She grew up in Iran, a nation hostile to the name and mission of Christ. But then her family moved to the United States of all things, and the name of Jesus was everywhere, and Lily eventually became a Christian. What was that journey like? And what about the rest of her family? We have an incredible story for you coming up. Hey, welcome to the land and the book. We call it a one hour flyover of the Middle East. And if you're new, you'll quickly find out why in
the pilot seat. As always, Captain Charlie Dyer. He's been to Israel more than a hundred times and traveled extensively throughout the entire Middle East region as well. Welcome, Charlie. Good to connect with you.
Hey, John. Thanks. It's great being with you again.
Well, did you know that most Jewish people have never heard the gospel? Every week Charlie and I talk about Israel and the Jewish people, and it's really critical to remember that they, like everyone else, need to hear the good news, right?
That's exactly right. And that's why life in Messiah, a 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 there. Sign up today to get your copy. That's life in Messiah.
Well, this week we're going to focus on some of the areas surrounding Israel, beginning with the Palestinians. What's the latest news coming out of both Gaza and the Palestinian Authority?
The best way to describe it is it's a mixed bag. Hamas initially said it was willing to exchange all remaining hostages for a five year truce with Israel. This intended to pressure Prime Minister Netanyahu to stop the fighting. But they said they would not relinquish their weapons because they hoped to retain control once the fighting is over. But now there are reports that they're discussing the possibility of disarming, releasing all the hostages and for the leaders to exit
Gaza in exchange for ending the war. But as of right now, no deal has been made. And so you really have to hear all of that and listen to it with a grain of salt. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on Hamas to free the hostages, cede control of Gaza and give up their weapons. He also offered a possible pathway for Hamas to continue in Gaza by transforming into a political party. Of course, that's what they were when they won the parliamentary election back in 2006, and
we see how that turned out now. Speaking of President Abbas, I found it interesting that he also claimed Israel is trying to change the historical and legal status of Islamic and Christian holy places, especially in Jerusalem. And he was talking about especially the Al-Aqsa mosque, Referring to the First and Second Jewish temples. Abbas then claimed that the Quran says the temples were located in Yemen, now back in 1925.
The Supreme Muslim Council published a booklet titled A Brief Guide to the Haram al-Sharif, which is the Al-Aqsa mosque area. In it, they stated its identity with the site of Solomon's Temple is beyond dispute. Apparently since Israel became a nation, that historical fact changed. Now repeat a lie often enough and people can often start to believe it. And the reality is, the Quran doesn't say the Jewish temples were in Yemen up until the start of the modern state
of Israel. Muslims claimed the temple stood at the site where the dome of the rock now stands. The Bible clearly identifies Jerusalem as the site of both temples, and though the Muslims haven't allowed any excavations on the Temple Mount, discoveries along the edges of the retaining wall, like the parapet with the words to the place of trumpeting, written in Hebrew, and the scores of Jewish ritual baths just outside the entrances clearly point to that being the site
of the temples. I think statements like those made by Abbas demonstrate the fear they have, that the Jewish people will someday push to rebuild a third temple on the site chosen by God.
Well, Jordan has begun a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood. What brought about this decision now, and what impact could it have on the country?
Well, the immediate cause for the crackdown was the discovery of a secret network of Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood members operating inside the country. Officials say the 16 who were arrested were planning attacks on security targets and other sensitive locations in the kingdom to try to destabilize the government. Both groups have been accused of fomenting anti-government street protests in Jordan during the current war in Gaza. Jordan had previously expelled Hamas in 1999, and a decade ago they
also banned the Muslim Brotherhood. But they allowed Brotherhood affiliated groups like the Islamic Action Front to continue as a political party. In fact, in the last election, that party won 31 of the 138 seats in Jordan's parliament. Jordan has now outlawed and confiscated the assets of the Muslim Brotherhood, and said anyone promoting the group's ideology will be arrested and prosecuted. Hopefully, the crackdowns will lead to a greater
sense of peace and security within the country. You know, tourism is a major part of Jordan's economy, and removing the threat of terrorist attacks will definitely make tourists feel more at ease. Jordan recently announced a $340 million project to promote tourism by building a tourist park at the Jordan River baptismal site to commemorate the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus's baptism. The goal is to have this project completed
by 2029. It will feature hotels, restaurants, bazaars, shops and amphitheater and parking to accommodate what they anticipate will be a very large group of visitors coming. Starting then, I just hope they're able to do this without destroying the beauty and the religious significance of that site.
