Participants: Jim Ayer
Series Code: MW
Program Code: MW000036
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00:01 Talma had been raised as a communist.
00:02 Matter of fact, she didn't like Christians at all 00:05 and when she found out 00:06 that there was a Christian living next door 00:08 and that Christian began talking to her about Jesus Christ. 00:11 Well, she wanted nothing to do with it, 00:14 so she moved away, she couldn't stand it. 00:16 But then, one day she turned on her radio dial 00:20 and she found the new hope in Jesus Christ. 00:22 You see, God had applied the eye salve in her life 00:25 that spoken of in the Book of Revelation 00:28 Chapter 3 about Laodicea, it changed her life. 00:32 Stay tuned, we'll be right back. 01:07 I'm actually sitting on a stone here, 01:10 there was once a marble statue. 01:12 Apparently the Christians used it as a sewer cover. 01:17 How did it all this occur? 01:18 Well, today we found out because we're able to talk 01:21 with an archeologist 01:22 who's running a huge dig here at Laodicea. 01:26 We are so fortunate because most people do not 01:28 get the opportunity to do what we've done today 01:31 and we get to share it all with you. 01:46 This city is located in a small valley, 01:48 about 40 miles east and inland from Ephesus 01:51 and just a few miles from both Hierapolis and Colossae. 01:55 This valley's a natural route of travel from East to West. 01:59 It is located and what is known is the Gate of Phrygia. 02:03 The great camel caravans came out of the East 02:05 down through the Gate of Phrygia and through Laodicea. 02:09 From the East they continued to Ephesus, 02:11 to Miletus, and also up to what is called Izmir today 02:15 but was Smyrna in Biblical Times. 02:19 This city was founded by the Seleucid King Antiochus II 02:22 and name for his wife Laodicea about 260 BC. 02:30 So the first dig started in 2002. 02:33 Now, until that time there was nothing here at Laodicea, 02:38 all of this now it's been what all of you found. 02:42 Yes. Can you show us some of those areas? 02:45 Yes, yes, can we go. Can we look at some of those? 02:46 Okay. We can go. 02:48 How do you ever tell how it all fits together? 02:51 Well, sometimes it's easy to find the pieces to match them. 02:58 They're all laying closely together. 03:00 Yeah, of course, and also and the places of buildings 03:04 breakage are clear sometimes. 03:07 For example we can say that, this part belongs to this one. 03:12 Yeah. You can understand from traces. 03:13 Looks very plain that they fit together, yeah. 03:16 So you excavate a site, you get all the pieces 03:21 and then you started looking say, 03:22 now, how does this building go together? 03:24 Of course, for example it's not difficult to say 03:27 that there are lots of blocks in front of the building there. 03:33 You can see a few ones there, we call In Situ, 03:36 which means in the original place. 03:39 Original place. Yes. 03:40 Do you found them in the spot where they always were? 03:42 When we find one in original place we can say 03:46 that the similar blocks belongs next to it. 03:52 You had mentioned to me that you found exciting, 03:55 something exciting from the Bronze Age, 03:58 I told you that Laodicea is how old? 04:00 Oh, Bronze Age, 2nd millennium B.C. 04:03 it means four thousand years ago, 04:06 three thousand and five hundred about. 04:09 Ever since studies revealed this material 04:15 and it changed the history of the city. 04:18 So right now, you're actually two periods of history 04:21 or kind of mixed up amongst all the artifacts here. 04:24 Most of the ruins, two civilizations mixed, 04:30 Roman and Byzantine civilizations. 04:33 Now we're walking down, 04:34 it appears like an old street here. 04:37 Yes, it's originally Roman street 04:40 and also it's an extension of the famous king roads 04:45 which connects Persia and Syria to Aegean Coast, Ephesus. 04:50 So already, it looks you're building up the, the colonies. 04:53 This entire street was line with big-- 04:55 Yes, certainly, exactly. It must have been beautiful. 04:59 Of course, you can see some, for example, 05:01 bases also which we found In Situ in original place. 05:05 But some of them are Byzantine pavements. 05:09 Talma, I'm really glad that we could have a little time 05:11 to spend today in such a beautiful location 05:13 to talk about AWR. 05:16 Yes, proceed. I especially wanna hear about your life. 05:20 Good, I'm ready to share my story. 05:23 Well, tell me about your story. 05:25 How did you end up in the place you are today? 05:27 Foreign language 05:31 I divide my life into two sections, 05:34 before baptism and after. 05:36 Foreign language 05:39 My parents baptized me at that Orthodox Church. 