Throughout scripture we encounter lots of different covenants. These are promises and agreements that God has made. Why are they so central to understanding Scripture and the heart of God himself? And why don't we talk more about them? Coming up, we'll discover why biblical covenants are still a big deal. And of course, we'll cover all the major news stories in the Middle East and answer your Bible questions. And enjoy Charlie Dyer's devotional. That and more on the land
and the book. Hey, welcome. I'm John Gager, and speaking of Charlie Dyer. Charlie, how's your day been going so far?
John, it's going great. Of course, every day seems to be going great when we know the Lord's in charge and we're following him.
Amen. Well, here's a question. As we kick things off today, what does Passover mean for us as believers in Jesus? Some might remember the story from the book of Exodus, but there's so much more to it. Did you know that the Last Supper was actually a Passover meal? Not only did Jesus and his disciples celebrate Passover, it also foreshadowed his death on the cross for our redemption.
The Jewish people have been keeping the feast of Passover for thousands of years. Understanding the history and importance of this holiday will help you better connect with your Jewish friends and neighbors. And what better way is there to learn about Passover than to experience a Passover Seder yourself? If you've never celebrated Passover, our friends at Life in Messiah would love to partner with you in hosting a
Seder experience. Every year, their staff engage churches and small groups in an interactive Messiah in the Passover Seder, allowing participants to taste and see the redemption story. If you're interested in having someone come lead a Seder in your area, visit Life in Messiah org and click on the radio button there to learn more. That's life in Messiah.
And now let's swing our focus toward current events in the Middle East. As the hostage deal between Hamas and Israel continues to continues to unfold. It raises two crucial issues. First, why is Israel willing to release so many terrorists guilty of murder to gain the freedom of the remaining hostages? It just seems so imbalanced. And won't those being released by Israel just go back to being terrorists like Yahya Sinwar himself did?
Yeah, some might not realize that Sinwar was serving a life sentence for terrorism when he was released in 2011, in a major prisoner swap that saw Israel give up over a thousand prisoners in exchange for a single Israeli soldier. Sinwar became the head of Hamas and planned the October 7th invasion that resulted in the death of 1200 Israeli civilians. So the reality is that releasing terrorists will almost certainly
result in those terrorists participating in future attacks. But the logic behind this for Israel begins with an expression from the Talmud whoever saves a single life is considered by Scripture to have saved the whole world. And that's true because we're created in God's image. Now, that lesson was reinforced during the Holocaust, when so many lives were taken by the Nazis. Most Israelis view the life of every single hostage held by Hamas, significant and worth the price
being paid. John, I think we sense this. When we interviewed Ayelet Levy Sarkar back in March. A medical doctor with other children, she was torn between taking care of her family and helping those who depend on her medical skill, while never giving up on her daughter, who had been captured by Hamas. And when Naama was released last weekend, I found it difficult to hold back tears as I watched Ayellet embrace her daughter and weep with joy and thanksgiving.
Israel really is more like an extended family than a country, you know in the US. People can empathize with news reports on the kidnapping or death of someone caught in a tragic situation, but those feelings are tempered by the reality that we usually don't have a personal connection to that person or family. But virtually everyone in Israel has a personal connection to the events of October 7th. It bonded them to the hostages as if they were part
of their own family. And that's why Israel's willing to release so many terrorists in exchange for the hostages, even knowing that most will likely return to terrorism. Now, Israel isn't being totally naive here. When Hamas changed the terms of the deal by not releasing specific hostages, Israel refused to allow the return of citizens to northern Gaza until Hamas complied with the agreement, with two additional phases of the cease fire agreement still remaining to be ironed out.
The entire process remains fragile. So more conflict could be just over the horizon.
And if I read correctly, Hamas has released a list of the names, and there are not all that many who are still alive. I found that discouraging.
That's sad. And when the remainder of these 33 come, it's going to be amazing how many are not alive. And sadly, that looks like it could include those two young children who were abducted.
Well, the second crucial issue that needs to be addressed is what happens next in Gaza. Once the hostages are released, watching all the celebration taking place there, it almost seems like Hamas is claiming to have won the war there cheering. You see them on television. I mean, what's going on?
Yeah. You know, as they parade those hostages in front of crowds prior to their being released, they really are trying to give the impression that they had won the war. But impressions can be deceiving. You know, on October 7th, 6000 terrorists took part in the invasion and massacre. They breached Israel's border at 114 different places. They used boats, drones, missiles, paragliders, trucks and motorcycles. They killed 1200 Israelis and took an
additional almost 250 back into Gaza as hostages. Now that's the version of a glorious surprise attack, an invasion that Hamas is trying to present. But the reality is less impressive. In the first two days, Israel killed 1400 militants and captured 200 others. Once Israel regained its footing, it pressed the attack against Hamas. The final numbers aren't known, but Israel believes it killed upwards of 17,000 Hamas militants in Gaza.
