crazy because everything he said just seem to be so centered and make so much sense.
As I was reading through the Bible, I was actually amazed how many times I would read these famous quotes. I had no idea they came from Jesus. Like where it said, "turn the other cheek," or "let him who is without sin cast the first stone," and "go in the second mile," and all these famous sayings of Christ. I thought, "Wow, he was brilliant. He's the one that said all of those things?" So I was convinced Jesus wasn't crazy. The only option I had left is that he was telling the truth. Eventually, I got on my knees and said, "Lord, if the Bible is true, will you come into my life and give me some purpose for living?"
When I knelt up there in the mountains in that cave, living by myself, I was about as far from God as a person can be. I mean, I was running around up in the mountains, I didn't wear any clothes up there, I was eating out of garbage cans when I came down to town and just using drugs and lying, living immorally there. I was a big zero. But when I found the Bible and when I gave my heart to Jesus, everything began to change. So, there's power in the Word of God and friends, if you've not tried it, I'd recommend you start.
All right, stay with us friends, we're going to learn more on this edition of Bible Answers Live. [music]
Voiceover 2: You're listening to Bible Answers Live, honest answers to your Bible questions. This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this evening's program, call 800-835-6747. Once again, that's 800-835-6747. Now, let's join our host, Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Doug Batchelor: Welcome listening friends to Bible Answers Live. This is a live international interactive Bible study and you can call in with your Bible questions. Here's the phone number, lines are all wide open. A matter of fact, before the program, I think a few people had called in but there were some technical glitch and they all got dropped. So the lines are wide open, we're looking for calls. The number is 800-GOD-SAYS, 800-463-7297 with your Bible questions. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jëan Ross is not in tonight, he's driving somewhere between the East coast and the West coast of the United States. We're going to start the program as we always do with a word of prayer. Father in heaven, thank you for your many blessings, Lord. We thank you for the truth that sets us free. I pray Lord that you'll bless tonight's program. We ask that you be with those who were calling in and that the Holy Spirit will make the appointments with the very questions that come in and that lives are changed in the process. We thank you and ask all these in Jesus' name. Amen.
Now, I don't know friends if you've ever fasted before. I think the most I've gone is two or three days without food. You can actually after a couple of days, you just stop thinking about it. Of course, the Bible tells us Jesus went 40 days without eating. The Bible tells us that Elijah went 40 days and 40 nights without eating. What was really amazing is that Moses, and you read this in Exodus 34:28, when he went up on Mount Sinai to receive the 10 commandments, there in the presence of the Lord.
It says, "So, he was there with the Lord 40 days and 40 nights. He neither ate bread or drank water." God then wrote the 10 commandments on those two tables of stone for him. Now I heard about a man that during the hunger strike, he went up to 80 days and this is back in Ireland when they were protesting with the IRA. Eventually, he did die of hunger. Gandhi would go on long fasts trying to make a political statement and others have but a very few people could last very long without food. But Jesus said in Matthew 4, "Man doesn't live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
If we are being fed by God, that gives us the spiritual nutrition that we really need for eternal life." The Bible is pretty clear, Jesus said, "The words that I speak, they are bread, they are life." The disciples once said, "Lord, take something, eat." Well, he just led the Samaritan woman to a knowledge of who he was and he was so excited about it. He said, "I've got food you don't know about. My food is to do the will of my Father in heaven." There really is satisfaction that comes through us from doing God's will.
Friends, are you eating the bread of life? You can live very long spiritually with that. In the Lord's prayer it says, "Give us this day our daily bread." Now, that not only means we're supposed to be praying every day for our physical food, but it means we're supposed to be praying for the spiritual food as well. I hope that you'll do that. We do have a study guide we'd like to offer to anyone that asks tonight, it is Dealing With the Word of God. If you like to know how to have that bread of life, it's Is There Anything Left You Can Trust.
This study guide actually tells you all about the Bible and the Word of God and how you can have a relationship with Jesus. We'll send you a free copy of that if you like. You can go get it online, go to amazingfacts.org or you can call the resource number to get your free study guide. A matter of fact, this'll take you through the whole Bible study guide series. That number is 1-800-835-6747. That's 1-800-835-6747. Ask for the study guide, Is There Anything Left You Can Trust. It'll talk to you about the dependability of the Word of God and how you might be nourished by the bread of life.
All right, we're going to try to take a call here. We've got Carey. Carey can you hear me?
Carey: I can hear you.
Doug Batchelor: Oh, good. We had a little phone trouble. Your question tonight?
Carey: Thank you for taking my call. I greatly appreciate it. The question that I have is, what would be some good passages in order to bring positive influence in my life? I'm currently feeling lost and feeling down and negative. I would just like to know what would be some encouraging verses that I would be able to read to be able to promote that positive encouragement that I need.