You're listening to The Land and the book from Moody Radio, our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Gager. We're looking at current events in this opening segment. Turkey is experiencing its own struggles both politically and physically, including severe weather and earthquakes. How have all these challenges impacted President Erdogan's grip on power?
Well, a few weeks ago, we talked about the political crisis in Turkey when authorities arrested the mayor of Istanbul just days before he was to be selected as leader of the opposition party, who would then face Erdogan in the next election. Thousands took to the streets in protest and those protests are still impacting the country. In fact, reports surfaced that Germany had at least temporarily vetoed the sale of Euro fighter jets to Turkey because of these
political developments. But in the midst of all the political upheaval, Turkey was also struck by several days of subfreezing weather that caused widespread crop damage in 36 provinces. Hundreds of millions of dollars of fruit crops were destroyed in the worst frost to hit in recent history. Apricots, grapes, apples, peaches, nectarines, hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds were affected. As one farmer commented, this
year's crop is now already lost. President Erdogan blamed the damage on climate change and promised to help farmers recover economically. I think hoping to maintain their support. And as if that crisis wasn't enough, Istanbul then experienced a 6.2 magnitude earthquake which, along with more than 260 aftershocks, rattled the country's largest city. Thankfully, the quake didn't cause any fatalities, though it did produce widespread panic. A million and a
half buildings in Turkey. Not just Istanbul, are identified as high risk, requiring urgent transformation to make them safe from possible collapse in the future. Erdogan called on the citizens of Istanbul to pull together and put aside their protests. He said, we do not approve of issues that shake us all, like earthquakes being used for daily political polemics. We do not wish to engage in arguments with anyone during such sensitive times. This is a disrespect to our country.
Obviously trying to use the earthquake to put down the protests. We'll see if the physical earthquake can cancel out the political earthquake that he's accused of causing.
Well, we don't normally think of Russia when we consider the nations surrounding Israel, but Russia is currently facing its own internal problems, apart from the war with Ukraine. What might be keeping the leaders in the Kremlin up at night?
Yeah, when I read this report, John, it really did shake me in the sense of, wow, I had no idea that was happening. Well, we might fear Russian intimidation here in the West, but Russia's facing its own threat from Islam. Not by way of invasion, but from its own changing demographics. Today there are 25 million Muslims in Russia. That's 17% of the population, a far greater percentage than any other European country. The ethnic Russian population is in
decline due to smaller families, war casualties and emigration. Ethnic Russians as a group are becoming smaller and older. Over the past few decades, Russia brought in 11 million migrants to keep its economy running, and most were Muslim. The Muslim population of Moscow increased five fold since the late 1990s. The largest mosque in Europe is now in Moscow. And in ten years, a third of Moscow's population is expected to be Muslim. Some believe because of their high birth rate,
by 2050, Muslims will comprise half the population of all Russia. Wow. This could be influencing Vladimir Putin's policies toward both Turkey and Iran and Israel. The concern, of course, is that this change ethnically could be followed by a corresponding growth in radical Islam within Russia. We once feared a godless communist Soviet Union with the world's largest arsenal of nuclear weapons.
But in a few years, that fear could be replaced by the specter of an Islamic Russia possessing the world's largest arsenal of nuclear weapons. And it's those internal demographic shifts that could indeed be keeping Russia's leaders and those in the West awake at night.
Well, that's a look at current events from the Middle East and beyond. Thank you Charlie. Hey, if you've yet to check out our podcast, it's available at the website, The land and the book. With that podcast, you can hear every program again. Or better yet, share it with a friend. So many of our listeners do not get access to this program on a radio station. They got to listen via podcast, and that's great. And that podcast is available at The Land and the book dot straight ahead.
A girl who grew up in Iran moved to the United States and found Jesus as Savior. It's really quite an odyssey, a remarkable story. You don't want to miss it. It's on our next segment here on Moody Radio's The Land and the book. You've grown up in a nation opposed to Christ. Now, at the age of 18, you and your family move across the globe from Iran to the United States. Suddenly, the name of Jesus is everywhere.
