¤¤¤
00:00:00.66\00:00:08.04
¤¤¤
00:00:11.97\00:00:18.25
Jean Ross: Good
morning, friends.
00:00:36.23\00:00:37.70
Welcome again to "Sabbath School
Study Hour," coming to you
00:00:37.73\00:00:39.70
from the Amazing Facts offices
near Sacramento, California.
00:00:39.73\00:00:43.17
To be specific, we're
in the area of Granite Bay.
00:00:43.20\00:00:46.27
We'd like to welcome all
of those who are joining us.
00:00:46.31\00:00:48.54
We have an important study
today, and we've still been
00:00:48.58\00:00:50.85
studying through our
series talking about the Bible.
00:00:50.88\00:00:53.78
Today we're on lesson number
10 in our lesson quarterly.
00:00:53.82\00:00:56.32
It's entitled
The Bible As History.
00:00:56.35\00:00:59.42
We got some import information,
some fascinating archaeological
00:00:59.45\00:01:02.92
information to share with you
that helps proves the validity
00:01:02.96\00:01:05.59
of the Bible.
00:01:05.63\00:01:08.10
Pastor Doug, we have
a very important lesson.
00:01:08.13\00:01:09.93
Good morning.
00:01:09.96\00:01:11.30
Doug Batchelor:
Morning, how are you doing?
00:01:11.33\00:01:12.70
Jean: Doing good.
00:01:12.73\00:01:14.17
Of course, we're going to
be talking about the Bible
00:01:14.20\00:01:15.67
as history, and it's always a
good idea to start with prayer
00:01:15.70\00:01:17.74
before we get into the study
of God's Word, so let's do that.
00:01:17.77\00:01:21.04
Dear Father, we thank you again
that we have this wonderful
00:01:21.08\00:01:23.18
opportunity to open
up and study your Word.
00:01:23.21\00:01:25.95
We can see how that the Bible
reveals to us, not only the way
00:01:25.98\00:01:29.15
of life, but it also reveals
God's dealing through human
00:01:29.18\00:01:32.42
history, and so, we pray
for your guidance as we study
00:01:32.45\00:01:34.82
together this morning.
00:01:34.86\00:01:36.79
In Jesus' name, amen.
00:01:36.83\00:01:39.49
Doug: Amen.
00:01:39.53\00:01:40.93
Jean: We've got a free
offer that we'd like to tell our
00:01:40.96\00:01:42.70
friends about.
00:01:42.73\00:01:44.27
It's one of the
Amazing Facts study guides.
00:01:44.30\00:01:45.83
It's one of our classics,
it's called "The USA In Bible
00:01:45.87\00:01:48.30
Prophecy," and
this is our free offer.
00:01:48.34\00:01:50.51
All you'll need to do is call
the number 866-788-3966 and ask
00:01:50.54\00:01:55.48
for Offer Number 181.
00:01:55.51\00:01:58.65
Again, that's 866-788-3966
and ask for Offer Number 101.
00:01:58.68\00:02:06.42
And we'll be happy to send
this out to anyone who calls
00:02:06.45\00:02:08.29
and asks.
00:02:08.32\00:02:09.99
You can receive a digital
download of our free offer by
00:02:10.03\00:02:12.46
texting the code SH039--or
93 I should say, SH093 to the
00:02:12.49\00:02:19.43
number 40544.
00:02:19.47\00:02:23.27
You'll get a digital download,
and you'll be able to study this
00:02:23.30\00:02:25.07
very important lesson talking
about the United States in
00:02:25.11\00:02:28.88
Bible prophecy.
00:02:28.91\00:02:30.88
Our lesson today, lesson
number 10 entitled The Bible As
00:02:30.91\00:02:33.82
History, and Pastor Doug, we've
got a memory verse for today.
00:02:33.85\00:02:37.59
Doug: Yes, it's from Exodus
chapter 20, verse 2, and it
00:02:37.62\00:02:40.92
says, "I am the Lord your God
who brought you out of the land
00:02:40.96\00:02:44.29
of Egypt out of
the house of bondage."
00:02:44.33\00:02:46.96
I think most people recognize
that as part of the Ten
00:02:47.00\00:02:48.83
Commandments, but it also gives,
it's an encompassing memory
00:02:48.86\00:02:54.10
verse because the theme of the
lesson today is really how the
00:02:54.14\00:02:57.97
panorama of Bible history can
be supported with World History.
00:02:58.01\00:03:04.68
And, you know, one of the big
questions I asked when I first
00:03:04.71\00:03:07.15
started reading the Bible
is, well, the Bible's not a
00:03:07.18\00:03:10.02
fairytale, it's a true book,
it's a historical book, these
00:03:10.05\00:03:12.75
things really happened?
00:03:12.79\00:03:15.46
And I was very pleased as I
studied over the years to find
00:03:15.49\00:03:18.53
out that the Bible is
probably the most comprehensive
00:03:18.56\00:03:21.56
historical book in the world.
00:03:21.60\00:03:24.60
Jean: Mm-hmm.
00:03:24.63\00:03:26.43
There's an important number of
themes that are introduced that
00:03:26.47\00:03:28.27
we find in the Bible.
00:03:28.30\00:03:29.70
For example, the
Bible talks about creation.
00:03:29.74\00:03:32.64
The Bible talks about the
fall, where did sin come from.
00:03:32.67\00:03:36.34
We have the story of the flood.
00:03:36.38\00:03:38.15
We have the call of Abraham.
00:03:38.18\00:03:40.02
We have the history of
Israel revealed in the Bible.
00:03:40.05\00:03:42.42
And, of course, all of that
culminates in the coming of the
00:03:42.45\00:03:44.65
Messiah, and that's really
the central focus of the Bible.
00:03:44.69\00:03:47.92
The establishment of the
Christian church is, of course,
00:03:47.96\00:03:50.03
a theme in the New Testament.
00:03:50.06\00:03:52.13
And then, you've got all of the
prophecies found in the Bible,
00:03:52.16\00:03:54.13
as well as the practical
information on how we find a
00:03:54.20\00:03:56.43
saving relationship with Christ.
00:03:56.46\00:03:58.83
So, the Bible is both a
religious book, but it is also
00:03:58.87\00:04:01.37
very authoritative, the
most authoritative history book
00:04:01.40\00:04:04.77
as well.
00:04:04.81\00:04:06.88
Doug: Amen.
00:04:06.91\00:04:08.31
You know, I was pleased that
as I was reading the Bible, I
00:04:08.34\00:04:11.08
should mention, I did not
do very well in some classes.
00:04:11.11\00:04:14.22
I did not do very well in math.
00:04:14.25\00:04:16.58
I did not do very well in
English, believe it or not.
00:04:16.62\00:04:21.89
I still struggle to spell
if it wasn't for spell check.
00:04:21.92\00:04:24.76
Something I did well in
was history because for me, our
00:04:24.79\00:04:27.60
teachers often
taught history as stories.
00:04:27.66\00:04:30.43
And so, I knew about the
Persians, and the Romans, and
00:04:30.47\00:04:34.10
the Greeks, and the Babylonians,
or Mesopotamians, I think we
00:04:34.14\00:04:37.51
called them.
00:04:37.54\00:04:39.44
And so, as I was finally reading
the Bible for the first time I'm
00:04:39.47\00:04:41.64
going yeah, I remember
reading that, I remember.
00:04:41.68\00:04:44.61
So, going through the prophecies
in Daniel, reading about Egypt,
00:04:44.65\00:04:49.02
and going to Egypt later in my
life, going in the pyramids and
00:04:49.05\00:04:53.36
seeing the things the Bible
writes about, it covers such a
00:04:53.39\00:04:57.03
big span of Middle Eastern
history, which was, in many
00:04:57.06\00:05:02.10
ways, the
cradle of civilization.
00:05:02.13\00:05:04.73
So, some of the most important
learning knowledge, mathematics,
00:05:04.77\00:05:08.37
writing, originated in
Mesopotamia and the Middle East,
00:05:08.40\00:05:13.61
and it's all backed up
and endorsed by the Bible.
00:05:13.64\00:05:17.71
Jean: Now, of course, we also
want to mention this, I didn't
00:05:17.75\00:05:19.51
mention this in beginning,
but we want this to be an
00:05:19.55\00:05:21.88
interactive Bible study.
00:05:21.92\00:05:24.02
So, if you have a question
related to the Bible, the
00:05:24.05\00:05:26.12
trustworthiness of the Word
of God, or maybe a verse that
00:05:26.15\00:05:28.42
you've never understood, you're
welcome to send us a comment or
00:05:28.46\00:05:32.66
ask your question in
Facebook in the comment section.
00:05:32.69\00:05:36.03
And they're going to be sending
these questions to me, and we'll
00:05:36.06\00:05:38.53
try to answer as many of them as
we get through our lesson study
00:05:38.57\00:05:40.94
this morning.
00:05:40.97\00:05:42.77
Doug: Now, that can be either
the Granite Bay Facebook page or
00:05:42.80\00:05:45.07
the Doug
Batchelor Facebook page.
00:05:45.11\00:05:47.24
It might even be on Amazing
Facts but one of those two, just
00:05:47.28\00:05:50.08
type your question in there.
00:05:50.11\00:05:51.81
We've got someone watching them
and they'll spring them over
00:05:51.85\00:05:53.31
to us.
00:05:53.35\00:05:55.08
Jean: And, of course, this
program is being broadcast on
00:05:55.12\00:05:57.72
Pastor Doug's Facebook page, the
Doug Batchelor Facebook page,
00:05:57.75\00:05:59.95
Amazing Facts Facebook.
00:06:00.06\00:06:01.96
It's also on AFTV live, so
there's a number of ways that
00:06:01.99\00:06:04.33
you can view and
participate in our study.
00:06:04.36\00:06:07.03
Well, we get to Sunday's lesson
and its introduction, he's
00:06:07.03\00:06:09.63
talking about David,
Solomon, and the monarchy.
00:06:09.66\00:06:13.20
Now, if you were to find a time
in Israel's history when the
00:06:13.23\00:06:16.91
promises that God had made
to Abraham met their fullest
00:06:16.94\00:06:21.08
fulfillment, it would probably
be during the time of David
00:06:21.11\00:06:24.05
and Solomon.
00:06:24.08\00:06:25.85
It's sometimes
referred to as the golden age of
00:06:25.88\00:06:27.42
Israel's history.
00:06:27.45\00:06:29.55
Now, of course, it's an
important time because if you
00:06:29.58\00:06:31.69
don't have David, then you don't
have Jerusalem because David
00:06:31.72\00:06:34.42
conquered the Jebusite fortress
eventually named Jerusalem.
00:06:34.46\00:06:37.89
Without David, you
wouldn't have Solomon.
00:06:37.93\00:06:39.83
Without Solomon, you wouldn't
have the building of the temple.
00:06:39.86\00:06:42.23
And, of course, most important,
it's through the line of David,
00:06:42.26\00:06:45.27
through the tribe of Judah
that the Messiah would come.
00:06:45.30\00:06:48.44
Now, of course, there's some
dispute amongst historians today
00:06:48.47\00:06:52.14
as to whether or not David
was a real historical figure.
00:06:52.17\00:06:55.21
Maybe it's because
of the great stories.
00:06:55.24\00:06:57.25
You read about David
killing Goliath and some of
00:06:57.28\00:06:58.78
the exploits.
00:06:58.81\00:07:00.92
People say, "Ah, that
seemed a little too far fetched.
00:07:00.95\00:07:03.28
He wasn't a real
historical figure.
00:07:03.32\00:07:05.12
He was made up by the Jews."
00:07:05.15\00:07:07.59
Doug: And there--we were in
Israel a year and a half, two
00:07:07.62\00:07:09.66
years ago, and there's also very
big political reasons that some
00:07:09.69\00:07:14.73
people dispute the historical
truth about the Davidic line and
00:07:14.76\00:07:18.90
Solomon and that's because David
conquering all the surrounding
00:07:18.93\00:07:23.94
nations and God, you know, fully
giving them the Promised Land,
00:07:23.97\00:07:28.91
that really creates some, some
support for Israel saying, "This
00:07:28.94\00:07:33.35
is our native land,
we want to come back."
00:07:33.38\00:07:36.25
And so, there have been people
who, for political reasons, they
00:07:36.28\00:07:39.42
don't appreciate Israel.
