It's our first live gathering around the radio kitchen table in the year. The new year 2025. What should be our ultimate priority for this new year and for every year? Stay with me and we'll talk about that in just a moment. Hello, friends. Welcome to Open Line with Ray Moody Radio's Bible Study Across America. My name is Michael Ray. I'm the academic dean at Moody Bible Institute, also professor of Jewish studies and Bible here and here we are
sitting around the radio kitchen table. We're going to be taking your questions about the Bible, God and the spiritual life. If you have a question you'd like to call, the phone number here is (877) 548-3675. Let me Let me give you that a little bit slower. (877) 548-3675. And Tricia McMillan is our producer. Back in the chair today. Omar Mendoza is doing all things technical and someone is answering the phones. Not sure who it is. Uh, someone is around here.
Didn't see him. Lisa and Anthony. Oh, I'm so glad that they are answering the phones. They will be the first voices you hear again. The phone number (877) 548-3675. Time to go. Get yourself a cup of coffee. I've got mine. And open your Bible because we're going to study the scriptures together. Let's start by talking about what is the most important aspect of our lives. I mean, what's the number one feature that comes before everything else? Let's ask ourselves,
what's my ultimate priority. What do I care about the most? Some of us might say it's my family. Others might say I need to care for my family. So it's financial security or my job that's most important. Some of us might think getting healthy this year is the most crucial part of my life, or finding a meaningful relationship. But if we review the priority given to us by
the Lord Jesus himself, we'll find our ultimate priority. In Matthew 633 it says, but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. So what should be our ultimate priority, priority in 2025? And actually, for every day of every year. Matthew 633 is saying that we are called to pursue eternal values,
not temporal ones. The word seek in this verse is a present tense command, and that has the nuance of always seek the Lord's most concerned that we pursue that which lasts forever, not what fades away as our first priority. God wants us to seek his kingdom. Kingdom refers to God's rulership. So he's asking us to seek his rulership in our lives. That's what the Lord Jesus is talking about when he says, seek first his kingdom. It means pursuing whatever it is that God wants us to accomplish
in our lives. When we ask, What's God's will? This is at the top of the list that we willingly pursue his direction, his rule in our lives. Many of us really give lip service to this commitment, but then when it comes down to it, we might resist following God's rulership if what he demands is hard. Too many of us rewrite the old hymn this way. I'll have my own way, Lord. I'll have my own way. I'll be the potter. You be the clay. I'll mold you and make you after my will. While you are waiting.
Yielded and still. No. He has to be our ultimate goal. His rule in our lives. But it's not just God's rulership that we're to prioritize. Seeking eternal values requires us to pursue God's righteousness as well. Seeking his righteousness refers to making the pursuit of the holiness of God a reality in my life. We can become so frustrated with our own failures that we just give up and give in.
We say we'll never be holy. Yet Jesus, the Lord Jesus encouraged us to hunger and thirst for righteousness so that we'd be satisfied. That means my New Year's vision must include a renewed commitment to spiritual disciplines like reading God's Word daily, praying persistently, actively serving in my local congregation and other disciplines as well. And what does the Lord Jesus promise those who put his eternal values first and foremost in our lives? It's simple. God will provide
for all our temporal needs and concerns. That's what he means by all these things will be provided. In the context Jesus was discussing basic needs like food and clothing. He said that if we pursue God's eternal values, God would provide temporal necessities. Note that this is a promise that God would provide basics, not luxuries. There is no promise that we'll be rich and it won't necessarily come like manna from heaven. He will provide jobs so that
we can work for our bread. Also, notice that this promise really is directed to God's children, not all people. God in his common grace, allows rain to fall on the just and the unjust alike, and he provides for all people. But he only promises this provision to those who pursue his rule and his righteousness. Some of us might object that there have indeed been followers of the Lord Jesus who have experienced poverty. They've even experienced starvation.
