The Narrow Path 9/18

Cast, my name is Steve Greg and were live for an hour each week afternoon. We take your phone calls. If you have questions about the Bible or the Christian faith or you have a different viewpoint to the host you'd like to discuss. Feel free to give me a call right now our lines are full but I'm going to give the number out anyway because of you: few minutes, some lines will open up. I know that always happens. The number is 844-484-5737 that number again is 844-484-5737 first color today is been calling from Los Angeles and welcome to the neuropathic for calling Michael a great show your Matthew 713 people are that that perfection is great isn't it. These are great volunteers think I like is entitled to talk a little louder. Not quite as loud as I'd like to. Oh yeah, I guess I can go ahead. I had a question about Daniel 1211 and from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away and the abomination of desolation instead of six of the 1290 days lift the weight comes to the one thousand 50 well I don't know. I don't know what it means. I five. If you listen to my verse by verse lectures on Daniel, you'll find that so when I do those lectures, which some years ago I said admit I don't I don't know exactly what that the 1290 days are or what the 1335 days which are, you know there's a gap of 45 days. There between the two, but I don't think we have any information in Daniel or elsewhere that would identify with those time periods are it does say beginning with the abomination of desolation when it set up. Okay, that's when the 1290 days begins, but it doesn't say what that timeframe reaches to it just says.

From the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away. In the abomination of desolation set up, there shall be 1290 days will tell what we don't.

We were not given any information until what and it sums as well.

Obviously, to the end of the world of a family like 1290 days of the world.

After that, but no because he talks in the next verse about the 1335 days which is 45 days longer than the first number, but he just is blessed are those who endure till that. Time is over. So we have absolutely no information given in the passage to help us about this now. It's a very common view that the 1290 days is is begins measuring in the middle of the tribulation. This with the dispensational view holds that in the middle of the tribulation. Antichrist will set up his image in a temple in Jerusalem and then from then on its 1290 days until I guess until Jesus comes back to judge the world and then the 1335 days.

They say is another 45 days is how long it takes him to actually judge the world, meaning how long it takes him to open the books and to judge everyone, according to their works. Now I simply cannot accept this. For one thing there's not a line in Scripture to support any part of it. There's certainly nothing in the Bible it says it would take 45 days for God to judge every person. If he's actually going to it. If it is Jesus that if every idle word they speak. Give account of it in the day of judgment well and she's got to listen to every word on record that one made of billions of people.

Either he can do that instantaneously because he's not bound by time or else he is bound by time and it would take a lot longer than 45 days. On the other hand, if it's if he's not bound by time if if if timelessness is a picture that it wouldn't take 45 days.

There's just no reasoning that would make it sensible that would take God 45 days to judge billions of people every thought and word the and deeply committed so II reject that interpretation and I also rejected because I don't think that Daniel is talking at the end of the world. At the start of the end of Jerusalem, but it's difficult to know what these particular days where they begin or where the end because for one thing the holes the whole series of 1290 days begins with. He says the abomination of desolation with our to those in Daniel engine. Daniel 927. The first abomination of desolation is after the Messiah comes, but before Jerusalem was destroyed. It's it's the destruction of Jerusalem and so it's it's going to be in 70 A.D. or so. Now, on the other hand, the yeah the other abomination of desolation found in Chapter 11 is held by almost all scholars, including Mike, Mike, I agree with him to be about Antiochus epiphanies setting up an image to be worshiped in the Jewish Temple which happened 167 168 BC which is before Jesus, a time so there's two different abomination of desolation, spoken of in Daniel one happened hundred and 68 years before Christ never happened 40 years after Jesus ascended so which one of those is are we beginning with which of those who start measuring from it and I don't know that the revelation I remember now the church felt pretty much the book read time and I want to search out and I found the member that you through it coming or bass drum defeats right yes you know how we learn that Jesus first coming word literally fulfilled Passover, unleavened bread, Pentecost, when Barry came because I think this is the correct version of what it would be. I think there can be appeased or taken the news about the trees in the middle of the lake so but what this word that's hidden in these verses.

