Understanding the Times and the Seasons, and Cultural Insights into the Old Testament

What time is it are we like the children of Issachar who understand the times and know what God's people should do stage 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 866-34-TRUTH.

That's 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown is one of my goals here on the line of fire via son of Issachar in the spirit of first Chronicles 1232. Understanding the times and knowing what Israel or in this case, knowing what God's people should do what time is it, how should we be responding.

This is Michael Brown.

Welcome to the line of fire. We serve here on the air five days a week two hours a day as your voice of moral sanity and spiritual clarity in the midst of a society in chaos in the church. All too often in compromise and want to talk about what time it is.

Want to get your feedback as well, open the word in this regard, as well as comment on a number of things happening in the news today before I explained about the children of Issachar and understanding the times did did you anybody think that in the year 2016 we be reading headlines like this from the Washington times University. Speaking of California State University, Los Angeles of Cal State LA, the University is offering segregated housing to shield black students from quote micro aggressions that school officials have audit request by CS LA's black student union of offer could housing space delegated for black students of the LEC sky was black living learning community. Yeah, they are going to offer segregated housing to protect the students from quote micro aggressions. It anybody expect to hear something like that in the year 2016 that we would be going back to segregation, to protect black Americans or other Blacks in America from quote micro aggressions that would be saying something that could be perceived as offensive. I'm all for being honoring and respectful. That's not my issue here. My issue is the absurdity of where things are going on our college campuses and I've got got here. An article from the international New York Times campuses cautiously train freshmen against subtle insults freshmen tentatively raises her hand takes the microphone really scared to Esther. She begins when I is a white female, listen to music that uses the N-word and I'm in the car, especially when I met with all my friends, is it okay to sing along. The answer from Sherry Marlowe the new chief diversity officer Clark University is an unequivocal no these are quote micro aggressions.

Oh yeah, and what about the segregated housing for the females that feel violated. Maybe they notice a guy checking them out or guy saying hey you look pretty today that would be a micro-aggression at highlighting that the persons gender as opposed to appreciating them as a human being can be consider micro-aggression may be the only segregated housing for females and then what about others other minorities. What about fat people that they feel when that when they see sports teams performing sports teams getting a lot of credit that they feel left out and judged. Because they their unable to perform the same way with any segregated housing. What us Christians that are dissed by professors and classes all the time. Will they need segregated house. I I yeah I is my conclusion to all this, but we come back one open of the Scriptures talk about understanding the times and the seasons and let me ask you this question in your mind what is the biggest issue facing America today. If you had to say the number one biggest problem we have in America today is some of the blank that the 866-34-TRUTH her plan by the Expo line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown your voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown friends to the line of get this not forget this. It's Wednesday, so if you listening live, you know, it's Wednesday and that means tomorrow is come altogether Thursday. That's it. It is Thursday tomorrow so after the broadcast tonight fly into New York City and then we begin our ministry tomorrow morning in Queens. If your pastor or leader jointly skews me a kingdom partners network living Word Christian Fellowship that's Cross Bay Boulevard in ozone Park, New York starting at nine in the morning right so if your pastor or leader only 9 AM tomorrow morning.

You got my personal invite to be there with us at living Word Christian Fellowship in ozone Park and then tomorrow night, Thursday night, a special listers rally hosted by chosen People ministries may be giving an eye-opening talk. Isaiah 53 the rabbis and the Messiah open to the public free. That's 8:53 PM tomorrow night in Brooklyn at the Feinberg messianic center, 1974 Coney Island Ave. will be receiving a love offering to help with our radio ministry Jewish outreach's would love for you to participate that it is free and open to the public and then Friday night harvest fields community church in the Bronx. 7:30 PM 2626 E. Tremont Ave. in the Bronx. That's Friday night. Then Saturday morning September 10 congregation Shari Hashemi, led by Michelle grandma Ron Corbett 2740 Martin Ave. in Bellmore starting at 11 in the morning and then another list.

The rally hosted by chosen People ministries in New York City in Manhattan at 2 W. 64th St. in Manhattan, Israel and the US presidential election, comparing the positions of the candidates with the Bible to have a great time and then Sunday morning.

I'll be back at living Word Christian Fellowship in Queens and then speaking Sunday afternoon in Glen Cove, Long Island give you more those details as we get closer to the weekend but I hope to see especially the wrist.

Listen relish Thursday night setting I could take advantage of all of these meetings we got some great hosts taking care of us in getting us around so can't wait to be with you in Queens in the Bronx and Brooklyn, Manhattan, Long Island. In these next few days. That's why I'm coming to be with all of you in greater New York 866-34-TRUTH 784.

Biggest problem in America number one problem America is facing today, and this takes some thought. I mean, obviously only only God knows the exact answer to that but as I think about it as I wonder about it yet. Just getting some answers immediately from a colleague of the collapse of the family, especially among lower income Americans number one greatest problem facing America today. Another the church facing losing religious rights. Another lack of all of life, marriage, this would build strong nations. If we can find peace in our own living rooms. We won't find it in our street.

Stable families make stable children to make more stable families. As a rule, another answer condition of our hearts what you think under the phones in a moment 866-34-TRUTH in your view, what is the number one biggest problem that America is facing today is the economy is being divided is is it terrorism is it a compromise church is it abortion is it the attack on marriage and family. What is it in your view 866-34-TRUTH okay so Jesus weeps over Jerusalem in Luke chapter 19 he weeps over Jerusalem and he says if only, if only you had known why was here. If only you had known the purpose of my time here. If you even you had only known on this day what would bring you peace but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come in your enemies will build an embankment against you, encircle you and have you and I reside there will – you to the ground.

You and the children within your walls. There will be one sort or another because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you. You did not recognize what time it was your Kairos moment the time of your visitation. As I look in the NIV study notes it says excuse me in the cultural background Bible verses 42 to 44 of 19 within a generation, Rome's army would surround Jerusalem and then destroyed nears 8070, the survivors would be slaughtered or enslaved in verse 44 not leave one stone on another.

This may be hyperbole, but it did underline the traumatic devastation makes a verbal connection with verse four of the stones cry out. Ironically, verse 40. Ironically, the people in Jerusalem could've averted this fate had they embrace the vision of the kingdom. Jesus offered them so so the temple has still not been rebuilt almost 2000 years later why the Jewish people missed their time visitation. Of course, Jewish people can be saved like everyone else a goddess kept his promises to Israel preserved the Jewish people, and I believe that their promise is still in store for the Jewish people, but the devastation of rejecting the Messiah still something we feel and experience to this very day. So back in first Chronicles chapter 12 there is a list of the mighty men, the men of war who joined together in David's kingdom and have grown to establish the kingdom in his hands first Chronicles 12 verse 23, it begins to give a list of these warriors. The men are for battle came to David to turn Saul's kingdom over to him and and have brought so from Judah, Karen Shields, verse 6800 for battle from Simeon Morris ready for battle.

