Hello friends. Welcome to Open Line with doctor Michael Ray Dolnick. My name is Michael Ray Dolnick. I'm the academic dean and professor of Jewish studies and Bible at Moody Bible Institute. It's time for our Bible study across America. We're here together, sitting around the radio kitchen table, and we want to
talk about the Bible, God, and the spiritual life. If you have a question about what the scriptures mean, if you have a question about the Lord, if you have a question, and I'll do my best to answer that, like I'm not his spokesman, but but I'll do my best to explain what scriptures say about God and his character and his actions. And then also, if you have a question about your walk with the Lord, give me a call. The phone number here is And 5483675. Let
me give that to you again. You might want to write it down. (877) 548-3675. People often wonder, how do I get through to open line? Best way to do that is to call early. (877) 548-3675. Tricia McMillan is in the producer's chair to hear is helping out. Omar Mendoza is our tech guy today, and tiara is answering the phones. Again, phone number (877) 548-3675. Time to go. Get yourself a cup of coffee and get your Bible out, because we're about
to study the scriptures together. But I did want to say, first of all, I'm feeling a real sense of loss today. Someone I loved very dearly died this past week. In fact, just yesterday I learned that 1968 Moody alumna. Moody Bible Institute graduate Arleen Rigney went home to be with the Lord. Let me tell you just a bit about her ministry in my life. When I came to faith, my dad decided he couldn't have anything to do with me again. Uh, his the loss and pain that he experienced at the
hands of the Nazis. Uh, and then also the idea that he thought the Nazis were all Christians. My coming to faith in Jesus just turned his heart away from me and didn't want anything to do with me. Of course, I was an adolescent and needed dad. And there was this guy, Dan Rigney, serving in Jewish ministry. A moody album from 1968. He had prayed for me to come to know the Lord. He had discipled. He. Then he immediately started to disciple me and teach me how to
walk with the Lord. Uh, he became a surrogate dad to me. He became my replacement when I skipped French class in high school, he was the one that called me up and and and really gave it to me. Uh, that he took me out on trips, we went camping. We did all sorts of stuff that, uh, that was very special. But of course, he he's married, didn't have any kids, but he and his wife, Arlene loved me. And they they cared for me. Arlene loved me just
like a mom. I spent countless hours at their home in Baltimore, taking down the Greyhound bus from Brooklyn, going to Baltimore and hanging on, hanging out with them, spending weekends there. They are the ones that really encouraged me to go to Moody Bible Institute. I was thinking about I'd go to school in the New York area, but no, no, you've got to go to Moody. You've got to major in Jewish studies. They cheered me on anything I ever
did in ministry, they were celebrating. And for years and years. I just can't tell you all these years how close I have been with Dan and Arlene. Well, Dan went home to be with the Lord 14 years ago. And just yesterday, Arlene joined him in heaven. She was a long time worker in Jewish ministry. And not just me. She adopted many young Messianic Jewish teens she built into their lives. She led several of my friends who were teenagers who came to the Lord. She led their moms
to the Lord. I just think, uh, she had a marvelous ministry for many, many years. I know that now that she is, uh, entered heaven, she. The first words she heard were well done, good and faithful servant. But here's the verse of Scripture that I often think of when I think of the rigney's. This is what Mark chapter ten, verses 29 through 31 say says, I assure you, Jesus said, there is no one who has left house, or brother or sisters, or mother or father or children
or fields because of me. And the good news, who will not receive a hundred times more now at this time houses brothers, sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions and eternal life in the age to come. But many who are first will be last and the last first. That's Mark 1029 through 31. Here's what struck me is the Lord just promised eternal life to anyone who turns their lives over to him, and I am grateful for that.
But he also promised to provide not just materially, but also, uh, relationally. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, those that we need in this life. And that's what he did for me. My dad wanted nothing. He wanted nothing to do with me in this life. But the Lord provided Dan. When my mom passed away, when I was still a young adult, the Lord had already given me Arlene. The Lord's promise proved true not just the promise of eternal life, but the promise of caring for
me relationally in this life. The Lord gave a dad and a mom to me in this life, and I'm grateful to him for the lives of Dan and Arlene Rigney. And I'm sure so are many other young people to whom they ministered. Well, we're going to go to the phones in just a moment. I did want to mention our current resource here at Openline. You know, a lot of people wonder about Paul's letters to Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. There they're filled with timeless wisdom for the church.
