The Narrow Path 5/8

Welcome to the narrowcast radio broadcast my name Steve Greg were live for an hour each weekday afternoon, taking your calls if you have questions about the Bible about the Christian faith you like to ask on the air. Feel free to give me a call if you see things old differently than the hostess. Feel free to call about that and will can discuss up to right now the lines are full but take this so number if you call in a few minutes. You may find an open line number is 844-484-5730 7F 844-484-5737. I want to announce that this is been enough.

Sometimes on the airport at we have listener who has put together on his own. A couple of a couple people as you can. Three people have worked together on this website called Matthew 713.com. The numbers 713.

Matthew 713.com for those of you are interested. There is a topical index of calls to pass programs that some people were we I understand is about 5000 callers calls that have been a log on there now there keep adding more if you go to this website. You can look under the topics and say I'm I wonder if wonder if there's ever call on the narrow path about such and such a subject I'm wondering about and you go there and find usually there have been and sometimes many calls on the same subject. And those are there and you can just click on it and it hyperlink you to the call itself on a passport program is a really tremendous service. Some people been doing several people are collaborated on this and so that's Matthew 713.com and another advantage of going there is that it also contains all of the magazine articles I've ever written for publication. Our own website only has a few that this site has all of them and this site also has an MI website does not. This website also has posted notes my notes that I teach from on the topical lectures and the introductions books so a lot of people write as I do.

Kurt, could you send me the notes on such and such a lecture will, if they exist, they are there posted@matthew713.com so let me encourage those of you who would like to take greater advantage of the resources from this ministry to check out that website is a great deal of work that's gone into that.

Let's talk today to Louis from Sam Bernardino.

I think a San Bernardino yes Louis. Welcome to the narrow path extra point. Thank you for taking my call. Sure I like the present and value. See what you think.

It's regarding the actually the ball concerning the question that a person that yesterday about the three days is significant of the three day event collaborated by the wood integrating the body decomposes that after about 40 and I was thinking that because of the promise of Psalm 16 9 to 11 with two little red God would not allow his body to see corruption or to decay.

Now another bottle mandated crimes within the even though he cared to sins of the world could have on not allowing his body to decompose is indicative of the God's promises so sure that it better than even allow his body to see corruption. Okay, so, so that would at least suggest that the three days would be the outward limit if if the body begins to stink like it says in John chapter 11, when Lazarus had been dead for four days he he was stinking.

They said so yeah, it may well be that that that's one reason it didn't go any longer than three days, though it doesn't explain why would have to be three days to come into. For example, when it was three but but the point is that if if Jesus had died and then risen again the next morning or organ or something like that or the next evening, it would be less than three days, but it would still not decompose, but I think your suggestion would would certainly be true that if and when a longer than three days. It would certainly compromise the fulfilling of that prophecy that his flesh did not see corruption, decay, thank you for your call Ivan from Mount Ranchero, New Mexico. Welcome to the narrow path extra coming good things could hear from you again. Thank you. So last night my mom and her husband and my daughter reading the Bible while they were visiting and the good leads are not in a conversation lately about how they having ever been able to understand the Bible. They try to redo it several times and just never been able understanding the that they read and so I invited him to start a weekly Bible study with me. I've never done a Bible study before on some not sure exactly where to start them there near there and never perfect. You know Christ as their Lord but they're very interested in the thing, the Bible has to say. I'm just wondering what you think I should start with well others there's two places I would recommend and you can start either one, probably with equal profit one restart in Genesis because it lays the foundation of God being the creator and and showing something of how his plan began because when if if you start in the New Testament, which is another option you could just have Matthew or more Luke or Mark or John. But if you do start there, you don't really put Jesus in the context of that his life and ministry really belong to, which is the context of God's purposes, which began to be developed in Genesis promises to Abraham, and so forth and develop through the Old Testament the person doesn't have to have a comprehensive understanding of the Old Testament in order to appreciate the life of Christ affect many Christians who no doubt have got a great benefit from the life of Christ have never read the Old Testament, Solomon. Shame on them, but I mean it probably has not met that they couldn't follow Jesus.

