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Series Code: AFBA
Program Code: AFBA202507S
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00:03 male announcer: It is the bestselling book in history.
00:05 No volume ever written has been more loved and quoted, and its 00:10 words, sometimes simple and sometimes mysterious, should 00:14 always be studied carefully. 00:16 It is the Bible, the Word of God. 00:20 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live," providing accurate and practical 00:24 answers to all your Bible questions. 00:28 This broadcast is a previously-recorded episode. 00:31 To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this 00:34 broadcast call 800-835-6747. 00:39 Once again, that's 800-835-6747. 00:44 Now, here's your host from Amazing Facts International, 00:48 Pastor Jëan Ross. 00:50 Jëan Ross: Hello, friends. 00:51 How about an amazing fact? 00:52 In the 16th century, Holland was ruled by Margaret of Austria, a 00:56 woman renowned for intelligence and political skill. 01:00 She was the daughter of emperor Maximilian I of the Holy Roman 01:03 Empire, one of Europe's most powerful rulers at the time. 01:07 As a ruler in an era filled with court intrigue, assassinations, 01:10 and power struggles, Margaret was constantly on guard against 01:14 betrayal, especially the threat of poisoning, which was a common 01:18 method of assassination in those days. 01:21 To protect herself, Margaret only drank from a beautiful 01:24 goblet made of pure rock crystal. 01:28 She believed in the widespread myth that the crystal would 01:31 reveal poison by changing color. 01:34 However, fate had a different plan. 01:37 One day as a servant handed her a drink, the goblet slipped from 01:40 his hands and shattered on the stone floor. 01:43 Although the pieces were carefully cleaned up, a tiny 01:45 unnoticed shard found its way into Margaret's slipper. 01:49 Over time, the small piece of sharp crystal embedded itself in 01:53 her foot, leading to an unfortunate infection that 01:57 caused gangrene. 01:59 Despite the best efforts of her doctors, her condition worsened 02:02 until the only hope was the amputation of her leg, and a 02:06 deal from which she never recovered. 02:09 In a strange twist of fate, the very crystal goblet that she had 02:13 trusted to keep her safe became the cause of her death. 02:17 Just as Margaret depended upon a crystal goblet for protection, 02:21 many people today put their trust in wealth, status, 02:25 man-made traditions, yet these false assurances will 02:29 ultimately fail. 02:31 The Bible warns against placing trust in material possessions or 02:35 in human wisdom. 02:37 In Proverbs chapter 14, verse 12 we read, "There is a way that 02:41 seems right to a man, but the end of it is the way of death." 02:47 You know, Pastor Alden, we're living in a society today where 02:50 people are looking at what's happening in the world around 02:52 them, and they're wondering, "Where can I put my trust? 02:55 Where can I find security? 02:56 Is it in finances? 02:58 Is it in possession? 02:59 Is it in human power?" 03:01 Well, the Bible says there's something better. 03:03 We can trust the Word of God, right, 'cause the Bible reveals 03:06 to us a Savior, and we can trust in Jesus. 03:10 Matter of fact, the Bible tells us in Psalms 118, verse 8, "It 03:15 is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." 03:19 I think that's a pretty clear verse there, not to be putting 03:22 our confidence in any man-made tradition or human, earthly 03:27 power but put our trust in Jesus. 03:30 Friends, we do have a study guide that'll help you 03:32 understand the power of the Word of God, which is to be our 03:35 foundation, that is a free gift, and we'll offer it to anyone who 03:39 calls and asks. 03:41 How do they receive that free offer? 03:42 Alden Ho: Well, if you want this offer, the offer is called "Is 03:45 There Anything Left You Can Trust?" 03:48 And you can get it by calling 1-800-835-6747. 03:53 If you happen to be driving and you can't juggle all those 03:56 numbers, you can just hit #250 and you can ask for the offer 04:02 "Is There Anything Left You Can Trust?" 04:04 That's not a text, but that's an actual call that you're going to 04:07 be calling in. 04:08 For those who just tuned in, we have our number here if you'd 04:11 like to call for asking a question. 04:13 It's 1-800-463-7297. 04:18 Jëan: And my name is Jëan Ross. 04:20 And? 04:21 Alden: Pastor Alden Ho. 04:23 Jëan: All right, Pastor Alden. 04:24 As you can see, Pastor Doug is out of town today. 04:26 But this is a live, interactive, international Bible study. 04:29 So, friend, if you have a Bible question, it's a good time to 04:32 pick up your phone and give us a call. 04:34 We've got some Bible software programs here on our computer we 04:36 can look up different Bible answers. 04:38 We love talking about the Word of God. 04:40 We like talking about the Christian life and faith. 04:43 So give us a call this evening. 04:45 But before we go to the phone lines, we always like to start 04:47 with a word of prayer. 04:49 Alden: That's right. 04:50 Let's bow our heads. 04:51 Father in heaven, we thank You for a wonderful day. 04:53 Today we ask that You would guide and direct us as we go 04:56 through some of these calls. 04:57 Direct our thoughts and minds and lift us up closer to You. 05:01 Be with those who are calling. 05:02 Convict us of what we hear from the Bible because that is the 05:05 only thing we can trust in these days. 05:07 In Jesus's name we pray, amen. 05:10 Jëan: Amen. 05:11 All right, who's our first caller this evening? 05:13 Alden: We have Janean. 05:14 She's in North Carolina, and she actually has a very 05:17 good question. 05:18 And her question pertains to, well, can she actually 05:23 stay home? 05:24 Jëan: Janean, welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 05:25 You're on the air. 05:27 Janean: Well, my question is I'm handicapped and I haven't been 05:34 into church for a while because I have one bad leg that really 05:41 jumps, and I don't want to go to church and fall. 05:46 Will I be saved if I don't go to church? 05:51 I do watch church on the Hope Channel. 05:57 Jëan: Okay. 05:58 Well, that is a good question. 05:59 Do we have to go to church to be saved? 06:01 Well, obviously, there's situations, like you explained, 06:04 where we can't get out for sickness or handicap. 06:07 Fortunately, we can still participate in worship through 06:10 modern technology. 06:12 At Granite Bay Church, one of the church--churches--well, the 06:15 church that I pastor here, we have what we call 06:18 online members. 06:20 So folks actually tune in every week, and they watch through the 06:22 internet, and they participate as much as they can from 06:25 a distance. 06:26 So yes, there are situations where people can't actually get 06:29 out to church. 06:30 God understands. 06:31 We can still worship Him in truth. 06:33 We can still be faithful wherever we are. 06:36 If possible, it's always nice and we encourage people to visit 06:40 or at least try to get out as much as possible to participate 06:43 in a local church in your area, but obviously because of health 06:46 situations, maybe somebody is living too far away from a 06:49 church and they can't get to the church, well, then you can 06:52 participate through modern technology. 06:55 So yes, God knows the heart. 06:57 He understands the situation of each person. 06:59 And yes, don't be worried that you won't be saved. 07:02 No. 07:03 God understands and God knows. 07:05 Thank you, Janean. 07:06 Who do we have next? 07:07 Alden: We have Glenn calling from Ohio. 07:09 Glenn, he's got a question regarding two verses. 07:12 Jëan: Hi, Glenn. 07:13 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 07:15 Glenn: Good evening and thank you for taking my call, pastors. 07:19 And my two Scriptures is Isaiah chapter 60, all of it, and the 07:25 Old Testament Scriptures, Zechariah chapter 8. 07:29 They both start with 07:31 an accolade to Jerusalem, and they end up 07:33 talking about a massive movement of Gentiles to Jerusalem. 07:38 My question is, is it possible that these two events could be 07:45 the same prophetically? 