Best of Broadcast: Responding to Serious Objections to the Bible

The following is a prerecorded program today to tackle more of your toughest questions about the Bible and most serious objections to the stage for the line of fire with your host activist, author, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown your voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution Michael Brown is the director of the coalition of conscience have president of fire school of ministry get into the line of fire valves by calling 866-34-TRUTH.

That's 866-34-TRUTH your Jim is Dr. Michael Brown friends Michael Brown here a few weeks back I solicited questions on social media Facebook and through Twitter say what are some of the most serious objections you hear when it comes to the Bible when it comes to the God of the Bible. Maybe the questions you have. Maybe there questions objections that you encounter and we got so many responses which of course is no surprise. This is the world in which we live. No surprise that the be many questions and objections, especially in this current generation where there is more animosity towards the God of the Bible more dismissing of the authority of Scripture.

More questions about the inspiration of Scripture. So I answered a bunch of questions and I said gobbling in the weeks ahead will devote broadcast to answering more of your question so that's exactly what we doing today were putting some posts up from Facebook, Twitter will see that there from April 29 and dates like that. In other words, we solicited these some weeks back we did the first show now. The second show here. So let's see you start with a question from medium Sean. I take it is not a medium like having séances. Somebody said that Jesus lied in Matthew 24, 34 generation pass and all the things he said did not come to pass. So did Jesus say in Matthew 24, 34, that this generation will not pass away until all these things are fulfilled and he was wrong for the first question is why would the gospel authors preserve that in similar words and other Gospels. What were they preserve that in the generations afterwords if it didn't happen.

In other words, some of the Gospels may be written before the year 70 when the temple was destroyed, others after that time, but certainly all of them, edited, distributed after that time, soul, why would you keep that in.

If it was assented. In contrast, is the logical question right. If you just eliminate it. We don't need that part in because he got that wrong and it looks bad, will also didn't believe you got it wrong. So there several answers to the question one. He was speaking about things. First and foremost, the tie them with the destruction of Jerusalem with the destruction of the temple with the terrible things he said would happen even with the exiling of Jewish people and happen with extraordinary accuracy with mind-boggling accuracy in ways that no one could have imagined back then in terms of the level of decimation in the flattening of the temple. The glorious time. How could the flattening of much of Jerusalem and terrible suffering. According to Josephus, million Jews killed. Maybe it's an exaggeration, but was it terrible time of great suffering, unprecedented in the nation's history. Jesus else can happen in detail. So did that's that's the first dance.

The second objection to the answer be okay will maybe so, but what about the coming of the Lord and all the things he smokable. Some would say that he came in that context is that the end of the age coming, but rather he came in judgment at that time.

That's how some were greeted there is no way to read that he's talking ultimately about the end of the age that he wasn't talking just about the destruction of the Temple in the year 70 in the judgment, Jerusalem, there was talk about the end of the age anything the generation that is here to see signs ABC at the end of the age. They will see it all. They will also see XYZ so this generation. This final generation that sees ABC happen. They will also see XYZ will be many things that will be parallel to what happened in the year 70 than unfolding in the age using as the disciples asked him three questions. His talk about the destruction of the temple was a sky happen was to be the sign of your coming of the end of the age, as if all three things were one where is the temple was destroyed in 70 and is coming the end of the age are still future, so he answers everything all together.

We again is one you have it with many biblical prophecies that it says is automatic come to pass like layers. The first layer is now the second layer may be a thousand years later, but when the proverb sees them. It feels like a very close that the common description given a prophecy is like standing on the top of the mountain look at the top of another mountain seems really close. There is actually a miles long Valley in between them. So that's how it is with prophetic messages Bible tells us that that's how it is.

So it could be that he's answering all these questions together in his first say this can happen 70 in the generation that sees these things you never see the rest of this happen. This destruction and then is the end of the age generation sees this to see the rest come to pass in a case there are good simple explanations to this passage, and more importantly if the early believers were scandalized by they were thoughtful. We all understand that. But let's leave that out the fact that they put it in there was to say when Jesus says is accurate. But let's let's see another question here, and this is from Elijah natural disasters, natural disasters, Larry King said they didn't believe in God because how could God allow Katrina happen.