I think the answer is that this is a general promise. But there are exceptions. When the Lord wants some of his children to suffer for righteousness sake, he'll provide an alternate. Namely, the enablement for them to cope with starvation or exposure, or even martyrdom. Their faithfulness to the Messiah, Jesus to the very end, even in terribly difficult times, will bring great glory to God. Here's Jesus point in Matthew 633. It's simple. If we pursue spiritual priorities, God will give
us material provision. If we have eternal values, God will meet our temporal needs. A.W. Tozer once said, when we take to ourselves the place that is God's. The whole course of our lives are out of joint. But what Jesus taught is actually the reverse. When we give to God His rightful place in our lives, the whole course of our lives comes into balance. And that's how to find our ultimate priority for 2025. Well, that's a great reminder for the new year. Uh, you know, I've got
this thing about New Year's. You know, people say, Happy New Year for weeks and weeks and weeks into the new year, my limit is two weeks. So today is the only time that I will be with you live to say Happy New Year. But then after that, I stopped saying it and it's just because we're on. After two weeks, we're in the new year. We're going. But I do want to say Happy New Year to all of you. And begin by talking with Rita in Hendersonville,
North Carolina, listening on the Moody Radio app. Hello, Rita. Welcome to Open Line. How can I help you.
Doctor? Happy new year. I was reading in Second Kings and over and over again it talks about like Amaziah, son of Joash, the fourth king of Israel, became king in Samaria and he reigned 41 years. When did Samaria become a place? It went from where kings in Israel reigned to that place nobody even wanted to walk through where Jesus went to see the woman. The Samaritan woman.
Okay, well, that's a little Old Testament history. Okay. And, uh, by the way, if you want to really follow the Old Testament history, something that would be really helpful. It's an old book. It's probably 50 years old, maybe more, but it's called A Survey of Israel's History by Leon Wood, and it's a really helpful history of the Old Testament. There's others one Eugene Merrill did called Kingdom of Priests. That's also a good one. But Leon Wood, best and
easiest to follow. Follow the history. And here's what the history was. Uh, the, the you know, the two. There was one kingdom under David, right. And Solomon, Judah, and then under Rehoboam. Remember, he didn't listen to the good advice of the the counselors and listened to the young
youngster's advice. And as a result, he increased taxes and the kingdom split Jeroboam taking ten tribes to the north that becomes known as the Northern Kingdom or the Kingdom of Israel, with its capital in Samaria, the city of Samaria, and then the southern kingdom, Judah and Benjamin. Those are the two tribes that becomes known as the Kingdom of Judah under the Davidic dynasty. So all the kings there are descended from David. So there you have your two kingdoms.
And then, uh, Assyria came and conquered the northern kingdom in the year 722. 721. Somewhere around there. Uh, 721 is the date I'd give you. Uh, so the Northern Kingdom falls with its capital, capital in Samaria. And then what happens is the Assyrians take most of the people, but not all, to Assyria. They exile them. And then when they exile them, uh, they bring people from Assyria into the northern kingdom, and they intermarry with the the
people who have remained. And as a result, those people are not known as Israelites or Jewish people at this point. Those intermarried, they become known as Samaritans. And then when Nehemiah, for example, comes back to build the wall in Judah, it is the Samaritans that oppose and harass what they're what they're doing in rebuilding the wall. The other thing that happens is I left out that the southern kingdom falls to Babylon, and they go into captivity as well.
But when they come back under Nehemiah, that's when the Samaritans who have already been there, they they start harassing them. And then also what happens in the Intertestamental period, the period between the Old Testament and the new, uh, when Antiochus, the king, the Hellenistic king of Syria, begins to oppress the Jewish people. The Samaritans join with him and are involved in oppressing the Jewish people, which is when that
becomes the most hated region there. Sort of like a tension between the, the, the Jewish people who have returned into the kingdom there, and the Samaritans who have been involved in oppression of the Jewish people under during the Second Temple, the Second Temple has been built. And under that second temple, Antiochus has been oppressing them. The Samaritans joined with this Hellenistic king in oppressing the Jewish people. That's where we get the story of Hanukkah when they
deliver them. So that's that's sort of in a nutshell, what happened. So it's in the intertestamental period that Samaria becomes the place to avoid. Okay.
Thank you. Boy, that was a lot of animosity all through a lot of years.