Doug Batchelor: Well, Jesus loves you. God is love and the Bible says in Romans 8, "there's nothing that can separate you from the love of God." Let me give you another verse here. In Jeremiah chapter 29 and I'm going to go there right now and read this to you. You can start with verse 11, and this is for everybody. He said, "I know the plans, the thoughts that I think towards you," says the Lord, "thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." God wants the best for us and that's why he sent His son.
Jesus said he wants us to have an abundant life. That peace and happiness you're longing for, you don't get it just by reading a verse, you get it by believing the verses and saying, "I believe God's got a good plan for me." He will activate His power and His love in your life. Have you asked Him to do that?
Carey: Yes, I have, numerous times.
Doug Batchelor: Well, don't be discouraged if sometimes as a Christian you have ups and downs, because there are mountains and valleys the Bible says in every person's life. The Bible promises God is not only there in the mountaintops, he's there in the valleys as well. Were you able to jot down some of those verses?
Carrie: Yes, I did. I quickly wrote them down. I greatly appreciate it so much. It gives me some hopefulness and actually by reading those to me it actually made me feel like I have that fullness that I need and I greatly appreciate it so much.
Doug Batchelor: Absolutely, Carey. You go ahead if you go to the Amazing Facts website you're going to find a number of resources there. You get into Bible study. We have some studies that just talk about the promises of God that some of what I read you, and you'll be encouraged by that. Thank you for your call, Carey. All right, going to move on now and we're going to be talking to Charles. Charles is calling from West Virginia. Charles, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Charles: Yes, thank you. Is this Pastor Doug? It's an honor to speak to you.
Doug Batchelor: Yes, we're happy to talk to you too.
Charles: Yes, thank you. I do have a question I want an answer to. In chapter 28 verse 1 to 11 of Ezekiel, the prophet is told to speak to the prince or priest at the great city of Tyrus. He, the prince says that, "He is a God and such in the seat of God." Which is any midst of any seas or great waters, but God says He is a man and no God. In the [unintelligible 00:12:39] verse 11 to 19 it goes on where the prophet speaks to the king of Tyrus, or the head which I called the Great Red Dragon to just be the little horn, of course I'm referring to the prince.
The little horn that is found in the book of Daniel and the Beast of the book of Revelation.
Doug Batchelor: There are certainly connection here because in Ezekiel, there's two primary old Testament prophets to tell about the origin or kind of give background in Lucifer, the Devil. One of them is Isaiah 14, the other is Ezekiel 28. In both of those chapters, in Isaiah for instance, it starts out talking about the king of Babylon and then the prophet is taken to see the power behind the king of Babylon. In Ezekiel, he starts talking about the kingdom of Tyre, and then he's taken and he looks behind the scenes at the power behind their king of Tyre which is the Devil himself.
You can look for instance in verse six, "Thus says the Lord, because you've set your heart as a heart of a God, behold I'll bring strangers against you. The most terrible of the nations. They'll draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and defile your splendor." There was an ancient Phoenician king of Tyre but there's a power behind the king.
Let me give you one more example of that. If you look Charles, in Revelation chapter 12 it says, there this red dragon, and this woman's going to have a baby and he wants to devour the baby as soon as he's born. So he sends out a flood. We know from history that the devil worked through the Roman power to try to kill Jesus when he was a baby, when the Roman soldiers went into Bethlehem and they slaughtered all the babies.
Here you got the devil working through King Herod the power of Rome. In Tyre and Babylon, the devil was working. The prophets pull aside the veil and they showed these powers in the background. Now, one reason that you know that is you read in Ezekiel chapter 13 he says, "You were in Eden, the garden of God." Well, the king of Tyre was not in the garden of Eden, but the devil was. See what I'm saying?
You read on a little further, he says in verse 14, "You were the anointed cherub," He was a covering cherub, "Who covers; I established you so. You were on the holy mountain of God. You walked back and forth in the midst of the burning stones." As you read a little further you say, "Ah, this prophet is transitioned from the king of Tyre and he's now looking at the power behind that king that was persecuting God's people." Same thing in Isaiah 14, same thing in Revelation chapter 12. Does that help a little? The devil is also behind the man of sin and the beast power, but Ezekiel 28 isn't specifically talking about that.
There's a lesson that I'd be happy to send you, Charles, it's called the Did God Create a Devil? If you go to our website you can download it for free at amazingfacts.org or call our resource line, we'll send it to you. People if they wonder, why is there a devil? Where did it come from? It talks about this very verses you're asking. That number 800-835-6747. That's 800-835-6747. All right, thank you very much, Charles. We do have other lines open. If you have a Bible question, give us a call. A free phone call, that is number is 800-463-7297, that's same as 800-GOD-SAYS.