I've always thought it's a good question. So it's one thing when human beings commit atrocities against other human beings right. It's one thing where the Nazis slaughter 6 million Jews and and many others. It's it's one thing when a person does some give you could say where was God with quite the question is, who said that God stops us from doing evil, to give us free will and and people do terrible things but that's different than Katrina. That's different than the tsunami years back that the killed several hundred thousand it in a matter of minutes or hours and in Southeast Asia.

I explained those natural disasters and and what kind of God allow those to happen while the answer is that we are in a fallen world that the sin of the human race had consequences on everything because of which were in a fallen world, a world that has the beauty of a sunset in the terrace of a tsunami, a world that that has the miracle of childbirth the agony of premature death of a world that itself has things you could say are good and things you could say or evil. That's why wonder the new heavens and new earth.

In this way before the fall we were in the garden in the garden of Eden usually take that metaphorically cited rather literally I take it literally. But the fact is we were in paradise. And that's God's heart and desire and I could tell Larry King whose is now facing eternal reality hope that somehow we came to the Lord before he left this world, but I would say you don't like human suffering, God is like human suffering guy grieves over and and even though God says that he is the God of nature that he is that the the God who controls the world. There are also things that are in this world that are fallen, and the results of human brokenness, or of previous spiritual rebellion. Some say that the world is marked by that because of false Satan.

Previous spiritual rebellion, but ultimately said this is not God's final intent for us. That's what we started in paradise that was God giving us a picture of the way things be so similar to segue second. The earth is been messed up for losses before the fall well 11 scholar address this in his answer was that just like when you build a new community you build hospitals and prisons. If you're building a developing Lord city, knowing that you have people are sick and people need to be incarcerated. Never police force and so on that when God made the world he made the world itself with these flaws in its yes he everything made was good but he made this world in itself with flaws in it and in the paradise for human beings and ultimately human beings within subdue the earth and have the full blessing of God in the whole world would be a paradise, but if not, you get expelled from the garden into the bad places. In any case, we need to do is point out God's heart of compassion for the poor for the needy for the outcast gods even pouring out rain the book of Job, talks about this when God reveals himself to Joe.

He pours out rain on desolate areas.

We don't have human beings. What will Heise was doing because because these warranties is a got a beauty and and and the wonders of nature that shows his beauty and goodness and then all of the calamities and judgments that shows what happens because human brokenness human sin and failure of and it's interesting with Katrina mentioned that one man response on 37 are not. I lost my house and job and Katrina was one of the most challenging, painful, inspiring events my life.

I learned so much about myself in the goodness of others.

Their blessings even in the most difficult circumstances maybe needed to be humbled. This much we know God can bring good out of evil guy can bring good out of calamity and in that which is devastating and brings terrible loss of life. God can bring something good out of that because he's the Redeemer. By the way, if you don't, you have my book has God failed you. Funny face when uniting sure God is real.

We address these very kind of issues that I think you'll be helped by that one more question, a Skyler fiction. God orders the execution of babies in first Samuel 15 what we talked about this a few weeks ago. The command to kill the Canaanites and there are some who speculate that those that were killed were of the nifty Lim that it was a mixed breed of human and fallen Angel predestined to destruction that was inherently evil. At the very least, those that were killed were guilty of themselves burning babies alive in the fire to their idols and committing all types of of sexual sins and atrocities Gaza because of their evil they had to be wiped out. So what about those that are killed in first Samuel 15. It has to be that level of guilt because over and over, and in the word God is extols the God of justice. And God cares for the outcast and the little ones in need is as I said a moment to go on. Scripture says his compassion is over all his works and could well be that even DNA things passed on generationally that that you have people who become increasingly wicked by the very nature and in this there only two instances Like this in the whole Bible with Canaanites inlets. Many nights and and then and then here for simmer 15 this is never something that's command through Scripture effectors accosted emphasis on God bringing judgment because of people killing babies at an burning babies in the fire. This is the same God who knew that this evil needed to be eradicated from this people at the same time, if we believe in eternity. If you object to the Bible and take the bow the face value right that these little children still could've been interested they had developed into the evil they would have and therefore they can have eternal life and be with God's a cut down this road before they do evil, but with him forever. Got setting things right right you will be right back. Many more of your probing important questions right here in has God failed Faith to ensure go through. I think you'll find that we will file the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get into the reminder fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown thanks friends for joining us on the line of fire. Now here we are maces to go the end of April. I solicited questions on Facebook and Twitter asking for your toughest objections you that you struggle with or that have been presented to you objections to to the Bible, the God of the Bible and said that I'll be answering them in the in the days and weeks ahead. So we did.