Yeah, yeah. And then, uh, part of the conflict was that the, uh, the Judaeans destroyed the temple. Uh, and as a result of destroying the temple. Oh, my. Uh, the Samaritans hated the the Jewish people, but it was part of war. It's it's a mess. But anyway, that's where it came from. Uh, thanks for your call, Rita. I hope that helped. Uh, hope it really spurs you to read about Old Testament history. And when we come back, we'll take more of your questions right here on Open Line.
Our number (877) 548-3675. This is Michael. Be right back. Do you ever feel overwhelmed trying to see how all 27 books of the New Testament fit together? Well, I have the perfect resource for you. Survey of the New Testament by Paul Benware takes you on a journey from Matthew to Revelation, giving you the big picture of God's grand story of redemption. Get your copy of this resource today. When you give a gift of any size. Call (886) 447-1222
or go to open line radio.org. Welcome back to Open Lines. So glad you're joining us for this new year of 2025. We're looking forward to many, many times of talking together about your questions about the Bible, God and the spiritual life. It's it's just a really an amazing thing that that week after week, we get to study the scriptures together. This is the Bible study across America and I am so grateful for your listening in. Let's go back to
the phones. We're going to talk with Laura in The Villages, Florida. Welcome to Open Line. Laura. How can I help you today?
Good morning. I'll say Happy New Year. I'm like you one more time. That's it, that's it.
Good. Thank you. Laura.
Um, I've been thinking about after Jesus's resurrection. He went down to Hades and he preached to them. And I know that nothing God does is a coincidence that there was a purpose for that. And I'm wondering, did Jesus go there? Because maybe, you know, it was part of him fulfilling everything to go to Hades, where we would have ended up if we didn't have him. And so I just wanted you to speak on. Why do you think that? Does the Bible say anything about why he went there?
Okay. Well, first of all, there are many people who say that he went there to give those who. The spirits who are locked up in Hades, uh, a second chance. I don't think that that's really appropriate, you know, to give them another chance to to believe. Leave. Uh, the in uh, Hebrews 927 it is appointed unto man once to die, and then the judgment. So I don't believe
there's post-death second chances. Another interpretation of the that he descended to Hades is, uh, that he went to proclaim judgment, uh, upon those who were the spirits in prison. So that's a second view. I'm going to tell you the third view. And by the way, a great New Testament scholar theologian by the name of Wayne Grudem, uh, he and I agree on this. I don't believe the Lord Jesus descended to Hades at all. Uh, so how's that? Here's what
I think. When the Lord Jesus was, uh, on the cross and he was dying, uh, the the thief on the cross says to him, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. The Lord Jesus says, today you'll be in my kingdom, but I'll meet you afterwards because I've got to go to Hades first. He says, no. Today you'll be together with me. Uh, in in, in at, uh, in heaven, basically. Uh, and then secondly, he says, as he's dying, father, into your hands, I commit my spirit.
So he goes right to the father. And then. So where does this idea come from that the Lord Jesus descended to hell or to Hades? Uh, well, first of all, I think most people know it because it's in later versions of the Apostles Creed. But it's it's not in the original versions of the Apostles Creed. And then lastly, it comes people think from first Peter chapter three and verse 18. So I'm turning there right now. And in first Peter three, this is what I'm going to try
and tell you what I think he's talking about. Uh, he says, uh, let's see if I can find it here. Uh, verse 18, for Messiah suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God after being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit. Uh, and then my version says at in that state he also went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in the past were disobedient. When God patiently waited in the
days of Noah while an ark was being prepared. So what is this talking about? Well, Christ suffered for the sins in the flesh. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive either in the spirit as he was spiritually made alive when his flesh died, or I think it could possibly refer to, but made alive by the Holy Spirit, but made alive by the spirit. By whom? The spirit. That's what I would say. By the spirit he went and made a proclamation to the
spirits who are now in prison. Here's what I think is. It's saying that the Lord Jesus died in the flesh, but he was raised by the spirit. And it's through that spirit that he went. And in previous days, during the times of Noah, he preached through Noah to the people who would not believe. And now they are the spirits in prison, awaiting final judgment. They are now in prison. So he didn't go preach to them when they were in prison. He preached to them when they were alive
through Noah. And there's a great article. It's a technical article. So I wouldn't, uh, probably recommend it for everyone, but there's a great article written by Wayne Grudem in the Trinity Journal many years ago showing how that was the idea that it was preaching through Noah that that the Lord Jesus made proclamation through him just like he he preached through the apostles after his ascension. So he preached through Noah before the flood. That's what I think it's
talking about. And I don't believe he ever ascended, descended to hell. He only went to be with the Father in spirit until the resurrection. Okay, Laura?
