Hello friends. It's time for the second hour of Open Line with Doctor Michael. Right, gentlemen, it's Moody Radio's Bible study Across America, and we're talking about your questions about the Bible, God and the spiritual life. My name is Michael Melnick. I'm the academic dean at Moody Bible Institute, also a professor of Jewish studies and Bible right here. We're live today sitting around the radio kitchen table right here in Chicago, taking your questions from all across the country.
So give me a call. The phone number is (877) 548-3675. That's (877) 548-3675. Remember, if you can't call, just go to our website open Line radio.org. Click on the Ask Michael a question link and you'll be able to fill out a form. Put your question there. Trish will put it in the mailbag. I hope you have your Bibles open, and you really do need a second cup of coffee to stay awake. And we're ready to talk about the scriptures. I wanted to mention something about our trip. Uh, it
was a fantastic trip. I was away for two weeks. We went to, uh, Athens and Corinth and got on a ship and went to various islands like Patmos. That was not so much about the Apostle Paul, but, uh, revelation and John. And we went to Ephesus. We went to Pergamum, uh, we went to Philippi. Thessalonica. It was phenomenal. Uh, seeing those places and seeing the Bible come alive from the journeys of Paul for the most part. Uh, and then, uh, afterwards we went on for an extension for most of
the group. About two thirds of the group went on to Rome, and I think it was in the Jewish quarter of Rome that I that had a most interesting experience. I was teaching about the history of the Jewish people of Rome from ancient times. I had to do it in about ten minutes. Ancient times, right up until today,
including the Holocaust. And when I was talking about that at the end, I talked about God's heart for the Jewish people in Romans 1128 and 29 that though opposed to the gospel, Jewish people remain chosen and beloved, according to Paul, and also that God's calling of them and the gifts he gave the Jewish people, like the gift of the land, the gift of the covenants, all those still belong to the Jewish people, because the gifts and
calling of God are irrevocable. And while I was talking about that, there were many, many Jewish people looking at the Jewish quarter, a very observant Jewish man and his wife came and stood right in the midst of my group and wanted to hear what I was saying afterwards. He wanted to know, what group is this? And I said, well, it's a group of people who love Moody Bible Institute and want to learn about the Bible. And I'm a professor at Moody Bible Institute. He said Moody Bible Institute
in Chicago. Yeah. And then he said, well, why would a Christian school care about the Jewish people? And I said, because we are followers of Jesus, the Jewish Messiah. And because of that, we care about his promises to the Jewish people. In fact, I told him about the summit opposing anti-Semitism, that Moody Bible Institute has a long history, a legacy of always opposing anti-Semitism, because we love the king of the Jewish people, and we want to see
his heart for them. And so we're having the summit opposing anti-Semitism on November 9th right here at Moody Bible Institute. He was just amazed that and I think it's a really good testimony to our Jewish friends that this is really where we stand at Moody Bible Institute. I hope you'll want to come and learn how to oppose anti-Semitism as a follower of Jesus. Please join us on November 9th in Tory Gray Auditorium right here at Moody Bible Institute.
We have wonderful speakers. It'll be just a great event. So check it out. Go to Openline radio.org and click on the link about the summit opposing anti-Semitism. And then join us on November 9th. And we're going to go to the phones right now. Uh, Renee in Pompano Beach, Florida, listening on w RMB. Welcome to Open Line, Renee. How can I help you today?
Well thank you. Thank you.
Did I say your name right? I know you're a man, but is it still Renee?
Yes. It's Renee. Yeah.
Is that. Are you French?
No, no, actually, mom loved the name. The name? Actually, the etymology of the name is actually born again. Oh, really? You gotta love that. So, mom.
Well, I've only met men named Renee. If they were from France or, like, Montreal or places like that. So that's interesting. One of the quick.
Things, um, the name Renee is actually a masculine name. If you look it up everywhere else in the world, it's actually considered a very masculine name, except in America, where we add an extra E and everybody thinks it's female. So I see.
There you go. Well, no, I know it's a masculine name, but, uh, only only French people, French speakers have I have met that use it as a man's name. But it's okay. I know you're a man. I just want to make sure I was saying it right. So that's.