Part one. Now were doing. Part two still focusing on objections to the Bible will look at larger philosophical questions and questions about the existence of God.

In general, and in some further broadcasts gobbling us. We plan to do but let's go back over to twitter.

Here's one from the JB GIF King on the slavery topic teaming me discussed with DJ Hammurabi's a digital Hammurabi and agreed it was troublesome. So the whole issue of slavery in the Old Testament. This was something sanctioned by God.

This was something given by God, redressed it before, but I'll address it again.

In brief, at least that under no circumstances does the biblical narrative in the biblical laws under circumstances do they justify the African slave trade. Under no circumstances does this justify that you going to other countries that you kidnap people that you separate them from family you ship them across the ocean, with millions dying along the way and then subject them to brutal lifetime slavery know there's nothing in the biblical system that justifies or nears one verse in Leviticus 25 that talks about. You can buy slaves from neighboring countries. Even then, Bristol rules about the treatment of slaves in Israel and even then, on the Sabbath.

Everyone would rest so so there were there were still issues in terms of how Israel was to treat others but two things I want to emphasize one. This was under the Sinai covenant and some part of the newer and better covenant was under the Sinai covenant and it is not God's eternal best. The second thing is that it was a massive improvement on the conditions that Israel refused to when they were slaves in Egypt. The idea that there has to be compassion on an Israelite slave and and scholars have even debated major debates we translate the word bed as a slave for his servant as an indentured servant, what should we say because of you say slave than we we think of African slave trade in the hearts of that just a servant, you might just think of some of it will work somebody's home like a but learn there is in between those, but served for six years and in the seventh unless she said no I love a master will stay here and you serve for life and until the Jubilee year that their requirements is to have the master had to treat that the slave, as I mentioned everyone resting on the seventh day, the Sabbath, if if you got I'm with you slave not to choose ethical free. Over that so their protections there were things that were much more humane than in the ancient near Eastern world and it was basically a financial necessity for people in debt. People impoverish that this was a way that they could they could work they could pay off debt.

Things like that so it was a system that just like divorce.

Jesus said because the hardness of human hearts Moses gave it as part of the law, but it wasn't God's ideal for humanity similar slavery. That's why it was through the Bible that slavery was supposed overthrown. It was Bible believing Christians like William Wilberforce that that were instrumental in Inman or Harriet Beecher Stowe in America that were instrumental in overthrowing the horrors of of the slave trade because of Christian principles and because of the biblical emphasis on on the captives being set free in the Israel trimmer you were slaves in Egypt. Now don't be slaves of the man only serve God and and treat the foreigner you mess with compassion and kindness.

His reverie were enslaved and eat your foreigners never mistreated don't mistreat the foreigner within you sets the heart of God.

We don't exaggerate this receipt wrongly. The reasons for this. Again is not the eternal plan. Let's go down to Stephen some people criticize the time between the events of the Scriptures and the date when the biblical authors wrote them down, claiming there is time for the stories to change before being solidified in writing. Actually it in.