But sometimes we need a little help unpacking their deep truths. And that's where the Moody Bible Commentary excerpt comes in. This is a trusted resource, the Moody Bible Commentary that I had the great privilege of working on. Uh, there's some terrific writers from the Moody Bible Institute faculty that wrote in it, and this offers this little excerpt that's being offered now offers clear explanations of Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians,
and Colossians. Whether you're preparing a lesson for a Sunday school class or a home group discussion, or just want some deeper understanding for your own time in the word, this little excerpt from the Moody Bible Commentary will enrich your study of these books and God's Word. When you give a gift of any size, we want to say thank you by sending you Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. Excerpt from the Moody Bible Commentary. Call 8886447122688886447122 or or.
Visit openline radio.org for your opportunity to give a gift so we can say thank you and send you this great resource. Uh, we're going to talk with Roger in Youngstown, Ohio right now listening on Wkjf. Welcome to Open Line. Roger. How can I help you God.
God bless you, doctor. And I'm so sorry for your loss. I really am, and I hope the Lord comforts you in this time of your loss.
Thank you. You know, I do want to say this. We don't grieve as those who have no hope. I am confident to see Dan and Arlene, uh, again. And, you know, she she was at an age that I think she would rather have the rapture happen, but she's she's happy, I think, now to be with the Lord. So. But thank you for your kind words. Appreciate it.
You're very welcome, sir.
Go ahead.
My my question comes from Mark chapter four, verse nine. Now I think I know the answer, but I want to know what you think. Uh, I have to set this up the right way. In verse 38, the disciples come to Jesus and they awake him and said to him, teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? Then in verse 39, the target verse, sir. Then he arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, peace, be still.
Here's my question. Why is the piece from the new King James Version as well as the new American Standard version capitalized.
Because it's a new sentence. That's how you do a quotation. You have the the sentence that the speaker is saying, this is just English grammar. Uh, he said to the wind, and then you have a comma and then you have the quotation. The actual words are peace or silence. Yeah. And then exclamation point and then a new sentence, be still so that the, the word be has a capital B. And then there's the either a period or exclamation point
and the, the, the close quotation. That's all. It's just English grammar.
Okay, okay. Because someone told me that and that's what I thought. It kind of I thought it was someone. I heard someone mention that it was Jesus spoke to the wind as though it was a person. And that's why. And I struggled with that. I really struggled with that.
But I think your friend, your friend who told that made a mistake. It's just English grammar. Okay. Okay. You know what? I think we should read the Bible. Let me just say this, Roger. We should read the Bible very carefully. Observe the details. But sometimes we can go overboard, you know? And so make sure when we when we read it, to read it for what it really means and not with, with trying to create things like that. So. But you were right, Roger. Your friend was reading too much into it.
That's what I thought. God bless you, sir, and have a great day and thank you for your response. Great.
Thanks for your call, Roger. Appreciate it. We're going to take a break here. And when we come back, we're going to there's a whole bunch of calls coming in now, but there's still a couple of spots open. You might want to try it. (877) 548-3675. We'll answer your question in just a moment. Uh, This is the time to call to get all these calls in, and we'll try and do as many, take as many as we can, and answer as many questions as we can. My name is
Michael Ray Dolnick. This is open line. Stay with us. We'll be right back with more Bible study across America. And we're back. I'm Michael Ray Dolnick. This is open line on Moody Radio. We're taking your questions about the Bible, God, and the spiritual life. I do want to mention that last Saturday, of course, we had a pre-recorded program. It
was mostly about anti-Semitism. I want to thank my guest, uh, doctor Don Sweeting, chancellor of Colorado Christian University, and also the numerous people that were here for the summit that joined me last week as well. Last week we had the summit opposing anti-Semitism. It turned out to be a phenomenal event. I'm grateful to. Chosen People Ministries for partnering with Moody Bible Institute, and especially for all the people that came and joined us right here on the campus
of Moody. It was a terrific time. There was also a special event that happened within the special event. That was the founding of of a Coalition Against anti-Semitism. I had the great privilege of being the first signatory of that group, the Coalition Against anti-Semitism. If you'd like to know more about the coalition, you can go to oppose anti-Semitism. That's just as one word. No space to oppose anti-Semitism dot com. And you'll see there about the resources that
the Coalition Against anti-Semitism will provide. Now, uh, the thing that struck me most when I was there last week is how many people came up to me as I walked around in the Commons at Moody Bible Institute when we were having getting ready for lunch or dinner, and I was in there with all these people and they would say, I'm a kitchen table partner. I came from Cleveland, I came from Florida, I came from Indianapolis, I came
from Spokane. All these places where there are people who were listening all over the country to open line for our Bible study across America. And they not only listen, but they partner with us. They are part of the team. And I was so glad to meet all those wonderful people. And what they have done is they've made a commitment. They say, I'd like to see this program on every week,
so I'm going to give every month. And if you do, if that's something you're interested in doing, something that if this program has meant something to you, if it's helped you in your walk with the Lord, then, uh, I, I think that becoming a kitchen table partner would be really greatly appreciated. The way to do that is to go to 87888888. Let me get that number right. 88864471228886447122. Or go to open line radio.org. You can become a
kitchen table partner. One of the things that we'll do for you if you do that is every other week you'll get a Bible study moment in your email. You can click on it and listen to it. Eve and I are doing a little series right now about, uh, because of the summit about alleged anti-Semitism in the New Testament, showing how the New Testament is not anti-Semitic. Uh, so again, (888) 644-7122 or go to open line radio.org and you too can become a kitchen table partner. And for all of
you who have, thank you so much. We're going to talk to Catherine in Naperville listening on Wmbi. Welcome to Open Line. Catherine. How can I help you?
