Answers to Your Questions

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Let's do it. It's time for the line of fire with your host, activist, author, international speaker, and theologian, Dr. Michael Brown, your voice of moral, cultural, and spiritual revolution. Michael Brown is the director of the Coalition of Conscience and president of Fire School of Ministry. Get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34TRUTH.

That's 866-34TRUTH. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown.

Well, here we are. What a great delight to be with you on the Friday broadcast on the line of fire. You've got questions. We've got answers. Michael Brown, blessed and delighted to spend this time with you.

Any question you have in any area of expertise I have. Any way that I can be of help to you, be it a biblical, theological, moral, cultural question, spiritual life question, anything you're struggling with, trying to get answers for, my delight to do my best to give you solid answers from the Word of God and from the wisdom of God. If you differ with me on a given point and would like to raise an objection to something I've said, by all means, give me a call: 866-348-7884.

Okay, a few special announcements. Number one. Monday is Memorial Day, but we will be Live, God willing, on Memorial Day. We'll have a good show, fun show, catch up on what's been happening over the weekend, and open our phone lines as well. What that means is that many of you that are normally working and can call in will be able to do so.

So, Monday, Memorial Day, we're live and then. The next seven days, we're going to have a special shareathon. On the radio broadcast, we are going to be sharing testimonies with you, some of our past calls, some amazing testimonies that have been sent in. You don't want to miss a single day's broadcast. And we ask you to pray about how you can partner with us and participate with us.

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Next week, and I'm going to be doing some special updates from Italy as well through the week.

So, it's going to be a great, great time together. Don't miss a single broadcast. And as I have been listening to some of the testimonies and reading some of the testimonies that we're going to be sharing through next week, I've been getting blessed. I've been getting excited and encouraged and moved. And, you know, so much happens.

So many lives are touched. Things go so quickly. Often you forget some of the amazing things that you've seen the Lord do. And that's why testifying is so important. It reminds us of the goodness of the Lord.

It builds our faith. It encourages us.

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All right, as soon as we come back straight to your questions, you've got questions, we've got answers. We're going to the phones immediately on the other side of the break. Change the world. It's the line of fire with your host, Dr. Michael Brown, your voice of moral, cultural, and spiritual revolution.

Here again is Dr. Michael Brown.

All right, let's do this. You've got questions. We've got answers. 866-34TRUTH. We will start in Greensboro, Texas.

Bellini, welcome to the line of fire. Yes, thank you. Thank you, Louda Brian. Um I'm calling asking information about government chip on people hand. Yes, I heard that.

is coming Uh what do you know about this? And is this related to Revelation chapter thirteen. Yeah, I've I've heard these kinds of things for some years. Where people have said, you know, the mark of the beast You can't buy or sell without having the mark, and it's going to be a mark in the hand and the forehead. And I uh first let's recognize that The book of Revelation is filled with symbolism.

You know, it depicts various monsters and beasts and things like that. And it shows things in types and signs.

So in the first chapter of Revelation, Jesus appears in the midst of the candlesticks. The candlesticks represent different churches.

So it's filled with symbolism. Satan appears as a seven-headed beast with ten horns.

So you've got all of these different images. And the question is: what will they actually mean when played out? In other words, will there be some type of mark and hand or forehead identifiable? Or could it be some type of government chip? Or does it refer to something in the past where allegiance had to be sworn?

There's so much debate about these things that honestly, we don't know exactly what this will mean until it plays out, assuming this is still for the future. What is clear is that the question is: are we devoted to Jesus or do we bow down to the world? Are we following Jesus alone as our Lord? Or are we compromising our convictions and hiding our light under a table and denying No. Excuse me, denying the Lord in our practice because we want to be accepted by the world.

We're trying to save our lives and thereby losing our lives. That would be the great, great danger. And in the case of a chip. that would be put in, you know uh The government trying to track all of us. That's not the kind of thing I would want anyway.

In other words, forget about the book of Revelation in terms of whether it applies to that. Not forget about the book of Revelation as far as define truth. But put that aside. I would not want that kind of thing where the government would have access to know exactly where I am 24-7, or where the government perhaps would be able to have other data or information on me.

Now, there's some that have talked about: hey, let's get it for our kids. This way, if your child is abducted or there's a problem, you'll know exactly where the child is. That's That's a good reason to do it. But who else could have access to that? Would the government in general have access to that?

That becomes the challenge, that becomes the problem.

So I would separate this question from the book of Revelation personally. I would separate it from the book of Revelation and simply say. That I would not be in favor of the government having that kind of access to any of our personal lives. But there are people that won't. Give their kids social security numbers.

They won't report their birth, give them social security numbers because they think that's the mark of the beast and they're going to be under government power.

So people can go to all types of extremes, which are certainly unnecessary and unfruitful. But aside from that, the larger spiritual question: when the pressure is put on us, will we obey Jesus or will we go the way of the world? Will we obey Jesus even if it costs our lives, or will we compromise to save our lives? That's the deeper spiritual question we each need to ask. 866-34TRUTH.

So did I say Greensboro, Texas? Did I say Greensboro, Texas instead of Greensboro, North Carolina? Yep.

Well, that's because our next caller is in Houston, Texas. Tori, welcome to the line of fire. I should have said Houston, North Carolina to fix it, make up for it. But welcome to the broadcast. Thank you.

It's an honor to speak with you. I have a quick question about the theology of a certain individual, Chuck Pierce. I don't know anything about him. I've never listened to him. But um our new church that we Really love.

Some of the uh people I've heard mention him, and then one of them posted I think it's some kind of book that he does. Um like the Hebrew calendar. And um It to me it kind of sounds like a Christianized horoscope. But I don't wanna. I don't want to be too you know, too like nitpicky about everything, but I don't know, my Raised some red flags.

So, could you let me know what you know about him? Sure thing. And you know, we have to be careful on the broadcast here of giving opinions about different leaders and ministries only only because everybody's going to disagree with somebody somewhere. And I am not. The world authority on everything, obviously.

No one is. But here, the first thing I'd say is. If this is a major, major focus of the church, in other words, this is now kind of the gospel. And we're going to learn insights from the Hebrew calendar or the Hebrew alphabet or Jewish mysticism, and we're going to kind of order our lives by that, then yes, that would be kind of like a Christian horoscope thing and something to be avoided. Chuck Pierce is a respected charismatic leader.

Every so often we cross paths ministering in the same settings. He's a respected charismatic prophetic leader. And in more recent years, I don't know if it's the last 10 years or maybe longer than that, he's really been delving into Jewish symbolism and Jewish mysticism and the meaning of the calendar and the holy days and things like that. And if In a secondary way, He is finding some spiritual insights hidden there. Because after all, uh God's done much in the Jewish people through the centuries and hidden much of his wisdom among our people through the centuries.

If he's learning things and deducing things in a secondary way, In other words, not as gospel. Not as authoritative, but as fascinating insights that can be learned. From the Hebrew calendar or the Hebrew alphabet or Jewish mysticism, well, then that's fine. That's kind of secondary, and oh, isn't that interesting? If it becomes something like, wow, this is the thing, or these are the insights, or this is the revelation, then you really have to step back from it because it can go to unintended extremes.

So, what I would do, Tari, is see if this is just a number of people in the church really like Chuck's teaching and get a lot out of it, versus this is something mainstream from the pulpit. This is something mainstream that influences the mindset of the church. And how they live in this world. If it's mainstream, then you really have to step back and say, okay, do I agree with this or not? Or is it peripheral or fringe?

If it's just that a number of people really like his teaching and the pastor thinks he's a good guy, well, then that's nothing to. to uh to make a big issue out of either way.

Okay.

So, what I would really look at, then let's say you stay in the church. And you find that you like some of Chuck Pierce's teaching, but you see people are living by this like a Christian horoscope kind of thing, that's the time when you, in a friendly way, try to have some conversations and go a little deeper and point out potential danger with doing that kind of thing. Because ultimately, it takes our focus away from the cross and away from the scriptures and puts it on secondary things. Perfect. Thank you.

I really appreciate that.

Well, you are very welcome and be blessed.

Now, here's the funny thing.

Okay, so the first caller, I said Greensboro, Texas. I messed that up, right? Instead of Greensboro, North Carolina. Obviously, I conflated that with Tori, our second caller, in Houston, Texas.

So I was going to say Houston, North Carolina.

Well, okay, where's the next call? I'm going California, Maryland.

Now, I'm not making that up. That's accurate. Yes, Betsy. California, Maryland. All right, hang on.