Let's listen to the New Testament for moment the Gospels of there is conclusive evidence from every angle that you look at this that when the Gospels were being written if they were not themselves written by eyewitnesses and Richard Balcom in his book Jesus and the eyewitnesses really makes an excellent case for the testimony of the eyewitnesses, but if they were if they were not written by eyewitnesses. They were written within a generation of the events that were taking place, or the oldest people were still alive to remember things. In other words, it's not. It's not like everybody forgot something. So let's come up with this like Jesus and Jesus dies and rises will be dead like a sunrise does like hundred years later with this, will say this happen that Nona first in the ancient world passing things on orally was was normal as part of culture Betsy did most your learning. Let limit money ask you a question on the skin goes on the sings out a BCD easy. Why what what what what you said rock is you got that as a kid you memorize that right is a kid you see Saget and you know it you know just ingrain ingrate as you heard it over and over were a culture that's used to seeing things, writing them reading them with the ancient world supports the world to say things are passed on orally and in fact the oral culture so it's it's my tractor here because when you have a community of people all memorize the same thing you can you can't perpetrate lie on you know you could change text that a written shift things around, but we've all memorized it and passed it on and and that the grandparents remembered and the parents remember it now.

The kids have just learned you can't perpetrate a myth so in that now those so much you can pass on this with things ultimately written down but in point of fact, you can make an excellent case that either eyewitnesses of the events wrote down critical events of the Gospels or there were living eyewitnesses that had seen then themselves as a let's say Jesus dies when you're 30. Betsy got people there eyewitnesses who were 20 at that time so they were born 10 of this error. Let's say some of the Gospels were written as leaders is 80 or 90 a deal. It you get people that are 78 years old there eyewitnesses and then you have.

Although you've got it community that's heard these reports and repeated them it so we'll just foist something on them and this wall we never heard that we just accept that obviously then you have your one was Paul writing his letters as they were happening.

He was as the letters he wrote them when they happen, etc. in the Psalms. It's as is pouring his heart out is is writing the things down you say about but like my mother. Creation accounts who was there or or Adam and Eve, who was there or the patriarchal narratives for your questions. So here's the deal you have these various accounts that were then passed on and and Childress are going to Egypt and all these claims and now they are brought out of Egypt by God's supernatural hand signs and wonders that the whole nation sees the whole nation hears him on Mount Sinai. So now you have that would right so that's confirming the revelation we had before then any of the prophets adding to that speaking to that reinforcing mass on a revelation. Now they begin to prophesy Jesus becoming one now the Messiah comes, dies, rises from the dead, you have a whole generation sees us that verifies now was come before that they have the eyewitnesses and the many followers of Jesus writing on their accounts and in their bike by the power of God to God's vindicated that verified that and that is that messages preached.

He continues to do so.

It's not just like out of the blue.

Somewhere and again the ancient world. Historians would not write like a contemporary news broadcast breaking news note they would wait often generation or longer to get the larger flow of history and then rely on the accounts they been passed down orally and in another means.

And now looking back now they could write the history as a seeing how things can develop. It's like debate over who was a good prisoner bad president takes a generation or two, to be able to see the final results and then look back and see if those things out. So in that sense, the Bible is been preserved with amazing accuracy and the discrepancies are utterly minor and nothing that affects the overall narrative. I would encourage you along with Richard Balcom's books will be a you CK HAM Richard back in Jesus in the eyewitnesses's award-winning book, second edition expands on on things and written response to some reviews. Kenneth, a kitchen when the world's foremost Egyptologists is book on the reliability of the Old Testament. I often recommend these titles Kenneth, a kitchen on the reliability of the Old Testament by a top Egyptologists in the classic little book by FF Bruce since updated by NT Wright. The New Testament documents are they reliable. I believe Walter Kaiser will see Kaiser has one on the Old Testament as well.