It just means that they don't understand as much as they should about Jesus and the purpose of his coming and so forth. But nonetheless I think the Old Testament very important. I wouldn't necessarily take them through the whole Old Testament before getting to the New Testament because there's a lot of things that if a person doesn't know Christ. Frankly, a lot of Parkfield hazards are subordinate, the genealogies for example are the extensive laws that Moses gave her the description of the tabernacle you run into those things. The genealogies are in Genesis, but they go they go by pretty quickly rising Exodus. The second have ecstasy tabernacle description does not go by quickly.

It occupies a six chapters and that's it gets tedious. I think that only a person who knows the Lord is really eager to study and understand the Bible you know in order to glorify him would really have much of an interest in some of those things in the Old Testament, so I would say I would think are going through a Genesis and maybe through the first half of Exodus where you get to Mount Sinai. God makes his covenant with Israel gives the. The law there and and maybe skipping from there over to Matthew or Mark or Luke as far as teaching goes, I usually haven't taught before, I would night when I first taught I had not ever taught before, obviously, and has a first time and I was in high school at the time and some friends of mine asked if I would teach the Bible to them at lunch time so we begin to meet every day at lunch time. For whatever it was, 1/2 hour 45 minutes and then out and teach but III had never taught, I didn't know if I could teach. But what we did is I just chose a book of the Bible.

To start with.

I'd read a verse or two until I read something or have something to comment on something I thought might need to be clarified as something they might not understand and I feel like just reading the Bible without explanation, is good enough in many respects for people's familiar yet that's how I learned the Bible mostly use or at least initially by just reading it, but not there are things that you know as you read it that that an unbeliever or someone who's not biblically illiterate will stumble over they might find some difficulty understanding it and and that that be where you'd pause to comment. At least that's what I did as I do now.

The thing is now a positive close versus explain all kinds asked that I become aware of more issues that people stumble over but the thing is that you're reading a section and then just saying well what part of this to people probably not understand. You can ask them to ask you what they don't understand and then you could, of course, comment on those things and move along to the next item no matter how I do know how long you been a Christian are you have you read the Bible through you once or twice numerous times and never actually read the Bible through the whole thing but I have a listen to an audio version shown through once okay so you got some familiarity with the whole bottle that not maybe not deep familiarity with you know more than they do.

And that's what you need to know that's I figured right when I taught these people. I didn't think I knew much but is like I knew more than they did.

I could give them something that could be of value. Same with you. So I would just say you might even just read passages read two or three verses are subparagraph in the Scriptures and either start commenting on what you think would be good to clarify or ask them if they are saying they need to have clarified and then respond to them by people don't all lecture like I do. I'm on mostly lecture I know doesn't seem like it here on the web does seem right here in the circular lecture asked me a question for this ammunition is a little more interactive. When I get when I teach. I'm actually giving a lecture but that's not the only way to teach the Bible, of course, some people prefer more give-and-take between the one who's teaching the one who is seeking to learn so I don't know what your gifts would be. I don't know the dynamics of that situation would be, but it's just a starting Genesis or start in the New Testament somewhere and just begin to read it with them and in whatever way works best, even if they are quick to ask questions than that should guide you and want to talk about if they don't ask questions than just try to clarify things that that you think are you would be helpful for them to have clarified you not. It's funny because I I know that there is a time when I was young that I was very impressed with the teaching I got at the church I was going to because the pastor was going. Verse by verse and others. A lot of pastors of that movement that I'll hear on the radio. Sometimes, and I think they're not saying anything at all, but but when I was younger there were same things were very, I guess, insightful or profound, but I listen now seems like you're just reading the passage and then restating the passage in their own words, moving along.

Sometimes they just read the pastor look at that is not interesting. Then they read on it so it's funny because there is a time when that seem like real Bible teaching and and maybe that is enough may that's enough for some is just getting started really torn between like you said, reading the Bible naturally verse by various yellow like legionella my daughter being my life. We have blessed and I think that's a good one. I think that's a good plan that's good sign. Unless unless you are prepared. Some topical studies on some basic things for them. You know if I'm I know you from my website and there's numerous lectures there on the fundamentals become foundations. The Christian faith. There is a series called the authority of Scripture which by the way, when I ran a school for 16 years. That was the first week's lectures. I gave every year to the incoming students a series called authority of Scripture which I thought was a very important fundamental before denying else.I mean if you teach topically can do that.

