Every single day you brush shoulders with people experiencing trauma. A few of us know how to respond. Coming up on today's broadcast, we'll learn some lessons from the biblical character job. As we sit down with job, we'll find comfort in the ashes. The best part? You'll come away with tools to help support trauma survivors in your life. And maybe you are that survivor. As always, we'll update you on all the headlines from the Middle East and more. So welcome to the land and the book. Our host,
Doctor Charlie Dyer, Middle East expert and author. I'm John Gager and you know, Charlie, a lot of people are, you know, maybe not thinking about the fact that Jewish people in general have never heard the gospel. Some, yes, but many haven't. And every week we talk about Israel and the Jewish people, and it's important to remember that they, like everyone else, need to hear the good news, right?
That's right. And that's why life in Messiah, this ministry that's been in existence for over 135 years, is devoted to sharing the gospel with Jewish people around the world. And now they're offering a gift to moody listeners. This free e-book, Reaching Jewish People for Messiah, highlights the need for the gospel among the Jewish people. It will equip you with practical ways to share the good News with them. Now, to receive this free e-book, visit Life in Messiah org
and click on the Moody Radio logo. Sign up today to get your copy. That's life in Messiah.
Well, let's swing our focus now toward current events. US and Iranian negotiators continue discussing Iran's nuclear program. But really, are they making any progress and what will happen should those discussions finally reach an impasse?
The most recent round of talks were inconclusive, though all sides issued positive statements afterward. The US characterized the talks as constructive and President Trump said there was real progress. Now, talk of an interim deal with creative options for producing nuclear fuel and including joint ventures are apparently being floated. Senior European officials have warned the U.S. that Iran is stalling the negotiations to avoid having U.N. sanctions snap back
into place before they're scheduled to expire. Under the original agreement, the West has the authority to reimpose broad U.N. Security Council sanctions on Iran in response to major violations of Iran's nuclear commitments. However, that option expires in October. Iran has already threatened to respond forcefully should the Europeans activate the snapback mechanism. The core area of disagreement still remains
the issue of uranium enrichment. The U.S. has said it will not allow Iran to enrich uranium under a new agreement, while Iran insists it has a right to do so. As the negotiations continue, reports are circulating that suggest Israel is preparing for a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. What's not clear is whether Israel will hold off to see how the negotiations progress, or if they're planning an attack, regardless of what happens in the negotiations. This is causing
tension between President Trump and Israel. And Israel has denied it will strike Iran in a bid to derail the current nuclear talks. Iran said it would strike a devastating blow should Israel attack. Now, Israel views Iran's nuclear program as an existential threat. This is what people need to understand. In 1981, Israel attacked Iraq to stop Saddam Hussein from acquiring nuclear weapons, and in 2007, they attacked a nuclear facility being built in Syria to stop Bashar Assad from
obtaining nuclear weapons. They'll do the same to Iran if it's necessary. Ambassador Huckabee reaffirmed President Trump's position that Iran will not be allowed to have nuclear weapons. With the end of UN sanctions looming on the horizon and In Israel preparing to defend itself. A time will come, very possibly this summer, when Iran will either agree to end its nuclear program voluntarily, or Israel could very well intervene to try to bring it to an end themselves.
Story number two, the US has lifted sanctions on Syria, but questions remain over the long term stability of the country. Charlie, that leads me to ask in the first place, what in the world are we doing? It does appear unstable. What has changed the suddenly are here's a here's a great place to lift some sanctions.
It is definitely unstable and it's a rather dangerous move on the US's part. In fact, I think there are three obstacles to stability that we are not facing up to. The first is Syria's lack of cohesion. Most people don't know it, but Syria is actually an artificial country. It was created following World War one. England and France carved up the Middle East into spheres of influence without really taking into account geographical, ethnic or religious boundaries. Syria was
created from a patchwork of ethnic and religious groups. For decades, it was ruled by the Assads, who were part of the minority Alawites. Even though the majority of the people are Sunni Muslims, the country also has significant populations of Druze, Kurds, Christians, Shiites, Yazidis and Ismailis. The second obstacle, though, is the background of Syria's new president. Before donning a suit, Al-shara was part of Al Qaeda and then founded his own terror
group that mirrored ISIS. He claims to have changed, but as one Druze leader in Syria said, he still keeps his beard, which shows he's afraid of all the fundamentalist religious groups. And there have already been multiple attacks by Islamist groups against the Christians, the Alawites and the Druze communities. The third obstacle is the constitution. Al-shara proposed for the country. It's based on the Quran rather than a civil constitution
granting equal rights to the different sects and communities. And this gets back to the original problem. How do you govern a country that's really defined by strong ethnic and religious divisions, without having one group impose its beliefs on the others? At a Senate hearing, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio warned that Syria could be weeks or perhaps months
away from civil war. The U.S. is hoping, I think, trying to engage Syria's new leaders and influence them in a way that will help promote peace in the region. But that's really a gamble. Israel and Turkey are also working with the new government to help stabilize the situation along their borders. But right now, I think the jury is out on whether or not this new government will succeed.
