Was God Really Silent for 400 Years?

Why is God silent for long periods of time.

That is one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity will hi this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. We pray that you had a wonderful weekend you can call us right now with your question. At 833, the court, that's 1-833-843-2673. Our phone lines will be open for the next 25 minutes or so, so hop on the phone right now. You can also post your question on her Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts and one of the things you can do is watch a drill live in the studio on our YouTube channel and message us that way. In fact, we have a YouTube question to start off with today, and this one comes from Luke on YouTube. He says why is the word used for so many different things in the Bible. I've always understood John 11 as referring to Jesus, but I know the Bible is also called the word hey look, thanks for that question. Well words can be and are frequently in the in the Bible used in different ways. They have broad semantic ranges. We we say then, with regard to John chapter 1 verse one. You are correct that there John is talking about the eternal word of the father, the second person of the holy Trinity, Jesus Christ. He says in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

Now becomes very clear these talking about Jesus because just a little bit later in the text in verse 14 he wrote, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only son from the father full of grace and truth. So this is how Scripture refers to the second person of the holy Trinity.

Jesus spoke the word of the father. He reveals to us the very nature of the father.

Sometimes the Bible calls them word sometimes the image of the father you think of Hebrews chapter 1 verses one through three and so this is this just a part of the identity of the second person of the holy Trinity as the one who reveals to us who God is us so we know who God is, its through his son Jesus. And so other places you know when when that word is used the word in Scripture, it's clear that it's referring to the Bible or to what the prophets said and it's important that we look at the context of each passage in order to determine how the word is being used. In fact that's that's really key in terms of interpreting Scripture and in particular individual words because they can be used in different ways. We really have to look at the context in order to determine how they're being used in here, it's clear that the context reveals to us that this is this is talking about Jesus.

Thanks, Luke grade explanation in Luke, thanks so much for checking us out on YouTube. We appreciate that. Let's go to Selah in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma seal what your question for Pastor Israel, like Traut Merrill-coming to learn more more about the last couple here Thornberry baby Christian. Finally, learn new things have been revealed to me in a Different Way, Catholic Church birth and so my question is my immediate family, like my parents, mainly for Kids but we're kinda wanting to turn away from our world that you now just to go and find another church that it's really hard for all we know, really appreciate the ritual and what comes to mind. My mind is the truth number I'm in charge, but I want tonight.

For example, in Craven Road, things like that were really not wanting to do that anymore, but my mom the morning to late night doing what we do think she lock her in that situation what we do now and I'm like, no, I don't know right now so and I continued talking to her about what I'm learning or should I pray the rosary to the lost right now. I'm not sure how to Selah.

Thank you for giving us a call.

The person I want to do is just pray for you. So let's pray for our sister Selah.

Father, thank you for Selah. Thank you Lord that she has been learning more and more about your word over the last couple of years and that is she's continued to learn about your word Lord that she she wants to worship you in spirit and in truth, Lord, in accordance with your word. So I pray Lord that you would continue to teach her you would fill her with your spirit, and that you would give her wisdom, especially in the situation. Lord, she seeks to encourage her family to love her family and to do all things according to your word, be with our sister comfort her Lord, by the grace of your Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, amen.

Selah just just a few things here II know it can be so hard special we would we've been rotten about brought up in a particular church tradition and were attached to so many of the practices to tip study of Scripture and then to begin to ask questions.

Is this according to God's word and for many people, you know what when they're confronted with Scripture and they think about how they been worshiping God and they say why I don't know that this is that this is right. I don't I don't see this in Scripture. I don't see for example the apostles, you know, praying to the Virgin Mary or to the saints who had died and so they begin to examine their own piety their own practices on the basis of Scripture that can be really difficult, especially if if an individual has been raised with some of these things is is you have been in it as your family sounds like it is steeped in your own piety in your own practices as a family. I do think it is important for you to to continue to talk with your family about the things that God is teaching you through his word and and I think that there is no there is a way to do that him and the beautiful thing is and this is something that has encouraged me in my conversations with friends and family members who are Roman Catholic is we believe in the holy Trinity.

