Hello, friends. Welcome to Open Line. I am so glad to be with you today. My name is Michael Wright. It's the second hour of Open Line. This is Moody Radio's Bible study across America. We're talking about your questions about the Bible, God and the spiritual life. My name, as I said, is Michael Wright. And I'm the academic dean and professor of Jewish studies and Bible at Moody Bible Institute. We're sitting around the radio kitchen table talking about your questions, so why not give me a call?
The phone number is (877) 548-3675. That's (877) 548-3675. And you can always put a question in the mailbag so that it can show up a little bit later. If you can't call just go to our website online radio.com Org and click on the link that says Ask Michael a question. I hope you have your Bibles open, and I hope you have a second cup of coffee, because we're getting
ready right now to talk about the scriptures. Now, before we talk about the scriptures, I do want to talk about something that I think is is crucial to know about. And that is that so many times people want to know where we got the Bible from. How did how did it go from divine inspiration to the original autographs to copyists, to the transmission from author, from copyists to copyists to translators to modern translations that we have? Uh, how did we get this Bible? Well, if that's something
you've wondered about, that's what our current resource answers. It's a book called The Story of the Bible. It was written by Doctor Carl Laney, who is a professor for many, many years at Western Baptist Seminary, Western Conservative Baptist Seminary out in Portland. And it's a it's a terrific, terrific book.
It's called The Story of the Bible. And in it, Doctor Laney reveals how God worked through inspiration, uh, through, uh, all the way through scribes, through the human authors, through scribes, through translators to give us his written word. And I know that this book will give you greater confidence in God's Word, help you really understand how we got the Bible. And I think that's a great thing for us all
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can just call (888) 644-7122. Either go to open line radio. Org or (888) 644-7122. And remember to ask for the story of the Bible when you give your gift. We're going to talk to Renee in Freeport, Illinois, listening on. Welcome to Open Line, Renee. How can I help you today?
Hi. Good morning, and I appreciate you taking my call. I'm going to make this very quick. Um, I'm doing a study on Joseph, who I adore. Um, based on Joseph's, on his family values and what God commanded. Why was it? Why was he allowed to take a foreign wife?
Uh, he took an Egyptian wife, right?
Correct.
Yeah.
The pharaoh's daughter. Correct?
Yeah. I don't know if it was Pharaoh's daughter. I know it was an Egyptian wife. Um, Uh.
Yeah.
Uh, I'm trying to asnot. I think her name was. Wasn't that her name? Uh, but, uh, the I think that that it's it's one thing that obviously the Israelites living in the land of Israel, when they entered the land, they weren't supposed to marry Canaanites. Um, they there was a distinction made between those who were of the the people that knew the God of Israel and the pagans
around them, and they weren't supposed to marry those pagans. Uh, it fits with what we see in the New Testament, where it says that a believer should really marry a believing wife or a believing husband, a believing spouse. Uh, I think that those are general, generally good rules to follow. Uh, that those all go together. Uh, it says, uh, just so you know, so I can. Clarify. In first Corinthians nine five it says, don't we have the right to
be accompanied by a sister? As a wife is literally what it says a sister in the Lord as a wife. It doesn't mean he's marrying his sister, but we have a right to marry a sister in the Lord, is what Paul says. Um, and so I think that's a great verse to remember, um, that, uh, that that the Bible does indeed talk about us marrying believers. Uh, you know, some people, uh, use the verse about not being unequally yoked,
but I don't think that's really talking about marriage. But in first Corinthians 739, it says, uh, a wife is bound as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants. Only in the Lord. Any believer is what that means. So? I'm not disputing that. But I do think that where Joseph was a he couldn't leave and go back to the land of Israel. He was there as the prime minister of Egypt. It was during a that was not something that he was going to
do is go back to the land. He had to he was kind of expected to marry. And so he married. Now, I don't know if his wife became a believer in the God of Israel through Joseph, but I think that's that's why he took an Egyptian wife. In my opinion, it was one of those unusual circumstances that he was facing. Okay.
