The Narrow Path 8/19

Good afternoon and welcome to the Narrow Path radio broadcast. My name is Steve Graig and we're live for an hour each weekday afternoon. We have a phone line open for you to call. If you have questions about the Bible or about the Christian faith, you can call and we'll talk about it if you have a different viewpoint from the host. I want to talk about that. Feel free to give me a call. The number is eight four four four. Eight four. Fifty seven. Thirty seven. Now it looks to me like the lines have just filled up. So if you call and get a busy signal or something else that doesn't get through. Try again in a few minutes and there may be a line that will have opened up, then lines open up all through the whole show.

So take this number down and call in a little little while, the number is eight four four four eight four. Fifty seven. Thirty seven. Our first caller today is Richard calling from SEAL Beach, California. Richard, welcome to the Narrow Path. Thanks for calling.

Yes, Steve. Yesterday, you were talking about the sons of Noah. And I have heard over the years, preachers say that in the Hebrew language can mean Shem means like Japanse might be gray. And I was just wondering if you've ever heard this before.

And when Jesus said, as the days of Noah were, so shall the coming of a set of man be. So you think we're in the days of Noah now because we're having all of these racial problems? And are these things also mentioned in Revelation? And I'll listen to you on the radio. Thanks, Steve.

OK, thank you. First of all, I've never heard that those were the meaning of those names. I, I honestly doubt it. If those were the meanings of those names, I think there'll be something talked about a great deal more by preachers and teachers. And I'm I'm I'm going to I'm you know, I don't have a dictionary in front of me to look up the meanings of those names. But I'm going to go on record saying I don't think the name ham means dark ribbon or a bit J5 means light or anything like that. I don't know the meanings of those names. I could look them up, but I won't at this point. But no, I would not find that a credible suggestion about many of the names. Now, if if they did mean that, then we'd have reason to believe that this three sons of No over three different colors. And if that were the case, then it would answer many people's questions about how could all these races come from one family? And we'd easily say, oh, well, just look at this. You know, a ham means dark and Chafetz means light. And so we can see these kids with different colors. But no argument like that has ever been made that I know of. And so I don't know why a preacher would say that as far as the days of Noah. Jesus said that it would his coming would be like it was in the days before the flood and the days of Noah. But he didn't say it would be like it in terms of race, racial tension. The days of Noah were full of violence. It is true. And of course, racial tension often causes violence. But we don't really know really anything about whether there were different races. And the days of Noah has different colors that people many people think that the days of Noah that Jesus are referring to are the days of great wickedness and violence, which is how Noah's days are described in Genesis Chapter six. But Jesus didn't make that point either. Jesus said it'll be like it was in the days of Noah. They ate. They drank, they bought. And they sold. They got married. And they did not know until the time came that the flood came and took them all away. Now, if Jesus wanted to say that the last days would be evil days like the days of Noah evil, and we know that the days of no were evil, but so have been many other days besides Noah's days. Jesus did not make any reference to the evilness of Noah's days. He said basically they were doing the normal things that people do that are not evil. Eating and drinking, getting married, buying and selling. There's nothing really wrong with those things. And if Jesus wanted to emphasize how evil the days would be in the days of his coming and that they'd be like evil, like the days of Noah, he could have said something about how evil the days of Noah were. He could've said, as it was in the days before the flood, they were murdering each other and raping each other and stealing from each other and and, you know, committing lewd acts with each other and so forth. But Jesus didn't say anything about that. He just said it'll be like like the days before the flood in this respect. He doesn't say it will be in any other respect, but in this respect that people were doing all the ordinary things people do as if they're not in danger of dying the next day. You don't usually get married if you think you're going to die tomorrow. You might not even feel like eating a meal. If you know you're going to die tomorrow, you might, but you might not. You certainly wouldn't by much. And so the idea here is that they were oblivious that they were doing normal things. Life was going on just about like normal.