I just laid. I don't know what you should do with them because I do know their needs, but I just be led by the spirit is good think you have that opportunity. Teach right okay thank you for this event created public relief hellcat infinity establish how right where talk next to Luke from Royal Oaks, Michigan hi Luke, welcome to the narrow path hey Steve, thanks for taking my call, eight so my question is about Jesus. So your reading through the Bible the gospel we read about you. The target ever pick up any humor if there is anything, but I just wondered what your thoughts are and on whether or not Jesus is the only person know, being that he was kind of the perfect the perfect man and young God created humor.

Obviously it seems like you have certainly a bit of that but just wondering, what your thoughts are that I don't think Jesus came to give entertaining sermon so I don't know that he ever cracked a joke. I mean Jewish people usually have a great sense of humor Muslims. I don't think I mean how many comics are there comedians that are Jewish in health there are some that lets face it, Jewish people are very commonly witty and funny. Just in the personality and not talk when to do and stand up comedy thing I find is there for them to.

I think that you know I don't know if I've ever met an entire really intelligent person who wasn't who didn't have some wit and a hoot who didn't sometimes say something that I thought was funny even though they were not necessarily trying to be funny or telling a joke. It's just that intelligent people sometimes make observations that tickle you when you hear it, because they are true and that is that really is when you think about it the essence of most are clean humor is just people staying things that are so obviously true. When you hear it that you just laugh because like yeah that's a) is true and so I'm sure that there were times when Jesus words tickle people and and he probably didn't mind at me.

You know an intelligent person. It is not try to be funny doesn't mind if someone finds something is witty so I suspect I suspect that there were times when the disciples and his Angie's audience laughed. We know that Jesus you some images that the were so used to them. We don't laugh anymore. When we hear them, but the first time we heard that we probably do it when you start getting the plank out of your eye, and when you think your brother has a spec in his eye don't remove the speck to get the plank out of your arm just that image effect because you know this is ridiculous, or when you start out in a camel going through the eye of a needle just it just try to picture that end, and you give a humorous image menacing. He would try to be humorous. He was deadly serious in what he was saying but he said things in a way that was probably made some people chuckle and and not wrongly so. I mean, because real truths are sometimes distracted funny so I don't think Jesus went around the area. Some preachers like to pepper their sermons with jokes and things like that. Sure, Jesus didn't do that. I don't think he ever had a wasted word. But I do believe that often when he spoke, there would be things and not missing things are recorded for us men really have will have 39 days of his recorded ministry recorded. They are spread out over 3 1/2 year time but we still only have the events of 39 different days recorded so there had to be you know 50 times as much, or 20 times as much, or something days that he spoke to me on the record and I'm sure like I said that there were times when the disciples really enjoyed and I'm sure that Jesus probably laughed too. At times we have no record of him laughing but his human meaning who you know is if you just see a toddler try to get up and walk for the first time or you watch a kitten playing with a ball of string or something. It just can't help but laugh sometimes in religious things are that God built into the universe, things that are cute or funny or amusing, as I'm sure Jesus laughed like anyone else did. But I don't think he was made any effort to be a funny guy right course you will think the early Christian okay thanks for your call Greg from Orange, California. Welcome to the narrow path encircling by Stephen are you today I well thanks. I have a question, but for anybody. An old buddy of talk about it personally. I'm a Christian, but I like to get your in Romans 126 and 27 that the sexual depravity that is described there in that last phrase in verse 27 when it says men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own person the due penalty of their error. Is it fair to interpret that in construed in such a way as to think that they're talking about the post of sexually transmitted diseases that we have had in the 20th and 21st century and it very well could have existed back in the first century A.D., rightly since 1980. I placed in a very very pragmatic interpretation on the written eight right in their and to that person that I don't come off base or not but I like to get your thoughts will, of course, they didn't actually have aids back then that they they did have syphilis and gonorrhea and things like that. There, there certainly have always been sexually transmitted diseases and no sex that is between men is generally speaking, of the sort that is particularly risky for contracting such diseases.

So it is very probable that Paul is saying something along those line services they receive in themselves the penalty of their error probably does regular and a related question two I know that rates of suicide among gains and much much higher than the general population. And I have to believe that that might have been three 2000 years ago as well.

You think that possibly with talking about to get that big, degrading, demoralizing, self-destructive license that brings about, well, you're right about modern suicide rates. II don't know if it was something that I don't know I wouldn't be the I think I think the things that make it depressing for a person who is gay and and sometimes suicidal are are things that are not part of modern society per se that is to say that they're not introduced in modern times.