From Moody Radio. This is the land and the book, our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer, noted Old Testament scholar, Middle East authority. I'm John Geiger, and these are the current events we're looking at. Turkey might be trying to help stabilize Syria, but Turkish President Erdogan is facing his own set of challenges. How stable is Turkey, both economically and politically right now.
Well, the leadership there is saying all the right things, but just below the surface, the country is facing a number of problems. Turkey's finance minister said the country's disinflation program is on track, and that year end inflation will
be within the forecast range. Now that sounds good until you realize that the forecast for the year is 24% inflation, while the rate in March and April was hovering around 38% in a survey, nearly three quarters of Turkey's households don't expect the inflation rate to fall significantly in the next 12 months. In addition to all the ongoing economic crises, President Erdogan's political standing has also fallen because of the jailing of Istanbul's mayor, who is seen as his main
political rival. Last week, still more political opponents were rounded up in Istanbul. The arrests are perceived to be politically motivated. Now, in addition to all that, many people distrust Erdogan because of his recent push for a new constitution. The current constitution limits the president to two terms in office. And people fear that he wants to change the Constitution to allow him to remain in power. He said he has no personal ambitions to seek re-election, but many, perhaps most,
are skeptical. Now, if there's one piece of positive news for Turkey, it was the decision of the Kurdish militant group PKK to end the insurgent war against Turkey after 40 years. The Turkish government hailed the decision as a historic milestone for regional peace and stability. But it's uncertain if that one piece of good news is sufficient to balance out all the other economic and political concerns and crises that seem to be piling up there.
What about tourism right now in Turkey? Up, down. Neutral. What would you say, Charlie?
Actually, it's up and up rather substantially, mainly because of the inflation rate. Turkey's currency is so devalued right now that it's actually a pretty good buy.
Okay. Well, artificial intelligence and quantum computing are at the forefront of technology, and several startup companies in Israel are working to provide leadership in both areas. What's the latest from Amazing Israel on these hot topics, Charlie?
Well, in this case, I think Israel's reputation as a startup nation is continuing. Israeli quantum software startup Classic Technologies, and that's spelled Klassik, is focused on creating software to make quantum computing more workable and accessible. They've developed an operating platform that works across all major types of quantum hardware.
Their goal is to become, as they would say, at the Microsoft of quantum computing by developing operating software to power quantum applications, just like Microsoft did with windows OS. Their software platform would help data scientists, computational scientists, and engineers then develop software without worrying about the quantum hardware underneath.
In terms of artificial intelligence, two other Israeli startups, Bilott's and Fletcher, are developing AI driven solutions for industries like construction and business operations, making them more efficient, scalable and sustainable. And another AI startup blockade, founded by former cyber intelligence operatives, is working to provide end to end crypto security to
keep users safe. Now, these are just some of the recent startups utilizing their technological expertise to help power the AI and quantum computing revolution, while also keeping the rest of us safe from those seeking to misuse those technologies. And that's the kind of innovation, John, that's coming out of amazing Israel that we've all come to expect.
And that's a look at current events from the region. Well, every single day you and I brush shoulders with people experiencing trauma. Maybe you're one of those yourself. But so few of us know how to respond. Well, coming up on the land and the book, we're going to learn some lessons from the biblical character job. As we sit down with job, we'll find comfort in the ashes. This is a very practical conversation. You'll appreciate the insights and lessons from job. Next on the land and the book.
One day, just one day. That's all it took to lose his children, his possessions, his health, his wealth. We're talking about the biblical character job, of course, despite his losses, despite the discouragement of his friends, despite the bitterness of his own wife, he determined to hang on to his faith. What made him tick? What was inside of job that steeled him from everything that was going on outside? Said another way. How did he find comfort in the ashes?