And they were caught totally by surprise and says he said they they ate, they drank, they married. They were given a marriage and did not know until the flood came and took them away. So it's it's their obliviousness to the danger that he's referring to. They were oblivious in Noah's day to the danger right up until the time it came. And so it will be out of society before Jesus comes. They'll have no idea, you know, that he will perhaps come and judge the world that day or the next day. So that's what it's referring to there. As far as Revelation is concerned. Are the things happening today mentioned in Revelation? I can't find them there. I mean, lots of people just have the general idea. Revelation is about the end times. And we are living in the times and the things. Revelation describes our great disastrous things. And there are great disastrous things happening now. So in general, they think we're living in the days that revelations talk about. But frankly, the things that are specifically happening right now are not featured in the Book of Revelation so much. And if they are, it greatly exaggerates them. In my opinion, revelation is not talking about the end times. I think Revelation is actually talking about the time shortly after John's own time, because he said that in the book several times that these things were going to happen shortly. These things are about to take place. The time is at hand, he said, again and again. So my impression is that he's talking about a time that was very near to his own time. And our time is not very near to his time. It's been 2000 years different. So that's my my thoughts on those questions. Dan from Taylor, Michigan, welcome to The Narrow Path. Thanks for calling.

Wow. Really glad to talk to you. I enjoy looking forward. I hear you every day. So very knowledgeable man.

So my question for you is. I lost four family members within the past two years, and I'm sorry. We were all right. Thank you. We were all raised Catholic. And during the during the last couple of years, I became I was saved. I went to a hole through that hole, an amazing thing.

And I was saved. And now I'm having thoughts of where is my brother and my dad and my mom. Where did they go if they were. You know, they weren't saved. I mean, you know, we as Catholics, we believe in Jesus and we was why he was here and, you know, all the stuff that we were if we were top of it, nobody wants to the emotions of being saved. So I guess my question is this. If they weren't saved that way. Are they in heaven?

Well, my my understanding of God in the Bible is that he has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. He has no desire that anyone should perish, but also come to repentance and so forth. You know, God is not eager to dam people. In fact, he wants everything to be well and saved and live with him. And what that means is I believe that if God can find any excuse for pardoning people of their sins, he'll do it. And it'll always be on the basis of Jesus. I mean, it will always be because Jesus died for sins. And so the question is, of course, how how much is necessary to be done in order to appropriate the benefit of what Jesus did. Jesus died for our sins so he could be forgiven. How much does God really require on our part to benefit from that? Now, the truth is, if God wants people save more than we want them saved and sometimes we we act like God's going to make it very, very difficult to be forgiven. Because after all, you have to say say this prayer and you have to do this thing and go to this church and have to do these good works or whatever, or believe this statement of faith. In fact, I think God's going to look on the heart and he knows whether a Roman Catholic loves him or not. And there are Roman Catholics who do. Now, many of my Protestant listeners and I am a Protestant myself, are going to say, don't you know that the Catholic Church has all kinds of errors in it? Yes, I believe it does. I believe the Catholic Church has a great number of errors in it. But the Bible doesn't say that you're going to hell because you went to a certain church that had errors in it. A person would be saved or lost based on what's in their heart toward God and toward Christ. And that's something that I don't have any power to read in somebody else unless, of course, somebody is cursing God and hating God. Well, that's easy to read. Or if somebody truly seems to be devoted to God and everything they do, that's pretty easy to read, too. But there's an awful lot of people in between those two extremes. You know, they may they might say they love God and you don't know how much they do, but God knows how much. So all I can say that might be a comfort to you in the situation is that they were all they all believed that Jesus died for their sins rose from the dead. I suppose, whether they believed it in a way in their heart that is saving only God knows. But again, God is more interested in than being safe than even you are. And so I believe if God can find any excuse for forgiving somebody on the basis of what Jesus did, he's very inclined to do it. That doesn't guarantee that you're that your family members are in heaven because I don't know them and I don't know their hearts. But I would say it's not a sin. Yeah. It's not as if there's no harm.