00:07:39.45\00:07:41.96
And whether they're, you know,
supporting the Palestinian view
00:07:41.99\00:07:44.19
that "well, Israel never--this
never was their land, they made
00:07:44.23\00:07:46.53
that all up," or for some other
political reason, you can see
00:07:46.56\00:07:51.30
there's very strong opinions on
both sides of this to prove or
00:07:51.33\00:07:55.64
disprove, did
David really exist?
00:07:55.67\00:07:58.97
Did Solomon really exist?
00:07:59.01\00:08:00.74
Did Joshua really bring
them into the Promised Land?
00:08:00.78\00:08:03.48
Because it's a question of the
most disputed holy land in the
00:08:03.51\00:08:07.42
world and its ownership.
00:08:07.45\00:08:09.82
And so, when we were there, our
guides who we should say in the
00:08:09.85\00:08:14.29
interest of full disclosure,
they were hired by Israel.
00:08:14.32\00:08:18.09
The tour guides took us and they
showed us the city of David and
00:08:18.13\00:08:20.20
the excavations there.
00:08:20.23\00:08:22.06
But I'll tell you, it
was pretty convincing.
00:08:22.10\00:08:24.40
And I remember a young Israeli
girl took us around, gave us the
00:08:24.43\00:08:26.90
whole history.
00:08:26.94\00:08:28.54
You could look down, you could
see the ancient city of David.
00:08:28.57\00:08:31.31
And there have been discoveries
along the way; for example, they
00:08:31.34\00:08:35.11
did some archaeological
work, what they Tel Dan.
00:08:35.14\00:08:39.48
Now, that's actually not
in Jerusalem, it's north.
00:08:39.51\00:08:42.15
And they found a stele there.
00:08:42.18\00:08:43.89
That's like a pillar with
writing on it, ancient writing,
00:08:43.92\00:08:47.76
and it actually
mentions the house of David.
00:08:47.79\00:08:51.46
And so, that was some of
t first written history that
00:08:51.49\00:08:54.20
proved that
David really did live.
00:08:54.23\00:08:56.53
And they find, they
found others since that.
00:08:56.56\00:08:59.63
And I should mention
just backing up to Joshua a
00:08:59.67\00:09:01.74
little bit.
00:09:01.77\00:09:04.04
If you go to Western Africa, in
Algeria, there is again a large
00:09:04.07\00:09:10.55
column, or two large columns, on
which is inscribed in Phoenician
00:09:10.58\00:09:15.08
characters, "We are the
Phoenicians who fled from the
00:09:15.12\00:09:18.35
face of Jesus."
00:09:18.39\00:09:21.02
Now, that was the Greek way of
saying Joshua the son of Naue,
00:09:21.06\00:09:25.13
Joshua the son of Nun.
00:09:25.16\00:09:27.83
And many of the Phoenicians
and the people in that land when
00:09:27.86\00:09:30.13
Joshua came,
they were driven out.
00:09:30.17\00:09:32.73
And so, there's throughout
the Middle East, there's written
00:09:32.77\00:09:36.77
history that proves this.
00:09:36.81\00:09:39.11
Jean: You know,
another interesting, historical
00:09:39.14\00:09:40.74
archaeological find took place
in a region that is probably
00:09:40.78\00:09:45.15
well known to
most Bible readers.
00:09:45.18\00:09:48.48
It's the famous
story of David and Goliath.
00:09:48.52\00:09:50.69
And we read in 1 Samuel chapter
17, verse 3 how the armies were
00:09:50.72\00:09:53.72
situated during that time.
00:09:53.76\00:09:56.26
It says, "The Philistines stood
on a mountain on one side, and
00:09:56.29\00:09:58.73
Israel stood on a mountain
on the other side, with a valley
00:09:58.76\00:10:00.96
between them."
00:10:01.00\00:10:03.10
And archaeologists, because of
these descriptions that we find
00:10:03.13\00:10:05.23
in the Bible, were able to
pinpoint the very place where
00:10:05.27\00:10:07.70
the story took place.
00:10:07.74\00:10:10.24
And they'd done some
archaeological digs and they've
00:10:10.27\00:10:12.87
discovered a massive fortified
garrisoned city that dates back
00:10:12.91\00:10:17.11
to the time of Saul and David,
and the interesting about this
00:10:17.15\00:10:19.81
is it's got two
gates in the excavation.
00:10:19.85\00:10:22.88
They weren't typically these
type of fortifications that had
00:10:22.92\00:10:25.59
two gates.
00:10:25.62\00:10:27.89
What's significant about
the two gates is in the Bible in
00:10:27.92\00:10:29.92
1 Samuel 17, verse 52,
it identifies this place as
00:10:29.96\00:10:34.60
Shaaraim, I guess
is how it's pronounced.
00:10:34.63\00:10:37.63
In the Hebrew, it
literally means two gates.
00:10:37.67\00:10:40.34
So, from the Bible record, as
well as archeological finds, we
00:10:40.37\00:10:43.34
can actually pinpoint this very
spot where the story of David
00:10:43.37\00:10:46.81
and Goliath took place,
and the archaeological evidence
00:10:46.84\00:10:49.14
supports that.
00:10:49.18\00:10:51.65
Doug: Yeah, and even
today if you go to Israel, I was
00:10:51.68\00:10:54.25
surprised how many of the
ancient names of places that you
00:10:54.28\00:10:56.95
find in the Bible are the,
basically the modern names that
00:10:56.99\00:11:00.56
even the Arabs use.
00:11:00.59\00:11:02.79
Sometimes it's a little
different pronunciation, but
00:11:02.82\00:11:04.43
it's pretty clear.
00:11:04.46\00:11:07.10
It's the same place, you know,
Joppa, Haifa, and some of the
00:11:07.13\00:11:09.60
others, yeah.
00:11:09.63\00:11:11.60
Jean: We got some questions,
Pastor Doug, that's coming in
00:11:11.63\00:11:13.13
related to the Bible, and this
one's not directly related to
00:11:13.17\00:11:15.17
archaeology but it's
an interesting question.
00:11:15.20\00:11:17.51
It says, "Was the story of
Ananias and Sapphira a parable?"
00:11:17.54\00:11:21.14
And, of course, we find
that in the New Testament.
00:11:21.18\00:11:23.21
It says, "If not, why did they
receive such a severe punishment
00:11:23.24\00:11:26.25
as usually associated with Old
Testament times before the death
00:11:26.28\00:11:29.38
of Christ?"
00:11:29.42\00:11:31.49
Doug: Yeah, Ananias and
Sapphira you find in Acts
00:11:31.52\00:11:33.36
chapter 5, and
it is a true story.
00:11:33.39\00:11:37.26
It's a very sobering story, but
it explains that God's Spirit
00:11:37.29\00:11:40.13
was moving in a mighty way
on the hearts of the people.
00:11:40.16\00:11:43.57
And they were touched with the
Spirit, they were giving in a
00:11:43.60\00:11:46.90
very sacrificial, generous way.
00:11:46.94\00:11:49.77
And that was the Spirit
of God moving on the church.
00:11:49.80\00:11:52.27
But a couple, they were
basically going to pollute that
00:11:52.31\00:11:56.61
whole movement by feigning that
they were making this tremendous
00:11:56.64\00:12:01.08
sacrifice, but really keeping a
percent, maybe a large percent,
00:12:01.12\00:12:05.09
of those monies for themselves,
but acting like, "We've sold
00:12:05.12\00:12:07.16
everything, and we're
giving it all to the Lord."
00:12:07.19\00:12:10.16
And they basically both died
that very day that they lied to
00:12:10.19\00:12:13.93
the apostles about this
gift that they were giving.
00:12:13.96\00:12:17.37
And some have thought,
"Well, that was pretty severe."
00:12:17.40\00:12:20.04
I think it's showing that, and
someone said that if God treated
00:12:20.07\00:12:23.94
the whole church today the way
he treated Ananias and Sapphira,
00:12:23.97\00:12:27.24
there'd be a lot of funerals.
00:12:27.28\00:12:29.64
But the reason he did it then
is because it was a lesson for
00:12:29.68\00:12:32.28
future ages that we should not
pretend we're giving all when we
00:12:32.31\00:12:37.25
don't and that honesty was very
important in the church, and
00:12:37.29\00:12:43.12
that we should not deny
the moving of the Spirit.
00:12:43.16\00:12:45.29
Peter said, "You've
lied to the Holy Spirit."
00:12:45.33\00:12:47.30
So, it was a real
event, it's not a parable.
00:12:47.30\00:12:49.13
Jean: One of the important
historical things that we read
00:12:49.16\00:12:50.93
about in the Bible, of course,
we find in Exodus chapter 20,
00:12:50.97\00:12:53.50
and that is the
giving of the law.
00:12:53.54\00:12:55.84
But there are some interesting
things associated with that and
00:12:55.87\00:12:58.11
somebody is asking a question
about this, Pastor Doug.
00:12:58.14\00:13:00.61
Exodus chapter 34 and their
question is connected between
00:13:00.64\00:13:04.48
verse 27 through to verse 35.
00:13:04.51\00:13:08.05
And they're asking, "Can you
explain what this is all about,
00:13:08.08\00:13:10.35
this passage?"
00:13:10.39\00:13:12.12
And it's talking about the
receiving of the law, and then
00:13:12.15\00:13:14.36
it says Moses didn't eat for 40
days on the mount, then he came
00:13:14.39\00:13:17.16
down and his face was shining.
00:13:17.19\00:13:19.13
What is that all about?
00:13:19.16\00:13:21.03
Doug: Well, I believe it's true.
00:13:21.06\00:13:23.06
Moses is up on the mountain,
he's in communion with God.
00:13:23.10\00:13:25.77
He's up there for
40 days and 40 nights.
00:13:25.80\00:13:28.47
It shouldn't surprise us
that his face was glowing.
00:13:28.50\00:13:32.11
You see, in the Bible before,
before sin when Adam and Eve
00:13:32.14\00:13:35.34
were in the garden and they were
perfectly holy and talking to
00:13:35.38\00:13:37.88
God, we believe they had
an inner light that kind of
00:13:37.91\00:13:41.15
radiated out.
00:13:41.18\00:13:43.32
And that's why after they
sinned, that light faded and
00:13:43.35\00:13:45.72
they saw their nakedness.
00:13:45.75\00:13:48.22
They sort of had robes of light.
00:13:48.26\00:13:50.66
When Moses was talking with
the Lord, his face was shining.
00:13:50.69\00:13:54.30
You find a
parallel story of that.
00:13:54.30\00:13:56.90
Jesus goes up the mountain with
Peter, James, and John, you read
00:13:56.93\00:13:59.30
in Mark chapter 9, it's called
the Mount of Transfiguration.
00:13:59.33\00:14:03.10
And Moses and Elijah appear and
it says, Christ's garments began
00:14:03.14\00:14:05.74
to glow brighter
than the sun at noonday.
00:14:05.77\00:14:09.28
And Jesus was shining.
00:14:09.31\00:14:12.01
And Moses was shining,
and Elijah was shining.
00:14:12.05\00:14:14.32
The disciples are cowering.
00:14:14.35\00:14:16.18
They can't even
look at the glory.
00:14:16.22\00:14:18.12
One time Christ said, "I am
He, and the glory of God shone
00:14:18.15\00:14:20.39
through Jesus," so that the
mob coming to arrest him fell
00:14:20.42\00:14:24.89
backwards from the light.
00:14:24.93\00:14:27.40
And so, it
shouldn't surprise us.
00:14:27.40\00:14:29.56
I remember as a kid that I
would get these glow-in-the-dark
00:14:29.60\00:14:33.60
stars, you could hold up to
a light and stick it on your
00:14:33.64\00:14:35.97
ceiling or something.
00:14:36.00\00:14:38.71
And they glowed pretty bright
for a while after you put them
00:14:38.74\00:14:40.98
right next to the flashlight,
then it would gradually fade and
00:14:41.01\00:14:44.48
that's what kind
of happened to Moses.
00:14:44.51\00:14:47.28
The radioactive glory of God,
whatever it was, it was just
00:14:47.32\00:14:50.79
shining off his face and for
a while there until it kind of
00:14:50.82\00:14:53.02
faded, people
couldn't even look at him.
00:14:53.05\00:14:55.69
Jean: They had to veil his face.
