Hello, friends. Welcome to the second hour of Open Line, Moody Radio's Bible Study Across America. My name is Michael Riedel. I'm the academic dean and professor of Jewish studies and Bible at Moody Bible Institute. So grateful you're joining me around the radio kitchen table for the second hour. Normally, what we would do is take your phone calls with your questions about the Bible, God, or the spiritual life. But today it's a little different. We have a live
studio audience right here at Moody Bible Institute. A group of people were in the studio B at Moody Radio radio. And we've got people here and they're going to ask the questions today. We also have a few questions if you would like to email a question in and you're listening. The best way to do that is not just to send an email. Just go to our website, site open line radio.org. And there you'll find a link that says Ask Michael a question. And when you click on that,
you'll be able to post your question. And Trish will add it to the mailbag. And we do have some mailbag questions this hour as well. And uh, joining me, uh, this first couple of segments of the program is the man who is responsible for me actually working, teaching at Moody Bible Institute, Doctor Joe Stoll, who was president when I came on in 1994.
Michael, you were by far my best hire. No, no doubt about it.
I'll give you the money later. Thanks. Uh, so I do remember joking around with you, uh, at the interview, which I was so nervous, I started making some jokes, and you laughed, and then that was it. I was okay, so I remember that.
You've been you've been, uh, a rich blessing to Moody and to the people all over the globe. Michael. So thanks for saying yes To come to Moody.
Thank you so much. Well, you know, I have to say, being at Moody Bible Institute, teaching the Bible, so many students, uh, and also being on the radio and people listening to Moody Radio. But when I think of the students in my classes and, you know, now over 30 years, I'm just so grateful to God, it is the greatest privilege that God has given me to teach the word uh, to to not just teach the word, but I teach Jewish studies, I teach things, I try and make everything
biblically based. But, you know, I meet people all over the globe, former students of mine who are sharing the good news with Jewish people and those Jewish studies classes. I'm. So my heart goes pitter patter. I am so grateful to God that he gave me that privilege.
Yeah, my highest joy when I served here was students. Yeah. You know, I didn't come for the paperwork. I actually, I did I did the paperwork to keep the job I loved. Right? Yeah, right. But it was the students that I knew were going to go out and wrap around the gospel around the globe. You know, like you say, that's the highest joy of Moody Bible Institute.
People have been asking me how I like being Dean. I say I do because each year of being Dean is like a dog year. Seven years for every human year. You know, I'm actually only 39 and I look a lot older, that's all. But, uh. But anyway, that's. I agree with you. It's, uh, it's a great privilege. And I'm so glad, uh, Joe is now our global ambassador and assistant and wise, wise man and guide for our president, doctor Mark Jobe.
Glad to be on his team. It's wonderful to be back at Moody again.
Yeah. I'm so glad you're here. And, you know, we've traveled to Israel together. We've traveled to Greece together. It's so much fun. I love this job that you have. Uh, come with me, Joe. We're going to go to these places.
Love to travel with you, because I get to sit under your teaching.
Oh, yeah. Right. We both.
Seriously.
We both teach. It's fun, but. Okay. Uh, I, I we're going to go to, uh, questions now. We're going to start with one question right here.
Hi, I'm Julie, I'm from Chicago. Um, I had a question. I've been invited to participate in a Passover seder before, but I wasn't sure if that was okay. Based on my reading in Exodus, Exodus 1248, which seems to indicate that Passover is meant only for the Jewish people and only circumcised males can participate, or similarly, Jewish observant females.
Well, uh, Exodus 1248 says this. Uh, uh, I'll read you the verse because you're quoting it. If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the Lord's Passover, every male in his household must be circumcised, and then he may participate. He will become like a native of the land. That's what it's saying. now the what is that the purpose of that? I want to know what kind of Passover you've been invited to. Is it a messianic Jewish Passover? Is it as a more traditionally Jewish Passover?
That's a great question. I think probably both. I think, um, actually through a church that I was attending. Okay. Um, I've been invited. I've also had friends that wanted to host a Seder. Um, and then I think Chosen People Ministries.