That's okay. That's okay. Um, I so appreciate your time. And, uh, just taking my call right now. Actually. Been walking with the Lord, uh, born again Christian for 24 plus years, give or take. My question is, really, I'm a strong believer in the pre-tribulation rapture, but I also have a question.
You know, I've been coming across some pretty learned PhD doctors in, you know, in the faith as well, Doctor Michael Heizer and so on and so forth that are talking about a pre wrath, which is right around the midpoint rapture. And I wanted and they were saying, you know it's chronological. If you follow Matthew 24 and it's very plain to see in the pre-trib rapture is not biblical. I just wanted to get your point on your viewpoint on that as well, sir.
Sure. Well, uh, first of all, as as someone with a doctorate, having a doctorate doesn't mean you know everything. Just so you know. Uh, you know, I am. I am. The people ask me about my doctorate. I say the doctorates. The last aspect of Western torture. Keep your hand in the fire long enough, and they'll they'll give you a doctorate. I had a professor that used to say, anyone can get a doctorate if you can endure the boredom. And
so I agree with that. And so I'm not, you know, I guess maybe because I live among PhDs here, uh, that that's not always the sign of being. Right. Just so you know, even for me, I'm saying the same thing about me. You know, there are people. Let me let me tell you, there are a lot of people who disagree with things I say on this. And they they let me know very plainly, so that's fine. Uh,
I still believe in the pre-trib rapture. Having read Matthew 24 many times, uh, the people who read it chronologically that hold to the pre-trib rapture when they read the verses in verse 42. Uh, I'm sorry, verse 40 through 42. Two men will be in the field, one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill, one will be taken and one left. Many pre-trib rapturists do not take that as the rapture. They take that as referring to being taken away to judgment.
So that's a possibility. But I don't think that's the answer. I believe when you look at the question. Verse three, he was sitting on the Mount of Olives. The disciples approached him privately and said, tell us, when will these things happen? My first question is when. Let's call it question A, when, then. Question B and what is the sign of your coming and the end of the age? Question B is signs. Question A is when. Question A when will these things happen? Question B what are the signs.
Okay so right. So a b when you look at the answer the Lord Jesus gives. Right. He doesn't answer the first question. He doesn't answer when he answers. What are the signs? He starts talking about signs, signs, signs. All these things are events at the beginning of birth pangs. And he's talking about signs, signs, signs when you see the abomination that causes desolation signs. These are all signs of the Second Coming at the end of the tribulation. What are the signs that you see before the Lord
Jesus returns in judgment. Then the sign, verse 30 of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all people of the earth. My version says, but literally in Greek it's the tribes of the land will mourn. That's a reference to Zechariah 1210. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. So there is again, it's taking you all through the signs. When Israel, finally, at the culmination of the tribulation period, believes the Lord Jesus returns,
the Son of Man returns and establishes his throne. That continues all this discussion of signs through verse 35. Question B so there's question A, question B, answer B is called chiasm is what this is. Question A, question b, answer B, answer A picks up in verse 36. Now concerning that day and hour, no one knows neither the angels in heaven nor the son except the father only. And then it talks about how the days will be going on, just like in the days of Noah, and
no one thinks anything's going to happen. And then boom, the rapture will hit. Two men will be in the field, one will be taken, one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill, one will be taken and one left. Therefore, be alert. Since you don't know what day your Lord is coming, it is imminent. It could happen at any moment for us. And you have to be ready. Because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. That's the rapture that can happen any time.
So I would see this as a chiastic structure. That's what it's called. Uh, a b b a. And if we read it that way, then it's, it's clearly a pre-trib rapture about when we don't know when it can happen at any moment. If it's pre-wrath, then we can look at it. Usually people look at it near the end of the seven years, not in the middle. And okay, we can say, okay, we know when it's going to happen, but this way the pre-trib rapture makes the most sense. Does that help?
Oh, it absolutely does. And the other thing that I so appreciate about, appreciate about you and your ministry is the messianic viewpoint of it all to where the whole picture of it really, I think the Western culture, America, you know, we miss out so much on the Hebrew culture, which is what I like to teach also when it comes to the rapture. Um, how it just ties into
it so perfectly. Um, you know how the the bridegroom goes to prepare a place and he comes back at any given moment, and we're not aware of the time, and the bride is to be.