How does that impact your own spiritual journey? And how does all of this affect your attitude toward women back in Iran? We'll get into these questions and a whole lot more on today's edition of The Land and the book. Welcome. I'm John Gager, and before we talk further about Muslims in Iran, let's talk about reaching Muslims here in the
United States. Here's a thought. Sit down with a muslim friend for any length of time, and it won't be long before the subject of the Crusades comes up uncomfortable for Christians, or is it an impossible wall to scale? Let's talk about that with Samuel Johnson, who's with Call of Love Ministries. What do you think, Samuel?
I think at some point we have to find out how we can answer this question about crusades, even to ourselves, to our children, what happened there? And when I talk with my Muslim friend, I don't go with them. They're going towards religion and politics, combining them together. And I say, no, no, wait a minute here. This is not true Christianity. True Christianity is not a religion. It's a person whom I follow. All right. And let's look at the person. Jesus. Did
he encourage war? Did he expand Christianity using war? Using the sword? So when I tell them about Jesus and that he was against war, they will stay silent. Because Muhammad expanded Islam through war all over the Middle East. And then I tell them, these people who were part of the crusade or even, you know, any other country invading or anything like that in the name of religion. These are not true Christ followers, or they understood it in the wrong way.
As my friend Ron Hutchcraft says, Jesus never said, follow my followers. He said, follow me.
Amen.
Amen. That's Samuel Johnson with Call of Love Ministries. Great resources, by the way, for reaching out to your Muslim friends. Available right now at Call of Love. Org. Lily Meshi enjoyed a successful career in fortune 500 companies, boutique retail banking and wholesale investing. But today she serves the Ministry
of Iran Alive as the Director of Partner Relations. Drawing from her personal journey as an Iranian woman, Lily provides profound insights into the challenges surrounding women's rights in Iran. We're so honored to talk with her today on the land and the book. Welcome, Lily.
Thank you so much, John, for having me.
Hey, let's start with your childhood in Tehran. Did you live in the heart of the capital? Or maybe toward the outskirts, or even out in the suburbs?
No. I lived in Tehran, which is the heart of the capital of Iran.
Okay, so describe your family life, your personal goings on right now, and even your spiritual status at that time.
My family was a nominal Muslim people that really instilled the connection to the one and only God in me and my two sisters from early on. And so that was the dynamic. My dad was a very well-off, successful entrepreneur. He owned his own clothing factory. We were what you would consider an elite family living in one of the better areas in Tehran and just living a very comfortable life.
Glad you're with us for our second segment here on the land and the book. I'm John Gager, honored to be joined by Lily meshi, who serves with Iran Alive Ministries. Let's fast forward to your early teen years still in Tehran. What awareness, if any, did you have of the biblical Jesus at this point?
I knew that Jesus was one of the greatest prophets that performed many miracles. This was taught in the schools, but there was no difference between Moses, Abraham, and Jesus. They were all prophets sent from God to bring back people to God.
Well, at the age of 18, your family moved to the United States. What precipitated that?
Lily my dad basically lost everything he had worked very hard for in a split of a second.
What happened?
He went bankrupt. He trusted some of the people that he shouldn't have trusted. And his company went belly up. So as a result of that, if you're familiar with the culture of Iran, the culture of honor and shame is very prevalent. And so if if someone that was doing really well and was well off all of a sudden. Doesn't have anything to cling on. They're ashamed. They're ashamed
to the society and their disgrace. And so my family decided to move from Iran to Germany and then from Germany to the United States.
Okay. Somebody listening says, okay, you say he's lost everything, but how do you even get the money for airfare to Germany, let alone ultimate travel to the US?
We sold everything, all of our possessions, the Persian rugs and the homes and everything we owned. All my mom and dad's and every piece of jewelry that we had. We sold everything. Um, at age 16, when we were moving from Iran, I remember as someone who lived a comfortable life, I remember all of our possessions being sold one by one, and all the boxes in our hallway just packing and leaving.
What kind of struggles did you experience interpersonally at that point? What's going on in your head? Right there. Your heart. Lily.
It was very difficult. I mean, we had many friends that we formed friendships with in Iran. We had family in Iran that we had to leave. My grandmother was very close to us. My dad was not leaving Iran with us. He was staying. And so he was just my mom and my two sisters that were leaving at the time. So I was heartbroken. My dad was always my hero. I always looked up to him. I didn't
know if I was going to see him again. And so just moving from Iran to Germany and really living with my cousin in Germany in a two bedroom apartment, she had three small children herself. So with us, we were nine people living in a two bedroom apartment, just, um, becoming refugees of a different country, feeling very isolated and lonely.