05:43 I would have to say, I think I was a Christian. 05:47 So the Orthodox Church is quite strong here in this country. 05:51 Yes, of course, of course. 05:54 Well, what did it mean to you to go to that church? 05:58 Foreign language 05:59 Yes, I went to this church until I turned 20, 06:03 after that I decide that 06:05 I didn't really need to go to this church. 06:08 I had no needs for it, 06:10 I was doing things like everyone else. 06:13 Foreign language 06:14 It just didn't seem to you like the church was offering 06:17 anything for you in the heart or the mind. 06:20 Foreign language 06:22 Yes, that's true. 06:24 I really wanted to understand and take to heart, 06:28 I want to say that I was married twice. 06:31 And in my first marriage, I didn't workout, 06:34 so we separated. 06:36 Foreign language 06:40 During that time I needed someone to talk to, 06:43 someone to share with. 06:45 I couldn't find anyone but I never thought 06:48 that a church could provide me with that. 06:51 Foreign language 06:52 So it was about this time then, 06:54 as you're going there you're wanting some real food. 06:57 You get a divorce, 06:58 it seems like maybe your life falls apart. 07:00 Foreign language 07:02 Yes, that's right. 07:03 Foreign language 07:06 All I had was my daughter and I use all my time 07:10 and power to raised her, 07:12 but then later I find another man. 07:15 Even though I told myself, I wouldn't remarry, 07:19 but I found a good man and I trusted him. 07:22 Foreign language 07:26 I don't think I am the only one, 07:29 I believe there are a lot of people out there, 07:32 who are hungry for more spiritual life. 07:35 There is never too much faith and spiritual understanding. 07:39 But I contain it very little. 07:44 Laodicea was a city of great wealth, of commerce, 07:46 and of Greek culture. 07:48 It was prideful of its scientific accomplishments 07:51 and scholarly literature. 07:53 It boasted of a medical school where they developed 07:55 what was known in the Roman world as Phrygian powder. 07:58 Produced from clay found in the surrounding hills, 08:01 it was combined with perfume 08:03 and made into a salve for the eyes and ears. 08:06 This salve was shipped all over the Roman Empire. 08:09 Today the chemical analysis reveals that 08:11 there are no medical benefits in the clay. 08:15 Through the radio waves of AWR, 08:17 God is reaching people around the world. 08:21 We'd like to offer you an edition of "Making Waves." 08:23 It's four of our episodes brought to you 08:25 from around the world. 08:27 God speaking to hearts, 08:29 the hearts of the listeners of AWR, exciting stories. 08:32 We hope that you'll share those with friends 08:33 and neighbors, acquaintances, 08:35 anyone you come in contact with. 08:36 Join us to Make Waves. It's completely free. 08:40 Right now the information is on your screen. 08:43 For your free, no obligation DVD, 08:45 write to Adventist World Radio, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, 08:51 Silver Spring, Maryland 20904 or call 1-866-503-3531 09:00 or log on to www.awr.org/MWDVD. 09:07 Be sure to request offer number 10. 09:09 That number again is 1-866-503-3531. 09:20 Following five years of excavations at the site, 09:23 it was announced that they have found a statue 09:25 head of the Ancient Greek God of the underworld, Hades. 09:29 Recent digs have also turned up 09:30 a large number of marble sculptures, 09:32 including ones of Aphrodite and Eros. 09:36 As well as various historical artifacts 09:38 such as Terracotta cups, bottles and coins. 09:42 The excavations have so far been centered 09:44 on an ancient street which encompasses 09:46 a late Roman-era villa, 09:48 a central bath and a glass workshop. 09:54 Now, you brought up an interesting thing for me, 09:57 I see many statues in the museum that the heads are gone. 10:01 What happens to the heads? 10:02 Yeah, there are two ways we can say the exact, 10:05 the certain ways. 10:07 One is, the head is most easy, 10:12 most breakable part of a statue. 10:15 When a statue fall, collapse, 10:18 the first breaking place is the head also and the arms. 10:23 And the second is after the acceptance of Christianity, 10:28 the Christians destroyed the heads. 10:31 Oh, really? Of course, they destroy it. 10:34 Because it's a Paganistic God and they used body, 10:39 they destroyed the head. 10:40 But they used body for construction. 10:42 For example in the walls or in the houses or, 10:49 as I mentioned, as a cover of sewerage system. 10:53 Really, they use the statues 10:54 for the cover of the sewerage system. 10:56 Yes, exactly and we can show you. 10:59 Oh, I'd love to see it. For example this block. 