Yes, yes. Um, it's a tough one. Yeah, it's a heavy. Not to undo, you know, because the Apostle's Creed, when you mentioned that, I remember saying that that, uh, you know, sometimes our own traditions end up messing us up. Yeah. Um, it's like at Christmas time, you've got the shepherds and the wise men all together, and.
And there's only three of the wise men, right? So we don't know how many there were.
So, you know, we end up, uh, getting kind of our scripture messed up. Yeah. So. But thank you for answering my question. And God bless you and what you're doing.
Thank you so much for your call. I really appreciate it. Uh, we're we're going to talk with Cathy in Minnesota listening on Ktag. Uh, welcome to Open Line, Cathy. How can I help you?
Good morning. Thank you so much for taking my call. Um, my neighborhood has a little Bible study, and we are studying specifically the life of Jesus right now. Last week, we were speaking and looking into his baptism. And when the Trinity is all visible and audible. The question we had in our book was, can you think of any other times in Scripture where the Trinity is visibly, audibly present altogether?
Um. Is this a trick question? No. I'm just no, I don't, I'm just. I'm just joking. It feels like. I feel like we're playing a little biblical Trivial Pursuit here. Uh. Mm. That's what when people ask me the question of when were all three present, I always mention the baptism. That's what I think of first, at the, uh, Transfiguration. The father speaks. Uh, and so I would say that that's, uh, that's one example, but it's only the father and the son, uh,
that's there. The father speaks at the Transfiguration in Matthew chapter 16, uh, while he was still speaking. I'm sorry, at the transfigure, Matthew 17, while he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, this is my beloved son. I take delight in him. Listen to him. But I don't see that the Holy Spirit. I do believe he was present, but he's not, uh, descending like a dove, you know? Right. Uh, I don't know anything else. I'll show you a great
Old Testament verse. This is kind of fun when you think about it. Isaiah 4816. Okay. Uh, there we go. Finding that one. Isaiah 4816 starts off by saying, uh, I have not spoken in secret from the beginning. Here's what it says. Approach me. Listen to this. From the beginning. I have not spoken in secret. Who's the one speaking? If you look in the context, uh, like, for example, in verse 12. Listen to me, Jacob and Israel, the one called by me. I am he, I am the first.
I am also the last. Obviously God is speaking right. And then he says, I have not spoken in secret from the time anything existed, I was there. Again, God is speaking. And then it says, and now the Lord Yahweh, or the Lord God has sent me, and his spirit. So you have all three mentioned there. I think you've got the father who sent the son and his spirit right there. Isn't that something right there in the Old Testament? Yeah, that's a good triune verse in the Old Testament.
Yes. And in the Old Testament even.
Yeah, yeah. So I guess that's where it is. That's my answer to the. And it's audible because one of them is speaking. Right. The uh, where it says I was there from the beginning. And then now the Lord God has sent me and his spirit. So pretty cool. Uh, you know, if you can find any other verses, Kathy, let me know. But I just think of the baptism. Okay.
Yes.
Thank you so much. Appreciate it. Love your.
Program. Oh, thank you so much. Appreciate you listening. Oh, my. Well, I did want to say I appreciate appreciate every listener. I also appreciate the team here that works together. We're all part of this family of open line. But there's some people who are very special. They are part of the team because they are kitchen table partners. They give monthly so that we can be on the air weekly. And one of the great things about that is that I like to say thank you by sending you a
Bible study moment every other week. And I just want to say thanks to those kitchen table partners and hope that maybe some of you might consider, if you're a regular listener, becoming a kitchen table partner. If you did, you'd give monthly and we'd we'd send you that Bible study moment. I'd really, really appreciate it. It really gives us great assurance about the program to stay on. If you'd like to become a kitchen table partner, call (888) 644-7122. 22.