Right. I get it. Okay. Well. Thank you. I appreciate your time this morning.
Yeah. You know, I think sometimes we become. We have to be really careful about this. Uh, good principle there to to marry a believer. Clearly.
Um, absolutely.
Uh, something that we should follow. But you just never know. There. There may be exigent circumstances that might cause an occasional change, like what Joseph did. You know, I, I, uh, my mom married someone that didn't know the Lord after she knew the Lord. It was right after the Holocaust. Um, and, uh, my parents were coming up on, uh, this is kind of a big deal for me. It's 80 years in. May will be the day of the anniversary of their
liberation from concentration camp. May 8th, 1945. So May 8th, 2025 will be 80 years from their day of liberation from slavery. And, uh, that's pretty pretty meaningful to me. But here's the thing that I think is interesting is my dad married after the war. His wife died in childbirth, and, uh, he had a premature infant, my brother in a hospital, and he didn't know what he was going to do. And he saw my mom, uh, who was a nurse in that hospital. And this is in 1947. And he said,
I need someone to care for this baby. And he did sort of an arranged marriage, sort of like in Fiddler on the roof, because he needed someone to care for that baby. And my mom, though she would only want to marry a fellow believer, she felt such compassion for that baby and felt a need to care for
that baby. And also the heartbreak of my dad. After losing his wife and children in the Holocaust and then losing his his wife after the Holocaust, that in light of that circumstance, my mom chose to marry someone that didn't know the Lord. And and I think exigent circumstances, uh, you know, explains that. So that's that's and, you know, I often think about it. What if my mom had said, no, I'm not going to marry someone who doesn't know the Lord. I wouldn't be here. So true. So I don't know,
I what am I going to say? That's, uh. That's. It was a tough, tough situation. So anyway. But thanks.
Absolutely. Yeah. If I, if I could just make a real quick comment, I just want you to know that, um, I wear the Star of David along with my cross around my neck constantly, and I am in full support and pray for Israel all the time.
Oh, thank you so much. I really appreciate that. Hey, you know, I'm so glad you mentioned that. I went to see a movie yesterday and I want to warn people there's some vulgar words used because it's about protesters, uh, and anti-Semitic, uh, events in America mainly. And the name of the movie is called October 8th. Uh, October 8th. And it's, uh, some are calling it October hate. Uh, and it's about antisemitism that has arisen in America. The first seven minutes or so are about the October 7th
attack by Hamas. But October 8th Is about really the main part of the the movie is about the eruption of anti-Semitism across America, particularly on our college campuses. After the attack. And it is, I have to say, the the good news is that it's so well done. It's not enjoyable, but it's so well done, I think. I wish everyone could see it. The bad news is I went to a theater to see it with two friends of mine, and we were the only three people in
the theater. No one is seeing it. And it it just breaks my heart because I think it's so important to see. So, uh, that that's that's crucial. And I appreciate your, your love and support. And thanks for this really interesting and good question. Uh, we're we're going to take a break here. Thanks for calling, Renee. When we come back, we're going to take more of your questions. Uh, you can call 275483675. And when we come back, we'll be taking your questions about the Bible, God and the
spiritual life. This is open line with Michael. Stay with us. We're going to have more questions straight ahead. Welcome back to Open Line. So glad to be with you this Saturday morning. My name is Michael Ryder and we are talking about the scriptures together. Uh, I, I did want to mention that, uh, I'm glad to be here with Tricia and with Omar and Lisa and Titus answering the phones. One of the things I've noticed is that people who write or listen to Open Line will often mention how
much they appreciate the team, and I do too. I know I couldn't pull this off without this team. Uh, I'm so grateful for all of them. I appreciate everyone that listens. You're part of the team too. And especially I want to say how much I appreciate our kitchen table partners. Uh, thanks for being part of the team. Uh, we're we're hoping, uh, we have over 800 right now.