It would be. Daniel 927 because I know you said you were perfect and you depicted I like to you know he would and I think that that the creek what great because of Daniel 1211 life if you start counting like paper example tomorrow the feast of trumpets, and you just can't make a leap. You want to.

Four 567-8910 Daniel 1211 when it listed in both the comes to date 1035. It it fought literally on the day of Pentecost like exactly so and then I'm trying to make argument my referent to the learning from them, so okay that I cannot see how that relates this horse course the abomination of desolation in you! I would be per year, time Italy fall date that any man named.Dr. Gavin Finley on YouTube you can eat like I cannot getting any clarity for me on some trying to understand what you're saying that the abomination of desolation is what oh what I think it is like when I say that you bring to the literal man. You know how you did before it be that the temple. The identity of God and though that the that the crępe point but wouldn't it be making this up. Daniel 1211 okay well I don't see the set that I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and certainly in one's willing to have their own thoughts about this doesn't not be my thoughts.

Okay, let's talk to Walter from Turner organ hi Walter, good to hear from you again hi Steve, this was no you always said Walt over to Africa number of years ago we had a couple of experiences more than one of course I consider miraculous like to relate very quickly if I can now you are missionary your mission in Africa for many years, right, that is correct. I was not in Kenya where we are forgot where he will be a first report examines the deadening tenure for another eight I said go ahead well yes it was here on the most say hi after language creating and learning the culture I started my ministry in place called old movie which is right on the border of Kenya and Tanzania and I was not welcome. I was not received. I felt very discouraged.

Left there and went to another location, where they welcomed me and said God has sent you so we ministered there for a number of months and years on that side of the highway.

About 20 km and then on the other side is called medical also.

After a while we had quite a few people who were believers in Jesus and I could get them to me to give it a central location so they could get acquainted with each other. Fellow Christians, we have a fellowship meeting for three days. Well, it was a drought when that time came and they really weren't sure they should find that they agreed to.

We met in the little church building on the highway in place called in and for three days I had steer sacrificed and we ate meat together and drink their milk out of their gourds and on the third day when we packed up to go home. It started pouring down rain there and in Olga Lulu where I had started my ministry and they refused. There was no rated all the people there as well. God is very powerful that was conditioned the situation that I considered miraculous. Years later when we were stationed in a location way up in the mountains. It took seven hours to get to Nairobi and we had to arrange to go in for a little rest in Nairobi and after our travels seven hours to Nairobi. My one of my headlights went out burned out and we were stopped at a police stop before we got to our rest of the home where we were going to stay rest and the police said we had to park in the parking lot right close by and we drove up in there and the policeman who was there said go down the turnaround come back so I went down today and came back and he looks very startled. He said turn your switch on click on your dimmer switch and obviously both were burning bright humans and the bright choice had gone down. You may go. I went down to rest home for us and check the headlight out burned out and I went to the garage. The next day and the guy I said it is what what is it is it burned out or what he said yeah possible for that to come back gone by some means touching a wire don't know it's burned out.

It couldn't do that will the Lord helped us we were tired and the Lord just did that miracle for us I believe was God's hand and course there were mentioned think you want. I appreciate that.

Yes I have a lot of stories like that to the cars because I don't know anything about cars that had cars break down in strange places in strange times and God has really come through for every time that's that's that's great and also your rain story reminded me of a story of when I was in Santa Cruz. I forget what year was I think it was maybe and 8182. There is a couple of weeks where it didn't stop raining in Santa Cruz California when I lived there and the river. Rosa took out a bridge to get a bunch of power on and it was really incessant flooding, I think, is the same years that what they called the love Creek mudslides. I think it was then that that happened, but I and another Christian brother and some other musicians were scheduled to go down and play in a NAM prison type facility. It was not is not a high-security one, but it was maximum-security but we was down in Watsonville a week.

We drove down there in the rain and we had all our electrical empires and things like that in the pickup truck with a tarp over and I was hoping sure hoping to unload these close to the building so they don't get soaking wet and because I ruined and we got there and there is in fact no way to get near the building with the truck is along all around it. That was, I do not commend for progress 30 yards to maybe 50 yards is pretty far from the building so I went up to one of the guards who is not at all happy to see us there is very sarcastic and smirking. I said, is there is there a better place because of rain was pouring down this whole time.

