Doug Batchelor: Hello, listening friends. Welcome to Amazing Facts. What do you like to hear? An amazing fact. On June 4, 1923, Jockey Frank Hayes, who had never won a race before, took off through the gates of Belmont Park on Long Island. The horse he was riding that day was a 20 to one long shot called Sweet Kiss. Incredibly, he and the outsider horse made it to the finish line first, but all was not well. Evidently in the middle of the race, Frank Hayes had a heart attack and died, but somehow he stayed in the saddle. His death was not even discovered until the race officials came to congratulate him and his lifeless body dropped out of the saddle. In spite of this, Frank and Sweet Kiss were declared the winners.
Some speculated the fatal heart attack might have been brought on by his extreme efforts to lose 12 pounds to qualify for the race. Others thought the shock was that he was actually winning and it brought on a heart attack. The horse Sweet Kiss was re-nicknamed Sweet Kiss of death and no jockey ever rode her in a race again. Friends, the Bible says that the christian life is a race you can only win by dying first. Stay with us. We're going to learn more on this edition of Bible answers live.
Speaker ??: You're listening to a 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 and our co-host Pastor John Ross.
Doug: Welcome listening friends to Bible answers live and if you have any Bible-related question, we invite you to give us a call. The number free phone call, 800 God says that's 800 463 72971. One more time calling 800 463 72971. That'll bring your Bible question or questions about living the Christian life into our studios here in Sacramento, California. Want to welcome our friends who may be watching on Facebook right now. We've been streaming on a very high tech telephone the last few weeks and we've just expanded our audience quite a bit. You want to see the Facebook post, you can simply go to Doug Batchelor's Facebook page, and we'll be streaming that there. Pastor Ross, how are you doing?
John Ross: Doing well Pastor Doug. Let's start the program with a prayer. Dear Father in heaven, we thank you once again that we have this opportunity to study your word and want to ask a special blessing as we search the scriptures. Be with those listening, Lord. We pray for your leading in Jesus name, amen.
Doug: Amen.
Ross: Well, Pastor Doug, you open the program with a very interesting fact. We're talking about it before the program. Here is a horse that one, but in the process, it's rider died. [chuckles] It's a strange thing that they never rode the horse again. Apparently it was a good horse. It won the race, but they must have been enough I don't know whether it was fear, or whatever it was, but they never rode it again. It never won a race at least not with a rider on it.
Doug: People involved in horse races believe a lot in luck. They probably thought this is an unlucky horse and no jockey [laughs] I wanted to get back on Sweet Kiss, who was renamed sweet kiss of death. It's the only time and this is in the Guinness Book of World Records that a rider won a horse race while dead. What's even more incredible, I didn't mention this was not the typical track race, this was a staple race of the horse was jumping over ditches and hedges and fences. Somehow he was just clinging to the reins when he died and had a heart attack. They don't know, but he somehow finished the race dead. One of all things, the first time he ever won, that's so sad.
I couldn't help, but think of a paradox in the Bible that is similar in that the Christian life is a battle you only win through surrender. The only way you can really live as a Christian life is by dying first. Jesus tells us that whoever comes after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. Psycho being crucified with Christ, like Ecclesiastes 2:20, Paul said, "I die daily. Were born again every day, but we need to die to self." Paul talks about that race. He wrote in 2 Timothy 4: six and seven, just before he was executed by Nero. He said, "I am already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure is at hand. I fought a good fight. I have finished the race and I've kept the faith."
Again, Paul was someone who said, I die daily. He finished the race and he says, "I've won. There's laid up for me, a crown which the righteous judge will give me." Jesus said on Luke 9:24, "Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel will save it." Friends if you want to be a winner, and if you want to really live, then you need to understand what it means to surrender yourself. We have a very important book. If you've not read this before you should get it, read it and share it. We're going to make available for free tonight.
Ross: The book is entitled, The Surrender of Self. That is a free gift to anyone who will give us a call and just ask for it. Again, the book is called The Surrender of Self and the number to call is 800-835-6747. That is our resource phone line. Ask for the book, The Surrender of Self and we will be happy to send it to anybody in North America. Again, the number is 800-835-6747. If you have a Bible question, our phone line here to the studio is 800 463 7297. That's 800 463 7297. That will bring you right here into the studio with your Bible question. Well, Pastor Doug, I think we're ready to go to the phone lines. Our first call that we have is Michael listening in Washington. Michael, welcome to the program.
Doug: Hi, welcome.
Michael: Good evening brother, Doug and brother John. How are you?
Doug: Great. Thank you for calling. Your question?
Michael: The question is when Jesus comes with His kingdom to earth, what happens to heaven?
Doug: Well, when we think of heaven, there's three words that are translated heaven in the Bible. One word translated Heaven is talking about the atmosphere around the earth. The Bible will talk about the birds in heaven and the clouds in heaven. Another way the word heaven is used, it talks about the sun, moon, stars, and space. The third heaven, Paul says, "I was caught up to the third heaven." He is talking about the dwelling place of God. That heaven doesn't cease to be heaven. Jesus said, "I've gone to prepare a place for you. I will come receive you unto myself." This is John 14. "That where I am, you might be also."