If you're just joining us, this is the land and the book, and we're talking with Lily Meshi of Iran Alive Ministries. We'll describe your ultimate journey to faith in Jesus.
When I was 18, my dad asked his family to join him in the United States, where he had moved directly from Iran in search of a new venture in search of a new life to where he can bring his family back together. So he contacted me one time. He said, Lily, there's this Persian Iranian guy who's very successful here in the US and is helping me open up my own restaurant in the US, which will bring our family together again, and we will have a fresh
new start. He has expressed interest in getting to know you for marriage. So I'm going to introduce you to this guy. Just get to know him, see how things go. At this point I was 18 and this gentleman was 32. So there was a huge.
Age gap.
Between us. I mean, he was my dad's business partner. And so, you know, coming from a very patriarchal culture in Iran where I grew up and the true admiration that I had for my dad always, and seeing him so broken after having lost everything in his mid-fifties, all I wanted to do was please him. I was like, okay, well, I'll talk to him, no problem. If my dad is asking me to do something, this has to be something good. He would never put me up to something that would
harm me. And so we started talking on the phone for about six months before I moved to the US. And when I moved to the US, it was as if we were already married. The promise was already given to him. He would not leave my side. He would always be everywhere. I was, you know, taking me to places. And in the midst of all that, unfortunately, I was sexually harassed by him, exploited by him, and that was the thing that he did. As soon as he noticed that I have no interest in getting to know him
or wanting to marry him. And he thought that by sexually exploiting me, this would be the ultimate act for him to earn me or get me. Or there is no way out of this situation. In a way, he wanted to force me into this marriage. And that's what happened. I was forced by circumstances, great amount of shame to marry him. And the marriage was very toxic. Very abusive on all fronts. And when I was at the lowest point of my life, my parents invited me to their
house to visit their friends. And I did not know that they had come prepared and prayerfully to share the gospel with us. And so when I entered my parents house, they were watching Jesus film and I sat there and watched the film with them at the end. Of course, there was an invitation for, you know, prayer of salvation and, you know, giving our hearts to Jesus. I heard all that. Didn't really think anything of it. I got up to leave. That's when one of the women there shared the gospel with me.
You're listening to The land and the book. I'm John Yeager. Our guest today, Lily meshi, who has come all the way from Iran via Germany. And then to the United States. We're hearing her journey not just geographically, but spiritually as well. So let me clarify here. Are your parents at this time born again?
No. They were just listening to their friends who were coming from Oklahoma to share the gospel with us. They were just open to hear what they had to say. They were watching the film with me, and I knew that they had already had some talks with my parents at that point. But when I got up to leave, one of the women walked me out to the door and said, Lily, I know you have been through a lot since you moved to the US, and I just want you to know that there is hope. And here
at this point, I was so hopeless. I was so frustrated at everything that had happened to me. I was so mad and ashamed of who I was and what was done to me, some of which was done by my own immediate family. So there was great amount of anger towards my own parents at this point that I had.
Is your dad aware of what's transpired? Is he aware of the injustice of his business partner toward you?
He did not think anything of it. Let me explain this to you and your audience. It's a very common practice in Iran to put up girls that are of young age, to marry men that are established, especially financially, and are much older. So this is a very prevalent practice in Iran. In fact, child marriages is very prevalent in Iran. Temporary marriages are very prevalent. So he didn't think anything of it because he grew up in that culture.
He patriarchy was part of life. He, you know, up until so much later in his faith, he didn't realize how wicked this practice was and what he had done to me. He was just part of life.
So what's next? I mean, I'm still wondering, how do you find Jesus in all of this? You've been to this meeting, you're watching a video, but there's a lot of hurt and, uh, a lot of other issues going on in your heart.