That'll bring your here to the studio. I want to say hello to our friends, sometimes forget that we're streaming live on Facebook and you can go to the Amazing Facts Facebook page and you'll see the live stream of the program. I've got a big empty seat over here because Pastor Ross is not with us tonight and so we're doing our best to keep everything juggling.
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Voiceover 1: Stay tuned, Bible Answers Live will return in a moment.
Voiceover 3: Journey back through time to the center of the universe. Discover how a perfect angel transformed into Satan, the arch villain. The birth of evil, a rebellion in heaven. A mutiny that moved to earth. Behold, the creation of a beautiful new planet and the first humans, witness the temptation in Eden. Discover God's amazing plan to save His children. This is a story that involves every life on earth. Every life. The cosmic conflict. If God is good, if God is all-powerful, if God is love, then what went wrong?
Want to know God's plan for our world and solutions for your life's challenges? Beautifully redesigned, Amazing Facts 27 Bible study guides, providing encouraging Bible based answers to questions in healthier relationships, when Jesus will return, and much more. Prefer to watch while you eat? Our brand new Prophecy Encounter DVD series makes the perfect companion set. Order your study guides and DVDs today by visiting AFbookstore.com or by calling 800-538-7275.
Voiceover 2: Every Bible question you have answered, moves you one step closer to the fullness of God's will for your life. What are you waiting for? Get the answers you need for a fuller, richer, more confident life. You're listening to Bible Answers Live. This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. If you like answers to your Bible related questions on the air, please call us next Sunday between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM Pacific Time. To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this evening's program, call 800-835-6747. Once again, that's 800-835-6747. Now, let's join Pastor Doug Bachelor for more Bible Answers Live.
Doug Batchelor: Moving on now talking next to Jim in Creston City, California. Hi, Jim you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Jim: Thank you sir. I appreciate you taking my call. I have a study group that was discussing the idea of a living soul. We know that God breathe into man's nostrils the breath of life, and became a living soul. Is there any mention of a dead soul or where does the essence of the psyche go at death?
Doug Batchelor: I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but in Ezekiel 18, the prophet says, "The soul that sinned will die." A soul biblically is the combination of God's breath of life, like when God made Adam. He took the elements of the earth, the material and then He breathe into it the breath of life, and the combination of the organic with the power of breath of God. By the way, that word breath there, it means the Spirit. He breathed into him a spirit life, becomes a living soul. Now, when any creature dies, you got the reverse of creation.
You've got in Ecclesiastes, it says, "The Spirit returns to God who gave it and the elements, the dust returns to the earth." You remember God said to Adam, "Dust you are and to dust you'll return." At that point, you might say, the soul ceases to be a soul, you can say the soul is dead, until the resurrection. Now some churches have tried to create a limbo or a purgatory or this sort of a waiting room where you're disembodied spirits until the resurrection. Bible doesn't really-- it's a stretch to teach that. The Bible doesn't teach that there is souls that are floating around disembodied.
Jim: Yes, that's not biblical.
Doug Batchelor: Yes. Jesus said, we sleep, and sleep is usually because you're unconscious, you sleep until the resurrection.
Jim: Very good.
Doug Batchelor: That's why all the old grades used to say RIP, rest in peace. The old Christians understood that you sleep until the resurrection morning. Another reason is, why would a disembodied soul go to heaven or hell before the judgment, and the judgment is still in the future?
Jim: Correct.
Doug Batchelor: That all ahead of us. Hey, we have a great study guide on this, I'll be happy to send you, Jim. It's called Are The Dead Really Dead? It talks about the soul and death and the very things we're talking about. You or anybody out there, if you'd like to better understand what the Bible says about the subject of death and the soul and the spirit and the resurrection and the judgment, we will send you that study guide, Are The Dead Really Dead.
Now, that's an important study guide because some people think after folks die, they turn into ghosts that go around and haunt, the Bible says that is not true. Everyone's preoccupied with ghosts these days and spirits and talking to their dead relatives. Bible says that is forbidden. We shouldn't be involved in mediums and trying to do that. It's good for everyone who believes the Bible to understand what does happen when you die. By the way, there's about 100% death rate in the world and you might want to know what's ahead.
If you'd like that study guide, then just call 800-835-6747, we'll send one to you. Or you can download it at amazingfacts.org, and that's free.
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Voiceover 3: Throughout recorded history, tales of ghosts and spirits can be found in folklore in nearly every country and culture. Egyptians built pyramids to help guide the spirits of their leaders, Rome sanctioned holidays to honor and appease the spirits of their dead. Even the Bible tells of a king that used a witch to contact the spirit of a deceased prophet. Today, ancient folklore of spirits and apparitions have gone from years ago superstitions to mainstream entertainment and reality. Scientific organizations investigate stories of hauntings and sightings trying to prove once and for all the existence of ghosts.