Answers are better place for us to bring the truck to unload these amplifiers. He said nope.

This is you can get close of building and I said well the renal destroyer equipment. They said well how would you do then I said I guess we just have to pray. So he kinda smirked and I and we went back I went back to the truck to the others. There and we prayed and we prayed for the rain to stop.

It had stop for two weeks steadily and it didn't stop. In fact, as soon as we were finished praying. We looked at the rain had stopped, and we uncover the acquittal. He took it in the band played, we minister the gospel there.

We carried the equipment back out to the truck covered the tarp and start driving home in the rain started again went on for several days so that's a really amazing experience, but I mean I that's a very dramatic case. I remember that there been many, much less letting people like you and and and Christians who trust God, we see the intervention of God, and I know you're responding to a caller who is calling yesterday and the day before who said happening more.

He is just you know he's not must not be in the right place at the right time when you're walking with God. God intervenes.

Talking about I know very well in school and group crossed okay what I need to get another chance to another, but I'd sure appreciate your calling today. Thank you brother by okay Dwight from Denver Colorado. Welcome to the narrow path yes Steve.

I hear a man on Christian radio. I think, is associated with the head cold ministry. He always makes the statement that manhood in Christ likeness are synonymous and that seems a little bit of a misunderstanding to me of what Christ likeness is what you thing well I think I think it's an overstatement I I think I know where he's coming from. For one thing, when God created man, he made man in his own image, so there's a sense in which we can say Adam until he sends very Christlike and he was the first man the way God designed man to be so someone might say that.

Likewise, I mean some people say that kind of thing in order to disabuse people of the stereotype of Christ as a kind of limp wristed that wimpy kind of a guy where is that mean there's been a lot of preachers in my lifetime of trying to correct that by .0. He's a carpenter. He is probably muscular.

He walked everywhere. It is of athletic ability, and even after being beaten and hadn't slept all night.

He was able to carry his cross most part away. I'm either they're trying to find ways of saying that he was a manly man and I'm sure he was a manly man. Although our stereotypes of a macho man may not describe him, but I don't know the show your target. I don't know the person ministry, but my guess is they're trying to get across the point that Jesus was not a wimp and becoming like Jesus is is a worthy goal for a man any man who is more like Jesus.

You get the more of ideal man, you will be.

I think that that would be something that would be a valid point to make, but to say manliness and Christ likeness are synonymous. That's a little too ambiguous, I think, and I think it overstates the point yeah I do to okay thank you okay Dwight thanks for your call – all right I see here we got down next we have Paul from point of history. Colorado Paul look into the narrow path could be free again. The program yet all that light in the beatitude that whole that whole Matthew read that through and I'm trying to correlate that with all preaching the gospel and come up with. Hello there, or how it seemed like, you know, I know that right here right yeah right. Is that possible, but I'm also involved in recovery. Recovery and that we work through the the beatitude every week and I guess my question would be where that line the line between what Christ taught and what Paul taught in the other thing that would lead a you will just fill in the name of the whole New Testament. I mean just just lose my face what his face Paul himself and and he's the one that Paul is one who is sometimes accused of teaching something different than what Jesus taught, which is by no means true, he did not.

But in Galatians chapter 5 in verse six, Paul said in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor on circumcision account for anything but a faith working through love. Now accounts with God. Paul said his faith. Paul always says that we live by faith were justified by faith that what is what is faith. He says what what it is is it's a faith that works through love, which is exactly what James said.

James said faith without works is dead. Paul obviously agree with that if it got like four is a faith that works well if you have works. Your faith doesn't produce works when you have a faith that works for you got faith without works. Jesus himself said what you call me Lord, Lord, you don't do the things that I say so is basically saying you might say I'm love you apparently don't believe it. If you don't obey because that's what you do if you believe the Lord, I believe the Beatitudes I think all of them are repeated in one form or another in Paul's writings, I mean not in the same words but the same teachings.