07:47 Jëan: Okay. Yes, there is a connection. 07:49 There is a theme that we see in the Old Testament, and then it's 07:51 also paralleled in the New Testament. 07:53 And that is in the Old Testament you have Israel representing the 07:56 people of God, and then you have the Gentiles, those who have not 08:00 made decision for the truth. 08:02 They don't know the truth. 08:03 And the purpose of God raising up Israel was to proclaim 08:07 the truth. 08:08 They were the recipients of his law and they were to be a light 08:10 unto the Gentiles, to shine forth the gospel of truth. 08:14 And there was a remnant, as we know, that did receive Jesus as 08:18 the Messiah and they came out of--well, they were literal 08:22 Jews, but they became part of spiritual Israel or the church, 08:27 and the gospel then goes to the Gentiles. 08:30 So these passages of Scripture in particular that you talking 08:32 about in Isaiah chapter 60, we don't have time to read through 08:34 the whole chapter, and also Zechariah 8, it speaks of the 08:37 Gentiles coming to Jerusalem, the ancient historical city of 08:42 Jerusalem which existed in the time of Jesus. 08:45 The temple, of course, in Jerusalem was destroyed in 08:47 70 AD. 08:49 And, of course, Jerusalem today is a type of the new Jerusalem 08:52 that we read about. 08:53 And the new Jerusalem is symbolic in two senses. 08:56 One, it represents the people of God or represents the church and 08:59 its people responding to the preaching of the gospel and they 09:02 coming and being a part of God's spiritual Jerusalem, God's 09:06 spiritual temple. 09:08 But there is a new Jerusalem that the Bible speaks of. 09:11 And when the earth is made new, in Revelation chapter 21 it 09:14 talks about the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven. 09:16 It speaks of all the nations gathering and coming into the 09:19 new Jerusalem, coming to worship God. 09:22 So it's got a prophetic application as well. 09:25 It's got the symbolic meaning, meaning the new Jerusalem or 09:27 the--Jerusalem the church, and then it has this prophetic 09:31 fulfillment that happens at the end of time when all things are 09:34 made new. 09:36 Alden: Pastor Jëan, don't we have a pocketbook on that? 09:37 That's "Spiritual Israel." 09:39 Jëan: We do. 09:40 That is a great read that I think deals with a number of 09:42 these passages of Scripture that people have. 09:44 And how do they get that book? 09:45 Alden: So if you'd like to get that book called "Spiritual 09:47 Israel" you can call the number 1-800-835-6747 and ask for that 09:52 book "Spiritual Israel." 09:54 And speaking of Jerusalem, Andrew's here with--from Kansas 09:59 and he's got a question about city or country living. 10:02 Jëan: Hi, Andrew. 10:03 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 10:05 Andrew: Hello. 10:06 Yeah, my question is, where do we find in the Bible that we're 10:11 supposed to head out to--head out of the cities in--at--you 10:15 know, at the end times? 10:17 Jëan: Okay. 10:18 Well, you know, the Bible does make it clear that in the end 10:20 time God's people are going to face persecution. 10:23 First of all, you're not going to be able to buy and sell. 10:26 God does promise to be with these people and He will direct. 10:30 Cities are probably one of the first things that are going to 10:32 face judgment. 10:33 Even now when there's political unrest, it usually centers in 10:36 the cities, especially as we reach the end of time. 10:39 And there's an increase of strife, judgments are coming. 10:43 Eventually you read in Revelation, talks about the 10:45 seven last plagues falling upon cities and upon entire nations. 10:50 You want to be in the country. 10:52 And throughout history when God's people face persecution, 10:56 they would often flee from the cities to a more remote area. 11:00 During the 1,260 years of papal supremacy you had groups like 11:04 the Waldensians who found safety in the mountains of 11:07 Northern Italy. 11:09 Jesus said when they persecute you in one city, then flee to 11:12 the next. 11:13 And so as we near the end of time, I think God's going to be 11:16 leading, and we want to start removing ourselves especially 11:20 from these big, dense cities. 11:22 Even now I don't think you want to be in Downtown L.A. 11:26 or San Francisco or New York City and try and raise a family. 11:30 There is so much crime and conflict and issues that are 11:33 taking place in our cities. 11:34 Now, there's still a work to do. 11:36 We got to reach people in the city. 11:37 And so some are called to preach and teach, share the gospel even 11:41 in large cities, but it's pretty clear from Scripture that as we 11:44 near the end, the safest place is going to be in the more rural 11:48 country type areas. 11:50 Alden: You know, my mind goes to the verse that Jesus was talking 11:53 about in Matthew 24, verse 15. 11:56 "Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation spoken 11:58 of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place," and 12:02 then verse 16 is the key, "then let those who are in Judea flee 12:05 to the mountains." 12:07 And we have a pocketbook on that too that's called 12:10 "The Abomination of Desolation." 12:12 Jëan: Okay. 12:13 So there are some prophetic signs that the Bible gives us. 12:15 Alden: There is. 12:16 Jëan: And in particular, the abomination of desolation. 12:17 Now, that is a historical application, refers to the 12:20 destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD by the Romans. 12:23 But like many of these symbols, it also has a future prophetic 12:27 application even to our time. 12:29 So you want to get that, friends. 12:30 It's called "The Abomination of Desolation." 12:33 One of the Amazing Facts' pocketbooks, and it's free. 12:36 As they say, the price is right. 12:38 What do you have to do to get the book? 12:39 Alden: And it's on the screen right now. 12:41 If you call 1-800-835-6747, ask for "The Abomination of 12:46 Desolation," and we'll be glad to send that to you. 12:49 We have Lena in Florida, first-time caller, and she's got 12:53 a question here regarding her faith and how she--how you 12:58 live today. 12:59 Jëan: Hi, Lena. 13:00 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 13:02 You're on the air. 13:03 Lena: Thank you. 13:04 My husband and I had seven children. 13:06 He's since passed in 2021. 13:10 And my children are faced daily with the burden of the economy, 13:18 the way it is and everything, and I worry that I--when they 13:23 talk to me and I fall short of giving them, like, a 13:30 Christian answer. 13:32 And I watched the Doug Batchelor program on the Holy 13:37 Spirit today. 13:39 And I don't want to lose my chance with having 13:48 possibly the Holy Spirit come to me. 13:52 I feel like I'm just hanging on by the grace of God, but I want 13:56 to be faithful and talk to my children, but I don't know how 14:02 to do without turning back to sin. 14:06 You know, I'm not saying anything bad, but-- 14:09 Jëan: Yeah, so basically 14:11 you're asking, how can we live a Christian life and 14:12 be a witness to our family even in the midst of a very 14:16 sinful world? 14:18 Well, first of all, you want to begin by making sure that your 14:21 heart is right with God, and you do that by coming before Him 14:25 with a spirit of repentance. 14:26 The Bible says if we confess our sins, 1 John 1:9, He's faithful 14:30 and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all 14:33 our unrighteousness. 14:34 So we need to believe that if we come to God and we say, "Lord, 14:37 please forgive me," that He will. 14:39 Then we also need to ask for the Holy Spirit. 14:41 And Jesus says, "How much more your heavenly Father is willing 14:45 to give the Holy Spirit to those that ask Him." 14:47 So we need to ask and say, "Lord, I can't live the 14:50 Christian life without the help of the Holy Spirit." 14:53 Don't wait for some kind of feeling because the Bible says 14:56 we are to walk by faith, not by sight. 14:59 So that means that we claim the promises of God, we believe that 15:02 God is doing a work within us. 15:03 Even though we might not feel it right then and there, we are 15:07 trusting that God is in control. 