00:14:55.72\00:14:57.56
Doug: Yeah, and it's no mystery
that he didn't eat or drink for
00:14:57.59\00:14:59.53
40 days.
00:14:59.56\00:15:01.06
He just
supernaturally sustained.
00:15:01.10\00:15:02.86
That also happened later to
Elijah when he was strengthened
00:15:02.90\00:15:05.57
by the angels, and he went in
the strength of one meal 40 days
00:15:05.60\00:15:09.64
through the wilderness.
00:15:09.67\00:15:11.77
Jean: And you mentioned the
Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus
00:15:11.81\00:15:13.71
didn't eat for 40 days.
00:15:13.74\00:15:15.58
Moses didn't eat for 40 days.
00:15:15.61\00:15:17.21
Elijah didn't eat for 40 days.
00:15:17.25\00:15:18.85
So there's a connection there.
00:15:18.88\00:15:20.32
Another question that
someone's asking related to the
00:15:20.35\00:15:22.38
archeological discoveries
in Jerusalem, the question that
00:15:22.42\00:15:24.95
Joel asks is, "Are the streets
of Jerusalem built on the
00:15:24.99\00:15:28.59
original streets
from the time of Christ?"
00:15:28.62\00:15:33.19
Doug: Well, you know, they've
modernized Jerusalem and so many
00:15:33.23\00:15:36.56
of them are different,
but many of them are the same.
00:15:36.60\00:15:39.70
It's even like when you go
through Italy today, they still
00:15:39.73\00:15:42.07
have some that's like the Appian
way, it's an ancient Roman road.
00:15:42.10\00:15:46.01
There are some roads that
were just the best, most direct
00:15:46.04\00:15:48.68
route, and they have repaired
and built on top of them for
00:15:48.71\00:15:51.48
millennia, but you can actually
see, there are some very old
00:15:51.51\00:15:56.22
streets in Jerusalem.
00:15:56.25\00:15:58.39
When pilgrims go to Jerusalem,
they've been this for over 1,000
00:15:58.42\00:16:01.12
years since the time
at least of the crusaders.
00:16:01.16\00:16:04.89
During the Easter week, they
walked what they called the Via
00:16:04.93\00:16:07.10
Dolorosa, the way of suffering.
00:16:07.13\00:16:10.00
And it's believed to be
the approximate path that Jesus
00:16:10.03\00:16:12.50
would have taken from
Antonia Fortress to Golgotha.
00:16:12.53\00:16:17.61
And very likely, some of
those streets are the same.
00:16:17.64\00:16:21.21
In the days of Paul in
Damascus, it says Paul was on
00:16:21.24\00:16:23.21
Straight Street.
00:16:23.24\00:16:25.35
They still have a street in
Damascus called Straight Street,
00:16:25.38\00:16:28.65
if they haven't
blown it up recently.
00:16:28.68\00:16:30.95
That dates way back
to the time of Paul.
00:16:30.99\00:16:33.25
Jean: Yeah, that's interesting.
00:16:33.29\00:16:34.96
On Monday, we're going to
be talking a little bit about
00:16:34.99\00:16:37.83
Isaiah, Hezekiah, and
Sennacherib, so we spoke on
00:16:37.86\00:16:41.73
Sunday about David,
Solomon, and the monarchy.
00:16:41.76\00:16:45.17
Now, moving a little further
in time, we have the story
00:16:45.20\00:16:47.40
of Hezekiah.
00:16:47.44\00:16:49.80
Is there any archaeological
evidence that helps to testify
00:16:49.84\00:16:52.61
to the story of Hezekiah and, in
particular, Sennacherib, who's
00:16:52.64\00:16:55.98
this Syrian king that
came up against Jerusalem.
00:16:56.01\00:16:58.95
And it's an incredible story.
00:16:58.98\00:17:01.38
You actually find it In Isaiah
36: 1 to 3, and it talks about
00:17:01.42\00:17:04.32
how that King Hezekiah in
Jerusalem received this letter
00:17:04.35\00:17:09.19
from Sennacherib and he brought
it, and he laid it before
00:17:09.22\00:17:11.33
the Lord.
00:17:11.36\00:17:12.73
And he prayed and he asked
for God's protection against
00:17:12.76\00:17:15.60
the kingdom.
00:17:15.63\00:17:17.30
And, of course, by this time,
Sennacherib had sort of marched
00:17:17.33\00:17:19.13
down from the north and had
conquered all of the territory.
00:17:19.17\00:17:22.60
By this time, the ten tribes in
the north, they were gone, and
00:17:22.64\00:17:25.24
he was already beginning to
enter into Judea, but he was
00:17:25.27\00:17:27.78
unable to conquer Jerusalem
because God gave a remarkable,
00:17:27.81\00:17:31.71
or a miraculous delivery
for Hezekiah and the Jews.
00:17:31.75\00:17:35.38
Is there anything archaeological
evidence that supports this?
00:17:35.42\00:17:39.52
Doug: Well,
you're going to tell us.
00:17:39.55\00:17:41.29
Jean: Okay, well,
I got it right here.
00:17:41.32\00:17:42.69
Thank you for
asking, Pastor Doug.
00:17:42.72\00:17:44.29
Doug: I'll wind up when you
talk about Moab in a minute.
00:17:44.33\00:17:46.33
Jean: Yes, you can
read this in our lesson.
00:17:46.36\00:17:47.73
I found it interesting.
00:17:47.76\00:17:49.26
It was actually around 700, 701
BC that we have Sennacherib that
00:17:49.30\00:17:53.77
brought his campaign against
Judea, and Judah, and Jerusalem.
00:17:53.80\00:17:57.77
And the Bible gives
the description of this.
00:17:57.81\00:18:00.68
They've done archeological digs
back in Nineveh in the palace of
00:18:00.71\00:18:04.28
Sennacherib, and he describes
all of the areas that he
00:18:04.31\00:18:07.52
conquered and various cities
that he defeated, including
00:18:07.55\00:18:11.52
Lachish, one of the cities.
00:18:11.55\00:18:13.76
But when it comes to Jerusalem,
he doesn't say that he
00:18:13.79\00:18:15.49
conquered Jerusalem.
00:18:15.52\00:18:17.19
Instead he says, "As for
Hezekiah the Judea, I shut him
00:18:17.23\00:18:20.53
in his city like
a bird in a cage.
00:18:20.56\00:18:24.03
Now, it is true that Sennacherib
did besiege Jerusalem, but he is
00:18:24.07\00:18:27.17
unable to conquer.
00:18:27.20\00:18:28.70
Now, of course, he doesn't
mention the fact that, you know,
00:18:28.74\00:18:30.71
thousands of his soldiers
were killed, [inaudible] by the
00:18:30.74\00:18:33.07
angel, and eventually he left,
Sennacherib left and went back.
00:18:33.11\00:18:37.51
But it does testify to
the biblical account that God
00:18:37.55\00:18:39.91
delivered Hezekiah at that time.
00:18:39.95\00:18:43.59
Doug: Now, these kings, when
they were writing history on
00:18:43.62\00:18:45.42
these stones, they usually
put the best possible spin on
00:18:45.45\00:18:48.02
their exploits.
00:18:48.06\00:18:50.16
"I shut them in like a bird."
00:18:50.19\00:18:51.96
You know, I was also going to
talk, and we're dealing with the
00:18:51.99\00:18:53.93
time of the kings.
00:18:53.96\00:18:55.70
By the way, if you go to Israel,
if you see the Dead Sea Scrolls,
00:18:55.73\00:18:57.97
one of the most intact
scrolls you can see is the
00:18:58.00\00:19:01.34
Isaiah scroll.
00:19:01.37\00:19:03.44
And I was very touched when
years ago I was first there, my
00:19:03.47\00:19:06.98
guide that I had, his name
was Moshe, which means Moses, he
00:19:07.01\00:19:11.85
trained in reading ancient
Hebrew and I pointed to a place
00:19:11.88\00:19:15.32
on the Dead Sea Scroll
and I said, "Can you read what
00:19:15.35\00:19:17.15
that says?"
00:19:17.19\00:19:19.15
And he translated into English
as he read to me, and it was a
00:19:19.19\00:19:21.96
story of
Hezekiah and Sennacherib.
00:19:21.99\00:19:24.03
So, we know that that went back
2,000 years and it's still the
00:19:24.06\00:19:26.29
same as in our Bibles today.
00:19:26.33\00:19:29.16
Then they found
the Moabite stone.
00:19:29.20\00:19:31.80
I don't know if you've
ever heard of that before.
00:19:31.83\00:19:33.70
This is another one of those
steles, you know, a pillar with
00:19:33.74\00:19:36.24
an inscription on it.
00:19:36.27\00:19:38.41
It was a black basil stone found
in the area of the Edomites, or
00:19:38.44\00:19:41.78
the Moabites, rather.
00:19:41.81\00:19:44.05
And in the Moabite language,
they specifically mentioned
00:19:44.08\00:19:47.98
their battles
with the house of Omri.
00:19:48.02\00:19:51.22
Of course, Ahab
was the son of Omri.
00:19:51.25\00:19:53.49
Omri was one of the kings
in Israel that you find written
00:19:53.52\00:19:56.06
about also in 2 Kings.
00:19:56.09\00:19:58.63
So, there's lots of endorsement
in extra biblical history.
00:19:58.66\00:20:04.03
There's something I want to
say now because I may forget,
00:20:04.07\00:20:05.73
Pastor Ross.
00:20:05.77\00:20:08.24
It always is amazing to me that
people question the historicity
00:20:08.27\00:20:13.48
of the Bible because there is
so much more written about these
00:20:13.51\00:20:19.01
Bible characters and about
Jesus, who we'll get to a little
00:20:19.05\00:20:21.68
later, than you have on Julius
Caesar and Alexander the Great.
00:20:21.72\00:20:26.69
And one reason is they say,
"Well, you can't contest that
00:20:26.72\00:20:29.02
Alexander the Great lived."
00:20:29.06\00:20:30.83
Even though there's only a
few stories from the ancient
00:20:30.86\00:20:33.06
historians about him.
00:20:33.09\00:20:35.36
They say, "You can see that his
kingdom spread all around the
00:20:35.40\00:20:39.67
Middle East."
00:20:39.70\00:20:41.70
And so, there's no reason to
doubt because of the effect in
00:20:41.74\00:20:44.37
the English language and that
what they call the hellenization
00:20:44.41\00:20:47.08
of that great area.
00:20:47.11\00:20:49.74
Well, you can see Christianity
spread all over the world.
00:20:49.78\00:20:52.28
So, you can see the impact
of it spread all over Rome.
00:20:52.31\00:20:55.88
There's so much more written
about the Bible and Jesus, why
00:20:55.92\00:20:58.79
would we doubt, unless a person
has got a prejudice going into
00:20:58.82\00:21:02.59
it to doubt?
00:21:02.62\00:21:04.63
Ross: Here's a great questions
coming from Teresa and she asks,
00:21:04.66\00:21:08.50
"Does the pool of
Bethesda still exist today?"
00:21:08.53\00:21:12.23
Of course, you read that story
where Jesus healed a man, 38
00:21:12.27\00:21:15.27
years he was laying
beside the pool of Bethesda.
00:21:15.30\00:21:18.17
So have they discovered
the remains of this pool?
00:21:18.21\00:21:21.71
Does it exist?
00:21:21.74\00:21:23.48
Doug: Yeah, I think they believe
they have, and I believe they
00:21:23.51\00:21:26.85
also, there's a
couple of miracles.
00:21:26.88\00:21:29.55
One is the pool of Siloam,
and then the other is pool of
00:21:29.58\00:21:32.12
Bethesda and miracles
happen in both these places.
00:21:32.15\00:21:35.56
And I think those who have
done excavation around Israel,
00:21:35.59\00:21:38.16
they'll take you to those
locations where they believe the
00:21:38.19\00:21:41.23
pools are.
00:21:41.26\00:21:43.00
They don't look
now like they did then.
00:21:43.03\00:21:44.70
They're not full of
water flowing crystal clear.
00:21:44.73\00:21:46.80
One of the neat things, and this
is to me really exciting, is
00:21:46.84\00:21:49.97
when Karen and I, Karen's here
on the front row, when we were
00:21:50.01\00:21:53.44
in Israel, we arrived a couple
of days before your crew came.