That's (888) 644-7122. And, uh, you can also go to Openline radio.org. And when you do, you can sign up there to become a kitchen table partner. We'll appreciate that so much. We're going to come back with the Febc mailbag. Trish is coming into the studio. And we're going to take the questions you've mailed in to open by going to ask Michael a question at Online radio.org. Appreciate you guys so much for doing that. We're going to be right back with more right here on Open Line. Welcome back
to Open Line. So glad that you're listening in today. It's time for the Febc, uh, mailbag, which that Febc stands for Far Eastern Broadcasting Company. And we're so grateful that Febc partners with Open Line to bring you this weekly open line Febc mailbag. Febc. Far Eastern Broadcasting Company is a terrific organization. They bring the good news to people via media and personal engagement. Check out the Febc podcast about what they are doing all around the world.
It's called Until All Have Heard. If you'd like to find that podcast, you can always go to febc. That's febc. Org. Check out the podcast and the rest of the information there about the organization is a terrific group that's doing a lot to bring the gospel to the world. And joining me right now for the Febc mailbag is the Queen of the questions, Tricia McMillan. So glad to see you for the New Year.
Glad to see you, too.
It's been so long.
Really. I know.
Yeah, because we did an a pre-recorded podcast for last week. And then of course there was some time off for the holidays, for Christmas, and I took some time for Hanukkah, right.
Which came really late this year. Or at least what I recall it coming because it usually comes before Christmas.
Here's here's what we Jewish people always say. The holidays are either late or early. They're never on time. We just because they change. Because, uh, Jewish people are. Judaism's calendar is a lunar calendar, so it changes dates. Okay. The date is always the same. Kislev 25. But because the lunar calendar doesn't jibe with us. Okay, all the time. That's why.
It's different. You may not know this, and so I'm putting you on the spot. Does does how late Hanukkah came in relation to Christmas this year? Uh, impact when it comes for Easter or for Passover?
Uh, Passover should be probably a little bit later this year. Okay.
Uh, and I realize I can just look that up, but.
But but yeah, it'll be a little later. But, uh, the thing is, with Easter, it's Easter is not always the same day. Easter is based on the solar calendar about when the equinox happens. And so, uh, yeah, I don't know how it's going to relate to Easter.
So okay, I know I put you on the spot. I didn't look up the date of Easter yet. You didn't anticipate that question coming? Yeah.
It's okay.
Let's talk about Passover.
Yeah. So, uh. Okay. Well, I did want to ask you what was your your highlight of your Christmas celebration?
Ooh, highlight was, I think, spending time with family. I had, um, I unexpectedly got to see my brother and his wife, uh, at Christmas, and then, um, got to see a lot of my husband's family, um, kind of in a bulk group, which I wasn't expecting. A couple were planned, but then there were a couple extras, a couple extra of his siblings who we saw. And so that was like an unexpected blessing, too. So I would say the family time was really nice. And we got some projects done around
the house, which was like a secondary highlight. That's great. Just lots of time with family.
Our highlight, believe it or not, was that after Christmas, the days immediately after our daughter in law had to work, our son had to work. And so we got to watch the grandkids with multiple sleepovers. Yeah. And bowling events and other fun.
Times during.
Hanukkah, during Hanukkah, and lighting the candles every night and singing the songs, playing special games. It was like one of the best times.
Yeah.
Uh, of course, we were together as a family, you know? You know, all the kids and everyone together at Christmas. But for Hanukkah, it was real special for me to be with the grandkids.
Yeah. Oh, that sounds wonderful.
Yeah. Eva, too. Yes. Yeah. I was happy to be with Eve.
She's a given. Yeah. But.
But we were there together. It was fun.
Oh, good. Yeah. Good. Yeah.
So. Okay.
And now we're back. Yeah. Now we're back.
I'm ready. You know, that was a lot of time off. I'm ready to ready to work.
It was. And so we do have some carry over on questions. And actually what's funny is this one actually came in during January. Um, but David in Tennessee wants to know if there was a significance to the fact that the angel told the shepherds that they would find Jesus, one in a manger and two wrapped in swaddling clothes. Uh, he's been searching the internet, and the only thing he's
found is that lambs were not swaddled. Um, so so was there a significance to these specific details that the shepherds were told?