I think that the penalty that the feelings of guilt, the knowledge that the vast majority people would look at the way of your way of life as it is a perversion. No doubt has always had a certain social stigma attached to an end and then of course there's not just the social attitudes there is one's attitude toward himself and you have the feeling that you know I mean I I've I've never been gaze like I don't know what goes on the minds of most gay people and I'm not sure if modern gaze have the same attitude as people did to two generations ago because there isn't there isn't that stigma socially anymore, but the suicide rate remains. It's interesting that you know when you point out that people who are let's say transgender's commit suicide at a rate whatever 10 times or 20 times that of the general population. People say well that's because of the of the persecution they get there, I don't think so having Jews. Jews have been persecuted forever and they don't commit suicide at high rates as far as I know people of been really mistreated by whites in history and I don't know that that led many events to suicide. I don't think it's I don't think it's other people's opinions of them, especially since we don't have the society condemns them that we have a society that is bending over backward to condemn anyone who who does condemn them. You know, so I mean I think it's something more internal. I don't think it's just societal that's what I thought. Thank you for your response. All right appreciate your call Greg, she all right or next caller is Tommy from Maine hi Tommy, welcome to the narrow path encircling as you know any epidemic right now and I been watching the TV evangelist and I live in an area with Pentecostal and charismatic.

:-) X might actually my wife was Assembly of God Gore for 12 years I was in the 12 years United States and that each science lemming of the Pentecostal signs gifts were operating as a B healing and raising the dead everywhere, now see it on TV here about an annuity keep the locals church in the use of these signs shall follow them that believe in my name make Shelley hands and stick any, shall recover. So if those gifts were operating at a really following Jesus like they claim. If you'd everywhere but obviously not happening here to follow these up in heaven had risen all impulsively good recording his gospel. Romans 216 stood in the first Timothy 116 that he was chosen first to be a pattern for salvation. That's the problem right there. You got admit that not know your reasonable guy. There's nothing happening out there that I mean I got friends that are pastors in Africa, Philippines, Vietnam, and there's no healings going on anywhere.

There are healings that go on in those places dual know I don't have the gift of healing is true and and they don't have to happen everywhere. They only have God wants them to happen. Coming.

I don't know that God I don't think healings happen all the time in the early church. We have record of healings in the book of acts, but we we also have record of people getting sick who who didn't get healed. In fact, we might have as many cases listed of those who didn't get healed as of those who did. And yet the gift of healing existed.

I don't think we can assume that just because the gift of healing exists that everyone's going to be going on healing for for one thing, the group always to the gift of hate healing and working miracles as one of many gifts he list at least 15 different gifts and most of them have nothing to do with healing or working miracles. So even if the gifts are still all here. It wouldn't mean that very many people Messerli had that particular gift and if they did. That doesn't mean that they can heal it. Will Jesus certainly had the gift of healing, but he didn't heal Lazarus, you know, the sisters of of Lazarus asked him to come and he didn't he let him die so he can heal and erase them from Matthew 10.

He said sick, cleanse lepers, raising the dead command writing the 12 and a grant that is on a shirt that was on a short-term outreach. It was he sending out the 12 for a term outreach is giving them that authority to do those things and they were apostles. By the way, and those are the signs of an apostle Paul said in second Perkins 1212 he said certainly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all signs and wonders, and mighty deeds. So I think that we might read into the book of acts, or even the New Testament. General scenario of the old miracles being done by every Christian, or at least by the apostles. Every time they turned around like a return to South sick person healed as I get personally raised. We know that didn't happen, didn't raise all the dead.

We only have a few people who we know that were raised from the dead through the apostles ministry so you know I I don't think we can say if the gifts were here today we'd see it in exactly this quantity or in this frequency we don't know we don't know how frequently it would be African it was when the apostles were here but there are certainly people I have known him and healed and saw me and I I'm not. I'm not a healer myself outside known people been miraculously healed, watching a video about Amy Semple McPherson and I saw another thing on Internet about Carl R him the whole Pentecostal charismatic also noted in the experiential national salvation is before all thanks if you look so study the whole Pentecostal movement from the day one. Making a one and began our amp it built from him on any simple McPherson. These two discrete revival and baby Alan Jack Cole William Branham all these guys will keep you look like crazy about those people. However wherever there's a move of God.