We believe in Jesus Christ, the, the incarnate son of God, the Word made flesh, so we have that common ground and I would say focusing on that, and then from that place you are talking about who Jesus is going deeper into the work that he's accomplished going to the heart of the gospel � should shape our piety, what Christ has done for us. First and foremost that's that's where we get comfort.

That's what we do hope that's what we get confidence in the forgiveness of our sins and so II wanted to say as you continue to study the Scriptures that is you as you grow in your understanding of what they eat what they say you follow God first and foremost that you obey him and his word and when his word challenges things that were doing, we always obey the word now that that's a hard thing right because as I said you know we get caught up in some of these traditions that maybe are not scriptural, but at the end of the day you have to follow with the word of God says and you want that for your family as well, because ultimately it's in following Scripture with the word of God says that that were blessed. That's were true piety is. That's what it looks like the truly obey God and to follow him the way he wants to be followed and so continue to study the word and I would encourage you to get plugged into a church where where you feel like take God's word is being faithfully taught here I'm able to go and my conscience is not bound to these traditions that I don't see in Scripture. This is one of the things that you know that the Protestant reformers made a big deal about his as the church was being reformed and in the medieval ages that make they highlighted the fact that look it's it's not up to the church buses as Christians to invent rules and regulations for people to follow traditions for them to be bound to that aren't outlined in Scripture. I wouldn't have the authority to do that we are ministers of the word of God. Our authority is ministerial, we might say we call people to obey the Scriptures. This is Selah. That's what I want to call you to to obey the Scriptures, and to be blessed as you do and may the Lord fill you with his spirit may he guide you to to a place where you are can hear the word faithfully taught faithfully expositor and may he give you wisdom in your conversations with with your mother with your family members as you share the wonderful things that you're learning that it wouldn't be a fight at argument, but that they would be encouraged as well to see how God is been at work in your life in bringing you deeper and deeper into an understanding of of his word, and so God bless you. May the Lord may the Lord be with you.

May the Lord be with your family. Selah.

Thanks so much for your call and will be praying for you in a situation with your mom and really appreciate so much your encouragement to her to help to find a common ground between her and her Catholic family members because really that's the best way to approach it and then maybe started deeper into what God's word says about how we are to truly practice and so thanks for that.

This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and every year around this time we start receiving questions about a particular claim that is made about Christmas. We actually have a new resource that answers that question that claim and it's one that you've probably heard this month is that Christian Christmas is a pagan holiday every year people, people begin Sammy you turn on the TV or watch the history Channel and and you hear that kind of a thing and so the question is you know is Christmas a pagan holiday or new resource. Five reasons why Christmas isn't a pagan holiday help student unravel some of the common misconceptions about the origins of Christmas and will give you think an appreciation of the Christmas message. The incarnation of Jesus Christ while we can just celebrate with joy the fact that God sent his son into the world to take our humanity to assume our humanity so that we might be redeemed again. The resources called five reasons why Christmas isn't a pagan holiday and it's yours for free that core Christianity.com and others a lot of misinformation floating around out there on this topic so we encourage you to get this resource and start to discussing it with any friends or relatives who make that claim they say well it's just this is all based on you know pagan rituals and does everything do with with Christ and you can really help them to to see the truth about Christmas and the celebration of Christmas. Again, it's five reasons.

Christmas isn't a pagan holiday. It's a free download on our website go to core Christianity.com/offers to find that one of the ways that you can ask a question here on core Christianity is by leaving us a voicemail. We did receive a lot of voicemails.

We try to review them each day, and here's a voicemail received from one of our listeners named Austin about really understand exactly what that is built to explain the concept behind that as well as like that are necessary and important for us to update and as Christians. Now some people may not necessarily have 400 years of sounds from daughters is something that we only to hold you just explain that thank you for the weeks we received that question before on the broadcast that I appreciate it.

So basically, it's the idea that after the last prophet of the Old Testament rolled thinking about Malachi a from that. To Christ.

The coming of Christ that the more redemptive revelation if you will action from God you have about 400 years.

Were you you don't have any you have any canonical scripture being written.