7100 and so on forever. I am brave warriors famous 20,800 get verse 32. Though it's the smallest group and it doesn't that's mentioned weaponry or battle training, says this permissive car menu understood the times and new. What Israel should do 200 chiefs with all the relatives under their command. It is one thing to get all excited about the end times or look all look this headline it lines up with Bible prophecy will look at this old cadet, and many times at sensationalistic and many times as the headlines change from year to year. This seems a line up so much anymore, but it's another thing to understand what is happening in a culture what is God doing what where the people going what is Satan doing to understand what's happening and to know what we should do what doesn't matter if you can chart everything on the prophetic calendar, so to say. I always urge people to keep your prophetic calendar doing pencil right so it is if you are charting every over this time it's okay. It's this time in 20 years before Jesus comes or this or that it would.

You got it all figured out the you don't know were supposed to do what what good is that all right.

The stock market is getting it super volatile not I get no money in stocks that would say I did okay what am I supposed to do that by pullout do I buy and what was right. Okay it's it's a crazy time in ice okay what are we supposed to do.

We need to be children of Issachar who understand the times and know what Israel should do it in the little role that I play.

I do my best on the radio in writing articles, books, and preaching and teaching to do my best to help us understand the hour which we live in and how we should be responding.

I taught on these things last night and the phones momentarily so as soon as I'm done introducing this on going straight to the phones 866-34-TRUTH so I taught on this last night to the first year.

Five. School of ministry are Jesus revolution class class I teach every year for first-year students and I talk about what happened in our culture and say from 1960 until today the shifts that took place and how much of it shifted in the 60s and acknowledge the problems we had in our society, the segregation and lack of people equal opportunity for women and things like that. And yet America was clearly on a more family-friendly innocent society 50 years ago than today to begin to explain what happened in the 60s, how we got where we are that the major cultural events that took place the world events the spiritual events that every everything from Martin Luther King's I would dream speech. The assassination of JFK to the war in Vietnam to Supreme Court decisions removing organized public prayer and Bible reading from the schools to Woodstock to the assassination of Dr. King and Robert F.

Kennedy to Stonewall riots gay liberation, sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll beetles coming to America honor, not we go through all this and then I show video clips. I say let's just go back and look let's look at the Beatles 1965 Shea Stadium look at how innocent it all seemed to be at that stage with Ed Sullivan introducing them.

The first came on the show and 64 watch by most of America and in then we go from there. Just two years later Monterey Poplar who destroying their their equipment, their guitars and drums at the Monterey pop Festival in the next year. Beetle singing revolution in next year Woodstock and and it's happened many time it happened last night. Students is broke down crying fact I want to end the class. There was one dear student, just trying to get the sob. This research pain for the losses of this generation will be find ourselves today I selected it happened because the church did not recognize the spiritual search going on in the midst of the counterculture revolution slept her way through it and then Jesus revolution happening so many of that saved like me.

The truth did not capitalize on the harvest.

That's why we are today right back with you.

Paul's the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown in the line of fire now by calling 8663 dear Jim is Dr. Michael Brown. Even though the Bible is written for us wasn't written to us was written in another language to another culture.

With all of the cultural assumptions that went along with that because when we take our Western modern culture and impose it on the text word putting in meaning that wasn't there and were missing the meaning that the text has next hour. So if you don't get the next hour. You look radio stations you can listen on her radio feed right online. The line of fire.org will be talking with Prof. John Walton, the editor of the Old Testament portion of the NIV cultural background study Bible to find out more about getting this Bible for yourself.

You see it right on the homepage and a regular website.

The line of fire.work. What time is it was the greatest problem facing America today, 866-3427 Newark, New Jersey. We start with Moses welcome to the line of fire. Barbara good afternoon, but my job I might write, go ahead and are you speaking directly into the phone. Search a seven is a slight hard time hearing. I thank you sir yeah little bit better what would your best. Go ahead on my mind and in our world but are you and what we yeah they just jump in because it's very hard to achieve.

First, I thanks for calling and again it is. It is good to hear from her old friend Moses from Newark.

All right, so in case you can hear clearly using the number-one problem which is occurring in the church as well as the justification of sin, that sin is no longer sin. It's either justify because we lower our standards. So, hey, no big deal. Everybody doesn't or or we justify it by saying it's not a choice.

It's a disease, alcoholism, drug is not a sin. It's it's a disease or people just handicapped, but the justification of sin not just in the society. But in the church. All right thank you I appreciate it. Thanks for calling and sorry had a cut in but we were just getting a lot of feedback there at 866-34-TRUTH.

Let's go to Eric and Baltimore. Welcome to the line of fire around the national leadership we needed to further your contract that bent down a level of the family picture to an article that we have that either presidential candidate or anyone else. What we need. God is so so you don't see obviously in the political side, you mentioned that that we don't have a national leader that we can rally around or they can set a good example. But you, you feel that we don't have that in the church world either not in a broad abatement where church leadership primary go to church strong leadership in the church is broke, but not broader leadership across church. Laura and I got it. I think I think.com a good sentiment about making America great.

I mean, I knew that I knew of them a long time but I cannot say that he represent leadership that I would hundred percent confident thought it understood. I appreciate that many times as the leaders go, the nation goes, do we have clear national voices for the church or there are those that are sitting example that others can rally around rally behind on the broad basis across the country, 8663 foray 87884. Let's go to Chris in Queens, New York.

Welcome to the line of fire. There are duct around her favorite. You have a very young boy look like the record where first heard about your much younger than what you are.

How the hell did you think I was a little boy like to order 34 development burial Lord yet. What will. Thanks. He is 661 but my voice is the same as my heart feeling very young and invigorated, but I thank you I appreciate that everyone's 820 also.

But for now you glad to have the invoice. Thank you sir. I really appreciate that quote I'm a black male amendment. I'm just like pondering about black people acted in and informed about politics but I sort of understand why they voted have voted Democrat years or so, but I think I've heard what you think about old segregation thing I'm thinking why are black light help comply people allow themselves to be manipulated in such a way you know it's like every election.

The Democrats can count on the black oak drove elected. Why is it that a group of people have historically allowed themselves to be manipulated like even in these times where Donald Trump said it will change infected back to the getting worse with violence and poverty in Eminem and all those being and it's like I want to say all black people but am certainly not in that category.

They can't get out of this rut.

It's like a woman with an abusive relationship with them and everyone filling unrelieved book of Bill Buford Manning 20 I love that I can't leave I can figure it out yet.

Will the best answer to Chris is that there has been a concerted effort to put black Americans in a category of dependency on the government and a continual state of victimhood. So rather than helping and empowering the policies now create perpetual voters who are dependent an end. By the way I'm I'm blaming everyone but black American sign and there was a I'm looking at like American series as victims of wrong policies that many of is some believe that it's intentional to keep like Americans doubt let's put the best construction on it that Americans trying to fix things after segregation recognizing what's wrong now. Want to come up with all these benefits and help with basically do it in a way that that drives the man out of the house that the woman gets more benefits creates our fatherless society so illegitimacy grows 300, 400% since the early days of the civil rights movement, and now we have to vote for those people settlements helping you so one of my guess of the blackest said that we went from front I believe is a blackest you said that that we went from a situation where you just had black workers. No slaves. They just have black voters.