There's also charlatans and the charlatans, the ones who rise to the top because they promote themselves and so they become the face of the movement and they may not be representative of what the Holy Spirit is generally doing in improvement so that would be you know you can't really judge a biblical subject by the misbehavior of certain individuals who claim to believe. I'm starting to take a break.

At this point. I'll be back in 30 seconds were not done that another half hour ahead of us. So don't go away listening to the narrow path.

Our website is the narrow path.com is the gate and narrow is the path that leads to life, the narrow path to everything in today's media show is over and enjoyed my visit in the narrow path.com and we thank you for supporting the narrow path that Steve Greg member the narrow path.com what narrow path radio broadcast. My name is Steve Greg and were live for another half hour taking your calls if you have questions about the Bible, feel free to give us a call.

The number is 844-484-5737 and right now there are a couple of lines open so this is a good chance to call and now there's one line open 844 now the ball taken. I think that you can call later and today coming in the half-hour and lines will be opening the numbers 844-484-5737 now those of you who are accustomed to coming to our monthly meeting and to macula of the website says that there's one happening this Saturday that that's that's an old announcement. You don't don't believe it were not having one this Saturday probably the next month will be able to happen but were still observing a social distancing to the point where I don't think we can have meetings of over 10 people or something that so if you are planning if you saw on the website that we have a meeting this Saturday night I'm correcting that were not having at this Saturday night and we should change that earlier it's been changed to the instrumentation earlier. Okay, so where go back to the phone lines talk to Joe in Tacoma, Washington Joe, welcome to the narrow path.

Thanks for calling the great call with you at your and I'm only one person that I could say that I think might be applicable, and at the last verse in the Gospel of John says, and there are also many other things that which it they should be written. Everyone, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that she is not a statement of Jesus.

That's not Jesus. Now I just got back universe. It makes me think about like a man and spent so much other stuff that I quite had the only thing that came to mind. A user recent call to ask you about the book about their and there seems to be a break at the 40th chapter is his tone yes and I was wondering do you think there's any possibility could I know like the Hebrew alphabet is 22 letters and I got the 22nd Solomon and then the longest Psalm I think states that there's a certain amount of numerology is like alphabetical things. So what would your question be so. So what I'm wondering is when there's a break see that the first 39 chapters and so it breaks in the same chances like the New Testament has 22 books in the last part of Isaiah has a very salvation New Testament is 90 read it so your question be in the Jewish like it is like what you think numerology as a play into you read the Old Testament you find. There's numerology, and in the Scriptures that like there's breaks and I wouldn't refer to as numerology myself because it we do have what's called acrostic poetry and lots of the Old Testament is written in poetry and some of it is acrostic.

For example, the book of Lamentations 5 chapters. It's each chapter is acrostic, which means it goes through the alphabet.

The 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet and either two or three verses at a time begin with each letter and then move onto the next letter have two or three verses. Now you mention the longest chapter.

Psalm hundred 19, it's acrostic.

Also it each, but each letter gets eight versus 08 versus for Alice from a verse for Beth and so forth, which means those verses begin with that letter in the Hebrew there's quite a lot of Psalms that are acrostic's any Psalm that has 22 verses, or 44 verses are 66 verses probably acrostic Isaiah has 66 chapters but it's not divided by inspiration I C got Isaiah didn't divided up, it was divided into chapters of thousand years after Christ are so so the human beings who divided it could conceivably have divided into different number of chapters without doing any violence to his sister in a sense, there is some sensible list to where they divided the chapters, but there's some oh speculation in some cases to where the chapter division would be one thing that has been pointed out as you've said is that the book of Isaiah divides into two major parts. The first 39 chapters, which is the same numbers books in the Old Testament 39 books is is of one sort of prophecy and then the last 27 chapters and there are 27 books in the New Testament is different. You pointed that out yet. So the thing is, in the first 39 chapters, the timeframe of the prophet is the time of the Assyrian threat both Israel to the North and Judah to the South were both threatened by Assyria at the time. Isaiah wrote. Isaiah wrote before the fall of the northern kingdom to Assyrian. He warned about it he wrote about it. Then when it's fell. He also wrote about the same threat coming to Judah. However, Isaiah was able to spare Judah by counseling Hezekiah to seek God against the Assyrians and God spared them so that that the whole first 39 chapters of Isaiah is about the time of the Assyrian threat and when you come to the last 27 chapters of chapter 40 through 66. It's actually the timeframe seems different.