Hey, there. Thank you. Good morning. Thank you for taking my call. I had a question. I was listening to a lecture recently where the person speaking at the Bible study referred to pride as the greatest sin. And I am curious as to one of that truth. And two, if it is truth. Where? What verses support that, please?
Well, I would like to know too. I don't I can't think of any verse that says that that pride is the, the greatest sin. You know, I'm just not aware of any verse that says that, you know, there are really serious sins. I think the greatest sin is unbelief and not trusting God. That's that seems to me, uh, or not even believing in God. You know what it says in, uh, uh, in Scripture? For the fool has said in his high, uh, heart that, uh, uh, that
there is no God. Uh, Trisha is reminding me that, uh, pride, the five I wills in Isaiah 14 is what brought Satan down. Certainly, pride leads to rebellion. We put ourselves in the place of God. But, you know, I kind of think idolatry is a little, uh, you know, they're all serious sins. I'm not saying pride isn't a serious sin. I'm not sure I can link which one is worse. I don't know of a verse, you know, when you think of the really deadly sins in in the book
of Proverbs? Uh, four of them have to do with speech, uh, slander and and things like that. So we have to control our speech. I think I would just say pride is a pretty serious sin, but, um, I'm not sure I would say it's the greatest sin. How's that?
Can I, can I?
It's one of the. Let me just say it's one of the big ones. That's what I think. So. Okay.
Got it. So just can I follow up with that? In terms of ranking, sin is all sin created is also equal. Or is one sin greater than another?
Oh, there there are worse sins. And, uh, and there are also greater virtues. Uh, think about it. They asked the Lord Jesus, what's the greatest commandment? He said, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and might, mind and your neighbor as yourself. These are the two greatest commandments. So there's if there's greater commandments, then there's certainly, uh,
lesser commandments. Uh, the Lord Jesus mentioned in Matthew 23 that, uh, that they were tithing mint and cumin, but ignoring the weightier matters of the law so that there's weightier matters. It says in, uh. Uh, I'm trying to think, uh, that in terms of virtues, uh, these three things abide faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. So
that's there. And then there's, uh, the verse, for example, in John 19 when, uh, pilot, pilot says, uh, the one the Lord Jesus says to Pilate, the one who delivered me up to you has the greater sin. So even though you know, the high priest had a serious sin, and Pilate had a terrible sin of of having to judge the Messiah. What was the greater sin? It was the greater sin of the high priest, who should have
known better because of having had the scriptures. He should have been able to recognize what a serious thing that was. So there is a greater sin that way. So I think that the scriptures really do have, uh, uh, greater virtues and lesser virtues, and there's worse sins and lesser sins. Now, some people cite the verse in James where it says that if you offend in one place the law, uh, uh,
that you've offended in them all. And I think that's, that's only saying that if if we offend, if we sin in one area, that's sufficient to separate us from God. It's not saying that all sins are the same. Uh, for example, uh uh, I'll just, uh, in terms of, uh, the Lord Jesus says it is a sin to, uh, look with lust at another person. Right, but that is
certainly not as serious a sin as breaking one's marriage vows. Uh, so, you know, I just want to be really clear that there are sins that are serious and there's even sins that are more serious than that. So does that help, Catherine?