If you check out Jesse Peterson's book, the antidote is controversial, but I think you'll find that really helpful to see how Sharpton and Jesse Jackson of her more than healthy antidote by Jesse Peterson. Ultimately though, the key thing is we each take responsibility for our own lives so exclusive as we move forward with God's help Expo light a fire with your host activist, author, international speaker, and Dr. Michael Brown voice of more cultural and spiritual revolution get into the line of fire now by calling 6643.

Here again is Dr. Michael Brown was the sound of Hill saw United performing live on the today show just injustice reports is known as a magazine. The vocalist Highsmith with the worship and one of today's most popular praise anthems as the host looked on with tear filled eyes similar condensate awesome they're bringing the gospel to secular TV others was it's a compromise gospel still more to talk about, 8663 for 8784 when I asked on Twitter fill in the blank out what is the number one most critical issue America is facing to day.

The comment the first one is sin by unbelief in God's word than they talk about were all Christians were so far from God. The common political correctness which muffles God's truth and other ungodliness. Another not believe in Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world and rose again to predestined us to eternal salvation of those those very Christian answers, but is that the answer right there. The greatest problems in America are gospel based. That's what we have are lax.

That's where we find our solution, 86634 let's go to New Jersey reverent Christian welcome to the line of fire. Production on the afternoon where character community. Our current Gartner number one program in America. . I will fight Dr. Gartside Col. would not bear their commitment to community gardening and Dr. Ned children into a good life of their homosexuality. In the starting from the edges. The fire… You know what I meant. Saw to rewrite your computer chart to apply therapeutic chart to two of God. I go to Augustine. But when you are trying to teach children at that age. How tour of alternative lifestyle conductor looked by Dr. about their unique almond bite. Yet obviously, we easily genocide. That's that's a very strong word, but the fact is, there is a desire to indoctrinate to get kids. Yes, three, four, five years old nursery school, preschool coming into kindergarten to give the definitions of terms, gay, transgender, and to basically say sometimes boys like boys and girls like girls and sometimes there's a boy and a girl spider girl and a boy's body could you introduce kids at ages before they even understand these things to these different concepts even declare war on gender chart present different meanings of family and then look your average little boy is like girls and we tell it when you tell a six-year-old boy. Susie likes to load it because it is old maybe. Maybe he's actually gay then because it is like early start this complete nonsense to plant these thoughts, I'd be all for it, sir. If little children were taught be nice to everyone, I'd be all for that and if someone seems little different from you. Don't make fun of them being nice to them.

Yes, you can teach that bullying and cruelty are bad without teaching that gay and transgender are good and foot. For those that don't know how far things of God in the school system get my book a queer thing happened to America get the book and read the chapter in our children. Schools came out 2011, things have gotten even worse than then that you read the book was shock you read the book with pain. That's the reality.

Be nice to everyone, yes, be kind to everyone, yes, indoctrinate three, four, five-year-olds into the goals transgender activism God for right back in the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown voice of more cultural and spiritual revolution.

Here again is Dr. Michael Brown… Another Twitter responses about what is greatest problem in America today lack of understanding of the holiness of God.

The wrath of God, even when many so-called Christian churches is in the palms of the church the words of the salt loses its saltiness right or the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness that's obviously often relevant.

Let's go to Ellery and Bowie, Maryland, thanks for calling the line of fire. Dr. Brown quickly upping family specifically separated and distracted men. The biggest problem you have been in jail over the midwives addicted to sports and mail it out your degree weather watching football which can get an array to block and on the nonnatural firewall appointed by God and then a lack of understanding of generation validate the word for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, though it includes me, but it's not about me and have a narcissism line with social media and W.almost element of the enemy can come in and Rick have it and into the water quickly for Josh was better for me and my house we will serve the Lord. So we gotta have men willing to stand up and lead their house no matter what's going on my personal prayer is just that Neville get on their faces.

Beth and Corey get back to laying hands on their son and calling up their manhood. Finally, the progress of the glory of children is your father and we need fathers to be fathers not just biologically, spiritually, and socially.

Ellery articulate clear nothing to add to that one wonderful insights, wonderful call.

May we take each of those words.

Thank you. 866-34-TRUTH 87884. Let's go to New York City. Obadiah, walking to the line of fire. Mr. Kirk, the prayers of a righteous person program March I believe that our nation's top training more and more knitting__contradict what Ludovic every love the Lord will expect primitive.

More print I find in my printer more part of the church to watch most redneck circular alert by yeah you know of an agreement with everything. It's as simple as that. If we would really get hold of God and prayer and really love other people more with that shake the nation 866-34-TRUTH in Baltimore. Denise, welcome to the line of fire. Thank you.

You're welcome.

Thank you. You go have a nice think that will grant to define an essential role for themselves used to be the live in home repair man are they used. Make sure that the cars were taking care. They used to be. Those that you could depend on for fourth time defined role in society that is no longer.

When you go to take a car mount to the car shot management and in the chairs the unit before women can get to the chair they may leave the responsibility along care to the women of how and they are out riding bikes or doing whatever it is I think I haven't defined role. So much so that now find he tends to ridicule me there only in combat of the joke in the commercials, the butt of the joke and that TV shows and women on the other hand, we have we've maintained the role of the homemaker and of course the numbers of men who do an excellent job of that, that those are characteristics that they have adopted but they left that evening that mail defining characteristic of that mail defining role behind Denise. You know it's what you're saying is true on a few levels. It's it's true in terms of our whole culture kind of not our whole culture, but a lot of it ridicules manhood and ridicules male strength much about bigoted chauvinism or pink headedness up until about a man being a man being a protector and be a real father being there for his wife and being dependable and and and the wife can can rest assure that that the husband is responsible and in leading the way a lot of the kids ready to become a very long way from shows like father knows best and then many of pointed out to even an increasing feminization in the church with Saul about being sensitive and so often, and there there is not the place for it for the man to be a strong man so get there. There is there's a lot of this in a culture and then with broken homes can still have good role models. So and then women you know there's a strength that women have that men don't have.

We understand that but there's another aspect in which women are the weaker vessel than just physically we understand that on average, and instead of women saying that to them and we need you to be who you need to be sized some of them you know you need to do it all. So it is kind of a dual attack and then the attack on gender distinctions in general. So it's it's it is deftly an issue and you know Nancy, my wife is is the strongest woman that I know and just immovable unshakable in so many ways and yet she 100%.

Looks to me to be the head of the home she and 100, not by that, I met a handyman for prepare for itself. Some goes wrong. We gotta get it fixed her. She's got her own toolbox actually but she for getting up. She know I've got to carry the burden spiritually, emotionally, financially, so that if the attack comes of pressure comes that falls on me and and that when it's is crucial life-and-death time. Which way do we go. She expects me to lead the way up again.

She is the strongest person I know and and she I reliant her practical wisdom for for everyday things far more than she relies on mine but in terms of the buck stops the leadership the carrying it. That's my role as a man, and yes, anyways like in society and then the culture fights against the submissive Denise, thank you for for weighing in as a woman and and reminding us men of the importance of us take your role. I believe in general that if you've got if you got people with right attitudes. If men will lead well in that regard. In that regard, then women would follow in terms of the right leadership Roman should have. And then there's the mutuality of interaction and submission that comes in a healthy marriage relationship.