He's coming to, the dead in Christ will rise, the living are transformed, given glorified bodies, and He brings us back to heaven into the mansion He's prepared. I'm not sure what do you mean, what will happen to heaven? Do you think because it's vacated for a few minutes?
Michael: Is there going to be like, an empty space or an empty void or something up in heaven? [laughs]
Doug: There's an interesting verse in Revelation. Pastor Ross probably remembers where it says there's silence in heaven for about the space of half an hour. Angels in heaven are always praising God. You read in Isaiah, they're saying, holy holy holy. The reason that it would be silent in heaven is because Christ has come to the earth to whether it says He's coming with all the angels. That would make heaven silent.
Ross: Yes. Revelation 8:1.
Doug: Yes. It's definitely it's real Christ is coming. Heaven will not stop being heaven, but all of heaven is going to be involved in a victorious parade bringing the redeemed back into the city of God. You can also read more about that in Revelation 21 when it talks about the New Jerusalem. We have a free offer will make available to you Mike and anyone who wants about Him and it's called The heaven is it for real?
Ross: The number to call for that is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide called Heaven is it for real? The answer is, yes. Heaven is very real. Get the study guide and learn all about it in a number of Bible verses in there. I think anyone who gets it will enjoy it. The number again is 800-835-6747. Our next caller that we have is Ron listening in Canada. Ron, welcome to the program.
Ron: Hi there, Pastor Doug and Pastor John.
Ross: Hey, Ron. Thanks for calling me.
Ron: You're welcome. I was wondering, I believe in the Godhead, God the Father, God the son, and God the Holy Spirit, but this antitrinitarian doctrine seems to be so prevalent nowadays in our church. I was wondering about a couple of verses that they throw at us. One was 1 Corinthians 8:6 and another passage was Mark 12:29-32. I was wondering if you could help explain those for me.
Doug: Yes. Let's start with 1 Corinthians 8:6. It says, "Yet for us, there is one God the Father, of whom are all things and we for Him, one Lord Jesus Christ, through Him all things, and through Him, we live." Well, first of all, when it says, one God that shouldn't trouble us because Moses, I think Paul here is just quoting the great Shamah where Moses says, "Hear oh Israel, the Lord our God is one." The word one biblically is not talking about numerical quantity and it's talking about unity.
Now when it says, one God and father, sometimes the Bible seems to interchange that Jesus is our creator and Jesus is our father in the sense that you look in Isaiah, it said, "For unto us a child is born and unto us a son is given and his name shall be called wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the Prince of peace. If all things were made by Christ, then in that sense he's our creator. I wouldn't think that the Godhead falls on this verse.
Ross: It's interesting, the verse you're referring to, the 1st Corinthians is referenced or it's a quote from Malakai chapter 2:10 where it says, "Have we, not all one father? Has not one God created us?" Well, you realize when you study the creation accounting Genesis, it says, and God said, "Let us make man in our image." That of course in John it talks about "The word all things were made by him without him was not anything made that was made." Without a doubt, the father, son and the Holy Spirit, they're all part of the deity. They part of God. They are God. Each of them have the characteristics of divinity.
Doug: Now you had a second verse in Mark, I think you said?
Caller 1: Yes, Mark 12:29-32. I was also wondering if 1st Corinthians 8:6, if the punctuation is not necessarily inspired, if I could have something to do with the misunderstanding that verse.
Doug: Well, that's a good point that often happens with the Greek is those sentences can be carved up the wrong way with commas and periods that were not in the original. All right, let's go to Mark. You said, Mark. Chapter 29 or 12:29.
Caller 1: 12:29 to 32.
Doug: Yes. Here, of course, Jesus says the, "Fist of all the commandments is here Israel. The Lord, our God is one. Love the Lord with all your heart, the Lord God with all your heart, your soul, your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first and great commandment." I don't know why that would be any different than what we just talked about where-
Ross: Well, there is one interesting feature just to add to that. In the original Hebrew, there are different senses or one's in plural form the others in singular form for the word translated one. In other words, you have a plural form of one meaning it talks a husband and his wife shall become one. That's talking about the God the father, son and Holy Spirit. Its uses specifically Deuteronomy chapter 6:4 where it says the Lord thy God is one. It's in the plural form. It's giving you idea that it's talking about one in purpose not necessarily one in numerical value.
Doug: Also when Jesus prays in John 17, he's prays that the apostles or 12 of them might be one. He suggests that the father and I are one. That I think is a very telling passage and John does more to explain the deity of Christ than probably any of the gospel writers. Hey, I really appreciate your question and you may have seen the book. We have a book called the Trinity. Is it biblical? We'll send you a free copy if you would like that. You can just go to our website if you'd like and look at it right now there or and that's amazing facts.org or you can order it on the phone.
Ross: Yes. Just call the number 800-835-6747. You're going to ask for the book called the Trinity. Is it biblical? Our next caller that we have is Sebastian listening from-- It looks like Palm beach. Sebastian, welcome to the program.
Sebastian: Hey, Pastor Doug, and Pastor Ross. Good evening guys. Thanks for taking my call.