He's seen visions of a later time, and that the enemy is babbling and the rescuer is Cyrus the Persian who conquered babbling and so you've got us in our time frame. 100 or more years later in those chapters. This is led some skeptical scholars. I think to suggest that a different writer wrote the latter 27 chapters of Isaiah. There's no good reason for that. Jesus quoted from both sections and uprooted into Isaiah asserted other biblical writers and so there's no reason to really take that view other certain idioms of Isaiah that are found in both the first and the later portions but not found much anywhere else in the Bible so it there is much evidence that is the same author Alden the first 39 chapters Isaiah mentions himself as the author several times in the last 27 chapters. The author never mentions his own name, but that doesn't change the fact that the same book. So some people have pointed out that the prophecies of doom, as it were in the first 39 chapters sorta corresponds to the Old Testament, which has 39 books and the 27 chapters which are usually called the book of comfort because chapter 40 verse one begins with comfort, comfort you, my people, and the prophecies are largely about God restoring his people from babbling and then bringing the Messiah and bring another restoration to the Messiah that some have seen that this corresponds in tone and in topic with the with the New Testament so I think that's what you're suggesting and I agree with that, though I wouldn't call it numerology. All right, let's talk next to Dave from Spokane Washington. They will complete a neuropathic circling question.

It really bothers me about 1991. My daughter was asked me about this secret rapture we conduct like go to my house we have about like the ductwork should school I 30 go play Ali Gilbert and I realized within wouldn't the truth is that late great planet earth, and that my question is I don't read Revelation marches.

I don't like to keep up on the very first chapter, Revelation, I think John speaking to you in the Hebrew to the Jewish caller to private one. By. One might Bible since it will happen soon became James. We listen to our readout and since shortly so I got people who have not dismissed facial peel and say wait a minute is not 2020 Spokane, Washington. It's right in front of their question. Yeah that's that's a that brings up a point about difficult studies, regardless what book of the body reading, especially if you're reading New Testament epistles and Revelation is a New Testament epistle is an epistle to the seven churches of Asia minor. Their names and locations are given in chapter 1, so it is yet one of the epistles.

Almost all the books in the New Testament are epistles now when you read an epistle here.

It's your English is not written to you.

You may get. You may get insights from it. You may benefit from it wasn't written to it with you in mind Paul and Peter and James had other people in mind. Paul had the Ephesians in mind the Colossians in mind the Philippians in mind the Thessalonians in and we know he did because he not only addresses them. He also talked with things that were only truth down like you when I was with you I talked about these things. You don't remember when I was with you. We did this and that is clear he's writing to somebody who's not me. I like rice and he wrote to Timothy or Titus I'm a I'm not Timothy or Titus and the same thing is true of epistle.

Generally, they have an original audience and that's who the that's who they're written to, but the understanding of these epistles is their nature, is that for the most part they talk about larger eternal truths which Paul is applying to the original readers in their situation, but we have some people in our time who are similar to them and we may be similar to them and there are situations in our churches that are kind of the same as situations they had in some of theirs and so biblical studies requires that we read and understand what Paul said or what John said in Revelation or Jesus said in Revelation, or Peter, James and their pistols search and with you. Who were these people.

What was the search circumstance.

They were in what was the poster to get across from them to them squarely and then having understood that the next question as well.

Do we have similar needs are we doing the same problems in our lives, our churches, in many cases we do and therefore would say well I'm glad we have an answer from Paul or Peter, James and John telling us what we should do. That means what these no doubt you know what he told these churches in that situation is what he tell us that situate so that's how we plan something with Revelation.

When you read the first three chapters, and you got the seven letters to the seven churches while we don't live in in those cities were those that's on our churches affect those churches don't even exist anymore. Churches were wiped out centuries ago. There, but they have situations in them that do closely resemble things that we find in some modern churches so we can get. We get the mind of God for our circumstances, from seeing what the mind of God was for other people in those same circumstances.

Now it's true that in Revelation at the beginning and the end it repeatedly says these things are going to happen shortly. This is shortly to come true and he's writing the people in the first century into churches that aren't there anymore so he's talking to somebody in the first century from the framework of the first century Christians say this can happen shortly.