The New Testament documents are they reliable Friday the the FF Bruce book 1 of the foremost New Testament scholars of the last generation of I believe that's available just as a free PDF that the can read online the course, you can buy since updated edition bite by NT Wright youth that you will be stunned, which read you be stunned at how the New Testament stands out from ancient histories and ancient accounts that we only have preserved in like three manuscripts in their 700 years later in his early manuscript also copied recopied recopied that we have an embarrassment of riches. New Testament documents at least one that many scholars day to within a century of the death and resurrection of Jesus, which is extraordinary have a manuscript that early in saying these things were being passed on for that okay ministry are 20 questions over the face with him. He's reposted the end of a personal post now but to answer as many of these questions as we our joy is an error on the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown. Your voice is more cultural and spiritual revolution of your again is Dr. Michael Brown welcome friends to the line of fire on today's broadcast tackle some really serious objections and questions that you are often confronted with either in your own studies your own spiritual walk or from friends or loved ones or folks interact with them online so end of April. I solicited questions on Facebook and Twitter and sit on the show a few days later I was going to begin to respond to the questions that you posted serious objections to the Bible, the nature of God.

He that you struggled with, or that friends you know struggle with and we depart one First Financial but we get so so many questions I said okay we continue doing this so now a few weeks later. This is part two so I'm gonna start with a question on Facebook from Brooklyn asked Dr. Brown. I have a genuine friend was an intellectual and really struggles with more complex theological issues than most pastors can help with is very high IQ. If he can only come to some answers, if you and he would be a brilliant apologist.

Recommendations on Old Testament scholars. In discussing the concept of a young and the police behind there being multiple gods reference in the Old Testament, or anyone you could think to put them in touch with would be willing to listen to his questions – would be an answer prayer for me. Thank you. My husband I love and appreciate your ministries so much will thank you for the good word.

I appreciate that and appreciate your love for your friend, honestly, really pray for really really pray for him. Of this, the greatest thing you could do the gobbled work in his heart that God would make him aware of his own sin. His own need that he would somehow have a revelation of God's reality would be drawn to him in repentance. Even the revelation of God's love through Jesus alone was praying for him, which is the most powerful thing you could do.

I would do a few things.

First, I would ask him hey has as he ever watched the debate like with a William Ln., Craig, Your Baby William Ln., Craig versus Christopher Hitchens or this is a brilliant philosopher lately Craig were brilliant mathematician like John Lennox and both of them a strong science background like Lennox debating Dawkins or as as he watched any of those we watch them together with you justly sees their people out and maybe watch my debate with Prof. Berman. Does the Bible provide an adequate answer to the problem of suffering so you know see if he do that may be demonstrated. But others like this are some suggestions. Nothing is as Asmus is one read much is he willing to to dig in deeper and try to understand these things more. May be if you read John Oswalt's book Bible among the myths. John Oswalt was W ALT that would open his eyes to the uniqueness of the God of Israel compared to the gods of the ancient world book I just mentioned in an earlier segment.

Kenneth, a kitchen, foremost Egyptologists on the reliability of the Old Testament. That's the name of that. Maybe maybe something like that with would help him. Maybe if you struggled with the nature of God, the God of the Old Testament books by Paul Kopan. There was is God a moral monster seal PAN or David Lamb of ANB sounds God behaving badly. Maybe these types of books with help women or similar looks books by John Walton where he he looks at the Old Testament and issues related to the Old Testament from a different perspective of as a nation recent scholar as well. Maybe this would be of help and maybe could reach out to some of these people and and they be willing to interact with him. This thing is he could send some of his questions are way, although it's very difficult for me to interact with everyone directly. Maybe take one of his questions and and and talk about it at length on the air and I do have an associate who's an Old Testament scholar and fluent in Hebrew, Russian and English Jewish believer so I sent you an Old Testament scholar. He answers usually questions that come from ministering copies made all his answers may be for friend rights, eminences, and Brooklyn's friend of Dr. Brown asked me where the sauce either.

Maybe I can address things in that way.

Okay, let's see. This is okay. Rena Rena had a hard time answering how God could tell someone to kill his own son. Even though RAM was provided I could answer how God could requested in the first place. The valid question right valid question if if someone heard a voice today.