Don't you think that's interesting? Not just Matthew 24, but Matthew 25. The the virgins. You have to be ready. It kind of fits with the last part. Exactly. So anyway, thank thank you so much for your call, Renee. We're going to take a break here. And when we come back, we're going to take more of your questions. The phone number (877) 548-3675. Five. My name is Michael Redlich. This program is called Open Line. I'm so glad to be back
with you after traveling for a couple of weeks. It's it's just a joy to be with here, with you, talking about your questions, having this Bible study across America. Stay with us. More to come right here on Open Line. Welcome back to Open Line. So glad to be with you. My name is Michael Ray Dolnick, and it's always great to be with you. Studying the scriptures on a weekly basis right here every Saturday morning. It's our Saturday morning
Bible study. Uh, all across America. You know, people would always the people who listen to Open Line are really a distinctive group of listeners, very, very different because Moody Radio listeners all love the Bible, but the Open Line listeners, they want resources that will really help them understand the Bible in a deeper way. And that's because the Bible
is more than just a collection of ancient texts. It's it's God's masterpiece of literature, and it's his gift to us and to help us read it for all it's worth. I'd like to send you our current resource, which is called 14 Fresh Ways to Enjoy the Bible. It's a super helpful book. Moody. Professor James Coakley wrote it. He's
my colleague. He's my friend. He reveals how the same amazing techniques used by modern authors were employed by biblical writers long ago, and they were writing under the superintending of the Holy Spirit. God intended them to use those techniques, and as we read it, we get a fresh lens to understand the scriptures and to get more out of them. It gives really practical strategies in how to engage God's Word. It gives guidelines to keep you on track as you read.
I think you're going to love this book. And it's yours if you give a gift of any size to open line. Just give a gift. And we want to say thanks by sending you a copy of 14 Fresh Ways to Enjoy the Bible. In fact, Jim will be on with me in a couple of weeks. Uh, to talk about this book. You're going to really love this book. Uh, anyway, to give your gift, all you have to do is
go to Openline radio.org or call (888) 644-7122. That's (888) 644-7122. And then when you give your gift remember ask for 14 fresh ways to enjoy the Bible. And we're going to talk with Pamela in Kissimmee, Florida listening now on keys. Welcome to Open Line. Pamela. How can I help you?
Yes, yes. Good morning. Good morning Luke chapter five. Verse 14.
Okay. Well. And what's your question?
And I'm trying I'm trying to understand what was the sacrifice that Moses commanded for your claim for the. Oh, I see.
Uh, I see. Uh, it says, reaching out his hand, verse 13, he touched him, saying, I am willing. Be made clean. Immediately the disease that skin disease left him. But he ordered him to tell no one. But go and show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses prescribed for your cleansing as a testimony to them. That's in the book of Leviticus. There were sacrifices when people were cured of a skin disease. Then they had to go offer sacrifice. The priests functioned as sort of a
health examiner and, uh, and to see that they were, uh, cleansed. Uh, I think that's that's what he's referring to. It's in. I think it's Leviticus 14 that you have the commands. It begins with skin diseases in chapter 13. And then, uh, chapter 14 has the sacrifices that someone is to offer when they get cleansed of the skin disease. Uh, yeah, that's what it is. Leviticus 13 and 14 is where you would read about that. By the way, Leviticus 1340
has my life verse in it. If you want to know Leviticus 1340, are you ready to hear it, Pamela?
Yes, absolutely.
Here it is. This is my verse. If a man loses the hair of his head, he is bald, but he is clean. And that's, uh, my explanation for, uh. I may be bald, but I am clean. There we go. Yeah. That's good. Okay. It's not a skin disease. It's just male pattern baldness. That's it. Anyway, thank you for your call, Pamela. We'll talk soon. Uh, Sheldon in Chicago, Illinois, listening on Wmbi. Welcome to Open Line. How can I help you?
Hello, doctor and family. My Christian family. Um, I'm reading Amos chapter six. I read through it this morning, but I'm stumped on verse ten where it says your uncle's will when it talks about the the ten men that will die in the house. Just because you have ten men doesn't mean you're safe. But, uh, God is cursing, uh, Israel.
It's a judgment right there.