11:02 This was original as statue, you can see. 11:07 You can see that. Shoulder. 11:08 Yeah. Yeah. 11:10 Drapes. The drapes, yeah. 11:11 Of course, and feet also. 11:15 Now it looks, did you just dig that 11:16 out of this spot, it looks like. 11:18 Yes, it was laying like this way 11:21 and we can see that it was a original statue. 11:26 And if we lift it up. 11:28 So you'll just leave that there from now on basically. 11:32 We just clean leave to show people how this used, 11:35 what was it before, et cetera. 11:39 This, it all looks so beautiful, 11:42 it's got to be exciting to set it all up 11:44 and see it come together. 11:45 Of course, of course. 11:46 For example last year all these blocks 11:49 were collapsed or destroyed. 11:52 And last year all these re-erected here 11:56 and it was a great and exciting work. 11:59 This looks beautiful, tell me about this. 12:02 This is called in archeology opus sectile, 12:06 it's a kind of pavements 12:08 made with square of geometric shape marbles. 12:15 Now are these stones, all of these are different ones, 12:18 are they from the local area or just, just told me that 12:21 they brought these from everywhere. 12:22 Different areas. 12:23 For example some of them are local. 12:26 There are two marble quarries near here, 12:29 but also there are other marbles from other regions 12:33 and also other kind of stones from other regions. 12:37 So you needed more spiritual life, 12:40 you needed something else, where did that lead you to next? 12:44 Foreign language 12:46 It came into my life in a very special way. 12:50 Tell me about that special way, what was special? 12:53 Foreign language 12:57 It all happened here in this small town 13:00 my husband's parents get very ill. 13:04 So I had to leave my job and leave the town 13:07 and move to his parent's home to take care of them. 13:12 Foreign language 13:14 My husband's parents live in a small village. 13:17 They own very little, beside a small television 13:21 that hardly worked was a radio 13:23 and received a station that we didn't have back home. 13:28 Radio that was used for Communist propaganda 13:31 is now putting out Christianity. 13:35 Yes, that's right. 13:36 Foreign language 13:40 And I had the chance to listen to all of those programs 13:43 and during that time I had the chance 13:46 to listen to Voice of Hope. 13:48 And they spoke about small general Bible rules. 13:52 These were very familiar rules. 13:55 Everything they said, I understood. 13:57 Foreign language 14:01 It was very interesting 14:02 because I love the bells while we're talking. 14:04 You know, I understand they do those by hand, 14:06 the people play those bells. 14:08 Foreign language 14:10 Yes, these old bells are different sizes 14:14 and they play with the hand. 14:18 You said you found a special radio program 14:20 though that you're really liked. 14:22 Foreign language 14:24 Yes, this was Voice of Hope, they offer Bible study. 14:29 They were going to mail me the homework 14:31 and they weren't pushy. 14:33 If I wanted to do the homework, 14:35 I did, if I didn't, I didn't. 14:38 So I decide to study because it's never too late to study. 14:43 Foreign language 14:45 So tell me what happened 14:47 when you got the Bible studies, what did that mean to you? 14:49 Foreign language 14:52 Yes, I did my homework and I received the answers. 14:57 I finished 24 assignments in these courses 15:00 and received a diploma for passing these classes. 15:04 And I went through a long break after that. 15:08 Foreign language 15:13 Through the lessons I understood I need to believe, 15:16 I needed to get baptized. 15:18 But where do I go, 15:20 where is the church and who do I talk to? 15:23 Foreign language 15:30 And I believed that the Holy Spirit work 15:32 very well for me. 15:34 And I think that everyone in my church 15:36 prayed for people like me, 15:39 for those who needed to come to Christ. 15:41 And I happen to run into an acquaintance of mine, 15:46 I never knew she went to the same church. 15:50 And she without knowing that I had finished 15:53 the Bible courses and I didn't know 15:56 she attend this church, 15:58 decided to share this happiness with me. 16:01 She apparently got baptized 16:03 and that's where our conversation started. 16:07 During Roman times, what was the area famous for? 16:11 Oh, the wealthy of this, 16:14 it comes from textile exportation. 16:17 And the main commercial good was textile. 16:23 During Roman period the textile products of city 16:26 was very famous. 16:28 And also they was very, 16:30 they were very expensive because it mentioned 16:33 in the price list of Diocletianus. 16:38 Now I'm told that the wool, a lot of it was black. 