This is the land and the book. I'm John Geiger. Today's conversation is for anyone in search of comfort in a troubling time. Maybe you've got a friend going through something rough before we meet job, though. Let's think about meeting our Jewish friends and neighbors, and maybe how you and I can more effectively share the love of Christ with them. So you and I know the gospel. Believe the gospel. We understand the gospel. How do we explain the gospel in a Jewish context when we're talking with
our Jewish friends? Greg Savage, what's the answer?
Well, John, I like to call this christianese. We all have our little language justification, sanctification, blood of the lamb, Son of God. We all use these verses, and people that aren't believers have no idea what we're talking about. Right. And I know for a fact, because I went to a church once with a friend and it was like, stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down, shake hands. And there were these words that I had never heard before.
This is you as a as a non-believer.
As a non-believer. And I think the best way that you should talk to Jewish people are in terms that they understand Stand. Atonement. God. Messiah. Repentance. Redeemer. They'll understand that. But if you start saying, you know, justified by faith, they'll have no idea what that is.
Yeah. So very basic and very simple and very straightforward. That's the conversation to have as you're explaining the gospel. That's Greg Savitt, who serves with Rock of Israel here on the land and the book doctor. Michele Kushner is an associate research fellow with the Kirby Centre for Public Theology and the director of discipleship for a Growing church in Las Vegas. She's an award winning novelist and devotional author. Michele lives in Southern Nevada with her retired marine husband,
their two children, and one spoiled dog. Our conversation today is inspired by her book comfort in the ashes. And we're glad you're with us today, Michele.
Thank you so much for having me. I'm so happy to be here.
Well, I've often wondered if one of the reasons God allowed job to endure such extraordinary pain and loss so that none of us, none of us could ever complain that we've got it worse. Job kind of sets the bar almost impossibly high. What do you think, Michelle?
Oh, job endures pretty much anything we could think of, right? Losing his family, losing his health, losing his community. Yeah. Job kind of takes it all and says, yeah, I'm going to walk through all of that. So it does kind of put our usual sufferings in a little bit of perspective.
Yeah. Well, to that question I posed earlier, what was inside of job that steeled him from everything that was going on outside? What did he possess that many of us lack as we go through our own grief and pain?
Oh, wow, that's a great question. So I think when we look at job, one of the first things we see is the love and the devotion that he had for God. It starts in the very beginning, and we see it go through the whole book that even when job doesn't understand what he's going through, even though he doesn't understand where God is. He knows who God is and he clings to that and that's why he keeps coming back. God, why is this happening? God, where are you?
Because he knows that God that he loves and serves.
Today on the land. And the book we're visiting with Doctor Michelle Keener, looking at ways you and I can bring comfort in the ashes. Her book by that same title. You know, when you worked on this book, spending so much time with job. What surprised you?
I think what surprised me most was seeing how understanding trauma really helps us understand the book of job. I'd never really put the two together before. And then once I did kind of this background research on what trauma is, how we tend to react to trauma, what it's like to walk through those seasons. Then I started reading job again, and it all kind of started to click. I was like, oh,
I get that's why it switches from prose to poetry. Oh, I understand why job is having real big feelings about this moment and seeing those pieces. It really helped me understand the book more. And honestly, if I'm being really transparent, it helped me appreciate the book in a way that I think I hadn't before.
Michelle, I'm going to confess I've got a problem, and I think a bunch of our listeners have the same problem. You know, we read the book of Job. We love his testimony. We love his faithfulness, and yet we know we're just not in that league, you know. And so it's almost like, that's nice, but it's out there. It's unattainable for us. Speak to those of us who feel that way.
Yeah. It's kind of holding ourselves to this standard of one of these biblical heroes, one of these biblical characters that goes through so much. And how can I do that? Lord, how would I ever look like that? And I think the Book of Job shows us that suffering can come unexpectedly. Expectedly. And so it's what we do before the suffering strikes, right? Building that relationship with God ahead of time, really learning who he is, and having it so settled in our
heart that I. I know God's character. I know who Jesus is. I know what God cares about. I know what God does in the world, that when those unexpected moments hit, and when we find ourselves in suffering, we have that within us already. And that's our job task because suffering is not a competition. This is the suffering I'm walking through, and this is how I'm going to do it. Well.
Yeah, I think that's such a key point you've touched on here, because we're not going to be open to all that. We should be in the middle of suffering if we have not at least laid some groundwork by way of our relationship with God. Right?
Right. And I mean, Jesus talks about it in the New Testament, right? That you go you build your house on the firm Foundation before the storm hits. Right. We don't start building once we're in the storm. We need to build, and we need to have that firm foundation that's been chosen well before the storm comes at us. And then we can withstand it.