Doug: Thanks for calling.
Sebastian: My question tonight is on vegetarianism. I know that the original diet of Eden was a vegetarian diet. While I know it's not a sin to eat meat, I've recently been trying to adopt more of a vegetarian diet. However, I've been having some difficulty in maintaining it. I also go to the gym regularly, about four times a week and I was finding it hard to fuel my post-exercise workouts on a vegetarian diet. is there any tips or resources or books that you could direct me to that have some nutritional and tasty vegetarian recipes? Thank you.
Doug: All right. Hey, I appreciate your question on that. Now, 1st of all, we are not saying the Bible says you have to be a vegetarian, but it is true that the vegetarian diet was the original diet for Adam and it will, of course, be the diet in heaven. You will not have a Chick-fil-A or a burger King in heaven. Nothing will die. The animals will not even eat each other in heaven. You're on the right track there. One thing I'd mentioned, I heard you talk about in your workout you do some aggressive workouts and that's good. I can't count how many Olympic athletes and triathlon athletes and runners are vegetarian.
Not just vegetarian, many are vegan and they have found incredible endurance and strength. If you eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you get lots of protein. You get fruits. Depends on your jelly. It's not hard to get all that you need. I've been a vegetarian for what? 35 years now. Pastor Ross and I played racquetball today. I'm pretty fast for an old guy. You can get plenty of protein eaten.
Ross: Well, they say if you eat a lot of beans. There's a lot of protein in beans. Different types of grains. There's protein there. Actually, they say the way to absorb the protein is even better if you're going with more plant-based type of proteins.
Doug: Trying to think of a book. There's a book called, go-ahead-
Ross: I was just going to mention we do have a study guide. I don't think he gets specific into-- at least gives the biblical principles called God's free health plan.
Doug: There's another one called death in the kitchen. No, really. We have a book you can read it for free called death in the kitchen. It talks about some of the benefits of that. You can get both on our website.
Ross: You can leave them on that website or you can just call and ask. The number is (800) 835-6747. You can ask for the study guide called God's free health plan and the book with an intriguing title death in the kitchen. We'll be happy to send it to anybody who calls and asks.
Doug: All right, that should be good. We thank you for your question.
Ross: Next caller that we have, Nat from Charlotte, North Carolina. Matt, you there?
Matt: Hey guys, love your ministry. I don't drink I agree with you. It's pure weakness and besides my daughter who's on medication, she can never drink. I have to set a good example for her.
Doug: Good for you.
Matt: Thank you. That being said, I'm wondering how you reconcile the idea that new wine is just grape juice with Acts chapter 2:12 through 13.
Doug: All right, let me read this for our friends that might be wondering what that says. We try to be mindful. A lot of our listeners are in their vehicles and they can't always run to their Bible. "When they were filled with the Holy spirit and they all begin to speak other languages. Some of those listening are mocking and they said they are full of new wine, but Peter stands up and with the 11, he raises his voice and men of Judah. Let be known to you this day. We're not drunk as you suppose." In verse 15, Acts 2. "Since it's only the third hour of the day."
Now the very fact they said they're full of new wine is because that was a sarcastic answer. These are mocking. It says they're mocking. Sometimes people would be stumbling down the street in Jerusalem and someone say, "Have you been drinking?" They say, "No, no. It was new wine." They used to mock people and say, "You're full of new wine." They meant it really as a mock. Clearly new wine is not fermented. That's why Jesus said you do not put new wine and wineskins where you've had fermented wine because the fermented wine yeast then will activate and begin to ferment the new wine which is fresh grape juice and it expands and burst the skins.
The new wine is very clearly unfermented. There's no other way to describe unfermented wine in the Bible, but new wine I think the key to that verse is they're mocking and they are saying, new wine sarcastically. You still there?
Matt: Yes. You're basically saying if someone's speaking in tongues today and some are saying, "Well, you're full of grape juice." In a mocking way you're saying, "Well, the grape juice is just synonymous with wine and is still a mocking expression."
Doug: Well, no one would use that expression today. This was an expression of those times. There were only a few things you could drink. People who were often tipsy, they would tell it wasn't fermented, it was new wine. They used to mock others by saying, "You're full of new wine, but they meant it sarcastically." We don't use that expression today. When a person is speaking in tongues, we would never use the new wine expression. That was analogist to then. Hopefully, that makes sense. Then another example is Christ at the last supper, he said he gave them unfermented grape juice and he gave them unleavened bread and he said, "I will not drink of the fruit of the vine again until I drink it with you new in my father's kingdom.
"Even Christ, in heaven we're not going to be drinking alcohol. I have a book on this that I think will answer a number of questions and it's called the Christian and alcohol. I think I covered most of these points in that book.
Ross: To receive that just give us a call on the resource phone line. The number again is (800) 835-6747, you can ask for the book Alcohol and The Christian, we'll be happy to send that to anybody who calls and asks. You can also read it for free online those who are outside of North America. Just go to the Amazing Facts website, amazingfacts.org and you'll be able to read the book there as well. Our next call is Ronald listening from California, Lancaster, California. Ronald, welcome to the program.