I want to believe that they're there for sure. What I what just blows my mind over this is I. I loved the Lord my whole life. I was raised that way. But I was a horrible center.

And when I got saved, it was because a lot of bad things were going on. And when you get sick, you know, you were saying a lot of, you know, supernatural, miraculous things happen. So that I was thinking, well, what does that mean? Does that mean I was destined to be in hell? So why? Why? Why did I get saved so late in life? I already believed who Jesus was. Already knew what he was about. And I was saved. I mean, it happened. I know it.

Yes, I know. And I and I don't know why. Again, I don't know why you had to live so many years without, you know, getting the breakthrough. But you did. And that's that's to the glory of God. And and to your advantage. Let me just make a recommendation to you based on this conversation, partly or most. Almost entirely. I wrote a book a few years ago called All You Want to Know About Health, Three Christian Views. And I think given the fact that you've lost some loved ones and that you're not sure what has become of them. That book will be actually probably very comforting in a way. You think, well, how could how could a book about hell be comforting? Well, that's for you to read and find out. I'm not trying to sell books. So if you can't if you can't afford to buy the book, write to me and say, I can't afford it and I'll buy it for you out of my own pocket and send it to you, or or you could or you could listen free to my lectures on the subject. But the book is better.

Well, the lectures I've been really just listening to talk every day, I really want to get into that. I have one more thing and I don't want you to think I'm not a sane person. I'm very, very sane. But two things have happened the last two months. I have no explanation for it. I always wear my necklace with a crucifix. I have a fellow child and I always have worn it. About a month ago, I put it down my bedside table. I've done it a million times. Got up next morning was gone. I spent I should spend five minutes finding again. I've spent two weekends tearing my house apart, trying to find the hidden gone.

It went on. So I told everybody about it.

And I saw what had happened to my garage door. I too.

But it happened again, Steve. It happened three weeks later.

But she got another one. We got another one of you. And it just hit again.

What did it go on three weeks later? Disappeared. I'm trying to figure out if you've heard or know. For any reason for this to happen, that does it.

I, I really don't know. I mean, when you say a crucifix, you mean Jesus on the cross. Like the Catholics, generally us.

Spargo. Yeah.

Many Protestants would say that a crucifix is not really. Wish we say Christ honoring sufficiently because they say he's not still on the cross because he died. He rose again. He's in heaven right now. He's not on the cross. No. I've never really seen why that would dishonor Christ to remember that he was one that had been on the cross as long as, you know, he isn't still. But the point is, I mean, the Bible does not encourage us to wear jewelry of Jesus or things like that, so. But it doesn't say it's a sin either. And so I just don't have any thoughts about that. I mean, except sometimes I mean, I do believe there's a supernatural. But if supernatural things happen, I don't know in some cases whether like in a case like this, whether God did it, the devil did it, or whether it just someone came in in the night and stole it.

So I can't I can't answer. You are not believers. I do believe in the supernatural.

I just don't know why. I've got trying to figure that out because somebody wrote on the back of my truck. It's frightening. I'm crazy. It's that Jesus of Babylon. And then it had these crosses that were in little ditches on the top of the bottle.

I mean, I went to the store, came out, someone wrote that. Why would someone write down my Truxillo? I tried Googling. I tried on it. I've tried looking at everything. What does Jesus of Babylon mean? What does that have to do with anything?

Who knows? Yeah, I can't answer for whoever did that. There's crazy people out there.

All right. Well, that's my crazy life. That's like reading. Thank you. That doesn't sound like, you know who's crazy. I think the guy who did that was crazy. All right, Dan, thank you. God bless you, man. I know. Yeah.

OK, John from Oregon City, Oregon. Welcome to the Narrow Path. Thanks for calling.

Hi, Steve. Thank you.

This is for the German Abraham from Orange County. And you, because often you will say that this idea of the Antichrist is just informational. It's something that came along the last 200 years. Anyway, it is Jerome, his commentary on Daniel. Are you familiar with that?