All right a lot to think about. Thank you 866-34-TRUTH we go to Tony in Edison, New Jersey. Thanks for joining us on the line of fire by Dr. Brown.

Hey report was a long time ago but anyways I get one to make a comment you know that this ridiculousness was always getting tray I get remember all the initials by North Carolina one catalog that should regularly stay should have been able her parents and they were boycotted by the NFL, Inc. and other and other people know I've had a Christian community Bible believing God believing? Should boycott body boycotts or our hearts as we are okay. Would you love but we got flexor muscles from time to an external flexor muscle you panic. You gotta be bold you gotta get out there and say the truth, even though it is not an end, and add a few that I can quote the Scripture, but feeling you have been faded from people other believers are not such as what gap do I will not watch another NFL game I've been boycotting target since 2002, because I llama better and I did 24 years I was in the VA Inc. and veterans goodbye asked for some donations and target sent them a message saying no. We get to know of Veterans Affairs project. We only get taller homosexual whatever light but anyways that's what they said I been boycotting them think that everybody just turned on the football game and didn't go to New York State Parks and the other people going. Don't by Bruce Springsteen, Outlook, and you will see we have some muscle. Dr. Brown yet.

You know, but Tony that the things courses that right now among to be flying after the radio broadcast into New York City on American Airlines and American Airlines certainly is is vocal in its support of gay activism as our most of the major airlines I could find America. I'll be using credit cards that support gay activism the computer in front of me is probably made by company that supports it. My cell phone over this. It's so pervasive in society. And yet, when a line is crossed like target crossing that line yet. I believe it was good to send the message and their hearing that message say look, we have an expectation of privacy were were were looking for for the safety of those there. We don't want a loophole that heterosexual predators can take advantage of, etc. that's the right thing to do to send a message and North Carolina has been thriving as a state economically.

These raw laws before radical activists in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, and live in North Carolina radical activists in the city of Charlotte has to destructive bill state overturned it put things back. Basically, the way they were before we were doing fine before. Let's stand strong and keep doing five reach out to everyone gay straight same message of Jesus. But let's not bow down to the act.

The line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown. Your voice is more cultural and spiritual revolution there again is Dr. Michael Brown and a few more Twitter comments is problems we have in America. Day ungodliness not believe in Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world was against resistance to transformation. I think there were those before that I did a division. The overreach of the judicial branch think we include myself, and failed to give our children the foundations of God's basic principles. Dismissing of truth, humility before the creator Yahweh back to the phones on Long Island. Lynette, welcome to the line of fire ran. Taking my comment I hear back. The area one problem that actually blinded all the rest of the problem that I have been mentioned already and that it biblical illiteracy on Jesus even fatback man cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

And I fear that if you do, within the church and out back to church and particularly within the church. When we have on many people back have been member black different decade but had never bad question. Major portions of the Bible never happened in the South never studied them in effect, we can declare life it we get in contact I thinking probably going to love the Lord our God with all have our heartfelt mind and strength. When we are completely malnourished and am I think that that really something that you find all of the other problem an economic Bible says you will not make the shekel break. Another way you want to think that you now are going to cause inflation and elevating higher economic and other country and to lack freefall yeah and it F out. Obviously, the family and everything a base relations everything.

I think that that the LGBT community Olivet.

I think that that the lack of testing everything according to the word and and not be added to that I haven't read the Bible and its reading me that sponsor all of the other spouse yeah and that I'm thinking it's a physical analogy of my mom's been in the hospital against the special treatment is almost 94 and just with her every day is this with her again before radio today and she's definitely getting stronger because she's eating better and she started to deteriorate and she wasn't eating as well and she was having eating related problems that she's even better getting more nutrition is getting stronger, even at a frail weight and in state almost 94 all is the same for us as believers that we would get healthier if we took in the word more really took it in and really study and really ask God to speak to us through the word and then really sought to put it into practice and then made that known in our teaching and preaching a wider basis so there is a plague of biblical illiteracy in America within the church, often within the pulpit and because of that Christians are malnourished because of that the nation is is not pointed in the right direction by those that should be having that influence have a whole book coming about a year from our address some of these very issues. But again, some is so simple and so simple and yet such a major hurdle, 866-34-TRUTH, I'll scrub one more call in Boston, Geneva, welcome to the line of fire by Dr. Brown one day you can't depart Dr. Brown that we can keep him on the air it wasted very neat at an off now. I'm praying for your mom that will thank thank you. And then I do recall you encouraging folks to stand with us before. So thank you so much for your heart doing that you need a much appreciate your love come. I yelled at. The biggest problem today about the world, Internet, social media, the Internet accident lawyer where everyone knows everybody people go online to connect with Other people out part to look at pornography that authority think about the Internet acknowledge you people on an update that Whetstone, a person on the Internet. I think the people type on twitter and on the Internet.

It's like telling people always donning people and putting people down in island building and felt, and also remind me have our babble when people are trying to get high reach God and God destroy them for trying to any scatter there going and it couldn't communicate with each other that I feel are the 12 that the delegating to bring everybody boy together and something that would made it now being used for evil, and I think it's ironic that the other day when the rocket blew out that it was carrying Facebook satellite. Now that my yeah yeah a lot of people Geneva were found some semi New York or even some fortune perverse delight it in that because of dislike for Mark Zuckerberg or Facebook, but the fact is you Internet social media. It's it's brought out more of the worst of us than the best in us. Yeah it's been used to get the gospel to places could never get you before is been used to get point to places he could never get to before. But when you look at, generally with some social media the way things reported in many ways it's brought out the worst in us versus the best and and on top of that, it has also been a massive distraction is a challenge for me every single day because I'm so connected, so what's going on online to pull away and focus a thank you for winging it again.

Thanks for praying for my mom and for encouraging support if you value this voice on your radio is your listening or getting the podcast or listen live online, we do it through your help, we do it through your help. Go to my website now. The line of fire.org and just click on donate to stand with us all right. Just go to the line of fire.org. You can read my latest article is is CNN now the censoring news network you can watch my latest video on social issues transgender activists treat parents as enemies of this is on the website. You can check out our special resource offer and you can stand with us financially become a monthly torchbearer one time gift. So if you're blessed by the broadcast what Scripture says and help in return. Galatians 6 with him was taught the word Cheryl do things with his teacher this case, you just enabling us to keep getting the message out to you to click on donate to stand with us@thelineoffire.org and together we will continue to make a difference so heavily some things up hard to isolate any one thing is the greatest problem in America today, but if if you want to make it really simple. The greatest need is for the church to be the church for God's people to be God's people for the children of God, to live like children of God. If we could really take hold of him and through that he takes hold of us more deeply and we function as salt and light in the society and we pray as we should pray America will be massively impacted for this. My bottom line today. What then is the greatest need in America today spoil itself. Church must be picture about the speak with one of the world's leading scholars on the cultural background to the Old Testament stage for the line of fire with your host activist and 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 866-34-TRUTH. That's 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown I I am having a blast every day reading excerpts from the cultural background study Bible on the air and off the air, look at this on Joshua 10 2+ pages on the sun stand still and the moon stops while fascinating I'm to be joined momentarily by Prof. John Walton who did the massive job of editing the Old Testament portion of this incredible study Bible. Then my friend Prof. Craig Keener had the massive job of doing the New Testament portion so as to be joined by Dr. John Walton momentarily, but first let's just get into some recent news joy. Click number 13.