Ronald: Good evening pastors, thank you for taking my call.
Doug: Thank you.
Ronald: I'm going to take you back on an earlier caller. I'm going to have a veggie tale for you [unintelligible 00:20:33]. We have a little in-house family debate, not a family feud. My in-laws, my wife's family they are vegetarians due to religious reasons and they were meat-eaters, they're carnivores. I'm hoping to solve this biblically they gave the scriptures in the book of Daniel, and that starts chapter 1:12-16 about how you wouldn't take king's delicacy so they had vegetables and they changed the countenance. They're telling me that that's biblical evidence that the vegetarian diet is biblical, and it's actually spiritual and if you eat meat versus being a vegetarian, you'll have a like an older looking countenance and you won't be able to be as spiritual as those that eat vegetables. That's what we're getting from them and when I read in the Bible, maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see anywhere where Jesus was a vegetarian.
Doug: All right, good point. First of all, Daniel one, it does say that when Daniel and his friends were given 10 days of testing and they asked for a vegetarian diet and of course, part of the reason they asked for that is not because Daniel was a vegetarian. When they were told they needed to eat from the Babylonian kitchen, that probably also included not only animals sacrificed to idols which they were uncomfortable with, but unclean animals that they were just forbidden to eat that it was called an abomination. To play it safe, he said, "Just give us a vegetarian diet," And he didn't want the king's wine either for obvious reasons.
At the end of that time, they were brighter when tested, they did have elasticity in their step, they look better. That chapter ends by saying Daniel lived, not only did he outlive Nebuchadnezzar and outlive Nebuchadnezzar's son and outlived Darrius, he lived until, I don't know, beginning of King Cyrus, I'm pretty sure it says. That is a good point there. I don't think that's the only point, I think some of the best arguments are not just in the Bible, in Genesis, where you know that's the original diet and in heaven, where we're going to eat from the tree of life, and all the animals are vegetarians, but I think there's plenty of scientific evidence that is in.
Pastor Austin went to a men's meeting today, Christian men's meeting and the doctor was talking to us and the doctor said, "The jury is in." If you want to reduce your chances of prostate cancer, eat a vegetarian diet. You just see an all of the evidence and the studies today. If a person eats a balanced vegetarian diet, they are going to be a lot less susceptible to a number of diseases, so there's benefits. Correct, Jesus was not a vegetarian and as I mentioned earlier, there's no Bible command that you must be vegetarian, there is a Bible command, if you're going to eat meat, do not eat the abominable meats that are described in the Bible and you'll be better off. That's a long meandering answer.
Ronald: I'm sorry.
Doug: Go ahead.
Ronald: I agree. They have nothing, but again, and we can agree on this and that's the whole debate is, it has nothing to do with my-- with our eternal destiny or where we're going to live in eternity. Like I said, Jesus Christ a risen Savior in a resurrected body said he was hungry he didn't ask for a tofu burger or some broccoli, he asked for meat and he was given broiled fish and honeycomb. Yes, you'll live a better life on Earth health wise, but as far as eternity has no bearing on that correct?
Doug: Well, whenever a person has light revealed to them, the Bible Promises if we walk in the light as he is in the light, his blood cleanses us from all sin. if a person learns new things that are better for their health if a person is convicted, I'm going to be healthier if do this or that, they'll be blessed, they follow that, whatever it is. That's not just talking about diet, sin is knowing to do good and not doing it. There are going to be people in heaven that had too many wives. I won't go to heaven if I start taking extra wives because I know better.
I don't want to get cornered into an answer that says, it doesn't matter what you eat or drink, because the Bible does say we can eat and drink to God's glory. You would also enjoy the lesson that we just offered to two callers previous on God's health plan.
Ross: Yes, we'll send it to you for free, it's called God's Free Health Plan. I think just to add to that a little bit pastor, the Bible is pretty clear that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We live in different places around the world and different cultures, but I think the principle that we find is we want to take care of ourselves the best that we can and utilizing the resources that are available, living, even eating to the glory of God. That's [unintelligible 00:25:25]. Ronald, we appreciate that, the next call that we have is Bob listening in Texas. Hi, Bob, we have about two minutes before the break.
Bob: Hello, Pastor Doug, hello pastor John, thank you for taking my call.
Doug: Thank you.
Bob: Quick question. I read in John 16 that before Jesus Christ to send it to heaven, he told his disciples, "It is to your advantage that I am going away, for if I do not go away, the Helper the Comforter will not come" talking about the Holy Spirit. My question is de imply that the Holy Spirit was either not there before that or had a different role before this and going back into the Old Testament times. Because I believe the Holy Spirit was there, because if you read Genesis 1 it says the Spirit of the Lord moved upon the face of the waters, but it just seems like there was something different.
Doug: There was. Yes, let me jump in and see if I can answer part of this, we're going to run out of time. The Holy Spirit obviously was there in the Old Testament as well. Because several people are filled with the Spirit of the Lord, but when Jesus ascended, he said, "Look, I can be with you all through the Spirit in a special way." Clearly at Pentecost, when he poured out the Holy Spirit, the baptism of the Spirit, there was a power there are varying degrees that the way that God the Spirit comes into us. When Christ ascended to heaven and his sacrifice was declared accepted and successful it basically paved the way for the Holy Spirit to come in a new fullness on the church and all people that haven't happened prior to that.