In the morning of that day when I went to visit my parents friends, my younger sister met up with me at the mall, and she said, Lily, I'm just giving you a heads up. You're going to Mom and Dad's house tonight. Um, their friends are Christians and they say Jesus is God. Just to give you a heads up on that. I was like, how idiotic is that? Like, who would believe Jesus? A great prophet is God. And so this was in my head. So I already went
in there with my guards up and all that. And so when that woman stopped me at the door and said, you know, there's hope in Jesus. Do you mind if I just share just a couple of passages from the Bible with you? I'm not going to take up much of your time. I just want to read something from the Bible to you that may change your life. And so I was so reluctant, but at the same time, I wanted to see what she had to say. And sat down there in the beginning was the word. The
word was with God. The word was God. Then she skipped over to John 114. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The moment she finished reading these two verses, tears were rolling down my cheeks. I knew that Jesus was my Lord and Savior, and that instant, it was a momentary revelation that the Holy Spirit revealed to me that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. He is God. He is the one who can pull me out of the dungeon that I was in. He was going to
be the hope that I could cling on. And so in that moment, a spark of hope just ignited in me, and I. I wanted to know more about Jesus. And I looked at her and I said, how do I become a Christian?
And that happened for you that evening.
That happened for me that evening. The next day was a Sunday. She took me to a Bible based church in Austin, Texas, Hill Country Bible Church. I remember that this was about 2001, so 24 years ago, and the rest is history. I ended up going to a Bible college in Oklahoma. And now, fast forward 24 years later, I have the privilege to serve in a ministry that is sharing the good news with Iranians every day through 24 over seven broadcasts. Iran Alive ministries.
Well, you have been on an amazing journey. That's an encouraging story. Lily, we thank you for these insights, for your testimony, for all that God has been doing in your life. We give him the praise as we know you do too. Thank you.
Thank you. John.
Hey, we're looking forward to another segment on the land of the book. It's Bible questions and answers next right here. They say that the Bible is shallow enough that anybody can splash in it and benefit from it, but deep enough that those who are truly experienced can never plumb its depths to the end. I'm John Gieger. This is the land and the book, and all of us are somewhere, probably in the middle of that somewhere. And that's what this segment is all about, understanding what's in the Word
of God. That might just be puzzling to us. Helping us understand these issues, as Doctor Gerald Peterman of the Moody Bible Institute faculty. Good to connect with you again, sir.
Yes, a child can wade and an elephant can swim.
Yeah, that's the thing. You got it better.
Oh. It's good.
Hey, here's a question. Did you know that most Jewish people have never heard the gospel? Each 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.
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 are offering a gift to moody listeners a free e-book. Reaching Jewish People for Messiah. And it 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 Life in Messiah. Org. Click on the Moody Radio logo and sign up today to get your copy.
Great. All right, let's dig into our pile of questions, starting with Caitlin's. She says, how do you answer the question that works? Don't save us. If James 221 to 24 says, we are considered righteous by what we do. Is that talking about proof that someone has already been saved? Because when someone is saved, they'll want to serve God and do works for him?
Oh, that's a really good question. And it's tough to answer. And as a matter of fact, some folks have said this is a contradiction in Scripture and it is not. So we should take a closer look. It's about a particular word in the New Testament. Sometimes this word means to justify or make righteous. Sometimes it means to show to be righteous. So if we go to Romans five one, we find this delightful truth. Having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God. This is the justification of forgiveness, of being saved all but other times in Scripture, in Romans we find Romans three four. Paul quotes a portion of Psalm 53 where David says to God, You, God, are justified by your words, and victorious when you judge. And God, of course, does not need to be forgiven or saved, but he will be shown right when he is judging. So it's this second definition that James is using when he says, Wasn't Abraham our father justified by
works when he offered up Isaac? By that we mean he was not forgiven there. He was shown to be right there. So I think Caitlin is on the right track when she says, sometimes this word is about showing that we have been saved.
Yeah. Boy, that's an important distinction. I appreciate you pointing that out from Betty. This question, how do I explain that we don't need baptism for our salvation? She points to acts 238 which says, repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, and then you'll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Then there's Mark 1616, which says whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. Now,
I know we don't need works to be saved. So how would I explain those verses, though, to somebody who doesn't know that it's by grace alone when they bring those verses up in conversation.
Ah wonderful question. I remember grappling with this question as a new Christian. I'm going to focus on acts two. Peter's preaching, and near the end of his message he says to his audience, God made this Jesus whom y'all crucified, Lord and Christ. And then the audience responds back, what should we do? And then Peter says, repent and be baptized. The repentance is there, changing their heart and mind about Jesus, but to be baptized. Of course, you have to come
forward and ask someone to baptize you. So what will the church then do? The church will ask about your faith. They will ask about your repentance. And then when the church baptizes you, it confirms to them and to you that you're believing in the real Jesus. So it's not that baptism grants you forgiveness. Baptism confirms to you that you've really believed in Jesus.