From Moody Radio. This is the land and the book. I'm John Geiger, our guest, doctor Michelle Keener. She's helping us learn to be better helpers as we engage friends going through trauma. And that's where we're headed next. Obviously, Michelle, the book of job has insights for those of us going through trauma today. You've written it's time for church leaders and believers to stop offering prettily packaged responses from a safe distance. It's time for us to sit in
the ashes with the hurting. Our Sunday school clothes covered in dirt and grime, our faces lined with tears. Trauma brings people to the ash heap. So that is where the church needs to go. It sounds to me like you might be giving the church today a less than glowing endorsement along the lines of our suffering engagement component.
Elaborate a less than glowing endorsement, maybe. I think really the the purpose is to remind us all as the church, because the church isn't a building. The church is people. It's to remind us all that Jesus met people in their suffering, and there wasn't an expectation of, I need you to get all your stuff together. I need you to be better. And then you can come and worship with me, and then you can come and be a part of me. But instead, Jesus is meeting people right
in the ash heap. He's meeting them in their suffering. He's meeting them in their pain. And my experience and some of the things I've seen, and the church does so many things so well. But there are times when suffering is scary. Yes. And so there are church leaders. There are church believers, church members, and we tend to pull back and say, oh, I'm going to give them some space so they can work through this, but I'll
be here when they come back. How opposite is that to what Jesus demonstrated and to what God demonstrated in the book of Job? Right? Right. God shows up in the ashes. And so it's not meant to be a really a harsh criticism of the church. It's really meant to be more of a reminder of who we're called to be, and the purpose that God has already given us.
Yeah. Well, I really resonate with what you're saying there, because it seems to me that one of the biggest hurdles we face is knowing how, or even if we should mention the pain, the tragedy, the loss that a fellow believer is going through. It's not so much that we don't care to help, but that we don't want to hurt by bringing up something that might be too sensitive. So in many cases, as you've observed, we end up
saying nothing. So what's a better road to take? What is the the first step toward moving toward the ashes?
Oh, that's such a great question. I think the first step is actually what we see job's friends do. They show up for job and they sit with him, right? They sit with him in silence for seven days. Right? It's only when people begin talking that things go sideways in the book of job. But this idea that we can be present to someone in their pain, even if we don't have all the answers, even if we don't know why this awful thing happened to them. I don't
know why you got this diagnosis. I don't know why you lost your child. I don't know why you lost your job. But I know that I love you, and I can sit with you here and make sure you're not going through it by yourself. So I would suggest that first step is just being present.
Yeah, well, it seems to me we're not very good listeners. I think that's part of the fallen human state. I'm reading a book right now How to Listen with intention, and the author observes, listening well requires that you suspend your own self-interest and ego and gracefully allow someone else to shine. Maybe in this context, even if they're in the ashes. So, Michelle, how much of a factor is this unwillingness of ours to suspend our own self-interest?
Oh, I think it's a huge factor. And I'm just going to write down that book title because I'm going to go get that book. I'm so glad you shared that. And I do think that's a big part of it is a lot of times we listen to respond instead
of listening to receive. So I'm going to listen. But as you're talking, I've got this voice in my head that's preparing my response and everything I want to say, which is I want to make sure I can impose my agenda and give you an answer, rather than taking the time to say, I don't really understand what you're going through. So I'm just going to listen, to learn
and get a better idea of where you're at. And I think one of the things we see the church do a lot is battle this instinct, this sense of obligation to have all the answers.
Yes.
Like if someone comes to us in suffering, I need to be able to explain it, and I have to be able to tell them exactly what to do. Or as a pastor, as a church leader, I'm not doing my job. And what I would challenge that is to say, maybe the first step is to listen and to have the humility to say, maybe I don't know what you're going through, but I can learn and I can support you in it.
You say that theological platitudes and positive thinking aren't simply dismissive to those who suffer, but they inevitably retraumatize the wounded. Now, surely you're not suggesting there's no role at all for sharing an appropriate word of Scripture, are you?
Absolutely not. And especially because I work in a church. Boy, that would be bad, right? No, I think there is always a time for us to share the truth and the love of God. Absolutely. My concern is when we want to offer kind of a bumper sticker response or the coffee mug verse. So we're just going to throw that quick. Oh you just need to pray more or oh just let go and let God. Right. Or just trust that God's working all things for good. All of
those things are probably true, right? All of those scriptures, they all count. And at the same time, the right word at the wrong time risks being the wrong response. Yeah. And so we need to be sensitive to where is this person right now. What do they need from me right now instead of trying to throw that quick response that makes us sound super spiritual and makes us sound like we got all the answers. Maybe we just need to be able to say, I don't know. Yeah.