16:41 Yes, black, yes, black. 16:43 How did they dye it 16:44 or why, why was everything black, why black? 16:47 Black, the first reason was the color of the sheep. 16:52 And also it was specific that the water of this region 16:59 was very good to have that color to have, 17:04 it was good to paint the woolen product 17:07 with that color. 17:08 And it was giving to the wool a very impressive black color. 17:17 Good quality, deep, dark. Yes, of course. 17:19 Rich. Yes, they fix it, it doesn't lose its color. 17:24 This city has a population in II and III century A.D. 17:30 over a hundred thousand population. 17:32 A hundred thousand people lived in top of this hill. 17:34 Yes, because the city 17:39 placed over a five square kilometers area. 17:43 It's a lot of huge area? 17:44 And it's normal, a hundred thousand people 17:48 is normal for this city. 17:51 As you can see, AWR is frontline mission radio. 17:55 Our first priority is to travel where missionaries cannot go. 18:00 We broadcast thousands of hours each day 18:02 in 70 major languages of the world. 18:05 AWR has the capability and capacity of blanketing 18:08 almost 80% of the world's population. 18:12 Not only do we broadcast via shortwave radio 18:15 but our signal is on over 1,000 FM 18:18 and AM stations around the world as well. 18:21 Our podcast subscribers, Internet users, 18:24 satellite downlinks are growing rapidly. 18:26 Evidenced by the hundred thousand plus emails, 18:29 letters, and phone calls we receive each and every year. 18:33 Yes, AWR is your mission radio. 18:36 No walls and no borders, 18:38 for AWR that means change lives and changed hearts 18:41 around the world because God is using the airwaves 18:45 of AWR to reach people everywhere. 18:51 A lot of people come to Laodicea, 18:53 they hear about the lukewarm water of the Bible. 18:57 Hierapolis is right over there, for years I've heard them say 19:00 about the water came from there. 19:02 What's, what's really the situation 19:03 you're the archeologist? 19:05 The warm water, in fact, it's at lower Hierapolis 19:09 and people go to Hierapolis for warm water. 19:13 But the people come to here to be our pilgrim, 19:16 especially in modern times also in ancient period. 19:19 Because this city mentioned in Holy Bible 19:23 because of the letters of Saint Paul to Saint Epaphras. 19:27 And one of the seven churches of apostle found here, 19:33 it's in here. 19:34 But I have, as an archeologist I cannot say 19:36 this building is the church of apostle. 19:41 Maybe that was there only a name, not a real building. 19:47 But people come to visit the Holy Lands 19:51 which Saint Paul give importance to this city. 19:58 Now, I can't tell you how much I appreciate this. 20:01 Because people all over the world are interested 20:03 in this site, so thank you so much. 20:06 We are inviting all of the world, I mean, 20:08 all of the people over the world to Laodicea to see, 20:12 because there are lots of things to discover. 20:15 And we advise them to see here. 20:19 And it was my pleasure to tell you something. 20:23 You just find out that your friend is actually 20:25 a member of this church, what was your reaction? 20:28 My reaction was happiness. 20:30 I was invited to church by Inna and I finally 20:34 had the chance to attend this church, 20:37 not alone but with my friend. 20:39 So this was different than listening 20:41 before in the Orthodox Church, you couldn't understand. 20:44 But now you've got someone that you can understand. 20:47 Foreign language 20:54 No, because it was divided in two. 20:57 First half was the assignments 20:59 and second half was the preaching. 21:02 I'm now able to open to Bible and understand things. 21:06 Foreign language 21:11 Can you imagine I was so annoyed 21:13 with the whole religion that I decided to sell my house 21:17 because of my Christian neighbors? 21:20 Can you see how big a step 21:22 I took of my life after this incident? 21:24 Foreign language 21:29 That's not all, I rented an apartment 21:32 and on the first floor our church rented out 21:35 a big room to have service there. 21:38 That's when I started to believe that things 21:41 like that don't happen by accident. 21:45 Isn't God amazing, the things that He does in our lives? 21:49 Yes, our Lord is a great Lord. 21:52 So you went from moving away from your neighbors 21:55 who were Christians, because you hated 21:57 to be around a Christian. 21:58 So now you're rejoicing in Christ and baptism. 22:01 Foreign language 22:08 Yes, it was so nice. 22:10 As I walked out of the water, 22:12 brothers and sister was singing me songs 22:15 as my baptism gift which was amazing. 