This is Wikileaks founder Julian sans on Sean Hannity's broadcast last night and he's he's got some provocative comments could number 13. All right, we got Joey go ahead okay.

We got a problem with that clip. Joy can we play another clip or is it our all of our clips fouling up right now. Wikileaks has said that there is going to be a bombshell announcement or or another release of information, perhaps next week, and specifically with Hillary Clinton are they targeting Hillary Clinton, Rev. Donald Trump or is it simply that she's got more dirt were dirty laundry, that whatever dirt Donald Trump has, no Windows history pretty well in terms of problems and issues in three marriages and boasting about adulteries and all the other things the way street of the people, but could be. Could be that there's just more dirt pertaining to Hillary Clinton arts. What I cannot reckon the place was clips. We just have a glitch with our equipment.

For a moment joy. But what you gotta do is get the hamster running faster to generate more more energy there and up if that hamster runs faster that the energy will just pump up there we can get that computer running for now just just messing messing around just messing around so so I believe as many do, that there is much more under the surface to come to the surface with regarding to scandals relating to the Clintons with elections Agoura right now. The tide has been turning if as many positive had with candidate Trump. He does seem to be listening more to the Council around.

He's now getting his message out, got his immigration message out getting a defense message out will stick to his guns, will he do when elected, those are all valid questions, but in my view if he stays on message and doesn't get distracted with petty fights with others that are non-consequential that he could easily win the election. Hillary Clinton right now is becoming more toxic than Donald Trump and and all you need is one or two more scandalous things. I mean this with a suck enough other people. Up to now. If it wasn't Hillary Clinton and and still my volume that the FBI didn't indict her, but it seems be one thing after another after another and now even a prominent rapper to young black use. Don't vote for Hillary, what one of the Democrats done for us in the locals were so quickly that that does not portend well either but bottom line, we pray for God's best for God's will in the boat with wisdom. We come back here switching over all the Old Testament get ready to time travel back several thousand per it's the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown into the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown. I I am writing the NIV cultural background study Bible that we been promoting of the last couple of weeks we had on the air for flour Prof. Craig Keener dear friend and colleague of mine, the New Testament editor.

Now we have the Old Testament editor Prof. John Walton is a professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College for for many years before that at Moody and if if if someone asked me. Okay, who who the two people you want to put together for team to to edit a Bible like this, Old Testament, New Testament be about a millisecond of thought and the answers almost the Old Testament Craig Keener for the New Testament. John is a delight to welcome you to the line of fire. Thanks much for joining us today great to bear Michael when I was ready, turn Jeremiah for the revised edition of the expositor's Bible commentary whenever I had to just sort out some thorny geographical issue or historically short.

I grabbed that the vibe you edited the IVP Bible background commentary to the Old Testament and and often just quoted the thoughts that suspended I could say it and then your Job application commentary zoster was standalone for Job. I thought, man, great insights, just on a spiritual practical level, so now to see this Bible out. I am so thrilled that the general public can get what you and Craig and other scholars have been working on for years. So what what what your own origin.

How did you get into this to become such a specialist in cultural backgrounds to the Bible. It actually began mostly my doctoral work. When I started to recognize how important the cultural worldwide for interpretation. I went to Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati and the idea that not just archaeology but ancient literature that could really impact our understanding began to take root, then and I got very interested in that. I did my dissertation on the Tower of Babel to try to explore the cultural background that account and it's just kind of rolled on from there. That very interesting and that the study program that you have as you begin with and similar to what I had at NYU in terms of learning the ancient language so what languages did you begin to study and learn and what literature did you start to study and learn to to equip you to better understand the Hebrew Scriptures. The Old Testament are like a program at NYU.

We started both history and literature and language about 350 literature and languages, I had to study most of them Great American Acadiana and aromatic and things of that sort. I found Acadian the most useful not because it's closer to the time to Israel in terms of distance, but just because with the great extent of literature that was available. So in that sense I was. I was introduced to that broad range of literature and found that very very helpful for interpretation yeah and and you have a love for the Scriptures. This is not just an intellectual pursuit you want people to get excited about the word of God yet meandered to me you're my audience to the church. Certainly I hope that the Academy get some help out of some of the things I do. But I consider myself to have involved in bridgework taking the information that sometimes is very difficult to grasp or even find from the Academy and bring that into youthfulness for the church at absolutely and a massive amount of work you are so appreciated. Many will will stand indebted to you and Craig and and the team that assisted you are right, Mike. My reading of Scripture last day or two of you reading through the minor prophets select let's grab a minor prophet. Let's take Amos. He just tell us when he prophesied so with something were supposed to know how it hasn't helped me to understand background cultural background to to the book of Amos you be as general or specific as you like to know the background commentary payments are angular books. We focus on certain kind of information and a lot of study Bibles should try to help with interpretation general and they give random putative information and images in theology maybe some application, but in the cultural background study Bible were trying to focus on very specific issues we want to do archaeology, geography, the manners and customs. The ancient literature ways of thinking. Those kinds of ideas altogether in touch with the, the world of the Bible and the ancient world look like a method certainly helpful to look at the history of the period, to know what's going on in the history what's going on with the. The empires rest of the world how Israel is sharing with all of that the economy of the. All of those are very helpful things, but even beyond that to look at the message of Amos and to try to figure out how this how this message was coming across in the ancient world. How will people thinking that obviously Amos deals with a lot of economic issues dealing with another market economy, not with capitalism, not with the kind of things that we have in our economy he's dealing with an ancient economy and those kind of things can help us as we understand the situation in Israel and he was when his prophesying yet and as I look at the.

The illustrated Bible backgrounds commentary as is and looking at it for the opening chapters Amos judgments Amos's judgments against foreign nations and there there's a map PE kind of puts a giant ax over over Israel starts in one corner than the other. It goes from north-south, giant accident gets a little closer with Judah in the rest of the book is about Israel, but just that simple. Having a map as you as you reading it makes a difference doesn't it better hope that they have maps will be helpful as people get their door orientation. I get the setting down Patrick to know how close these countries are meeting in America were used to the idea that are our enemies, our oceans away and hear the Philistines and all the Philistines and accomplices is 2530 miles from Jerusalem.

And so things like that that there's that proximity, which increases the threat of Satan in Hosea looking at two page article on the ball in Hosea, there is even a statue and image of of of of a ball of a particular deity that was worshiped even have some language in Hebrew. You and I can call me Paula Lee anymore which which would've been my husband but but that name should be used.