15:09 You know, there's an interesting picture that you see in 15:11 Scripture where it describes God as the potter and we are 15:17 the clay. 15:18 And the one who molds the clay is the potter. 15:21 And so when we give our hearts to Jesus, we need to trust that 15:25 He is molding our characters, He is transforming us. 15:28 Sometimes we can't even see it, but we are to trust that He will 15:31 finish the work that He has started. 15:34 Don't get discouraged though, Leanne, if you stumble and fall. 15:38 And God is on your side. 15:39 He wants to save you. 15:41 Just come back to Him and say, "Lord, please forgive me." 15:43 Claim the promises. 15:44 What can we do to influence those around us, especially 15:47 our children? 15:48 Well, first of all, we can be an example. 15:50 So we can have a life of faith, trusting in the Lord, holding on 15:54 to Him. 15:55 We can speak or share with others, with our family, our 15:59 faith, as the opportunities open up. 16:02 I mean, if they don't want to hear, you can't push it on them, 16:05 but you can also pray. 16:06 So you can live a life, you can share where you can, and you can 16:12 pray for them, asking that the Lord would guide in their hearts 16:15 and lives and bring them to a point of realizing their need 16:18 of Jesus. 16:20 So those are the things we want to do. 16:22 And, you know, living the Christian life is the work of 16:25 a lifetime. 16:26 You know, we step forward and we stumble. 16:28 We just got to get right back up and say, "Lord, please forgive 16:30 me," and press on, trusting in the Lord. 16:34 Sometimes Christians are living a life, their Christian life, 16:36 and they're so filled with fear and anxiety and worried, "Well, 16:39 am I saved? 16:41 Am I doing the right thing?" 16:42 Just commit your heart to Jesus and trust in Him, right, and 16:45 then be faithful each and every day. 16:47 You know, we do have a book. 16:49 It's talking about life in the spirit. 16:51 Talks about the Holy Spirit, you know, how we can have assurance 16:53 in our Christian experience. 16:55 Actually we have a book called "Assurance:" as well, 16:57 "Justification Made Simple." 16:58 So "Life in the Spirit" and the book "Assurance: Justification 17:02 Made Simple." 17:04 Both of them are excellent reads filled with wonderful 17:07 Bible promises. 17:08 And, Leanne, you would be blessed to read that. 17:10 Just call and ask. 17:12 And for anyone, you can call and ask for those two books, "Life 17:14 in the Spirits--in the Spirit" and "Assurance: Justification 17:18 Made Simple." 17:20 Alden: You know, the other thing I was thinking of too is that 17:23 children are actually watching mom. 17:26 And so if you display your faith and you have morning worships 17:30 with your children, that's very important for them to be able to 17:34 see that you actually practice what you profess to believe and 17:37 what you're trying to talk about. 17:38 And that's very needed for their own faith as well. 17:43 Jëan: Yeah, they want to see faith in action, right-- 17:45 Alden: Exactly. 17:46 Jëan: As a witness. 17:48 Well, thank you, Leanne, for your question. 17:49 Good question. 17:50 Who do we have next? 17:52 Alden: We have Anna from Oregon, and she's got a question 17:54 regarding justification and salvation. 17:56 Welcome, Anna. 17:57 Jëan: Hi, Anna. 17:58 You're on the air. 18:00 Anna: Hi. Evening, pastors. 18:02 So I've heard a bunch of different pastors and preachers 18:05 talk about justification, I guess sanctification, 18:09 and salvation. 18:10 I don't know if those are the same thing, but I was wondering 18:14 if you could maybe clear it up for me. 18:17 Jëan: Absolutely. 18:18 So there are three terms that is often used with reference 18:21 to salvation. 18:22 So salvation would be the big umbrella, salvation or 18:24 redemption, and it's divided up into three parts. 18:27 The first is what we call justification, the second is 18:30 sanctification, and the third is glorification. 18:34 Now, each of them have a different function, a 18:36 different work. 18:37 So justification occurs when we come to Jesus and we confess our 18:40 sins, just like 1 John 1, verse 9, the verse I just quoted. 18:43 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us. 18:47 The famous passage in Scripture, John 3:16 says if we believe in 18:51 Jesus, that's justification. 18:53 That's where God accepts us just as if we have never sinned. 18:57 We are clothed with Christ's robe of righteousness. 19:00 All of our sins are cleansed and the righteous of Jesus is 19:05 accredited to our account. 19:06 So we are justified. 19:08 Another way of thinking of justification is freedom from 19:11 the penalty of sin. 19:13 The Bible says the wages of sin is death, but if we receive 19:16 Jesus, and He is our substitute, our sacrifice, we are freed from 19:21 the penalty of sin, which is death, and we can have hope and 19:24 we can trust in a glorious future of eternal life. 19:28 But in addition to justification, there is 19:30 something the Bible refers to as sanctification. 19:32 When you receive Jesus as your personal Savior, the Holy Spirit 19:35 now begins to work within your heart and within your life. 19:39 The things you once loved you don't love so much anymore and 19:43 the things you weren't interested in, the spiritual 19:45 things, suddenly there is a growing desire to learn more. 19:48 You want to know more about Jesus. 19:50 And the sins that before you probably didn't think too much 19:54 about, but now when you sin you feel bad and you say, "Lord, 19:58 please forgive me." 19:59 And that's evidence that the Holy Spirit is working upon your 20:01 heart, and the Holy Spirit is beginning to do a work of 20:04 transformation or changing us from the inside out. 20:07 So sanctification is freedom from the power of sin. 20:10 Justification, freedom from the penalty, and then sanctification 20:14 is freedom from the power of sin in our lives and in the world 20:17 even today. 20:18 But we are still living in a sin-polluted environment. 20:22 There is pain, and suffering, and sorrow, and death in this 20:25 world today. 20:26 And so the ultimate reward for the redeemed is when all things 20:28 are made new. 20:30 That is freedom from the penalty or the presence, I should say, 20:33 the presence of sin, and that's glorification. 20:36 That happens when Jesus comes the second time. 20:39 These mortal bodies put on immortality, and one day Jesus 20:42 will make all things new, a new heavens and a new earth as we 20:45 read about in Revelation chapter 21. 20:47 So justification is the freedom of the penalty of sin, 20:50 sanctification is freedom from the power of sin, and 20:53 glorification is freedom from the presence of sin. 20:57 So that's an easy way to think of it. 20:59 We do have a book called "Justification--" Or "Assurance: 21:02 Justification Made Simple." 21:05 We also have another book that I just thought of right now. 21:07 It's called "Three Steps to Heaven." 21:09 It talks about justification, sanctification, glorification. 21:12 You might want to call and ask for that. 21:14 And what's the number? 21:15 Alden: You can call 1-800-835-6747 and ask for 21:19 those books. 21:20 You know, one of the things I was thinking about when it comes 21:22 to this is many religions believe that when you accept 21:27 Christ, you're saved at that moment and you just jump from 21:30 justification to waiting for the Lord to return, glorification, 21:34 but they miss that long road in the middle, which actually Jesus 21:39 talked about in Matthew 25 with the virgins. 21:41 Jëan: That's right. 21:43 Well, you know, when we receive Jesus we're not immediately 21:44 transported to heaven. 21:45 We still have to live in a world of sin. 21:47 Our characters don't change overnight. 21:50 That sinful inclination is still there even after we 21:53 receive Jesus. 21:55 And we want to live a victorious life. 21:56 We need to gain victory. 21:58 And so that's sanctification that begins to work within us. 22:00 All right, thank you. 22:02 Who do we have next? 22:03 Alden: We have Anthony in New York. 22:04 Anthony is asking a question about marriage here. 22:07 Jëan: Hi, Anthony. 