Paul does have to quote in order to be teaching the same thing. Jesus taught. For example, in the 12th chapter of Romans, Paul said repay no one evil for evil, like Jesus, attorney undertaken. Romans 1217 repay no one evil for evil have regard for good things in the side of him and if it is possible that piece as much as depends on you with all people do not avenge yourselves, he said, do good to your enemies. Things Jesus said to in Ephesians chapter 4 Paul says in verse 31 and following.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you sent me this the kind of character, Paul teaches us to have, which is also Jesus teaches in the Beatitudes in Philippians chapter 4.

Let's make that chapter 2 Philippians 2 once is, therefore, if there's any consolation in Christ any comfort of love any fellowship of the Spirit any affection and mercy fulfill my joy by being like-minded users. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in the lowliness of mind that's been poor in spirit, as in the Beatitudes. Let each one. Esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interest, but also for the interests of others. And when Jesus asked what the great commandment is, of course, he said well love God with all your heart and soul, mind and strength rescinded. Also love your neighbor as you love yourself and Paul teaches that very same thing in Romans chapter 13 verses nine through 10 and also Galatians 5 so Paul is always teaching the same ethic. Jesus taught.

In fact, in first Timothy six. Paul says this in verse three. First Timothy 63. If anyone teaches otherwise, and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the the teaching which is according to godliness, that person is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and so forth. So he says if anyone teaches contrary to what Jesus taught that person does know they're talking about.

So Paul obsidian teach country were Jesus taught. He beat condemning himself with that statement. If he did.

In Paul's understanding. He was simply representing what Jesus taught.

He's not quoting him.

There's no need to is teaching the same truth. By the way, he might've quoted Jesus when his preaching publicly and you know we don't know if he did or not he would have to the principles of the Beatitudes are the principles of living in the kingdom of God and Paul taught that we have to beware living in the kingdom of God in Romans 1417 use of the kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

That's the Christian righteousness, peace, joy, and Holy Spirit. So I don't see any line between Jesus teaching and Paul certainly Jesus was teaching two different kinds of people. Jesus is talking to Jews in Palestine and some of his teaching is adjusted to that. For example, he says when you bring your gift to the altar and you remember your brother has something against you, Matthew five, leave your gift there and go make peace with your brother and come back and off you get obviously talk to Jews who go to the temple in Palestine which his disciples were Jews at that time and and were temple worshipers Paul. Paul didn't run a letters to the Jews in Palestine so he writes to Gentiles and is running out different issues he's he's writing that the controversy of circumcision. There was no controversy about circumcision in Israel. When Jesus taught, so Paul does say different things and talk like different things, but everywhere that his teaching would overlap with the topic of Jesus on apologies are exactly the same page. So I really don't think there's a any different.

I need take a break, but I hope it helps. Recall thank you for calling you listening to the narrow path radio broadcasts. We do have another half hour ahead so don't go away at the bottom of the hour like to remind people that we are listener supported there's no salaries here neither I nor anyone else who works at this mystery receives any money for the volunteer effort. We've got lots of people who do their own part in volunteering, but the only expense is where we pay the radio stations to carry the program you like help us stay on the air. You can write to the merit narrow path skimming the narrow path, PO Box 1732 macula CA 92593 or go to our website. The narrow path.com again to nearly half that leads to life. Everything in today's mediation is over and enjoyed my visit find free topical audio teaching blog article teachings and narrow path, we thank you for supporting the narrow path that Steve Greg remember the narrow path.com broadcast Steve Greg in our lives for another half hour taking your calls. The lines are full but if I give you the phone number if you call later in the half hour you might catch one of them open the number to call is 844-484-5730 7F 844-484-5737.

I want to say for the benefit of that last caller Paul from Colorado who serve at the teaching of Jesus in the teaching of Paul and a lot of people do seem to think there's some difference between the way Paul preached and Jesus did.

The differences are insignificant.

The content of the teaching is the same for both Alexa Jesus addressed different issues among the Pharisees.