Yeah. Thank you for clarifying, I appreciate it.
But all sin, even just one the littlest sin, it's still separates us from God. And so that's why we need we need the Messiah's redemption. And not only that. Uh, but when we as followers of Jesus sin, we still need to confess that and agree with him and have our fellowship restored, not our salvation. Obviously, we're all our sins are forgiven. Past, present, future. No condemnation for those who are in Messiah. But our fellowship, according to first
John one nine, is restored when we confess sin. Okay, Catherine.
Perfect. Thank you so much.
Yeah, thanks for your call. Really appreciate it. Uh, we're going to speak with George in Cleveland, Ohio, listening on Wtxf, one of my favorite stations. Hey, George, how can I help you?
Uh, doctor, I was wondering about the Romans 1220 coals of fire. I can't find any commentary that gives it a clear answer.
Really? Have you looked at the Moody Bible commentary?
I'm sorry, I don't have that copy.
Oh, well, let me just tell you. The Romans commentary in the Moody Bible commentary is really strong. George. It's a great commentary written by Michael Van Landingham, my co-editor on that work. And I think that's a book that you need. So you hang on. I'm going to have Tricia get your name and address and send you a copy of the Moody Bible Commentary. And if you're listening and like George, look at a verse like Romans 1220
and think, I'd like to know what that means. Well, the Moody Bible Commentary, written by 30 faculty members of Moody Bible Institute, and I had the great privilege of editing it with Mike Van Laningham. We were co-editors together. Uh, it was, uh, it was just a great, great experience in my life. Although it took forever, six years or a little bit more. But I'm really grateful we did it. Learned a ton. And, uh, I just think that if you'd like one, just check out, uh, your favorite online
bookseller or go to your local Christian bookstore. I actually saw one at a at a secular bookstore just this week when I was doing some shopping. So I saw it posted there, uh, on the shelf. So that was pretty cool. Uh, okay. Let me answer your question about Romans 1220. Uh, it says friends, do not avenge yourselves. Instead, leave room for his wrath. For it is written, vengeance belongs to me. I will repay, says the Lord. But
if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink, for in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. Now some people want to say that you're the fiery coals has something to do with kindness of God. I don't think so. I think the context there is saying is that we should not try to avenge ourselves against people who hurt us. Personal vengeance is not appropriate for a follower of Jesus. And the interesting thing about that is that he quotes
the Old Testament about that. Uh, so for example, Proverbs 2521 and 22, uh, are the the actual if your enemy is hungry, that's what he's quoting there. And the reason I want to point that out is that people often think that the Old Testament is full of vengeance, and the New Testament isn't. But that's a verse from the Old Testament that Paul is quoting and teaching the same principle. We shouldn't be involved in personal vengeance. So what do we do when there's someone that's been unkind?
Someone that's an enemy. Someone that's hurt us. What we do is we provide every kindness we can for them. That's what we're supposed to do. And in so doing, we're heaping fiery coals on his head. What that means is we're leaving the vengeance to God and not taking it ourselves. We're not. We're not the ones, uh, bringing fiery coals on that person's head. Rather, we're trusting God
to bring whatever judgment and justice needs to be brought. Now, the truth of it is, if we're kind, if we are not, uh, vengeful, sometimes what that does, it brings repentance on the part of that enemy. And when that happens, there is no fiery call from the Lord. It's just reconciliation. And that's really a lovely experience. But that's leaving vengeance in the hands of God. We're going to come back
in just a moment with Tricia McMillan. She's got the mailbag ready for us, and we'll be talking about the questions you've sent in in just a moment. This is Michael Ray Dolnick, and this is Open Line. And we're back. I am so glad to see Tricia dragging in the mailbag, because you have sent a lot of questions in, and I'm always happy to answer them. The way to do that is go to our website, openline. radio.org. That's the place to check out everything from Open Line, but there's
a link there that says Ask Michael a question. That's the best place to put your question. If you want to send it in, just click on that link, put your fill out the form, put in your question, and Trish will put it in the mailbag. So Tricia busy week has it been.
It has been. Yes. Yeah.
Yeah I we went we were on uh the favorite show this week Chris Fabry live. And uh, Mike V kind of couldn't come at the last second. He had something that popped up, not a health issue, but he couldn't be there. So I brought my favorite Bible answerer. Uh, Eva. And it was fun to see you.
