We're all called to fulfill the Great Commission. So what does it take to be a great commission follower of Jesus? Stay with me. We'll talk about that in just a moment. Hello, friends. Welcome to Open Line with Michael Dolnick. This is Moody Radio's Bible study across America. My name is Michael Dolnick. I'm the academic dean at Moody Bible Institute, also professor of Jewish studies and Bible there. And we are together now live sitting around the radio kitchen table taking your
questions about the Bible, God and the spiritual life. If you have a question and you'd like to call, here's the phone number. Write it down (877) 548-3675. Let me give that to you again. 483675. Always a little clue. People wonder how do I get through? How do I get my my question on the air? The best thing to do is call at the beginning of the program, because that's when the lines are really open. So now's the time to give me a call. (877) 548-3675. Tricia McMillan is
in the producer's chair. Chris Siegert is our tech guy today and tiara is answering the phones now. Time to go get yourself a cup of coffee. Open your Bible. We're about to study the scriptures together. Uh, this week, Eve and I will be leaving for a tour of the journeys of Paul. And in fact, uh, Chris Seeger is going along to do the tech stuff that we need.
So Chris and will be leaving as well. And it made me think that one place we're going to go that I have never been before is the city of Miletus. It's an ancient city. It's, uh. Actually, the only time I've ever been there is by book. I read the book of acts, and it's mentioned in acts 20. Paul was heading back to Jerusalem. He had the elders from the congregation at Ephesus meet him there on April 30th
through May 2nd, AD 57. This is about 25 years after he or 20 years, I'd say 20 some years after he came to faith in Jesus, he came to know the Lord in the year 35. So he's there to say farewell to them. He had spent three years in Ephesus, and now he was going back to Jerusalem. He was going to challenge them in their leadership roles by reflecting on his ministry among them. And in this
meeting he reviewed his own legacy. And I want to focus on just one verse, not all that he did there, but there's one verse that Paul used to describe his own experience, his own perspective as a great commission follower of Jesus. It's in acts 2021. This gives us a great model for what does it mean for us, each of us, to become a great commission follower of Jesus?
Here's what he said in acts 20, verse 21. He said of his ministry in Ephesus, I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. This is what the Apostle Paul said. That was his legacy for his time in Ephesus. I believe it was his legacy for his entire ministry, some 25 years or 22 years at this point. And if we're to be great commission followers of Jesus, just like Paul, first of all, we need to expand our vision. I
love what Paul says process here. I testified to both Jews and Greeks. The reason I say we need to expand our vision. Many people would think that. What's Paul talking about? I was talking about the whole world at that time and still today, really, when we talk tactically, what does the Bible say about what? What people what are the peoples the world consists of? It consists of the Jewish people and the Gentiles, the rest of the world.
Paul says he testified to Jews and Gentiles, Jews and Greeks. And I think it's significant. Here's Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. He never forgot his own people. Everywhere he went, he talked to Jewish people. He never forgot his own people. And that's crucial. A lot of times people say, well, Jewish people, they're not so open to hearing about Jesus. And, uh, they're somewhat resistant. And so, you know, go find some
people that would be more open. But the truth of the matter is, they were the Jewish people weren't so open to Paul, But he never forgot them. He loved them. He cared for them. He proclaimed the good news to them. But also, here's this Pharisee, this Hebrew of Hebrews. He never forgot the Gentiles. He says he testified to Greeks. He talked. He understood his calling everywhere he went. He didn't set up obstacles. He didn't make it harder for
for Gentiles. In fact, he made it really clear for Gentiles that they needed to put their faith in Jesus as well. And so he testified to both Jews and Greeks. You know, here's what is so important about our great Commission vision. We have to believe that everyone, everyone we meet, everyone we encounter, really needs to know Jesus. I will tell you the most surprising aspect of my ministry many
years serving, particularly reaching Jewish people with. The good news is, I never hesitated to talk to people who weren't Jewish about the Lord. Yes, this is my calling. I tried to direct my attention to reaching Jewish people for many, many years, uh, with, uh, with Jewish ministry leading a messianic congregation. The biggest surprise for me was one of the people that I prayed with to receive the Lord back in that messianic congregation was an Iranian Muslim of