They also eliminated much of Hamas's key infrastructure and leadership, both in Gaza and in Iran. They destroyed large portions of the tunnel system in Gaza, eliminated rocket launching sites, military hardware command centers, manufacturing sites where those rockets were prepared. The thousands of refugees streaming back to northern Gaza are now discovering a moonscape of blown up buildings and piles
of rubble where houses, apartments and shops once stood. Hamas fighters used them as cover when they were fighting Israel, and they were destroyed during the war. The only victory Hamas can claim is the surprise attack on October 7th, and the reality that outside pressure from the west, along with the hostages they held, kept Israel from attacking with greater ferocity. That's a Pyrrhic victory at best. The real losers in this battle were the people of Gaza and
the Israeli communities along the border. Israel is already preparing to rebuild its communities, but it will take years for Gaza to clear away the rubble and begin to do the same. And sadly, unless Hamas is removed from leadership, the prospects for Gaza's future will remain dim. I'm sure this is all going to be part of the discussion later this week between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, when he visits.
Charlie without asking you to be too specific. Do you think it's likely that Hamas will assume a less larger role in the running of things in Gaza, or do you think it's going to be business as usual for the foreseeable future?
My optimism would say, I hope that they're going to have less of a role or no role. Certainly, that's Israel's bottom line. The sad part is it depends on what other nations around are willing to do, including Europe and the United States. And right now, we don't know. I think many would be willing to let Hamas stay in power.
You're listening to The Land in the book from Moody Radio with our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer, a noted Middle East Scholar. The images of the California wildfires that devastated parts of Los Angeles shocked us all, while an Israeli start up company hopes to make scenes like that a thing of the past. How? Well, by deploying an iron dome for wildfires. How does this new fire dome system work, and when would it become operational?
Yeah, in the current battle against wildfires, boots on the ground and support from the air are the main lines of defense. But using a military analogy, what's missing is artillery support. And that's what Tel Aviv based fire Dome seeks to add to the firefighters arsenal. The company's technology resembles the Iron Dome missile defense system, which identifies, tracks
and destroys incoming rockets using artificial intelligence. Fire dome includes a tracking system comprised of cameras, coupled with a computer that keeps watch for embers or small fires. It also includes a mechanical launcher that hurls fire retardant, biodegradable capsules which open before impact to disperse fire retardant chemicals, creating a protective barrier. The initial system can launch these capsules up to a quarter mile, enabling it to cover 50
to 100 acres of land. In later versions, they plan to expand coverage to a one mile radius, and the goal is to test the system in California during the next fire season. Right now, Fire Dome is designed to protect a medium sized area, like a residential neighborhood or a vineyard, or a resort, where the potential savings will
justify the initial installation expense. However, if the system proves it can help stop small fires from becoming raging infernos, the savings in property and insurance costs might encourage even more widespread use. Anything that can help stop wildfires will be greatly appreciated, so we'll keep our eyes open for future reports of Israel's fire dome system in action.
Well, a little over 100 years ago, antibiotics became the wonder drugs to treat bacterial infections. But the rise of antibiotic resistant strains of Strains of bacteria have made it more difficult to treat such infections. Now, a breakthrough study from Tel Aviv University could help solve the antibiotic resistance crisis. Tell us about this new research out of Israel.
Yeah. The researchers at Tel Aviv University demonstrated a crucial but underexplored process of DNA transfer between bacteria could be exploited to neutralize bacterial defense mechanisms. The transfer of DNA material is crucial to the survival of bacteria, and during that transfer process, one bacterial cell connects directly to another and allows the transfer of genetic fragments called plasmids. These
help provide the recipient bacteria with genetic advantages, including antibiotic resistance. Now, Israeli researchers discovered that if the Anti-defense genes are positioned near the DNA entry point, those plasmids overcome the defense mechanisms of the cells. But if the genes are located elsewhere on the plasmid, the bacteria die upon exposure to
Antibiotics in the race against antibiotic resistant bacteria. This new discovery and subsequent plan of attack from Amazing Israel might just offer great promise.