It was fun to see you two and Eva. Of course. Yeah.
I saw how happy you were to see Eva. And I'm not jealous. Everyone does that when they see her. But I see.
I see you every week. I don't see her every week.
That's right. That was pretty cool. So anyway, a lot of people have sent in questions. What what can we do?
All right. Well, our first question is from David in Florida, listens on the Moody Radio app. I understand that all people, including those in the Old Testament, are saved by grace through faith. Does that mean that Old Testament people had to believe in the future Messiah to be saved, or was it just faith in God the Father?
Well, I think that the best thing to say is that all people are saved by grace through faith in the revealed will of God. Okay. And so the revealed will of God. What did we have? In the Old Testament? God called upon people to offer sacrifices and believe that those sacrifices would bring reconciliation with God. Forgiveness of sins. Now we know that they didn't. They just were sort of placeholders pointing forward to the Messiah. but that's something.
And one of the things we see in the progressive revelation of Scripture, it begins really with the Pentateuch, which Moses wrote in 1400 BC. But the earliest books that in Jobe Jobe may have been written a little bit earlier than the Pentateuch or the Torah or the Five Books of Moses, but they have references to the future Messiah. So it seems to me, I don't know what other revelation apart from Scripture was given for the revealed will
of God. You know, there's there is revelation given to people like Abraham and people like Adam and Eve, you know, but we don't know what that revelation was. We only have the revelation that was in Scripture. But in Scripture we see that they all these books point forward to the Messiah. So it seems to me that there was an expectation that that people would offer the sacrifices and
believe in the coming Messiah. And I think that's that's what was expected that God intended people to believe in order to be saved.
Okay. All right. Thank you for that question, David. Um, James emailed us and said I was recently having a discussion with a friend about the problem or issue of a person who thinks he thinks that he is saved but is not. New believers are trained to learn assurance scriptures such as first John 513 which says, I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know
that you have eternal life. What if you have been taught that verse, but you have a but it makes you have a false confidence because you haven't actually trusted and put your faith in following Jesus? So how do you truly know that you are saved?
Uh, well, I think you'd have to, uh, really examine your faith. Uh, and so it says in Second Corinthians 13 five, Paul warns the Corinthians. Now, the Corinthians were kind of, uh, um, how do I put it? Uh, difficult people, they had some struggles with obedience. And in Second Corinthians 13 five, Paul says to them, examine yourselves to see if you're in the faith. He's saying, examine your very faith. Just see if it's genuine. So what
makes genuine faith? Uh, because that's what what first, John 513 is about these things I've written to you who believe, who have faith, uh, to see, uh, to know that you are forgiven. These things I've written to you, uh, who have faith. That's what first John 513 is about, uh, who have believed. Let me read the verse. Exactly. And I think that is a great verse to show people. But one of the things that I often do is
try and help people understand what genuine faith is. I've written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. Those of you who believe, what does it mean to believe? Well, I've often thought that a lot of us take a superficial view of what it means to believe in Scripture. We have to believe with our whole being, with our whole person, mind, heart, will. So the mind is we have to know certain facts.
We have to know that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, that he died for our sins, that he rose again. Uh, we have to believe that intellectually know it and assent to those facts. Then there has to be heart. There has to be a conviction of, uh, of the truth of it, that this is not just some intellectual facts that I believe from the past. But this is true for me. That's heart. And then there's will a dependence on it. I am going to choose right now to depend on these facts that I am
convinced are true. So mind heart will, uh, the the illustration that I like to use about that is the lifeboats on the Titanic. Okay. There were some people on the Titanic who didn't even know there were lifeboats. So when that when it hit that iceberg, they just stayed in their cabins and and perished. Uh, they didn't even know there were lifeboats. Then there were other people who had intellect. They knew the facts. They knew there were lifeboats.
But they looked out at the dark North Atlantic and said, these little bitty boats are not going to save me. Um, and and they didn't have a conviction. They knew about the fact of them. They just didn't have any conviction of the truth that they were lifeboats. Didn't think they could save them, so they didn't get in the boat. So there's, uh, mind. They had the intellect, but they didn't have the heart. They didn't weren't convinced of it. And then there were some people who knew about it,
and they knew those lifeboats could save them. But, for example, women and children first, some women might have looked at that and said, I don't want to leave my husband here on this boat to perish. I don't want to live with him without him. And so though they knew about the lifeboats, though, they were convinced those lifeboats could save them, they chose, by an act of the will not to get in the lifeboat, um, to depend on it. And.