Dylan, is there a place called California in Maryland? There is and it's probably yeah, I just tell people I leave it in California so then they think I'm a lot cooler. Wow, alright, yeah, surfer dude. Yeah.

Okay, I lived in Maryland for nine years. And I never, I mean, of course, I didn't know every part of Maryland. That's good size state. But so where where is California, Maryland? You know what?

Without kidding, it's right next to another area called Hollywood, Maryland. I'm not making that up. It's in St. Mary's County. Seriously.

Seriously. Which came first? I mean, Maryland is an older state than California. Maryland's one of the early so did they have these names before the state did did California and Hollywood steal these names? I wish I knew.

All right. Yeah, I wish I knew. Fascinating, a fascinating discussion before we get to the question. All right, how can we help you? You guys were talking about a few minutes ago, you were talking about the mark of the beast and speculation of what it might be.

And um I guess I just wanted to I had some thoughts on that.

Well, go ahead. We got a break coming up, so get started, and then you can finish on the other side of the break.

Okay, great. Um, it's it's it's very widely thought that the in in Revelation's the rise of the Antichrist and the mark of the beast, w there's a lot of people who think that it's tied to Islam. Um And I actually think that there's something, I think that's the smoke screen. I think that's where everyone's going to be looking when the mark of the beast surfaces and the Antichrist rises. And it will be something that is associated with the transhumanist movement.

Stop right there. You've got our attention. The transhumanist movement. How does that relate to the Antichrist in Dylan's view from California, Maryland? We'll find out.

Hey, this is a good California call, though, right? This is more than. Maryland call wouldn't be quite as edgy.

So let's hear this. We'll be right back. Oh God of burning, cleansing flame. Say And the fire. It's the line of fire with your host, Dr.

Michael Brown.

Get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34TRUTH. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown.

You've got questions, you've got answers. Any question of any kind that you'd like to ask me in any area of expertise I have. being a biblical issue. Moral, cultural issue, theological issue, even political insights these days, or my opinion on something that's come up on the air, glad to do my best to help. And again, I always want to give an open invitation.

To those that blast me on social media and that attack me in various ways, maybe in Twitter, and you only have 140 characters to call me every name under the sun, give me a call and talk to me. Why not do that? It it might actually be constructive. 866-348-786. 884.

All right, so we go back to Dylan in California, Maryland, and you mentioned transhumanism. And the Antichrist. Let me just back up for a moment and say. That uh One leader in particular has put forward the idea That, well, several have put forward the idea there'll be an Islamic Antichrist. Joel Richardson has written about that.

And let's say that in past generations, if there was speculation about an Antichrist, he was European, maybe you're looking at him from the European Union in more recent years, whatever. And then it's shifted, and people have said, some have said maybe he could be Islamic, and there are arguments for that. I'm pretty agnostic on it, meaning I really don't know and don't have a strong opinion. Maybe the scriptures give us more data, and I'm missing it. The idea that the number 666 relates to an Islamic slogan that's really been debunked.

The Greek just doesn't fit that when you look at it rightly. But Dylan's point right before the break was that many will be looking to Islam. For this world ruler that's going to be a demonic Antichrist figure that's going to promise peace and then bring terrible destruction and ultimately be destroyed by the Lord. And in Dylan's view, that's a smokescreen that the Antichrist figure is going to come from somewhere else. And you mentioned transhumanism.

So go ahead and explain what you mean by that and then give us your theory. Sure. Um, well, I I think that The uh The the thing that's going to mislead everyone i it's got to be something that is well constructed enough to mislead modern e educated, emancipated man. And, you know, anyone in a first world country People aren't like looking to Islam for all their answers unless they're kind of like. you know, people from broken nations, people war-torn looking for answers, but like people from first world countries, they aren't.

They aren't all going to Islam. They they would need something that is a progressive message, something much more progressive than archaic religion. You know, Christians are clearly familiar with that because they a lot of modern people don't even buy into Christianity. Right. that there could be an Islamic world ruler.

He would have to be strongly conservative Islamic in order for The large number of religious Muslims to follow him. In other words, if he was a purely secular leader, then he wouldn't be followed.

So he'd have to be a religious leader. But if he was a religious leader that could gather, say, people from Iran and people from Saudi Arabia, then he would he would have to be somewhat fundamentalist. And how is, say, secular Europe or secular Americans or others going to follow A uh A fundamentalist Muslim, you know, you could you could make those arguments. I mean, whoever it is. If we understand this to be literally one figure who's going to rule the world at the end of the age, there's got to be something pretty wild about this figure to gather everybody together with the hope of world peace.

Someone asked me the other day: do I think it's Donald Trump? No, it's not Donald Trump and it wasn't Barack Obama. Let's settle that.

Okay, so now to your theory. Um So the Most most or all, as far as I know, of the people who have even made very, very convincing arguments that Islam will be. are not familiar with transhumanism and because it's not it's not Super new, but it's It's only it hasn't been popularized yet. And it's based in as far as I know, the transhumanist movement is being privately funded by a Russian billionaire, and he's funding a team of scientists to basically Um Figure out a way to extract human consciousness, which they don't dare say the soul, but that's what they're doing. Take human consciousness out of the body and then build you.

A mechanical body that is exactly like your body in its physical prime, and then re-download it so that when you get old and instead of having to get plastic surgery and go on a vegan diet, et cetera, et cetera, you just get your upgraded body and then you're there. And whenever you need maintenance, you go to them and they fix you. But it's essentially immortality, and you can see the transhumans, they're not. They're not shy about what their agenda is. One of their main points in their agenda is to bring humans to a state of androgyny.

Two, to eliminate all disease, all sickness, and three, to basically achieve. uh immortality via technology, which is exactly I mean, essentially the promises in Revelation for people we won't Need to reproduce in heaven, so we'll be androgynous. We will not be sick, we will not be scared, and we'll be alive forever. That's exactly, you know, that's what God is promising, and that's the way Satan works: is that he gives you something that God said he was going to give you in a different way to lead away the spiritual yearnings that you're programmed with, but in a different way, in a material way. And I mean, it doesn't get any more textbook than that.

I I see that as exactly the antichrist Um message. All right, well, let's note that down as another possibility submitted by Dylan. Hey, I appreciate the phone call. I mean, an obvious question would come up to me is. How would that then empower one person?

To be the Superman world leader, if others are becoming Superman as well. But listen, there's enough crazy stuff going on these days and things you never would have expected we'd be dealing with that Mark down transhumanism, and let's see where this goes. Thank you, sir, for the call. I think immediately of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, when Paul addresses this issue.

And he says there, and let's see, I'll read from the New English Translation. He says, Now, regarding the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to be with him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to be easily shaken from your composure or disturbed by any kind of spirit or message or letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. Let no one deceive you in any way, for that day will not arrive until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the Son of destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called God or object of worship. And as a result, he takes his seat in God's temple, displaying himself as God.

Surely you recall that I used to tell you these things while I was still with you. And then he describes him and says the arrival of the lawless one will be by Satan's working. With all kinds of miracles and signs and false wonders, and with every kind of evil deception directed against those who were perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth, so as to be saved.

So you're talking about miracle working deceiver. Who, by his miraculous powers and by his playing into human rebellion, turns people away from God to follow him. This much we know. The testimony of God is sure, and in every generation there are many Antichrists. Those who oppose God, oppose the gospel, oppose us.

And in every generation, we have the opportunity to stand fast to honor the Lord. One of the best ways to do that is to be grounded in the Word. In fact, if you're not grounded in the Word, when the tests and trials come, you'll be easily shaken. Why not get grounded in a wonderful new Bible translation, the Tree of Life version of the Bible? We've got a beautiful, beautiful, slimline, leather-like edition.

When you order from our ministry, you get a free DVD with it as well. This is just produced down by Baker Books, and it's beautiful, and you'll be blessed. We'll pay the postage too. To order, go to askdrbrown, a-s-k-d-r-brown.org. Askdrbrown.org.

It's the line of fire with your host, activist, author, international speaker, and theologian Dr. Michael Brown.

Your voice of moral, cultural, and spiritual revolution. Get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34TRUTH. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown.

Welcome, welcome to the line of fire. You've got questions, we've got answers. Let me answer a couple of email questions, and then we will go back to the phones right here on the line of fire. Dina. I never went to the Brownsville Revival.

but the message of repentance and holiness impacted me. I listened to a lot of Steve Hill's sermons online while I was in college. Since 1995, the world has changed significantly. Strange teachings have crept into the church, such as hypergrace. The church is lukewarm, and many Christians are living in spiritual compromise.