Yeah, it's a judgment. He says, don't speak. He says, hush, don't speak to the other guy in the house unless the Lord curses or something to that effect. I don't understand that. That verse.
Let me just tell you, this is why the Moody Bible Commentary is such a helpful resource. I'll read you the words of John Jelinek. He is now with the Lord. He was the academic dean of the Moody Theological Seminary. Uh, wonderful Old Testament scholar. Uh, and, uh, I had tremendous regard for him. He wrote our commentary on Amos. This is what he says. God's judgment would be such that if ten men took refuge in one house, they could
not preserve their lives. Survivors, understanding that judgment proceeded from God, would not allow the Lord's name to be invoked or to be mentioned, lest that act draw God's attention and result in their deaths as well. God would command the utter destruction of all houses in Samaria, both great and small, and the houses of the rich and poor would perish with them. So that's it. They don't invoke the name of God because they didn't want to attract God's attention
and bring further judgment upon them. So, uh, I, I hope that helps and encourage you to check out the Moody Bible Commentary. Uh, when you have a verse you don't understand, it's really very helpful. One of the things that we wanted to do when we did that commentary is explain the verses that people don't understand and tell us what they mean. So anyway, thanks for your call, Sheldon. And we're going to talk to Bob in Chicago, Illinois,
listening on Wmbi. Welcome to Open Line, Bob. What can I do for you today?
God's blessings. Michael. Thank you. Where in the Bible can we find God's concept of free will? And what is its significance to us as believers?
Well. I'm not sure. What are you talking about? I'm trying to. What are you getting at? Just free will in general.
What? Yes. We discuss. I can't find it in the commentary. Anything about free will. And it's something that's discussed within the faith, with some significance that that. Well, okay, here's here's here's the conclusion. I've always heard God did or does not force his creations to love him or to follow his edicts. He doesn't force us.
Know.
We come to that under under free will. Okay. Making up. Okay.
Let me just say.
There are extremes. There's the very strong Calvinist that says everything is God's sovereign plan. And and we are almost, almost passive. I do believe in God's choice. I believe in predestination, uh, that God foreknew us all. That, on the other hand, the Bible says that people are responsible to believe and and as a result, uh, of of this every time the Bible tells people to believe. Like Paul talking to the the Philippian jailer in acts 16,
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That is saying that people have a responsibility to believe. Uh, it's human responsibility. They're both true. They are both true. And since they are both true, I have to believe that this difficulty of, uh, what people call free will, I call human responsibility. And then divine sovereignty, they somehow make sense in the mind of God. But I certainly don't. I couldn't give you
an explanation. I think that as high as the heavens are above the earth, so much so, as in that same way are my thoughts higher than your thoughts, and my ways higher than your ways? That's what God says in Isaiah 55, And one of the more interesting things I see is when it talks about human responsibility. It seems like there's always divine sovereignty linked to it. So for example, in Philippians two it says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. That sounds like it's
a free will issue, right? But then it says, for it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out his good purpose.
So divine sovereignty and human responsibility also, uh, in acts 427, a passage about human responsibility for the death of Jesus, it says in verse 27, in fact, in this city, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, there was this whole big conspiracy of Jews and Gentiles conspiring against Jesus, assembled together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. So it sounds like
there's fully human responsibility for these actions. And then it says to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. Divine sovereignty. What's my point? The Bible teaches both, usually in verses right next to each other. Uh, that's just how it is. I don't I can't say that I understand this. Uh, I think that this is an apparent contradiction. An antinomy is what J.I. Packer calls it, uh, an apparent contradiction, but it's not. It's fully resolved in
the mind of God. And I just trust God that, you know, when when he tells me to do something, I'm responsible to respond to it. At the same time, I know that God is the one at work to to accomplish what he wants me to do. Uh, Bob, is that helpful?
It is somewhat. Yes, it is helpful. Mike. Michael. Uh, but again, when we're, uh, when we're, uh, the Lord is leading us. Of course. Always. But sometimes, you know, it's the old. It's the, uh, Proverbs three five and six that don't believe in men, but believe in God and follow him.
Mhm.
But we have that confusion as we go.
Through the process.