Then Paul was addressing among the Gentiles and therefore you can find different subjects addressed by Paul in some cases. In fact, Paul even says that he does because in prescriptive seven retirement divorce. He first quotes what Jesus said about divorce and the people of the same faith should not not divorce but then he says, but to the rest meeting to Christians who are not married to other Christians for whom or to non-Christians. He says I will say what the Lord did not say Jesus never addressed anyone who is married to somebody of a different faith, all the people in his community were Jews married to Jews. But Paul was among Gentiles where believers were sometimes found to be married. Unbelievers, especially if both had been unbelievers before the one of them got saved and so he he gives somewhat different instructions.

In that situation. Then Paul and Jesus that is not is not against which he said he's addressing something which he said Jesus didn't address which a lot of things. Paul taught that Jesus didn't address but he they did teach the same doctrines in the same ethics and all of those things and there is a chart I made years ago which is posted online that compares the teaching of Jesus and Paul on on every major subject every major subject. Jesus taught about is the savanna show how Paul taught the same thing where if you're interested in that. Of course everything is free in our ministry, but there's a wonderful website called Matthew 713.com Matthew 713.com and there it has posted a lot of my lecture notes and charts and things like that you'll find a chart with Paul and Jesus side-by-side there teachings on I think about 14 or 15 different major subject.

Anyway, that might be a good supplement to what we are able to talk right here in the Air Force for free pop and others. Okay Anthony, for real this is that this is California where we dealt okay I went with mere lectures on Daniel online and different listening to your lecture on Daniel nine. Sending a clarification that in Daniel 927 and he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week and perhaps causing the omniscient elation though you stated in your lecture date would prefer to fire the anointed one) right well that when I read 26 after the anointed one.

Jesus shall be cut off and should have nothing and the people of the prince to come shall destroy the sanctuary line to the end. There shall be awarded the degree and he then speak to people there anointed one in the prince who is to come. I would make a comment to the right you in the following verse, not the anointed one will well my thoughts are well… And my thoughts is the same as yours present for all my teachers taught me until I read the passage I realized I read the passage that the one the prince who is to come is the Roman general because he says the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Well that's what happened. The Romans came in 70 A.D. they destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the sanctuary of the temple and this happened after the sigh was killed exactly as it says in the verse, the Messiah will be cut off means killed and the Romans will come and destroy the Jerusalem and the temple which did happen. Also now therefore we had last week about my not 1010 04 and I don't see any CNE 10 toes are 10 horns in this passage. Well, the people who come I'm not. It's not the people. It's not the people who are to come.

It's the prince of the people who is to come, not the people who did you be the leader of the Romans. The Romans destroyed the second century and their prince was Titus he was actually little prince because his father Vespasian was Emperor for one week Jesus. It says he will confirm a covenant it doesn't say he'll make a covenant. It says he will confirm a covenant or some transition make strong covenant, but to strengthen and lengthen, strengthen or confirm the covenant what is the covenant of the covenant is the covenant God made with Israel and Jesus came and began to preached Israel to call them back to faithfulness to the covenant and he did so for 3 1/2 years, which is half the week and then after that.

Of time he was cut off and brought an end to the sacrificial system that he was the sacrifices and offerings ceased to exist as far as God is concerned.

In Hebrews elation, no hidden costs that the Bible doesn't say he did that. It says, then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. Okay Jesus comes.

He's confirming the coming of the father seeking to confirm the promises of God made to fulfill them in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering okay but he did it with his death brought into the sacrificial system and the next thing is is and on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate that's that's not the Messiah. That's the Romans they came and they made Jerusalem desolate yellow Luke refers to this and so does Matthew Mark Luke does so does her skinny Luke 21 verses 20 and following it says when he started his disciples. Jesus is when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Okay so it says here is to be an abomination that brings about desolation on the desolation of the city is mentioned in verse 26 also so it doesn't really say the Messiah will bring abomination of desolation says there will be an abomination makes desolate, and there was just like you predict in verse 26.

See what I believe 627 verse 26 has two parts, and so does verse 27 and they are parallel to each other. The first part of verse 26 is parallel to the first part of verse 27. The second part of verse 26 is parallel to the second part of resource them so both of them speak of the death of the Messiah from different angles and both of them speak of the destruction of Jerusalem from different angles.

So in verse 26 the size cut off at his death, then the Romans, destroy the city and the sanctuary.