We'd love to see a thousand. Wouldn't that be something? Uh, at least that's what my friend William Washington, the dean of students here at Moody Bible Institute, Dean of student life. He's always saying, when are you going to have 1000? He's like, blaming me. But I am so grateful that I was shocked that there there'd be just a few, let alone 800. I'm really grateful, but we really would love to see a thousand. And if you're interested in
becoming a kitchen table partner, we'd really appreciate it. We send a Bible study moment out to everyone, uh, who is a kitchen table partner. Every other week, you get a special digital Bible study prepared exclusively for our kitchen table partners. How do you become a kitchen table partner? All you have to do is go to our website openline Radio.com or call 886447122. If you decide to do that, I just want you to know we really, really do
appreciate it. And we're going to talk to Bruce in Woodstock, Illinois, listening on Wmbi. Welcome to Open Line, Bruce. How can I help you?
Hi, Doctor Randall. Yeah. My question is related to your first caller on the 9:00 show. Um, since I believe that the a human baby is born with a brain that is like a blank slate, and he goes through life collecting, you know, knowledge, but not necessarily wisdom. My question is, when did Jesus receive God's wisdom and truth? Maybe when he was fasting out in the desert 40 days or.
Oh, I think he was a little bit older than. I think he must have had God's wisdom much earlier, because it says that when he was 12 years old and he went to the temple, they were amazed at his wisdom. Right? So.
Right.
Uh, so, uh, what what I would say is I can't give you a precise age or date, but this is what I do know. Uh, in the third servant song, Isaiah has four servant songs. Four songs about the servant of the Lord, four poems or songs, and they're called the Servant Songs. And the third one, these are messianic passages in the Hebrew Bible that point forward to the Messiah. And the second and third of the servant songs are written in the first person, uh, as like an autobiographical statement.
It's poetically the servant speaks and he says, uh, the Lord God has given me the tongue. Of one who is instructed to know how to sustain the weary with a word. Obviously, he's been taught in wisdom. How? It says he awakens me each morning. He awakens my ear
to listen like those being instructed. And so it seems to me that from the earliest age, when there was some cognizance cognition on the part of of Jesus born to Joseph, to born to Mary, and adopted by Joseph, that this one as a child would be awakened by his true father, and instructed in wisdom and identity and who he really was. Uh, and so by the time he was 12, he was able to or the Jewish leaders in the temple with his great wisdom. Okay, that's what I think.
Okay, so you're saying he had, like, a spiritual mental attitude at an early age, and then he was he awakened every morning to new information coming from God.
I wouldn't say it is some sort of spiritual attitude. I was just saying that God woke him every morning and instructed him. God the father. Okay, thanks for your call. Really appreciate it. Uh, we're going to talk with Tim in Joliet, Illinois, listening on Wmbi. Welcome to Open Line, Tim. How can I help you?
Uh. Yes, sir. Thank you for taking my call. Uh, I got a question about my son. Uh, my son was raised in church his whole life. Uh, I was there when he accepted Jesus Christ as his savior. But now he wants to live a homosexual life. And my question is, can a person who is saved live that type of life and still go to heaven?
Well, I think it's a person. Definitely a person who is a believer could have temptations in that area. Uh, there's no. And not just temptations, but failures. Sins in that area. There's there's no doubt in my mind that that's possible. Um, and, uh. The, the one thing I would say is if he has made a firm decision
to say I am going to live this life. Uh, I don't know what his destiny is, but I would say that, generally speaking, uh, what the Bible says is those who have made that firm decision to live that life really don't know the Lord.
Uh, right.
Uh, but but, uh, I in first Corinthians chapter six, it says, and such were some of you. And so, uh, yes, it's certainly to come out of that and become a believer. Uh, I, you know, I really want to be sensitive about this because I don't know a person's destiny. But I do know what the Bible teaches about this, and, uh, it's it's not a black and white issue. I mean, obviously, people have sins. They have areas, heterosexuals have areas of
sexual temptation and sexual sin. And that doesn't mean they can't be saved. But, uh, if if a person just flagrantly says, I'm not going to obey what the Bible says about this, uh, then I about heterosexuals and I would wonder if they really know the Lord. Uh, but I, I want to give you some time to think and pray for your son. Don't cut off your son.