It's not a confusion as long as we trust that it makes sense in the mind of God that there's God's sovereignty and human responsibility. They're both true and that's what we have to live with. Anyway I hope I hope that helps a little bit. Bob, thanks for your call. We're going to talk to Kevin in Indianapolis, Indiana, listening on WGN. R welcome to Open Line. Kevin, how can I help you?
Well thank you. And am I coming through at that end?
Just go.
Ahead. You're at the end that matters here. The, uh, my question is, and actually, you laid the foundation for it with the previous question, uh, in Galatians. He, Paul, is actually famous in calling out the the Jewish believers who brought along, of course, circumcision, but other maybe not the only one little side checkpoints that were evidence that you are really?
Yeah.
What's your question, Kevin? We're running out of time here.
Okay. Yeah. My question is, how does one, uh, become all things to all people as God, as Paul says that you might win a few and not have certain standards for. Okay, this is what the Christian life embodies. I feel like your question, your answer in the previous question, if you're trying to save time, that really answers it. Yeah. Well.
Well, let me let me just say that the legalists in Galatia were some Jews and maybe even some Gentiles who, uh, Us accepted their idea of circumcision, but Paul actually had Timothy circumcised. After the Jerusalem Council. So circumcision for Jewish believers was perfectly okay. The problem was trying to force Gentiles to be circumcised, so they had to become Jewish before they believed in Jesus. Uh, anyway, we'll talk more
about this later. Kevin, thanks for your call. We'll be right back here on Open Line with the Febc mailbag. Stay with us.
And we're back.
I'm so grateful that the Far Eastern Broadcasting Company partners with Open Line to bring you the weekly Febc mailbag. Febc is a terrific organization, the Far Eastern Broadcasting Company. They bring the good news to people via media, radio and personal engagement. There's always live people on the ground that will meet with others who are responsive to the good news, and I think it's a wonderful combination of
of personal and and media interaction. And you can check out the Febc podcast to learn more about them by listening to. Until all have heard, just go to the Febc. Org website and you can click on their podcast and listen to it there. And many thanks for their participation with us here on Open Line. And now Tricia is. Yes. Joining me. Yes. Uh, so I bet you know what I know I said I wished you had been there, I really did. Even I both wished you had been in, in, uh,
Athens and Istanbul. Well, we didn't go to Istanbul.
We just landed in Istanbul. No, we didn't even go.
We bypassed it. Oh, we were on a ship, and we went, uh, our last stop was Pergamum on the ship. And then we went from there to Philippi, actually more modern cities, but off, off the coast there. So.
So if I look in the Bible, in the little maps in the back and I find these cities, then I can see where you went. Yes. For those Bibles that have. Well, look here, the missionary journeys of Paul. If I follow that, that's kind of what you did. Yep. Okay.
So but we went, uh, from Athens. We started Paul went to Athens near the end of his journeys. But we started in Athens and saw Athens and Corinth, and we saw of the journeys of Paul. We saw Philippi and Thessaloniki and Thessalonica in biblical parlance, modern Thessaloniki, we saw Ephesus. It was really remarkable. It was great.
So, so is the Greek that, you know, any kind of help or is that a different kind of Greek than they speak and use on signs?
Utterly different.
Okay.
I couldn't understand a word the guides were saying when they talked to each other in Greek or whatever. But I could read signs because I know how to read Greek and and I could understand some of the signs, except if they used modern words. But, you know, some of the words are the same. And so I had a good time reading Greek. So yeah.
Dusting that off. No, I've seen you translate stuff on the air here. So I know that you are actively using your Greek. Yeah. But it's, it's.
Just like modern Hebrew is very different from Biblical Hebrew. Yes. So modern Greek is very different from Biblical.
Greek, but there's some crossover with the letters and in the reading. Okay. Very cool. If people are interested and they want to see some photos from that. Um, our Facebook, our open line Facebook page has um, each day there's days anywhere from like, I don't know, 40 to 60 pictures posted each day from the trip. If you want to see the beautiful, you had some beautiful weather. Yeah we did. If you want to see any of those pictures of the ruins and the different places.
Although we were on a tall ship for six days.
Okay.
And it was a sail ship, you know. And 90% of the time it didn't use engines, it just used sails. And it got real windy. A couple of days. And the last night on the ship, I felt like we were sailing on an angle. Mhm. Because of the wind being so strong. Mhm. And unfortunately a couple of people didn't like that.