Friends, we're just going to take a break. You can hear the music chasing us into a corner here, but we're not going away. We'll be back with more questions in just about a minute and a half. Stay tuned and call we have a couple of lines open.
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Speaker ??: 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 podcast 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: Welcome back listening friends to Bible Answers Live and if you've tuned in somewhere along the way, this is a live international interactive Bible study. We're glad that you're listening on whatever station or you may be listening on the Doug Batchelor Facebook account. I want to greet our friends that are streaming. We do have several calls waiting and so we're going to get right to that. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Ross: My name is John Ross and our next caller is John, listening from looks like Virginia. John, welcome to the program.
John: Hey, thank you so much. Pastor John and Doug. Quick question. On for publicity contacts after we studied Daniel 2, she had mentioned that the stone represents not the second coming of Jesus, but the first coming of Jesus. What should I tell her? Or how to answer this question?
Doug: Yes, I think I've heard that before. But clearly when it talks about not just the iron, the Roman Empire is the iron in Daniel chapter two, but the stone doesn't come until you get the iron mixed with clay. That is the division of the Roman Empires. You get the 10 toes. That's symbolic of the 10 horns that you find in Revelation Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 17. It has to happen after the it's not the first coming of Christ when Rome was ruling the world. It's the second coming. The other reason we know it says all of the other kingdoms are pulverized and blown away. There are no other kingdoms competing.
When the stone strikes the image and it fills the whole earth, well, there are other kingdoms in the world right now. Christ hasn't come yet.
John: Okay. All right, thanks so much.
Doug: Thank you appreciate that. We do have a lesson we can send you it's called Bowing To Babel. No, it's called The Millennial Man. On Daniel chapter two. It's called The Millennial Man, and that will send you that.
Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the standard guide called The Millennial Man, talks about Daniel chapter two. Our next caller is Scott listening from Florida. Scott, welcome to the program.
Scott: Hey, welcome. Hey, Doug Batchelor. How you doing today, pastor Ross?
Doug: Doing good. Thanks.
Scott: It's a great show. I just want to tell you listening to it. I had a quick question at work. A couple of people had questions, the measurements on the ark in the times of Noah. Basically, what they were coming down to is they were trying to discuss with me, okay, if all the people in those times decided to jump on this ark, there wouldn't have been enough room. What is the feelings on that Biblically speaking?
Doug: Well, I think you're right. There probably wasn't enough cubic footage, or passenger space on the ark if everybody had said they believe. But the question is, was the world being destroyed because everybody believed it was the world being destroyed because the thoughts of men's hearts were only evil continually? The reason, if everyone starts believing, he didn't need to destroy the world. It's because most of the world had turned from God. So there was going to be a way of salvation made for those who would be willing to repent and it was presumed that would be the minority.
Yes, I agree. Probably there wasn't room for 100,000 people on the ark. There was certainly room for a lot more than eight.
Scott: I wish I were next to you in the studio with all these nutritional questions because we're doing a lot of nutrition, proteins, and things over here in North Lake Church. The little church in [unintelligible 00:34:01] with Pastor Graham and the rest of us will be here.
Doug: Good for you. Yes. Well, it's amazing how much Christians are now thinking more about their bodies. They're just realizing the Bible has a lot more to say than they thought. The reason God gave all these health laws to the Jews was not because it was all ceremonial. A lot of it was just practical health to help them live longer and thrive. All right, thank you for your question.
Ross: Our next caller that we have is Nahoth from Michigan, I believe. Nahoth, welcome to the program.
Nahoth: Thank you so much, Pastor. I am from Canada.
Ross: From Canada.
Doug: Okay.
Ross: Calgary, yes.
Nahoth: Yes. I have a question about Cain's wife. I really get a lot of question from unbelievers telling me like if God is real, and he created Adam and Eve, and he said that Adam and Eve they had only two sons. So, where they Cain get his wife because he sent him away? I also have a question about the special resurrection. If you don't mind, you can explain it to me.
Doug: Let's do them, one at a time. Okay?
Nahoth: Okay.
Doug: First, let's talk about Cain's wife. We get this question probably once a month. People reading through the Bible, the first big conundrum they come to, says Cain took his wife, where did she come from? There's only two boys that are mentioned. Well, you read on in Genesis 5, and it says Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters. They were procreating, and being productive and multiplying for probably 200 years at least and Cain took one of his sisters. There was nothing wrong with marrying your sisters in the early days of the world history.
There were no genetic problems. I like to remind people that Abraham married his half-sister, Sarah. He and Sarah had the same father. Jacob married his first cousin. Isaac married his first cousin. It wasn't that odd back then. The only reason really back when God made humanity, there's no problem to marry someone close to the family tree. Those are the only people. Cain grabbed one of the sisters when he ran off and started his own city.