That's Doctor Gerald Peterman. He's on the Moody Bible Institute faculty, and he's here to answer your questions every week. How do you get yours to him? Easy. With a quick email to the land and the book at Moody's. That's the land and the book at Moody's. Dot Brian's question regarding the Greek word translated as church in Matthew 1817. Does it mean the assembly, the body, or could it possibly mean those in charge, the leadership, the overseers, the elders?
Well, that's a great question. Again, first, let's talk about this word translated church in our Bibles. The word is ecclesia. What might this word apply to? Generally speaking, it's just a gathering of people. So we can go to acts 19. And as a matter of fact, in acts 19, there's a hostile crowd who doesn't like Paul. All and they they gathered together and they talk about how terrible Paul is preaching the gospel. And that gathering of hostile non-believers
is called ecclesia. So the church is a gathering. When we come to Matthew 18, I think we're talking about the assembly of believers. That's where the final authority lies. It's very similar to what's happening in first Corinthians five. There's a man there in Corinth who's immoral. Paul tells the church, when you're gathered together, you should hand this man over to Satan for the discipline of his body that he might repent. It is not the hands of
the elders. Maybe the elders will call the meeting right? But it's in the hands of the whole church to decide how to punish this man, or how to deal with this man. So, Ecclesia, that's the church as a whole.
Okay. Mark's question. He says, I wonder if Jesus would have been the butt of attacks from all the people around him. There's Mary's kid. Who does he think he is? Thinks he's God and he's perfect kids his age. Maybe we're we're being compared to him. And I wonder if his earthly connection had to leave him lonely.
Ah, you know what? I have wondered? This same thing myself. And so I was really pleased to be able to ponder it again and think about it. We don't have anything specific in Scripture about this question, but let's go to Luke two. You remember Luke two. Mary and Joseph take Jesus to Jerusalem. He's 12 years old, and they accidentally leave him there. And then two days later they're searching for him. And his mom says, son, you treated us so badly. Look, your father and I have been
searching for you in great distress. He says to them, why were you looking for me? Did you not know I must be in my father's house? So I think from this experience it must have happened many other times with him that he was misunderstood, and it had to hurt him and other people. But of course he was simply being God in the flesh.
You know, I think about this as well. And I wonder, you know, we are appropriately awed and consumed with the suffering of Jesus on the cross and that whole thing. But we forget about the rest of the suffering of Jesus.
Oh, the rest of the suffering of Jesus. Of course, the cross is extremely important, but I do not want us to lose the rest. Let me mention a couple of examples, if you don't mind. Sure. Luke 19 Jesus is coming into Jerusalem. It's going to be the last week of his life. And as he comes up over the Mount of Olives, you've been there. You know what this looks like. He sees the city and he weeps over it. Really? Why? He says, because your judgment is coming.
Armies will surround you and crush you to the ground, because you do not know the day of your visitation. That is the day when God, me, I come to visit you. So Jerusalem is going to face righteous punishment from God, but Jesus finds it sad. Oh, wow. Just think of the loneliness.
You think of the late nights. You think of healing till the middle of the night. Practically is recorded in fatigue. Yeah.
Oh, speaking of fatigue, we come to John four, right? And Jesus is at the well, sitting by the well, and he's thirsty and tired from the journey. Right? This is, by the way, folks, just in case you're wondering, fatigue is not a sin. Fatigue means you're human. Jesus is human. There are times when he was just dead tired.
Foxes have holes, birds have nests. But the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.
Yep. Absolutely.
Sleeping out in the in nature. Wow. All right, let's squeeze one more question in here, if we can. From Janice, what is the significance of the red heifer for cleansing of any future temple? I've heard of a requirement for continuity of ashes and a search for old ashes to be mixed with new ashes of qualifying the present day red heifer. Your thoughts?
Well, I'm not familiar, I have to admit, with modern Jewish practice to help answer this question, but I do know there are a few red cattle imported from Texas, and Israel is keeping them in the archaeological park near Shiloh for the very purpose of making the cleansing water that's mentioned in numbers 19. But if we actually go to numbers 19, it doesn't talk about these cleansing waters being used for the temple or for a new temple.