So what am I gonna learn cultural background to the book of Hosea with with this concept of bottle or bail is most pronounced in English right a lot of people in the reading the Bible just casually made you think a bale of the name of God, but here we try to explain that the DiBello sort of title that can serve them with a very catchall, there are many different bail judges book of Judges talk about bales early on and so there are different bail and so any trends that really quite different, and so to that extent we have to hundred after question. Who is this balance Hosea out which one is it and what characterizes back bail all of this is part of trying to understand how the divine world will start to work in the ancient world. No Israel obviously was called to have a different view of God, but to try to gain appreciation and understanding of that different view we have to know what to compare it against what we think and it all of the other people's worshiped many gods in Israel's post-worship one God. All yes. But that's just scratching the surface. One of the reasons why the people's financial world worshiped many gods because for anybody in the ancient world identity was found in community. Therefore, that's not only true people. It's true, the God and so when they thought about the divine realm they thought about a community of God. They really had trouble imagining an individual God that was alone. It didn't make a lot of sense to them.

They were also used to using different gods for different reasons. Just like we would go to Gen. practitioner Dr. but then we have lots of specialists and so in the ancient world. The different gods had their specialties in their jurisdiction and you choose the appropriate God for the appropriate thing so it's not just a numbers game.

In the ancient world and all of this comes into trying to understand how people flocked initial worlds we can understand the text in light of that yet. There's even the extraordinary passage in Jeremiah 44 where the Judean exiles fled to Egypt and they tell Jeremiah you know when we were worshiping all these other gods. Everything was good for us and and once we got away from that.

That's when things got bad. I mean it's mind-boggling, but that would be the mentality white friends. I've got I've got a bunch more questions for Prof. John Walton and you can now benefit from his decades of research by getting your own copy of the NIV cultural background study Bible 2350 pages total. Every page. Amazing background fugue, geographical, archaeological, ancient literature and other recent questions that may struggle with them is the Bible just copping pagan myths and borrowing pagan literature get the Bible pay the postage include my full interview with Prof. Craig Keener two hours soda*crown.org file line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get into the minor fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown. Looking back, friends fire. If you have a question to John Walton and Old Testament question you're curious about the background to a particular passage or something in historical context, by all means give us a call and will do our best to get to some questions as well.

866-34-TRUTH 784 it's 866-34-TRUTH the NIV cultural backgrounds study Bible now available. Get your copy will pay the postage to give you with a free you to our interview with Prof. Craig Keener to listen to on your computer or MP3 player that's been going*apprentice Katie or Brown.org, so resuming with Prof. John Walton, John, I was exposed early on in college taking my first ancient history class to a learned scholar Prof. with a lot of work and see reality and he bought into a total critical reading of the Scripture that the Bible is just another ancient book against this ancient background and part probably borrows from Babylonian flood accounts and Babylonian creation account so it's just it's it's got its own twists, but it's just one myth among other myths. Obviously you were confronted with this with scholars that didn't believe things the same as we do have. How did you work that out without running from investigation rather running to it. How did you sort these things out for yourself. I really had to sit down and think through what is going on what's being suggested.

What evidence Ford things of that sort of the first books I wrote in comparative studies. According to ancient Israelite literature and its cultural context.

I don't with some of those questions about borrowing and what evidence there was for and how similar were they really you know and it further complicated issues, but I think in the end they they are easily resolvable unguarded. If we understand that the Israelites were embedded in the ancient world, then we don't necessarily have to think of them as being indebted to individual piece of literature.

For example, now I use the metaphor of a cultural river initial world it is cultural reverence and all the ideas of the ways of thinking you know the corporate identity the way they think about the gods the way they think about the world around them. The spirit world divination all these things are kind of a cultural river in Israel's minute we got our own cultural river today got things like democracy and freedom and rights in empiricism and social media that are cultural river and they had their role as part of that.

And sometimes God called them to swim against the currents but there still in the river sometimes negative float on the current no problems were still in the river and what we find is something some of the literature that that kind of overlaps between Israel and the ancient world.

It's really just river material on so the flood okay, everybody. Angelo knows about a flood and so that event is in the cultural river.

Now, different cultures drew that event out and shaved. With their own particular interpretation of what did it all mean they all knew there was a flood, but how you interpret something like a flood just like today. We might have had to interpret the Holocaust happening there. So they all had to interpret the flood and of course the Babylonians did one way in the Israelites did it another way, they've got a different read a different spin.

If you will, on on what's going on and it's it's that interpretation of the event. That is what constitutes the authority of God's word is not the vendor bring about the event that's it. Never cultural river, but Israel didn't have to read a Babylonian account to learn about the event they knew about the intent everybody in the ancient world. It that very day David their own interpretation, which we believe is an inspired interpretation right now.

Terry's authority for the difference between being indebted, which I don't think they really were hardly ever to being embedded. I think it's an important distinction. I love the way you articulate that making it so simple for four listeners and even for your readers to put in the context of that cultural river. Someone call the other day asking about epic of Gilgamesh with a roadie and actually and they said voyage. This is the Bible just borrow from that the flood accountant is let's see with the culture background study Bible has to say. And sure enough we open it up. There's two page article on the flood with a picture of the of the ancient cuneiform tablet a deal with the epic of Gilgamesh so so these are things that are discussed head-on.

So, are there times when the Bible corrects a pagan math or was is no know it wasn't this God or that God it was the one true God.

For example, Isaiah 27 that uses language is that language virtually identical to a Ugaritic texts from what €700 prior where claims that that ball Slough Leviathan on this this fleet serpent and here in Isaiah 27 it says that Yahweh did it. It is that God same time I know I'm the one true God. How does that work out culturally well after culturally bit it quick comment literarily. I mean, that's one of the striking examples where the wording is the same as what we find in an ancient text, but Isaiah is eight century earliest depending who you talk to Andy. Ugaritic material is what 78 century earlier. So Where in the world but Isaiah get a copy of it Ugaritic text assuming good reading Ugaritic texts and the cultural river model says this this wording about Leviathan. All of that is in the cultural river. Ugaritic text drew it out and did something with it. Isaiah drew it out and did something different with it up and drop the same wording. Okay, so that kind of idea of understanding. Now it's another when in that regard, it's the same as you got a seven headed monsters in ancient Canaanite literature and you've got the multiple heads of Leviathan on the Psalms, and you have a seven headed monster Satan in the book of revelations it's it's all that cultural river exactly exactly the end and by the way. Growing up in New York. We protested you terrific. I think the rest of the world Ugaritic and in and John is as you've taught so many generations of students. We just got a minute before the break, how I do see the light go on with them and then suddenly a lot of the fear disappears because they realize all the Bible is not just copying pagan myths sure you all day.

The main thing is not just to say it doesn't. The main things to say how can we think about this other literature how to reprocess it. How can we put it into a legitimate methodology of reading text against its ancient near Eastern background.