Well, it seems to me that he's been looking someplace on the internet. Now, one of the things that the internet is saying more than more, because there is a book that came out and talked about it that was very popular, that that these were priestly shepherds, shepherds who were preparing lambs for the temple.
This is what the internet is saying. This is not what you're.
This is what he found. It didn't say this, but. Right. I'm not saying this, but this is what they're going to see. Yeah. If you look all about the shepherds that these were shepherds making raising lambs for temple sacrifice, and therefore what they would do is they would go to a particular place in Bethlehem based on Micah four, and they would wrap the lambs so that they would not be without they would be without spot or blemish. That would be unbruised. Now the thing is, can you
imagine taking a baby lamb and swaddling it? I don't think they would put up with that. Wrapping them up. I you know, I just but the truth of it is, there's nothing in rabbinic literature that teaches that the priests, the priestly shepherds, would swaddle lambs. It is a made up thing.
Okay, so what he found wherever he looked was correct.
It was correct. They did not swaddle them. Uh, and so I'm glad to hear that there's something right on the internet. That's good. Uh, now, the significance of the angel telling the shepherds that they would find this baby, this glorious king that was just born not in a palace, but in a manger. That's that's kind of unusual. So they were told where to look. You're supposed to look where they keep animals. Look for.
Strange.
A baby in a manger.
Even. Even a normal baby. You wouldn't look there. I mean, like, even if it wasn't a king.
Yeah. And then wrapped in swaddling clothes is what every baby is. But not just. But it's not a baby that's been abandoned in a manger. It's a baby that's being cared for. But there's no room. And so therefore, that they they had to use the, the manger as a, as a, as a like crib or, or a cradle. Right. That's so it's basically it gives two bits of information. One, these are people who don't have any place to be.
So they have to be where they keep the animals, like in the barn, so to speak, but not really a barn like we think of. But in this cave where they kept some animals outside the home. And then secondly. But this is not a baby that's been abandoned or uncared for. It's just that it's swaddled. It's being cared for as a baby is. And so it gave them two clues for what to look for.
Okay. But there would there was not an Old Testament prophecy that would have said he's going to be lowly in with animals or something, that this was fulfilled, fulfilled. Okay.
No, the, the, the verse that, that a lot of people point to for this is in Micah four. I'm, I'm talking while I turn my pages. You know, whenever I do this, I wonder if people wonder what in the world I'm doing, but I'm trying to turn the pages, so I turn them loud so that they give me.
Time when we hear it. Yeah, it sounds intentional. Yeah.
It says in Micah four eight. And you. Watchtower of the flock, fortified hill of daughter Zion. The Zion. The former rule will come to you. Sovereignty will come to daughter of the daughter of Jerusalem. The word watchtower of the flock is the Hebrew words Migdal Eder and Migdal Eder. Apparently there was a watchtower in the fields of Bethlehem where they could keep watch over, you know, keep watch over their flocks by night from a tower. Uh, and so that could be some people said that they went.
That's where the cave was. Where the where the manger was at Migdal Eder. I don't think so. I think it's Migdal Eder is just representative for Bethlehem. So, you know, it's it's like if sometimes when people talk about the United States, they'll say. And Washington has said, you know. Yeah. So Migdal Eder is like a key place in Bethlehem. Uh, and the Tower of, of Bethlehem, so to speak. And, and that's, that's what the prophecy is foretelling that the
Messiah will come from Bethlehem. That's picked up in Micah five two.
So okay.
Let's do one more.
Okay.
Because that took too long.
Okay. Um, next question. First, I do have to say, um, Eva is listening in on top of things. And Passover is April 12th. Okay. And Easter is April 20th. Oh, there we go. Okay. Thank you. Eva.
Yeah, I told you she texted the answers.
I know Pamela in Michigan listens to Wgme. Nathaniel has always been inspiring to me, but his name is not listed in the 12 disciples. Do we know any more about him from history?