But then there were some people who knew about him, were convinced they would save him and chose to get in the lifeboat, and those were the ones that were saved. And that's what real faith is. So when I tell someone to examine themselves to see if they're in the faith. I ask them, do you know the facts that we're to believe? Are you convinced they're true? And have you put your trust in them? Are you committed to. Those. Because if you do, it will change your life.
Where where is the role or is there a role for feelings in this? Like I often, you know, there's there's heightened emotions when when you've had that conviction of sin or making that choice because then you feel free. Um, like you have this, I don't know, there's this release, um, emotionally, where where does that fit into this or does it.
Well, I think it does. There is a that's what I think the heart is the conviction of its truth. But there are some people that have that, and they think they've put their trust in Jesus. But when the real test that shows whether they have is when persecution comes, when difficulties come and they say, oh, this is the one that I expected. And they, they jumped ship. Uh, that's kind of a bad metaphor. After what? After the.
Titanic.
Example. Yeah. Right.
But so they get into the boat, but then jump out. No, that wouldn't quite work. No, but.
That's not.
What the analogy breaks down. Right. Yeah.
But what I mean by that is, like it says in, uh, in Matthew 13 where you have the parable of the sower. Uh, the parable. Parable. It's actually a parable of the soils, the different kinds of soils. Mhm. And, uh, I'm having trouble with my pages here. Here we go. You hear those pages turning?
Yes. It's a good sound.
Yeah, I like that sound. Uh, then it says when he when he gives the explanation of the parable of the sower, he says, uh uh, this is the one who hears and the one who's sown along the path and the one sown on rocky ground. This is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. That's emotion. Yet, uh, he has no root in himself, but is short lived when pressure or persecution comes because of the word. Immediately he stumbles. I think that's a
person who has a mind and heart. But no, Will hasn't really put there. They may have the emotion, but they haven't put their confidence in the Lord no matter what. I think that's the the trust. It's getting in that lifeboat. No matter how you feel. Once you're in the lifeboat, I'm in here. That's the person that really is saved. Okay, so I think there's a place of emotion. I remember
a girl once said she was. We saw this person who gave his testimony about abandoning the faith at a rally for people trying to convince them not to believe. Believe it or not. Okay. Yeah. It was it was like the.
Reverse of what you would.
An evangelistic.
Rally.
Okay. It was a it was at a Jewish community center, and they were trying to convince Jewish kids not to. Jewish young people not to believe in Jesus. And they had the testimony of this guy who abandoned the faith after believing. And when he told the story of of how he came to faith, he didn't have the content. Really accurate. But he there was a big emotional feeling at a concert and he ran forward okay with the music, but he really didn't really count and understand that this
is for life. You know, this is this is for it. And she said, uh, this this young woman who was there listening to this, she looked at me and she says, that guy didn't know the Lord. I said, no, I don't think so. She said it was a fire drill. And he ran forward. That's. And I thought, yeah, she got it. He didn't understand what he was doing when when he ran forward. And mind, heart and determination will decision. Volition. That's who I'm following. We're going to take a break
right now. And, uh, when we come back, we'll take more of your calls. (877) 548-3675. But I thank you, Tricia, for putting the mailbag together. Sure thing. I you can send your questions by going to michael-ray, uh, open Line radio.org and ask Michael a question, and you can put your question in there. Trish will put it in the bag. We'll be right back. Don't go away with more questions coming up straight ahead. Some claim Paul is the key person who took the message of the Jewish Messiah. Jesus
made it into something Gentile. But Paul is also the one who wrote, brethren, my heart's desire for Israel is for their salvation. Romans ten one chosen people ministries. One of our underwriters wants us all to learn what drove Paul's passion for his own people. They're offering the book The Heart of the Apostle by Rich Freeman, free to all open line listeners. To get this exposition of Romans nine through 11, just go to our website, openline radio.org.
Scroll down to the link that says A free gift from Chosen People Ministries. Click on that and you'll be taken to a page where you can sign up for your very own free copy of The Heart of the Apostle. Welcome back. I'm Michael Ray Dolnick. This is open line on Moody Radio. We're going to go right back to the phones for our Bible study. This is Craig from Minnesota listening on Ktgg. Welcome to Open Line. Craig. How can I help you?