And that's a look at current events from the Middle East. Thank you Charlie. Appreciate that. Medical tech development as well. Hey, why are biblical covenants still such a big deal? You'll find out as you stick with us here on the land. And the book. Your Bible. It's filled with unbreakable agreements from God. They're called covenants. But do they still matter today? And if so, why? Coming up, a look at God's everlasting covenant with his people. This is the land and
the book. I'm John Gager right now. Let's pause and think creatively about how we can show the love of Christ to that Jewish friend that God has placed in placed in our lives. Listen to this. God has done an amazing thing in this friendship of yours with a Jewish friend. Let's say that she or he wants to take the next step further with you in some kind of a Bible study. Where in the world would you take them in the Bible for a study that would
be meaningful to them? Eva melnick is an adjunct faculty member at Moody Bible Institute. What's the passage that you might take on or recommend, or the book of the Bible?
That's interesting. I think that if you had time, if you had like a long term relationship with this person and they were willing to invest some time, say, like over a summer or winter solstice or whatever, um, study the book of Matthew with your friend, because Matthew, the gospel was written for Jewish people, and it is the most rich with messianic prophecy and pictures of the Messiah
drawn right from the Jewish scriptures. And so if you have some time in your Jewish friends willing say, okay, this week, let's read these two chapters, let's get together next Tuesday over coffee. and what questions came up for you. Matthew is a great place to start.
What about some resources along the way? Any books you might recommend? Or are there any ways that we should approach these passages? Probably. We don't want to firehose people. We don't want to read ten chapters in one night.
Right, exactly, exactly. I you know, as you know, I work with Chosen People Ministries, and we have some great material that's available with chosen people about how to share your faith with your Jewish friends. There was a great book on Isaiah 53. There's some other material that's just general material on how to share your faith with your Jewish friends that I think would be helpful for a person to take a look at before they have those conversations.
If you are more visual, my search for Messiah by Michael Riedel, a great resource to take a look at and then give that to your Jewish friends.
And what a great guy he is.
As handsome and nice.
Yeah, yeah. And just.
Slightly related.
To you. Yeah, yeah. You know.
Even adjunct faculty member. And with Chosen People Ministries, our guest here on the land and the book, Jim Ward has a diverse background that enables him to bring fresh insights to Scripture. His decades of experience as a Bible teacher, it pro and his understanding of the languages of the Bible help him notice the important details in God's Word that maybe some of us are overlooking. Those details often demystify passages in the Bible and illuminate their simple meaning.
Jim's wife, Anita, has been a part of Moody Radio for decades, but it's an honor to welcome Jim now to the land and the book. Thanks for coming to our studio.
Well, thank you for inviting me.
You know, Jim, it seems to me we don't hear much about biblical covenants today from our pulpits. Why do you suppose that is? Or am I wrong?
Oh, that may be true in some circumstances, but I think it's probably because it's a theological topic. And it depends on why people are reading the Bible.
Yeah. When we use the term covenant, what do we actually mean here? What are we talking about?
Its base definition is an agreement. In the case of the Bible, you're really dealing with an agreement that is offered by a superior being, And sometimes it comes with a promise. Sometimes it comes with conditions for both parties.
We sometimes refer to the act of getting married as entering into a covenant. But doesn't that cloud the biblical concepts and so many of our marriage covenants are broken?
Well, there's a strong similarity, but like I was saying, a biblical covenant involves a superior being. Whereas with the marriage covenant you're really dealing with equals. But again, they're very similar because it's an agreement.
And not just equals fallen equals broken equals. Yes for sure. Jim Ward has a rich and nuanced understanding of biblical covenants. He's our guest today on the land and the book. I'm going to invite you to take us to one of the earliest covenants in Scripture, Jim, who is involved here? What are the specifics? What do we need to know?
Well, I tried to stick to the text, and I wanted to focus on a particular phrase Brit Olam or Everlasting Covenant. There are some other portions of Scripture where someone might argue that a covenant was It wasn't involved. But the first time we see the word Brit Olam occurring in Scripture is in reference to the Noah story. And so that's where we see the first everlasting covenant with Noah, commonly known as the Noahic covenant and the associated Noahide laws.
Okay, elaborate. What's in that covenant and is it in effect today?
Oh, most definitely. And the reason I can say it's in effect today is because it's everlasting. This really boils down to the point here, John. When understanding Scripture, do words mean things? And what does the word everlasting mean? It either means everlasting or it means something else. And I've chosen to take it at face value. So yes, all of these covenants that we read about in this book, Everlasting Covenants, are, in my opinion, permanent because they are everlasting.