Yeah. Okay. Well, you've you've seen seders here at Moody, haven't you? Yes. Yeah. Uh, I've had a I've led a a Seder here at Moody Bible Institute for 32 years. Uh, we have a new Jewish studies professor, Doctor Michael Gabizon, and this is on April 16th. He's going to be leading a seder here at Moody Bible Institute. It's my first time in my years here that I am not leading that Seder. So I've been doing it a long time here, and, uh, we never check any kind of
personal areas as people come in for the Seder. That's, uh. That is not what that's about. What that is about is saying people may want to come in and live in the land of Israel, and they may still be pagan. They may still worship the gods of Egypt. And so they can't do that. They have to affiliate not just with the Jewish people. They have to affiliate with the God of Israel and identify with him. And that's why that's required. Now let me this is going to be surprising.
Have you put your trust in Jesus, the Messiah?
Absolutely.
Okay. Well, if you have done that, if you believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose again, you actually have engaged with the God of Israel, you are a fully accepted by him. A lot of times people think, oh, the the the God of the Bible, he's not the God of Israel. No, he's the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He's the God of Israel. And the Bible says that you are related to him through the New covenant.
And Romans 11 says that people who aren't Jewish are who believe in Jesus, are grafted in not to Israel, but into that new covenant relationship with God. Uh, Israel, those who believe they they're the natural branches in this image of an olive tree. They're the natural branches, if they believe. Uh, Gentiles who believe. People who aren't Jewish are grafted into that New covenant relationship. And, uh, it's contrary to nature because, you know, they're wild. Uh, olive branches.
And yet, nevertheless, God does that. And so go, because it's a great way to learn about the significance of Jesus being the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Okay.
Thank you.
Yeah. Uh, so, uh, what we're going to do before we go to another question, I want to tell you about our current resource. Now, our current resource is a book that will really help you because people, you know, I hold up my Bible and papers fall out every time, but I hold up my Bible and I say, this is something that we need to read on a daily basis, and people usually agree with me, but then they'll say something like, but how did we get it? You know,
how was this book inspired? How was it copied? How do we know we can be sure of it? That that it's without error. How do we know how it was transmitted by copyists? And how did they pick the right books and the canon? And how do which English translation is helpful? Well, those are the questions that our current resource answers. It's written by Doctor Carl Laney. It's called The Story of the Bible, and it takes you from inspiration all the way to translation and the English
translations we have today. It's a really helpful tool to help you understand this book, not the contents of the book, but how we got this book. I think it's a great resource and it's yours if you give a gift of any size. We are so grateful for every gift that people give to Open Line. We want to say thanks by sending you a copy of this terrific resource by Carl Laney. The story of the Bible how to give Your gift. Just go to our website, Open Line Radio.com.
Or you can go to. Call this number (888) 644-7122. So it's either open line radio.org. You can give your gift there. And then you can uh do that uh give there. Or you can give by calling (888) 644-7122. Now, Joe, let me ask you this. You were a pastor so many years. How often did people ask you questions about that? Not what does this verse mean?
But I think that's always been a point of interest, hasn't it? Like, how did we get it and can we trust it? Yeah. You know, like it was written so long ago and it's been translated so many times. Can we really trust what we have? And I think the book you're offering is answering a very critical question. If you can't trust the Word of God, then you can't walk by its steps. And Satan will deceive you
to other ways to walk and live. Right? But when you trust the authority of the Word of God, then you can confidently follow in its footsteps.
Yeah. One of my favorite things I get to do on normal open line programs is I take about five minutes at the beginning of each program and I teach something. And two weeks ago I taught about the inspiration of the Bible. All Scripture is God breathed. And last week I talked about the inerrancy of the Bible, that the words of the Lord Jesus in John 17, your word is truth. Uh, and and those are, I think, so crucial Because it's like Jenga. Jenga? Is that the name
that your kids grandkids play that game? It's these little things. Blocks one on top of the other. And my. And then they finally it falls over when it gets real tall. But my my little boy when he was, he's not so little anymore. But when he was little, he would pull one of the blocks out from the bottom and make it all tumble down. And that's what it is. If we take away biblical inspiration and inerrancy, everything falls.
Exactly. And I think you were talking about truth, right? So we live in a world where I can make up my own truth for my own life. And that's always a dead end street I've learned a long time ago. My first instincts are usually wrong. Right? Seriously? You know. You know, I don't quickly forgive people who have offended me. That's not. But the Word of God is an external truth that is always true. And it's not something that
I just experiment with. So the the solidarity of having an external truth that is always true, that I can trust in, is a great gift from God. And it's in this book.