No, no.
But, uh, you know, Chris Ewen, uh, his, uh, story about how his mom prayed him into the kingdom. Uh, I don't know. Have you read anything by Chris Ewen?
No, sir.
Okay. And he's got a book called Holy Sexuality, which he goes over. Uh, he's got two books. One is his faith story, which I. I can't remember the title, but Trish is going to find it for us in a second. Uh, and, uh, and then there's the book that he wrote called Holy Sexuality. It's Chris, Doctor Christopher Ewen. He was a student at Moody, later became a professor at Moody taught adjunct here. Uh, he it's a remarkable book.
Both of those books are just terrific. Uh, also, you can go to the Moody YouTube channel, the Moody Bible Institute YouTube channel, and you'll see that last year, uh, Chris Ewen spoke at Founders Week and did a marvelous job. And those, uh, recordings are there. And I would watch those. Uh, his his story as well as his teaching workshop. Uh, it's called out of a far country. Uh, Tricia tells me, uh, out of a far country. Uh, I, I care so
deeply for people who have temptations and same sex attraction. Uh, I don't want to write them off. I think that, uh, God can really, uh, bring them to a place of holiness. Um, and, uh, so don't write your son off. Um, okay. I know it breaks your heart.
As a matter of fact, he still goes to church with us.
Okay. Uh, and, you know, uh, sometimes I think people just may have to choose holiness over, uh, carrying out their desires. And that's, uh. I'm not asking anyone to change their desires, but to live in a holy life. To put. Because God's really most concerned about our holiness. He's not concerned about our sexuality as much. Uh, he wants us to be obedient.
And so let me ask you this real quick.
Because when I they pray, I pray that his walk with Jesus Christ would be real and would be right. What else? What? And I've been praying for years about this.
Mhm.
And I was just kind of wondering if maybe, if I'm praying the wrong prayer or should I.
No. You keep praying for him. Pray for him to come to a conviction about being obedient to the Lord in this area and, uh, and to live a life of holiness. That's what I would pray for.
Alrighty. Thank you very much.
Okay. Thanks, Tim, for your call, I appreciate it. Uh, I'm going to let's let's talk with Anthony in Wheaton listening on WNBA. Welcome to Open Line, Anthony. How can I help you?
Yes. I have this question, um, about, um, covering the head while you're praying. And it comes from first Corinthians 11 four where Paul spoke about, uh, not covering your head, uh, as a man who would then dishonor his head. But then we have in Exodus 29 six, we see a report on the high priest and his dress, and his head is covered with a turban. Um, in in our day, um, we see a lot of messianic believers coming to Christ. Um, some of whom are praying with their heads covered and
so on. So I'm not really clear on this. I'd love to have some clarity on it.
Well.
I would, I actually think is referring to there is a sense of shame before God. Uh, that a man would, uh, not just cover his head with a, like, a miter, like the high priest would have worn a crown or, uh, or a turban kind of thing. Might. Or I guess it would be the best description. It's not talking about, uh, a kippah or a some an American people call him
a yarmulke. Uh, that Jewish people wear. It's talking about taking a prayer shawl or something to that effect, and covering one's head up completely, covering the face and using that kind of head cover out of shame before God. But if we know the Lord, what we can do is we can take that head covering off and stand before God through Jesus. And we don't need to do that. But it's not talking about, uh, just a plain kippah or, uh, or even a miter. It's not talking about that.
Very good.
Thank you. Yeah. Appreciate that.
Yeah. Thanks for your call. Appreciate it. Uh, we're going to talk to Dan in Scottsdale, Arizona, listening online. So glad you're doing that. Anyone can get the Moody Radio app and listen online or on their computer. Uh, hey, Dan, how can I help you?
Yes, I am calling about, um, uh, when Israel is, like, going to war.
What do you mean? Biblical Israel? Current modern day Israel. What are you talking about?
Neither. Or are they supposed to, uh, get together and pray about it before they go to war? Or, um, just go to war?
Well.