And with Noah and the no way covenant, God has made a promise that he will not flood the earth again. He will not destroy all human life. I'm very happy that that covenant is everlasting. And in addition to that, there were some laws that were made. Now in the scriptures, we only we are only told about two of them. And one is that he would hold people accountable for killing other people. There was a death penalty associated with that. You know, the main law there is that whoever sheds
man's blood by man shall his blood be shed. Now, the extra-biblical Jewish literature that we read indicates that there were other laws that were given, and some of these are reflected within the last half of the Ten Commandments. But we need to go to some of the the Jewish literature to understand that.
Interesting. You mentioned this Noah covenant, and all of us who heard the story and who've read even the basics in our Bible, would be familiar with that promise. God says, I will never again destroy the earth, but we don't ever or rarely, I should say, here attached to that what you've brought out here, this business about, you know, life is precious. We don't take the life of another.
And what's, I think very important there that many people don't realize is that this covenant was made with the entire Earth. Now, at the time, there were only eight people, right? But that is the entire Earth's population. And it is stated that this is for generations to come. So yes, it is applicable to us today.
All right. Let me let me get real current and maybe a little uncomfortable. Let me push you against the wall. Are you saying then that when we do not, from a biblical perspective, respect the value of a life by failing to follow through, by disallowing capital punishment, we are at odds with this covenant.
That would be my understanding. Yes, this is a directive from God. So we are either following his directive or we are not.
Today, on the land and the book we're visiting with Jim Ward, who's written everlasting covenants. Covenants, of course, are found outside of Scripture. What's different about a covenant initiated by Almighty God?
Well, obviously the parties involved And I have to be honest, sometimes this is, uh, I don't want to say. Detrimental, but can have long lasting effects. Now, when we're talking about the Sinaitic covenant, we're dealing with the covenant that God made with the nation of Israel. If the covenant is everlasting and you have an eternal partner in this covenant, he's never going to go back on his end of the deal. And he made a promise to them that they would be his people and that they would be
his treasured possession. And he also stated that he would chastise them. The fact that he has never rejected them demonstrates that he is holding to his covenant, even the chastisements that they have received in their rebellion throughout the years, and the times that they have not obeyed them throughout the scriptures, demonstrates that he is still making good on
his covenant. If he had failed to follow his covenant, he would have just simply rejected them, and they would have fallen into history like every other nation that we never hear about anymore. And yet today, the nation of Israel exists. And that demonstrates to me that God not only preserved them, but he is still faithful to his covenant.
That says an awful lot about this God we read about in Scripture and sing about in church on Sundays, don't you think? I mean?
Well, very much so. He keeps his word and we can go back and look at the documents. It's in writing. Yeah.
One of our hang up stems, perhaps from our confusion about covenants that are conditional, as you pointed out, and those that are not. Can you give a quick biblical example of each?
Well, conditional covenant would be that there are responsibilities for each party. For example, let's stick with the Sinai covenant. There were quite a few laws that were given in that respect, and if those laws are not followed, it's essentially a violation of the covenant. That's something, as Christians, that we don't always recognize. We think that, say, someone who's under the Sinai into covenant sins or breaks one of the commandments. We think, okay, well, they violated a commandment.
But when God talks about the violation of these commandments, he's saying you have violated the covenant. It's not just a simple act of disobedience. It's a violation of an agreement that existed between two parties. Now, on the other hand, you have a promissory covenant, for example, like the one
with Abraham. There was really nothing that Abraham had to do. Now, granted, he had to leave his home, but there were really no requirements other than to just believe God and that he made a promise to him and that he was going to make him into a great nation.
Thanks for joining us today on the land and the book. I'm John Gager, joined in studio by Jim Ward. We're looking at this big picture idea of everlasting covenants. Why do you think God has chosen to interact with us via promises and Covenants?
May I be so bold as to say that he respects us?
Elaborate.
He made us in his image if he had not respected us so much, I think he just would have made us like the animals. And, uh, just by the fact that he gave us the ability to disagree with him, to rebel, demonstrates that he made us in the in his image and that we have free will. And I think he's respecting the image of God that he has placed in us by entering into an agreement with us. Now, you have to realize, even though I think he's respecting us,
he can be very persuasive. In the case of Abraham also, especially in the case of Israel, he did some things. First he goes in there, he makes a spectacle of the gods of, of Egypt through the plagues, and he delivers his people from bondage. And then he brings them to the mountain. After he's done all this, then he says, I'd like to make a covenant with you. Well, he's now got them in a position where he's delivered them. It's not likely they're going to be able to go back.