Yeah. And that's that's why we have Open Line actually, because that's it's people have questions about the word. How does it apply to my walk with the Lord? How do I understand God? I really do try because of this book being so dependable, so trustworthy. That's where we try and get our answers from. So, well, we are going to a break right now and when we come back, we have more questions from our live studio audience, more
answers from Doctor Joe Stoll. That's what a what a great thing to have.
What do you think about that, Michael?
Yeah. What do you think? We're going to be right back. This is open line with Michael Redlick. Stay with us. More questions straight ahead. Welcome back to Open Line. I'm so glad to be with you today with our live audience asking the questions today. And joining me for this segment again is Doctor Joe stole my, uh, you know, now, uh, my neighbor we exactly. Yeah. We've got a place near near each other.
You moved in and nobody said there goes the neighbor.
Oh, no. That's good. They actually, they may have said that. We don't know. Not a chance. It's great. Anyway, uh, we have someone here to ask a question. Go ahead.
Hi, I'm Courtney from Ohio.
And we're in Ohio.
Um, Stowe. Stowe, Ohio.
Stowe, Ohio. I my very first congregation that I led out of seminary was in Columbus, Ohio.
About two hours south.
Yep.
Yeah. So my question is, if you can talk about the Millennial Kingdom a little bit and the thousand year reign studying revelations 20 and 21 this week. It's all clear as mud to me right now, and I'm wondering. It says we'll reign with Christ. So are we there in immortal bodies, while there are also people there in mortal bodies coexisting together for that time period?
Yeah. This is one of the things that gets kind of confusing to people. But first, before anything else, uh, what do you think about the number 1000? Do you think it's real?
Well, actually, I do think it's real. I think it's a literal statement. I think that's the best reading sometimes you get in Scripture. Like, there could be multiple readings and you say, well, which is the best? Maybe not. Like I'll die for this, but. So I think it's the best reading.
I agree. You know, this is one of the reasons why I, you know, because nowhere else. It talks about the messianic kingdom, a literal, physical, earthly kingdom that the Messiah will reign over. You can read about that in Isaiah 11 and lots of places, but it never says it's a thousand years except in revelation 20. So some people say it's just a long time, but every other number in the book of revelation is a literal number. You know, there are really seven bowl judgments. There really
are seven. Seal judgments and seven trumpet judgments. And there are a lot of numbers in the book of revelation, and they are all real numbers. And so that's why I think a thousand years makes the most.
They will need to repopulate correctly. So they do need that time span.
Okay. So here I'm going to try my best. And this is one of those questions that I know Joe. Joe had a Founders Week that he led in the year 2000. And I don't know if you remember it, but it was, uh, about prophecy. And it was the first time he ever asked me to speak at a Founders Week. He said, oh, it's about prophecy. Get ready in there. So that was it. So. But, uh, So anyway, the, uh, the the very first thing is, I believe the next step,
the thing that we're waiting for is the rapture. Now, there are people who have views that the rapture or the the, uh, Great Snatch is what I like to call it from first Thessalonians 413 through 18. Uh, that when the Lord snatches the church up. Some people think it happens in the during the tribulation near the end of the tribulation, after the tribulation. And you know, we're not going to go to war over this. Some people don't even believe it happens. But here's the thing, I
believe it. I think it happens before a future seven year period where there's going to be all sorts of pressure on Israel and all sorts of political domination by a future world ruler. Uh, the prince who is to come, he's called. He's called the beast. Uh, some people call him the Antichrist, and he's going to do all these terrible things. And what will happen is the pressure on Israel become so great as the wrath of God comes
on the earth. But this future false Messiah is going to put so much pressure on Israel that it will cause Israel, ultimately, at the end of this seven year period, to call out for Jesus. This is from Matthew 23, verses 37 through 39. It says, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how I would have gathered you as a mother hen gathers her chicks, but you were not willing. And then he says, now your house is being left to you desolate. How long the Jerusalem is going to be destroyed? The temple
will be destroyed. But for how long? Until you say, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. And so Jesus says to Jerusalem, I'm not returning until those are words of welcome in Hebrew. Baruch Hashem, Adonai, until you welcome me back. I am not returning. So that's why God puts the pressure on Israel to turn them. And it says in Zechariah 1210 they look upon the pierced one and they mourn for him as one mourns for an only son, mourning of repentance because of all
the years of rejection. And, uh. And then so these Jewish people, like Paul, talks about all Israel at the end of this time, they believe, and they're saved. They enter the kingdom, but they do not have glorified bodies because they're just going to go right into the kingdom. Who enters the kingdom with glorified bodies? Those of us who have been translated, the raptured, those who have died and been resurrected, those of us that the Old Testament
saints will be resurrected. It says in Daniel 12, I think right at the beginning of that earthly kingdom. So there'll be people there who are glorified, resurrected bodies, and then these Jewish people will enter the kingdom, and they will not be glorified. They will be believers, but not yet glorified. Also, Matthew 25 deals with the judgment of the sheep and the goats. Now people say, well, who
are those sheep and goats? Well, if you read the text, it says in Matthew 25 that this is the judgment of the Gentile nations, when at the return of the Lord there will be mostly Gentile nations that are oppressing Israel, but there will be people who, because they are believers, they will oppose the anti-Semitism of that future false Messiah.