Even with all the new film technology and centuries of stories all over the world, there is still no clear cut answer. So how do we know what's true? Why do these stories persist? Does it even matter? We invite you to look inside and find out for yourself. Visit deathtruth.com.
Voiceover 2: Every Bible question you have answered moves you one step closer to the fullness of God's will for your life. What are you waiting for? Get the answers you need for a fuller, richer, more confident life. You're listening to Bible Answers Live. This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. If you'd like answers to your Bible related questions on the air, please call us next Sunday between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM Pacific Time. To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this evening's program, call 800-835-6747. Once again, that's 800-835-6747. Now, let's join Pastor Doug Batchelor for more Bible Answers Live.
Doug Batchelor: All right. We're going to take the question here from Crystal in- how do you say it? Intravenous, Florida? Inverness
Crystal: Inverness.
Doug Batchelor: Inverness, Florida, sorry.
Crystal: Yes.
Doug Batchelor: Your question tonight.
Crystal: The Bible says that Joshua was Moses' minister and he went up the mountain same as Moses did when he got 10 commandments.
Doug Batchelor: Right.
Crystal: I want to know did Joshua fast 40 days and 40 nights same as Moses?
Doug Batchelor: That's a good question. I did a sermon series on Joshua, you can actually listen to that on YouTube or download it for free. I came to the conclusion Joshua must have brought some food up there with him. He must have made occasional trips down the mountain, went up and he waited. Because when the people made the golden calf, Joshua met Moses somewhere along the way, Joshua did not know what was happening in the camp.
So Joshua wasn't up there right with Moses when he was talking to God and he wasn't at the base. Joshua was something of what you would call a medium, he was in between, which is interesting because the name Joshua is the same as the name Jesus and Jesus is a mediator, He goes between us and God. I think he probably took some food up there with him.
Crystal: The reason I was thinking that he probably did fast it's because he maybe he's getting ready to take Moses's place and he was one of the two that didn't want to [crosstalk].
Doug Batchelor: He didn't get discouraged. That's right. He's one of the good spies.
Crystal: No, he didn't get discouraged and he was being prepared to take Moses's place, that's why I thought maybe he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights.
Doug Batchelor: You may have a point there. Hey, we're going to have to just-- we're going to have to call this off right now Crystal because we're heading into a break that I can't control. I thank you for your phone call and take a look online-
Crystal: Thank you.
Doug Batchelor: -for the series on Joshua, I think you'll be blessed by that. Hey, listening friends, not going away. We're just going to get a drink of water and have station ID. Be right back.
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Doug Batchelor: Okay, friends, let's start with the basics. We know we're here, but we're not here for very long. So the most important thing would be if we could learn during this life, how to live forever. This is the central focus of amazing facts. There's a lot of wonderful things that Christian ministries do. I believe in Christian education, but if the schools lose the message of salvation, you end up with more educated sinners.
I think it's very important for us to build churches, but if the churches lose the message of salvation, they just become buildings and shells. I think it's important to have a medical ministry and build hospitals, but if they separate that from the message of salvation, you just prolong your sinner's life for a little while. That's why for years Amazing Facts has made it our focus to present the saving truth that sets people free. Friends, we want to thank you for your support and your gifts. We'll do our very best to convert those resources into the currency of heaven.
May God bless you and keep Amazing Facts in your prayers.
Voiceover 3: Want to know God's plan for our world and solutions for your life's challenges? Beautifully redesigned, Amazing Facts 27 Bible study guides provide encouraging Bible based answers to questions on healthier relationships when Jesus will return and much more. Prefer to watch while you read, our brand new Prophecy Encounters DVD series makes the perfect companion set. Order your study guides and DVDs today by visiting afbookstore.com or by calling 800-538-7275.
Voiceover 2: Every Bible question you have answered, moves you one step closer to the fullness of God’s will for your life. What are you waiting for? Get answers you need for a fuller, richer, more confident life. You’re listening to Bible Answers Live. This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. If you like answers to your Bible-related questions on the air, please call us next Sunday between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM Pacific Time. To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this evening’s program, call 800-835-6747. Once again, that’s 800-835-6747. Now, let’s join Pastor Doug Batchelor for more Bible Answers Live.
Doug Batchelor: Welcome back listening friends to Bible Answers Live. If you tuned in somewhere along the way, this is a live international, interactive Bible study and we’re coming to you from- where are we? Rocklin, California. If you want to call in with your question, it’s 800-463-7297. That’s 800-GOD-SAYS. We’re going to go back to the phones talk to Leone from Rochester, New York.