Obviously in in the Bible, uh, they had a prophet to tell them to go to war or not to go to war. Uh, like, uh, in judges, uh, when the prophetess Deborah basically sets up the attack, tells uh uh uh uh. Barak to go to war. Uh, and he says, Deborah, come with me. But she's a prophetess. She's given him the word. Uh, it's a different circumstance today, like when Israel just went to war with Hamas. Uh, it was based. It's biblical, but it wasn't a direct command.
In Romans 13 four it says a government has been given the power of the sword, the authority of the sword, uh, to punish the wicked and and, uh, to protect the innocent. And when a nation is attacked like Israel was, uh, they have a an obligation to go to war in that circumstance is what Ephesians, Ecclesiastes chapter three says. There's a season for war, a time for war, and a time for peace. And so I don't think that they I'm sure there are people who prayed, but, uh, I
don't know if that answers your question. I hope it does. But there was an obligation to go to war immediately, not necessarily just something that they were going to wait for a prophet to tell them to do so.
Okay. Well, thank you for that.
Yeah. I that's it's not very different than the United States going to war after Pearl Harbor. So that's.
Right.
Same same kind of situation. So anyway, thank. Thanks for your call, Dan. Appreciate it. Uh mailbags. Coming up in just a moment. The Febc mailbag with Tricia McMillan. She's going to be here. We're going to take the questions that you've sent in by going to NPR.org and clicking on Ask Michael a question. We're going to be right back. So stay with us. Welcome back to Open Line. It's
time for the Febc mailbag. Uh, so glad, uh, that Tricia McMillan is dragging that bag in for us so that we can, uh, answer the questions you've mailed in. The best way to mail a question in is to go to Openline radio.org and click on the link that says Ask Michael a question. We're so grateful that Febc Far Eastern Broadcasting Company partners with us to bring you the mailbag. It's a wonderful ministry that brings the gospel through media and through personal contact all around the globe.
If you'd like to know more about this ministry, they have a great podcast called Until All Have Heard. And you can get it by going to npr.org and clicking on the link there about the podcast until all I've heard. And it's this great podcast with Ed Cannon and Wayne Shepherd. Well. Hey, Tricia. Hello. Hey. So I don't want to take up a whole lot of time, but I do want to remind people that we've got the called conference coming up. You said to me last hour that your sister went in the past. Yes.
And she's really enjoyed it and has benefited from it.
It's a conference for women. I know you're going to like it. Pam McRae leads it, I just think that if I were a woman, it's not something I'd want to miss. You can watch it online, or you can be here present at Tory Gray Auditorium, which is a I think it's always more fun to be present with all those women, uh, singing together. Worshiping together. Check out Moody conferences. Right?
Yes.
Yeah. That's it. Okay. And there's a link on our, uh.
There's not yet. I'm having website issues.
Okay. But.
Okay. I will get a link up there soon. It is April 12th. April, you do have a little bit of time? Yeah. That you can look into it. And again, if you're a women in ministry of any kind, you know, in the home, in your church, uh, children's ministry, um, women's ministry, you lead a Bible study. Any of those ways that you're serving? Um, I think you would be encouraged. And it kind of helps revive your spirit a little bit when you get to worship with other women.
Yeah, I.
Think it's learn and get that good Bible teaching. Yep.
Well, you've put together this mailbag and, uh, there's there's some good questions here. What have we got today?
Okay. Bonnie wrote us from Ohio. Listens to Wtxf. She wants to know what the Bible says about taking legal action in her particular situation. It was something with a doctor and medical professionals, uh, during a surgery. She was always taught that God's people are not supposed to take legal action. So how does that fall into these types of situations?