Well, in the moment we've got left, would you just walk us through a step or two further in bringing comfort to somebody in the ashes? What could we do?
Absolutely. So I offer in the book three steps that we as the church and then even we as individual believers can help bring to someone who is going through a season of suffering. The first is to provide a place of safety. And that means physical safety, emotional spiritual safety, making sure that this person is in a good, safe place. The second is to provide them with a place to share their story. Everybody wants to be listened to, right?
Everybody wants to know that there is a place where they can talk about what they're going through without judgment, without feeling bad for the way they're already feeling. And then the third is a place of community, right. That we can be very intentional about creating spaces where people belong, where people know they're welcome, where people know that they can be a part and join with us even if
they're still in the ashes. Even if life hasn't worked everything out yet, that they're still welcome and we would still love to be with them.
Boy, that is great content. And there's a whole lot more in Michelle's book, comfort in the ashes. You've enjoyed this interview as you've listened. I'm sure you'll love the book. A link to that at our website. The land and the book. Michelle, you've got to come back and visit with us again. Would you do that?
Anytime you let me know and I will be here.
All right. We'll look forward to that. But right now, it's a visit with Gerald Peterman, who answers your Bible questions next on the land and the book. Let's be honest, when it comes to reading and studying our Bibles, questions come easily. Answers are not so easily. This is the land and the book. I'm John Gager, and that's why we dedicate this third segment to taking a look at not just any questions, but your questions. Questions that you've
puzzled over as you're reading through Scripture. So glad you've decided to hang out with us today. And I have a question as we start things off, though, with our Bible expert guy, Doctor Gerald Peterman. Do you know that most Jewish people have never heard the gospel? And you know, Jerry, every week we talk about Israel and the Jewish people, and it's so important to remember that they, like everybody else, need to hear the good news, right?
That's so right. Yes, indeed. Life in Messiah, a ministry in existence for over 135 years, is devoted to sharing the gospel with Jewish people around the world. Now they're offering a gift to many listeners. This free e-book, Reaching Jewish People for Messiah, highlights the need for the gospel among the Jewish people and will equip you with practical ways to share the Good News with them. To receive
this free e-book, visit Messiah. Click on the Moody Radio logo and sign up today to get your copy.
All right. Thanks, Jerry. Let's get to Shaun's question. He kicks things off, asking how many resurrections are there in the future? As in the past, there were resurrections in the Old Testament and New Testament, he says, and our Lord Jesus resurrection is past. So how many resurrections are there in the future?
Well, according to Paul, in first Thessalonians four verses 16 and 17, there will be a rapture when the Lord returns. Paul says, the Lord will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and are left will be caught up together to meet them in the clouds, in the air. That makes one resurrection. Then we go to the book of Revelation. When the tribulation starts, there'll be a seven year tribulation
after the tribulation. We find the story of the Millennial Kingdom. Revelation 20 mentions a resurrection at the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom that makes two. And then revelation 20 says, the rest of the dead will not come to life until after the thousand years are completed. That makes three.
All right. The answer is three. I hope that's helpful. And here's a question from a listener who is studying Psalm 71. In verse nine it says, do not cast me off in the time of old age. Forsake me not when my strength is spent. The listener says, this
has got me to thinking. Besides David, in a middle age crisis with Bathsheba, King Solomon falling away to idolatry and King Asa's losing trust in God referenced in second Chronicles, are there any other great men of the Bible that fell away from God in their older age?
Oh, this has got me pondering and wondering if other candidates will be on the list. Uh, I'm thinking of Hezekiah. Now, earlier, uh, he was doing a really good job. But then later in life, we read in Two Kings chapter 20 that Merodach-baladan, son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys and letters and a present to King Hezekiah. And then you know what happened, that when these men came from Babylon, King Hezekiah showed them everything in his armoury showed them everything
in his palace. And that was a very foolish move. And the prophet then came and rebuked him for this, saying, you have done something foolish. Um, so then, uh, Hezekiah spoke to Isaiah the prophet I just mentioned. Um, the word of the Lord you have spoken is good for Hezekiah thought, why not? If there'll be peace and security in my days? Oh, it should be okay, he says, if there's peace and security in my days. This is not the attitude he had earlier in life, you know.
Now he seems to be thinking, as long as I'm okay, we're all okay.