all things. It surprised me because God brought this person to my path. Uh, even I loved her. And I remember the day that the morning I spoke on John 20, when Thomas confesses, my Lord and my God, and falls at the feet of Jesus. After that message, this Iranian Muslim woman came up to me and said, Michael, I'm ready. And she trusted the Lord with me. We can't we can't narrow our vision so much that we're only going to reach one people, one group, one kind know to
be a great commission believer. We testify to all Jews and Greeks, Muslims, Hindus. Doesn't matter what their background. Indians, South American, whatever it is, we're going to bring the good news to everyone. That's what it means to be a great commission follower of Jesus. Secondly, we need to simplify our message. I think it's so crucial that we simplify what we say. What does Paul say? He testified to Jews and Greeks. Verse 21 says about repentance toward
God and faith in our Lord Jesus. He had a very simple message. I just want to say repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin. Repentance means that we're turning away from what we used to count on, what we used to rely on for our relationship with God and or whatever, for life or significance, whatever it is that we used to trust in. We're turning away from it, and instead we're turning to the Lord. To the Lord Jesus. Our faith is in him. Our trust
is in him. So what does it mean? It means that we're turning away from that which we used to trust, and turning to the one we will trust. We will trust that Jesus died for our sins, taking our punishment, and was raised again, uh uh, proving that he is indeed God. That's that's what that message is. Uh, it's two sides of the same coin turning away from that which we used to rely on, and turning to the one, the Lord Jesus, who died for us and rose again.
That's the message. I think too often we add stuff to it. Oh, you have to really, uh, commit your life. So you're going to try and grow spiritually? Yeah, I think that will happen. But not when you trust the Lord. It's only afterwards. Uh, and then, of course, people want to say, well, if you are sincere enough. Well, let the Lord judge that. What we do is we simplify the message. We don't have to have people prove it to us. We just have to invite them to trust
in the Lord Jesus. Turn from what they used to trust, repentance and then faith. Two sides of the same coin. Simplify the message. I often think what will be my legacy in life? I'm getting to the age now where I start thinking about that, and I also think about
what will be your legacy. Let me tell you, I think the most important legacy we can leave is to be great commission followers of Jesus, just like Paul the Apostle, that we will have this commitment to reach all people with the with the with the simple message of faith in the good news of Jesus, the Messiah. Well, I hope you'll be praying for us as we head off to the journeys of Paul. We're going to have some great, uh, couple of, uh, guest hosts for the next two weeks
while I'm away. Steve Sanchez from Moody Bible Institute, and Mike Fabares, who is the pastor of Compass Bible Church in Orange County, California. So that's what we're going to do. And, uh, uh, Hazel, we're going to talk with you first calling from the Grand Rapids area. Uh, listening to Wndb. Welcome to Open Line, Hazel. How can I help you?
Well. Thank you. It's a pleasure to be on it. Um, I have a question that I've never heard anyone, um, ask, but perhaps you have. I have Bibles from when I was a teenager, and I'm 89 at this point, and I just don't know what to do with them. Their worn out pages are falling out, but I just like old friends.
And. And you don't want to throw them away, right?
No. You're right.
That's right. Yeah, I don't either. Not with my old Bibles. Uh, you know what? What? I think Judaism has a great legacy. What we have in Judaism is, uh, sort of a burial, uh, place called a geniza. And, uh, Jewish people take old, worn out Torah scrolls and sacred books, and they put them in this special room that's like a burial place for unused sacred scriptures. And I think that that would be I wish we had those. But I think the best thing to do, my advice to you would be,
is to contact the Bible League. And the Bible League accepts old worn out Bibles and finds use uses for them. So I don't. And you may have to pack them up and mail them to the Bible League. I would contact them and find out what the Bible League. Uh, they they have tremendous use. That's. My wife and I were in the process of moving out of our house. We're packing up our boxes. I found Bibles from 52 years ago for me. And I know I'll never read that Bible again. It's kind of bent and fallen out.