Okay, in verse 27 again about the Messiah, he shall confirm confirm a covenant with many for one week in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and suffering. That's for his being cut off. Then the next part is about the destruction of Jerusalem would talk about eight or seven or eight about any right, I would think that would be an example of what were looking for when we talk about desolation would be someone who does what he does now is very different than what occurred in 70 well know the Romans.

Romans entered Jerusalem and they desecrated the temple started dating going take on the alternating prediction holy okay there's no prediction that anybody after Antiochus epiphanies his evidence lottery pig zoning alters and there's no prediction that anyone else will ever go in and desecrate the temple after 8070 because actually after descending. There wasn't the temple anymore it isn't, and there's no prediction that will be rebuilt while you're welcome to.

Certainly pretty smart and disagree with me but I mean I did I just say that you know I saw your way to for many many years. My teachers taught me that night I looked at it through that lens until it began. See how the New Testament writers and how Jesus himself spoke of the abomination of desolation applied it to 70 A.D. it's very clear that they did so because in Matthew 24, 20, 2415. I guess it is G says then there be an abomination, desolation, and when that happens you ever flee from Judea Mark 13 has the same prediction and looked as to that loop paraphrases instead of abominations that elation and what would happen when he returned, because Jesus asked him not nice at the time not look at how that begins.

It begins okay. We got parallel accounts in Matthew 24, Mark 1321 the same same conversation. Jesus walks out of the temple, and all three of those places someone points out the stones of the temple in all three passages and then Jesus predicts that not one stone we left standing on another in all three passionately so there parallel events and then in all three cases, it says that the disciples asked him on the Mount of olives about his prediction, what prediction while he stated he predicted the destruction of the temple and so in Mark and Luke they asking two questions.

If you read in Mark 1321 and Mark they say, when will these things be and what sign will there be that these things are about to take place. Now these things Jesus has mentioned a things, except for the destruction of the temple. So he's predict track with me back with me with you. Stay with me please. Jesus has not mentioned the end of the world anywhere. Now Matthew 24, three the disciples and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age. Now that was not actually that question is not represented in either Mark or Luke's gospel, but the disciples probably did say that in those very words, but the likelihood is great that they were using the Jewish idioms that were commonplace in the Jewish prophets of God coming in judgment upon Babylon earning or on some area on Edom, and he was committing Jesus had predicted the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple so they what's that what's the what's the time that you can come do this when you come and and do this ON bring the end of the age. Now the eight the age, I believe would be the temple age. The second Temple era so they are asking about the end of the temple because Jesus has predicted nothing else is made no reference to the world anywhere so he's he's predicted the temple will be destroyed and the disciples asking when will that be and what will the sign be that it's about to take place.

His answer has two parts. Just like the question has two parts the first part is, it will happen in this generation. That's the answer the question. When will these things be, and it happened exactly 40 years later. That's what was in that generation, then the other thing is what sign will there be. They say that this is about to take place as well. When you see the abomination of desolation now Luke when it comes to that point in Luke's parallel.

He knows that his reader. Theophilus was a Greek would have Deacon make any sense out of what he. Term.

Abomination of desolation so he paraphrases it to make his reader understand it.

Luke has Jesus saying when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies know that it's desolation is near. So there's an abomination it's gonna bring it's desolation. Luke says that abomination is the Roman armies coming so you can just compare those side-by-side. It's the same sermon in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and you'll see that where Mark, Matthew and Mark represent Jesus using the Hebrew is him about the abomination of desolation Luke writing to a Gentile who did not understand that paraphrases just a verse by verse through the parallels and you'll see that he laid certainly not that into just as he described the destruction of the temple would nothing like the end of the temple age late things in a big leap. But I will say it's a huge leap to read the end of the world. And when Jesus had said nothing about the end of the world.