Ross: The verse you referring to pastor Doug, is Genesis 5:4, it talks about Adam lived 800 years and he has sons and daughters.
Doug: Yes. I think I said Genesis 5, that's correct. Thank you. I appreciate. Your second question you said?
Nahoth: About the special resurrection, who will take part? Because in Revelation 1:7, they said like those who pierce him, they will see him and the Bible say that only those who will take part in the third resurrection are the righteous. How will they wake up and they are not among the righteous?
Doug: Well, the reason it's called the special resurrection is the ones who are partaking in the condemnation, the judgment, and the execution of Jesus, that were mocking him and doubting who he was, God is going to pull them out of the graves for a special resurrection. One, sense you might say they're getting raised twice, and they're dying three times. They can see the glory they were mocking and saying he wasn't the Son of God. He's going to say, "Well, look, you're going to see me come." He's going to raise them for that as a sign of special judgment.
Ross: You can actually really Matthew 26:64, where Jesus is standing before the high priest and finally the high priest says, I judge thee by the Most High, are you the Christ? Jesus then responds to him and says, "It is as you say." This is verse 64. "Nevertheless, I say to you hereafter, you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." Seeing that those are played a leading role in the crucifixion of Jesus, they're resurrected to see Jesus come. It's because they asked the question, are you the Christ? Give us proof. Give us evidence. Jesus said, "You will have evidence. You will see me coming again."
Doug: Very good. Hey, thank you for your question. Sure appreciate that. Who do we have next?
Ross: Next one is Joy listening in Kansas City. Joy, welcome to the program.
Joy: Well, hello, thank you. I'm a first-time caller. I've been listening to you all pre-recorded in Kansas City our local radio show.
Doug: Thank you.
Joy: I just have a couple of quick questions. Because you didn't talk a lot about diet, I thought there was a place in Isaiah near 50 that talked about the abomination when Jesus comes back you can't be eating it. I was hoping you could make it clear.
Doug: Yes. It's where he says the abomination in the mouth. Pastor Ross, is that Isaiah 66 or 65? I'm trying to remember. He's looking it up right now. You just type in the word Nelson. It'll probably come up there.
Joy: I don't have the internet, but I did look at my notes-
Doug: No, I'm saying Pastor Ross is looking it up for you. Yes, he's looking it for you right now.
Joy: Very good.
Doug: It says with fire and with a sword. The Lord will come and plead with all flesh and the slain of the Lord will be many in that day.
Ross: Yes, he's talking about Isaiah 66:17.
Doug: Correct. Yes, those that justify themselves and sanctify themselves in a garden eaten the abomination-
Ross: Swine's flesh and the abomination of the mouse.
Doug: Yes. Putting swine and mouse in the same category.
Joy: I tell people, Isaiah is actually prophetic book, even if it's in the Old Testament. Thank you very much. Then my primary question was with regard to the area in that book of I believe Revelation where it talks about the 10 commandments and the patience of the saints and they also have the Spirit of Prophecy. That was the primary thing.
Doug: Yes, you'll find it mentions in Revelation. Of course, it says, the last thing in the last chapter practically in Revelation 22. "Blessed are those that do His commandments, that they might have a right to the tree of life and enter through the gates of the city." In Revelation 12:17 it says, "The dragon is Roth with a woman and goes to make war with a remnant of her seed that keep the commandments of God and have this testimony of Jesus, which later is described in Revelation 19:10 as the Spirit of Prophecy. Then Revelation 14, what does it say? Blessed are those that keep His commandments.
Ross: Right, and have the faith of Jesus.
Doug: Faith of Jesus. Revelation is pretty clear that God expects his people not to obey the law to be saved, but because we do love Him and we are saved they will be an obedient people. A lot of talk these days about just believe and you can continue sending like everyone else, but the Bible doesn't teach that. God wants us to be victorious. Revelation says to him that overcomes, and the Lord wants us to grow in sanctification. Good questions. Now we do have a lesson that talks about this called Written in Stone.
Ross: That's right. We'll be happy to send that to anybody who has more questions on this. The number is 800-835-6747, you can ask for the study guide called Written in Stone.
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Doug: The next caller that we have is Mason listening from looks like Charlotte. Mason, welcome to the program.
Nathan: Nathan.
Doug: Nathan. All right. Thanks, Nathan for calling.
Nathan: Nathan from Charlotte, North Carolina. My question is about Revelation 13. Specifically, the 7 heads and the 10 horns. I'm curious about the 7 heads and the 10 horns and I'm also curious about the deadly wound and the dates of the deadly wound and the healing of the deadly wound.
Doug: All right, well, I don't know how to tell you this, but we got like a three minute budget per question. I won't be able to answer all that in three minutes. Let me take a stab at it. I'll start and then if we run out of time, please sign for our lesson on Who is the Antichrist? It describes most of what you're asking there.
Ross: Real before you answer that we do have a DVD called The Bride The Beast in Babylon and it gets right into these prophecies.
Nathan: I've seen that. I think I might have that other piece of material.
Doug: On the lesson. Good.
Nathan: I just wanted to know just specifically what the 7 heads and the 10 horns represent.