22:08 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live." You're on the air. 22:10 Anthony: Yes. Hello. 22:11 Good evening, pastors. 22:12 My question is a very sensitive topic, but I think it's very 22:16 important, especially in this day in which we're living. 22:19 I know that God hates divorce and, you know, I--but I do see 22:24 in Matthew chapter 19, starting in verse 8 where it talks 22:30 about--well, yeah, around that area where it talks about Moses 22:35 allowing divorce because of the hardness of our hearts. 22:41 And--but the Bible--God does make it very clear that it's 22:44 only as a matter of adultery that He condones divorce 22:48 and separation. 22:49 So my question is specifically though as it pertains to abuse, 22:53 physical, emotional, verbal abuse, things like that. 22:58 What does the Bible have to say about how God wants us to handle 23:03 abuse in a marital relationship? 23:06 Jëan: Okay. 23:07 Anthony: Especially when there's children involved. 23:08 Jëan: Yes, that's a good question. 23:10 Of course, we live in a world of sin, and sin affects every area 23:12 of our lives, including relationships. 23:14 And it's especially difficult when in a marriage you have a 23:17 believer and somebody who's not a believer or maybe you have 23:21 different conflicts of personalities and people are 23:25 facing abuse. 23:26 First of all, if somebody is in a situation where they're facing 23:29 physical abuse, you probably want to remove yourself from 23:32 that situation. 23:34 Of course, there is verbal abuse that somebody can give you and 23:38 so on and so forth. 23:39 That doesn't necessarily mean that you get divorced 23:41 right away. 23:43 There are situations where separation might be needed, 23:46 where you need to take a break and maybe you do need to seek 23:49 some counseling and speak to the pastor if it's two believers. 23:53 And you want to find a Christian counselor to kind of help you in 23:56 that situation. 23:57 The divorce is not the first option. 24:00 There are other options. 24:01 First, separation. 24:02 You want to make sure that you're safe and you want to make 24:04 sure your children are safe, especially if it's a very 24:07 physically abusive situation, and they are suffering. 24:09 So we want to be aware of that. 24:12 And then maybe seek the guidance of a trusted Christian counselor 24:17 or a pastor and pray for guidance. 24:19 Say, "Lord, what would be the right steps?" 24:21 You don't want to rush to divorce, but you do want to make 24:24 sure that you are in a safe environment first, and then 24:28 begin to dialogue and discuss. 24:30 Ultimately, you know, God is able to change the heart if two 24:33 people are willing. 24:34 I've seen miracles in my ministry in counseling many 24:36 people, many couples. 24:38 And if there is a willingness and a humbling of the heart, God 24:42 can transform somebody's life. 24:44 It's amazing what can happen. 24:47 But that's where you need to kind of pray for guidance and 24:50 seek some counsel and some guidance from some 24:53 Christian counselor. 24:54 So yeah, that is a difficult situation, but there is hope. 24:57 Alden: Also if you go to--if you actually attend church, Anthony, 25:01 maybe talk to the pastor and get some counseling with the pastor, 25:05 not just you but also with your wife too. 25:07 But we have a pocketbook on this called "The Bible on Marriage, 25:11 Divorce, and Remarriage." 25:13 And you can get that book if you call 1-800-835-6747. 25:18 And thank you for the call, Anthony. 25:19 Jëan: That is a great resource, just to add. 25:21 That's a fairly newer book, "Marriage, Divorce, and 25:23 Remarriage," and it gives all the Scriptures there and gives 25:26 the additional details. 25:27 Thank you, Anthony. 25:29 Who do we have next? 25:30 Alden: We have Ryan in New Mexico and he's got a question 25:32 in regards to the name Yahweh. 25:34 Jëan: Hi, Ryan. 25:35 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 25:36 Ryan: How are you doing tonight, guys? 25:38 Jëan: We're doing great. Thanks for calling. 25:40 Ryan: Well, my question is, is Jesus Yahweh? 25:43 And when I say Yahweh I'm talking about, you know, they 25:47 changed the name over 6,000 times, you know, out of 25:51 tradition, out of man-made tradition to the LORD, all 25:55 capitals, or GOD, all capitals, but the original said Yahweh. 25:59 And I'm just wondering, is Jesus Yahweh? 26:02 Jëan: Okay. Well, a good question. 26:04 Well, first of all, about the word Yahweh, we're not exactly 26:07 sure of the pronunciation, and here's why. 26:09 In the Hebrew Old Testament when it came to the name of God, they 26:12 didn't put down the vowels. 26:15 They had the consonants, but the vowels, it was such a sacred 26:18 name that they didn't spell it out fully. 26:22 So the best we could tell, it's possibly connected to Yahweh, 26:26 would be a good--at least a best understanding that we have 26:30 of that. 26:31 Is the name Yahweh referring to Jesus? 26:33 I think it is, and here's why. 26:35 When Moses appeared--well, God appeared to Moses at the burning 26:38 bush, and Moses said, "Well, what's Your name?" 26:41 God said, "I Am that I Am." 26:43 And that's sort of this name given of God. 26:47 Jesus in the New Testament refers to Himself and says, 26:51 "I Am." 26:52 Refers to Himself as before Moses was, before Abraham, 26:54 "I Am." 26:55 So that name is associated with Jesus. 26:59 Lord, Yahweh, Jehovah, there's different pronunciations of 27:03 that, but it's a name referring to God. 27:05 And in the Old Testament, yes, Jesus used that name as well. 27:09 So I think that's pretty clear from Scripture. 27:12 Well, friends, you hear the music in the background. 27:13 It's not the end of the program. 27:15 We're coming up on the best part of "Bible Answers Live." 27:17 We're just taking a short break, some important announcements. 27:20 So don't go too far. 27:21 We'll be right back. 27:26 announcer: Stay tuned. 27:28 "Bible Answers Live" will return shortly. 27:35 announcer: Does your heart burn for a better purpose? 27:38 Do you yearn to do more with your faith? 27:40 Do you desire to be a powerful witness ablazed for 27:44 Jesus Christ? 27:45 Where do you start? 27:47 Make your first step at AFCOE, the Amazing Fact Center 27:50 of Evangelism. 27:52 male: Here at AFCOE I've learned so many things, and my spiritual 27:54 growth has just skyrocketed. 27:56 announcer: AFCOE has distilled 50 years of Amazing Facts' 27:59 evangelistic expertise into a dynamic professional and 28:03 educational experience that transforms the nervous Christian 28:07 into a prepared and bold witness. 28:10 Doug Batchelor: AFCOE is really about learning while doing. 28:13 It's a one of a kind experience for those who are serious about 28:16 entering gospel ministry and those who simply want to make an 28:20 impact in their local churches and communities. 28:22 announcer: Go to afcoe.org today and explore this 28:25 life-changing program. 28:27 AFCOE, equipping soul winners, setting the world ablaze 28:32 for God. 28:34 Doug: The Jews are some of the most unique and gifted people in 28:37 the world. 28:39 And even though Judaism is one of the smallest religions, about 28:41 16 million globally, they still manage to have a profound impact 28:46 in history wherever they go. 28:48 Yet even though most of the Bible was written by Jews and 28:51 Jesus himself was Jewish, the Jewish people can be among the 28:55 most resistant to the Christian religion. 28:57 Well, friends, this is why Amazing Facts has recently 29:00 produced a fascinating three-part DVD series called "Is 29:04 Jesus Kosher for Jews?" 29:06 In these new programs, Steve Wohlberg, Jeff Zaremski, and 29:10 myself, all who share Jewish background, relate our personal 29:14 miraculous journeys of faith in a winsome way and we consider 29:18 together the controversial question, are Jesus and 29:21 Judaism compatible? 29:23 You will personally be inspired by these life-changing stories. 29:27 Call today 800-538-7275 or visit afbookstore.com. 29:34 female: I was addicted to all different types of things. 