Or he was an Israelite without guile? That's what we know. Okay, that's what John says in John 145 through 51, remember? Uh, and, you know, there is, uh, he's an interesting character. There's a couple of things I want to say about this. First of all, let me just start with this. If you have a question like this, I've decided I'm going to try and say this more and more about where you can find the answer. Not because, you know, I don't want people to think that I am the the
source of all knowledge. There's a lot of places where you can find answers. I think everyone should have a Bible dictionary in their library. Every growing believer who wants to understand the Bible better should have a Bible dictionary. We have a great one at Moody called the Unger's Bible Dictionary. Moody publishers, uh, Merrill Unger was a great scholar. Uh, and so the Unger's Bible dictionary, you could look up Nathaniel, and they would give you everything we know about him
in the Bible. So it's a one volume thing. It's really worth it. And whenever you get it, when there's a big sale at Moody Publishers, you know, Moody Books.com, I think we have periodic sales if you books.org.
But yes.
Yeah. Sorry. Okay. And then also, uh, one of the things if a person becomes a kitchen table partner $30 a month, which I mentioned in a previous segment, the kitchen table partners, if they do it for $30 a month as a kitchen table partner, they'll get 50% off.
All the.
Time. Everything in all the books. And that'd be a great way to get the the Unger's Bible Dictionary, but that would tell you a lot. Secondly, it says that he was the Lord. Jesus said, I saw you when you were under the fig tree. Being under the fig tree was actually a rabbinic idiom for studying the Bible. Mhm. And so he may have been under a fig tree and we can take it literally. Or it may be that the Lord Jesus was saying I saw you when
you were studying. That's kind of interesting. Yeah. I'm not sure which it is, but it could be either one. Yeah. And then he was the Lord. Jesus says he hears an Israelite, a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile. So he was Jewish and was a transparent, honest person. I think that's that's kind of cool.
I mean, if that's what Jesus says about you. Yeah. You know, pointing you out and saying that that's.
How cool is that?
Pretty cool thing.
And the only other time that we were aware of him. Uh, and uh, is in John 21, when they went back fishing after Peter said, I'm going back. Nathaniel is mentioned as going back.
And fishing with them. Yeah.
Okay. That's the only two times he's mentioned.
John 21 two. Yep. Okay. So. All right. Well, I hope that helps, Pamela. There's not a lot there, but. Yeah. What is there is telling you what his name.
Means, which is a great name. Gift of God.
That's a good name.
Yeah. I love that name. Yeah. I know someone named Nathan.
Yes. That my husband's named Nathan. He's a gift. That's right.
That's great. Okay, we're we're going to take a break here. And when we come back, we'll be back with more of your questions that you've called in. 848775483675. Thank you, Tricia McMillan, for bringing those questions together. You'll be back next hour with more. This is Michael Ray. Dominic, you're listening to Open Line. We'll be right back. Welcome back to Open Line. So glad that you are here with
us and I'm so grateful for your listening. One of the things I'm also grateful for is that Chosen People Ministries is partnering with us to help bring you Open Line. That's a wonderful ministry that has been involved in bringing the good news to Jewish people for, uh, 130 years. Pretty amazing when you think about it. Well, uh, they are, uh, they're concerned. And I think Christians should be concerned about
the growing anti-Semitism in the world. And that's why I Chosen People Ministries is offering a free book to our listeners. It's called Uncommon Allies American Jews and Christians uniting against Hitler. It was written by Alan Shore, and it's a book that shows the importance and power of Christians standing against anti-Semitism in the past. So we'll be motivated to do the same in the present and the future. Go to openlibrary.org. That's our website. 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 sign up for your own free copy of this really important book called Uncommon Allies. And we're going to talk to Courtney in Atlanta, Georgia, listening on. I'm guessing the internet. Welcome to Open Line, Courtney. How can I help you today?
Good morning Michael I was calling to find out a couple weeks ago you had a panel on, and it sounded like there was agreement that in Matthew 23, Zacharias was the same Zacharias that said in Second Chronicles 24, I'm just trying to figure out how you got that.
Well, it seems like I think.