You know, when you see them walking down the street you know and hold the hand of their child with a knife in their hands agreed on God's home and sacrifice my child you you call my mom on the spot you'd rescue the kid from abuse and potential death. I had an atheist asked me what God commanded you to kill me. So he asked me if God commanded me to kill him atheist, but I do a civil government command me to murder you. A civil of document is what he would not commit a member, you doesn't just command his people to go kill someone and an innocent blood that would be murder in Gaza murder is now.

If you're in Isys terrorist and you're about to slaughter a group of children and and I was a sniper with orders to take you out in the military I take you out say those children I would be a good thing.

Just like the allies of fighting is Hitler and the Nazis did a good thing, but here you talk about documenting Abraham testing in Genesis 22 right, God tests him doesn't kill his son okay so there's three answers to the question number one God never intended. God was not going to let it happen, not a hair on Isaac's head would be injured is the first thing civil where the commanding comfort in the ancient world, people sacrifice their children to God's they did that. So this was not something that would be unheard of for the deity to to to make that demand, or for some to think that in worship of their deity that this was a good and right thing to do. The third thing though is that this is God's way of teaching Israel and all generations.

I don't want human sacrifice.

I don't want you to do this is a powerful object lesson in that regard, and then finally it was a way of Abraham demonstrating his love for God that he was willing to even sacrifice is also the one through whom all the promises become the one for me waited for 25 years usually sacrifice and believing that God would raise him from the dead him if he did that God would raise her from this he was 11 tells us is Ray Ramm's face was as he does say this. Attendance will bring about amount and will come back with. We we will come back somehow in his mind he thought even fight killing double raising from the dead, this is anything but just the mandate of God. Single encoder child. This is God for everything.

I don't want that this is that we did with Jesus of Jesus's perfectly righteous one leg is left on our behalf. He took our place. Big big difference that that's how I would answer that let's see Stefan DeVine hidden this in this God's silence when you suffer justly, for example Job if he had no friends to comfort him and God would be silent is at least emotionally disturbing or dishonest) not knowing if the answer is no, or wait a bit longer.

So here's here's the answer to that which is a very important question that the Bible actually says I cover this in my book. Has God failed to read the beginning of the book again to this verse.

If you have the book to find it super helpful as God failed to find phallic face me.

Not even sure God is real, that that what happens is the prophet Isaiah says God you you are truly a God who hides himself God of Israel, our Savior, so he calls God the God of Israel, and he's the covenant God because of our Savior, but he says you're a God that often hides himself, and then it's in the Bible so the Bible is telling us that God does often or sometimes hide himself, but that he does it for reasons he does it to reveal what's in our hearts like he withdrew his presence from Hezekiah to find out what was in his heart revealed pride that was there. He does it to teach us lessons of faith comes to Job, the so-called comforters and his friends were terrible for him, made life much, much worse for him and and falsely accused. It would be in some terrible center. The God have discipline in an destroys kids.

Ultimately, Joe has an encounter with God.

So I want to take comfort in the fact that the same God who said I'm with you always, to the ends of the earth also has it in the Bible that he's gotten hides himself. That will only drive us to seek him more diligently and if will do that will encounter more deeply.

They say it again if we seek him diligently will encounter him more deeply.

It was 1160 is a rewarder of those diligently seek read Proverbs 234 in particular other places. Proverbs all those chapters and look at how wisdom is pursued.