Yeah. Not a forward looking response.
Not a oh, that's a great way of putting it. This is not a forward looking response.
Now, if I'm not mistaken, all of this happens after he has been told, hey, you've got a fatal illness or you're going to get ready to die, right? And then Hezekiah pleads for his life and God says, I'm going to extend that.
And Hezekiah turns his face against the wall. He pleads with God. He weeps. And then Isaiah, who's actually in the middle of doing something else, is then sent back to him. Go back and tell him, I'm going to extend your life for 15 years. So after getting such a tremendous grace from God, he then has this kind of quirky, I would say, pretty much bad attitude later in life.
You know, I have often wondered if you were to interview him now or in heaven. It might be an uncomfortable question, but what would his response be to the question, had you to do it all over again? Would you have not asked to have your life extended, knowing that that other failure was going to come with it?
Oh, I don't know. I hate to second guess, but I think the answer would be yes. I'd rather. Let me paraphrase it like I'm speaking for Hezekiah. I'd rather obey God than have a longer life.
Yeah, I do too. This is the land and the book from Moody Radio. Doctor Gerald Peterman, who serves on the Moody Bible Institute faculty, is with us in the studio, and he welcomes your questions online at The Land and the Book at Moody's. Again, you got to email those questions to the land and the book at Moody's. Marcia was reading in second Samuel eight, and she points out that verse 18 says at the end, David's sons were priests. She says, I was surprised because priests do not come
from the tribe of Judah. David's tribe. And I don't believe I've ever heard of them being priests. Can you explain this to me, Marcia?
Brings a tough question. Different Bible scholars give different answers to the question, as you might imagine. Some say David's sons functioned as priests even though it was wrong for them to do so. And they say the author of two Samuel just mentions it and doesn't tell us what was wrong. Well, I don't think so. Some other scholars say David and his sons were priests according to the order of Melchizedek. Well, actually, we don't find this order
mentioned in first and second Samuel. Oh, by the way, it's mentioned in Psalm 110. So my solution is the term priests was sometimes used for civil servants as opposed to religious servants. Okay. There's a close parallel to this in First Chronicles 1817, where you find something very similar to the passage that Marcia was reading. Although the chronicler then says David's three sons were listed as chief officials. I hope that helps.
Okay. I do too. Charles takes us to Nehemiah chapter two, which tells of the time that Nehemiah was sad in the king's presence and made known his desire to return to Judah to help rebuild the walls. Verse six parenthetically includes the fact that, quote, the queen was sitting beside the king. What would be the significance of that fact? Charles wonders.
I'm thinking, Charles, for reading carefully and wondering why was the Queen sitting there? Yeah, that's very important because typically when the Kings go about doing their job, they are running so low. When the king and queen are together, it's an official business. This is a public presentation. Maybe there's some sort of entourage of people there. And so this means that when Nehemiah is seen as sad in the king's presence with the queen there, it's a very
public event. And then it's even more astounding to me that then he prays secretly to his God and then brings up this question. Oh, I think that's just courageous on Nehemiah's part.
Here's a question why does it seem that men in churches today, in their latter years, seem to fall away? Is it pride, or are they thinking they know it all? Or is it the feeling that God has forsaken them because they're moving on in life, just aging out?
That's a great question. I'm sad to hear from this listener that this is this listener's experience, that many older men are falling away from the faith or not attending church anymore. That's not been my experience, my experience in the congregation where I've been. Thanks be to God is the older men are hanging in there. They're attending church in their 90s and they are faithful. But to answer the question, yes, I think sometimes when we get older,
we begin to get prideful. When we get older, we think we're wiser. We begin to kind of take it easy, and when we get older we get, uh, maybe we have aches or pains. And we're thinking attending church is not that important.
It could be any number of factors, is what you're saying.
It could be any number of factors. Yeah.
All right. Here's one from Melissa. She's wondering about the claim that there are no tears in heaven. If we have loved ones, she says, who will not accept Jesus as their Savior here? How can there be no tears in heaven, but we just forget them when we get to heaven? She says, I've prayed and continued to pray that their hearts will soften and will one day come to know Jesus, but it seems like an unbearable thing to be in heaven without them. I've wondered about this too.