It all depends on whether or not the physician was a, uh, a believer in Jesus or not. If he's a believer, the Bible doesn't say that we can't get, um, how do I put it? Proper restitution or resolution on conflicting matters. But what it says in the book of First Corinthians is that we're not supposed to What we. What we need to do is take it to the church, let the church resolve those disputes rather than us to take it to the courts. So here's what it says in
first Corinthians six. If any of you has a legal dispute against another, do you dare to go to court before the unrighteous and not before the saints? Don't you know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest cases? Don't you know that we will judge angels, not to mention ordinary matters? So you have cases pertaining to this life. Do you select those who have no standing in the church to judge? I say this to
your shame. Can it be there is no one wise person among you who is able to arbitrate between his brothers and said believer goes to court against believer, and that before unbelievers. And so the issue there is taking a believer to court and trying to get it resolved in the courts. I have a firm conviction that there,
and that's why there's Christian mediation and arbitration groups. One of the things that I've I've signed a bunch of writing contracts, and I've always tried to insist that, you know, in writing contracts, publisher contracts, it'll say something like these. Any disputes will be resolved by the the state courts. Okay. And and I always when I'm writing for a Christian publisher, I always write I change it to will be resolved through Christian arbitration where believers can judge what's right or
wrong and people will agree to that. And so I think it's really important that, uh, that if there's a if you have a grievance with a fellow believer, don't take it to the courts, but take it to Christian arbitration or the local church, or there's any number of ways you can do that. The and it actually goes on to say you should rather be wronged. Uh, if you have legal disputes against one another, why not rather put up with injustice? Do not. Why not rather be cheated?
In other words, if you can't get the the fellow believer to to go to arbitration with you, with Christian arbitration, be better to be cheated. That said, uh, this is not a wholesale prohibition against lawsuits. If you're if you have a conflict like this, a malpractice suit against a physician and the physicians, the physician is not a believer, then there's no limitation there. It is permissible.
Okay.
Okay.
All right. And that was first Corinthians six. Okay. All right. Thank you for that question, Bonnie. I hope that helps. Uh, next question is from Mike Wright. That was the one that we talked about. Okay. Yeah. What is your opinion of infant baptism as a parallel to circumcision?
Hmm. Well, the basis of people seeing infant baptism as a Christian replacement for circumcision is from the book of Colossians, chapter two, I believe. Uh, see if I can find the exact verse. Yeah, here it is. Uh, it says in Colossians two verse 11, you were also circumcised in him without with a circumcision not done with hands by putting off the body of flesh in the circumcision of Messiah. Okay. So it's there. What it's talking about is spiritual circumcision. Uh,
The New Covenant is sometimes like that. Circumcision of the heart. The Book of Jeremiah talks about how Israel, when they come to know the Lord, they won't just be circumcised in the flesh, they would be circumcised in the heart. And then it says, having been buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised you from the dead. And so what they say is, see, look, he's talking about circumcision here. And and then he talks about baptism in
verse 12. And so obviously baptism replaces circumcision. I don't think that what this verse is saying. I don't think it's saying that at all. What I think it's saying is that we have a circumcised heart through the New covenant. And when we put on the New Covenant, uh, what do we do is we express that through baptism. And so circumcision of the heart happens when we believe. And then baptism follows that up as the expression of that
new circumcised heart. It doesn't mean that babies should be baptized. It's not talking about infant baptism here. It's what it's talking about is circumcision of the heart becoming a genuine believer. What do you do then? You, you you're baptized. That's what you do to to express it. Okay, so it's talking about adult baptism there. It's not really dealing with physical circumcision okay. Yeah.
Okay. That's helpful to know. Yeah. I have another question. Um, which I wrote down somewhere else. Hold on. Just.
Okay. Oh, wait wait wait.
Do you.
Have.
It on the screen there?
Yeah.
Uh, she is a follow up on the question about Daniel's 70 weeks.
Yes. Yeah. Why? Um. Why is it that they say weeks instead of years?
Yeah.
Like why?
Because.
Well. Well, even she said it kind of discourages her from reading the Bible, because why can't it just be plain?
Like, why can't, why can't it just be plain? Yeah.
Why can't it be straightforward? Like why, why talk in kind of these. Yeah. Hidden meanings.