Which means that when he wrote that it's not very likely that it was a couple thousand years for the rotor because it did become silly to save shortly's about yeah… Yeah so so I don't take the view that Revelation is talking mostly about things in the distant future.

From John's point of view. I think some things are.

But the main subject of book is not in my opinion will attract and sit it does not apply to macular Spokane or London or New York dated it is right to send that church and tribulation is the ugly really ugly Spokane, Washington right well I mean, you're right wing prophecies in the Old Testament predicting horrible things to happen. We know that his talk on the Babylonians would destroy Jerusalem on the Assyrians would conquer Samaria or whatever mean you, we know that prophecies are directed to somebody about some event that's going to happen in many cases when this can happen within their lifetime or within the children's lifetimes.

So that is somewhat relevant to them and and that's truth Revelation 2, so I made the idea that I think the reason people don't think clearly about that is because that if they did they have to say.

Well, John said or Jesus said to John that the things in Revelation can happen shortly. Okay, that we naturally assume they happen soon. But then we read those visions and they were we readout things are so fantastic. Sensationally thick did anything like that ever happened before you did didn't wear their hundred pound hailstones stood to the sea turned to blood the recorder of humanity die of playing something doesn't look like that's happened yet. And of course the problem people have is that most American Christians have never studied apocalyptic literature for some reason when they study Daniel. They know that their reading symbolism. They know that the the line. The Confederacy is babbling in the leopard is Alexander the great, and so forth.

You numbing are our teachers tell us some underground there right is easy to see. But when you come to Revelation at exactly the same kind of symbolism people are thinking more literally. For some reason early so I think we should, and they don't recognize that the events described did happen. Shortly afterward, but there described in terms much more like what Daniel Art or Zechariah or other apocalyptic books used, to describe wars and the rise and fall of empires which have happened in history are described as if their cosmic note disturbances center.

All right L Telluride retired equal to or overflow multiboot. Not all and I will shortly be neighbor good contact me when you current all right talk next to Don from Vancouver, Washington Don, welcome to the neuropathic for calling the question morning through election sexual first Peter Is there where you talk about the hike I point and if I remember right, Weimer number one in my memory is not that the unit you gave the log and the parting of the night and then you gave an anti-type in my question is would baptism more properly be seen as another type with the washing of the blood, the antitype well you know I'm not. I'm not sure the Bible doesn't use it that way but there maybe there are things the Bible doesn't say that could be true. Just because the Bible doesn't say everything yet for those who don't understand your terminology when we talk to type in an antitype or talk about a phenomenon that occurs in Scripture where an Old Testament events or an Old Testament person or an Old Testament rule or ritual or law that that thing in the Old Testament, which have been literally as described is also symbolic and foreshadowing. Looking forward to something spiritual. Looking forward to something in the New Testament, and when something is like of the word type is from the Greek word to Poss. It means a pattern and it means that let's say Abraham offering Isaac is like a pattern or a type of the father offering Jesus you know or similar things that now when we have a type in the Old Testament, and then it has its fulfillment in the New Testament that fulfillment is called the antitype so it's like the words prophecy and fulfillment of prophecy. Those things go together never knows what we mean by prophecy or prediction and in the wording resale fulfillment. So also the words type and antitype have that kind of relationship. So Peter is talk about the flood of Noah and he says we have an antitype of that in baptism. Now what he means by that is the flood in Nola going through it and in the ark is a type, and baptism is the antitype that when God took saved Noah and his family through the water from the wicked world and brought them into a new world of new life as it were. This was a type and shadow picture of what happens with us when we are, we guide to this present world, and we go through a transition into a new life in Christ and baptism going through the water is the is the emblem of that the indicator of that.

And so you know he sees that connection. Now you're saying could baptism be reason could baptism be a type of been washed in the blood of Jesus are your same. Could the flood which one, that baptism is a type of been watching the blood okay. I think that I think that I wouldn't use the word type for that I would use the word maybe an emblem of been washed in the blood.

The Bible never makes that particular connection but it does. The thing is that it type is always in the Old Testament and the antitype is in the New Testament that just alleges that the Old Testament is full of foreshadowing of Christ and such and when we get baptized. I don't think it's foreshadowing a later event like washing the blunt and also when I wouldn't call it a type of antitype.