29:37 male: I was drinking so much on the road that when I got home I 29:41 would be just yelling at the top of my lungs. 29:44 male: I had a problem with authority, started smoking at 29:46 the age of 14 and drinking by the age of 15. 29:49 male: I had money, I had women, I had car every 2 years. 29:54 male: Life wasn't really that fulfilling. 29:56 I mean, I was having a great time on the outside, but inside 30:00 I knew something was dying, something was wrong. 30:03 male: I got down on my knees and I prayed to God and I said, 30:06 "God, if You're there, wherever You lead me in life, whatever 30:09 You want me to do, I am Yours." 30:12 male: I had started studying the Bible and found Amazing Facts 30:16 online and was watching hours of sermons each day. 30:19 My life has changed so much since I started following God's 30:22 path for me. 30:24 male: I want to thank you. 30:26 female: Thank you. 30:27 female: Thank you. 30:29 male: From the bottom of my heart. 30:37 announcer: You're listening to "Bible Answers Live" where every 30:40 question answered provides a clearer picture of God and His 30:44 plan to save you. 30:46 So what are you waiting for? 30:47 Get practical answers about the good book for a better 30:50 life today. 30:54 This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. 30:57 If you'd like answers to your Bible-related questions on the 31:00 air please call us next Sunday between 7 p.m. 31:04 and 8 p.m. Pacific Time. 31:06 To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this 31:09 evening's program call 800-835-6747. 31:14 Once again, that's 800-835-6747. 31:19 Now, let's rejoin our hosts for more "Bible Answers Live." 31:25 Jëan: Hello, friends. 31:27 Welcome back. 31:28 This is "Bible Answers Live," a live, interactive, international 31:31 Bible study. 31:32 Pastor Doug is out of town this evening, but my name is 31:34 Jëan Ross. 31:36 And joining me is Pastor Alden. Yes. 31:39 Thank you, Pastor Alden. 31:41 It's been a while since last you were here, but we are glad you 31:42 are here. 31:44 You know, we were just talking to a caller, the previous caller 31:45 before the break, about the names of God, and he asked 31:48 specifically about Yahweh and Jehovah that we find. 31:51 We have a book. 31:53 Alden: It's called "The Name of God." 31:54 And you can get that book if you call 1-800-835-6747 and ask for 31:59 that book "The Name of God." 32:02 We have David from Virginia. 32:05 He's got a question about the Sabbath. 32:07 Jëan: Hi, David. 32:08 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 32:09 You're on the air. 32:11 David: Hello, pastors. 32:12 Happy to be here. 32:13 Jëan: Yeah, thanks for calling. 32:15 David: So my question is--so I'm 18 and my grandfather is a 32:20 Southern Baptist pastor. 32:22 And me and my family, my--with my dad, you know, we started 32:25 keeping the Sabbath. 32:26 And I'd like to know what would be the best way to share with 32:31 him about the Sabbath. 32:32 You know, it's solemnity that we are to still keep it even after, 32:37 you know, Jesus, you know, was resurrected. 32:40 Jëan: Yes, yes. 32:42 Good question. 32:43 Yes, how do we share the truth specifically about the Sabbath? 32:45 And so you talking about sharing the truth with others who are 32:48 Christians, who are already members of a church. 32:52 Well, there's several things. 32:54 First of all, you want to be the best example that you can be. 32:56 So, first of all, by keeping the Sabbath, you setting an example, 33:00 that often will raise questions, where someone will ask and say, 33:04 "Well, that's a little odd. 33:05 You know, why are you keeping the Sabbath? 33:07 I thought that was done away with." 33:08 And that does give you an opportunity to share, as you 33:11 faithfully keep the Sabbath. 33:12 If the person is open to learning more, you can maybe 33:15 share with them some resources. 33:17 And Amazing Facts has some wonderful resources. 33:20 There is a website that Amazing Facts has 33:22 called sabbathtruth.com. 33:24 Just sabbathtruth.com. 33:27 It's got all the Scriptures there. 33:28 It's got some wonderful resources. 33:30 It's got some video content. 33:31 You can even share a YouTube video if your grandfather is 33:35 open to watching something on that. 33:37 There is a lot of excellent information on that subject of 33:40 the Sabbath. 33:42 And, you know, there are many Christians from different 33:44 denominations that are beginning to discover the truths of 33:47 the Sabbath. 33:48 It--as if there's a revival of folks realizing, "Well, the Ten 33:52 Commandments are still ten, not nine. 33:54 So why do we ignore the fourth commandment? 33:57 How does that apply to our life?" 33:58 So by your own example you want to do the best you can, when 34:02 opportunity arises you want to be able to give a passage of 34:05 Scripture to help support the truth, and then if they willing, 34:10 share resources, whether that is a piece of literature or maybe 34:14 directing to a video that they can watch that'll give 34:17 more information. 34:18 So blessings, David, in your work of sharing our Bible truth. 34:22 Alden: David, I would encourage you, call in to the number 34:25 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the book "Why God Said Remember." 34:32 There's a reason why He said remember, because He knew we 34:36 would forget. 34:37 Jëan: That's right. 34:38 And that's a great resource. 34:40 Alden: All right, we have Carol in California. 34:41 She's got a question regarding good and evil. 34:43 Carol, you there? 34:44 Carol: Yes, I'm here. 34:45 Good evening, pastors. 34:47 Thank you for taking my call. Hello. 34:50 Jëan: Welcome. 34:51 Yeah, thanks for calling. 34:52 Carol: Yes. 34:54 I have been struggling about this and I just want to have a 34:56 better understanding between good and evil. 35:00 Where do we draw the line between good and evil, or in 35:05 other words, what is the determining factor between good 35:11 and evil? 35:12 Jëan: So good question. 35:14 Often we face choices and we trying to decide, "Well, what's 35:17 the right path? 35:18 What's the right decision for me to make in this case?" 35:20 The first thing you want to do is look at the principle. 35:23 So does that principle line up with Scripture? 35:27 If the principle conflicts with one of the commandments, if it 35:31 is a principle that contradicts the Scriptures, well, then the 35:34 answer is pretty clear. 35:35 You know, the Bible says, "To the law and to the testimony," 35:38 this is Isaiah, "if they speak not according to this, there is 35:41 no light in them." 35:42 So any teaching, any idea, any decision that needs to be made, 35:47 it needs to first of all be in harmony with Scripture, but 35:50 there are many decisions that are in harmony with the 35:52 principles of Scripture and we still not quite sure which way 35:55 to go. 35:56 The second step is then to seek Christian counsel. 35:59 So if there are Christians maybe in your church or family, it's 36:03 wise to say, "You know, here's the situation I'm facing. 36:06 What do you think? 36:07 What guidance can you give me?" 36:09 And be open to listen to different thoughts that people 36:11 might have. 36:13 Of course, make it a matter of prayer and pray and say, "Lord, 36:16 I want to do what's right. 36:18 I don't want to fall into the trap of making a bad decision, 36:20 so please guide." 36:22 And then pray that He would open and close doors according to 36:25 His providence. 36:26 So God is able to close doors, He's able to open doors, He's 36:29 able to guide us. 36:31 And then trust His leading. 36:32 So those would be the principles you want to follow. 36:34 You want to make sure the principles are correct, lined up 36:37 with Scripture. 36:39 Seek the guidance of godly people. 36:42 Pray. 36:44 Make it a matter of prayer, and then pray that God would open 36:46 and close doors according to His will. 36:49 So those are the steps you want to follow. 36:50 We do have a book. 36:52 It's called "Determining the Will of God" and it outlines 36:55 these principles and gives more details on that. 36:58 Alden: Wonderful. 36:59 You can get that, Carol, if you call 1-800-835-6747 and ask for 37:03 that book. 37:05 We also have now Mary also in California. 