Look at the call to to search for wisdom more than for hidden treasure. Think of people traveling around the world know the gold rush, and in America right there we go to the West Coast looking for gold people going to all lengths. Minors risking their lives underground distant to dig up precious jewels and jams and things of value causes if if you look for me like that. If you look for my wisdom like that you will find me, you, you will find wisdom and look at us because a man here. Maybe Sir there some young lady that that you really like and your young man he think all man 25 she's 21 ceased. She is beautiful is she Scott's personality loves the Lord. I have really liked her and pray God is or something in this for us to get to know her better and stuff and and she touched a little bit of this pushoff a little more and you got a lick, earn her respect alone should go see who you really aren't check you out in and it's over. Of months that she really missed over heart to you and then you rose flower when love and can be married one day we just expect the first time you smile at her. She's gonna say let's sleep together. That's true godly person that's not what you expect. That's not who you would want it rather some okay you got it you learn this person's trust yet to show her that you're serious that you're not superficial. That is not just about good looks and that at and then over time, and then rightly before God, she will give herself to, and not before the we would expect that if you weren't going for a job with the top top company and an and in a massive security issues in a vacuum and stuff. Hey, those kind of jobs take that kind of vetting and if they just they look at the entry to the resume and you filled out by hand and it's like three lines long as I can. I think you're the you're the person to make $1 million a year and have high-level security CIA stuff doesn't happen like that. So save the relationship with God. Soon, making no sugar is gone over by Expo light a fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown of your voice and more cultural and spiritual revolution. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown. I really enjoy answering your questions and thank you for trusting me with such difficult questions, painful questions, hard questions, say hate judgment.

I think you can help with these.

I'm glad that you want to put them in our direction and will do her best to answer them with integrity before God limit to say this new there really cheap answer for me. You'll never get an answer just kind of distracting from the real issue because I will have an answer. If a final so that's a good question and that I wonder about that. Also, I got deeper to find out more right so it's more questions that were posted processes. This was the end of April. Thereabouts.

The questions were posted to see this one is a mark and Amy was God protect and spare some people and not others was God allow children to be abused and killed most of the two questions I get the most slits deal with the second one first. Why does God allow children to be abused and killed as he gave us free will. Yeah, all the consequences are utterly horrific. The realities are of our the suffering of of little ones is mind-boggling. Some years ago maybe about 10 years ago, I read some news about a girl that had been kidnapped was following the story distant dreadful news go been kidnapped across the street for Schmidt kidnapped was a a former child abuser sex offender that was out of jail, but they found no evidence to connect them to the crime. Maternity was the one that in the middle of the likely crawled in through a window kidnapped that the girl six, eight, nine years old and sexually abused her and then killed her. But when they when they unearthed wary she had buried her with her favorite doll they discovered that Sforza could tell she was buried alive. When I when I heard that I became so overwhelmed I thought God should destroy the whole human race if one if one of us could do something that evil just wipe out the whole I was so overwhelmed with human guilt and saw the one person committing atrocities like that. What is God allowed gave us free will. It's that simple solution created this at all. What one will just commit suicide because we want to live wasn't just press a button so we don't leave okay how about we press a button you can never make a choice. The rest your life you'll be happy with know I will be only choices of if we want to exist. We want to be able to make choices and be horrible things that happen it's reality wasn't all do some about what he did.

First he works in the world all the time. Secondly, he sent his son to die for our sins to give us eternal life, and and third he will bring final judgment on this role in forever and ever and ever will show the beauties of his redemption. But if we can exist in a free will then send evil at this within the first question okay what is God protect spare some people than others. We don't know.

Now some it's a promise. In other words, here's a godly person, God-fearing, God honoring the room for him and God protect said person because there honoring him in the put your trust in him, and he delivers them from evil and others are defiant and rebellious and sinful and they get cut down prematurely labs all time even just if if if you were health insurance company and your ensuring people. This group heavy smoker, heavy drinker, gluttonous and reckless. This group discipline, good physical shape don't drink don't smoke, safety, living who gets the better insurance rates and if you look at 10,000 people each group, on average, who lives longer who live shorter then you have this terribly wicked person and they lived to be 92 and have a godly young person and they died 18 why we don't know in this world we don't know all the answers, you can speculate different times. But we simply don't know and and that the word of God tells us that all of creation is groaning and we grown to redemption in the Holy Spirit within us is groaning because God grieves over these things.

Especially Schlink godly German Christian woman who oppose the Nazis that she said that anyone that loves as intensely as God loves must feel tremendous pain paraphrase of her words to God grieves over these things to and yet he does not just intervene in ways that we think are right in his ways are above us something ultimately we have to ask yourselves, have we seen the kinds of God or a loss does the Bible constantly speak of his goodness, consulate do we see it displayed in Jesus. Does the Bible also have books like Ecclesiastes is it doesn't seem to matter. You know that we could live long. The righteous could cut short.