And like you say, pages are loose. I'm contacting the Bible League and that's where I'm going to bring them, so. Okay. Hazel. Okay, great. Yeah. Thank you. Thanks so much for your call. We're going to take a break here. Remember, you're listening to Open Line. Now's the time to call with your question about the Bible, God or the spiritual life. The phone number (877) 548-3675. Call with your question. I'm looking forward to speaking with you. Uh, you're going to be we're going to be right back.
My name is Michael Redlich. Stay right there. This is open line. Welcome back to Open Line. I am so excited. Michael Dolnick here. In case you're wondering, who is this person? It's Michael Dolnick. Uh, so, so often I'm always excited about our current resource, whatever the resource is, but I am doubly excited about our current resource. It starts today.
It is a terrific book. You know, people tell me all the time that they would like to read the Bible, but they kind of struggle to to get understanding what to know what to look for. It's I wish I were better at reading the Bible. Well, my friend and fellow Moody Professor Jim Coakley has produced a book called 14 Fresh Ways to Enjoy the Bible. It's such an enlightening book. It reveals some really simple techniques to understand biblical authors, and it gives us a real fresh lens
for viewing the scriptures. I don't believe you'll be disappointed. This book is just a little book, but man, it's won awards and it's fairly new. I love this book. In fact, I looked at it recently because we are offering it and the very when I opened it, the first endorsement was me because I loved this book even before it was published. And I said, I am thrilled to endorse this book, and I am so glad that we were able to obtain it so that we can
offer it. If you give a gift of any size, we want to say thank you by sending you a copy of 14 Fresh Ways to enjoy the Bible. You won't regret it. This will really, really help you. And the way to to get your copy is send a gift of any size. Just feel as God leads you and then we will say thanks by sending you this gift of appreciation. 14 Fresh Ways to Enjoy the Bible. Here's the number to call (888) 644-7122. Or you can go to Openline radio.org and you can give that way as well.
But remember ask for 14 fresh ways to enjoy the Bible. Uh, we're going to speak with Louise. Uh, on I love the name of this town. Mentor on the lake. Mentor on the lake, uh, in Ohio. Hey, Louise, welcome to Open Line. How can I help you?
Uh. Thank you. This is, uh. Well, I have a problem. My daughter has been a long time Christian, but she's on the internet a lot. And now she believes that the that Israel was the church in the Old Testament and not now in the New Testament. And she sent me six pages of a, a book by a man named Stephen Sizer. Um, and it's called Zion's Christian Soldiers. Have you ever heard of him?
Oh, yes. Anyway.
Anyway, she sent me these six pages and I have read them. I haven't said anything to her, and she hasn't asked me. And I don't want to get into an argument with her. But can you help me to, uh, understand or give me something in case she brings it up that I can read? Yeah, sure.
Well, first of all, I think we need to know who Stephen Sizer is. Uh, he's he's endorsed Nazis. Uh, he has, uh, endorsed Hezbollah, Hamas terrorist groups. And in fact, ultimately, he was removed from his pulpit. He was a Church of England, uh, Anglican pastor in England. He was removed from his pulpit by the Anglican Church for his blatant and, uh, really terrible anti-Semitism. So, uh, so he's not exactly a
fair witness on this matter. He he uses replacement theology as a justification for his hatred of Jewish people and of the state of Israel. So, uh, uh, it's unfortunate I've encountered him. I've actually debated him once. Uh, he's, uh, he's. But he's been ultimately he was removed from his his church, from his position because of anti-Semitism and was chastened by the Anglican church. Uh. Mm. Uh, the best book. And this is the book I would recommend everyone read that's
interested in this question. It's written by Michael Vlock v l a c h. Michael Vlock. And I'll try and get a page.
Okay.