37:07 She's got a question about Matthew 21. 37:09 Mary. 37:11 Mary: Yes. 37:12 What does it mean to be broken on the rock, was Christ? 37:15 Jëan: Okay. 37:16 Yes, let me read the verse. 37:17 I think you're referring to Matthew 21, verse 44. 37:21 And you know what? 37:22 Maybe I will just read the verse. 37:26 Let me start in verse 42 for those who might be driving and 37:28 get the context of the question. 37:30 "Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read the Scriptures: "The 37:33 stone which the builders rejected has become the 37:35 chief cornerstone. 37:36 This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes." 37:40 Therefore I say unto you, the kingdom of God will be taken 37:42 from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.'" 37:45 And He's talking to the religious leaders here. 37:47 "And whoever falls upon this stone will be broken; but on 37:51 whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." 37:54 This is a great prophecy. 37:56 But let me just back up a little bit. 37:58 Jesus talks about the stone that the builders rejected has become 38:01 the chief cornerstone. 38:03 There's a little story connected with this. 38:04 In the building of the temple, in Solomon's temple, you 38:07 remember the story in Scripture, all of the stones that were used 38:10 in the construction of Solomon's temple were actually--they were 38:14 quarried off-site. 38:16 So they got the dimensions and they dug the stone or carved out 38:19 the stone. 38:21 And they had it made so it would fit perfect, so it could just 38:23 slide it into place when it actually came to the 38:25 construction of the temple. 38:26 There was a very important cornerstone that would bear a 38:29 lot of weight and it was sent from the quarry to the actual 38:32 building site where they were going to build the temple. 38:35 And at first people didn't quite know what the stone was for. 38:38 It didn't seem to fit in anything that they were working 38:40 on at the moment. 38:41 So they kind of just set it off to the side. 38:43 It was a bit of a stumbling stone. 38:44 It was kind of in the way. 38:46 But when it came time to put in a cornerstone, this chief 38:49 cornerstone, they were looking around for the right stone that 38:53 had extra strength and the right angle and the cut, and it was 38:56 that stumbling stone, but it fit just perfectly. 39:00 And that kind of became the chief cornerstone, and it's a 39:03 symbol of Christ. 39:04 The church is to be built on Jesus the chief cornerstone. 39:08 And so that's what Christ is referring to there. 39:10 But then in verse 44, more specifically on your question, 39:13 Jesus said, "Whoever falls upon this stone will be broken; but 39:16 on whom it falls, it'll grind him to powder." 39:19 The stone there is a reference to Christ. 39:22 If we fall upon Jesus and we confess our sins and we humble 39:25 our hearts, yes, we will be broken, but we will be healed, 39:29 we'll be made whole, we'll be restored, but if we reject and 39:33 we rebel against Christ, it talks about a stone falling upon 39:37 us and grinding us to powder. 39:38 Now, that imagery comes from Daniel chapter 2. In Daniel 39:42 chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream and he sees this image 39:45 with all these different metals, and then a stone comes and 39:48 strikes the image upon its feet and grinds the metals to powder, 39:52 and the wind blows it away, and the stone grows and becomes a 39:55 great mountain that fills the whole earth. 39:57 That stone striking the image represents the second coming 40:00 of Christ. 40:01 So when Jesus says: whoever the stone falls upon it'll grind him 40:06 to powder, that is a reference to Daniel chapter 2 and it's a 40:09 reference to judgment that is coming upon those who reject, 40:13 those who refuse to humble their hearts and come to Jesus 40:16 for salvation. 40:18 It's a great study. 40:19 There's a lot more we can say about it, but that's sort of 40:22 caps, I think, these key questions. 40:24 Alden: Don't we have the magazine 40:25 "Daniel and Revelation?" 40:26 Jëan: We do have a--that's right. 40:28 We have a magazine that talks about Daniel chapter 2 and the 40:30 stone cutter without hands. 40:32 Alden: Right. 40:33 And that's called the "Daniel and Revelation" magazine. 40:35 You can get that magazine if you call 1-800-867-8--sorry. 40:40 835-6747. 40:42 Chris has got a question about taxes in Texas. 40:45 Jëan: Okay. Hey, Chris. 40:48 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 40:49 Chris: Thank you. 40:51 So my question refers to taxes and tithes. 40:52 Jëan: Okay. 40:53 Chris: Should I be adding the tithe receipt that I get from my 40:56 church to that? 40:57 And then when I get my tax return, do I pay a tithe on my 41:00 actual tax return as well? 41:02 Jëan: Okay. 41:03 Well, a good question. 41:05 The receipt that you get from your church--your donations to 41:08 the church is actually tax-deductible, and that's why 41:11 you get a receipt that comes from the church. 41:13 There are laws in the United States. 41:15 It's not in all countries, but the United States does have 41:18 certain laws that any charitable donation which includes to a 41:23 church is tax-deductible. 41:25 So you can remove from your taxes that portion. 41:30 Do you pay taxes on your tax returns if funds come back 41:34 to you? 41:35 Typically not because usually you pay tax--you pay your tithe 41:38 at the beginning of your income. 41:42 When you receive your paycheck you want to pay your tax 41:44 right--I mean, you want to pay your tithe. 41:46 You want to pay your tithe right away. 41:48 Usually your employee will withhold taxes. 41:50 So usually if you paying on the gross on everything, you've 41:54 already technically paid tithe on your taxes, and then the 41:58 return has already been taxed. 42:00 If you don't pay on your taxes, then yes, you'd want to pay 42:04 a tax--tax. 42:06 You want to pay a tithe, excuse me, on your tax return. 42:09 So hopefully that helps, Chris. Yes. 42:12 Alden: It's a good thing you didn't talk about Texas too 42:13 because Texas and taxes would be-- 42:16 Jëan: Yeah, that would be fun. 42:17 Do you pay taxes in Texas? 42:19 Do you pay state tax? 42:21 I know some states you don't have to. 42:22 Alden: No state income tax. 42:23 Jëan: Okay. 42:25 Alden: That was the blessing about being there. 42:26 Jëan: Yeah, all right. 42:27 Alden: But yeah. 42:29 Jëan: That's not the case in California. 42:30 Alden: Not the case. 42:31 There's taxes on everything, even the air you breathe. 42:33 Jëan: That's right. 42:34 Alden: Phyllis. 42:35 We have Phyllis, first-time caller. 42:37 Phyllis in Arizona. 42:38 Are you there, Phyllis? 42:39 Thanks for calling. 42:41 Phyllis: Yes, I am. Thank you. 42:44 My question tonight is in the Gospel of John 14 chapter, 3. 42:49 Jesus said, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will 42:54 come again and receive you unto Me--un--receive you unto Myself; 42:58 that where I Am, there ye may be also." 43:02 My question, just curiosity, why did Jesus say if? 43:08 When I say if, well, then I might do something and I 43:12 might not. 43:14 But Jesus said if. 43:15 Jëan: Okay. Good question. 43:18 The if in the verse applies to the previous statement. 43:21 For example, if you read in verse 1, He says, "Let not your 43:23 hearts be troubled. 43:25 You believe in God, believe also in Me. 43:27 In My Father's house there are many mansions. 43:29 If it were not so, I would have told you. 43:31 I go to prepare a place for you." 43:32 In other words, Jesus is saying to His disciples, "If you 43:35 believe in the Father, then you need to believe that I'm going 43:39 to go and prepare a place for you. 43:41 If you don't believe in the Father, well, I'm not going to 43:45 prepare a place for you." 43:46 Remember the preparation of the place in heaven is for 43:48 the saved. 43:50 It's for those who believe in Jesus, those who believe in God 43:53 or believe in the Father. 43:54 So if we believe in God, we have the promise that He will prepare 43:59 a place for us. 44:00 If we don't believe in God, then there is no place prepared for 44:04 us in heaven. 