The world has gone crazy. Freedom of speech is being silenced on college campuses, and safe zones are being created. If you speak out against men walking into women's bathrooms, you can lose your job, you can lose your business, or be thrown in jail if you hold your religious convictions. If the Brownsborough revival were to happen today and the message of salvation, repentance, and holiness was preached, would that be viewed as hate speech today? No, I don't believe it would.

Because the main thrust of the preaching Was calling on individuals to get sin out of their lives. And it was not. Yeah, there was dealing with social issues. But there was this constant call for individuals to turn to God and turn away from sin and to come and get cleansed by the blood of Jesus. In that sense, the message could be preached today just as it was 15, 20 years ago.

Now, Here's where I think you might have more stirring and shaking. And as an eyewitness, as one who served in the leadership of the Brownsville Revival from 96 to 2000, and then raised up a school of ministry beginning in 97 that continues to this day, by God's grace bearing fruit around the world. And now, with new schools, Fire School of Ministry being planted around the world that is ongoing fruit from Brownsville.

So you're talking about much lasting fruit 20 years after it began, more than 20 years after it began. But that being said... Without question. What happened was people who were dramatically touched in the revival. students in their schools in particular, they would go back on fire and ablaze and begin sharing their faith openly.

And people would go back to the workplace and begin to share their faith openly. And I think that's where you'd have more conflict today. That there is so much anti-God pressure in the schools. I just posted an article on our Facebook page last night on Ask Dr. Brown on Facebook.

Todd Starring's reporting about students that were banned in their school from saying the Lord's Prayer at graduation, banned by an atheist group, and they decided we're going to say it anyway. And of course, they have every constitutional right to say it without question. And if the Pledge of Allegiance were pledging allegiance to one nation under God, then of course you can pray the Lord's Prayer. And I could go on with a hundred reasons for that. But You would have more conflicts in the schools.

We had some in the Brownsville days. And when faculty said, okay, this is outside of school time. This is in my personal time.

Some of the students are coming over to the house doing a Bible study or they want to be baptized or things like that. We're doing that. It's perfectly fine. Conflicts would arise. And I remember one youth leader telling me, he said, What do I do?

These parents said, My kid doesn't know the Lord. He's not walking with Jesus. He's doing drugs. He's sleeping around. You've got to reach him.

You got to reach him. And this guy had also been touched in Brownsville. And he would go and reach out, get to know these kids, go to the local high school, befriend them, have lunch with them, lead them to the Lord, and then begin to disciple them. And they'd get on fire. And the parents said, What did you do with my kid?

He said, Well, I reached out to him, led him to Jesus. He said, Well, he's like fanatical now. We didn't want them like this. And he said, what do I do? I said, tell them if you want me to reach your kid, I'm going to reach your kid to be a disciple of Jesus.

And that's going to mean a serious commitment to Jesus. They just wanted him to stop doing drugs and be a church-going kid. Instead, he got genuinely saved.

So, I believe there would be a lot more rocking of the boat in that respect. And, yes, some people living out the gospel in the workplace and in the schools, both students and faculty and employees and employers-that they would then be accused of hate speech because they stood up for what was right or they preached Jesus boldly and clearly.

So, in that sense, there would definitely be greater conflict. All right, right back with your calls: 866-342. Shake the It's time to change the world. Change the world It's fire we want, for fire we please fire. It's the line of fire.

With your host, Dr. Michael Brown.

Get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34 TRUTH. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown.

Thanks for joining us on the line of fire 866-348. Seven eight eight All right, I'm going to get back to this topic of the mark of the beast in one moment, but there's a second question Dina had. I want to answer that briefly. She writes: It appears that one of the core teachings of Jesus is the kingdom of God. He speaks about it in many parables.

Maybe it's how it's phrased, but it seems confusing. What is the kingdom of God? What was Jesus referring to? Is it present or future? The kingdom of God is the rule of God, is the reign of God.

The kingdom of God is God ruling and reigning over people, ruling and reigning over other powers. The kingdom of God is present. The kingdom of God is expanding. The kingdom of God is future as well. What does that mean?

When Jesus came and said the kingdom of heaven, which is a synonym, the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God is near, what he was saying is God's rule is coming here. Just look at it: that light is shining and the darkness is being pushed back. And wherever Jesus would go, he would assert the authority of that kingdom. Demons would leave people, sicknesses would leave people, the lost would be saved, hardened hearts would be softened, servants of Satan would become servants of God. That's the kingdom of God advancing.

And then he taught us to pray that the kingdom would come.

So, what we're praying for is the ongoing advance of the kingdom. How does that happen? We tell other people about Jesus. They now surrender to the rule of God. They come from being in the kingdom of Satan, kingdom of darkness, flesh, disobedience, rebellion, sin, and now they come under the authority of the Lord, under the kingly rule of the Lord.

So you might have a nation that is a kingdom, and here's their kingdom. Territory, they rule over that territory, and they're sovereign there. Everyone has to obey their rules, etc.

Well, God's kingdom is not territorial in that respect, it's spiritual. It is over individual lives, it is over people who submit to Him and are under His rule, under His reign. Again, just look at it as pockets of light shining out and pushing the darkness back. When we pray, Your kingdom come, what we're praying for is the advancing of the kingdom, but ultimately, the full manifestation of it. When Jesus returns and sets up His kingdom on the earth and destroys the wicked from the earth, at that point, He will rule and reign over the whole world, and the whole world will be then dominated by the kingdom of God.

Does that make sense? The kingdom of God, it is here among us. It is growing. It will then come in fullness when Jesus returns. It is God's rule, God's reign over human beings, over other powers, where we are submitted to Him.

All right, let's go to Baltimore, Maryland. Mike, welcome to the line of fire. Hey, thanks for taking my call. Sure thing. Yeah, I just had a couple of comments on the uh market of the beast.

Um most of the most of the time I notice people uh Area eschatology. They want to hold the Bible in one hand, newspaper in the other. And I think Mark the Beast is a little more. simplistic than just looking at the signs. I almost see the right hand as identification of how ones live.

in the mark on the forehead as just a thought process either being with Christ or without him. I think it might be a little easier than a you know, it's basically down to who are you bowing down to, where's your lordship presides? And that identifies it. the person. Yeah, Mike, when folks call in and ask about what about a chip being put in and you'll have it in your right hand or things like that, I don't want to disparage those questions.

Because the book of Revelation is filled with mysticism or mystical imagery, and because the government can often be guilty of overreach, and sometimes we can kind of mingle the two things. That's why I said, let's separate that, and let's just say having a chip in your body where the government knows where you are 24/7 and maybe has more data on you. I don't like that idea. Let's separate that from the book of Revelation. But could it be that simple?

Could it be just like when Jesus says, if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off, throw it away?

Well, your right hand doesn't actually cause you to sin. But it's talking there about the things that you do and touch and interact with. If your foot causes you to sin, well, your foot doesn't cause you to sin. It's talking about the places that you go. And if your eye causes you to sin, well, your eye doesn't cause you to sin, but it's the things you see.

So could it simply be that kind of imagery, what you do, what you think, where your allegiance is? And that's what it's talking about, and the market of the beast is seen there. It could well be. In other words, the language of Revelation would certainly allow for that. The other question is, for a predist reading of Revelation, to say that much of it has already come to pass, or that much of it was speaking about issues that the early church was dealing with, you know, with the Neroes of their day and the Caesars of their day and the persecution from Rome, and that's what it's dealing with, then obviously it wasn't talking about some kind of microchip.

Or even an Islamic leader, because they didn't exist.

So there's a lot of it that raises questions. And I think a reading like that, Mike, is perfectly appropriate. And we know, for example, in Ezekiel 9 that the angels come and they put a mark. It would be the Hebrew letter T, atab. They put a mark on the foreheads of those who mourn and grieve.

And when the destroying angel comes by and sees those, it doesn't touch them.

So here you have a literal mark to symbolize something spiritually taking place. But that's certainly a potential interpretation. And again, we will see how these things unfold. Thanks for the call. And look, here's a simple bottom line: simple bottom line.

You say, but but it's there so that we're supposed to know.

Well Much of Revelation is so symbolic. And when you're reading about the vials of wrath and the trumpets, and okay, how does that apply to me today? How does that apply to a believer a hundred years ago? How does that apply to you reading the Bible 20 years ago. In other words, there must be some level of universal applicability.

some level of universal interpretation.

Some level where we can actually all be edified by the book of Revelation, no matter when we live. My My personal view is that it has relevance for all believers in all generations. Just like all of Scripture. It has relevance for all believers in all generations. and special relevance To the generation to whom John wrote it, so the immediate recipients of the book of Revelation.

and to the final generation that will be here when Jesus returns. And my own view. I was just thinking about this a moment ago when I read from 2 Thessalonians, the second chapter, about the rebellion. That Paul says is going to come before. that great day of the Lord.