00:21:53.48\00:21:58.01
And we were with some friends,
Aaron and Jessalyn, and we had a
00:21:58.05\00:22:05.79
couple of days we said we
want to see Hezekiah's tunnel.
00:22:05.82\00:22:08.96
If you look in, I think it's
2 Kings, it talks about Hezekiah
00:22:08.99\00:22:12.63
built a conduit that
brought water into Jerusalem.
00:22:12.66\00:22:16.73
And there's this tunnel, you
go down this long winding stairs
00:22:16.77\00:22:20.54
inside Jerusalem, and then you
walk in anywhere from ankle to
00:22:20.57\00:22:24.44
knee-deep water, sometimes
thigh-deep water, pitch black.
00:22:24.47\00:22:28.01
We had to use our cell phones
to see where we were going, just
00:22:28.04\00:22:30.91
the four of us.
00:22:30.95\00:22:32.55
And you walk, and you walk, a
you walk, and you can see on the
00:22:32.58\00:22:34.82
walls where they
picked it out by hand.
00:22:34.85\00:22:37.12
Now, this is something
that I think is 700 years A.D.
00:22:37.15\00:22:39.79
You can see what's
recorded in the Bible.
00:22:39.82\00:22:42.16
You are feeling it, it
is still bringing water into
00:22:42.19\00:22:44.63
Jerusalem today.
00:22:44.66\00:22:46.36
Very exciting.
00:22:46.39\00:22:47.83
Jean: You mean 700 BC.
00:22:47.86\00:22:49.43
Doug: Oh, yeah, 700 BC, and
it's, it seemed like it was half
00:22:49.46\00:22:52.20
a mile long.
00:22:52.23\00:22:53.94
It's very long.
00:22:53.97\00:22:55.70
Jean: Now, talking about the
pool of Bethesda, just the verse
00:22:55.74\00:22:58.04
in John chapter 5, verse 1
it says, "There was a feast of
00:22:58.07\00:23:00.38
the Jews.
00:23:00.41\00:23:02.41
Jesus went up to Jerusalem and
there in Jerusalem by the sheep
00:23:02.44\00:23:04.68
gate is a pool, which is called
in the Hebrew Bethesda, having
00:23:04.71\00:23:07.98
five porches."
00:23:08.02\00:23:10.19
And when we were there touring
through Jerusalem, they took us
00:23:10.22\00:23:11.99
to a spot that they've
archeological digs have
00:23:12.02\00:23:14.86
happened there.
00:23:14.89\00:23:16.73
And sure enough, it's the very
spot, they believe and I think
00:23:16.76\00:23:19.13
they're right, where the pool of
Bethesda was because it actually
00:23:19.16\00:23:20.90
has five porches, and
you can see that in the
00:23:20.93\00:23:23.50
archeological dig.
00:23:23.53\00:23:24.93
It's a lot lower than the ground
level right now because the
00:23:24.97\00:23:27.70
city's been
destroyed and been rebuilt.
00:23:27.74\00:23:29.67
So, it's a remarkable thought to
actually stand in the very spot
00:23:29.70\00:23:33.14
where Jesus was and
where He healed this man.
00:23:33.17\00:23:36.61
And you kind of have
that feeling when you
00:23:36.64\00:23:38.48
visit Jerusalem.
00:23:38.51\00:23:40.25
So many places that you've read
about in the Bible suddenly just
00:23:40.28\00:23:42.15
spring to life when
you're actually standing there.
00:23:42.18\00:23:44.32
I remember up in the area near
the Galilee where you're walking
00:23:44.35\00:23:48.32
where Jesus walked, where He
called the disciples in the town
00:23:48.36\00:23:51.16
of Capernaum in the temple
there where he healed people.
00:23:51.19\00:23:54.56
It's just a remarkable thought.
00:23:54.56\00:23:56.60
Doug: Yeah, and again, many of
the towns like Tiberias, still
00:23:56.63\00:24:00.47
have the same nouns--same names.
00:24:00.50\00:24:04.37
You go to Caesarea, it's still
there today and you can actually
00:24:04.41\00:24:07.78
see a stone that
has Pilate's name on it.
00:24:07.81\00:24:11.21
Now, I think the original stone
may be in a museum somewhere so
00:24:11.25\00:24:13.52
they've made a copy, a model
copy of it that's exact, but you
00:24:13.55\00:24:17.65
can see Pilate mentioned.
00:24:17.69\00:24:19.79
For years they said, Oh, Pilate
never lived," and then they
00:24:19.82\00:24:22.22
found some history
where Pilate is mentioned.
00:24:22.26\00:24:25.33
Jean: Now, Genie's asking,
"Why is the Bible not written in
00:24:25.36\00:24:27.60
chronological order?"
00:24:27.60\00:24:30.77
Doug: Yeah, well, the Jews in
the Old Testament, they arranged
00:24:30.80\00:24:34.97
the books in groups.
00:24:35.00\00:24:37.54
You've got the books of history,
the books of the law, the books
00:24:37.57\00:24:39.74
of poetry, the minor prophets,
the major prophets, and they
00:24:39.77\00:24:43.71
basically bunch them
together in that way.
00:24:43.75\00:24:46.78
There's several ways,
you know, a librarian can
00:24:46.82\00:24:48.38
organize material.
00:24:48.42\00:24:50.19
In the New Testament, you've got
the gospels, the story of Jesus
00:24:50.22\00:24:53.19
is what it begins with Matthew,
Mark, Luke, and John, and
00:24:53.22\00:24:56.29
they're not actually organized
probably, they weren't sure when
00:24:56.32\00:24:59.03
they first organized
them which was written first.
00:24:59.06\00:25:01.20
Now, we're pretty sure
Mark was written first, and then
00:25:01.23\00:25:04.03
possibly Matthew.
00:25:04.07\00:25:06.20
John was written last and
that would put Luke in the third
00:25:06.23\00:25:08.77
place, and then Acts
is a continuing history of
00:25:08.80\00:25:12.14
the church.
00:25:12.17\00:25:14.31
The interesting thing about the
writings of Paul, I was always
00:25:14.34\00:25:16.18
surprised to hear is, whoever
organized those, and it may have
00:25:16.21\00:25:19.31
been Martin Luther, that he
organized the books in order of
00:25:19.35\00:25:22.32
the longest to the shortest.
00:25:22.35\00:25:24.72
So, when you're reading Romans,
you're reading the longest book
00:25:24.75\00:25:26.59
of Paul and then you get
to--now, they weren't sure who
00:25:26.62\00:25:29.19
wrote Hebrews.
00:25:29.22\00:25:30.86
That's why they
put it where they did.
00:25:30.89\00:25:32.73
And then you get to books like
Titus and Philemon, they're on
00:25:32.76\00:25:34.50
the end of that.
00:25:34.56\00:25:36.77
Jean: So, it's interesting just
to look at how the layout of the
00:25:36.80\00:25:38.73
Bible and, you know,
we do have some resources.
00:25:38.77\00:25:41.27
If you're wondering about how
do we get the Bible, it's called
00:25:41.30\00:25:43.84
"The Ultimate Resource," and I
believe you can read it for free
00:25:43.87\00:25:46.54
on the Amazing Facts website.
00:25:46.57\00:25:48.68
It's called "The
Ultimate Resource."
00:25:48.71\00:25:50.61
Well, then Pastor Doug, that
brings us to our next day study
00:25:50.65\00:25:53.48
and it's talking about Daniel,
Nebuchadnezzar, and Babylon.
00:25:53.52\00:25:56.25
Here is just a tremendous amount
of archaeological evidence to
00:25:56.28\00:25:58.79
support the biblical account of,
first of all, Nebuchadnezzar as
00:25:58.82\00:26:02.72
being the one who built
the ancient city of Babylon.
00:26:02.76\00:26:06.59
Doug: And this is a very
well-established fact of history
00:26:06.63\00:26:10.27
that nobody disputes.
00:26:10.30\00:26:13.77
Part of the reason they can't
dispute it is because when you
00:26:13.80\00:26:16.97
go, matter of fact, our
friend Dr. Michael Hasel is a
00:26:17.01\00:26:20.94
professor and does archaeology.
00:26:20.98\00:26:23.61
And he actually has it's either
reproduction or brick, but you
00:26:23.65\00:26:27.15
go to ancient Babylon, and a
number of the soldiers that went
00:26:27.18\00:26:30.42
to visit ancient Babylon
during the Iraq War have brought
00:26:30.45\00:26:33.42
some home.
00:26:33.46\00:26:35.46
Nebuchadnezzar had his seal
stamped on millions of bricks.
00:26:35.49\00:26:39.26
And so, to deny his existence
that he was the one who did the
00:26:39.29\00:26:45.13
massive building program so that
he finally could declare, "Is
00:26:45.17\00:26:48.84
this not the great
Babylon that I have built?"
00:26:48.87\00:26:51.77
And it was the golden kingdom.
00:26:51.81\00:26:54.21
It's referred to both,
of course, by Daniel and in
00:26:54.24\00:26:56.51
history, and they've got the
gates of Ishtar in the Berlin
00:26:56.54\00:27:00.95
Museum, a museum in Berlin.
00:27:00.98\00:27:03.08
I can't say the name of it.
00:27:03.12\00:27:04.55
Jean: There's actually a total
of eight gates that entered into
00:27:04.59\00:27:06.35
the ancient city of Babylon,
of course, it had massive walls.
00:27:06.39\00:27:09.52
The city contained more
than 300 different temples to
00:27:09.56\00:27:12.59
their deities.
00:27:12.63\00:27:14.10
Probably the most famous of
the gates is the Ishtar Gate.
00:27:14.13\00:27:17.17
And the interesting thing about
that is as you enter into the
00:27:17.20\00:27:19.50
ancient city of Babylon
and you're passing through the
00:27:19.53\00:27:21.60
Ishtar Gate, and doubtless this
was the way that Daniel and the
00:27:21.64\00:27:25.17
captives were brought when
they came back from Jerusalem,
00:27:25.21\00:27:27.78
on either side of the walls as
you're entering the gate, there
00:27:27.81\00:27:30.41
are these tiled images of lions,
some even have wings, so lions
00:27:30.45\00:27:36.32
with wings that are
described entering into Babylon.
00:27:36.35\00:27:39.49
And it's interesting that
we have in Daniel chapter 7,
00:27:39.52\00:27:42.06
verse 4, the nation of Babylon
described as a lion with wings.
00:27:42.09\00:27:46.56
So, it was very clear to the
Babylonians, it was clear to the
00:27:46.59\00:27:49.16
king, what power was being
represented by this first beast
00:27:49.20\00:27:52.63
of a lion with eagle's wings.
00:27:52.67\00:27:54.57
It represented the
ancient city of Babylon.
00:27:54.60\00:27:56.77
Doug: And there's even
a character that you find
00:27:56.81\00:27:58.61
mentioned in Jeremiah
chapter 39, Nebuzaradan.
00:27:58.64\00:28:01.98
Now, this is not Nebuchadnezzar.
00:28:02.01\00:28:03.98
This was a captain of the king's
guard, and they have found
00:28:04.01\00:28:06.51
ancient writings.
00:28:06.55\00:28:08.28
I believe it may be some
cuneiform tablet that mentions
00:28:08.32\00:28:11.52
him as well.
00:28:11.55\00:28:13.32
So, there's just a lot of very
strong historical collaboration.
00:28:13.36\00:28:18.29
Jean: Even stamped on the bricks
of the ancient city of Babylon
00:28:18.33\00:28:20.70
is the name "Nebuchadnezzar."
00:28:20.73\00:28:22.76
And then, of course, you have
the silent cylinder, which I
00:28:22.80\00:28:25.03
believe is in the British Museum
that actually records how Cyrus
00:28:25.07\00:28:28.14
conquered Babylon, and
it's according to the biblical
00:28:28.17\00:28:30.91
account that we have so that's
helping to validate what the
00:28:30.94\00:28:33.54
Bible says.
00:28:33.58\00:28:35.34
So, there's so much evidence the
more archaeological digs, the
00:28:35.38\00:28:38.05
more discoveries we find, the
more testifies to the accuracy
00:28:38.08\00:28:42.12
of the Bible.
00:28:42.15\00:28:43.79
Doug: Yeah, even the
stones cry out, as Jesus said.
00:28:43.82\00:28:45.59
Jean: That's
exactly what's happening.
00:28:45.62\00:28:47.36
We have somebody
asking a question.