Uh, it's written by Michael Vlock. And, uh, and Michael Vlock wrote a book called Has the Church Replaced Israel? It's a very biblical book. You know, Michael is a friend of mine, and I became friends with him because I read this book. And I went and sought him out. And I told him, uh, Michael, this is the only book I've ever read that I wish I had written. It's so good. So, uh. But I'm glad he wrote it. He did a great job. And it's a it's a wonderful,
wonderful book. I acquired it when I used to teach biblical interpretation at Moody. It was my collateral book that I always required, because it's a very important discussion about how do we interpret the Bible. And and that was the collateral reading I required. I recommend it strongly. Has the church replaced Israel by Michael Vlock v l A, C H and Tricia, I know you're you're listening in here. If you could find that and post it on Facebook
that would be great. Uh, Michael Bloch, has the church replaced Israel? And I think that, you know, I always like to be positive and not talk about people that are, uh, critical of of what the Bible says. But, uh, here's the big difference, I think, between the view that Michael Bloch proposes versus the view that says the church has replaced Israel. What one view, says Michael Bloch's view, is we read the Bible progressively, so it starts starting in
Genesis and all the way through the New Testament. We allow the Old Testament to inform our understanding of the new, what the other view says. This replacement theology, it says, we're going to take the New Testament, and we're going to read it back in the Old Testament. And we're going to say, there's a church in the Old Testament, and the church was Israel, but today the church is not Israel. Uh, but there is no the church began. Remember what the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 16. He said,
I will future tense build my church. I will build my church. Uh, when did he start building that church? Not in the Old Testament. He started building it. Jew and Gentile being made one in the Messiah. Uh, in at the book of acts, chapter two at Pentecost. That's when the church began. So we don't want to read the New Testament back into the old. We want to read the Old Testament as the background and understanding for the new. That's progressive revelation. So anyway, thank you, Louise,
for your call. And be sure to get a copy of Michael Bloch's Has the Church Replaced Israel? Okay.
It is from Moody.
Uh, no, it's B and H publishers.
Oh B and H publishers.
Mhm. It's, uh, Michael is not a Southern Baptist, but that's a Southern Baptist publishing house.
Okay.
Okay.
All right. Thank you very.
Much. Thank you for your call, Louise. Appreciate it. We're going to talk to Esmeralda in Houston, Texas, listening on the Moody Radio app. So glad you have the Moody Radio app. If, uh. Yes, tell your friends about it. All of you listening on the radio. Uh, you know Esmeralda, you found us. Did you used to live in a moody area where there was a moody station?
Actually, yes. I lived in Chicago for three years in the early 2000. So that's how I knew about y'all. So.
Oh.
That's great. You don't have y'all down here. I, of course, had to download the app. So, you.
Know, we live in Chicago. My wife listens on the Moody Radio app because we don't for some reason, in our neighborhood it's really bad reception. So she always listens on the on the app too. So funny.
Oh, awesome. Yeah. Well, Doctor Rideout, the reason I called because I actually I meant to ask this question last week, but I called too late. But and I've had this question on my mind all week to ask you is one. It's kind of like a two fold question. Why doesn't the Bible describe Jesus physical appearance? I'm just. And this, you know, I've missed something. Or do you? I mean, would you have any insight on that?
Well, first of all, I would say anytime I ask, why doesn't the Bible include something? I have to believe that the Bible gives us everything we need. And so obviously, if we don't have everything we're looking for, you know, one of the things that D.L. Moody used to say is God didn't give us the scriptures to satisfy our curiosity. He gave us the scriptures to transform our lives. And so so we have a lot of curious questions. And and yet, you know, if God doesn't think that's important,
then he's not going to give us the information. Who knows what people would have done if they had a detailed description of the Lord Jesus? We don't have a lot of you know, we know that that David was ruddy faced and handsome and we we don't have a whole lot of descriptions. You know, we have from church history that the Apostle Paul was short and bald, which gives me hope, you know, because I'm not exactly tall.
Now that you mention that, I heard a preacher. I wish I could remember who it was, but it was a long time ago. Who said that? More than likely, Jesus Christ probably wasn't that good looking, that he maybe even resembled kind of what you just said about Paul. So, I don't know. I'm just curious because and this also came up because I saw something about the Shroud of Turin lately. Yeah.