And many would say, well, maybe we're in that rebellion now, or it's the apostasy Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24: that the love of many, NIV says most, but it's just best to translate many, the love of many will wax cold. And People would say, well, we're in that period now. we're in that period and it's it's a time of apostasy and everyone can see that. I believe that the final rebellion that's spoken of is going to be something way beyond anything we've seen. I I believe it's going to be so overwhelmingly clear.

That it's going to be way beyond anything we've seen so far, and we'll know it is that final rebellion. and there have been periods of apostasy through church history. there have been periods of falling away through church history. There have been times in American church history going back to the 1700s where church leaders thought the backsliding is too great, the church will never recover where it was before.

So we've seen these things through history. I see a lot of apostasy taking place in the Church of America today, but I personally don't think it is that great apostasy or great rebellion that's spoken of. To me, it is going to be so glaringly clear.

So shakingly clear. Along with many other world signs, that there'll really be no denying that reality. That's just my own view, my own understanding. And that's why when there's a lot of excitement, oh, this is it. This is a sign that Jesus is coming any minute.

Oh, okay, no, it's here. The prophecies are lining up. Oh, I believe God's word is absolutely relevant, and I believe God's word does lay out the major strokes of world history in some key ways, in particular with Israel. I do believe that. But no, I don't read the Bible with one eye on the Bible and the other eye on newspaper headlines for the latest prophetic revelation.

I remember when that was done when I was first saved, going back almost 45 years now, and the timing was way off. and the speculation was way off.

So I'm looking at God's Word as a long-term roadmap for life. And where there is something of end-time prophetic significance that is now unfolding in front of our eyes, if we love the Lord and our hearts are open. I believe, I believe that we will have eyes to see. And what does Paul write? Think of this for a moment.

In 1 Thessalonians, the fifth chapter, what does Paul write there? He says, when it comes to times and seasons, he said, I don't need to write to you. And he said, because this is what you know. On the topic of times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you, for you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as the thief in the night.

Now when they, meaning the world, when they are saying there is peace and security, then sudden destruction comes on them like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would. For you are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness, so then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night.

Those who get drunk, Get drunk at night. But since we're of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, our hope for salvation. Right back with your calls. Angel World O God of burning, cleansing flame. It's the line of fire with your host, Dr.

Michael Brown, your voice of moral, cultural, and spiritual revolution. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown.

Super Welcome, welcome to the line of fire, 866-34-TRUTH, the number to call. Let's go back to the phones. Brian in Boston, Massachusetts. Thanks for calling the line of fire. Yes, hi, uh Doctor.

Um I just wanted to um uh touch on the um the Antichrist thing. I had I I had a couple questions. One was What how Could the Antichrist, and you probably answered this many times, but before, but how could he not be anything but? Um, a a Jewish person because When when you know, when the Magi came, you know, you read in the Bible, you know, they Herod Herod asked, Okay, who who you know, he asked, who's this You know, where's the Messiah going to be born? And they referred, right, you know, he's going to be born in Bethlehem.

Wouldn't he have to meet that same criteria for the, say, the Orthodox Jews. Uh oh, you know, should But if they were thinking that he's the Messiah. That they were duped into believing that he was the false Messiah. Wouldn't he have to be Jewish? Yeah, yeah.

Obviously, then the other problem would be then. Why would the Muslim world follow him? How would they follow him? It's a totally fair question, Brian. And the scripture gives us precious little information, to be honest.

I know people feel there's a certain amount of information. If you look at the book of Daniel, he seems to be a pagan king fighting against the Jewish people.

So it could well be. That it's not so much that they recognize him as the Messiah. but really believe that he is the world leader that could bring peace.

So, for example, Joel Richardson in his Islamic Antichrist book posits that the only way the third temple could be built. Is that you have to get rid of the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which would be a complete impossibility. I mean, there would be an absolute To the death world war of hundreds of millions of Muslims against Israel, if that were to happen. He suggests, and this again, this just. Human speculation.

He suggests that the The answer would be that he is able to broker a peace deal with Israel. And the Muslim world by saying, we will surrender those sacred sites so you could build the third temple. We'll surrender specifically the Dome of the Rock so Israel can build the third temple. And Israel would then fall into this lie that, wow, he's the one who's going to bring world peace.

So. Look, we've seen how when President Obama came into power. Or, or when he was in his rising up as the next president, he was hailed around the world. I mean, he spoke at these massive gatherings. And now, of course, no one, you know, people said, You think he's the Antichrist?

No, no, no, of course not. Of course not. But you could see how someone with a certain charisma or leadership quality, people flock around them.

Now you have a Donald Trump, and unexpectedly, people are rallying behind him. Let's just say that you had an economic crisis and a plague worldwide, and somebody rose up and solved the crisis and stopped the plague and beat down the bad guys. It wouldn't take much. Just like Germans rallied around Hitler, it wouldn't take much for that to happen.

So my thought would be that the Jews wouldn't be recognizing him as the Messiah as much as the world leader that can bring peace and maybe still praying for the Messiah to come. But however, it works. Works out, sir. There are going to be a bunch of questions that we don't have answers for at this point that will become clear at that point. Could I make one uh quick thing?

Yeah, go ahead. I read on wi on Wikipedia that um This is just taking it, you know, right off the page. George Soros. Uh you know, the billionaire, um, believe that he Uh Is the Messiah for Israel. Since he's been five years old, he's believed that.

Have you ever heard that before? No, I haven't. He is a Hungarian Jew. He and his family escaped the Holocaust. Hungarian Christians that I know are terribly ashamed of what he's doing now as an ultra-liberal leader, but he's a very secular Jew.

He's not a religious man. And I'll have to ask my Hungarian friends. In fact, I have a book written by the father that they recommended that I get that would give me more insight into who he was. He may have. Look, there are a lot of these.

Leaders, political leaders, financial leaders, military leaders that have delusions of grandeur. But I've never heard that. It could be true. Obviously, you know, you got to take Wikipedia with a grain of salt, but if there are references for it, yeah, he may have had these delusions that he's going to be some type of a Savior figure. Should they?

Could be, but thank you. Thank you for the call, Brian. All right, let's grab another call while we have time. Miami, Florida, Josh, welcome to the line of fire. Josh, you there?

Hello, Josh. We don't have Josh. All right. We'll go to Jersey City, New Jersey. Vesper, welcome to the line of fire.

Hi, Doctor Brown. Hello. Um, I have a question for you. I grew up Jewish and My kids go to a Christian school. And their school celebrates both the Jewish and Christian holidays, which is great.

But um When they celebrate Pentecost, They celebrate it more as the birthday of the church as opposed to Um the infilling of the Holy Spirit. And to me, like In my understanding, growing up Jewish, that doesn't really sit right with me. It feels kind of. Um really kind of against what I would understand Yeah. Um it it feels kind of westernized and like revisionist to me.

Can you talk to me about This concept of Pentecost being the birthday of the church? Yeah, well, the first thing is if you realize that it's the continuation of the people of God through the centuries. That God had a people from the Old Testament into the New Testament that continues. In that sense, it's a misnomer. But in the sense that there's this new thing that God is doing where Jew and Gentile become equal citizens in God's house, And that Yeshua says in Matthew 16 that I'll build my messianic community in my church, the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

In that sense, something new does begin then. Jesus has left the earth, he sent the Spirit, and this is something new.

So, on the one hand, it's the simple continuation of what God was doing in the Old Testament.

Now it's continuing. The Messiah has come and is now expanding the boundaries of God's people on the earth.

So it's now Israel, a saved Israel, and the saved nations making up the Messianic community. On the other hand, you can say that there's something brand new that's being done. I don't have a problem with it. When they speak of it as the birthday of the church, because of the explosive beginning of the apostles now proclaiming the message of the death and resurrection of the Messiah for the first time, and thousands of Jews being added to the kingdom, as long as people realize it's a continuation. In a new way from what God was doing in Old Testament times into the new.

If they totally separate it. it's an error. If they recognize it as a a brand new Uh a brand new Extension or brand new aspect, a major new chapter in God's plan of redemption, then that would be accurate. Hey, I. I've got to run though.

But it's a good question. And the question is, is it continuity or is it discontinuity? It's continuity. That's the key thing. All right, friends, my bottom line today, when we say God is doing a new thing in the earth, It's always on the foundations of what he's done in the past.