You don't have God accomplishing redemption in history and any spectacular ways, like we saw throughout the Old Testament with the Exodus and so on and so forth and so you do have this this period of silence if you will. And then all of a sudden out of out of that silence you have John the Baptist on the scene beginning tip to prepare the way as was prophesied in Isaiah chapter 44, the Messiah, the one who's coming to reveal the salvation of God to speak to us. Actually, something you see in in Luke's gospel in Luke chapter 3 John the Baptist preparing the way the 50th.

In the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor over Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Peter Rea and tracking -itis and lysine as tetrarch of Abilene during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

There's a lot of that just historical background.

There you have corruption in Jerusalem. You have just as political tension of it was at this very dark time and then all of a sudden the word of God comes to John the Baptist and we read about in of the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled in every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight and the rough places shall become level ways and all flesh shall see the salvation of God is always asked that there there was silence during that time, it doesn't mean that God was at work at it just means that the you didn't have redemptive revelation taking place we would say it in the same way today that that's not taking them. Redemptive history is is dynamic redemption has been accomplished but now we receive the benefit of all the speech that God has given to us in his word is why I think it's important to turn to recognize that, but what was highlighted by those 400 years of silence is just how bad things were for the people during that time, and then that just the beauty of God speaking into the silence that the did the darkness if you will with the revelation of his son Jesus Christ. Now for it. For many people know just be transitioning to think about our own lives and in the Christian walk. We have seasons where we feel like God is silent where he's not speaking to us.

I remember years ago my daughter when I thought she was about three years old. We had just finished praying and she she stopped us and said Poppa how come God don't talk. She wanted to know why you know here we are, what were praying to the Lord were always talking to God.

But how can he silent light. What we ever hear his voice, then in while God is not accomplishing redemption today in the same senses you know Papen in the Old Testament or in the New Testament where he sent his son into the world.

He's accomplishing it in a different way he's applying it to us through the revelation that we already have the word of God. God actually is speaking today to us every single day to the circumstances of life but also through the word, we need to go to the word to hear God speak and and again even even with that, there are times in the Christian life where you know things feel a little bit dry, but we cling to what the Lord has already said in his word to the promises that he's given to us and that's where we find hope and life. So thank you for that question. Just a good thing for us to meditate on.

Around this time of the year is as we contemplate AdVent the coming of Jesus and and ultimately the incarnation of Christ, that we celebrate around Christmas time and one of the things I love to do a Christmas time we done this for years with our kids read the accounts from Luke and for Matthew.

Just because they are so rich and so beautiful in different ways really do help us understand what the incarnation is all about. So it's fun to think about those those kinds of Christmas traditions that we all have the same as II just encourage people to the enemy. That's the best kind of tradition to have Raven you can do Christmas cookies and Christmas trees and stuff. How about reading through the account in the Gospels of the birth of Jesus that something we ought to be doing with our family, so I think that's great Bill you're listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Our phone lines are open for the next six minutes or so. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Here's the number to call is 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 let's go to Thomas in Toledo Ohio.

Thomas what your question for a drill, but I will question all as we read Scripture. Scripture is backed up with Scripture. There's there's accounts first-hand accounts for some that when Jesus was in the wilderness. How do we know what transpired.

How do we know that the that the Jesus root root replied to Satan that he was tempted by Satan and that he replied out of Deuteronomy. I guess that's my question is a great question right. I made it doesn't seem like the disciples were there hanging out with Jesus. He was all by himself in the wilderness led there by the Holy Spirit to be tempted.

You can read about it in places like Matthew chapter 4, and so how do we know that that the account that we have. There was true.

I mean I would just say two things. One, Jesus spent quite a bit of time with his disciples. We don't know. Actually everything that Jesus said and did I think of what what John says in his gospel.

In John chapter 21 the very end of the gospel in verse 25 it says now there are also many other things that Jesus did work every one of them to be written.

I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written that a beautiful statement. Another was that there was a lot more that Jesus said to the disciples that he was doing.