Yeah. I think, um, I think there's something to that, but I'll tell you why. Okay. Yes. Um, first of all, uh, there was a translation. Uh, I don't know if they kept it, but the original NIV, which used to say 70 sevens have been set apart for your people. Not weeks. It doesn't use the word week. It uses the word sevens. Okay. Uh, that's much closer to what the Hebrew actually says. Okay. It could be translated 70 peptides. Okay. What's a heptad?
It means seven.
Yeah, it's a seven. It's like if I said 70 dozens, that would be 70 twelves. Right, right, right. If I sent you to the store and said, pick me up a dozen when you go to the grocery store.
I'll get you 12.
Of what?
Of whatever. Whatever you need.
Whatever. Well, no. Whatever we were talking about.
Right. You need a dozen eggs. I'll just get one. Yeah. Not. Not.
Yeah, we were talking about eggs. Oh, I don't have any eggs. Can you pick up a dozen? Right. You'd know the context.
Right?
Exactly.
Okay.
Uh, well, the same thing in Daniel nine. It says 77 have been decreed for your people. And the whole context tells us that it's referring to years. Uh, the reason is Daniel is praying. He says, wow, the 70 year captivity is over. Why did Israel go into captivity for 70 years? Because 70 times seven years, they missed the sabbatical year. Remember that?
Yes. They were supposed to take a year off.
From the for the rest of the land. And they didn't do it 70 times, so 70 times seven years. And then now they're in captivity for 70 years. Daniel nine opens, this is the 70 years are up. And the angel comes and says, I'm not going to talk to you about the 70 years. I'm not going to talk to you about the 70 times seven of the past. I want to talk to you about 70 times seven years in the future. And so the context argues for it.
And then, uh, in Daniel chapter ten, this is something that a lot of people miss because of English translation. It says in verse two, in those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks is what my version says. It's the very next paragraph after the Daniel nine passage, about 70 weeks of years. Right? Okay. And it says, but in Hebrew it doesn't say what I just read. In Hebrew it says I was fasting for for three weeks of days. And why does he say of days?
Because he's contrasting it with the previous one, which was weeks of years because he couldn't possibly fast for three weeks of years. So he wants us not to be confused.
Don't. Don't think I fasted for 21 years. Yeah. Okay.
That's it. So I understand what she's saying. I think that if I were translating the Bible, I would say, uh, 77, not 70 weeks, because it's just too confusing. Yeah. And that's what one version I know does. All right. Anyway, I hope that helps. We're going to come back with more of your questions in just a moment. That was Tricia McMillan. I'm Michael Melnick. This is open line. Stay with us. Welcome back to Open Line. I'm Michael Wright.
So glad to be with you today. I do want to mention a couple of things one, Chosen People Ministries has a free gift, uh, for you. Uh, many people wonder if Jewish people still need to hear the good news of Jesus the Messiah. And so they have published a book by Doctor Al Mohler who's the president of of Southern Baptist Seminary. And he says, yes, Jewish people need to hear the gospel. Absolutely. And he's written this book called To the Jew First in the 21st century.
In it, Doctor Mohler maintains that bringing the gospel to Jewish people demonstrates our faithfulness to the truth. And for your free copy, just go to openline radio.org. Scroll down. Click on the link that says A Free gift from Chosen People Ministries, and you'll receive your copy of To the Jew first in the 21st century. And while you're there at Openline radio.org, you can click on the link to my personal website. Uh, it says go to Michael's
website and you click on that. And that can take you to a page where you can see about an upcoming cruise that I'm doing in the Caribbean next December. I think it would be a great, fun time studying the word together in the warm weather, not in the cold weather on the beautiful islands. Will be studying in the morning and the evening. The book of Daniel will including the Daniel's 70 weeks study, the whole book of Daniel, how to hold our stand fast in our faith in
all despite all the pressures around us. That's what we'll be studying on that trip. I hope you'll check it out. Just go to my personal website. And, uh, we're going to talk to Chris right now in Florida listening on. So welcome to Open Line. Chris. How can I help you today?
Hey, I heard a question earlier that you answered a bit about predestination and election, but I was curious how you reconcile the idea of Scripture talking about eternity being written on the heart of every man, and predestination and election.