So he's got them in a bind a little bit, but he's demonstrated his power first. He has the ability to persuade, and yet he doesn't demand that they enter a covenant. He requests a covenant with them. And I think he's showing respect for the image of God that he's placed in each one of us.
You know, along those lines. Let me play with that just a bit further. The fact that he has respected us so much to draw up an agreement, so to speak, is evidence of the fact that he believes we are capable of honoring that covenant. It's not beyond us. He hasn't he hasn't built something by way of agreement and fine print that's out of reach.
Oh, exactly.
That says a lot, I think, about a sense of our responsibility to.
I would definitely agree with that, John. Yeah.
This is the land and the book from Moody Radio. Our guest today, Jim Ward. What other important covenants can we find in the Bible, and what do they mean for us in 2025, Jim?
Well, we started off with the Noah covenant. Then there's the Abrahamic covenant. That's really a covenant with people. And then we get to the Sinai covenant. That's really, in my opinion, a covenant with a nation and its transgenerational. Then we have the the royal covenant, the Davidic Covenant, where he's narrowing it down to the royal line. And then there's one that is often overlooked. I might say, or sometimes omitted in some of the theological books that
I have read. And that is the Levitic covenant. There is a covenant made with Levi, and sometimes it interferes with certain theologies, but that's something that I cover in one of the chapters.
Well, if we really appreciated really valued God's covenants with us, how would our lives be different, do you think?
Well, in my opinion, our primary responsibility for studying the Bible is to get to know God. I realize that many of us read the Bible because we're looking for comfort. We're looking for insight, maybe some advice. And those are all good things. But the Apostle Paul's prayer for us is that we would know this is from Ephesians, that we would know and understand him better. And God's statement to Israel was that they would circumcise their hearts and
that this would all be internalized. And in my opinion, the primary reason for reading the Bible in general is that we might get to know him. And when we study, especially like the Torah, for example, we're studying law, and this is something that he delights in. And so if we understand it, we are getting inside of God's head. And when we understand the covenants, these are things that he has chosen. This is his chosen way of interacting
with the human race. And if we understand those covenants, we are going to understand him better just by what we've been talking about here. When you ask the question, why would he even bother making covenants with us if what I said was accurate, that he respects us and he respects the image that he's placed in us, that tells me something about him, the fact that he offers a covenant to these different individuals or different groups. First of all, tells me he's not forcing himself on anyone.
He wants a relationship, whether it be with the individual or with the group with whom he's covenanting.
Well, lots to think about here, and we invite you to dig deeper as you check out Everlasting Covenants, Jim's book. A link to that at our website. The land and the book. Jim, thank you for these insights. A fascinating thing to be thinking about.
Thank you.
Up next on the land in the book, your Bible questions and some satisfying answers right here. It's that time. Time to entertain some new questions from listeners that have come in to us via our email address, which I'll share with you later on. Welcome back to The land and the book. By the way, I'm John Yeager. Good to be with you today, and good to have Doctor Gerald Peterman in his chair there, ready to answer those questions. We'll start with one from James. An interesting way. He's
set this one up. He says, I was studying Bible prophecy and a question came to mind. What if Michael Wright gave you a call and said that he and his wife, Eva, had some friends over a day ago and discussed who the beast and false prophet might be in revelation 13, and they, by the Holy Spirit, had a strong sense of who these people are right now. Alright,
so here's the question. What would your reaction be? Would you reveal the names of the people identified to the public immediately, or would you wait until the exact identity of the beast and the second beast were revealed?
My reaction would be this could never happen because I know Michael and Eva and they know what Second Thessalonians says, and I'm just going to drop in there. In verse three, Paul says, don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man
doomed to destruction. A little bit later on, he goes on to say, the lawless one will be revealed when the When the restrainer is taken away, and almost certainly the Restrainer is the Holy Spirit working in us, the church. When the church is raptured, the spirit is removed. And so, in other words, the lawless one is going to be revealed when Eva and Michael are no longer on the earth. So I think they could not say this.
Jury wants to know. I'm hearing more talk in Christian circles about generational curses. Can believers be subject to generational curses?
And I've heard the term, too. And I think the short answer is no. It depends on how we define it. I know where they're getting this phrase, generational curses. They're getting it from passages like Deuteronomy five nine. And what do we find? We find. I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me. So when there are sins in the family, the sins can be passed on. But then
the children imitate the sins of the parents knowingly. They choose to do so. So in other words, the curse doesn't come upon them absent mindedly. And that can go on for generation after generation in Christian families and in non-Christian families. But thanks be to God, repentance can happen. And we hear about this in Ezekiel 18. That's where the prophet lays out a scenario. There's a righteous father, and then he has a son who's corrupt, and then that son has a son who is righteous. It all
depends upon the individual and the individual's choices. So I don't think we're locked in to a generational curse.