No I'm sure that there were some stomachs that didn't like it.
There were 3 or 4 out of 160. But a lot of us just sat on the deck looking at the stars and the sky and the moon, and it was, it was. I stayed up late. So what was the.
What was one place that that like like we've talked about how when people travel to Israel, the Bible comes alive in in certain aspects. Was there one place that you saw that made. Um, the Bible. Some of the New Testament stuff come alive in a different way.
Um, you know, uh, I stood at the Bema Seat in Corinth. This is an actual weight.
We talk about it in, like this. Yeah. Future thing. A Bema seat.
Is a judgment seat.
Okay, so they existed before that Paul was talking about. Okay.
And it's for a first century judgment seat. Okay. And Paul, that was in Corinth. Okay. And Paul uses that as sort of a, you know, the we'll all stand at the judgment seat of, of Messiah one day. Second Corinthians five nine. Right. 510 somewhere around there. But anyway, that's what Paul says, that we're going to stand at the judgment seat, and he's using the judgment seat of the he's writing to the Corinthians. They all know the judgment seat right there in Corinth. And he says, yeah, but
there's even a bigger judgment seat. And so it's sort of like using what they know to tell about something else that's coming in first Corinthians three he talks about the judgment that will take place there of our works, whether, uh, not the judgment seat in Corinth, but there will be a judgment seat. And our works, whether wood, hay or straw or gold, silver and precious gems, they'll be tested by fire. And so I had the great privilege of
teaching at the judgment seat there in Corinth. And so, so how Paul used that to teach the Corinthians about the future judgment seat. That was kind of a cool thing. There are some other places, like, uh, in Ephesus where, you know, you learn all about Artemis. Great is Artemis of the Ephesians. And, uh, there are proconsuls in place. And, you know, when when they say, look, they haven't made any trouble. If you have a complaint, take tells Demetrius
take them there. Proconsuls. Well, there's always one proconsul, not two. And yet he uses a plural, Except I was reading history and archaeology. I found out that there had been a coup against the proconsul, the governor, and was replaced by the two people who had schemed against him as interim proconsuls. There were two at the time when Paul was there, and so that was kind of cool to see in acts 19. It uses the plural because there
really were two. Yeah, yeah. So yeah, that was I had a fun time.
Yeah, it sounds like it. Yeah. Very cool. Well, thank you for sharing. Just a glimpse of that trip. We missed you. We're glad you're back.
Yeah, and now people say they want to go again. But I'm too tired to even think about it.
Don't. Don't ask you right now. Yeah.
All these people are saying, I want to go. I want to go. No I can't. I got back Wednesday and Thursday. I was back in class and back in the office and back in meetings. So there's a little bit.
Of jet lag right now. You're probably feeling all right. Well, I evening.
I'm on my fourth cup of coffee of the day, so I'm okay. When the coffee stops, I'll. I'll stop.
Okay. Oh, well, I will ask. We'll try and fit in a couple mailbag questions, but thank you for sharing. Just a glimpse. I know listeners were very excited to hear, you know, highlights and hear, hear what you saw. It was great on the trip. Good. We'll welcome back. Kathleen in Ohio listens to Wtxf and wants to know what does Matthew 633 mean when it says to first seek the kingdom of God? What does that actually? Well, the kingdom.
Of God is God's rulership. So, you know, we talk about the messianic kingdom because and that's the kingdom of God, because one day when Jesus reigns, the rulership of God will be over all the earth. But the kingdom of God is for us. It's begun already because Jesus is
our King and he's our ruler. So when he says, seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness, what we're doing is we're seeking God's kingdom over our lives, his rulership over our lives and his righteousness, his obedience to him, and righteous behavior for him in our lives. That's what he wants of us. So really what it's saying is in every situation we're in, what's our number one priority? What does God want of me? Here he is, my king.
He is my ruler. When I sign off my letters, I copy Eva, who started doing this a number of years ago. So it was her idea and I said, I'll steal that. I sign my letters. All for the king. Do I mean it? Do I will I do everything that he wants? That's a great reminder for us. That's what it means to seek his kingdom and his righteousness. Do I want his rulership in my life? What does he want of me now? Right now? Today?