Well, you know, again, that's not the Bible. Uh, Esmeralda, that's not the Bible. The Shroud of Turin. I don't have to worry about the Shroud of Turin. So let me let me give you one verse, though. And I think people misread it because they want to read it and to say something that it doesn't say. Here's what Isaiah 53 verse two says. It's, uh, it's a prophecy of the Messiah. And it says he will grow up before him like a young plant and like a root
out of dry ground. He doesn't have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at him. No appearance that we should desire him. So people say from that that somehow the Lord Jesus wasn't attractive or that he was somehow ugly or something like that. That's not what that's saying. What that verse is saying is that the Lord Jesus looked like an ordinary man. He didn't look like a royal figure. He didn't have a lot of charisma. He didn't look like, uh, Cary Grant or one of
those famous Hollywood actors that just looked, uh, outstanding. And he just looked like a regular guy. That's the point that this is making. It has more to do with his bearing than his, uh, actual physical features. And so we have to be careful when people say, oh, he was not good looking. No, he was ordinary looking. And of course, that's because he represents everyone. And also he came sort of, as I would call him, Clark Kent, you know, ordinary, not like Superman. And that's what the
answer is. Anyway, thanks for your call. We're going to come right back with the mailbag, so don't go away. This is open line with Michael Ray Melnick. Welcome back to Open Line. So glad that you are listening in on this Saturday morning. We're having a great time around the world studying the scriptures. Uh, I'm really, really grateful to Far Eastern Broadcasting Company because what they have done is they, uh, partner with Open Line and Moody. Moody
radio to bring you the weekly Febc mailbag. Even, uh, even weeks when we don't have a mailbag. But but especially on the weeks that we have the mailbag, we're really grateful for them. Uh, they, uh, they are doing so much to reach the world through media and through personal touch of people talking to people. But their media ministry is having a tremendous impact, because if you'd like to learn more about their, uh, their ministry all around the world, just go to their website, febc. Org and
click on their podcast. Until all I've heard, I think you're going to be really encouraged by that. Uh, and have a better understanding of how God is reaching people through febc. And joining me right now with the Febc mailbag in her hand is Tricia McMillan. Hey, Tricia. Hello. So, uh, you're going to be here holding the fort for the next couple of weeks while I'm, uh, traveling the world. Huh?
Oh, yes. We're we're we're excited to hear when you get back. Yeah. On the things that you saw. Um, but we're excited. We'll have, um, Doctor Steve Sanchez, who was here this summer with us a little bit filling in, and then, uh, doctor Mike Faber is the next week. Yeah. So? So it'll be good.
Yeah. Uh, the thing I, I was looking for someone like. Like doctor Mike, uh, fibers, uh, to fill in for me just so that we wouldn't have to only rely on one person, you know, but when I'm away. But one of the things I was looking for is someone that's unafraid and will be willing to take questions and unafraid to say, I don't know. Which is, I think, the first. Yeah. It's not just unafraid to take the question, but unafraid to say, well, maybe I have to do
some more research on that one. Yes. And, uh, so I found another guy from Brooklyn.
So.
Steve. That's it. That's the.
That's the main reason we picked him.
Yeah. That's right. We have the association of both being from Brooklyn.
And of.
Teaching at Moody Bible Institute.
That's right.
And have and also we both went to Dallas Theological Seminary. We've got a lot of contacts. Yeah. So there we go. So anyway, uh, well, uh, what have we got here? What kind of questions?
Okay, well, one thing I do want to say, we, as part of Moody Bible Institute, we have there's a devotional put out every month called today in the word. And I noticed last month that we had they studied the book of job, and we had several questions that came in about the book of Job. And this month they're studying the book of Ecclesiastes. And so we have a couple questions from Ecclesiastes. And so I love that people are studying the Bible and reading the Bible. Um,
but if you detect a theme that is part of why. Gotcha. That's a little bit of the background. So the first two questions are from the book of Ecclesiastes.
Okay.