We just don't have it, have it recording thought. I imagine that the you know that the account there in Matthew chapter 4 of the temptation that was something that Jesus spoke to the disciples about that. He was able to to to share that with them and they were able to communicate that and pass that down and ultimately it it is ended up being in Scripture, and so we also believe right that that this is the revelation of God by the by the spirit, the spirit of God is at work in the biblical authors the biblical writers, inspiring them to write these things and so you have those two things there you have that that the word of Jesus to his disciples, and you have the work of the Holy Spirit and in those two things I think should give us confidence that is were approaching the text of Scripture, especially the Gospels. We know that this is true, and we know that the these events happened as they were recorded. Thanks, Thomas your listing to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez, just a reminder we have that free resource for you perfect for this time of year five reasons.

Christmas isn't a pagan holiday.

You can find that on our website. Core, Christianity.com/offers. It's a free download five reasons Christmas isn't a pagan holiday. Let's go to a voicemail received from one of our callers. This is from Joshua. My question is when the Pharisees question Jesus about a woman who is married to seven different men and asked her, whose husband she would be in the resurrection, and Jesus told them what no one is going to be married or given in marriage, in the resurrection. My question, that is, if that. So why then does God make such a huge issue about marriage spent the time of Adam and Eve, only to then say marriage will no longer be a thing in my understanding that correctly, or am I missing something. Thanks again.

Yeah, I appreciate that question so let me just just just to summarize as a you say okay the Bible makes a big deal about marriage from the very beginning from the book of Genesis all the way through the New Testament marriages is a big deal but then when Jesus talked the Sadducees. He makes it clear to them that in in the new creation. People like to be given in marriage is not can be at a thing anymore so is that a contradiction a minute. It is God going back on what was once a big thing now is no longer to be big thing. Wealth is a way to understand marriage is picture of the relationship that Christ has with his bride. Paul makes this very clear in the book of Ephesians. It is a very important institution central for for the growth of of society, of civilization and the destruction of marriage leads to all sorts of problems in the community in a society so that's what the Bible has this this high view very high view of marriage and Jesus said what God has joined together, let not man separate God bringing two people together ultimately for for his glory for the propagation of the human race is a picture of of the gospel itself and one since the picture that that exist between Christ and the church. But in heaven were going to have the reality and that's why there's there's good to be no more people given in marriage, because that's where you have the marriage supper of the Lamb that the the true marriage that all our earthly marriages are meant to reflect that the marriage between Christ and his bride, the church, and so I just where we at in in the stage of redemptive history if you will.

Right now, during this time, we have to value marriage and end the reality is, is too many people in our society. Don't there's there's a sort of minimizing of marriage that you don't see anywhere in Scripture anywhere in the Bible notes this gift that God gives to us for the flourishing of of humanity, and that is a is a picture of his I Artie said that the gospel but in heaven and the new creation were not needed anymore working to have the reality itself. And so that's why that's what you have that that distinction there and really in that passage where Jesus is talking Sadducees is Matthew chapter 22 versus 23 through 33 that he's highlighting the fact that there is a resurrection. If you remember the Sadducees were a religious group at that time that denied the resurrection. The Pharisees didn't but but the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. They also only believe that the first five books of the Old Testament were truly inspired by God canonical and so Jesus appeals to a passage of Scripture in the Torah in order to prove the resurrection of the dead to them. This this central doctrine of the Christian faith. And so he's not trying to to minimize marriage there either. He's he's emphasizing the reality of the resurrection from the dead, and so thanks that question your listing the core Christianity, we have time for one quick email question before we go today, and Israel. Mike wants to know this. He says if Peter was forgiven three times for denying Christ. Why wasn't Judas forgiven.

Yeah boy really big question both deny Christ, but how computer was forgiven and not Judas. Well, I think the answer is simple.

Judas did not repent, he might've had remorse because of what he did and seems to be clear based on the Gospels that he had a great deal of remorse, but he didn't humble himself. He didn't turn to Jesus in faith and confess the sin number Peter that he did. He was heartbroken. Remember, Jesus may have pursued him and restore him three times on the beach we read at the end of John's Gospel, so the difference is repentance. That's the key. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673.

That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together