Not locked in, but we can be affected by generational affected.
Yes. Yeah. So the real key then becomes do we realize it and repent of it.
So along these same lines, Dan wants to know, can a believer who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit also be possessed by an evil spirit under some circumstances?
I think not. I think not, thanks be to God. The one who is in us is more powerful than the one that's outside us. The primary place I would go to is first Corinthians six. What does Paul say? Paul says, do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own. You have been bought at a price. The price is, of course, the blood of Christ. So since we belong to God and He is in us, we cannot belong to someone else.
This is the land and the book from Moody Radio. Doctor Gerald Peterman of the Moody Bible Institute faculty is addressing your questions. Great to sit down with him and tap into his knowledge. Sadie takes us to Romans 224, which says, because of you, the Gentiles blaspheme my name. Does this contradict Genesis 12 verse three? How could the blasphemers be not cursed if they are excused by Romans 224? I'm confused.
Well, this is a very complex question. So we have to remember context for at least two things. Let's go to Romans two. What's happening in Romans two? Paul is talking to a Jewish audience. That is very presumptuous. They think that because they have the circumcision, because they have the law, because they have Jewish heritage, therefore they're in with God. And he contradicts that perspective that they have. And he then says to them, you who teach others,
do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal you who say one must not commit adultery? Do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols do you rob temples? You who boast in the law. You dishonor God by breaking the law. And now here comes the verse, for it is written, the name of God is blasphemed amongst the Gentiles because of you. Now that's taken from Isaiah 52. What's the context of Isaiah 52? The context of Isaiah 52 is Israelites taken away into exile in Assyria.
So you've got Jewish people surrounded by pagan people. And here's what's happening. When this happens, the pagan people say, na na na na na. Our God is more powerful than your god, you see. So the name of God is blasphemed. That is a critique of what Israelites have done by presuming upon their own obedience.
Okay, a bit of a follow up here from Sadie. Is it true, as some authors claim, that the Pharisees began adopting occult beliefs during the Babylonian captivity?
Well, I've never heard that, but I think the answer is no. Why is that? Because the Pharisees, as if you will, a kind of a separate religious cult, don't even come into existence until around 165 B.C. and that is 350 years after the captivity. Let me rephrase it. There weren't even Pharisees around to be dealing with these practices during the captivity.
That sounds clear to me. Noah's question is, why do some well-known teachers or pastors or churches divide when it comes to losing salvation? Both sides use verses they say back up their side of the issue. What's the bottom line?
Well, there is division because it's very important. And losing salvation would be a horrible thing if it happened. It does not happen. Thanks be to God. Let me take us to Jesus. What does he say in John five? Jesus said, I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned. He has crossed over from death to life. Paul says something very similar in Ephesians
one verse 13. You also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession. We cannot lose salvation. On the other hand, it's possible to have a false profession or even a false understanding of who Christ is. Then the faith you have would
not be a good faith. Jesus talks about this in Matthew seven. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom, but those who do the will of my father. Many will come to me and say, Lord, you know we even prophesied in your name. And the Lord will say, I never knew you. Not that you knew me at some point, but I never knew you.
I find that to be one of the most chilling verses in the entire Bible.
It is. It is.
I mean, these are people with good hearts, I think. I mean, at least some good intentions, some biblical background. But they missed it.
It's good for us to examine. Is our faith genuine? Yeah.
All right. Let's go back to our questions from listeners. I got thousands of my own. Sadie takes us to Hebrews 1132, where it praises the biblical character Jephthah, even though he sacrificed his own daughter. Why so?
Well, my response might be unexpected. I don't think Jephthah sacrificed his own daughter, but I'm going to have to take some time explaining that. Yes. It's true. You come to judges 1131 and we have a vow that Jephthah makes whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I'm returning peace from the sons of Ammon. It shall be the Lord's, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering. This pronoun, it could be she comes out, he comes out, or it
comes out. I'm thinking Jephthah is thinking it's going to be an animal. But I don't think when his daughter comes out, he sacrifices her. I've got three reasons for that. First, he makes this vow when the Holy Spirit comes upon him. I don't think the Holy Spirit guides him to make a vow about sacrificing a daughter. Correct. Number two, this burnt offering. That's a technical term from Leviticus chapter one, verse three. And a whole burnt offering is a male animal,
not a female animal. So it wouldn't be actually following the law for Jephthah to do this. But then, third, I think the primary reason is what is lamented near the end of the of the story, his daughter laments her virginity for two months. Why lament your virginity if you're going to be sacrificed? Why not lament your life, right? Ah, I take it because Jephthah doesn't offer up as a burnt offering. He offers her as a someone who will always be in the temple, serving God like Samuel was
offered by Hannah. Yeah. So in other words, now Jephthah has no descendants, and it says twice in the narrative she was his only child and never married. So then Jephthah has no offspring.