Doug: Well, when you get to Revelation 17 you see a woman sitting on a beast with seven heads and the angel interprets he says the seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits? Well, Rome is called the city of seven hills. They're also seven primary kingdoms that persecuted God's people in the Old Testament times. Well actually even through prophetic history. If you look in that study guide, it'll talk about that. Then you asked about the time period in the deadly wound. The time period when this beast power begins to rain most Protestants now friends, I'm going to say something I know it's going to generate some questions, but it's not just me.
It's Luther, Calvin, Spurgeon, Wesley, you name your favorite Protestant theologian they all read Revelation 17 and they said it described the church in Rome that they felt had become unfaithful to the word and was involved in idolatry and a lot of compromise. There was a time period when the church in Rome had strong political power. It really began when the Emperor Justinian gave the Pope of Rome an army to enforce his decrees in 538 AD. If you go three and a half prophetic years, or 1260 days and if a day equals a year, that's 1260 years, from 538 it comes to 1798 when the Catholic Church lost its power over Europe because Napoleon came into power.
He actually arrested the Pope and put him in prison and I think he died in captivity in violence, France. That deadly wound was healed and they came back and became a political power again, like back in 1928. That's why the pope just spoke to American Congress and United Nations and there's ambassadors that go to the Vatican because they are a political power. Now, that's a lot to swallow. That's why I knew we couldn't cover it all. Please do send for the lesson or look at the DVD online. Just type in Bride, Beast Babylon. I think we got one of our YouTube channels there's got 750,000 views on that one, YouTube, so it's been pretty popular. Who's next pastor Ross?
Ross: All right, the next caller that we have is Leanne listening in Florida. Leanne, welcome to the program.
Leanne: Hi, good night pastors Doug and pastor Ross.
Ross: Evening.
Leanne: My question is my husband had lunch with some of the church members and there was a couple there that that had mentioned that sabbath actually starts from dawn on Saturday to dawn on Sunday. He used verses like Matthew 28:1 and John 20:19 to make his point. I was wondering if you could explain those verses to me and to explain why the sabbath is not from dawn Saturday to dawn Sunday?
Doug: Okay, good question. It's pretty clear from a number of verses. You can look in the Old Testament and God said from even on the eve, you will celebrate your Sabbath. I think it's the Gospel of Mark it says and at sundown when the Sabbath ended and they wanted to get Jesus body off the cross Friday afternoon before the Sabbath. There's so many different places you can look at people came to Jesus after the sun went down to have their sick healed because they thought they weren't supposed to have them heal on Sabbath. Of course Christ never saw told them that, but it's just one more place where it shows they recognize the Sabbath began and ended at sundown.
Days in the Bible did not begin at sunrise. They began and they ended at sunset. We do have a study. Well, for one thing, we get a website that's got all these verses, and many more called sabbathtruth.com. Anyone out there listening, if you want to see just it's the best website out there that has information on the sabbath and the history of it. Just go to sabbathtruth.com and you'll see tons of scriptures there.
Leanne: Would you mind explaining Matthew 28:1 for me and John 20:19.
Doug: Yes. All right. Let's go to Matthew 28:1 and hang on here. That's, of course, talking about the resurrection. Now after the Sabbath as the first day the week began to dawn, where the Sabbath ended, sundown Saturday evening, and it says as the first day of the week began to dawn, first day would have been Sunday is talking about the sunrise. It's not saying the Sabbath ended at sundown, it's just saying Sabbath was passed. Now the first day the sun was coming up. The other one you wanted was?
Leanne: John 20:19.
Doug: Okay. John 20, verse 19. It says, in the same day at even being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut and the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, Jesus came. Well, that says, the sun is going down. Sunday afternoon, the first day is not over yet and was telling us it's around Twilight. That's when Christ appeared to them. It's the same day of the resurrection.
Leanne: Okay, thank you.
Doug: All right. Thank you very much. I appreciate your call.
Ross: Next caller is Stephanie listening from Columbia, North Carolina. Stephanie, welcome to the program.
Stephanie: Hi, good evening pastors. How are you?
Doug: Doing great. How are you?
Stephanie: I'm doing good. I have a question regarding Revelation 4, verses 7 and 8. I can't read it my Bible is in French. Revelation 4 talks about the 24 elders and four beings. I was still got the 24 elders are representative of unfailing love, who are the four beings then?
Doug: Well, the describe, of course, has a number of symbols in Revelation. The Bible describes these four creatures around the throne of God. It also mentions and not only in Revelation, but it's Ezekiel chapter one.
Ross: Talks about the Cherubim, yes.
Doug: There's four again there. That's a picture there of the universal leadership of God. The Bible talks about he'll send his angels to the four corners of the earth and these creatures are full of eyes is describing the all-knowing ability of God. Each of the faces of the creatures says something about the gospel. You've got to think it's an eagle, a calf, a man and a lion.
Ross: Starts with a lion.
Doug: Starts with a lion yes. I didn't get him in the right order. That's Ross this is his category. Go ahead.