We really need the methodological piece are not just a solution to this problem or that problem yeah absolutely so so these things, the larger approaches are laid out in and by the way there's there's massive scholarship backing every page, but simply written and at at the beginning of the of the Bible, their practical tips and features which need to learn you pick it up when you go through it. Your charts background English translation issues. I'm really amazed. It was coming out for a while until he been amazed by how wonderful he is. Will be back with more professional Expo line of fire with your host activist, author, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown voice of more cultural and spiritual revolution get into the line of fire now by calling 6643 here again is Dr. Michael Brown. I am speaking with Prof. John my view, in the view of many leading evangelical scholar on the cultural background to the Old Testament and now every reader of the Scriptures can dive into the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament and get cultural background in detailed notes with graphs with with pictures with dedicated articles for every relevant verse go to the Old Testament is relevant cultural background. It's here one Bible for the Old Testament and then Prof. Craig Keener for the new John Walton thrilled that he's done this work many decades of study put together in this and like this if you live lived in my PhD is nearest of languages and literatures of written commentaries on on books of the Bible, and yet I'm I'm constantly enriched, as I'm using this excellent point yet. Why didn't think of that text so terrific Bible to get you can order through us. By going Esther to Brown.org will pay the postage to be free. My two hour interview with Prof. Craig Keener, John beef before we take some calls you mention the Pantheon of the gods, often in in the cultural backgrounds, commentary, and we know that some scholars talk about manometry so Yahweh is the chief God. Among other gods and others talk about monotheism. Yahweh is the one and only God whichever verses like Exodus 15 become.

Also by the mother, who is like you among the gods, old Lord, all Yahweh.

Is there a transition in the Old Testament from manometry to monotheism those terms in all between manometry marketing and even NOT of them are terms that we use to try to sort out what we would consider metaphysical realities. I find it in the ancient world. They're not as concerned about metaphysical realities. They're more concerned about what the gods into other involved how they act, and so they don't really sort out the metaphysics, and even the way that God talks to the Israelites is not really addressing our current philosophical mindset that tried to sort those things out. I'm not sure that I would say that there is there is a development on the metaphysical front, I'm not even sure that there's a lot of concern on the metaphysical front. God is the one who acts of God, who is acting who is able to act and who act on your behalf is the God that was worthy of worship and and how was it sin city ancient world which high-end worship of various deities to the at agricultural flow and that that you have a dying and rising deity and end's of course, are dependent on the rain and agrarian society. So how does the worship of the gods are particular God tie-in with the whole agricultural cycle. They believe bit different gods a different jurisdiction, different powers and different areas that they controlled and so it would make sense that you would connect with the God who controlled that area spent God they believed were storm Goggin gods that died were fertility gods and for the that issue they would address them. There is a bureaucracy in the ancient world among the gods, just like it is in our government today. You know, if you had a problem with your sewer line on your street. You wouldn't call the president languages would make any sense you you go to whatever level of government is responsible for what you want and they thought very similarly in bureaucratic terms among the God yes S fascinating and what what emerges if we would just got up to 30 seconds before the break will come back with some callers, but the more you put the Bible against its cultural context, the more it shines. Is that true yet again we see many many similarities, but generally the similarities red surface level differences are what you penetrate deeply into the into the mindset and that's where the Bible differences from the ancient world really help us to understand what sources your friends is a scholar saying the solution is not thinking less. The solution is thinking more. The solution is not ignoring the issues. The solution is to dig deeper. The deeper you dig will see the inspiration of the Scriptures right back with your calls and questions from a special guest professor, her plan by Expo light a fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown voice of more cultural and spiritual revolution. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown back the line of fire.

John Walton, the editor of the NIV cultural background study Bible. The Old Testament massive amount of work behind it. Let's get to some specific questions. John will start in New Bern, North Carolina Freda walking to the line of fire which are question for Dr. Walton, Dr. Brown At 1229 through 30. Think debate God is saying not to worship him in the manner that the people around you worship in oral worship to God. And it came to me that I put the cursive down with holidays like Christmas and Easter. Can you think on that a little bit extra sink.Prof. over to you. Ultimately, we can look at our church in the way we celebrate Easter and Christmas and we can see what we would call syncretism that mixing together that are important spiritually in the mix of our culture and sometimes even our thinking so that happens to us as well.

The in Deuteronomy 12 is more particularly interested in the means that they worshiped of true idols, and to that approach through the particular rituals that were used in the ancient world was Israel still made sacrifices just like people around them made sacrifices, but to the idea of how do you think worship works in the ancient world. They believed that their rituals were providing needs for the gods and the rest of the ancient world.

They believed that the gods grew hungry and therefore they needed to eat and sacrifices were there food. They believed the gods needed temples to live in they needed nice clothing they needed basically to be pampered. In fact, that's why they God had created people in the way the ancient world thought to be their slaves to provide their needs.

The main thing going on in Deuteronomy really lots of the Old Testament is Yahweh, the God of Israel says I don't have any needs and therefore your worship, your rituals are not meeting my needs.

Your temples are not meeting my needs. They serve a different role. So don't think about me the way that everybody else thinks about their gods don't approach me with your rituals as if they're satisfying my need.

It isn't that way right and as he says in Psalm 55 was hungry.

I wouldn't tell you obviously exactly speaking and in human language there and and and Freda to the extent, if there are pagan practices in Christmas and Easter those wrong if it's simply a matter of the various customs that are been adopted and some of them are neutral.

Some of them are good, that's a whole other story.

I thank you for the call so that if if we stay there for minute stand Deuteronomy go over Deuteronomy the 18th chapter God says don't don't go to soothsayers, necromancers, people conceded these different forms of of trying to ascertain the future or understandable to gods double raise up a prophet for you.

You've got an article here on magic. At this point is well. What are some of the ways that the ancients would we tried to interpret omens practice divination reading of parts of the body senses that what actually do in the ancient world to try to find out the will of the gods or the future right. Divination was widely used a lot of different kind of divination but basically divination is a is an means it was used to try to gain knowledge, other forms of magic like incantations and hexes and spells were ways to wield power. Power and knowledge of those two things work in the ancient world in the divination rituals. Remember that the gods in the ancient world didn't reveal themselves.

The only revelation they ever gave was through a divination process which is fairly focused on one specific issue or another they didn't reveal themselves the way the God of Israel had revealed himself and so they're searching for knowledge and divination was considered a way that they could gain that knowledge about what the gods were up to. So they talk about the gods writing there. There will on the skies or writing their answers into the entrails of sacrificed animals always to try to gain just little bits of knowledge about God yeah and and again of the dependency on the priests and then that the various ways to try to get these hidden gods who were often capricious to you. Didn't quite know what mood they began supposed Gus Allen to speak and reveal myself. That's why he keeps contrasting things he keeps contrasting things and and and saying hey I I am not like the other gods which other goblin into a nation and brought the people out of which other God has has laws like these laws and if we look at something as massive as the flood mentioned that the whole ancient world knew there was flooding from the recent world talked about the flood in different ways. In Genesis 6, the earth is filled with wickedness and violence and is corrupted itself. So God must destroy it. What's the cause of the flood say and in the Babylonian accounts in the Babylonian accounts today gods are getting frustrated and creative people to meet their needs but of course there their problems would come along with a package deal. There is violence among the people, but more importantly the text talk about noise, yet different scholars of different interpretations of the noise of the noise of clamorous people clamor to get the attention of the gods to answer the petition visit. The noise of the disorder in society. Injustice and it could be a number of these all at once, but the idea of noise that they the human world was creating an inconvenience for the God and so the guard wanted to try to trim down the population I made they try things like yelp flag family and wild animals but still that human population such a big problem again. This is where we see that the interpretation of what the plot is all about is different in these documents and what you find in the Bible and use you've written a lot on the creation account, you have a particular take on that course of study Bible will give the range of possibilities, but how should we be reading Genesis 1 is not to say it's unscientific or anti-scientific, but but why is it written what would've been the purpose for it. In light of of ancient recent cosmologies. Where were the different society civilizations, or seeking to explain the origin of the universe or the role of their God and the origin of the universe what what's for ancient Israel. What's the purpose of the creation account. Yeah, you're not inclined to think that there actively trying to debunk or refute the views around them.