Leone: Hi Pastor Batchelor, how are you?
Doug Batchelor: Good. Thank you for calling.
Leone: My question has to do with Ephesians 6:2, which says honor thy father and thy mother, also Ephesians 5:31 which says that we’re supposed to-- husband and wife are to leave father and mother and cleave onto another and they should be one flesh.
Doug Batchelor: Yes. What specifically are you wondering about those two verses? Leone did you bump your mute button? I see Leone is still here but I’ll tell you what I heard you read the verses. Let me do my best to give you an answer. Of course, we should honor our parents, but that doesn’t mean you violate the Bible principle in doing it. If heaven forbid that your parents were asking you to do something that was immoral or wrong, you should not do that. First of course, we want to honor our father in heaven.
Of course, the Bible says honoring your father and mother, it's the first commandment with promise. That promise is that your days will be long upon the land which the Lord your God gives you. It’s interesting that some of the nations of the world that show the greatest respect for their ancestors, many of the Asian countries also have the longest life expectancies. So God does still honor his Word. Leone, I don’t know why. Let me try you one more time here.
Leone: Yes.
Doug Batchelor: You’re there Leone? I think I got you back.
Leone: The question specifically was because my mother does not want to have anything to do with my wife and my child, but she still wants to be able to talk to me and have a relationship with me. I guess I wanted to know how do I honor her without dishonoring my wife? In that way where she doesn’t want to have anything to do with her?
Doug Batchelor: That is difficult. Well, first of all, I would talk to your wife and say, "W got a difficult situation here. I want to try to maintain a relationship with my mother." Now there may be limits on that relationship because of what’s happening. At the same time, of course, you want to honor and love your wife. Hopefully, you guys can have a meeting of the minds where maybe there’ll be times where you go and you meet and visit with your mother. It may not be as often as she would like or as often as you would like but until there’s some reconciliation, you might have to be a mediator between the two.
Leone: Okay, I understand.
Doug Batchelor: You need to get to a point where you just say, "All right mom well, because you and my wife you just can’t get along, I’m not going to talk to you again." You certainly don’t want to separate from your wife because of your mother because you’re one flesh now.
Leone: Right. Exactly.
Doug Batchelor: You got a covenant on that side. It is difficult. I’ve run into that before. I’ve seen it before where it happens with parents and stepchildren and children where one family member can talk to the kids and the other- they can’t talk to one of the parents. The one who is the peacemaker-- the Bible blesses the peacemakers, they have to go back and forth between the two.
Leone: I understand. So I just basically have to do my best. [crosstalk]
Doug Batchelor: Yes, exactly. It’s tough. Yes, be like Jesus.
Leone: Okay.
Doug Batchelor: Hey, thank you. Thank you, Leone. I appreciate your call. All right. Talking to Amanda in Raleigh, North Carolina. Amanda, you are on the air.
Amanda: I am?
Doug Batchelor: You are on the air, yes. If you’ve got a radio or something in the background, you may want to turn it down. Your question tonight?
Amanda: Hi, Pastor Doug, I’m a big fan. My question is were dinosaurs created by God or Satan?
Doug Batchelor: Well, when you say dinosaur, that’s a broad term. We typically think of the Jurassic Park monsters. A dinosaur was just any great reptile and there are large reptiles in the world today. Everything from the Komodo dragon to alligators. They got crocodiles in the Nile that are ginormous. They can take down a wildebeest or a zebra. Before the flood, not only were reptiles much bigger, but mammals were huge. Giant saber-toothed tigers and mastodons. There are sloths and beavers that were like 13-feet tall.
I’ve seen with my own eyes the rack of moose that were longer than a moose is today. A lot of the animals including the reptiles shrank. Did God make them? Yes. Was there some maybe interbreeding or amalgamation that was going on before the flood? Perhaps. God I’m sure made a lot of animals that did not survive. Some of the animals look pretty fierce, but a lot of the dinosaurs from what we can tell through paleontology, they are vegetarians. Yes, Brontosaurus and a lot of- the biggest of the dinosaurs were probably all vegetarians from what we can tell.
Amanda: Were they in the ark?
Doug Batchelor: Yes, but keep in mind when God told Noah to welcome two of each species, he didn’t say they had to be full grown. He could have taken nitty bitty dinosaurs. A dinosaur egg is about the size of a briefcase for the big ones. I’m sure if God said take two of every major species, he took two of every major species. Keep in mind when God said take two of everything, Noah did not take of all the different dogs in the world today. Noah did not take two German shepherds and two puddles, and two beagles, and two chihuahuas, and two Afghans, and two Labradors.