Ross: You got the lion, the ox, the man and the eagle. That's the representation of it. [unintelligible 00:49:34] real quick, these are living creatures that form God's throne. You also have a describing Ezekiel chapter 10, but some have seen in this a miniature of the plan redemption to some degree, you got a line which represents Christ position prior to the incarnation. You have the ox which is a beast burden. Jesus came to bear our sins to dies in our place, the ox is a sacrificial animal as well. Then you have one that has the face of a man and people have seen that Jesus our high priest ministering for us in heaven and an eagle representing royalty or kingship. Jesus comes again as king of kings and Lord of lords. There are some parallels that people I’ve seen in the description of the four living creatures.
Doug: I also saw that people made a pretty good case for-- It goes along perfectly with what you’re saying. That in the Gospel of Matthew he talks about Jesus is the lion of the tribe of Judah. Jesus is the king. In the Gospel of John, Jesus is the sacrifice. In the Gospel of Luke, Luke was a physician shows the humanity of Jesus. Mark is the fastest gospel and it’s a quick flyover it says Jesus the eagle. Even in the four gospels you can see a picture of that. That is a deep and wide verse. The 24 elders, I’m inclined to agree though there’s a few different theories. I think they are representatives of unfallen worlds. You would see that also in the Book of Job.
Ross: Yes. In the Book of Job they’re referred to as the sons of God. You read in Psalms it talks about the lord reigning before his elders gloriously. You read about these group of people, the elders, these beings even in the old testament.
Doug: Very good. Thank you so much. I appreciate your call and your question. We’ll see if we can get a few more in before we run out of time.
Ross: We have Tyler listening in Oklahoma. Tyler, welcome to the program.
Tyler: Hi, I’m Tyler. I’m from Oklahoma City and I’m 11.
Ross: Thank you.
Tyler: My question is in Exodus 16:23 it talks about not baking or heating on the Sabbath. I was wondering does that mean I can’t use my oven or my microwave on the Sabbath?
Doug: Well, I don’t think they’d be a problem with using a microwave. The whole idea of not cooking your food on Sabbath was that it was often very time-consuming when you bake bread. They used to have to build the big fire and then they get a better coals and then their bread would be kneaded and the bread would rise. Then they put it in there and then they bake it. It’s a big process. It involved a lot of work. When you’re boiling or sieving something, you have to again heat up the fire, put the water on it, boil it, and cook things for a while.
These were labor-intensive. The whole principle of the sabbath, you get everything done you can do in advance. If you can get your food ready in advance and just nook it with a microwave, I don’t see a problem in that. My wife is so thankful she’s got this time bake oven. She just presses one button, we got to church, we come home, and it goes ding and it’s ready. It’s not that there’s a sin in using a convenience to heat up your food. The idea is anything you can do in advance, do it and avoid labor-intensive things. I fill my car with gas Friday. I get my suit and everything set up.
I know what I’m wearing the next day. I’m not rushing around wondering oh do I have anything to wear. I just want it to be a holy day. When I wake up Sabbath morning, everything is ready. You’re prepared and you can really rest. If you can-- You should make every effort. I think cook your food in advance if you can. Somethings you know salad you might need to toss that. Keep it fresh. Did that make sense Tyler?
Tyler: Yes. Thank you very much.
Doug: Thanks. You sound like a very bright young man. I appreciate your call.
Ross: All right. I think we have time for hopefully one more. We got Woody listening from Georgia. Woody, we have just a few minutes.
Woody: Good evening pastors, how are you?
Doug: Great. Thank you for calling with your question.
Woody: Yes. Just a quick question. Is about the Lord’s prayer. A couple of us were talking at work the other day. In the middle of it, it says “Lead us not into temptation.” I don’t believe the lord would ever lead us into temptation. I wondered now if you could clarify that for me.
Doug: It’s funny you would ask that. Pastor Rosen just looked, smiled, and nodded at each other because today and a devotional that we did with the man. I talked about the lord’s prayer. I talked about that very question, that verse. It’s often misunderstood. It sounds like we’re begging God not to tempt us. The bible says God is not tempted with evil neither does He tempt any man. It’s basically saying Lord, lead us away from our natural inclination to temptation. We’re all prone to sin. I think Job said as the sparks fly upwards so man is prone to do evil. We’re just saying Lord, lead us away from our inclination towards sin and temptation. We need to ask God to lead us in the right direction. That should be part of our prayer. We’re not begging him not to tempt us.
Ross: Just one additional foot on that. Jesus said in Matthew 26 verse 41, watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. In order for us not go into temptation, we need to watch and pray. In essence, the lord’s prayer is lord remind me to watch and prayer. That way we would be led away from temptation.
Doug: The spirit I found when I pray, I say Lord keep me from temptation. God gives me the spirit so that if I start drifting in my thinking, the Holy Spirit will say you’re going the wrong way. He guides and say thank you, Lord. Listening friends, it would not be doing anybody justice if we took just a fraction of your phone call right now. If we did not get your call this week, God willing, we’re going to be back next week. We encourage you to call in with your questions. You can even send your questions to us at Amazing Facts. We do answer a lot of bible questions via the internet. You can go to our website amazingfacts.org and find out more about that there.
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