Well, boy, we've dug into a lot of deep issues today. Nothing, though, deeper than this idea of thinking, you know Jesus when you really don't. What's a good next step in 15 seconds for somebody who who maybe has never given thought to, is my faith genuine?
Uh, pray and ask the Lord for guidance. Um, go over several texts in the New the New Testament about what faith is, how faith might be defined. One of my favorite ones is John 831 and 32. Ask other people who know you really well. Tell me about my faith. Get in my face, if you will, and tell me about it. Yeah, I think that self-examination would be really good.
Good checks for a self-examination from Doctor Gerald Peterman answering your Bible questions on the land and the book. We're up next. It's Charlie Dyer's devotional. Stick around. Welcome back to the land and the book. And if you hear the word coney, you might think of Coney Island. You might think of a coney animal. Charlie, tell us about your devotional coming up.
Uh, we're going to talk about Groundhog Day and the coneys mentioned in the King James Version of the Bible.
All right. Sounds intriguing, but first, this Holy Land experience. Check out this testimony.
My name is Brian O'Neill, and I had the privilege of traveling to Israel back in 2006 or so. And I remember one particular event when we were at the church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is the traditional site of the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus. And we were reading from John ten, where Jesus says, I am the sheep gate. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. And so we read that and thought about that. We were when
we were on site there. And then we kind of went backwards down the traditional Via Dolorosa to the pools of Bethesda, which are famous because that's where Jesus met and healed the lame man. And when you read John five on that story, the story begins with saying, In Jerusalem by the sheep gate there are these pools called Bethesda. And that's where Jesus met the lame man, and just hearing those two passages echo together in my mind, and
then hearing Jesus say, I am the sheepgate. And then reading in John five by the sheep gate really drew to my attention that Jesus came to fulfill that role of laying down his life for the sheep. That gateway into the temple that the sheep gate offered was the way that we came into relationship with God.
We're headed for the book of Proverbs, chapter 30. In your devotional, Charlie, you've called it the Wise Israeli Coney. I am really intrigued.
Yeah, well. Thanks, John. Yeah, this coming week is Groundhog Day. What most people know about Groundhog or Groundhog Day comes from seeing the date on their calendar, or maybe viewing the 1993 movie of the same name that starred Bill Murray. But growing up in Pennsylvania and working some summers on farms, I got to experience groundhogs in a more up close and personal way. And let me just say, they're not nearly as cute up close. The problem is that groundhogs
dig burrows in the ground. Weakening the soil. Those dens can collapse under the weight of farm tractors or other equipment, and the holes can actually injure animals that might step in them. And the holes aren't the only problem. Groundhogs act like little furry combines, chewing their way through the crops. I know farmers who carried a rifle when they were out cultivating their fields to try to rid the fields of those bothersome pests, but one town in Pennsylvania has
learned how to profit off the little furry mammals. Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, is the home of Punxsutawney Phil. Every February 2nd, thousands of visitors descend on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney to see if Phil will predict an early spring or six more weeks of winter. As the Groundhog Club of Punxsutawney says on its website, what would you rather be doing in the middle of the night in the middle of the winter in western PA? Having lived in Pennsylvania with all
those groundhogs? Imagine my surprise when I spotted what looked like a groundhog during my very first trip to Trip to Israel. It was perched on a rock sunning itself as we hiked to the waterfall at Enjeti. Down by the Dead Sea. My excitement was short lived, however. The teacher and guide on that trip let us know what we were seeing wasn't a groundhog. It was a hyrax or rock badger. Or if you grew up with the King James Version of the Bible, a coney. I really
like the name Coney. True, it's not a great translation. Since when the Bible was translated? Back then, a coney was a name used for a rabbit. And the animal I saw in Israel didn't look anything like a rabbit. No long ears, no fuzzy tail, no hopping around on the ground. But it was a unique word that I could match up with the animal I saw. Hyrax or rock badger might be more accurate scientifically, but those words
don't really mean anything to me. The translators of the New American Standard Bible punted when they decided how to translate the word. The Hebrew word for this animal is chiffon, and they simply translated it that way. Chiffon is the singular and chef name for the plural. Now it's accurate, but it still seems to lack the pizzazz of coney. But what does any of this have to do with our focus on the whys? Groundhog? Well, as I've already said, the coney or rock badger or hyrax or chiffon in
Israel does look something like a groundhog. But they're not related to the larger classification of animals, though both are mammals. A groundhog is a rodent considered to be a large ground squirrel or marmot, but a coney is more closely related to, believe it or not, an elephant. Its front teeth resemble tiny tusks, and its toes and skull are more pachyderm like. It might look something like a groundhog,
but that's where the similarities end. In both Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, God made it clear that the coney was not an animal that was to be eaten. Using today's terminology, it wasn't kosher, but that doesn't mean the animal wasn't important. In fact, God used the coney to teach Israel a great lesson about wisdom and to learn that lesson. Let's head back down to Engedi, to the place where I first spotted that cony over 40 years ago.