They have all descended from the same ancestors. Noah probably took two dogs, like two wolf-like dogs and all the other dogs are bred from those two dogs. When you say dinosaurs, he didn’t need to take all the different varieties. He needed to take two of the main kinds. Does that make sense?
Amanda: Yes.
Doug Batchelor: He didn’t need to take all the subspecies. All the cats in the world today are related. Lions and tigers, and leopards, and mountain lions, they are all related. Anyway, yes, I think God did make great reptiles. The Bible even talks about the leviathan. It also talks about the behemoth. There were some big creatures. Hope that helps. By the way, Amanda, Amazing Facts carries a- it’s a comic Bible study. It’s actually got illustration so I call it that, and talks about the dinosaurs. If you look at the Amazing Facts website, you will see that there. Thank you for your call. I move on now talk to Roger who’s calling from- is it Arvada, Colorado?
Roger: Yes.
Doug Batchelor: Hi, you are on the air Roger. Your question?
Roger: Yes. In revelation 13:18, is it the same as the little horn in Daniel?
Doug Batchelor: All right. Let’s go there really quick. Revelation 13:18. Well, [crosstalk] powers-- Well, let me see here. Yes. The beast power. Revelation chapter 13:18 where it says this number is like the number of a man. That’s the same beast power you’re going to find there in Daniel 7:25 where it says "he thinks to change times and laws." You got the same beast power in Daniel 8. Daniel actually has four visions that talk about these different powers. You got Daniel chapter 2, Daniel 7. Daniel 8 and then you got 10 through 12 which is pretty much a distinct vision.
Eight and nine go together. All of those, the last power that they talk about is the beast power. I think you’ve got your radio on at the background Roger. You’re going to have to turn that down because you’ll get confused by the delay. Does that make sense?
Roger: Yes. It does.
Doug Batchelor: I’ve got a study. I can send you on that. It’s absolutely free. It talks about Who is the Antichrist? If you’d like a free copy, not just you Roger, but anybody listening out there, if you’d like a free copy of the Amazing Facts study guide on what the Bible says about who is the Antichrist, you can call, we’ll send you a copy, you can do it yourself. That’s 800-835-6747 or go to the website. That’s amazingfacts.org. In fact, you can probably go and watch my presentation on who the Antichrist is. What you got to do these days is just do YouTube Doug Batchelor Antichrist and probably two or three sermons will pop up.
You can go to the Amazing Facts YouTube page and you'll find out more there. Thank you, appreciate your call, Roger. Moving on to Don in Brandon, Florida. Don, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Don: Hello. My question is, could you give me a clear distinction between Hebrews, Jews and Israelites?
Doug Batchelor: That's a brilliant question. I'm glad you asked that question, no one ever asked it before. As a Jew, I'll do my best to answer that for you. A Hebrew is a descendant from Abraham. The descendants of Ishmael and the other children Abraham had by Keturah were all called Hebrews. They believe that it dates back to one of the ancestors called [unintelligible 00:40:44]. The word Hebrew means, "crossed over." Because Abraham left [unintelligible 00:40:51] and he crossed the great river Euphrates, they were referred to the people that crossed over. Remember, Joseph is called a Hebrew.
Now, Israelites, they are the descendants of Jacob. You can be a Hebrew and be related to Esau, but you're not an Israelite because you're not coming from Jacob. To be an Israelite you have to be descendent of Jacob, whose name was later changed to Israel. The word Jew is a derivative of the word, "Judah", because after Babylon carried the tribe of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi to captivity, they came back. Most of the Israelites were carried off to Assyria, many of them intermarried and never did came back.
The tribe of Judah then re-inhabited the land of Israel, but the word Jew also encompasses descendants from the tribe of Levi, Benjamin. Now, any of those from Assyria that are remnants of the 10 tribes, they call themselves Jews now, but the word comes from the tribe of Judah. That's a great question and I'm glad you asked it. You're the first one. Does that make sense?
Don: It's still a little confusing because it seems like the lines of distinction have been blurred over the years, especially over the Jews. I mean are they religion [crosstalk]?
Doug Batchelor: Well, they are. Every Jew is also a Hebrew, and he's also an Israelite, because the Jews are from the tribe of Judah, but it was possible to be a Hebrew and not be a Jew. Anyone related to Abraham was a Hebrew. You can also be an Israelite and not technically a Jew. If you're from the tribe of Issachar, well, you're not a Jew from the tribe of Judah, but they adopted the name. I've got a book I can send you on that for free, it's called Spiritual Israel, it gives a little history of Israel. All you've got to do is call 800-835-6747, Don. Ask for that book on Spiritual Israel or you can download it for free at amazingfacts.org.