22:18 They invited my instructor from the Bible study courses. 22:22 Foreign language 22:26 I've got to ask, do you share Jesus Christ with others now? 22:29 Foreign language 22:33 I share with my close ones and with my co-workers. 22:38 And as I travel, not everyone accept this, 22:42 but I don't blame them because I used to be the same. 22:47 What would've happened in your life 22:49 had you never heard AWR? 22:52 Foreign language 22:56 I think that it was going to happen. 22:59 Because if a person has a soul and a good in them, 23:03 it waits for them, Christ will find them. 23:07 Foreign language 23:12 I knew that, I had an angel watching me. 23:15 Because when I was seeing out of the book a feather 23:19 fell out of the sky and landed on my book. 23:22 I stopped to see and then I saw the color 23:25 of my guardian angel's feathers. 23:27 Foreign language 23:39 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write. 23:42 These are the words of the Amen, 23:44 the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 23:48 I know your deeds that you are neither cold nor hot. 23:52 I wish you were either one or the other. 23:55 So, because you are lukewarm neither hot nor cold, 23:58 I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 24:01 And you say, 'I am rich, I have acquired wealth 24:04 and do not need a thing.' 24:06 But you do not realize that you are wretched, 24:09 pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 24:12 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, 24:16 so you can become rich, and white clothes to wear, 24:19 so you can cover your shameful nakedness, 24:22 and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 24:26 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. 24:29 So be earnest and repent. 24:30 Here I am. I stand at the door and knock. 24:34 If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, 24:37 I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 24:41 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit 24:44 with me on my throne, just as I overcame 24:47 and sat down with my Father on his throne. 24:51 He who has an ears, let them hear 24:52 what the Spirit says to the churches?" 24:57 Wasn't that a great story we heard from Talma here, 25:01 how God has led in her life? 25:03 But I have a little postscript to this story 25:05 that she told me after we finished her interview. 25:09 She told me when she first started 25:10 studying her Bible lessons 25:12 she did it secretly from her husband. 25:15 Because she thought he might not approve 25:17 of her studying the Bible course. 25:21 One time she got some lessons in the mail 25:23 and there was a question that was very difficult to answer. 25:28 And she thought about it and then she decided that 25:32 because her husband was an educated man 25:35 he might be able to help her with the answer. 25:39 And so he came home from work one evening 25:42 and she asked him that very difficult question. 25:46 He smiled and he said, "You didn't know it 25:51 but I've been reading 25:52 and studying your lessons all along. 25:55 I have read them all." 25:58 She thought she had them kept in a secret place. 26:01 But he had found them and he was studying them. 26:05 Now he is coming close to understanding 26:08 the things that she has. 26:10 But he hasn't yet made his decision to accept 26:13 Jesus Christ completely. 26:16 Because he still is involved in this logical thinking, 26:19 educated mentality, and as Talma told me. 26:23 "Sometimes you just have to believe." 26:27 Well, that's the rest of the story, 26:29 we can continue praying for her and her husband. 26:33 And the Bible verse that comes to my mind 26:36 here is the one in Proverbs Chapter 3, 26:40 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart 26:43 and lean not on your own understanding, 26:46 in all your ways acknowledged him 26:49 and he will guide your paths." 26:52 God is the great architect of our lives, 26:55 and He brings things together that we never knew 27:00 might happen otherwise. 27:02 Continue to join us here at Adventist World Radio. 27:06 For more stories of people around the world like Talma 27:10 who need to hear this message, 27:12 and are so happy when they received it. 27:16 I'm sitting here in the ruins of Laodicea. 27:19 You see AWR goes around the world. 27:22 If you'd like to partner with us, 27:23 give us a call 1-866-503-3531 27:28 or you can write us at 12501 Old Columbia Pike, 27:32 Sliver Spring, Maryland 20904. 27:36 We can log on to our website at www.awr.org. 27:42 And thank you for watching. 27:44 Please join us again for another exciting gospel adventure. 27:47 Because around the world AWR is Making Waves. |
Revised 2014-12-17