They will protect Jewish people. And that's why the Lord Jesus says to them, uh, inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, my brothers, my physically Jewish brothers, you've done it unto me. Enter into the joy. Enter the kingdom, and they will enter the kingdom. These believers who protected Jewish people during the tribulation period. These
people will enter the kingdom without glorified bodies. So how does the Millennial Kingdom get populated by both Jewish and Gentiles who love the Lord Jesus and enter that kingdom, and then will be there raining over them does that.
So they're living mortal bodies and marrying and having children. Yes, but believers will not be. So how is that raining? Is that a different? We're living together.
Yeah. We'll be serving the Lord there. Yeah, I think so.
Yeah. What does Michael the raining aspect so.
Well, for example, the 12 apostles are going to rain over Israel.
Mhm.
Over the 12 tribes. We know that from Matthew 1928, because they are the faithful remnant of Israel, and that was what was promised to them. So there's going to be and I don't know, raining that, you know, kiss
my ring or anything like that. I think we'll be serving, uh, as representatives of the Lord in various you know, there's going to be I don't think it's right to call it the deep state in the messianic kingdom, but there will be an administration of government and we will serve in that, it seems like to me.
Thank you.
So yeah. Okay. We have another question coming up. There we go. Stepping up. Get real close to that microphone.
My name is Olivia Bird, and I'm from Glen Ellyn. And my question is why is Jesus's death and resurrection resurrection told in four different perspectives instead of only being told once?
Oh, there we go. Do you want me first? Okay. Well, I think that. Here's what I would compare it to when people serve. I remember this during the Reagan presidency of Ronald Reagan, haven't you? Yeah, yeah. Good. Okay. I'm glad they still teach him something in school. Uh, I remember when President Reagan became president, there were all these people who left private service. You know, they were in the private world, business and things like that. And they
entered his administration. And then after serving for several years, they left. And this is what's so interesting. They all seem to write memoirs, and I think the Gospels should be read much more like apostolic memoirs than as biographies. Uh, they're about their engagement with the Lord Jesus and what they experienced so that other people could experience that as well. And so they wrote apostolic. That's because they were apostles, sent ones apostolic memoirs. And it was what did I
encounter when I met the King? What was it like? Uh, how I saw him do these marvelous miracles. This confirms he really is who he claimed to be. Uh, he really did heal, uh, the blind, the lame. Uh, uh, he did teach this, uh, and and they each have a different perspective. All true, but a different perspective. And so, you know, sometimes people will need to hear a message from one person one way, and then another person needs
to hear it a different way. So for example, Matthew is writing for Jewish people and he shows how Jesus fulfills the prophecies. But Luke's writing for the Greco-Roman world, and they need to hear about how Jesus is the Son of man, that he's the perfect representative for God. And so everyone needs to hear it differently. And so we have four stories that present the same truth from different perspectives. And that's why we have four apostolic memoirs.