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Doug Batchelor: Have you ever wondered, how can I share Jesus with my Jewish friends? Amazing Facts has recently produced a fascinating three-part DVD series called Is Jesus Kosher for Jews? In these new programs, three Jews, Steve Wohlberg, Jeff Zaremsky and myself, relate our personal encounter with a Christian faith. Pick up a copy today for yourself and share one with your Jewish friends. Call 800-538-7275 or visit us at afbookstore.com to get yours.
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This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. If you'd like answers to your Bible-related questions on the air, please call us next Sunday between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM Pacific Time. To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this evening's program call 800-835-6747. Once again, that's 800-835-6747. Now, let's join Pastor Doug Batchelor live for more Bible Answers Live.
Doug Batchelor: Talking next to Phil, calling from Old Bethpage, New York. Phil, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Phil: Yes, thanks for taking my call. Could you hear me okay?
Doug Batchelor: Loud and clear.
Phil: Great. My question is this, before I ask the question, I want to preface it with a statement so it's not misunderstood. I have a very high regard for Evangelicals in general and for you personally, and I don't want this question to be misinterpreted. My question goes like this, I was watching a movie about Jesus quite some time ago, and during the sermon on The Mount, someone asked him what I thought was a good question said, "Rabbi, if you are who they say you are, why don't you get rid of the Romans?" And I thought that was a good question.
Sometimes people say, even evangelicals, maybe the Jewish didn't do the right thing by Jesus, but you never hear the other side of that coin. You know what I'm saying?
Doug Batchelor: Right. You heard my answer to the previous caller? I am Jewish.
Phil: I did not, I'm sorry.
Doug Batchelor: Well, I am a Jewish Christian. I grew up in New York City. So, I appreciate where you're coming from there. Even the apostles- they were all Jewish, the apostles said to Jesus after he rose from the dead, "Will you, at this time, establish the kingdom? Are you going to conquer the Romans and reassert yourself on the throne of David?" They were wondering what was taking Jesus so long, and Jesus had to explain them, he said, "Look, my kingdom is not of this world" He said, "If my kingdom was of this world, my servants would fight" that's what he told Pontius Pilate.
He was accused by his enemies, they said, "You're trying to make yourself a king," he said, "Not that kind of King. My kingdom is going to cover the world, the Messiah is going to be much bigger than just the king of one country. I'm going to be king of the world." So he said, "It's a spiritual kingdom". When Jesus began preaching, he said, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand". Christ's message was to save us from the tyranny of sin. He was saying-
Phil: Enough from the tyranny in Rome.
Doug Batchelor: Yes, exactly. He knew Rome would fall, but the Jew is still alive, ancient Rome is gone, people don't speak Latin anymore. The Babylonians? The Jews survive Babylon, the Babylonians are gone. The Egyptians, ancient Egyptians don't exist, the people living there now, they can't read the hieroglyphics.
Phil: Reminds me very much of an essay written by Mark Twain. It's almost exactly parallel to that.
Doug Batchelor: Yes, Mark Twain actually visited Israel in his journey around the world. Well, you've got the right idea, it's the kingdom. You would enjoy my book, I'd love to send you a free copy, if that's okay, Phil. It's called Spiritual Israel. Call this number, if you can write it down, 800-835-6747. I'll give it to you again, 800-835-6747 or just go to amazingfacts.org and download Spiritual Israel written by myself and Steve Wohlberg, another fellow Jewish Christian. Thank you for your call, Phil. I'm going to try and get a couple more in. Talking to Bill in Champaign, Illinois. Bill, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Bill: Hi, thanks for taking my call. Okay, starting with the book of Matthew, chapter 19:1 "And it came to pass, and when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came onto the border of Judea, beyond the Jordan, and great multitudes followed him and he healed them there." Verse three, "The Pharisees also came under him, testing or tempting him and saying unto him, "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?" And he answered and said unto them, "Have you not read, that He, who made them at the beginning, made them male and female? and said, 'For this cause shall a man leave father, and mother and shall cleave to his wife and they two shall be one flesh.'"
Here's the question. They say in him, "Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?" and he says unto them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts permitted you to put away your wives, but from the beginning, it was not so." That means divorce should not be period. Sounds like Jesus is abjectly and totally against divorce.
Doug Batchelor: There's some laws that God made in the Bible that were not part of God's perfect will. God never intended for people to enslave one another, but in the culture, back in the days of Moses, everyone had slaves. So God made laws to treat the slaves kindly and with fairness and like keeping the Sabbath and other things. It was never God's law for a man to have more than one wife, but it was prevalent, and so God made laws about treating people fairly.
It was never God's law for people to divorce, never His will, but because of the hardness of their hearts, he made laws about that. You'll find a number of places where you're right, it's not God's will for anyone to divorce.
Bill: Here's my point, sir. I had no idea about this. Actually, no Christian should ever get a divorce even though it's legal.