So then, when living our lives that would come to play in the decisions that we're making, like if we're choosing to take a job or leave a job or, um, marry someone or these kinds of things, you know, change churches where we're we're seeking his rulership. Rulership.
I'll just give you a great example. Uh, a student once came to Eva for advice, and she said that she had been offered. She was a comm student here at Moody. You know, there are only 18, 19 years old, so don't get too hard on her for what she says. But she was offered an internship to go work on an actual film and, you know, doing. And she wanted to know if it was. How can I know if it's God's will for me to do it? And he said, well, tell me about the film. And the film was really bad. Uh,
virtually pornographic. Okay.
So it was not a God honoring film. Yeah. Okay.
And Eva said, how is that going to help on that film? Seeking God's kingdom and his righteousness. And she said, well, I could learn how to make films. And she said, that will honor God. And Eva said, find a different film. Okay. And to me, when we make decisions like that, that's. And the girl did. And everything worked out. Yeah. It was good. But the point of it is, uh, that when we seek God's kingdom and his righteousness, it should affect every decision we make.
It should be a filter that's kind of that's overlaying everything as we look at it.
Yeah.
Exactly that. That. And if you do that enough, if you think about that intentionally enough, it should become second nature. Yeah. Um, to to decide or to see that, like, God would be honored if I do this. Yeah. Or at least it's not dishonoring God if I do this.
What I would like of those who know me well, and I don't know if this would ever happen, but I would like people to say, you know what Michael always wanted to do God's will whenever he made. He didn't always, but he intended. His intention was always to do the will of God. That's. And that's what I want my intention to be. I would hope that each of us would want that to be the legacy that we leave, because we're seeking his kingdom first. So, okay.
That's it. Thank you. Is there a quick question I can answer so I get at least two in here?
Um, sure. Cameron in Illinois listens to WNBA. Um. Number nine. Yeah. Um, as I was reading through judges 21, I noticed that it made mention that the Israelites went up against Jabesh Gilead as they had not fought against the Benjamites and killed everyone who was not a virgin. My question is, how would they have known who the virgins were in the city? I assume that they wouldn't have asked, but when looking through commentaries, couldn't find the answer.
You know, I don't know. I don't I don't think any of us could know. Uh, Maybe they were looking particularly at, uh, those who are married or those who were, uh.
Young women who would have, you.
Know, young women who were not married would have either been single or immoral. They would have known who the immoral women were. They would have known who the married women are. And I guess that's that's what I think the answer would be. Okay. I don't think they had scarlet letters on them. Right. That's that's what I would say.
Okay. All right. Thank you. There are some questions like that that we we wonder. And at the same time, I mean, God can make that known to. Yeah. In a way, I don't think it had to.
Be known supernaturally. I think they would have they would have been there and known. Okay. Yeah. Married women were not virgins. Uh, and then the immoral women were not virgins. And likely, maybe even single women would have been known for that, but I don't know. Okay.
So. All right. Okay. Thank you.
Thanks for those questions, Tricia. And, uh, when we come back, we'll take more of your calls in just a moment, so stay with us. That was the Febc mailbag. You can always write your question by going to Moody's on Open Line radio.org. Go to our website and click on the link that says Ask Michael a question. And Trish will put your question in into the mailbag. We're coming right back so don't go away. This is Michael Ray Dolnick and Tricia McMillan on Open Line. Friday. Welcome back
to Open Line. I'm Michael Ray Dolnick and I've been having a great time in our Bible study across America. I do want to mention several things. Uh, I had a great time as we traveled journeys of Paul got to meet a lot of kitchen table partners. So grateful for all of you who listen. Grateful for those of you who have become kitchen table partners. And I'm grateful for those of you who will consider becoming kitchen table partners. People who give monthly to open line pray for open
line to uh. I so appreciate you partnering with us and hope you'll consider doing that. And if you do, if you decide to do that, we will provide you with a Bible study moment every other week. It's an audio Bible study designed exclusively for our kitchen table partners. It shows up in your mail or your email, and you can click on it and listen to it. In order to become a kitchen table partner, call 88864471228886447122 or go to open line radio.org. Another thing I need to
mention is the Chosen People booklet. It's about the fall feasts of Israel. Uh, it's uh, it's called Celebrate Israel's High Holidays. Uh, it really will explain the Feast of Trumpets or the Jewish New Year, the Day of Atonement, the, uh, also the Feast of Booths. And the way you can get your copy is go to Open Line radio.org and click on the link that says, uh, a free gift from Chosen People Ministries. So that's where you can get that. And then lastly, I want you to go to our
web page, Open Line radio.org. We're having a summit here, a one day conference opposing anti-Semitism. It's a very important day for Christians to come together from all over the country, right here at Moody Bible Institute, to learn how we can stand with God's people, the Jewish people, his chosen people, and oppose this rising hatred of the Jewish people across the globe. Uh, how we can take our responsibility seriously as followers of Jesus to oppose this hatred. We need
to do that. I hope you'll join us November 9th right here at Moody Bible Institute. Check out the link on our web page, Open Line radio.org. We're going to talk with Marsha in Tennessee. Mm. Listener. How can I help you today? Marcia?