As we hike up the pathway leading to the waterfall, we spot a group of conies sprawled out on the rocks and boulders just to the left of the pathway. You can see for yourself that they do look something like groundhogs, but while groundhogs dig burrows into the ground, the conies make their homes in the crevices between the rocks. They live in family groups, often with the oldest male standing guard, while the other members of the clan lounge in the sun scamper among the rocks or feed off
the nearby trees and brush. As long as we don't make any sudden moves or loud noises, we won't scare them off. But if we do, they'll quickly disappear into the rocks and wait until we're gone before they emerge. As we stand here and watch these creatures scamper about, the words of Proverbs 3026 come to life. In that passage, the writer introduces us to four creatures on Earth that are small yet extremely wise, and the second creature on his list of animals that illustrate wisdom are the very
ones before us. Now. The conies or hyrax, or rock badgers or shefayim are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the crags. These groundhog looking animals are relatively defenseless. If they were to be caught out in the open by a wolf, or a desert lynx, or even an eagle or some other large bird of prey, they could easily be taken. But conies don't live out in the open to spot them. You look for rocks, boulders, rock ledges, under cliffs or rocks piled up into stone
fences or ancient ruins. But what's the lesson on wisdom we're to learn from this insignificant animal? Conies have wisely learned to seek out and remain near places of safety. The author of Proverbs 30 sees this relatively small animal, teaching us the importance of not living foolishly, of making sure we don't unnecessarily expose ourselves to threats or threats or dangers. Exercising appropriate care and caution in threatening circumstances is wise. And yet the Koni didn't live in fear,
hiding inside its den all day. We still see it outside, resting, feeding, scampering about, but always making sure it remained close to its place of protection should danger suddenly appear. The Koni, Israel's version of a groundhog, at first seems rather insignificant. It wasn't even an approved source of food. And yet God had this animal teach Israel and us an important
lesson about wisdom. Someone who's wise knows, like the coney, that it's important to protect against unnecessary exposure to danger and risk. Taking one's security seriously is wise. So what lesson should we take away from this encounter with Israel's wise version of Punxsutawney Phil? How about this it's never too late to begin mastering God's principles for living life wisely. And one key principle of wise living is not foolishly
taking unnecessary risks. Jesus said the wise man built his house upon the rock, and Proverbs 30 says the wise Coni built his house among the rocks. And perhaps the best application for us is to make sure we stay close to the Rock of ages. To help visualize this lesson, I'll post a few pictures of Conies on our land and the book Facebook page two will actually be from my first trip there to Angati, and the third is
from a trip I took up in Galilee. If you want to see a cone, head over to our Facebook page and take a look.
Thank you Charlie. Well, speaking of wisdom, the ultimate wisdom is to know Jesus as Savior, to make him in charge of your life. For somebody who is confused about what that means. What did they do? What did they pray? How did they get this thing right with God?
Well, John, I think the easiest thing that they could do is turn to God and say, Lord, I don't know you, but I want to. And I understand you sent your son here to live a perfect life, and then to die on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin. And I want to put my trust in him right now. And what he did for me is my Savior. So please forgive me of my sins, because I want to put my trust now in Jesus. And if someone prays that God will answer that prayer.
Thank you Charlie. We'd love to hear from you. If this is a step that you're taking, you can email us anytime at The Land and the book@moody.edu. Again, that's the land and the book at Moody Edu. We appreciate your listening and we appreciate your checking out our podcast. It's waiting for you now at the land and the book. Org, a great way for you to share this program with a friend at the land and the book.org. Well, our
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