We've been waiting all week and that moment has come. You get to call in with your toughest, most pressing, most urgent questions. You've got questions. We've got answers. Let's do it.

It's time for the line of fire with your host, activist, author, international speaker, and theologian, Dr. Michael Brown, your voice of moral, cultural, and spiritual revolution. Michael Brown is the director of the Coalition of Conscience and President of Fire School of Ministry. Get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34TRUTH. That's 866-34TRUTH.

Here again is Dr. Michael Brown.

Welcome, welcome to the Line of Fire. Michael Brown, delighted to be with you, energized by being on the air with you. 866-34Truth. You've got questions, we've got answers, any. area of expertise I have.

Anything you want to ask me about in any area of expertise I have, be it Bible, Bible translation, be it Hebrew-Greek issues, be it theology, be it spiritual application, be it moral-cultural issues, or if you want to talk about something we've talked about on the air with one of my guests, or if you want to take issue with me or probe for clarity, the same number to call 866-348-7884. And I'm going to go right to the phones. I've got some email questions I want to answer as well. I've got some important announcements, some exciting announcements I want to share with you momentarily. But let us go to Miami, Florida.

Tried to connect last hour. Let's try once again. Josh in Miami, welcome to the line of fire. Hello, sir. How are you doing?

Doing well, thank you. Take a question now. Uh Your guest is He made one comment uh which kind of uh kind of you know He said regarding stalvation of uh Donald Drum that he's not sure. I mean, I don't know. I mean, seeing him all you know, whatever we saw him, like we only know him through the media.

But seeing him through the media, is it like are we judging Just thing to make to make the comment that he's not saved. Or You know, it is not just him, you know, because I have my relatives and everybody.

So, you know, it's just like the same thing from that actions is way different than you know, a bomb again believer action.

So, is it like, or am I like? Um, you know Basically, am I considered to be judging somebody if I make that assumption that he's not saved based on his action or his proof. No, we're we are told ultimately to judge a tree by its fruit, Josh. And what I think Sid was trying to say, as I understand it, was okay we don't have any evidence of his salvation But we don't know for sure he's not saved, only meaning this. that sometimes God is at work in someone's heart.

and it's in the very early stages. and outwardly you don't see the results. But God's at work in their hearts and then You see over a period of weeks and months that they truly have been born again. I see absolutely no evidence whatsoever that Donald Trump is born again. That he knows the Lord, the fact that he, to this day, still does not understand his need for forgiveness.

I know the gospel has been plainly preached to him by Christian leaders. I know some of them, a couple of them personally, that I know have really shared the gospel with him. I was told that in one case, he really gave a listening ear and was very thankful and appreciative and receptive. But from everything I can tell, the light has not gone on yet. From everything I can tell, his eyes have not been opened, and he has not yet bowed the knee to the Lord and asked for forgiveness of his sins.

Now, maybe. God's working in his life to draw him to himself. And one of these days, we'll see that he has been born again. Could well be. Or it could be that he is a brand new babe.

And that those really close to him are seeing the changes, but he still has all of his old public baggage. And then in the coming weeks, we'll be seeing the change. But James Edwin Orr said something very helpful one time. He said: the only proof of the new birth is the new life. And ultimately, if someone is truly born again, we will see a difference.

We will see a difference in who they are and how they live and how they walk. We will definitely see a difference. And if we don't see a difference, then you really have to question whether that person truly has been born again.

So I believe that if he asked Sid Roth, do you believe from what you see that Donald Trump knows the Lord and is a Christian? He would say no. He thinks he's a Christian, but I see no evidence. But he would say, look, people are praying for him. He's heard the gospel.

Maybe something's happening behind the scenes. But as far as I know, there's no evidence yet. I pray and hope there will be. Thank you. It's the line of fire with your host, Dr.

Michael Brown.

Get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34TRUTH. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown.

So let me tell you about one of the most difficult things I've done. in the last 10 years. It was translating the book of Job from my Job commentary. And For decades, I've worked with various translations. I've done whole articles and even my doctoral dissertation on single words in Hebrew and Greek, or Hebrew in particular.

I've done word studies and used different translations and critiques, sought to improve. But when it comes to the most difficult Hebrew in the Bible, and it comes to translating that into English, and you happen to be the type that you're trying to check the accuracy of every single word. It's challenging when you talk about a whole new Bible project. That's very, very challenging. Old Testament, New Testament, put together by a team, but that is what has happened with the Tree of Life version of the Bible.

And we've been celebrating all this week the exciting news that Baker Books, one of the world's largest Christian publishers, that Baker Books is now taking over the distribution of the Tree of Life version of the Bible. And that means new editions being put out. And on Monday in Jerusalem, there's going to be a special celebratory meeting with Baker, with Messianic Jewish leaders and others, announcing the release of these first editions from Baker Books.

So all this week, we've had special guests joining us. Talking about the Tree of Life version. And I'm thrilled to be joined by Dr. Boyd Luter. Dr.

Luter is on the Faculty of Biblical Studies at the King's University, Southlake, Texas. He's also assistant professor of biblical studies at Liberty University Divinity School in Lynchburg, Virginia. And he is also one of those involved in the Tree of Life Bible project.

So, Dr. Luter, welcome to the line of fire. Thanks for joining us today. You're welcome, Michael. Glad to be here.

So what what role did you play on the Tree of Life team? I was not really actually on the team. I just was uh sent some of the material to look at and to review. But I did not do any actual translation work. I was involved.

In a portion of the New Testament translation for the Hillman Christian Standard Bible. over a decade ago, so I am aware of how translation committees work. But uh in this particular case, I was not Directly involved. It's just Jeff Seife and I are friends and. And uh you know, we talked about it some and I uh you know, I'm I'm very impressed by what they have done.

Yeah, and that's part of the team. Right, even those who reviewed the translation and worked on it, that's part of the larger team. That's why I asked the specific role.

So we're both faculty at King's University in Texas, and you've done studies in terms of Jewish roots and backgrounds.

So let's look at this. The Holman Bible is a great translation. It's a fine translation. You know what goes into... Right.

Modern translations, and there are a lot of challenges.

Sometimes, for me, just a simple little sentence is like, How do I want to say this? What's the best way? And you sit there for hours and wrestle with these things.

So, I've got even more appreciation for those that work on these larger projects. And when I was reviewing parts of the New Testament letters, you know, you appreciate the work that's been done and then just try to sharpen it.

So, what struck you as distinctives that were really neat about the Tree of Life when compared to a great translation like the Holman Bible? What to you were the distinctives of the Tree of Life?

Well, from a broad standpoint, and in some ways, I think this is probably the most. significant aspect to me. is that um A lot of uh Of Bible translations over the years that are, in a lot of ways, excellent translations. Uh probably without even intending to do so, minimize the the Jewishness of the uh of the text. They, you know, w when you've got, you know, a field of Of meaning, you know, with different words and different ways it can be translated and everything.

A lot of times they're looking for a way to accurately communicate. You know, to a whether it was a 20th century or a 21st century audience. But they're not thinking about the the background angle of the uh of the original readers and and the uh the Jewishness that was there all the way through. Because, I mean, we don't know, you know, who wrote some Of the uh of the of the books or portions of books of the Tanakh. But you know with You know, most people think they have a pretty good grip on who wrote most of the of the New Testament books.

And Even though Luke was Gentile, he certainly. and understood the uh You know, the the Jewishness of of what he was uh was dealing with in putting together the third gospel and the book of Acts and Five. I just think that what the Tree of Life version has done is to reincorporate. in a uh in a in a way that is uh it is both on the one hand respectful of the cultural background factors on the one hand and respectful of what's involved in doing high quality translation on the other, they have reincorporated uh uh a a considerable amount of that Jewish flavor. And that is something that I think has really been missing.

And I am also particularly appreciate the fact that the what most what Gentile Christians call The Old Testament, that the books are written in the order of the Hebrew Bible. which uh so many uh Christians are unaware of at all. And it uh it just changes the way that uh that you look at things tremendously when you see it through that grid instead of the way that it was set up in the Septuagint forward. that uh that we use in in uh in virtually every Christian Translation that I can think of other than this. Yeah, and these really are.

And these are major. And again, though, it's the same Bible. It's not like people are going to read it and they won't know what to talk about. Yeah, there are a number of key Hebrew phrases that are used, the words, the terms that are used. And there's a little glossary in the back.

They have a glossary in the back to help you with that. Right, exactly. But it's the kind of thing that anyone can preach from the pulpit, and it's a lively, powerful translation, but it's rightly connecting to the Jewish roots. Dr. Luter, we've just got a couple more minutes.