00:28:47.39\00:28:49.79
Jolie is asking, "Why is the
Beautiful Gate, going into the
00:28:49.82\00:28:53.16
ancient city of
Jerusalem, walled up today?"
00:28:53.19\00:28:56.16
And if you stand on the Mount
of Olives and you look over the
00:28:56.20\00:28:58.27
Kidron Valley and you look up
against the old wall of the city
00:28:58.30\00:29:02.44
of Jerusalem, one of the gates
has been bricked up and he's
00:29:02.47\00:29:06.68
wondering why is that.
00:29:06.71\00:29:08.48
Doug: Well, they are correct,
it's technically it's not the
00:29:08.51\00:29:10.35
Beautiful Gate.
00:29:10.38\00:29:11.91
It's the Golden Gate that they
sealed and it's because during
00:29:11.95\00:29:15.65
the time, I think it was of
Solomon the Great, one of the
00:29:15.68\00:29:19.15
leaders of the Ottoman Empire, a
Muslim, he knew that the Jewish
00:29:19.19\00:29:24.16
tradition was that the Messiah
would come through that gate
00:29:24.19\00:29:28.33
from the Mount of
Olives, because of a prophecy
00:29:28.36\00:29:30.30
in Zechariah.
00:29:30.33\00:29:32.57
And so, to prevent the prophecy
from coming true--they didn't
00:29:32.60\00:29:34.80
realize Jesus already did it.
00:29:34.84\00:29:37.21
Supposedly, to prevent that
prophecy from coming true, they
00:29:37.24\00:29:39.64
bricked up that gate and then to
desecrate the ground, they put a
00:29:39.67\00:29:43.08
cemetery in front of it.
00:29:43.11\00:29:45.88
But it's kind of tragic that you
can't go through that gate right
00:29:45.91\00:29:48.65
now, but they're too late
because Jesus went through the
00:29:48.68\00:29:52.79
Golden Gate during the triumphal
entry, and he fulfilled that
00:29:52.82\00:29:55.89
prophecy as it said there in, I
believe, Micah that, "Your King
00:29:55.92\00:29:59.83
comes to you lowly
riding upon a donkey."
00:29:59.86\00:30:03.23
Is that Micah or Zechariah?
00:30:03.26\00:30:05.27
Jean: Zechariah, I think.
00:30:05.30\00:30:06.70
Doug: Zechariah.
00:30:06.74\00:30:08.10
Jean: Now, of course, then
that brings us to our study on
00:30:08.14\00:30:09.90
Wednesday, which is the
most important, and that's the
00:30:09.94\00:30:11.97
historical Jesus.
00:30:12.01\00:30:13.78
Did Jesus really exist?
00:30:13.81\00:30:15.48
Well, according to the Bible,
there is no question about the
00:30:15.51\00:30:17.78
fact that Jesus was born in
Bethlehem, that he began his
00:30:17.81\00:30:22.28
ministry at the age of 30.
00:30:22.32\00:30:24.42
He performed all
kinds of miracles.
00:30:24.45\00:30:26.35
He raised people from the dead.
00:30:26.39\00:30:28.09
Of course, the combination of
that is Jesus was crucified, and
00:30:28.12\00:30:30.63
he rose from the dead.
00:30:30.66\00:30:32.29
Now, the amazing thing about the
story of Jesus, it's not just
00:30:32.33\00:30:34.10
some story that is
separated from historical facts
00:30:34.13\00:30:37.83
or evidence.
00:30:37.87\00:30:39.40
It's not some story that took
place without knowing where, or
00:30:39.43\00:30:41.97
when, or who was in charge.
00:30:42.00\00:30:43.94
You look at the archaeological
and historical evidence that
00:30:43.97\00:30:46.31
goes along with the story
of Jesus, it's a specific place
00:30:46.34\00:30:49.64
where Jesus was born, where
he grew up, where he ministered,
00:30:49.68\00:30:52.28
talks about where he went
in Jerusalem for his trial.
00:30:52.31\00:30:56.02
It talks about Pontius Pilate,
talks about Caiaphas who was the
00:30:56.05\00:30:59.25
high priest.
00:30:59.29\00:31:01.16
And now there's a lot of
archaeological evidence that
00:31:01.19\00:31:03.16
helps to support these very
individuals, these names, these
00:31:03.19\00:31:06.90
places that we find
listed in the Bible.
00:31:06.93\00:31:10.07
Doug: Yeah, absolutely.
00:31:10.10\00:31:12.73
And there are, you know, there's
a lot of archaeology that's been
00:31:12.77\00:31:15.70
done that reinforces
the evidence that Jesus
00:31:15.74\00:31:18.61
really existed.
00:31:18.64\00:31:20.61
There's also some historians.
00:31:20.64\00:31:23.31
Now, if somebody 600 years now
begins to write about Abraham
00:31:23.35\00:31:25.85
Lincoln, they might say they
made up this character, Lincoln.
00:31:25.88\00:31:28.68
Yeah, president split logs
and he, you know, was born in a
00:31:28.72\00:31:32.42
cabin, became president.
00:31:32.45\00:31:34.62
They may say,
"Ah, it's not true."
00:31:34.66\00:31:36.73
Well, we live close enough
to the time of Lincoln where we
00:31:36.76\00:31:40.50
know it is true.
00:31:40.53\00:31:41.93
Matter of fact, the year before
I was born, the last Civil War
00:31:41.96\00:31:46.27
soldier died.
00:31:46.30\00:31:48.10
And so, there's a very small gap
in history between our day and
00:31:48.14\00:31:52.04
the Civil War.
00:31:52.07\00:31:54.01
I knew World War I veterans
and would talk to them about
00:31:54.04\00:31:56.28
the war.
00:31:56.31\00:31:58.61
So, there are people who wrote
that knew people, during the
00:31:58.65\00:32:02.22
time of Christ; for instance,
you have Pliny the Younger is a
00:32:02.25\00:32:06.32
Roman governor.
00:32:06.35\00:32:07.86
He writes in 112 to 113 A.D.
00:32:07.89\00:32:10.63
to the Emperor Trajan asking how
he should treat the Christians.
00:32:10.66\00:32:14.60
He describes them as meeting on
a certain day before light where
00:32:14.63\00:32:17.10
they would gather and
sing hymns as to a God.
00:32:17.13\00:32:20.90
He also wrote to Emperor Trajan,
or Trajan, that the early
00:32:20.94\00:32:24.74
Christians would sing
hymns to Christ as to a God.
00:32:24.77\00:32:28.01
And another historian wrote
to Emperor Claudius, who had
00:32:28.04\00:32:32.85
expelled the Jews from Rome,
which is mentioned in the Book
00:32:32.88\00:32:35.48
of Acts.
00:32:35.52\00:32:37.82
And it says they were making
constant disturbances at the
00:32:37.85\00:32:40.76
instigation of Christos.
00:32:40.79\00:32:43.09
Christos was the way
that the Latins said Christ.
00:32:43.12\00:32:46.73
And so, they were referring
to Jesus at the influence of the
00:32:46.76\00:32:50.23
Christian religion.
00:32:50.27\00:32:52.20
Jean: And probably one of the
most trusted historians of the
00:32:52.23\00:32:53.90
time would be the
story in Josephus.
00:32:53.94\00:32:57.21
He was actually alive in 70 A.D.
00:32:57.24\00:32:59.34
and he wasn't in Jerusalem
when the city was destroyed.
00:32:59.37\00:33:02.94
He was actually a Roman
citizen, but he was Jewish.
00:33:02.98\00:33:05.78
And he appealed to the Jews in
Jerusalem to, you know, give in
00:33:05.81\00:33:10.19
to the Romans, to
surrender him, but they didn't.
00:33:10.22\00:33:13.52
He had some
interesting statements.
00:33:13.56\00:33:15.56
Josephus
actually speaks of Jesus.
00:33:15.59\00:33:17.63
There is a
reference in his writings.
00:33:17.66\00:33:19.56
But in addition to speaking
of Jesus, Josephus actually
00:33:19.59\00:33:21.93
mentions the high
priest Caiaphas as well.
00:33:21.96\00:33:26.30
So, we have
Josephus speaking of Jesus.
00:33:26.33\00:33:29.44
He also has references of
Caiaphas the high priest says
00:33:29.47\00:33:33.14
that he was the priest.
00:33:33.17\00:33:34.84
So, we have some contemporary
historians also referring to
00:33:34.88\00:33:38.61
these historical figures.
00:33:38.65\00:33:40.48
Doug: Yeah, let me read the
statement, it's not that long,
00:33:40.52\00:33:42.35
of Josephus talking about Jesus
because it is pretty amazing.
00:33:42.38\00:33:45.79
Matter of fact, some historians
it's so explicit, they say,
00:33:45.82\00:33:48.09
"That can't be correct."
00:33:48.12\00:33:49.59
Somebody added that later, but
it does match his writing and as
00:33:49.62\00:33:53.33
long as we've had his
writings, it's been there.
00:33:53.36\00:33:56.56
And it says, and this is from
the Jewish Antiquities 18.3.3.
00:33:56.60\00:34:03.41
"About this time there lived
Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one
00:34:03.44\00:34:07.04
ought to call him a man.
00:34:07.08\00:34:08.94
For he was one who performed
surprising deeds and was a
00:34:08.98\00:34:11.45
teacher of such people
as accept the truth gladly.
00:34:11.48\00:34:14.22
He won over many of the
Jews and many of the Greeks.
00:34:14.25\00:34:17.49
He was the Messiah.
00:34:17.52\00:34:19.25
And when, upon the accusation
of the principal men among us,
00:34:19.29\00:34:21.82
Pilate had condemned him to a
cross, those who had first come
00:34:21.86\00:34:25.19
to love him did not cease.
00:34:25.23\00:34:27.00
He appeared to them spending a
third day restored to life, for
00:34:27.03\00:34:29.83
the prophets of God had foretold
these things and a thousand
00:34:29.86\00:34:32.80
other marvels about him.
00:34:32.83\00:34:34.80
And the tribe of the Christians,
so called after him, has still
00:34:34.84\00:34:37.61
to this day not
disappeared," or not extinct.
00:34:37.64\00:34:40.61
And by the way, Josephus also
mentions this is not contested,
00:34:40.64\00:34:44.31
and Josephus also mentions,
it says, "James, the brother of
00:34:44.35\00:34:49.08
Jesus, who is called
Messiah," and it talks about his
00:34:49.12\00:34:51.45
unlawful execution.
00:34:51.49\00:34:53.79
Well, you read about
that in Acts chapter 12.
00:34:53.82\00:34:56.06
Herod killed James with
the sword, brother of Jesus.
00:34:56.09\00:34:59.79
Jean: Okay, talking about Jesus
we have some questions that have
00:34:59.83\00:35:02.23
come in.
00:35:02.26\00:35:04.10
And Carol is asking, "Pastor
Doug, what does Jesus mean when
00:35:04.13\00:35:06.27
he says, 'Take up
your cross and follow me'?"
00:35:06.30\00:35:10.44
Doug: Well, it was a very,
unfortunately, it was a very
00:35:10.47\00:35:12.74
common scene in the time of
Christ to see that criminals,
00:35:12.77\00:35:18.35
the people deemed criminals
by the Romans, would be carrying
00:35:18.38\00:35:21.45
their crosses to their place of
execution, which is, you know, a
00:35:21.48\00:35:24.72
horrible thing to consider.
00:35:24.75\00:35:26.79
It's kind of like during World
War II sometimes the Japanese,
00:35:26.82\00:35:31.03
or even the Germans, would force
prisoners to dig their graves
00:35:31.06\00:35:35.16
before they shot them.
00:35:35.20\00:35:36.60
They said, "Look, we gotta bury
you, but we don't want to do it
00:35:36.63\00:35:38.70
so you're gonna
dig your own grave."
00:35:38.73\00:35:40.37
They used to make them carry
their cross, and the crosses
00:35:40.40\00:35:43.20
back then, they did not look
like beautiful pieces of six by
00:35:43.24\00:35:46.64
six lumber.
00:35:46.68\00:35:48.31
They didn't waste
good lumber on criminals.
00:35:48.34\00:35:50.95
They would just hack down
a spindly tree big enough to
00:35:50.98\00:35:53.82
support a man, put it in two
pieces and either tie or nail
00:35:53.85\00:35:57.62
the pieces together, and they'd
carry that to the place where
00:35:57.65\00:36:00.46
they'd be executed.