Yeah, I think that spot on that like if four people see an event and then the one person tells you about it, they tell you and the next person tells you, the next person tells you something that they saw that the other person forgot to tell. Right. So what you get, Olivia, is four different perspectives of the same thing. And each perspective is rich in its own. Because the first person. Oh, yeah, I should have said
that because. And you get a much better, broader picture of it because all four of them kind of see the whole thing and all the details, whereas just one person may not have told all those details. So I think we get a richer, fuller picture of Jesus.
You know, there's a how old are you?
Um, 14.
That was a that was a personal question there, Michael.
Well, I when I see someone who's under 18, I'm. I'm allowed.
Don't ask my wife that question.
I would not I would not. But a teenager, I think I can ask. Uh, the reason I'm saying that is, as you get a little bit older and you come to Moody Bible Institute as a student, one of the things that I would encourage you to do. Are you thinking about coming to Moody?
Yeah, it's one of my options, probably.
Yeah. I hope you'll really consider it. I think it's the. No matter what you do in life. Going to Moody was the best foundation for life for me. I have friends who are lawyers and bankers and all sorts of things. Uh, but. And some in ministry. But we all went to Moody together, and it gave us a great foundation. But one of the books that you'll maybe read if you ever came to Moody is a book by David Alan Black. It's called Why Four Gospels, and it is a wonderful, helpful book,
maybe a little bit beyond you right now. But when you're a freshman at Moody or a sophomore, the perfect time to read it. Why four gospels and, uh, or you can try, you know, make your make your dad buy it for you. You know, that's, uh, I don't get any commission on that, but it's a really good book, and it really is helpful for explaining the question that that you had. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. And, you know, if you're listening and you're thinking, what do I do
with my son's life? My daughter's life? My grandkids recommend they check out Moody Bible Institute, come to one of our experienced Moody's. It's one of the best places to get a great foundation for all of life. This is open line with a live audience. Joe Stoll, Michael Ray Zelnick we'll be right back with more questions straight ahead. Stay with us. Welcome back to Open Line. It's time for the Febc mailbag. The mailbag is something that Febc
partners with us to bring you every week. You can send your questions to Open Line by going to Open Line radio.org clicking on Ask Michael a question. Febc then makes it possible for you to put your question there. Trish puts it in the mailbag, but I am so grateful for febc a ministry that reaches people through media and personal contact. It's a marvelous ministry. Check out their podcast called Until All Have Heard by going to Febc. And there's Tricia. I've got two. This is really kind
of interesting. Tricia is the producer of Open Line. Here she is.
Yes, here I am. That's right.
I heard her voice on Moody Radio the other day. There was an announcement about this program. This Saturday I was listening to Moody Radio, and it's my voice saying, join us this Saturday. And then Trish's voice comes in at the end with the call letters of the station and all that.
And what time to listen, you know, so I know when to listen.
Oh, this is so much better than when I used.
To do that.
I just love that. And then also joining me right now for these questions is Eva Rydell, who is my real partner in life, uh, for.
Uh, yay, these many years.
Oh, yeah. Many, many years. We've been married, uh, since we were both children, it seems like. Because we were.
So go back to moody days.
Yeah, back to moody days. Yes. Uh, anyway, uh, now this is important. I always talk about how there's a real partnership in what we do here on Open Line. I talk about everyone all the time, whether it's Omar or Tahira or Trisha or Eva usually texting me the answers to questions. It is it is a real partnership. And there are other partners, people who listen. When I first started on Open Line, I thought, no one's going to listen to this program. Why would they listen to me?
But Eva would listen, and I'm grateful for every listener. I am so grateful. And then not only that, there are people who commit to give to open line. Sometimes people will just give one time, I really appreciate that. But also there are other people who will give monthly. There are kitchen table partners. They sit around the radio kitchen table every week. They are listening, and they help keep us on the air every week by giving monthly.
And we so appreciate that. And when they do that, I send a Bible study moment every other week and it's an audio Bible study. Trish produces it and we get it out to people. And it's just a few minutes in the word to encourage you. I hope that if you're listening and you'd never thought of maybe, uh, turning your occasional gift into that monthly gift that you would consider today, become a kitchen table partner. If you'd like to do that, all you have to do is
call (888) 644-7122 or go to open line radio.org. Appreciate it if you would. Okay let's let's hit some questions for Eva.