I would say the two of them may be the washing in the blood of Jesus is a literal cleansing of the conch of success in Hebrews chapter 9 what would been baptized is like a washing of your body in water. Although you know it's not even so much a washing as it is more like a burial and resurrection been immersed in coming back up. It has many different aspects of meaning I wouldn't use the word type to speak of something.

Your problems are probably phoning after hang up on you, but I that's my answer to your question and we got others waiting to have their questions addressed to include a bill from Roseville California bill welcome to the narrow path telling me. Thank you for taking my call and a newer listener.

I really appreciate it way you explain things to all levels of intellect and grown-up a Christian and I need your help. I completely keep getting hung up on the creation of the earth and out of many, I thought I heard you say before that it was not God's intention for it to be this way with stent in the earth. Well God what God intended that it could be that that's not really. He didn't ordain it to. I'm not a Calvinist semi Calvinist to believe that God decreed the fall, that's that that's an actual Calvinist theological dictum that God decreed the fall, which means that it was predestined to happen.

There's no way could not happen.

It was part of God's plan for people fall. My understanding would be when God tells people not to do something that his will is for us not to do it, or is fully enough. He really wanted them to do it. He could just told him to do it. So I think the God when God reveals his will in commands I think were not really able to translate but God really wanted them to do it unless he was fooling to give the commando I guess my question is do you have any good literature or natural form.

You have read and your Christian Kennedy. Thanks for your but if our God is omniscient and all-knowing. How can he create and then not enjoying what he created her fillets a mistake and have to wake everybody out by a flood. While supposed to send this suppose I just got married and I'm contemplating starting a family and then suppose suppose I could get a revelation from God so that I know something in the future that would normally note, namely that I'm going to have seven children, but the first five are going to turn out really badly, but the last two are gonna change the world for the good. Now the question would be, would I go ahead and have those kids you know I'm in that. That's really the choice that God had making. He knew that some of the children he would have some of the people he create would really give him some grief, but that there be some who'd given eternal joy so you know that he knew that some things would happen doesn't doesn't make it strangeness early that he would go ahead and let them happen. I mean, you know, if you know everything is going happen. Certainly you're dealing with a much more complex set of data and decision-making process.

But we have to assume that God did whatever he did because he figured it would be worth in the long run with it to him. And apparently this and I guess my second question, if I may, is when we do get to heaven and there is no suffering, jealousy, hatredin how can that be less free will is taken from all because the people who go there can be people who want to live a holy life, see when you become a Christian.

The first thing that you do to become a fish as you repent and repent means you change your mind now, you change your mind about is this, by nature, your mind is set on pleasing yourself and doing the thing that you know speed your pride in your pleasure and and your greed and all those things that sent now when you repent you change your mind so you know I'm not going to follow those things anymore. I'm going to follow God. Now you still have the flesh that drags you back but you don't want to, you know that's what Paul said give them the flesh lusts against the spirit spirit against the flesh leads to a concert tonight so you don't do what you want to do and others. We don't have as much free will now as we will later when work when we shed this sinful flesh right now every Christian there was really a Christian wants to please God wants to live a holy life and would give anything to have the resistance in them remote, would they give anything to have the devil and temptation taken away. Now, if a person doesn't feel it when it probably unchristian yet because you have to repent and make God your primary concern in me that's what becoming a Christian isn't supposed to be something else I Christian some person who submitted to the Lordship of Christ loves God with all their heart, so my strength wants to do that all the time but they have a flesh that interferes so when we are resurrected from the dead on the last day we won't have this sin in our nature. We won't have a devil to tempt us.

We won't even be under where we will be tested anymore suit God put the devil in the garden as a test and and the reason we face the devil sees a test of the Bible calls in the tester temperature and so the reason being tempted or tested is because God's trying to see who will qualify to be loyal to him in the face of testing so that he can trust them to rule the world with them.

If we can endure will reign with him about is God has in mind for us that we would reign with Christ so once we are resurrected, were no longer to be test with that we pass the test were not in school anymore, so there's no more exams, and now we get to just live the life that we chose.

That is the life of living godly and loving God and serving God without all the interference of temptations, so I doubt we will have free will. More freedom now because right now I want to live a perfect life but I'm not completely free to do so because of another part of the work suggested. I'll be clear that I need to stop here listening to the narrow path, we are listener supported. Our website is the narrow path.com have a good weekend and let's talk again Monday –