00:36:00.49\00:36:02.56
Usually outside a city gate
where everyone could see the
00:36:02.59\00:36:04.23
crime they committed above
their head and to detour crime.
00:36:04.26\00:36:08.66
And so, when Jesus said,
"You must take up your cross and
00:36:08.70\00:36:11.43
follow me," when someone took up
his cross, that meant that they
00:36:11.47\00:36:15.64
were laying down their life,
they were getting ready to die
00:36:15.67\00:36:19.04
and they were going to kind
of take their final burden being
00:36:19.07\00:36:23.08
willing to, at any cost, bear
the burden of self-denial, even
00:36:23.11\00:36:27.42
to the point of death.
00:36:27.45\00:36:30.05
Jean: Okay, another
question that's come in.
00:36:30.09\00:36:31.92
It says, "Pastor Doug,
where was the Garden of Eden
00:36:31.95\00:36:33.99
located geographically?"
00:36:34.02\00:36:36.42
And I'll just add, was
it destroyed with the flood?
00:36:36.46\00:36:40.30
Doug: Well, we're not sure the,
you know, some of the rivers
00:36:40.33\00:36:44.07
probably changed
course after the flood.
00:36:44.10\00:36:46.57
The flood was so cataclysmic.
00:36:46.60\00:36:48.97
Evidently, Noah and the people
that populated the world after
00:36:49.00\00:36:52.17
they came out of the ark and
they went down to the area of
00:36:52.21\00:36:55.74
Mesopotamia, they continued
to identify the Euphrates River
00:36:55.78\00:37:01.72
with a river in the
area and the Tigris.
00:37:01.75\00:37:04.59
They probably knew something
about the stars, and navigation
00:37:04.62\00:37:06.99
and location.
00:37:07.02\00:37:08.96
So, we guess the Garden of Eden
was somewhere in the area of
00:37:08.99\00:37:10.99
Mesopotamia, we don't know.
00:37:11.03\00:37:13.06
Was the garden
destroyed during the flood?
00:37:13.09\00:37:16.03
We don't think so.
00:37:16.06\00:37:18.03
Now, the Bible does not
specifically mention that God
00:37:18.07\00:37:20.44
took the garden up to heaven,
but the Bible does say the New
00:37:20.47\00:37:23.04
Jerusalem is coming
down from God out of heaven.
00:37:23.07\00:37:26.04
It does tell us the tree of life
is in the New Jerusalem, and it
00:37:26.07\00:37:29.61
stands to reason that if God
planted this garden, it was a
00:37:29.64\00:37:32.18
special garden to him, that
if God can bring a city down, he
00:37:32.21\00:37:35.65
can take a garden up.
00:37:35.68\00:37:38.12
And so, it makes sense that God
had assumed that garden somehow,
00:37:38.15\00:37:42.22
caught it up to heaven to
protect it so that it could be
00:37:42.26\00:37:44.83
restored to Adam and
Eve and the earth made new.
00:37:44.86\00:37:47.86
It's a special
garden that God made.
00:37:47.93\00:37:50.23
So, my mother-in-law in her
backyard, she has a garden box.
00:37:50.27\00:37:53.94
You can actually pick up
her garden and carry it around.
00:37:53.97\00:37:57.21
So, God can do it if my
mother-in-law can do it.
00:37:57.24\00:38:01.64
Jean: All right, well then
that brings us to our Thursday's
00:38:01.68\00:38:04.15
lesson talking
about faith and history.
00:38:04.18\00:38:06.92
And we have the great chapter
sometimes referred to as the
00:38:06.95\00:38:09.62
faith chapter in Hebrews chapter
11, where we have a summary of
00:38:09.65\00:38:13.09
these historical figures.
00:38:13.12\00:38:14.72
Now, of course, there's n
doubt, as far as the apostles go
00:38:14.76\00:38:17.43
and even Jesus, that
these historical individuals
00:38:17.46\00:38:20.03
did exist.
00:38:20.06\00:38:21.76
Jonah existed.
00:38:21.80\00:38:23.47
Of course, Jesus refers to Adam.
00:38:23.50\00:38:25.70
So, there's no doubt that yes,
these old testament characters
00:38:25.73\00:38:28.10
did exist.
00:38:28.14\00:38:30.07
And then we find in Hebrews
chapter 11, a list of some of
00:38:30.11\00:38:32.37
these great individuals, and
there's so many important things
00:38:32.41\00:38:36.48
we can learn from them.
00:38:36.51\00:38:38.48
And we see a
demonstration of their faith.
00:38:38.51\00:38:41.88
He mentions, talking
about Hebrews chapter 11, Paul
00:38:41.92\00:38:44.12
mentions here Enoch, and we
know from the Bible account that
00:38:44.15\00:38:47.76
Enoch lived before the flood,
and the Bible says he walked
00:38:47.79\00:38:51.36
with God.
00:38:51.39\00:38:53.09
According to the Book of Jude,
Jude 14, he was a preacher of
00:38:53.13\00:38:56.26
righteousness, preached
concerning the second coming of
00:38:56.30\00:38:59.03
Christ and of judgment, and we
know that he was taken to heaven
00:38:59.07\00:39:03.54
without seeing death.
00:39:03.57\00:39:05.87
Doug: Now, you've got, I think
about 16 different people that
00:39:05.91\00:39:07.84
are mentioned there in Hebrews
in--men and women, and it talks
00:39:07.88\00:39:12.78
about Abel, Enoch, Noah,
Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob,
00:39:12.81\00:39:18.55
Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon,
Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David,
00:39:18.59\00:39:23.22
and Samuel.
00:39:23.26\00:39:25.29
So, what's happening here
is, and then he goes on to say,
00:39:25.33\00:39:27.30
"What shall I more say for time
would fail me to talk about,"
00:39:27.36\00:39:30.60
you know, he
alludes to several others.
00:39:30.63\00:39:32.97
He talks about those who have
quenched the violence of the
00:39:33.00\00:39:34.84
fire, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego.
00:39:34.87\00:39:37.64
They escaped the violence
of lions, meaning Daniel in the
00:39:37.67\00:39:40.21
lions' den.
00:39:40.24\00:39:42.64
So, but in that list that he's
giving, he's covering a long
00:39:42.68\00:39:46.92
horizon of history that's
reaching from Abel, who's back
00:39:46.95\00:39:51.42
before, you know, in the Garden
of Eden, the child of Adam
00:39:51.45\00:39:54.99
and Eve.
00:39:55.02\00:39:57.03
Jesus mentions Abel, so you
gotta believe in Abel and he
00:39:57.06\00:39:59.43
takes Abel all the way down to,
I think, the latest character
00:39:59.46\00:40:01.83
that's mentioned is David.
00:40:01.86\00:40:05.33
And so, because no one,
none of them questioned David.
00:40:05.37\00:40:08.87
And it said it was all
through faith that these people
00:40:08.90\00:40:11.44
were victorious.
00:40:11.47\00:40:13.71
And so, there's, I call this
kind of the Bible's honor roll
00:40:13.74\00:40:17.11
or the Hall of Faith in
the Bible, the faithful.
00:40:17.15\00:40:20.68
Jean: And I think the point
that's been emphasized there is
00:40:20.72\00:40:23.12
yes, these historical figures
are true, but when we see the
00:40:23.15\00:40:25.45
evidence in Scripture, we should
fasten our faith on what the
00:40:25.49\00:40:28.62
Bible says.
00:40:28.66\00:40:30.53
The Bible is a miraculous book,
not only do we have accurate
00:40:30.56\00:40:32.83
archaeological finds and
historical finds that validate
00:40:32.86\00:40:36.30
what the Bible says, but we also
have prophecy that indicates
00:40:36.33\00:40:39.60
that the Bible is
indeed an inspired book.
00:40:39.63\00:40:42.00
There is no other book like the
Bible, and so it is God's Word
00:40:42.04\00:40:44.84
revealed to us.
00:40:44.87\00:40:46.47
Jesus Himself referred back to
the Old Testament as evidence of
00:40:46.51\00:40:49.38
who he was and his
mission and his work.
00:40:49.41\00:40:51.95
The apostles who wrote in the
1st century A.D., they referred
00:40:51.98\00:40:54.82
back to the Old Testament.
00:40:54.85\00:40:56.69
So, there is, even within the
Bible itself, Bible writers that
00:40:56.72\00:40:59.32
are referring to other passages
of Scripture showing that it is
00:40:59.35\00:41:02.72
the inspired Word of
God, it is trustworthy.
00:41:02.76\00:41:05.53
We can stake our lives
on what the Bible says.
00:41:05.56\00:41:08.90
Doug: What's fascinating about
the list that's given in Hebrews
00:41:08.93\00:41:11.90
there is it's covering such a
long span and most of the names
00:41:11.93\00:41:17.27
of the people that are here also
the chronologies of these people
00:41:17.31\00:41:20.41
are given.
00:41:20.44\00:41:22.51
And then you read stories about
them when you talk about Enoch,
00:41:22.54\00:41:26.45
you know, you're reading
about the time before the flood.
00:41:26.48\00:41:29.72
Then you go to Moses,
you're talking about Egyptians.
00:41:29.75\00:41:33.22
Well, we know
about Egyptian history.
00:41:33.25\00:41:35.22
In geology, we
know about the flood.
00:41:35.26\00:41:37.46
You can see
evidence of a global flood.
00:41:37.49\00:41:39.96
And even paleontologists who are
atheist now agree, there was a
00:41:40.00\00:41:43.03
global cataclysm of water,
but they say it's caused by
00:41:43.06\00:41:46.60
an asteroid.
00:41:46.63\00:41:48.77
But they agree, there was a
global water cataclysm, you can
00:41:48.80\00:41:51.81
tell by the fossil record.
00:41:51.84\00:41:53.88
And so, Noah supports that.
00:41:53.91\00:41:55.91
And then you get down
to the time of Samson.
00:41:55.94\00:41:58.45
His life interacts
with the Philistines.
00:41:58.48\00:42:00.32
We believe in the
Philistine history.
00:42:00.35\00:42:02.45
That's where you
get the name Palestine.
00:42:02.48\00:42:05.42
It's just a corruption of
the word Philistine, these
00:42:05.45\00:42:07.79
Phoenician people.
00:42:07.82\00:42:10.23
And, you know, you go on down
to the time of David, he battles
00:42:10.26\00:42:12.99
with the Assyrians, and the
Syrians, and the Moabites, and
00:42:13.03\00:42:16.10
the Edomites.
00:42:16.13\00:42:18.03
We believe in all these
different characters, these
00:42:18.07\00:42:21.44
cultures and nations.
00:42:21.47\00:42:23.51
So, you know, one more thing.
00:42:23.54\00:42:25.61
I saw in my notes I missed
something, but it still is
00:42:25.64\00:42:27.51
relevant and I got a couple
minutes left talking about the
00:42:27.54\00:42:30.18
time of Jesus.
00:42:30.21\00:42:31.78
You mentioned
Josephus' reference to Caiaphas.
00:42:31.81\00:42:34.98
In 1990, a family tomb was
discovered south of Jerusalem
00:42:35.02\00:42:39.89
containing 12 ossuaries.
00:42:39.92\00:42:42.59
These are, you know, usually
stone boxes where the Jews,
00:42:42.62\00:42:46.03
we use big old full-sized
coffins when we bury people,
00:42:46.06\00:42:48.63
they would sort of just put the
bones of the person, for economy
00:42:48.66\00:42:52.17
of space, in these smaller
boxes, and there's coins and
00:42:52.20\00:42:57.84
potteries from the tomb dated
around the middle of the 1st
00:42:57.87\00:43:00.64
century A.D. time of Christ.
00:43:00.68\00:43:03.81
The most ornate expensive of the
Ossuaries has multiple sets of
00:43:03.85\00:43:08.32
bones in it.
00:43:08.35\00:43:10.09
It contains the name Joseph son
of Caiaphas, and they believe
00:43:10.12\00:43:12.79
this, many scholars believe this
is the same tune-tomb and bone
00:43:12.82\00:43:17.46
box that contains the bones
of the high priest that was most
00:43:17.49\00:43:23.57
responsible for the crucifixion
and execution of Jesus.