So the first one is, um, from Jane in Illinois. She listens to WMI and she said in one of the devotionals, the writer references the teacher's allusion teacher being the author of Ecclesiastes, an allusion to the Book of Genesis based on Ecclesiastes two one through 11. And she checked her moody Bible commentary and didn't see this, and so was wondering, which is not exhaustive. When you look, when you read a commentary, they are not exhaustive, but
they do try and answer some of the common questions. Um, is the passage Ecclesiastes two one through 11 an allusion to creation in Genesis?
Well, it seems to me when I look at it, it says there is it's a very distant allusion, but there is an allusion. Uh, it talks about the sun rises and the sun sets. Uh, it says, uh, streams flow to the sea. Yet the sea is never full. Streams are flowing to the place. And they flow there again. Uh, what he is saying is he's really talking about that these things have existed since creation, and nothing has changed about them since that time. So the main emphasis is
the uniformity of the world since creation. So it alludes in a distant way to creation because it mentions, uh, the, the wind, it mentions the sun rising, it mentions the streams and the sea, which are all there because the Lord made them in Genesis. So that's the illusion. But really it's more talking about since creation, things remain stable and unchanged. There's nothing new under the sun, is what he's saying.
Okay.
Because he's talking about enlarging and growing gardens and making those and making ponds of water and.
Oh, I see.
I was looking at Ecclesiastes one.
Okay. Yeah.
Ecclesiastes two. I'm sorry. Um, where he's talking about making these things and, um, enlarging his works.
Yeah.
Uh, which verse are we looking at there where.
You said that? One through.
11.
Yeah. One through 11.
Um, but the ones I was referencing are verses four through seven.
Yeah. Eight ish. Okay.
Got it. I see it. Uh, but you see, uh.
But it would still be a similar thing where God has created it and. Yeah.
He is. And the preacher is.
Is is saying I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made gardens, and so I can see what the the devotional writer was saying was that God planted a garden. And in fact, uh, I think in many respects, when we think about God's creation of the world, it gave us a model for how we work. You know, uh, I owned herds of cattle and flocks. Well, God made
those herds and cattles and flocks. So, uh, just about every time when we see these kinds of things, I think all we're seeing is, uh, a recognition that there's an underlying message, I think, in every, uh, book of the Bible when it comes to talking about the world, is that there's a creator. There's no there's no getting around that. And so you can find, uh, minor allusions to creation because it's the underlying assumption that there is a creator.
Okay. Okay. All right.
Thank you. That that's even in our in our general Bible reading because it is all one book. Yeah. Telling a bigger story. Not just these small like, oh, here's the story of creation. Okay, on to the next story. But they are all connected and related.
This kind of makes me think of the question that kids often said, well, if everything has been created, who created God? And people think that stumps people, but that doesn't stump me. The point of it all is that everything has a creation. Everything has a, you know, every cause, every effect has a cause. Until you come to the first cause, and by definition, the first cause is God.
By definition, if everything is created, therefore there must be one that is uncreated and by definition the creator is God. And so the the one being that doesn't have a creator is the creator. The one person or the one, uh, that doesn't have a cause is the first cause. he always existed, and that sets him apart from all of creation. And that's the message of the Bible that God is the creator. He is the one that's separate from all of creation. And we, when we look at it and
we say, well, who created God? He's not. He's uncreated. He's the uncreated being. He's separate from the creation. We look at the creation, say, oh, and the creation everything has a cause. Well, no, he is separate from that. So that's by definition, is what makes him God.
Okay. Thank you. So our next question is in Ecclesiastes two is verse nine from Kenneth in Illinois as well listens to Wmbi. It says, Solomon says, in all this my wisdom stayed with me. And so Kenneth wants to know, how does wisdom relate to a man who is enjoying all of these things for his own pleasure, and even violating some of God's commands, like multiplying horses? How does one how does one live in wisdom and not in God's will. Is that possible?