Rather, they are simply advocating for what they see is the true way to think about it all. But still there operating in their own world of the Bible does not anticipate the details of our modern cultural River. The it doesn't anticipate social media and tell us know the ups and down pros and cons on social media. It deals with its own world and likewise it doesn't deal with our modern scientific world and answer scientific question in the ancient world. The big question on the table was the establishment of order in the cosmos, and of course the ancient two peoples had their own gods that they saw as establishing order and Israel's got a different read on it it still very interested in the fact that Yahweh has established order for hope for the cosmos but sees a different way of the gods in the ancient world had ordered the world for themselves. God orders the cosmos because he intends to dwell among his people, and so it ordered for us in the ancient world, people are slaves in the biblical idea people are co-regents with God in his image of partnership with him and he wants to dwell among them.

That's a very different picture and it shows us the reason in the purpose for God's creation work. I think we have to try to read it.

In that light. Instead of trying to turn it into a scientific treatise of some sort.

But then we end up with a debate that that the authors never intended. And certainly that the God never intended and inspired skin is not to since anti-scientific, or unscientific, but it's written for different purposes to what I've got.

I got one more question for you. I appreciate the generosity of your time.

We can go on like this for years because there's so much to dig into. We come back. I just want as Prof. Walton about the book of Ruth and the go AL.

The kinsman redeemer. What can we learn about that. How does that help us to better understand the book of Ruth. So again were talking about the NIV cultural backgrounds study Bible now available. You can order through our ministry that only help us with the radio broadcast, but will pay the postage and we can be free with it or to our interview with Prof. Craig Keener on these very subjects in the New Testament will be right back here again is Dr. Michael Brown has been my delight to spend less 45 minutes with Prof. John Walton Prof. of Old Testament at Wheaton and taught decades before that it Moody and he is the coeditor of the NIV cultural backgrounds study Bible, beautifully produced, replete with incredibly useful rich background information so John.

A lot of Christians know a little bit about the concept of kinsman redeemer go AL in ancient Israel loveseats the theme of the book of Ruth. What was this concept in the ancient world and how does it help us better understand the book of Ruth P.

The role of the go AL take on various shapes by its used when someone or something is restored to a prior and really inherent normal status in human terms of family or clan is most often the active party in protecting that status when Israel the object God can also function as the active party. This concept usually focuses on what someone or something is being restored from, but often it's more focused on what you're being restored to so go well is trying to reestablish the rights of the family that Ruth and Naomi are part of the clan of the limo lack and it's trying to set those back like a reset. It's kind of going out of whack and the go I was trying to bring it back into balance so that's really the go well role as its that exists in the in the clans and families of Israel. Yeah I love the least put it in a recess and in this things back to the way they're supposed to be. And then there's an ultimate image of that is in there with the prophets to to go back to to kind of a peaceful nonhostile God glorifying world that that once existed but is now been lost in the that's the scum of the dream of the prophets, but the idea of restoring an equilibrium is certainly part of it and for Israel during that kind of restoration is going to reset the covenant relationship the way it's supposed to be and that your hope in producing this Bible taking decades of study and now make it accessible to your your average interested reading Scripture what, what's your hope and goal through this new Bible. Certainly my hope is that people will be able to read God's word more meaningfully. Too often we open the Bible and just read it casually. The problem is that when we read it casually, we often are inadvertently imposing our filter are cultural River if you will were were taking what is natural to us, but the fact it is not natural to the ancient world and if we really believe that the authority of the Bible is wound up in the author and what the author is saying we have to understand the context that he's speaking from.

So my hope is that people will really be able to understand the Bible the way it was intended to be understood. I often make the statement. The Bible is written for us but is not written to us and so we have to make the jump, the biblical authors not going to come to our cultural River. We have to go there, get the message and then bring it back and apply it to our own times in our own lives. I'm hoping this Bible will help people do that. Excellent. I believe you can see much fruit for your efforts and really appreciate the many years of research and is especially breaking it down in such a practical way. Thanks thanks for joining us. Very much appreciated. John you're very welcome. All right been speaking with Prof. John Walton, the editor of the Old Testament portion of the NIV cultural background study Bible. All right, just as I say goodbye to John, there is a call from Susan Marblehead Massachusetts but Susan I am very much ready to answer your question head-on because I just finished work on a commentary on Job so you get a Job related question, go ahead.

Please Ira my collar and crank it back cribbing on great record how I am just curious as to what your take is on the book of Joe.

Whether you believe it's very funny what a real Job all right if it gets out morality play for lack of a better description for our right and this is actually a question that was debated even in the ancient rabbinic writings was Job just a parable or a math Job really exist in the massive debate as to when he lived. Did he live in the days of the patriarchs did he live in the days of Mordechai and Esther did he live video then the days of of of Moses despite massive speculation about that. We do have the reference to two Job in the book of Ezekiel and we have the reference to Job.

In the book of James Jacobs pointing to miss being a real historical figure, but my understanding is this it absolutely has to be based on historical truth.

In other words if it's just a story then then the other lessons you can learn from the Job is not an example to us was the example is the woman who overcame breast cancer and survive courageously and raised her family after her husband died in in the war in Iraq it if you read her stories say that that's a champion or his athlete who overcame adversity, you know, and now persevered and now became a world champion if it's just you know Superman or Batman Oreo whatever mythical figure this not the inspiration lesson nor does it speak to us in real life because were dealing with real life issues since of someone who survives great hardship in a math can't speak to me in the midst of hardship that I'm experiencing. This is the story that's just paper thin so the best understanding of Job is this from. From my viewpoint I would say most scholars that there is a historical core. There was definitely a Job who is not an Israelite, probably pre-Israelite could well be in the days of the patriarchs and he did suffer terrible loss and he was judged what he must've sensed something was wrong and God does restore and then will is now embellish for us is the poetic narrative that there is no way that we think we have the original dialogue and that the friends all spoke in this very high level intellectual poetry chapter after chapter rather the core of it is what happened and now we have a literary enhancements of the dialogue inspired by the Lord inspired through the author of Job and probably the book of Job is not written until many centuries later, it could well be written around the time of the exile. Immediately before or even during with even potentially message for the nation. In that regard, but we we have a good idea that was written later. Even though the style of the language is archaic to be done intentionally dislike if we wrote an older English today Job seems to make reference to other parts of the Bible that the speakers are alluding to other passages of the Bible which were not written at that time so I absolutely see Job is a real historical figure and the account is reflecting historical reality within it is enhanced in a poetic dialogue by the inspired author only my commentary is going to be readable for the general public with many, many deep studies with it, but not out for the euro to the bottom line. Today Kaman, the Lord is calling to see again. Find hidden treasure