It talks about these cleansing waters being used to cleanse a person who is ritually unclean, so that he can come before God, and that's all Scripture has to say about it. So I'm going to stop there.
All right.
Probably a wise course of action where Scripture is silent. So should we be, right? You know, if you've got a question for Doctor Peterman, it's welcome anytime. As I say, our email address is the land and the book at Moody's, the land and the book at Moody's. How long does it take to get an answer out of you?
Uh, Ah.
If I've had a good cup of coffee before your question arrives. Maybe 1 or 2 days. If I've been terribly fatigued, like Jesus by the. Well, maybe it's a week. Uh, but listeners sure love your questions. Please keep sending them. It's a joy to answer your questions.
So up to a week. That's it. Which is, I think, pretty good service given your other responsibilities. Thank you for handling these questions and those to come at the land and the book at. Charlie Dyer's back with his devotional. It's a favorite segment for many here on the land and the book. Hope you've been enjoying today's program. This is the land and the book. I'm John Gager, and if you're new to the broadcast, this fourth segment brings
us Charlie's devotional. Charlie, what's your goal for this slot?
My goal is always to bring people to a spot in Israel, or to see something that's been uncovered there, and to tie it into the Bible, so that in the end, we understand the Bible better and know how to apply it to our lives.
We're going to enjoy Charlie's devotional together after we first pause for a firsthand account from a listener who has spent time in the Holy Land.
Hi, my name is Chris from Tampa, and I just wanted to say thanks. First, uh, to Charlie for your wisdom, patience, and humor also. And, um, I really enjoyed this trip. Every day seemed to get better, and, uh, it finally culminated at the end when we arrived in Jerusalem at the Mount of Olives and thinking where Jesus once walked. But it sent chills up my spine to think that that's where he's returning. And that was probably the most enjoyable part of the trip for me. Thanks.
Hi, I'm Gerry from Tennessee. I found a few things to be rather emotional about this trip. First of all, when we figured out that we could actually make the trip, that was very emotional for me. When we actually arrived in Israel, that was the second emotional experience. Being on Mount Carmel was a great one because I've taught some of the Old Testament stuff, and that was a great
thing to be there. The Sea of Galilee was a wonderful experience, but when we got Munir's song Jerusalem on the bus coming up the mountain, that topped it all. So good to be here.
Now let's turn things over to our host, Charlie Dyer, for today's devotional.
Thanks, John. You know, we're almost at the end of our series on 11 inscriptions to the Bible, and I've saved two inscriptions, the first in Greek and then the second in Latin for these final two weeks. To view today's inscription, though, we need to board the Orient Express because we're heading to Istanbul. Actually, the original Orient Express no longer runs, so we'll have to fly. So pack your bag, grab your passport. Let's zoom off into the
exotic city of Constantinople. Our destination is the Istanbul Archaeological Museum. Now, this complex of museums actually house a collection of amazing archaeological finds discovered during the final century of the Ottoman Empire. And since the Ottomans ruled the Middle East, many of the early discoveries from what's now Israel are housed there. We need to climb several flights of stairs to reach our destination, but trust me, it's going to be worth it. And.
And here we are. This floor houses everything from the geezer calendar, one of the earliest Hebrew writings ever discovered to the inscription found in Hezekiah's tunnel. But our destination is just beyond them. Now gather round. This limestone inscription is what I want to show you. As you look at it, I think you can tell it's written in Greek. And even if you've never studied Greek, you can still read some of the letters. In fact, look at the
very end of the inscription. See what looks like the letters a, t, o. Those are actually the final letters of the Greek word thanaton. Now I see from the puzzled looks on your face, as you're not familiar with that word. Well, it's the Greek word for death. For example, euthanasia comes from the Greek words meaning good and death. Yikes. Here's a Greek inscription found in Jerusalem. And the very
last word on it is death. Now, this plaque dates to the first century A.D., before the destruction of the city by the Romans. It was found in Jerusalem and brought to Istanbul. Which is why we came here to see it. But why would someone in Jerusalem set up a plaque written in Greek? One more word in the inscription might help. Look at the third line from the top toward the left. It looks like the letters t, o p. Now there are no spaces between words on this sign, so you need to know where to put
the brakes. And in this case, it comes just after the first O or Omicron. The letter looks like a capital P, but it's actually the Greek letter rho, which is the r sound. In Greek we would spell the word I e r o n, but in Greek it's pronounced with an h sound in front. It's the Greek word Huron, and it means temple. The toe in front is the definite article. The plaque is talking about the temple. Of course, we know what temple was standing in Jerusalem
just before the Romans destroyed the city. It was the Jewish temple we read so much about in the gospel accounts. But why was there a sign written in Greek, talking about the temple and mentioning death? Here's a translation of the whole plaque. No intruder is allowed in the courtyard and within the walls surrounding the temple. Whoever enters will be responsible for his own death. Ah, now it makes sense.