Yes, this is a very important question, and I was deeply touched by the compassion you hear in this question. If we have a family member, if we have a close friend who doesn't know Christ, it hurts us. It hurt Paul. Read Romans nine. I don't have a particular passage. I don't have a particular verse that addresses this. But what I do know is that when we're in the new heaven and the new earth, when we have our
new body, we will have been transformed. We will no longer have a sinful nature, and we're going to be in the presence of God. And we're going to, thanks be to God, see our Lord Jesus face to face. And our whole perspective on the world and our whole perspective on our existence is just going to be radically transformed. So I think at this point, we're going to be able to trust God with our lost family members in ways we could never trust him while we were on earth.
And I would add two things. And I wonder if you could confirm or maybe correct one in heaven. We will finally have a fully correct sense of the justice of God. We will not be as likely to quote blame him as we feel free to do now. And number two, We will be so in love with Jesus, it will overshadow everything.
Absolutely. Having a better insight into the justice of God. Because these days, many times we complain because we think God isn't just yes. And being so in love with Jesus and receiving his love in heaven. Everything else is just going to be washed away.
Hey. Our email address for you to get your question to Doctor Peterman is the land and the book at Moody. Hope to hear from you. And Charlie Dyer is back with his devotional next. That's right here. Appreciate your company here at the land and the book. Always fun to have you. Part of the broadcast. I'm John Geiger with our host, Charlie Dyer. You know, Charlie riots, you think about riots, an out of control crowd. Absolutely. Never fun and always scary. But riots are nothing new. In fact,
you'll find accounts of several of them in Scripture. And I think that's where we're headed with today's devotional.
It is absolutely. We're going to head to the temple at Pentecost and see a riot.
Okay. I think I'll look forward to that. But before we get there, let's pause for a Holy Land experience. Listen to this testimony from an Israel traveler.
I went to Israel in 1997 with a group of Messianic Jews, and when we were on the Mount of Olives, the rabbi who was with us, the messianic rabbi, would always give a lesson from the Bible at each spot that we stopped at. And after he gave the lesson, we were to separate from each other and go find a quiet place and pray. And I felt like the Lord was saying to me as I was looking at these olive trees, these olives are not very valuable. Just
being olives. But when they're squeezed and the oil comes out, that is valuable. It brings healing. Are you willing to be squeezed so that that oil can bring healing to others? And of course, in the years to come, I was squeezed very much. And I'm glad that the Lord gave me that, because I always reflect on that and know that he was preparing me and he was testing me. And so sometimes those kind of things happen in a place like Israel. So I just wanted to share that.
And thank you very much for your program.
Always great to hear from folks who've been to the Holy Land and walk away forever changed with stories like you just heard. All right, Charlie, let's turn it over to you for today's devotional.
Thanks, John. Yeah. This Sunday is the Jewish feast of Shavuot, the celebration we know as the day of Pentecost. Though in a strange quirk of scheduling, the church actually celebrates Pentecost a week later on June 8th. But our journey today takes us to Jerusalem to celebrate Shavuot. But not in 2025. We're heading to Jerusalem in the spring of A.D. 57, 14 years after the resurrection of Jesus and the birth
of the church. As one of the three annual feasts when Jews were expected to appear before the Lord, the temple indeed the entire city is wall to wall people. Now keep a close look out, because somewhere in this mass of humanity is the Apostle Paul. But I'm getting ahead of myself. So let's gather over here in the far corner of the court of the Gentiles, next to this stairway that leads up to the Roman fortress of Antonia.