00:43:23.60\00:43:27.60
Jean: It's an amazing
thought when you're actually in
00:43:27.64\00:43:29.20
Jerusalem, and you're walking
around these places to think of
00:43:29.24\00:43:31.64
what transpired
here on the spot.
00:43:31.67\00:43:34.11
Doug: And I forgot, you know,
the Mountain of Herodion, that
00:43:34.14\00:43:37.58
cone-shaped manmade volcanic
mountain, they've now dug,
00:43:37.61\00:43:40.52
they've excavated just in the
last ten years, they excavated
00:43:40.55\00:43:43.79
the grave there and they found
the tomb of Herod the Great.
00:43:43.82\00:43:47.16
And so, who is mentioned as
the one who killed the babies
00:43:47.19\00:43:49.02
in Bethlehem.
00:43:49.06\00:43:51.09
So, you go on and on, the Bible
is the most accurate, historic
00:43:51.13\00:43:54.00
book in history.
00:43:54.03\00:43:56.06
Jean: Now, somebody's asking,
Angela's asking the question,
00:43:56.10\00:43:57.97
why Enoch didn't
have a book in the Bible.
00:43:58.00\00:44:01.97
And I guess it goes along with
the question some people think,
00:44:02.00\00:44:05.07
you know, Jude refers
to the writings of Enoch.
00:44:05.11\00:44:08.71
Did he write a book?
00:44:08.74\00:44:10.85
And if so, why was it
not included in Scripture?
00:44:10.88\00:44:13.88
Doug: There is a book
called the Book of Enoch.
00:44:13.92\00:44:16.18
It probably was not written by
Enoch, if it was, then it needed
00:44:16.22\00:44:18.75
to be in Noah's library and
brought on the other side of
00:44:18.79\00:44:20.96
the flood.
00:44:20.99\00:44:22.89
It is a book that was written
and it was an allegory just
00:44:22.92\00:44:27.40
like, you know, we've got the
book "Pilgrim's Progress," which
00:44:27.46\00:44:29.93
is a beautifully
inspiring spiritual allegory.
00:44:29.96\00:44:33.37
We recommend it
for every Christian.
00:44:33.40\00:44:35.04
It's not a true story.
00:44:35.07\00:44:36.97
And Jude, the Jews who were
in the captivity of Babylon,
00:44:37.01\00:44:40.94
someone wrote the Book of
Enoch to inspire the Jews to be
00:44:40.98\00:44:44.35
faithful to the God of Jehovah.
00:44:44.38\00:44:47.52
"Don't accept
the Babylonian gods."
00:44:47.55\00:44:49.38
So, it's a book
written with a good story.
00:44:49.42\00:44:51.85
It supposedly uses Enoch as the
author, Jude quotes from that
00:44:51.89\00:44:56.79
because there's some inspired
statements in there that were
00:44:56.83\00:45:00.06
part of the Jewish oral history
about, "Behold, the Lord comes
00:45:00.10\00:45:04.87
with 10,000 of His saints to
execute judgment on the ungodly
00:45:04.90\00:45:08.00
and convince all the ungodly
of their ungodly works that they
00:45:08.04\00:45:10.24
have committed."
00:45:10.27\00:45:12.47
Even back in the time of
Babylon, the Jews believe the
00:45:12.51\00:45:15.71
Lord was coming
to execute judgment.
00:45:15.74\00:45:17.91
Jude quotes from that,
the statement is inspired.
00:45:17.95\00:45:20.45
The Book of Enoch probably
is not written by Enoch himself.
00:45:20.48\00:45:23.79
Sorry, it's a long answer.
00:45:23.82\00:45:25.89
Jean: We got another question
in the last few minutes, Joel is
00:45:25.92\00:45:27.69
asking, "Can you visit
Golgotha and see where Jesus
00:45:27.72\00:45:30.29
was crucified?"
00:45:30.33\00:45:32.99
Doug: Yes.
00:45:33.03\00:45:35.16
And, you know, one of the sites
that we saw that we believe is
00:45:35.20\00:45:39.13
accurate--you go to Israel
today, and you'll have ten
00:45:39.17\00:45:41.54
churches and they'll say, "Oh,
this is the place where Jesus
00:45:41.57\00:45:43.97
did this or that," and
everybody wants a church.
00:45:44.01\00:45:46.34
They said, "No, it's
here, no, it's there."
00:45:46.37\00:45:48.14
They're really not sure.
00:45:48.18\00:45:50.28
But because the geography of
Golgotha is described, it says
00:45:50.31\00:45:53.85
it's near a garden.
00:45:53.88\00:45:55.72
It's near a tomb area where
you could dig a cave in the
00:45:55.75\00:45:58.62
hillside, and it was on a hill.
00:45:58.65\00:46:01.52
And we know it was outside
of one of the main gates that
00:46:01.56\00:46:04.53
where people were crucified.
00:46:04.56\00:46:06.19
There is a--and it
says it looks like a skull.
00:46:06.23\00:46:08.86
There is a limestone hill that
actually has some potholes in it
00:46:08.90\00:46:13.10
that look like a
skull outside Jerusalem.
00:46:13.13\00:46:16.17
They have found a garden
area there with a cistern.
00:46:16.20\00:46:19.74
They have found a tomb
where a stone rolls away.
00:46:19.77\00:46:23.08
You know, all of the
evidence is there that this is
00:46:23.11\00:46:26.61
probably the location where
Jesus was crucified and it's
00:46:26.65\00:46:30.29
very touching.
00:46:30.32\00:46:32.12
Sad part is there's so much
business happening, you go to
00:46:32.15\00:46:34.12
this place that's sacred and
you can hear the garbage trucks
00:46:34.16\00:46:37.39
going by outside because it
just so much bedlam of noise
00:46:37.43\00:46:40.10
around Jerusalem.
00:46:40.13\00:46:42.20
It just, it's kind of lost some
of the sanctity of the moment.
00:46:42.23\00:46:45.50
Jean: Actually at the foot of
what we think could very well be
00:46:45.53\00:46:47.47
Golgotha, they've built a bus
depot right now, and buses are
00:46:47.50\00:46:51.71
coming and going
and just the noise.
00:46:51.74\00:46:54.81
But you can make out at a
certain angle, what looks like
00:46:54.84\00:46:56.95
a skulls.
00:46:56.98\00:46:58.91
You think that's the area.
00:46:58.95\00:47:00.82
Well, there's a statement
that we find from the book
00:47:00.85\00:47:02.75
"Education," and I just
want to share this in closing.
00:47:02.78\00:47:04.89
It says, "The Bible is
the most ancient and the most
00:47:04.92\00:47:06.79
comprehensive
history that men possess.
00:47:06.82\00:47:09.36
It came fresh from the fountain
of eternal truth and throughout
00:47:09.39\00:47:12.23
the ages, a divine hand
has preserved its purity.
00:47:12.26\00:47:16.26
It lights up the far distant
past where human's research is
00:47:16.30\00:47:20.14
vain to seek,
penetrate, or to penetrate."
00:47:20.17\00:47:23.34
It says, "In God's Word only
do we behold the power that laid
00:47:23.37\00:47:27.44
the foundations of the earth
and stretched out the heavens."
00:47:27.48\00:47:31.58
So here, we find the
authentic account of the origins
00:47:31.61\00:47:34.45
of nations.
00:47:34.48\00:47:36.58
Here only is given the history
of our race unsullied by human
00:47:36.62\00:47:38.99
pride or prejudice.
00:47:39.02\00:47:40.76
We find that in the Word of God.
00:47:40.79\00:47:42.52
Doug: Amen.
00:47:42.56\00:47:44.19
You know, if you want to know
about the Romans, Edward Gibbon
00:47:44.23\00:47:46.56
spent his life writing "The Rise
and Fall of the Roman Empire,"
00:47:46.59\00:47:49.63
spent a life studying that.
00:47:49.66\00:47:52.10
But there is only one book that
covers the entire history of man
00:47:52.13\00:47:55.37
from creation up until at least
after the time of Christ, and we
00:47:55.40\00:48:00.68
have a pretty good
history from then to now.
00:48:00.71\00:48:02.94
That's the Bible.
00:48:02.98\00:48:04.61
It's the most accurate account.
00:48:04.65\00:48:06.11
Jean: Let me remind our friends
who are joining us, we do have a
00:48:06.15\00:48:08.22
free offer and it's called "The
USA In Bible Prophecy," and it
00:48:08.25\00:48:11.35
deals with a
study of Revelation.
00:48:11.39\00:48:13.86
Revelation chapter 13 talks
about a beast power that rises
00:48:13.89\00:48:17.33
up from the earth as two
horns like a lamb, speaks like
00:48:17.36\00:48:19.96
a dragon.
00:48:20.00\00:48:21.33
If you want to learn more about
what the Bible says about the
00:48:21.36\00:48:23.37
United States, we'll be happy
to send you this study guide.
00:48:23.40\00:48:26.84
All you need to do is call the
number 866-788-3966 and ask for
00:48:26.87\00:48:31.81
Offer Number 181, and we'll get
it in the mail and send it to
00:48:31.84\00:48:35.18
your house.
00:48:35.21\00:48:36.91
Or if you like, you'll be able
to get a digital copy of the
00:48:36.95\00:48:39.01
book by texting the code SH093
to the number 40544, and you can
00:48:39.05\00:48:46.92
get a digital copy of that.
00:48:46.96\00:48:48.82
You can read it, you
can actually share it with
00:48:48.86\00:48:50.33
somebody else.
00:48:50.36\00:48:51.69
So, an important lesson.
00:48:51.73\00:48:53.60
I think everyone who
gets it will enjoy it.
00:48:53.63\00:48:55.56
male announcer: Don't forget
to request today's life-changing
00:48:55.60\00:48:57.70
free resource.
00:48:57.73\00:48:59.40
Not only can you receive
free gift in the mail, you can
00:48:59.43\00:49:01.34
download a digital copy
straight to your computer
00:49:01.37\00:49:03.27
or mobile device.
00:49:03.30\00:49:05.31
To get your digital copy of
today's free gift, simply text
00:49:05.34\00:49:08.34
the keyword on your screen to
40544, or visit the web address
00:49:08.38\00:49:12.78
shown on your screen.
00:49:12.81\00:49:14.75
And be sure to select that
digital download option on the
00:49:14.78\00:49:17.45
request page.
00:49:17.49\00:49:19.49
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
00:49:19.52\00:49:21.69
Amazing Facts wherever and
whenever you want, and most
00:49:21.72\00:49:25.06
important, to
share it with others.
00:49:25.09\00:49:28.33
¤¤¤
00:49:30.20\00:49:39.24
Doug Batchelor: Friends, if
you're scared of snakes, this
00:49:39.27\00:49:42.38
may not be for you.
00:49:42.41\00:49:44.61
I'm here at a Reptile Park
outside of Durban, South Africa,
00:49:44.65\00:49:48.12
and I'm holding my friend
here who's a Red-Tail Boa.
00:49:48.15\00:49:51.39
Snakes are found all over
the world, and they come in
00:49:51.42\00:49:53.99
all sizes.
00:49:54.02\00:49:55.66
Snakes can be found through the
trees, they crawl on the ground,
00:49:55.69\00:49:58.33
they live under the ground,
and they swim in the water.
00:49:58.36\00:50:01.03
Very interesting creatures.
00:50:01.06\00:50:03.83
Some snakes are venomous, not
my friend here, but the Black
00:50:03.87\00:50:06.50
Mamba, very poisonous.
00:50:06.53\00:50:09.87
Matter of fact, their bite
is often referred to as the kiss
00:50:09.90\00:50:12.31
of death.
00:50:12.34\00:50:13.71
They can grow 15 feet long
and can travel up to seven miles
00:50:13.74\00:50:15.81
an hour.
00:50:15.84\00:50:17.21
They don't call them Black
Mambas because of the color of
00:50:17.25\00:50:19.05
their skin, but the interior
of their mouth is black.
00:50:19.08\00:50:22.78
Snakes also come in all sizes,
like this Boa or Python, they
00:50:22.82\00:50:26.42
can grow to great sizes.
00:50:26.45\00:50:28.36
Matter of fact, in South
America, they found some fossils
00:50:28.39\00:50:31.13
of a snake that
they call Titanoboa.
00:50:31.16\00:50:34.63
They believe it was as big as 50
feet long and weighed as much as
00:50:34.66\00:50:37.77
a car.
00:50:37.80\00:50:39.63
Say, "cheese."