Thank you. I'm in my 80s and I can remember pastors with big charts for End Times. I recall we were taught that the Armageddon was the final war. Well, then I found out about the war after the millennium. Then you go to Ezekiel 38, and it appears that there is a future war that takes seven years to recover from. Where does that fit in?
It's called the war of Gog and Magog. And it's interesting because the one in revelation, in revelation 20 is also called the War of Gog and Magog, but that takes place after the messianic kingdom, after the thousand year reign of Jesus. And so I want you to know some a bunch of respected Bible teachers take different views
of when the Ezekiel 38 war takes place. Uh, for example, the professor that I was an assistant for at Dallas Seminary thought that the Ezekiel 38 war took place after the Millennial Kingdom, that it was the same as the one in the book of revelation. The problem with that is just the same that you could think of is that, uh, then the the recovery from it would go on into the new creation. So that's that's even. Yeah, that's kind
of problematic. And then, uh, a friend of mine, uh, who's a really well respected prophetic teacher in his book called The Footsteps of the Messiah, Arnold Fruchtenbaum has written that he believes it's a Pre-tribulational event because of the seven years that it needs time to recover. So he said it's going to happen some time before the rapture. Uh, and then, uh, doctor Walvoord Charles Dyer, people I have
tremendous regard and respect for. They say it takes place sometime just before the middle of the tribulation, and that the recovery of the burning of the the weapons and things like that will take place into the millennium that that just will go on for a couple of years into the millennium. But they put it somewhere in the middle. Uh, and then, of course, Doctor Charles Feinberg, who was a great prophetic scholar, a great expert on the book of Ezekiel,
wrote a commentary for Moody Publishers on Ezekiel many years ago. Uh, he said that it was that war in Ezekiel 38 was comparable to the war. The the campaign of Armageddon. Uh, so which is it? You know, I used to joke around that some thinking people think this and some thinking people think that. And me, I'm for the thinking people, but, uh, I'm not. I wouldn't, uh, I'm not going to make a chart of this. I'm not going to, uh, in a sense, uh, go to the mat for this one.
But I kind of agree with Charlie. That's where I think I would land with Charlie Dyer, who is our host now of the land of the book. You probably have listened to that, Craig, but, uh, yeah, I think it's somewhere in the middle, just before the middle of the tribulation. And it's that defeat of those enemies. There's a number of reasons. One, Israel's, uh, living securely when
this event takes place. And that makes sense to me that the future false messiah, the Prince who is to come, the Antichrist, is going to make a treaty with Israel and it will bring peace. And so that's why I think Israel needs to be at peace when this happens. And then the invasion happens. And that's what enables the future false Messiah with with God intervening on Israel's behalf to break his covenant with Israel, his covenant of peace,
that he has made his security covenant. And so that's why I would put it somewhere just before the middle of the tribulation. Okay.
Right. But it is distinct from Armageddon.
I think so, but Doctor Feinberg didn't. But I think so, and I'm a little embarrassed to ever disagree with Charles Feinberg, but I, I do.
I think. Well, the interesting thing with revelation, God tells us that there are things that we will not know.
Yeah.
Listen, I, I the more I answer questions on the radio, the more things I don't know become clear to me. So yeah, that is not clear that I know him, but clear that I don't know them. You know, and particularly with end time prophecy, I think we have the broad outline of it. But just like.
I think that's correct.
Yeah, we have the broad outline, but I wouldn't, uh, I wouldn't, uh, be certain that that I know every detail or that I know how it will look. It reminds me of when Elisha made that prophecy in Second Kings 7 or 8 and said, uh, that the, the, the famine will be lifted. But he told the king, steward, you won't, uh, you won't benefit from it. You'll see it, but won't benefit from it. And then the prophecy is fulfilled, literally.
But the king's steward would have never guessed that. It would mean that the Aramean army would flee, and the and the, uh, those with skin disease would find the food and bring it to the city of Samaria, that everyone would have thought something different. But it was fulfilled literally. And I think that's how end time events will be. They'll be fulfilled literally. But we're going to be surprised if we were around to see how it is. But the broad outline, I think it's true. Anyway, that's the
first hour, everyone. The second hour of open lines coming up on most of these stations. Check out our web page, Open Line radio.org. It's got a link there if you want to listen, if your station doesn't carry it, or you can listen to past programs or other kinds of links that will you'll find helpful there, like our current resource and how to become a kitchen table partner. The Bible study across America will continue in the second hour,
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