This is one of the signs that was on the small barrier separating the court of the Gentiles from the inner part of the temple complex. It was written in Greek because Gentile visitors might not be able to read Hebrew. It served as a no trespassing for Gentiles sign. This was as close to the presence of God that Gentiles were allowed to get. Another partial copy of the sign was also found in Jerusalem. It's on display in the Israel Museum and it matches up with this one in
terms of its message. No Gentiles allowed on threat of death. And here's where the story in acts 21 takes on new meaning. The apostle Paul took a group of four Jewish followers of Jesus to the temple to help complete their Nazarite vow. After going through ritual purification in a mikvah, Paul and the four entered the temple area. But at
this point a case of mistaken identity arose. As Luke so kindly puts it, some of those in the temple had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him. They recognized Paul, but not his companions, and they assumed Paul had brought a group of Gentiles into the temple. They began crying out, Men of Israel, come to our aid. This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the law and this place. And besides, he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has
defiled this holy place. And you'll never guess what word is used there for temple in Acts 21. That's right. It's here on the same word that's on the Don't Trespass sign. The mob grabbed Paul, dragged him out of the temple proper into the court of the Gentiles, shut the door to the temple area, and Luke says they were seeking to kill him. Had the Roman soldiers not intervened when they did, Paul would have been put to death, just like the sign warned. Now, I do find it
interesting that Paul's four companions weren't seized, just Paul. It almost seems as if Paul's opponents saw this as a good excuse to get rid of this person they saw as a troublemaker. It's time to leave. But what lessons can we take with us from this plaque? Threatening death to trespassing Gentiles? Perhaps the greatest lesson is realizing all that Jesus did in opening the way for us to God. In the first century, Gentiles could only get as close to the Holy of Holies as the barrier on which
this plaque was affixed. Jewish women could get a little closer, but not much. Jewish men could go up to the altar of sacrifice, but no further priests could go up to the doors of the temple building itself. But then their way was blocked, except for a few who were allowed inside the Holy Place to perform the sacred rituals. And then, just one day a year, the high priest alone was allowed to briefly step behind the curtain into the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the sacrificial blood on
the mercy seat. The closer one got to God, the more restricted the access. But then Jesus came along and opened the way to God through his own sacrificial death on the cross. The final complete sacrifice by the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world. And that's why Matthew records that at the moment of Jesus's death on the cross, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. He opened the way into the very presence of God. But that
access wasn't just for the Jews. Paul described the impact of Christ's death for both Jews and Gentiles when he wrote to the Gentile believers in Ephesus. But now in Christ Jesus, you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall. The barrier that kept Gentiles out was torn down. If you put your trust in Jesus as your Savior, your access to
God is no longer limited. Jesus's death on the cross guarantees that you can approach God without fear of death. The separation barrier represented by this sign no longer exists, and the curtain that blocked the entrance into God's presence was torn away. Now, as the book of Hebrews reminds us, we can draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help
in times of need. And that's good news. I posted a photo of the Jerusalem Temple inscription that's on display in the Istanbul Museum on our Facebook page. If you'd like to see it, just head to Facebook and search for the land and the book.
And I've been following those photos, Charlie. Lots of fun to look at them. Really drives this all home, but maybe you're still hanging on Charlie's idea of Jesus opening up for us the way to God. And you'd like some help? You'd like a friend to pray with you, maybe answer some questions that can happen for you right now with a phone call to 888 888. And with that, we're going to say thank you so much for joining us today. On behalf of our host, Charlie Dyer, our producer,
Dan Anderson, I'm John Geiger. The land and the book is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.