Hi. Um, I was watching the TV show last night about the Gospels, and it was talking about in Matthew that it told the lineage of Joseph. Mhm. But I was I've always understood that the Jewishness of a person is determined through the mother. And I didn't understand why it was so important to tell the lineage of Joseph and not the lineage of Mary. Well, but then one of your.
Let me, let me, let me, let me, let me just say the idea that match of matrilineal descent for Jewish people is a very late concept in the Bible. It was not so. That was because so much anti-Semitism, Jewish women were frequently raped, and as a result of that it was unknown who the father was, so the rabbis decided to determine Jewishness through the mother rather than the father. And. But in the Bible, it's either um and the right to the throne of David came by
adoption through through Joseph. That's what Matthew records. Uh, because that's his line is through Solomon and then, uh, through Mary. Luke records Mary's genealogy, and that shows that the Lord Jesus is an actual physical descendant of King David. So he truly is the son of David. And that's why both are given. Uh, Matthew gives Joseph's lineage the right through Solomon. And then, uh, Mary's lineage through Nathan shows that he is actually the son of David. So. Okay.
Thanks for your call, Marsha. Okay. Uh, and, uh, Yee Ping in Chicago, Illinois, listening on Wmbi. How can I help you today?
Hi. Good morning. Finally, I got through the line. Go ahead with your question.
We're sort of at the end of the program. Yeah.
Yeah. I just want to say one thing. I really appreciate your program. I learned a lot about the Hebrew Bible, but I. Only one question. You know, the Ten Commandments, they specifically said about honoring our parents, but not really how to teach our children. Is that because emphasize the relationship, our relationship with God?
Well, I'll tell you why I think it is. I think there are other commandments in the law that teach about parental responsibilities. But we often think of the Ten Commandments when it talks about honor your father and mother, that it's referring to little children honoring their parents. I don't I don't believe that's how the Lord Jesus applied it. He talks about it in Matthew 15 about, uh, children.
Adult children seeing their aged parents coming and and avoiding helping them by saying all their goods and wealth are devoted to God so they don't have to help their aged parents. And so I think this command, which was given to Israel, to the adults, that when your parents get old, don't abandon them. Don't think, oh, they're such a burden. Rather, honor your parents for what they've done for you and help them and encourage them and support them where you can. Be a strength to your parents
when they get old. Not someone that don't treat them as if they are a burden. And I think that's what the Ten Commandments is saying when it says, honor your father and your mother. Uh, it's not talking about, uh, little children. It's really talking about you and me when we come to adulthood to care for, to respect, to honor those parents. That gave a lot for us. Uh, I hope that helps. Yi-ping. Uh, there's another time we can talk about what does the Bible say about parents
responsibility to children? Uh, well, that's the program for the week. I can't believe it's over. It's the fastest two hours of the week for me. Thanks for listening, everyone. Especially those of you who called or wrote you, make this program possible thanks to the Open Line team. Tricia. Ryan. Tyra. Uh, tiara, all of you, for making Open Line possible. Keep in touch with us by going to our website, Open Line radio.org.
It's got all the links you're looking for there. Keep reading the Bible and we'll talk about it next week. Open line with Doctor Michael Ray is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute. Have a great day and see you next week.