I'm not exactly sure. How do you think they contradict each other?
No, I don't think they contradict each other. I think that if every person I see walking around has eternity written on their heart, what about those that are not predetermined, that still have that eternity written on their heart? Because eternity is only? Well, I guess there's an eternity with the Lord and without the Lord. But I don't ever think of eternity being without the Lord. I only think of it being with the Lord.
Well, I think when when the Bible says that we have eternity in our hearts, I think that, uh, we all have a sense that we are not the creator, but the creation. And we grow. Some people grow out of that and lose it, but it begins as soon as we have a sense of who of of self, a sense of being. We understand that we are the creation. Uh, we look around the world, we we wonder, where did this all come from? Uh, there must be a creator. I think that's all a reflection of eternity in our hearts.
But that doesn't mean everyone hangs on to that. Only people who respond to that and seek him, then they find him. And you say, well, that has to do with election. You know, I don't ever try to resolve election versus human responsibility. The Bible teaches those two concepts right next to each other. I believe in election. Uh, I believe that God also has what I call efficacious grace, where he draws a person to believe it, says it in, uh,
acts 16, that God opened Lydia's heart to believe. Um, uh, I think that's what God does with us. But turning our hearts is that sense that we are the creation and that there is a creator. I think everyone has that to start with. Some people seek based on that. Other people don't. Okay.
Got you. And that certainly makes kind of clears up the idea because in my mind, that idea of eternity is like it's sitting there, dormant in everybody, waiting for us to become a believer. Oh, but these ones didn't. And I and I think the way that I was viewing it was a little different than the way that your explanation just went.
Yeah. That's what and that's why people don't. There are some people who just don't want, uh, to be believers and they, they don't pursue that. So and they kind of squelch, squelch the eternity in their heart is what they do. So anyway, thanks for your call. Appreciate it. We're going to we're going to talk to Sylvester in Tampa, Florida listening on. Ken, welcome to Open Line. Sylvester. How can I help you today?
Hi. I just had a quick question. Um, I wanted to know what would be your response to the idea that Jesus, just because Jesus, when he was he didn't write a book or have any writings or didn't had any writings that ended up in the Bible. Uh, so it devalues what the New Testament Statement of what? The whole writers of the Bible. Um.
Well, I would say if, uh, if we understand what the Bible says about inspiration, then Jesus wrote all of it. Yeah. Because the Holy Spirit superintended human authors. Um, uh, to, uh, to write the scriptures. But, you know, the the Son of God or the God the Son was involved in that process, as was God the Father.
Uh, yes.
Uh, it's sort of like the whole creation. You know that, uh, God, the father was the architect. Uh, God, the son was the builder. Uh, and then the Holy Spirit was the hammer in the hands of the builder, so to speak. And so, uh, I would say who? The triune God. They were all involved. The three persons of the Godhead were all involved in creation. Same thing with the scriptures.
And that's why in Philippians three, uh, the, uh, the, the, the apostle Paul writes that the word of God, not the word of God, the word of Christ, the word of Messiah, should dwell in you richly. And he's talking there about the whole Word of God. And what he is saying is all the word of God is the Word of Jesus, because he is, uh, the divine Son of God, who has, uh, who is behind the authoritative, inspired, God breathed word of God. So that's who wrote it.
Jesus wrote it. That's what I would say. Does that help?
Perfect.
Yes, it sure have.
Thank you. Okay. All right.
Good bye. Well, I'm so glad. I'm so grateful for that call. All your calls, everyone who wrote or called. Thanks so much for making Open Line possible. I appreciate you all so much. And I want to say, especially thanks to our Open Line team. Uh, I love these people. Uh, Tricia McMillan, Omar Titus. Lisa, thanks for all you do to get this program on the air. It's more than I can even express my gratitude. Remember, keep in touch with us during the week by going to our web
page Openline radio.org. It's got all the links you're looking for. I know you'll find what you're looking for right there. Keep reading the Bible and we'll talk about it next week in a very special program. Open line with Doctor Michael Melnick is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute. See you next week.