This is a big question, but there is a right way to recover Jewish roots, to connect to things so that we're reading the Bible in the context in which it was given.

So the first believers would have, Gentile believers would have had certain interaction with Jewish believers or recognizing this is a Jewish Messiah. There's a right connection to Jewish roots. And then there's this thing where Gentiles think they have to become Jews to be accepted by God. In short, if you could do this in two minutes or less, what's a right way for a Gentile believer to be reconnecting with the Jewish roots of the faith?

Well, it is. Acts 15, the Jerusalem Council settles the question as to whether. or not, Gentiles had to become uh Jews in order to uh to be saved. Uh they absolutely do not. But in reconnecting with the Jewish roots, and uh I would suggest even going beyond this.

this translation but But get a good uh you know background commentaries That can help give you the information that you need. But in learning those things, Um What you're doing is you are understanding what God was, you know. the people that God was communicating to, which is going to help you understand. uh the message. And then, once you get in that context, the way I usually say it is: God gave scripture into historical time that we might draw timeless principles for time.

timely application. And so once we understand what he was saying to them, then we can draw the principles. and bring them across to apply into our own lives, but it doesn't help at all. to not understand The people that he was speaking to in the first place, and they are still his chosen people. And so, you know, just it brings things, you know, all the way through.

As far as I am concerned, the covenant promises are still there, and so. It's just a tremendous aid to have All of that background instead of sort of without necessarily intending to do so. Just uh what you might call Gentileizing, what is a uh heavily Jewish uh text. which is the entirety of the of the Bible. Yeah, and when people read it, and even just reading Yeshua instead of Jesus, when they read that, they're reminded immediately we're talking about the Jewish Messiah.

When they see Messiah instead of Christ, they're reminded of that once again. And just these things weaved through the entire translation draw us back to the roots of the faith. Dr. Luter, thanks for all that you do at King's University and Liberty, and thanks for your help with this translation. Great talking to you.

God bless you, dear brother. Join Dr. Michael Brown along with Messianic Jewish pastor Scott Volk for a unique behind-the-scenes tour of Israel, February 25th through March 6th, 2017. Space is limited, so we are accepting applications on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information on the trip and to secure your spot, please visit our website at askdrbrown.org and click on the Israel Tour banner or call our office at 704-782-3760.

Give us strict to always do what's right. It's the line of fire with your host, Dr. Michael Brown, your voice of moral, cultural, and spiritual revolution. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown.

Boy, I hope you can make it to Israel with us next year. When I say the trip of a lifetime, it really will be. Everything that we get to do, the amazing places you get to see the Bible coming alive before you, the special times of teaching I'll have at certain key locations, the meals we'll be able to have together, the Visiting in on our live radio show, and we do those some nights. You'll be able to sit in and watch that. Meeting and connecting with Jewish believers in the land and Arab believers in the land, it's an extraordinary experience, and it's a terrific price for everything you get on the tour.

I can tell you that, having done it two years ago.

So, go to the website, askdartyerbrown.org, and click on the Israel banner right there on the home page. Get your deposit in and join us if you want to go and see no way that you can make it. Pray that the Lord will provide and miraculously. Hey, Make sure you take advantage of our special resource offer this week with the new Tree of Life Bible, a gorgeous new slimline edition, leather-like. When you order it, you also get a free DVD from us, and we're paying the postage.

Trust me, when you have this in your hands, you'll be amazed at what a good resource it is, and what a good price, and how neat the Tree of Life version is.

So, go to the website, ask Director Brown, A-S-K-D-R-Brown.org, to find out how you can get your own copy. Get as many copies as you like. All right, we'll go to Michael in Maravis, Puerto Rico. Welcome to the line of fire. Doctor Brown, how are you doing today?

Very well, thank you. Yes, sir. I would like to preface by saying that the TLV is my favorite Bible right now that I'm reading. And but I have a few issues with it. And one is like is the sort of I'm not I don't know if it's unfair to say this, but it's like an Aryan tilt.

Is that fair to say? uh as far as the the deity of Yeshua is concerned? Oh no, God forbid. Absolutely, certainly not. No way, shape, size, or form.

In Exodus 15:3, it says, When God is a warrior, instead of saying God is a man of war. You know, is that is that like taken away from the the literalness of the text? Oh, no, no, no. Ishmael Kama in Hebrew is the idiomatic way of saying warrior. In other words, man of war.

is the idiomatic way of saying warrior. In Hebrew, if you are, say, a really wise person, you could be called a master of wisdom. But we wouldn't translate it like that. Or, for example, someone doomed to destruction. The Hebrew idiom would be a son of perdition, And that's how some translate that, say about Judas in the New Testament, but many others will translate it as the one doomed to destruction, because that's what it means.

So Ishmael Kama, man of war or warrior, that's just a good way of expressing it. Other translations would say it like that as well.

Okay.

Well, I I I called originally uh uh for John three thirteen because uh that verse says Uh no one has gone up into heaven except the one who came down from heaven. And then the addition would be the Son of Man being in heaven. And according to Metzger, uh that addition, that that that long reading was exclusive uh uh was was in all the readings except for the I mean, the short reading was only in the Egyptian witnesses. And so my question is Uh uh yeah, and you have it redacted in the TLV. And so my question is, uh, you know, why why are there like theological redactions in the text?

if if like let's say if if if you if your theology your theological lens is you can't explain it. Let's say the if you believe in the Trinity is your theological lens and you're making redactions that have to do with the deity of Yeshua, How can you make those redactions when you're not clear on your own theology? And here's what I'm baffled by. The translators and scholars involved were 100% clear in their theology. 100% clear in affirming the deity of Yeshua and God's triune nature.

There's nothing unclear. This is simply a question of Greek textual evidence. And if you'll see, for example, the HCSB, the ESV, the NIV, the NET, the NLT, and the CJV, the complete Jewish Bible, none of them have the additional line, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

So this is simply a restaurant. They're not redacting it. The other is an addition. The redaction is the addition. The redaction is adding it on.

That's why we don't have it. That's why the vast majority of modern translations do not recognize that text. That was an early addition that someone added to the text.

So we don't recognize that. But you make that determination that that that addition was a Christological development of the of the text. And that's and that's just it's not it's not it's not a judgment, it's it's manuscript evidence. It's simply the manuscript evidence. This is called lower criticism.

It is science. You look at the manuscript evidence and you do your best to see which were the most accurate texts. It's not theological, it's textual. And it's a science to it. and and you might come to a conclusion contrary to your theology.

But but what I the only thing that's troubling me is you're you're you're making leafs of Of assumption here that it has to do with theology when the only issue is textual. In other words, For example, I just see in my notes here you would reference Genesis 19, 24, that Adonai sends down fire and sulphur from heaven, from Adonai in heaven. Does that say that it's Adonai on the earth and Adonai in heaven?

So the Father on the earth and the Son excuse me, the Father in heaven, the Son on the earth? Could be. The TLV has no problem with that because that's what the Hebrew says. And there's no debate about what the Hebrew says. But there is debate about the Greek here.

So those who follow the so-called Textus Receptus, so that would be the King James and the New King James or the Modern English Version, they will have that additional phrase, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And all the ones who don't follow it would say that they do not find that in the earliest or most authoritative manuscripts. They find it as a later edition.

So it's simply a matter of textual science, that's all. I just I don't I mean I appreciate the TLV. I love it. I love the Jewish roots of it. Yeah.

But I don't see how these new uh these new versions are not going to be accepted by the conservative uh wing uh of Christianity uh if they're if they're editing the Byzantine text. I I'm not they're not but Michael the vast majority of conservatives are not reading the King James and the New King James. The mod the other translations, sir, the the ESV. Or the NESB. Or the NIV.

As far as I know, these outsell Of the other translations.

So, no problem. If someone prefers King James or New King James or Modern English Version, no problem with that whatsoever. Go for it. But the other question is: what about the tens of millions of Christians who don't accept the Textus Receptus? and the version that the King James and New King James were based on.

If you add these in, how are you going to win them over?

So it's simply a matter is no one is making changes. Is simply a matter of textual scholarship. I'd suggest you read more on it. There's a reason that Metzger does not recommend the edition, The Son of Man Who is in Heaven. There's a reason Metzger.

Who is the foremost textual scholar of his generation does not recommend it? He goes with the shorter. All right, thank you, sir, for the call. It's the line of fire with your host, activist, author, international speaker, and theologian Dr. Michael Brown.

Your voice of moral, cultural, and spiritual revolution. Get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34TRUTH. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown.