All right Lauren is in Indiana listens to what is your interpretation of revelation 316. I heard an explanation that refers to the church of Laodicea as an example of the types of water that they could get. A source that was cold but came from six miles away, and another source that was hot, and then they were both lukewarm by the time they arrived. Saying that the people were like that water. Um, what is God actually saying in this verse? So let me read it real quick.
It's I'm going to start at verse 14, right to the angel of the church of Laodicea. The Amen. The faithful and true witness, the originator of God's creation, says, I know your works, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I'm going to vomit you out of my mouth. Yeah.
Well.
Let me just start.
Okay, good. Go ahead.
Some people think, well, there were hot springs and cold springs in Laodicea, and that's the background. And it very well may be that the church at Laodicea, Laodicea would say, huh? It's like these cold springs and hot springs, but you don't need that to understand it. Uh, right. First rule of biblical interpretation. In order to understand the Bible, we
need to read it. And just reading it, here's what we know that some things are either hot and we like them, and some things are either cold and that's great, but tepid lukewarm, not so good.
Yeah, I think that's the big idea. I mean, you know, geographically, whether there were these springs or not, um, is not the point of the, of the text. I think that the point is, is when you're sitting at your counter in the morning and you think, I'm going to take that last sip of coffee and it's lukewarm. You just think, well, you.
Spit it right out.
Or on a hot summer day and you think, man, I just I'm so. I'm so hot. I just want some of this good iced tea. And you reach over, and it's been on the counter for an hour and a half, and it's not iced tea anymore. It's lukewarm. You don't want it. I think that's the point.
Yeah. So it's saying the message to them is you have to be what you are called to be. Uh, which is, uh, either. Cold. Not meaning cold and heart, but like iced tea. Uh.
Refreshing cold water? Yeah.
Refreshing cold water or hot coffee? That's nothing better, I think, at about six in the morning. You know, black hot coffee, steaming, burning my tongue. I love that. Okay. That. But this tepid, not caring, not anything that's that demonstrates a lack of faith. And it's that church would be spat out. Uh, and it it it happened. There is no church there now. Uh, really, uh, from what was there in, in the first century.
Okay. All right. Our next question is from David in Florida, listens to R&;B in Luke 1818 to 20. Jesus answers the question from the rich young ruler, but he only recites a portion of the Ten Commandments. I'm curious why he skips the first ones. So this says a ruler asked him, good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Why do you call me good? Jesus asked him. No one is good but one God. You know the commandments do not. Oh, by the.
Way, don't you? Don't you think this guy had no idea? He's talking to God in the flesh. Yeah. You know, I think that's he's not denying his deity there. He's just saying no one is good but God. Why are you calling me good? Do you know who I am? You know, he had no idea. No. Yeah.
So Jesus says, you know the commandments do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Honor your father and mother. Why does he just recite this portion and not the rest of the Ten Commandments?
Yeah. Like, uh, the beginning. You shall have no other gods before me. Right. Uh. That's a good question, Eva. I was waiting to hear what you had to say.
I think that's a good question. Uh, you know, I think maybe he reminded him of the things that were the most crucial to this man's life. You know, these maybe these issues were the ones that were the most telling in his. In his life. Um, and, you know, the point is that, um, what is you know, what is the point? What is his. What is big? What is his big point when he talks to the man about this? What does the guy do? He turns away sorrowful because he didn't want to make it sold out. Obedience.
His superficial obedience. Okay. Sold out. Not so good.
Yeah. I think it's so interesting that we always expect if Jesus is going to going to quote the Ten Commandments, he can't just quote a selection. And I think it's because when you look at the ones that he just picked a, a segment of them, but he picked the ones about interpersonal relationships. I think that's so interesting. Maybe this guy was very strong at worship, you know, and but not so strong at interpersonal relationships. We've never met
anyone like that. Right. And so maybe that's exactly what he was saying, that that's that's what he pointed out. So I think it's just selective. Are we going to have another question from our audience here? Nope. We're going to take a break here. And what we're going to do is when we come back, we're going to do our best to get as many questions in that we can for our live studio audience. It's going to be really easy because Eve is very good at answering questions.