00:50:39.67\00:50:41.27
A lot of people
are scared of snakes.
00:50:41.30\00:50:42.60
I used to live in a mountain
in a cave, and I ran into
00:50:42.64\00:50:44.71
snakes frequently.
00:50:44.74\00:50:46.27
They never bothered me
unless I was bothering them.
00:50:46.31\00:50:48.91
In the Bible, the snake is
often a symbol of the devil.
00:50:48.94\00:50:51.91
In reality, it's just a symbol.
00:50:51.95\00:50:53.82
They're animals like other
animals, but it says they were
00:50:53.85\00:50:56.08
cursed to go upon their belly
because they were the first
00:50:56.12\00:50:58.42
medium that the devil
used to tempt Adam and Eve.
00:50:58.45\00:51:01.92
In the Book of Numbers chapter
21, it tells the story of how
00:51:01.96\00:51:05.03
when the children of Israel were
going through the wilderness,
00:51:05.06\00:51:07.93
they began to
complain about God's manna.
00:51:07.96\00:51:10.40
And it says the Lord allowed
these fiery serpents to go among
00:51:10.43\00:51:13.50
the people and many were bitten,
and the venom was deadly.
00:51:13.54\00:51:17.27
I should probably mention at
this point, that bread they were
00:51:17.31\00:51:19.67
complaining about is a
symbol for the Word of God.
00:51:19.71\00:51:22.54
As many of the people were dying
from this plague of serpents,
00:51:22.58\00:51:25.48
they went on to Moses and
they said, "What shall we do?"
00:51:25.51\00:51:28.32
God told Moses to make a bronze
serpent and put it on a pole and
00:51:28.35\00:51:31.79
lift it up, that whoever looked
upon the serpent, they would be
00:51:31.82\00:51:35.12
healed of their venom.
00:51:35.16\00:51:37.73
This is why it's so important
because Jesus says in the gospel
00:51:37.76\00:51:40.10
of John chapter 3, verse 14
and 15, "As Moses lifted up the
00:51:40.13\00:51:44.90
serpent in the wilderness, even
so the Son of Man must be lifted
00:51:44.93\00:51:48.90
up, that whoever believes in
Him might not perish, but have
00:51:48.94\00:51:52.54
everlasting life."
00:51:52.57\00:51:54.94
They needed to look and to live.
00:51:54.98\00:51:57.05
You see, those ancient shepherds
when they would kill a venomous
00:51:57.08\00:51:59.11
snake, they would carry it
off on their staff and bury it.
00:51:59.15\00:52:02.58
So, a serpent on a pole
represented a defeated snake.
00:52:02.62\00:52:06.89
It's talking about
defeating the devil, friends.
00:52:06.92\00:52:09.36
Have you been
bitten by the serpent?
00:52:09.39\00:52:11.03
We all have.
00:52:11.06\00:52:12.53
The only cure for the venom
of Satan is to look in faith
00:52:12.56\00:52:15.33
at Jesus.
00:52:15.36\00:52:17.43
He then defeated the devil.
00:52:17.47\00:52:19.27
He took the venom of sin in his
body to provide the antidote in
00:52:19.30\00:52:22.34
his blood.
00:52:22.37\00:52:24.14
So friends, I encourage
you to look today and live.
00:52:24.17\00:52:27.38
¤¤¤
00:52:27.41\00:52:32.11
male: My parents got
divorced when I was three or
00:52:38.35\00:52:39.82
four, and then I was basically
unchurched most of my life.
00:52:39.85\00:52:43.89
I had a girlfriend in high
school tell me that she had to
00:52:43.93\00:52:45.89
break up with me
because I wasn't a Christian.
00:52:45.93\00:52:47.86
I thought that's weird.
00:52:47.86\00:52:49.30
I believe in God.
00:52:49.33\00:52:50.70
Why would she say that?
00:52:50.73\00:52:52.17
Not realizing I was
living a horrible life with foul
00:52:52.20\00:52:53.67
language, was
mean, and other stuff.
00:52:53.70\00:52:55.67
And that kind of
challenged me initially.
00:52:55.70\00:52:58.21
And then my dad,
9/11 woke him up.
00:52:58.24\00:53:00.68
He wasn't ready to meet his
Lord, though he was a man that I
00:53:00.71\00:53:03.18
valued and knew loved me, didn't
doubt that, but he just knew he
00:53:03.21\00:53:06.65
needed more.
00:53:06.68\00:53:08.55
So, he started watching
TV ministries first, Baptist
00:53:08.58\00:53:10.82
preachers and others, and he
was kind of intrigued by what he
00:53:10.85\00:53:14.62
was learning.
00:53:14.66\00:53:16.73
And so, when he turned me on to
this television station, first
00:53:16.76\00:53:19.43
thing that I got access to was
Doug Batchelor's most amazing
00:53:19.46\00:53:22.43
prophecy series that he did
in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
00:53:22.46\00:53:25.70
And I remember when I first
watched this, my background was
00:53:25.73\00:53:27.90
Baptist-ish of sorts.
00:53:27.94\00:53:30.74
I remember when I first
watched this series, I remember
00:53:30.77\00:53:33.81
thinking, I've never heard that
before about the state of the
00:53:33.84\00:53:36.41
dead, or about the Sabbath,
or the commandments, or the
00:53:36.44\00:53:38.98
rapture, or other things.
00:53:39.01\00:53:41.18
And I remember thinking to
myself I've never heard that
00:53:41.22\00:53:43.02
before, but that's
what the text says.
00:53:43.05\00:53:45.49
And that kept happening.
00:53:45.52\00:53:47.36
And I had this experience of
just wondering like, well, what
00:53:47.39\00:53:49.29
else have I believed
that isn't as it is, you know?
00:53:49.32\00:53:52.46
And the more I watched,
the more helpful it became.
00:53:52.49\00:53:55.26
But again, he kind of
took a different perspective on
00:53:55.30\00:53:56.87
the messages.
00:53:56.90\00:53:59.03
It was fresh to me, but I just,
these things I had never heard
00:53:59.07\00:54:01.70
before and I just realized like,
there's so much stuff in the
00:54:01.74\00:54:05.91
Bible that no one's talking
about and that people need
00:54:05.94\00:54:08.31
to know.
00:54:08.34\00:54:10.55
And so, I ended up in this
awkward situation that some of
00:54:10.58\00:54:12.35
my friends who didn't believe
what I was coming to believe, I
00:54:12.38\00:54:15.88
didn't know how to
communicate with them.
00:54:15.92\00:54:17.92
And so, one of the things
that helped me initially was
00:54:17.95\00:54:20.66
thesabbathtruth.com website,
thetruthabouthell.com, and the
00:54:20.69\00:54:25.43
truth about death, and some
of those resource websites that
00:54:25.46\00:54:28.16
Amazing Facts had put
together that were just full
00:54:28.20\00:54:30.90
of resources.
00:54:30.93\00:54:32.77
If I needed an answer to
something that someone brought
00:54:32.80\00:54:34.30
up, there would be a 95% chance
that Amazing Facts would have
00:54:34.34\00:54:38.47
something that I could use.
00:54:38.51\00:54:40.41
It makes witnessing
even easier in that sense.
00:54:40.44\00:54:43.11
The Amazing Facts Prophecy Study
Bible was my first real Bible
00:54:43.14\00:54:46.51
that I had of a
more trusted translation.
00:54:46.55\00:54:49.75
The Bible study guides were in
the back of it, they had a lot
00:54:49.78\00:54:51.95
of other
resources that were helpful.
00:54:51.99\00:54:53.89
If you can hand a book to
somebody and you can pick up a
00:54:53.92\00:54:56.36
phone and call Amazing Facts,
you have everything you need.
00:54:56.39\00:54:59.19
And so, I was just printing off
stuff and handing it to people,
00:54:59.23\00:55:01.36
you know, like, here's
what I'm coming to realize.
00:55:01.40\00:55:03.30
This is true.
00:55:03.33\00:55:04.73
It's in the Bible.
00:55:04.77\00:55:06.37
And it was a huge blessing to me
and a real help just to kind of
00:55:06.40\00:55:09.34
help me to better understand
what the message was, and
00:55:09.37\00:55:12.81
understand it for myself and
to have resources to put in the
00:55:12.84\00:55:14.98
hands of other people.
00:55:15.01\00:55:16.31
It was invaluable.
00:55:16.34\00:55:17.81
Some time went by, I eventually
went to school for evangelism
00:55:17.85\00:55:19.85
and was baptized.
00:55:19.88\00:55:21.78
And then I had this amazing
opportunity that after being in
00:55:21.82\00:55:24.42
ministry for about five or six
years, Doug Batchelor was going
00:55:24.45\00:55:27.16
to be the main speaker at a
youth event, and I was actually
00:55:27.19\00:55:29.76
going to be doing a
seminar at this youth event.
00:55:29.79\00:55:32.39
It was just this amazing kind of
full-circle experience that the
00:55:32.43\00:55:35.43
first person that I came in
contact with in Adventism to
00:55:35.46\00:55:38.20
hear the message to have it
makes sense, to be able to do
00:55:38.23\00:55:40.17
ministry together with them
in whatever role possible just
00:55:40.20\00:55:44.27
meant the world to me, and to
be able to tell him my story and
00:55:44.31\00:55:46.98
tell him thank
you was invaluable.
00:55:47.01\00:55:49.91
And so, God just gave me a
precious gift in affording that
00:55:49.94\00:55:52.91
opportunity and
I'll never forget that.
00:55:52.95\00:55:55.28
My name is Dee.
00:55:55.32\00:55:57.29
Thank you for changing my life.
00:55:57.32\00:55:59.72
¤¤¤
00:55:59.75\00:56:08.63
Doug: On several
occasions, scientists have
00:56:13.30\00:56:14.84
demonstrated that people,
and even creatures, can struggle
00:56:14.87\00:56:18.44
with depression when
exposed to continual darkness.
00:56:18.47\00:56:22.24
This can be seen every
year in the winter months in the
00:56:22.28\00:56:24.28
Arctic regions.
00:56:24.31\00:56:26.98
The beautiful village of Rjukan
Norway is situated in a deep
00:56:27.02\00:56:30.15
valley where mountains block the
sun's rays for about six months
00:56:30.19\00:56:33.56
every year.
00:56:33.59\00:56:35.16
This, of course, keeps the 3,400
residents in a state of shade
00:56:35.19\00:56:38.46
and sometimes depressing
darkness throughout the winter.
00:56:38.49\00:56:42.56
Then the town leaders got a
bright idea to help illuminate
00:56:42.60\00:56:45.53
their village
during the murky months.
00:56:45.57\00:56:48.17
In October 2013, Rjukan
installed an array of three
00:56:48.20\00:56:52.87
gigantic 550-square-foot mirrors
on a nearby mountain a thousand
00:56:52.91\00:56:58.11
feet above the town.
00:56:58.15\00:57:00.65
The computer control and
solar-powered mirrors, track the
00:57:00.68\00:57:04.02
sun through the winter months
and reflect a giant beam of
00:57:04.05\00:57:07.59
sunshine down to the town
square brightening their lives.
00:57:07.62\00:57:12.33
If you visit Rjukan in the
winter months today, you can
00:57:12.36\00:57:15.30
often see the people gathered
or sitting on benches around the
00:57:15.33\00:57:18.37
town square, bathing
in the reflected sunshine.
00:57:18.40\00:57:22.60
Like those mirrors on the
mountain, the Bible says that
00:57:22.64\00:57:25.47
Christians are to reflect the
light of Jesus who is the light
00:57:25.51\00:57:28.28
of the world
into this dark planet.
00:57:28.31\00:57:30.85
Matthew 5:14 says, "You
are the light of the world.
00:57:30.88\00:57:33.98
A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden, nor do we
00:57:34.02\00:57:37.25
light a lamp and put it under a
basket, but on a lampstand, and
00:57:37.29\00:57:41.29
it illuminates
everybody in the house.
00:57:41.32\00:57:43.96
Let your light so shine before
men that they may see your good
00:57:43.99\00:57:47.40
works and glorify
your Father in heaven."
00:57:47.40\00:57:50.77
So friends, use today to
brighten the life of someone
00:57:50.80\00:57:53.64
else by reflecting Jesus.
00:57:53.67\00:57:57.04
¤¤¤
00:57:57.07\00:57:59.81