He had only predicted the end of the temple. They would talk a long time and a lot of people waiting. I appreciate your call. Thanks for joining us your call again sometime but we need to give test of the people to okay let's talk to Brian from San Francisco, California hi Brian, welcome to the narrow path. Happy Friday my friend. Thank you, thank you so water question for you and I know you gradient. I am the father of young kids and under and I passionately want them to understand the Bible to comprehend the lessons that are I have a heart for evangelizing, making hoping that nonbelievers will follow Christ, but it can be challenging you know trying to teach Scripture to a six-year-old and a four-year-old. My question is for you. Why God made the Bible so complex in that it open to so much different interpretation. That fact necessitates a show like your people need to call in the next question.

I'm a father like I said, and when I want to give my kids instructions that I want them to follow. I make it temple in the clearest possible age. It seems like to fully understand Scripture you have to go to seminary school. That's just my question is why the Bible I have the same area in the Bible school. I know you know you just have to study it but the thing is not all the parts are equally simple.

That's true but you have to realize personal none of the parts of the Bible were written to us in the 21st century. They were written to other people and it is for our benefit, that they been preserved because we have the advantage of seeing what God said to them in applying that as it should probably be properly been applied to ourselves to none of the none of the books about were written to children which means that it's written to grown-ups by the way these grown-ups new Greek and Hebrew as their know in the Old Testament Hebrew in the New Testament Greek as their first or second language in the and they knew these languages well so it's one area where the Bible is quite opaque to us who only speak English unless we can get some books that tell us what the Greek words meaning Hebrew enrichment, but the simple peasant, the uneducated beggar new Greek and Hebrew and in summing. In other words, what's what's would require scholarship on our part to punish trade because were not natural, Greek and Hebrew speakers required nothing of the sort for them and that the passages in the Bible that we find difficult are often related to the culture that they knew well and took for granted. But we don't know until we study it in a more scholarly way just like studying history. If you study an ancient civilization that the scholarly pursuit and you can read the Bible get some benefit from it. Without that study, but you're going understand a lot better if you understand what the readers knew even the uneducated readers knew and you know obviously the writers are writing to people who, in terms he they expect them to understand. This is why Revelation is so confusing to us. It's an apocalyptic book Danielson pop apocalyptic book too and we don't have any apocalyptic books in our English canon of literature with it with.

That's just not part of the culture of English writing to write apocalyptic but is very common thing in the New Testament times. There were a dozen or more apocalyptic books that we know of that were written in the enter test middle. And we know they're very popular so a Revelation. Daniel released Revelation. Daniel might've been innovating this method but Revelation is very difficult for us unless we become acquainted with how apocalyptic literature would be understood by people who were very familiar with it.

In those days. So what was easy for them to understand in the end they are the ones who try to communicate with is not easy for someone who's immensely removed, culturally and linguistically and historically from them so just you know if we want to read and understand anything that was written. Let's say you want to read you know letters written by some well by Josephus, for example, back in the time it's very hard for us to disperse awesome and had to translate them from Greek forms and then his just the way he speaks is very difficult for us. Probably not so much for his readers of the time so so we have to understand it and then we have to forget teacher torture we have to bring it down to their level letters we have to explain the same concepts member of the same to the previous caller that Jesus spoke out, the abomination of desolation. Luke knew very well that his Greek Riordan knowing about that kind of language so he paraphrase is this. When Jesus is saying when when you see Jerusalem from our armies know that it's desolation is so even the biblical writers would would kind of dumb things down if they had to before an audience that didn't know things in Mark which was not written to Jews but to Gentiles. It tells about how the Jews washed things the same stories told by Matthew wrote to Jews and Matthew doesn't mention the fact that the Jews washed him because his Jewish readers knew that Mark's readers were Romans and didn't know that so hits a William the Jews come in from being outside they wash their hands. They wash their plates. They watch the cops. The rosters chairs as part of their's and their rituals so you know, a writer of the New Testament was writing to an audience in language that he thought they knew and if if he felt like they might not understand. He might get more, but they weren't writing to us so they don't write like we write the way that we can become conversant in their way of writing is simply to immerse ourselves in it, just like you learned English.

Originally you were a baby who didn't know a word of English when your firstborn but you are immersed in an English-speaking culture. The people around you were speaking English the word became familiar to you before their meeting stated and then eventually were able to attach meaning to words because they were used repeatedly and so forth. And in that immersion you learn to become fluent in English and what probably less than three or four years or five years at the most and you speak it like a pro cyclist get better at it as you get older.