Welcome, welcome to the Line of Fire. I'm delighted to be with you on this Friday. You've got questions, we've got answers. Any? Area of expertise I have anything you want to ask about, anything you want to differ with me about, give me a call 866-348-7884.

Also, important announcement. Monday. God willing, Monday Memorial Day will be coming your way live. And normally Memorial Day, we broadcast live and we always have lively, enjoyable shows. Many times it's a day when you can call in and you can't call in normally because your work schedule.

So we do our best to open our phone lines wide on Memorial Day so many of you can call in and we can talk when you normally don't have the opportunity. Also, I'll be ministering in Italy next week and I'll be bringing you special updates from Italy. And all through the week, don't miss a single broadcast. Trust me on this. It's going to be a very special share-a-thon.

We are going to be sharing with you. Testimonies that will edify you. One in particular will probably play on Thurley Jewish Thursday. I remember when we got the call from this dear woman in Brooklyn, and one of our listeners listening live in Hawaii pulled the car over to the side of the road and broke down weeping when she heard this testimony. We're going to be playing amazing stories for you, testimonies of people who've been touched through the ministry here, some things from my own heart and life that I Rarely share.

I'm going to take you behind the scenes and share some of the things the Lord's put in my heart. It's our opportunity to really minister to you and your opportunity to partner with us.

So be in prayer with us as we have so many open doors set before us and so many pressing, urgent needs in terms of being on the radio and the cost of being on the radio. Everything we do is a sacred partnership. There are no superstars here. There's no one-man show. Everything we do is a partnership.

And even if, by God's grace, I serve as your voice of moral, cultural, and spiritual revolution. The fact is, you are the ones who amplify my voice. You are the ones who help get that voice out. And then you impact me, I impact you. And together, we make a difference.

So if you've been a regular listener to the broadcast on the radio, by podcast, online, whatever you can do to help us with a one-time gift next week. Is going to be so so encouraging. We have major obligations to meet. It's the middle of the year, and your help would be so deeply appreciated. But you are going to be edified with every single show.

So, Memorial Day, even though it's a holiday, will be coming your way live. I'll be opening up the phone lines wide. And then we've got special broadcasts planned through the week, and I'll be sharing exciting updates with you, God willing, over from Italy as I minister there. 866-34Truth. You've got questions, we've got answers to the phones with Frank in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Thanks for calling the line of fire. Yeah.

Hello, Frank. Oh, hi, how are you? Doing very well, thank you. I have a question. I'm at a thrift store and I buy this, uh Used uh Bible Steady if and I read to it on the almost done reading it, but it had a thing about synagogues.

It said that synagogues first came about when the um They no longer had the temple and they were carried away into captivity by the Babylonians. And I thought, Well, that's interesting. And that's to me I thought that was the first time they I've ever really thought about synagogues. But then I happened to notice that And so mentions the word synagogue, but I thought I could uh my question is I'm trying to figure out When did they first have synagogues? That's the question.

Yeah, we don't know exactly when, but it's somewhere between the return from Babylonian captivity, maybe even during the Babylonian captivity, and the time of Jesus, because we know by the time of Jesus, these are well established.

So I'll tell you what we know about the origins of the synagogue. We've got a break, and we'll answer this on the other side of the break. Change the world. It's the line of fire with your host, Dr. Michael Brown, your voice of moral, cultural, and spiritual revolution.

Here again is Dr. Michael Brown.

Thanks so much for joining us on the line of fire.

Now, listen, here's what we know in answer to the question about synagogues. Number to call 866-34TRUT.

So, Frank, back to your question. We know that The Torah only allowed for one place of sacrifice and corporate gathering, the temple where all Israel would come, all males, three times a year to the temple in Jerusalem, the place that God established, first the tabernacle, and then ultimately the temple built in Jerusalem. This would be the one place they would all gather. And beyond that, we don't have evidence. That says in the days of David or Solomon when the temple was built and the subsequent generations, we don't have any evidence that you had something like a synagogue where in each village or town people would gather and pray together and study the scriptures together and things like that.

So from the time of the Babylonian captivity when the temple was destroyed and the Jewish people were scattered in exile, what were they to do? Did they have places where they would meet and gather, places where they would pray and study the scriptures? It seems that at some point these things begin to rise up. We can't pinpoint when, but certainly a couple hundred years before the time of Jesus, these synagogues were now in operation. And it seems that the Pharisees were the ones that really pushed these forward so that, okay, you're not in Jerusalem.

You can't get to the temple, or you're not there on a regular basis. How can you participate in the spiritual life of Israel?

Well, you can go to the synagogue. You can go to the synagogue on the Sabbath. You can go to the synagogue for morning prayer. You can go to the synagogue and hear the scriptures read.

So it was an innovation that did not violate the law, but it was a new thing. And now this became part of Jewish tradition.

So when the temple was destroyed, the Sadducees were primarily temple-based. When the temple was destroyed, they were the ones who, for the most part, based everything on the temple worship and temple service, and they were part of the priestly hierarchy and things like that. When the temple was destroyed, that destroyed their whole base of operation. But the Pharisees had something in place, which was the synagogues that they had in many different parts of the Jewish world.

So even though the destruction of the temple was a terrible loss, they could now continue on with their practice.

So, again, we don't know exactly when. Does it go back as far as the Babylonian captivity, or is it in the generations subsequent to that? We don't know for sure. But certainly, by a couple hundred years or so before the time of Jesus, synagogues were now something that synagogues were growing throughout the Jewish world. And that's why, again, the Pharisaical expression of Judaism was able to continue with the destruction of the temple, whereas it was much more traumatic for the Sadducees and others.

They lost their whole base. Um so that's the answer to your question, sir. Amazing. Thank you very much. You are very welcome.

866-34-TRUTH. Back to the phones. Petersburg, Virginia. Abe, welcome to the line of fire. Hey, how are you doing, Dr.

Brown? Very well, thank you. Yeah, uh I'm that 84-year-old. Hope I'm not bothering you again. Normally, we don't allow folks to call back within a couple of weeks, but your call and story is unique enough.

Go for it again, sir. All right. I just want to remind All homosexuals. that they have to make a choice. God's way or their way.

And the one way to solve this bathroom issue, they're going to have to spend some money and make them all single occupancy.

However, they can, because this is only being done to try to divert. The mind of the country on such an issue, which should be very clear. straight out of the doctrine of demons. And so I just want to exhort homosexuals to know there is one way, and that's got to be God's way. And they will have to make a choice as I made a choice in life knowing and understanding the issue.

And God is always fair. And we can be assured that his way uh will always help and we have the Holy Spirit to discern all these things. Ah, uh and you have to ask though. Use your voice, use your mouth. in prayer and in talking to God.

But it's got to be God's way.

So I hope they will get on that track. And Abe, let me just ask you this, because you've spoken candidly about struggles since you were a young man, and then ultimately saying that you knew that you had to follow Jesus. Do you think that there are many who say, well, I'm a homosexual Christian, I'm in a gay relationship and following Jesus, that the tremendous power of these desires in their lives, the romantic attraction, the sexual desire, the union with another person, that that causes them now to read the Bible through the lens of their own experience rather than submitting their experience to the Bible? You must submit your experience to the market. the Bible because it's either in sync with it.

Uh You can't say that you are a non smoker if you smoke a little bit, a lot, one, two, any. You have to make a choice. Nonsmokers don't stay non smokers because they choose to smoke again. And that makes them smokers.

So you cannot be a Christian. Uh as the Lord has shown me. and uh live a homosexual life. You cannot do homosexual things. You might have those proclivities, uh but you have to decide whether you're going to take up You're across.

And that cross is whatever sin you have, and definitely homosexuality is. One of the things that came into the world. why we need that great salvation. And you can't have it both ways. It's either God.

a homosexuality. Abe, you again can speak this with authority at the age of 84 and having. battle temptation and desire and saying I'm going to honor God. and say no to the flesh. And God does give grace.

God really does. Give grace. Thank you for calling. If I spoke the way Abe spoke, yes, I could say because it's biblically true. But he can speak it in a way beyond what I can or you can.

Thank you, sir, for calling. 866-34TRUTH. Let's go to Midlothian, Virginia. Jim, welcome to the line of fire. Hey, Doc.

Dr. Brown, how are you doing? Doing well, thanks. Right. I really enjoyed it.

your program. I listen to it every day and it's a blessing. I just want to let you know. Thank you. I have a question here.

It's I want to pick up a little bit that was mentioned before. John three hundred and thirteen, about no one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. Yes. I'm I'm baffled and I'm I'm kinda like, uh just Under I can't understand.

some uh there's some uh Yeah. Very famous T V preachers that are promoting. Heaven and people have gone and come back and uh And then I read this script. Sure. wondering uh Is this really true?