And I'll try to bring you up to date. Several weeks ago, Paul was traveling from Corinth back to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey. Paul stopped off in Philippi to celebrate Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread before continuing. He then visited with the believers in Troas for seven days. And that's where he raised Eutychus from the dead on a Sunday night service to
be remembered. It's the service where Paul spoke to the church all night because he planned to leave the next day. A few days later, Paul docked in Miletus and sent for the elders of Ephesus. They probably expected him to spend some time in the city because of all the time he'd spent there before. But Paul was a man on a mission. He said he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible. By Shavuot, which was now less than a month away. Amazingly, Paul made it to
Jerusalem with just over a week to spare. The leaders of the church in Jerusalem asked Paul to demonstrate his commitment to God and His Word by paying the expenses for four individuals about to complete a Nazarite vow. And that brings us to where we are today. The crowds are pressing in on every side, but somewhere in this
mass of people is the Apostle Paul. He's been coming to the temple every single day, between the celebration of Shavuot and the preparation for helping these men fulfill their Nazarite vow. Paul has been a man on the move, and that's probably good, because there are a large number of people in this crowd who would like nothing better than to cause him harm. Their hatred of Paul is visceral, and that's why. Wait a minute. Do you hear all that noise coming from beyond the wall there inside the
temple court? There seems to be some sort of an uproar, but I can't tell if it's revelry or a riot. Look, here comes a large crowd streaming out of the gate there on the north side, and the gates being slammed shut behind them. What are they saying? And who is it that they seem to be dragging along? It looks like. Yes it is. It's the Apostle Paul. The crowd's starting to get ugly. So let's work our way closer to the exit, just in case we don't want to get
trapped in here. If Roman soldiers come swooping down that stairway from the fortress of Antonia. And look out! Here they come! Thankfully, the rioters have also spotted them and stopped beating Paul. It looks like he's going to be rescued. I'll bet when you came here for Pentecost, you never expected to see a riot, did you? This might be a good time to slip away, except the crowd seems
to be quieting down. Look, Paul, standing there on the steps leading up to the fortress, and he's surrounded by soldiers. He's starting to speak to the crowd. So let's listen to what he has to say. He's speaking in Aramaic, so I'll try to translate. He's telling about himself and his religious upbringing. He just said he was trained under Gamaliel. I see some in the crowd starting to nod their approval. And now he's talking about how Jesus appeared to him
on the road to Damascus. He just said Jesus appeared to him again when he returned to Jerusalem and was praying here in the temple. And oh, the riot starting again! Paul just said Jesus had sent him to the Gentiles, and that's all this crowd needed to hear. They're now saying he's not fit to live and that they should rid the earth of him. It's a good thing the Roman soldiers have him in custody, or I think that mob would have killed him right on the spot. Let's
slip out of here while we can. Well, the events on this Pentecost are certainly different from those 14 years ago. Or are they? Back then, Peter was the one preaching to those gathered in the temple. This time it's Paul. But the message is basically the same in the sense that the focus is on Jesus and on obedience to him. There wasn't a mob response back when Peter preached, but it soon followed. In fact, Paul, who was called Saul at the time, was with the crowd who stoned Stephen
to death. I know none of this should surprise us too much. There always seems to be a visceral reaction when the claims of Jesus are presented. Some respond in faith and placed their trust in him, but others react violently, rejecting the message and even trying to harm the messenger. And yet, the message keeps being proclaimed. On the original day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on
all the followers of Jesus. By the time today's riot rolled around, tens of thousands had responded in faith to that same message, and they were also empowered by the Holy Spirit and became witnesses to Jesus. Well, it's time for us to head back home from the temple. I doubt if you will ever forget the scene you just witnessed. But more than just memories of a riot, I'd really like you to carry away one key lesson from the scene that unfolded. The lesson is the importance of courage.
It took courage for Paul to go to the temple in the first place. All along his journey to Jerusalem, Paul was warned that chains and prison awaited him. But Paul kept going. And then when he was attacked by the mob and rescued by the soldiers, instead of letting them carry him away to safety, Paul asked to address the very mob that had tried to kill him. He definitely had courage. Now we live in a day when keeping a low profile and getting along with the crowd
is considered wise advice. But maybe, maybe it's time for us to stand boldly for the Lord and share the message the world needs to hear, even if it's not the one they want to hear. On his way to Jerusalem, Paul said this to the elders at Ephesus in Acts 2020. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you, but have taught you publicly and from house to house. And we talk about
2020 vision. But maybe as believers, what we need today is the acts 20, verse 20, courage displayed by Paul. Or as he put it, I have not hesitated. Paul made an impact, not just an impression, on everyone around him, because he was courageous in standing for the Lord. This day of Pentecost. Why not vow to stand courageously for the Lord where you live and work? I don't know if you'll cause a riot, but I do know you will make an impact for Jesus.
Thank you, Charlie boy. That's really well said and impact for Jesus. I hope you want that too. You can always go back and hear this program in its entirety at our website. The land and the book. Org. Yeah, the podcast is always there for you and your friends. We appreciate when you're passing the word along to them about this ministry. Also, your Bible questions are welcome. Doctor Gerald Peterman is glad to take those. And we heard him earlier. You can email us with your question at
the land and the book. That's the land and the book at Moody's. Charlie, I think it's important for listeners to know that this is a listener supported ministry. And the fact of the matter is that so many stations are just giving us airtime. We need to let them know that this program is appreciated. Right?
Well, absolutely, John. In fact, you know, sending an email or calling or even writing a letter as an encouragement to the station and also a reminder to them that this program is making an impact on people's lives.
So thanks for doing that. And thanks for hanging out with us here at The Land and the book on behalf of our producer, Dan Anderson, our host, Charlie Dyer, I'm John Yeager, and the land and the book is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.