That's Eve or I don't think that was Joe stole before. Now it's Michael right here talking. We'll be right back. Stay with us. More questions on open line. Straight ahead. Welcome back to Open Line. And Eva Reinicke is joining me for this last segment. She did last segment. Eve has taught at Moody for as long as I have. Uh, she has taught, I think, more courses than anyone I know and also contributed to the Moody Bible Commentary. Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Lamentations.
I went for the upbeat books.
And also contributed to The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy and other books as well. And so I am grateful when I joke around and I say that Eve is texting me the answers. Not so much of a joke. Uh, I'm really glad that she's here. Uh, when when when it stumped Michael. Then the answer comes in on my phone. I'm really grateful for it. Uh, chosen People Ministry is one of our partners. Is offering a book that's really timely.
It's called a Passover, a time for redemption. It's really about how this Passover season, which teaches about from the Bible, from the book of Exodus, the redemption of Israel through the Passover lamb, how that foreshadows Jesus, the Messiah, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And if you're interested in that, I think it's a great resource. What you could do is go to our website, openline. radio.org. Scroll down. You'll see a link that says A free
gift from Chosen People Ministries. You can click on that. It takes you to a page where you can sign up for your own copy of Passover, A time for redemption. And we're going to start with questions right now.
Okay. My name is al from Grand Rapids. And my question is what is the difference between Amillennial and premillennial?
Okay. So I have to say this. It's really important that Amillennial and Premillennial both believe in the return of the Lord Jesus. And what I think is most important is to believe that when Jesus said he's coming back, that we believe he's coming back. Uh Amillennial believes. Well, Premillennial believes that the Lord Jesus will return before the Millennial Kingdom. There will be a messianic kingdom on earth for a thousand years. That's why it's called the millennium.
And the Lord Jesus returns and establishes that kingdom and reigns from Jerusalem. Okay. On earth. And then after that, there's one last rebellion. And then after that rebellion is put down. Then what happens is that there's the world to come. The new heavens and the new earth, the new creation that's going to be made where we serve God forever and ever and ever. Amillennialists believe that the new creation and the forever and ever and ever happens
right when the Lord returns. And there isn't that 1000 year reign.
Okay.
So some believe in a pre millennial before the millennium, and some people believe in no millennium, just the forever.
Okay. Thank you.
That's good.
Hi. I'm. I'm Charles. I'm from West.
Plainfield, California. Oh, really? Which is near, uh, Davis, California. You probably heard of that town?
Yeah, UC Davis.
Sure. Thank you. Um, there's a lot of good Bible teachers out there, and it's interesting that, uh, many of them have widely differing, um, vantage points on what you would call, um, end times theology. Sure. You have pre-tribulation and amillennialism and, uh, mid mid-trib wrath and all these other things. And, and some of these arguments are quite compelling. So my question for you is for 2025 and all of us that believe right now, how important is it
that we take a stand? Or is it important at all that we take a stand on one of these points? Because some of these teachers are very passionate about this.
Well, I think the reason that some of them differ is they haven't heard Eva explain it well enough. Yeah. Uh, no, I think that there's a and this is important. There's something. When we read the Bible, we read it for the
plain sense. Right? Uh, everyone says they do that, but there are people who, when they read, uh, about the plain sense that God has a plan for Israel and the restoration of the Jewish people to the land and the promises that God made to Israel, they say, well, if a plain sense makes sense, seek no other sense. But that doesn't make sense. God's done with the Jewish people. And so they they then say, that's the church. And all of a sudden it changes their whole end of days, uh,
Plan that they understand. Uh, and so it's important to me, uh, in this sense that I think that God keeps his word and that the proof that God is going to be faithful to Israel. Why is that? Such an important proof is because at the end of Romans eight, Paul says, nothing is going to separate us from the love of God. And you could just see everyone saying, wait a minute, what about Israel? God separated from them. And then Romans nine through 11 comes to vindicate God, to show no,
he's going to keep his promises to Israel. And and so I think, uh, that leads me to think it's important for those of us in the church to have confidence in God's faithfulness by, uh, by believing that God will keep his promises to Israel. And that leads me to taking a much more literal understanding of those end of days events than some of my brothers. Now, I'm glad they believe in a literal return of Jesus. Now you want to add anything about that?