Doug Batchelor: Jesus said that there is-- For a Christian, he says there is one reason for divorce and that is, he says the cause of fornication. He says that in Matthew chapter five. Jesus said, "No one should divorce saving for the cause of fornication." In other words, if a man leaves his wife and he goes off with another woman, he's broken the vow, she's then free.
Bill: Okay, so there is at least one reason that Jesus says fornication, okay.
Doug Batchelor: Yes.
Bill: This whole business of no-fault divorce, or abuse, or anything else, according to Scripture, no way. Fornication, maybe, but that's it. I'm just blown away by this, that's all.
Doug Batchelor: Yes, thank you Bill. You're seeing what a lot of people are seeing too late that it was never God's will for people to treat the covenant of marriages to be a sacred eternal thing. I performed a lot of marriages and we usually say, "Until death do you part." Thank you very much, Bill. I do have a book. If you'd like a free copy, it's called Marriage, Divorce, & Remarriage dealing with our exact topic. You can call Amazing Facts, just call 800-835-6747 and you can ask for that book, Marriage, Divorce & Remarriage. Talking next to-- I got time for maybe one more question here. May, in Tampa, Florida. May, are you there?
May: Yes.
Doug Batchelor: You got a question?
May: Yes. Hi. I was wondering, so I know that we as sons and daughters of God are saved by grace. How do you know that in the end times you won't be deceived, because you can study lots of prophecy and you can study the Bible as much as you want, but there's still maybe that potential that you may be deceived in the end time. So how do you make sure that you know enough or how do you know that you won't be deceived in the end time?
Doug Batchelor: Well, the way that Jesus avoided deception of the devil is through the Word of God, he quoted the word to the devil. The Bible tells us in Isaiah chapter eight, I believe it's verse 16," According to the law, and the testimony," that's the law on the prophets, the Word of God. "If they speak not, according to this word, there's no light in them. The word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path." If you know the Bible, it's the genuine, you will spot the counterfeit. If you spend time in the Word and you spend time in prayer with Jesus, you're going to know the true and be able to tell the truth from the false.
Boy, that is the very best thing you can do to avoid deception in the last days is study for yourself. Don't just drink in what some pastor like myself is saying, all kinds of preachers are on Television and radio and they can deceive you. You need to know for yourself by being acquainted with God's teaching in the Word, you don't have to have a doctorate in theology to understand the Bible.
May: How important is it to also study other stuff other than the Bible? Like this, perhaps, say the Ellen G. White books because my parents are [unintelligible 00:53:38] on those books and I'm just wondering, should we be studying those books besides the Bible and I just don't know--
Doug Batchelor: There's nothing wrong with studying other good Christian books. The main thing is all those books must be measured by the Bible. I for one have found that the things that Ellen White says are just phenomenal, and I've been very encouraged and inspired by it. There's other good Christian authors, I read some of the great commentaries. You can read things by John Wesley and Martin Luther. Sometimes it's like when you eat a watermelon, you eat the melon, and you spit out the seeds, right?
You just have to-- How do you know that there's seeds? You say, "Wait, that ain't melon." Well, when you're reading other Christian authors, if you find anything that doesn't match with the Bible, well, you just get rid of that, but they'll still be a lot of good stuff there. Read the Word. I'm going to see if I could squeeze in-- I don't know if I'm going to have time to squeeze in another question. May, if you're still listening, please call and sign up for the free Bible study guide that I offer tonight.
The Amazing Facts Bible study guides, if you call that number 800-835-6747, they'll send you the first few lessons, you do those you will know your Bible, and you'll know how to resist temptation in the last days, you will not be deceived. That's why the Amazing Facts Bible study course has been a best seller for about 35 years and we've just completely redone the lessons. One more time, anyone who would like to sign up for the Amazing Facts study guides, 800-835-6747.
I see a few people lined up. All right, Chris, we got one minute. Are you on the air Chris? Chris in Chicago, Illinois. Are you there? Chris you may be-- All right. Well, Chris is not picking up. Hey, listening friends, I want to just remind you that so much of what we offer is available through amazingfacts.org. We have a brand new website. If you've not been to the Amazing Facts' website in the last couple of weeks, you're going to be refreshed and surprised when you see it. It's very easy to navigate. It's attractive. It's got some video right there in the opener.
Just go to amazingfacts.org and we have a brand new Amazing Facts app. It's been approved. It's on the Apple phones now. It'll be going live on Samsung. It might be live now, I haven't checked lately. The Amazing Facts app, you just go to your app store and you type in Amazing Facts ministry. Go to the store Amazing Facts ministry download the app. It'll tell you when there's exciting things happening and a lot more besides that. God bless you friends, and remember, Jesus is the truth.
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