44:05 Does that help, Phyllis? 44:07 Phyllis: Yes. 44:08 I absolutely believe what the Bible says, but I guess it was 44:13 just out of curiosity. 44:14 I wonder why He said if. 44:16 Yeah. 44:17 Jëan: The if is for those who believe. 44:19 If they don't believe, they won't have a place. 44:21 If they do believe, they will have a place. 44:22 Phyllis: Okay, okay. 44:25 And also if you have information on why we shouldn't eat pork. 44:31 Jëan: Okay. 44:33 Well, we-- 44:34 Phyllis: Because I have several people that, "No, I 44:36 don't eat pork," and they wonder why. 44:39 Jëan: They wonder why. 44:40 All right, good question. 44:41 Well, we do have some material. 44:43 It's called "God's Free Health Plan." 44:44 It's one of our Amazing Facts' study guides. 44:47 We also have a book, I think, that's entitled, at least it 44:50 was, "Death in the Kitchen." 44:52 It's kind of got an intriguing title. 44:54 Talks about food. 44:55 Now, of course, you know, pork is probably one of the most 44:58 unhealthy meats that one could eat. 45:00 The Bible in the Old Testament and also in the New Testament 45:02 refers to unclean foods, and pork would fall into 45:06 that category. 45:08 Pigs are unclean. 45:09 And the biblical principle for a clean meat or an unclean meat 45:14 has to do with whether the animal has cloven hooves, 45:17 divided hooves, and chews the cud. 45:20 So a cow or a sheep, they have divided hooves, they chew the 45:23 cud, but a pig does not chew the cud, even though it might have a 45:27 cloven hoove. 45:28 Camels chew the cud, but they don't have a hoove, so 45:31 they're unclean. 45:32 And then there are also principles applying to the fish 45:34 as well. 45:36 But call and ask for that study guide. 45:37 It's called "God's Free Health Plan." 45:38 It'll put all the verses there and provide some 45:41 additional information. 45:42 Alden: And that whole scenario of what you can eat and can't 45:45 eat is found in Leviticus 11, in case you haven't 45:48 read that before. 45:50 You can always get them to refer to that. 45:52 So thank you for your call, Phyllis. 45:54 Paul in South Dakota has a good question regarding Bible study 45:58 and becoming a member, but yet living a certain way. 46:02 Jëan: Hey, Paul. 46:03 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 46:04 Paul: Yes. Thank you, brothers. 46:07 God bless you. 46:08 So my scenario that I've thought in my mind is if a man and a 46:12 woman are living together and they decide they want Bible 46:17 studies, and they come to your church or contact you somehow, 46:22 and you set up, you know, a time for them to study with, and 46:27 during the course of the studies you find out that they're not 46:29 married and that they're in an intimate relationship. 46:34 Would they be able to be baptized at the end of 46:37 the studies? 46:38 Jëan: Okay. Well, that's a good question. 46:41 That's a real-life situation that I have faced in my 46:42 ministry, and I'm sure Pastor Alden has faced that too. 46:46 If we meet with someone or a couple and we do Bible studies 46:49 with them, during the Bible study it becomes pretty clear 46:52 what God's ideal is, and God's ideal is for marriage. 46:56 So if two people are living together and they're not 46:58 married, well, then they need to get married. 47:00 So there have been times in the work that I've been doing where 47:04 I have married, you know, a man and a woman and baptized them. 47:08 Married them one day and baptized them a week later. 47:11 So we want to make sure that we do everything we can before we 47:15 are baptized to set our lives in water. 47:18 Doesn't mean we perfect, but the clear principles of faith we 47:22 want to embrace, we want to be faithful. 47:24 And so it's important for a person to first work that out 47:27 before they are baptized. 47:30 And that's usually the path that we follow. 47:32 Alden: And we have lesson number five in our Bible study guide 47:36 called "Keys For a Happy Marriage," and that would be 47:38 very helpful to pass on to them as you're studying with them 47:42 as well. 47:43 And let's see. 47:45 We have Rachel in Arizona talking about the Ark of 47:48 the Covenant. 47:50 Rachel, are you there? 47:51 Rachel: Thank you. 47:52 So my question is, does Bible Scripture disclose the location 47:56 of the Ark of the Covenant? 47:59 Jëan: Okay. 48:00 It doesn't clearly tell us where the ark is. 48:03 It would kind of be nice if it did 'cause we could go find it, 48:06 but it's--from just the historical account, the Ark of 48:10 the Covenant was removed from the temple in Jerusalem most 48:14 likely by Jeremiah the prophet before the Babylonian captivity. 48:18 And that occurred around 600 BC, 600 years Before Christ. 48:22 So Jeremiah knew that the Babylonians were coming, 48:25 Nebuchadnezzar was coming. 48:27 He knew that the city would eventually fall. 48:29 He prophesized about that event. 48:32 He was in Jerusalem during that time period and when Jerusalem 48:35 actually did fall. 48:36 So it's quite possible that Jeremiah and some of the other 48:39 priests, knowing that the city was going to fall, they hid the 48:43 Ark of the Covenant in one of the many caves around Jerusalem. 48:48 And it's still there today. 48:50 Now, after the 7 years of Babylonian captivity when the 48:53 Jews came back from Babylon and they started to rebuild the 48:55 temple, it was a time of instability, there was political 49:00 unrest by the nations around them, and they didn't feel, at 49:04 least at first, to bring the temple back--or bring the ark 49:07 back into the temple. 49:09 It could very well be that some who hid it at that point had 49:11 forgotten where it was, they didn't know where it was. 49:14 But after the Babylonian captivity, the Ark of the 49:17 Covenant never made it back in the temple. 49:19 Even in the time of Christ the Ark of the Covenant was not in 49:22 the most holy place of the temple. 49:25 And it's still hidden somewhere today. 49:27 And hopefully they will find it before the end of time, before 49:30 Jesus comes. 49:32 It would be kind of neat to see the Ark of the Covenant. 49:34 That will be the biggest archaeological discovery of all. 49:37 Alden: We're told that it could be discovered, right? 49:38 Jëan: It seems that way, yeah. 49:40 The Bible seems--not a clear statement, but it seems to 49:43 indicate that yeah, there's a possibility that the law will 49:45 be revealed. 49:47 Alden: Hollywood's made a lot of movies on that too. 49:48 Jëan: I know. 49:50 It's a big thing. 49:51 Alden: But God has-- 49:52 Jëan: So it's not in Ethiopia, in case you've 49:54 heard people say that. 49:55 No. 49:57 It is somewhere in the vicinity of Jerusalem, hidden in one of 49:59 those caves. 50:01 Alden: We have Aaron in California, and he's got a 50:04 really good question. 50:05 Aaron, you're there? 50:06 Aaron: Yes. Can you hear me? 50:09 Jëan: Yeah. 50:10 Welcome to the program, and your question. 50:12 Aaron: Yes. 50:13 So my question is, to make it pretty quick, when Lucifer was 50:15 in heaven, right, he did certain things that to--that literally 50:21 went against God, and God literally bore along 50:24 with Lucifer. 50:25 Why was it that when Lucifer sinned that he didn't need a 50:29 Savior in comparison to when Adam sinned? 50:33 If Adam had went to Jesus and said, "God, I'm sorry," that 50:38 wouldn't be enough because his character was mauled or, you 50:41 know, diminished. 50:43 All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, right? 50:45 So why didn't Lucifer--why would it be that Lucifer would have 50:50 just gotten a free pass back into heaven if he sincerely 50:53 repented while he was there, but Adam needed a Savior? 50:57 Jëan: All right. Good question. 50:59 Now, Revelation chapter 12 talks about a war in heaven. 51:01 So we know that Lucifer, one of the covering cherubs, began to 51:04 covet God's possession. 51:06 I'm sure there were conversations that took place, 51:08 some very important conversations in heaven where 51:11 God the Father set forth the proper possession of His 51:14 Son Jesus. 51:16 And, you know, Jesus is the Creator. 51:19 He is worthy of worship. 