Uh, let me just say that 100% of Bible interpreters, 100% would say that it's talking about, uh, from the blood of Abel. It talks about in that verse that's in Genesis to the blood of Zechariah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Right. Uh, that's in Second Chronicles, chapter 24, verse 20, where he is murdered between the, uh, the sanctuary and the altar. So it's. And that that's a literary device the Lord Jesus is using there, because
Genesis is the first book of the Bible. Second Chronicles is the last book of the Bible according to the Hebrew canon at that time. Uh, and so it's saying from the first to the last, that's really what it's saying.
Uh, I guess.
But the question you have is it says the son of Berechiah. Berechiah Is the prophet Zechariah one one and two and not, uh, this one here in, uh, this verse, uh, it's a different Zechariah you're saying. Right?
Yes.
Okay. Uh, well, the there's some, uh, in, in, uh, like, for example, Gleason Archer in his book on Encyclopedia of Bible difficulties. His explanation is that the grandfather of the Zechariah killed between the altar and the sanctuary, his grandfather, not his father, was named Berechiah. So he had the same name. I don't think that's right. I don't think that's the answer. I think what we have here is a textual copyist error. Year after year after year of copying.
And it just went and it was early done. I think that there was a scribe and he was saying he didn't know the story in in Second Chronicles, and he just changed it to because he only knew the prophet Zechariah, son of son of Berechiah. And and that's what he did. In fact, the oldest we have two very, very ancient editions in Greek of Matthew. And they have
it right. They don't have it berechiah. So I think that what we have is a very early copyist error that got then put into a lot of the documents. And that's why it says Berechiah here in, in Matthew 2335.
Okay. Okay.
There's the earlier copies. Did they just not have verify at all, or does it say like the son of Jehoiada or something like that?
Jehoiada. It does say that. Yeah. Oh, wow.
Awesome. All right. That's good to know.
Okay.
Well, good. Thanks for your. It's a good question, but by the way, this is one of the things that's really important. It shows that the Hebrew canon was complete in the first century, that they they there it is, the Lord Jesus using the Hebrew canon from Genesis to Second Chronicles. And he's he's recognizing the complete Hebrew canon. I think that's pretty cool.
So that is okay. I appreciate it.
Sure. Thanks for your call. Uh, court. Uh, Eugene in Grand Rapids, Michigan, listening on WGN. Can you ask your question really quick? Because we're coming up against the break.
Yeah, sure. Go ahead.
Hello? Hello. Go ahead with your question.
Okay. Yes. My question is about, uh, uh, Mark 14th chapter, uh, the where Jesus was arrested and it says something about Jesus was arrested. All the disciples fled. And then the last, uh, verse there says something about a young man wearing nothing but a linen garment was following Jesus. Uh, who was that young man? And what was that verse 51 about?
Well, it says, this is an interesting thing. The gospel of Mark is actually the gospel of Simon Peter. Why? It's historically what the gospel of Mark is traditionally understood to be. As Peter goes and gives a sermon about the life of Jesus in Rome. Mark is listening to it, takes down notes, and writes up the gospel based on what Peter dictated to him, basically in that sermon. And so this is Mark writing Peter's understanding of the life
of Jesus for Romans. That's what the gospel of Mark is. Uh, but he did he still the one that wrote it up. And so this is his little saying, his little writing, saying, hey, I was there. There's a certain young man, John Mark, that's he's he's putting his signature in there saying having a linen cloth wrapped around his naked body, probably wearing underwear of some sort, not completely naked, was following him and they caught hold of him. He they grabbed a
hold of the the garment. He fled and ran off in his underwear Uh, and that's, uh, John Mark saying, hey, this is not just Peter's words. This is me. I was there. So that's what I think that is. Okay. Thanks for your call. Really, really appreciate it. Thanks for listening, everyone. That's it for the first hour. Keep listening. There's a second hour of open line on most of these stations.
Your station doesn't carry open line second hour. You can always listen on the Moody Radio app or online, or you can get the podcast afterwards during the break, check out our web page. Open Line radio.org has all kinds of links that you're looking for, like past programs where to give a question in written form. Ask Michael a question. You can find it all there. How to get our
current resource. Whatever you're looking for is there? Our Bible study across America will continue in the second hour, so stay with us. Open line with Doctor Michael Dolnick is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute. We'll be right back.