Well, you know, this is sort of like theological systems and and like Michael said, we need to look at all of the scripture all together. Well, John Stott said this. He says theological systems are certainly illegitimate and even necessary
academic discipline. But God did not choose to reveal himself in a systematic form, and all systems are exposed to the same temptation, the same danger, namely, to trim God's revelation to fit our system instead of adapting our system to accommodate his holistic revelation.
Yeah. So I think I try to be as, uh, faithful and true to the text and even interpret prophetic matters literally as best I can. I recognize there are symbols and things like that, but there's a literal significance to it, and that's why I turn out the way I do. Uh eschatologically. Does it separate me from people? Do I say, no? I can't have fellowship with that, brother? No, no, no.
How important is it for us to take a stand? You take a stand. You're an educator?
Well, I think I'm a teacher, but I'm a student first. I think anyone that wants to understand God's word should do their best to understand it. Because you're going to teach someone. So there you go. That's what I think. Understand it as best you can. Teach it to someone else.
Yes. Thank you. I'm Kyle from Carmel, Indiana. And as I've listened here just during this, I've been taught what a dynamic duo are. I had no idea of your background. So. So as I asking this question, it's just kind of morphed. But in in light of God being not only my God as a Gentile, but the God of the Jews.
And in light of NDEs, as you mentioned here in this country, I watch world events and I watch bombing of the Houthis over in Yemen and, and you know, be be coming over here Monday and all this and I'm like, okay, how do how do I speak to my fellow saved or unsaved Jewish or non-Jewish friends and, and and reconcile all this kind of thing?
Mhm. Well, I would say, for example, the bombing of the Houthis right now, the United States is involved in a serious bombing campaign. It is not for Israel. The Jewish people have not made Donald Trump do that, though. That's what people who are anti-Semitic will say. Uh, Jewish people don't have that much influence. But the the reason that is happening is because shipping. Our ships have been attacked. Our shipping has been attacked. The United States in the
the Red sea. And that's why that is being ordered. Because it is our shipping. In fact, you know, the United States Navy began under Thomas Jefferson because of the Barbary pirates.
Yeah, the Mediterranean pirates. That's where our navy began.
Yeah, that's to protect our shipping lanes. And that's why this is happening. It's not happening because of Israel. Israel is handling the Houthi missiles with with the defense systems that they have. The Iron Dome is protecting them. But the it's the the United States shipping that's under attack. And our military vessels in the Red sea are being attacked. That's why we are doing this. It's in the interests of the United States of America, not for Israel. And
I want to be really clear about that. Wow. Why is Bibi coming here? Because it is in the interests of the United States and Israel. Both of us are. We're allies, uh, to keep Iran from getting nuclear weapons. And I think that that I'm not sure of it, but I think that's what that is about. Why? Why that's happening.
Okay.
Yeah. Do you have a follow up?
Yes I do. I have, uh, Jewish clients back home, and I'm always concerned about calling them because I don't want to interrupt their calendar and, ah, their days off limits to to their calendar that I shouldn't ever dare call.
Depends on the observance level of your Jewish friend. You know, Jewish people where we are a very varied people. Yeah. Right. Some Jewish people are very observant. Don't call them on Shabbat. It doesn't matter if you call them on Saturday because their phone's off. They're not going to pick it up anyway.
But there's very not a big orthodox community. Really? Yeah.
I see, because I have talked to in the past and they'll they'll look at one another and say, well, we've got such and such. Let's. So I'm like.
Yeah, don't call him the first night of Passover. They're busy.
Right. Don't call on Yom Kippur. Otherwise you're pretty safe.
Yeah. Pretty safe. And usually what they'll what my what I do is I turn my phone off when I don't want to get a call. So do your Jewish friends. So. Yep. Hey, everyone. Thank you for being here. That's the program for the week and thanks for listening and thanks, all of you, for having the boldness to ask questions right here on the radio. Thank you so much for that. Thanks for the Open Line team. Uh, Trisha and Omar and Joel and Tara. I'm going to forget someone, but I appreciate
and thanks Joe and Eva for joining me. Keep in touch with us by going to our website, Openline. radio.org. It's got all the links you're looking for, including how to get our current resource and also how to become a kitchen table partner. Keep reading the Bible. We'll talk about it next week. Open line with Doctor Michael. Radio mic is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.
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