51:21 And I'm sure the angels spoke to Lucifer and there was this 51:24 pleading going on for a period of time, but at some point 51:27 Lucifer hardened his heart and he passed the point of 51:30 no return. 51:32 There probably was a period of time where maybe he wasn't fully 51:37 rebellious, maybe he was questioning things and had he 51:40 repented of that he could have been reinstated in heaven. 51:44 Of course, in the case of Adam and Eve it's different. 51:48 When they sinned, Jesus stepped in as a substitute for them. 51:53 Lucifer rebelled in the full light of the glory of God, 51:57 whereas Adam and Eve didn't have that same understanding, that 52:01 same exposure to God's glory as Lucifer did in heaven. 52:04 We don't know how long Lucifer was in heaven before the 52:06 rebellion took place. 52:08 But God being a God of love, said, "I have a plan of 52:11 redemption to save mankind." 52:13 So how long would that door of opportunity have remained open 52:17 in heaven for Lucifer to say, "I'm sorry?" 52:19 The Bible doesn't say, but very clearly now he has passed 52:23 that point. 52:24 There is no sacrifice for Lucifer and for the 52:27 fallen angels. 52:29 Alden: You know, I was thinking too about this, because Adam, if 52:32 you read Ephesians 6, talks about he is blood and he is 52:36 flesh, where Lucifer is spiritual being. 52:40 Totally different separation from that. 52:43 Jëan: Good question. 52:44 Thank you, Aaron. Who do we have next? 52:47 Alden: We have Gus in Idaho, and Gus has got a question 52:48 regarding Matthew. 52:50 Gus: Thank you. I enjoy your guys' program. 52:52 I listen every Sunday. I'm a truck driver. 52:55 And I finally got through after I don't know how many 52:56 attempts, but-- 52:58 Jëan: Thanks for being persistent. 52:59 Gus: It must be the Lord's will. 53:00 It must be the Lord's will because I've been carrying this 53:02 burden that I don't know, it's just been--it's been tearing 53:04 me apart. 53:06 So my question is in Matthew 19:9 when the Pharisees are 53:10 trying to trap Jesus in regards to the question of marriage 53:14 and divorce. 53:15 And I know that you had another caller, I believe, earlier touch 53:18 on that, but not in detail like I want to. 53:22 But--and I'm not--I don't want to bash anybody, but there's 53:27 another Bible answer program that's a couple of slots ahead 53:33 of you guys on Sirius 131 FM. 53:36 And I called in I think a week ago to ask a different question. 53:39 And anyway to make a long story short, this gentleman reached 53:43 back out to me to do a Bible study, and we did. 53:45 And he was asking about my marriage, and I told him--well, 53:49 he asked me if it was my first marriage and my wife's first 53:51 marriage, and I told him no, it was my first marriage and my 53:54 wife's second marriage. 53:56 And he asked why my wife had divorced, and I explained to him 54:00 that her ex-husband was a heavy drug user and didn't want to 54:04 seek help, and my wife did everything she possibly could to 54:09 save the marriage, but it was not savable. 54:12 But anyway, me and my wife have been married for 25 years. 54:14 We have three beautiful daughters. 54:17 This particular gentleman told me that our marriage is an 54:20 adulterous marriage and not valid in the eyes of God, and 54:24 therefore I'm living in adultery with my wife, and I must divorce 54:28 her in order to enter into the kingdom of God. 54:31 Jëan: Well, first of all, Gus, yeah, thank you for calling. 54:33 And probably the verse he's referring to is if somebody puts 54:37 away a wife and there's no biblical grounds for that, and 54:41 she marries another, the person who marries her is guilty of 54:44 committing adultery. 54:46 However, there are exceptions to the rule. 54:48 And in the case of somebody who wasn't living a Christian life, 54:52 and then, you know, they get a divorce, and then they come to 54:55 the Lord and they repent and they ask for forgiveness, our 54:58 past sins are all forgiven. 55:00 We are free to start fresh and trust in the Lord to open the 55:04 way and lead. 55:05 It's pretty evident that, you know, you've been married for a 55:07 long time. 55:09 You're both committed. 55:11 You can ask for God's blessing upon your marriage and you can 55:13 trust that He does. 55:15 You want to do everything you can to safeguard your marriage 55:16 and protect your marriage, but you can't go back and change 55:20 the past. 55:21 And the last thing you want to do is divorce her because she's 55:24 not going to be able to go back to her first husband anyway. 55:27 So I think you just put it behind you, you pray and ask 55:29 God, "If we've done something wrong, please forgive us," and 55:33 live up to all the light that you have in the Scriptures. 55:36 You know, the book that we offered a little earlier you 55:38 might enjoy reading. 55:39 It's called "Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage." 55:42 And we'll be happy to send it to anyone who calls and asks. 55:46 We also have another study guide called "Keys to a Happy 55:49 Marriage" for those who are married and they want to make 55:51 sure that they living up to everything that God purposes for 55:54 marriage and that you want your marriage to be blessed. 55:57 There are some biblical principles, and it's called 55:59 "Keys to a Happy Marriage." 56:01 We'll be happy to send that to anyone who calls and asks. 56:04 The number is just simply 800-835-6747, and as for that 56:11 study guide, it's called "Keys for a Happy Marriage." 56:13 And you will be blessed by reading it. 56:16 Well, you know, Pastor Alden, I'm looking at the clock. 56:17 We don't have time to take another caller just yet. 56:20 We are going to take some of your email questions in just a 56:23 moment, but before we get to that, friends, if you're 56:25 listening and you want to learn more, just visit our website. 56:28 It's AmazingFacts.org. 56:30 It is packed with all kinds of great resources. 56:33 And the free offers that we mentioned on the program, you 56:36 can read them online at the Amazing Facts website. 56:39 We want to encourage you to go ahead and take a look at it. 56:42 Pastor Alden, what are our email questions this evening? 56:45 Alden: I want to tell Gus also that he can call--because he's 56:48 driving, you call #250 and you can ask for those books while 56:52 you're driving-- 56:53 Jëan: That's right. 56:54 Alden: So you don't have to type all that in. 56:56 We've got a few email questions here. 56:57 James is asking, when does Satan's impersonation or 57:01 impersonation of Christ's return occur in relationship to the 57:04 close of probation? 57:06 Would it be for the purpose of everyone's destiny to be fixed 57:10 by that time? 57:12 So is it after or before? 57:13 Jëan: Good question. 57:14 All right, so the Bible says that in the last days, Jesus 57:16 said in Matthew 24, there'll be false Christs and false 57:19 prophets, and they'll deceive, if possible, even the 57:21 very elect. 57:23 So Jesus warns His people. 57:25 Will there be a caliphate of an impersonation by the devil of 57:29 the second coming of Christ? 57:31 Yes, we believe there will be. 57:33 It kind of takes place in twofold, you might say. 57:35 There is going to be some deception before probation 57:38 closes and false Christs, plural, will appear, but there 57:42 is also going to be this masterful, great impersonation 57:46 that takes place. 57:47 It actually happens after probation closes during 57:49 the plagues. 57:50 And the purpose of that impersonation isn't to deceive 57:52 the righteous at that point, it is to try and gather the whole 57:56 world to finally pass a death decree upon God's people. 58:00 The good news is that that death decree is never carried out 58:03 because Jesus comes to their rescue. 58:05 Well, friends, that's it for today. 58:07 Until next week, God bless. 58:11 announcer: Thank you for listening to today's broadcast. 58:14 We hope you understand your Bible even better than before. 58:18 "Bible Answers Live" is produced by Amazing Facts International, 58:22 a faith-based ministry located in Granite Bay, California. 58:28 ♪♪♪ |
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