Uh, well. And and there's two kinds of wisdom. Solomon was granted wisdom as a gift from God, and then he didn't always follow it. Wisdom is skill for living. And what the book of Ecclesiastes is doing is it reflects on Solomon near the end of his life, where he has not just wisdom that he received from God, but wisdom by experience. And, you know, experience is the best teacher, but it's a lot less painful, uh, to just go with the experience of others and.
Right, right, right. Yeah.
And so what he is saying is, look, this is the stuff I did, and he goes through his work, he goes through, uh, seeking, you know, book knowledge, pleasure knowledge, uh, work knowledge, all these different things that he's looking for. And at the end of the. I don't think you can read verse nine. Uh, my wisdom remained with me. He's learning about here. He's learning about the wisdom of of the emptiness of possessions because he sought possessions. Uh, things.
I amassed silver and gold for myself.
Right.
And he. And he still wasn't satisfied.
Well, and I.
I think even in context, looking at like if you continue reading just that section, verse 11, thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done, and the labor which I had exerted, and behold, all was vanity and striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun. So even even the wisdom that, like I could see, you know, you're telling a story, I was wise, I had wisdom, and then I realized it wasn't all worth it. Like all these things.
I was doing. Utility. Yeah. Yeah.
Vanity. Nothing. And then really, what we come to at the end of the book, he says absolute futility. This is 12 eight. Everything is futile. And then he says, uh, all the things that he did, he sought to find delightful sayings. And he says, beyond these, this is what I've learned. Verse 13, when it has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is, Fear God and keep his commandments, because this is for all humanity. What's the bottom line? He says, I did all these things and I found
them to be futile. The only thing that isn't futile the the true wisdom, is to fear God. So that's that's the message of the book of Ecclesiastes. Uh, I was talking with my friend Michael Brown. He was going to do a debate with an atheist at Ohio State University, and he said, the guy is really focusing on Ecclesiastes. I said, do you want my one sentence summary of the book of Ecclesiastes? And he said, sure. And I said, living without God isn't living at all. That's what he learned.
Living without God isn't living at all, he says. Oh that's good. And then he used it in the debate, so I was really happy. Uh, but, uh, anyway, that's that's the key. You have to remember the book of Ecclesiastes. One of the keys to understand it is not to read it in a, uh, atomistic, isolated way, but to read it holistically, to bring you to the point that the writer comes to at the end when he says, living without God isn't living at all. Fear God. That's
the key to life. That's it. So it's it's all designed to bring you there. Hey, before we go, I do want to mention something before the break. Uh, I appreciate so much the team here. Uh, I'm thinking about it. Part of the team, Chris Seeger. He's coming with me to Europe. But there are other people like Amy Rios who are going to jump in, uh, and take care of the the the the engineering of the program. Trish, you're going to stay behind. Uh, we're going to bring
you some guest hosts. I love the team and I especially Appreciate the rest of the team, the listeners who keep listening. And even more so there are members of the team who help keep open line on the air by being kitchen table partners. They give every month so that we can stay on the air every week, and they'll continue to listen and support Open Line, even for the two weeks that I'll be away. I'm so grateful
for them. And if you would like to consider becoming a kitchen table partner and give monthly, one of the things that we do here is we prepare Bible study moments. We send them out to you every other week in an email. You get to listen to it. And I'm just really grateful for our kitchen table partners. And if you'd like to consider becoming one, all you have to do is call (888) 644-7122. I'd appreciate it so much. Or you can just go online to Open Line radio.org and
become a kitchen table partner there. And we're going to come right back. Tricia with more calls you're listening to. Michael. Right. Tricia Macmillan right here on Moody Radio's Open Line. We're going to come back with more of your calls in just a moment. So stay right there. And we're back. So glad to be with you this Saturday morning. My name is Michael Ray Dolnick. And talking about your questions
about the Bible, God and the spiritual life. Before we go back to the phones, I do want to mention this that when autumn rolls around, people are always interested in the fall holy days that Jewish people celebrate. Chosen People Ministries is offering a free, very helpful booklet called Celebrate Israel's High Holy Days. This little booklet explores the fall Jewish High Holy Days, the three of them that you may know, Rosh Hashanah or the Feast of Trumpets
in the Bible or the Jewish New Year. Today it's called Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and Sukkot, the Feast of Booths. They are all really interesting and this little booklet explains them for you. I hope you'll check it out. Uh, just go to the Open Line website. That's open Line radio.org. Scroll down and you'll see a link that says A Free gift from Chosen People Ministries.