You work your whole life to accumulate things now. It's given over to some saw this just a fool. He loses all for what, what's the purpose of it all is a whole book dealing with that within single in the end, dear God keep his commandments. That's only thing that makes sense. You have a book like Job great Job challenges God and has God failed you have a whole chapters.

What would Job say to someone suffering but what would his words be. We don't understand why certain things happen.

If we hold onto God will see him bring good out of evil will see him bring redemption will see him bring hope light of hope.

The situations resurrection of death and will know I don't know why this prayer was answered. I don't know why this person died, but I know that God is good and faithful and not indifferent. The question Stephen obviously one of the sexy a few people responding with with the likes why we got with his goblet as people believe crazy conspiracy theories about vaccines and lets us believe what we want to believe what why would you stop that, when it doesn't stop people from being downright atheist while we stop that, when is a stopper Hindu for believing that their $33 million was to stop that when he doesn't stop heresies within the church.

That's what we have all the ones in the Bible was again false prophets was teachers, Diana, the accuracy and trustworthiness of the Bible.

So here's where it gets really interesting. But the more you study Scripture, and put it against its ancient near Eastern and Greco-Roman background, the more your stunned by accuracy by familiarity give you one would prefer book are referenced earlier in the broadcast Jesus and the eyewitnesses by Richard Malcolm. He starts off by dealing with names names in the Bible names in the Gospels say what's the big deal about names okay if if I'm writing a book today about America before the Civil War it if I want to get that right now as I'm gonna get the names right. I got your summary earns money what they were earning at that time, like if if I'm using and let's say Kristin is a common name now or or or. Jonathan is a common names right they were totally rare names back then, or I've got geography wrong because things shifted you know this was a major scene then, but it's not now. Final fax) reading that trailer right history than the me see your way off here try to write a novel historical novel about the substance of your way off. That's that's not the way it was.

So if the Gospels were written by people who weren't there.

He didn't have the background did know the facts that the sites the sounds that kind of thing that would be immediately revealed because the historical records.

We do have.

It is civil. Why can they just go back instead of the wrecks didn't have the records written that there is we have the data compiled the cells can look at it but you have the data available so for example from from inscriptions from tombstones from contracts from things with names that we have a good idea about the time of Jesus as to what the most common men's names were and what the most common women's names were, and basically go through the Gospels and that's what's reflected there like while thing right at that time, how would they have known that in 100 years later so that they begin love it wrong because they be using the names that were common in their day and things shifted or just a casual reference that you wouldn't seen a movie, radio city music Hall is a boy with my with my family. I think it was operation crossbow something like that out on video making the name of but in the movie there is some general James garden plaintiff have to say south of far back I goes 47 years back of ties in general and and at one during one scene cut his finger's paper cut. I'm really thinking. Why does he get pavements taught wind will get paper cut seemed insignificant while ladies kidnapped he's drugged. He's then put them in a whole different situation. They dies hair. They tell me all this time is gone barbecue just came out of this medical condition and to try to brainwash and that the world is totally change in I don't know any of the other details, but what's the thing that makes him realize that the whole thing because he sees it heresies everything Stephanie's these different worlds different since the paper cut. And that's when he realizes second that was days ago I got this paper cut.

This many, many years later, the things long since been gone so along the way. Assume I can insignificant detail now. Later comes to be relevant, but you only know that if there was just an observer. So a lot of the New Testament, the way it's written is like the casual observer, making comments that don't really tie it with anything else but prove that they were there we knew was going on more you study it. Listen back early in the broadcast. I gave her references to books that help establish the credibility that the authority of Scripture. The trustworthiness and then just check out apologetic study, but I can't recommend one of the time. I have been doing throughout their posing studies on just check those out as those who go through the Bible say we have Rick water stated over the decades confident I am liability was a visit the website aspect ground the Lord is hey you around a sign-up