But the point is a baby that doesn't know a word of English to become fluent in English and in turn four years and that's just because of immersion you learn to understand the Bible. Best by immersing yourself in it. Remember, the Bible says blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law he meditates day and night study helps and study is a very valuable thing, but I think that meditating and immersing your mind submerging it all the time in Scripture is the best way to become fluent in the way of communication that the people to whom it was written were being communicated with so it is hard. It is hard because it's culturally and historically linguistically, very far removed from us, but we can get there from here. It's just gonna be a priority because we are not naturally immersed in the Bible were naturally immersed in a world full of philosophies and ideas that the Bible doesn't agree with, and we pick those up by osmosis.

In our culture, but to be immersed in the Scriptures has got to be done by choice baby didn't have to choose to be immersed in English culture, English-speaking culture, learning management, we do have to choose to immerse ourselves in Scripture, or else it's not can happen and so that was my my answer. I think that lots of things are unintelligible to us until we went to relearn them to restudy them to where and when we come immersing them is just second nature for us. I mean, I totally appreciate what you're saying but exported trying to teach a six-year-old or a new believer that I really want to follow Christ and their struggling with understanding Scripture my response. Accordingly, you would just be what you just need to study group Greek and Hebrew and Jewish culture. And then you'll really understand the Bible. That's hard to tell a new believer and a child. I'm actually I'm actually not suggesting that because I have not learned Greek and Hebrew.

I have not gone to Bible score Bible college. I never learned I can't read Greek and Hebrew. I have reference books galore in Greek and Hebrew that I access I gained anecdotal knowledge of it. But I became familiar through the Bible largely through reading the English Bible in my language because unless you have a really bad translation and there are some but if you have a decent translation. You can learn. 99% of what you need to know from that. I remember when I first was teaching and use of the mission I met a guy who ran their schools of biblical studies and we had lunch together. He says do you read Greek and I said no I haven't had a chance to study in a remote area in on coastal Oregon and there's no colleges near midnight. This is before there's the Internet and some others. I don't really have the opportunity to learn and I'd like to have books on it, but we can't learn from the books very well. He said I really urge you to go and study Greek and so I'd like to forget chance I will.

And then that night I was teaching at the Weiland basin he was in the audience and he came up to me afterwards and and he said you know I said about learn a great nevermind he said is that your command of the English Bible is such that I don't think you're getting it wrong but I don't.

I do like I do like to know the Greeks as I'm not, I would not disparage it, and that's why have many lexicons in Greek reference books. I do access but now I'm not saying that a process learned Greek and it'll help that you can learn. 99% of what you need to know from English Bible. It's just that certain things that are really obscure can be cleared up. Sometimes, from the Greek and Hebrew, and so those who know it would be better equipped but I would just say you know I I grew up reading them. I was a child and sure I have to say there's stuff I didn't understand but I think I picked it up and my parents taught me biblical truths, sometimes using the Bible itself, sometimes just tell me. In general, what the Bible said about something and you know I was pretty conversant in the Bible by Thomas Leonard, 12 years old I say when I was 13 my the guy who L youth group he ascending to the Bible better than him and he was a seminary student. Anyway, I'm right. I just want to make it very clear it's not necessary to know all those things that helps. And the reason it is hard to understand is because of that distance. We are culturally ferment, but many things are clear. Number one culture no matter what language is translated into love your neighbor as you love yourself. Looks just the same in Greek and Hebrew as it does in English you know so knowing what were supposed to do as Christians doesn't require scholarship just for people like me who are desirous to know the Bible as best as I can know it. That helps to do some research I need to go. I'm sorry to say God bless you. That's most I have time for. We are out of time for the program. We are making a trip teaching across the country between my home in Southern California and Indianapolis, Indiana, and teaching in a number places like Arizona and Texas and Missouri. En route, and there is information about our website. The narrow path.com under the announcements leading the narrow path is a listener supported ministry and you can write to us at the narrow path PO Box 1732 macula CA 92593 website is the narrow path.com thanks for joining us. Let's talk again Monday.

Have a good weekend