Click on that and you'll be taken to a page where you can fill out the form and sign up for your very own free copy of, uh, these this book on celebrate Israel's high Holy Days. This little booklet you'll I think you're going to really like it. Don't miss out. And also, I'm really grateful that we have partnered with Chosen People Ministries here at Moody Radio. Now, for the entire time that I've been hosting Open Line
for 12 years plus. And one of the things that we're going to partner with, Chosen People Ministries again this coming November, November 9th, we're going to do a summit opposing anti-Semitism. It's a growing problem. It's unbelievable. Actually. I feel like we're experiencing the kind of anti-Semitism that was prevalent in the world almost 90 years ago, in the 1930s. And, uh,
it's Moody's legacy always. We've always opposed anti-Semitism. It's always been the case that Moody Bible Institute in the 1970s, when the Nazis marched in Skokie, doctor Sweden took out a full page ad, uh, standing with the Jewish community and opposing anti-Semitism. He was the president of Moody at the time. That's that's what we're about. And so we're going to have a one day conference to help Christians
learn how they, too, can oppose anti-Semitism. If you if you're interested in joining us, I hope you will in Tory Auditorium in Chicago at Moody Bible Institute. Uh, just go to the Open Line radio.org website. There's a banner there on the summit on opposing anti-Semitism. And please do join us. It's crucial that you join us for that day. And we're going to go to the phones right now, uh, to, I believe, Alice listening in Georgia and WNBA. Welcome to Open Line. Alice, how can I help you?
Thank you. You're welcome. Michael.
Good morning.
I am, uh, we're starting to study, uh, Noah in a lady's Bible study. And I'm reading in, in Genesis 617 where God says he's going to destroy everything that has the breath of life in it. And I'm wondering I'm wondering why he is destroying the animals.
Uh.
I think God just wanted to start the whole creation anew. He didn't destroy every animal. He, uh. He took on, you know, the two by twos that we all know of from the, uh, the Ark. Uh, he took on the, uh, the the clean animals, which were probably animals for sacrifice in pairs of seven. Uh, but, uh, the, uh, I think it was just, uh, to to start creation anew. I think that's that's really all it was. Uh, you know, some might say, well, why why get get rid of
all those other animals? Uh, you know, I'm not privy to God's, uh, decision making about that. I do think he makes it clear he's going to start afresh, start anew. And that's why he's going to do it, so I hope. Okay. You know, that's that's sufficient for me. It may not be sufficient for you. That's how I understand it. Okay.
That sounds good to me. Thank you very much.
Great. Uh, we're going to talk to Kristen Whiting, Indiana. Welcome to Open Line. Kristen, how can I help you?
Good morning, doctor Mike.
I've got go ahead with your question. We're running out of time here. Go ahead.
Quick question about if a person has chosen to be cremated, does that preclude them from participating in the Millennial Kingdom?
Well, you know, a body decays, uh, and God's able to take a decayed body or someone that's, you know, drowns at sea and their body decays. Uh, and the fish eat parts of it and, you know, uh, things like that. And yet the molecules never really go away, and supernaturally God is able to restore them. In the same way, he'll restore cremated, uh, bodies, uh, miraculously. I don't think that anything will keep God from renewing and
restoring those molecules, so don't you worry about it, Kristen. Uh, cremation is not what my preferred approach is, but nevertheless, God's able to restore those bodies at the resurrection. Uh, well, that's the our. Can't believe it. It's go so fast, but we're going to come back with the second hour of open line on most of these stations. Check out the Moody Radio app or the podcast, or listen online if your station doesn't carry it, the Bible Study America
is going to continue, uh, in the second hour. So stay with us. Open line with Doctor Michael Melnick is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute. Stay with.