Scamber. It's been bothering me for a while. I I finally got a chance. I I wanted to present that. And then, of course, Paul.

2 Corinthians 12, 1 through 4.

So what's your uh what's your thought on that? Yeah, it's an obvious question. If he says no one has ascended into heaven, certainly he knows Elijah. was was taken up. Into heaven.

And yes, Paul does talk about being taken up into third heaven. And having this encounter with the Lord, and things that it's not permissible to speak.

So Jesus must be speaking of this in some kind of different way. In other words, there's a way that he experienced heaven. There's a way that he went to heaven and a way that he came back down that is unique that no one else has ever done. And in what way that is, is hard to define.

So I believe that people can have visions of heaven. We certainly know that Paul did. We certainly know that Jesus speaks with Elijah and Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration in the Gospels.

So they are not in a dead sleeping state, but in a living state. Are they living in God's presence in heaven? You know, you could make that argument. Craig Keener, in his IVP Bible Background Commentary, says only an eyewitness of heaven could fully testify about heaven. Jewish literature provides other parallels to John 11 through 3, 11 through 13, but the closest are Jewish texts that speak of divine wisdom coming down from God, seeking to reveal the ways of heaven to people.

Jesus may imply a contrast with the Jewish tradition that Moses ascended not only Mount Sinai but up into heaven to receive God's law. The new wisdom, word law has come down from heaven in the flesh.

So, again, that could be the point that he's contrasting it with Jewish views that said some tradition that said Moses went up to heaven to receive the law. And he's saying, No, no, no, the real one who's lived in heaven and has come down from heaven, I am the living bread, I'm different.

So, again, It's to me it seems to be a matter of of quality of experience and reality. That his ascension to heaven, his coming down from heaven, is different than that of any other person who saw glimpses of things or received visions, whereas he, in that sense, lived there and comes down, bringing the glory of heaven with him.

So it has to be a matter of degrees. Your question is totally. Totally fair. but it has to be a matter of degrees as I would understand it.

So hopefully that's helpful. And beyond that, that's where you dig into the commentaries some more. and see if they've got other insights for you. But again, to me, it's a matter of degrees. That the way Jesus ascended and descended, no one else, no one else in any way, shape, size, or form can compare to that reality.

Thank you. Much appreciated. It's the line of fire with your host, Dr. Michael Brown.

Get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34 Truth. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown.

Thank you for calling the Line of Fire broadcast. This is Michael Brown. Delighted to be with you, 866-34Truth. You've got questions, we've got answers. You know, I was just in Midlothian, Virginia.

Let's stay in Midlothian, Virginia. John, welcome to the line of fire. Thank you, Dr. Brown. I want to make a comment about the transgender battle.

that's been going on since the fifties and the sixties. And just want your comment. that row versus Wade simply encapsulated uh the cultural beliefs in nineteen seventy three When an unborn child was declared to have no human existence, since it was either a blob of tissue or a fetus. Since that was institutionalized.

Now A child can become whatever they want to become because Human identity was destroyed, which allowed anyone to now redefine. Human identity.

So a man can be a woman, a woman, a man, a white, a black, or whatever.

So I think the church needs to wake up to the fact we've already lost the battle, and we need to humble ourselves, get on our knees. Fast and pray. that God would turn things back. rather than simply fighting bathroom wars today. I'd like your comment.

Yeah, first, the final point about we've lost the battle. Oh, yeah, I mean, it's. When God called me to get involved with these issues, homosexual issues, etc., beginning in 2004, and then to reach out to the people with compassion while resisting the agenda, I surveyed the landscape then and thought we lost. It's over barring divine intervention.

So, from day one, I've known we've needed something miraculous to happen.

Now, it doesn't mean that we don't stand day by day on other issues, because otherwise it keeps getting further and further and further.

So, we stand for those, but let's not deceive ourselves. We can draw a line in the sand, but that line is only going to stand so long without awakening in the church that spreads over to the larger culture. That's just a given. We need miraculous intervention, and that will happen as we humble ourselves and pray. I would look at things from a slightly different angle and say, beginning in 1948 with the publication of Alfred Kinsey's Sexuality of the Human Male, which became this amazing book, and he's Time Magazine Man of the Year, where it really is.

And even some of the material in it gathered from pedophiles and just all kinds of things that. Suddenly, Americans are being exposed to, and thinking about that starts to open the door for the sexual revolution. Playboy magazine starts photographing nudes in 1953. That goes further. But then the countercultural revolution of the 60s, we have this massive upheaval.

And that's really where we have fundamental attacks on the On the meaning of marriage, on sexuality, sex now is a form of recreation rather than for the purposes of procreation. I mean, you can just separate the two, birth control pill becoming available in 1960, that you've just got a wider sexual countercultural revolution that challenges the status quo. And that out of that comes radical feminism. Out of that comes the gay activist movement. And then on the heels of all that, once there has now been the downgrading of the importance of sexuality, the downgrading of coupling together as married couples and having children, raising families, now it's very easy to have that next step.

So I see them as all related. I think you're right in that regard, sir. I see them as related, that now you have this larger attack on personhood. And once you do, now with the legalizing of abortion on demand through pregnancy in all 50 states, By Roe v. Wade, you now have destroyed a culture of life and have opened up the door to a culture of death and the dehumanizing of human beings.

So one thing in that sense flows out of another, and the only solution is on our faces before the Lord. No, no doubt about that. Thank you for the call. Much appreciate it. 866-34TRUTH.

CJ in Columbus, Ohio. Thanks for calling the line of fire. Uh hello, Doctor Brown. Just uh I have a a question uh about uh about healing. And I guess it's sort of a two part question.

'Cause uh over a year I've been kind of Yeah. a health challenge, but Um I just wanted to know or get your get your perspective. Take care. on um receiving the healing Where wh where I guess is it unbiblical or illogical to uh to expect. of God to to heal instantly, immediately, like He does in His Word.

Uh and like we see it in even in the gospels and things. Uh CJ is certainly not Unbiblical or illogical to ask for that. In fact, it's very biblical and very logical that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. That Jesus says whoever believes in him will do the works he's been doing, not only those, but greater works because he goes to the Father. That if the New Testament tells us if we're sick, obviously a serious illness, we call for the elders of the congregation, they come and pray over us, anointing us with oil in the name of the Lord.

The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well. If there are those within the body with gifts of healing, if David was able to testify that God forgave all his sins and healed all his diseases, that certainly it makes sense for us to go to the Lord and cry out for healing. and ask him to make us whole, believing that these are Good gifts from our Father, that these are good things that our Father does in His love for us. and that it's in keeping with the character of God to do this. We can be sick sometimes through our own wrong choices.

You know, someone has cirrhosis of the liver through years of alcoholism. If they repent, God might heal them. He can do that. But certainly we know that we've made our own bed. The same if I have lung cancer through decades of cigarette smoking, I can ask for healing.

God could have mercy, but obviously that's the result of my sin. But many times we're sick and it's unrelated to personal sin. Even when it is, James 5 says the prayer from faith makes a sick person well, if he's committed sins, the Lord will forgive him.

So I would come to God like an expectant child, asking and believing. I also would believe that because healing is a good thing, that doctors are doing a good thing. That if there was a simple pill that could be taken that relieved the symptoms, say an allergy, or a doctor's visit and you get the bone set and a cast put on and you're as good as new. I would thank God for medical science. I would thank God for the work of doctors.

Many times it's frustrating because we pray. and we don't see answers. In that case, I praise God because he's good. I thank God that he's the healer whether I feel anything or not. And I recognize that in this world, even though we have these wonderful divine promises, we don't always receive the fullness.

Of what is promised, but I'd like to do this, sir, because these are serious issues: sickness, healing, very, very serious issues, sometimes debilitating, terribly painful, life-sapping. I did an extensive teaching on God the healer and receiving healing from God. I think, oh, probably 24 hours or so, but it's all to listen to on your MP3 player. It's one C D that you can then download onto your MP3 player onto your computer. I want to send it to you as a gift, my MP3 series on divine healing.

So, Betsy, if you can get CJ's address. We're going to send him my MP3 series on divine healing. And it's the best thing I can do to answer your questions. And to minister to you in a way that will help you set your heart on God the Healer. Lord, touch CJ and others right now in pain and sickness.

May your healing mercy be known to them in Jesus' name. Friends, remember to check out our special resource offer. The Tree of Life Bible with free DVD and will pay the postage at askdartybrown.org. My bottom line today, who is central? What is central?

Better be Jesus in your life.