No, but I know many church fathers talked about the Antichrist. Yeah. Oh, I haven't I haven't read Jerome's commentary, Danny, but I do believe that belief in the Antichrist goes back to the church fathers. But dispensation ism doesn't.

OK. So, yeah, not only that, but the idea that the idea that. And thanks to Tiffany, fulfilled. Daniel.

Eleven, eleven. Now, why do you think he didn't? Everything that's happened.

Well, when I was living in Israel, this is a man to me holding a pistol.

Okay, okay. Well, I can't argue with your opinion. All I can say is that as I read Daniel 11 and I go through all the kings of the North and kings of South, you can follow the history from the time of the death of Alexander the Great to the time of our. And take his epiphanies.

And right at the point where it's time of antis and tippity antique epiphanies skivvy and take his epiphany. If they give you 750, that's got in my head. And he would try to say it again. It's a senior moment anyway. Right up to that point, it begins to talk about what Antigua's did and he did, you know, do an abomination that made desolate and that led to the Maccabean Revolt and so forth.

So anyway, you know, if you had an epiphany that tells you otherwise. Well, you you can you can go with that if you like.

I'm not going to ask you not to. I'll go with the exegesis of passage until I have an epiphany. So I appreciate it. Thank you. OK, John from Marietta, California. Welcome to the Narrow Path. Thanks for calling.

Hi, Steve. I got a question about a month or so ago, a man called and he was making a reference to John 524. He who hears my word, believes him, was sent me, has everlasting life, will not come into condemnation. And he asked a question where if you believe that was eternal, life happened at that point, which is what I do. I believe that when you hear him believe you pass from death to life, that eternal life. And then you went on a little further and you explained that you thought that we could lose this eternal life. I wonder how you reconcile that W in Genesis 328. I mean, 323. Where God banishes them from the garden, it says, the Lord God banished oh eight twenty two, I'm sorry. They become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take from the tree of life and live forever. So it appears to me that Adam and Eve were banished because each stayed at the tree of life. They would live forever. It couldn't be taken away.

Well, I'm not sure I would really that way as I would see it. The Tree of Life was there for them to eat regularly. And the reason I think of that is because the Tree of Life appears in Revelation, Chapter 22, verse three again, and it bears fruit 12 times a year. Now, if you only had it at one time and then you'd have eternal life, never have to eat it again. Why would it have to bear fruit 12 times a year? Why would it just bear fruit one time? People eat it. They're done with it. It looks to me like the tree of Life, which I think represents Christ himself, is the one that we have to eat from continually. Whoever is eating his flesh and whoever's drinking his blood has eternal life. It's a it's a habit. It's a it's a life. It's continuation in him. Remember, Jesus said that he was the vine and we are the branches and that we have to remain in him. That is where to continue to eat of him in a way, because the branches take their nourishment from the vine because they're connected continually and they draw continual nourishment from Vine. And that's the eternal life that we receive from being in him. But she said, if you don't abide in me, you'll be cast forth as a branch. What happens then? He says you'll it'll be withered up and collected and burned. So a branch that is attached to Christ is drawing on or eating of Christ all the time and producing good fruit. But if someone doesn't remain attached to Christ, well, they're not drawing from him anymore. I think the tree of Life in the in the Book of Revelation since, you know, bears fruit twelve times a year, I think what it's suggesting is I think this is symbolic. Frankly, I think revelations symbolic. But I think what it's suggesting is that people regularly eat of it and it continues to prolong their life. That's what I think it was like in the Garden of Eden, too. I think that Adam and Eve did not have eternal life, obviously, because God said they had to eat of the Tree of Life to get that. So they weren't they they weren't created having eternal life. But I think they were created with the access to the tree unless they would eat of the tree as an object and evil, and then they'd be cut off from access, as we see is what happened. But I think they were under regular circumstances, I suppose, have regular access to that tree and eating of it regularly. And and as long as they would do so, it would for a longer life, indefinitely or eternally. So I think that what God's saying, let's don't let him eat that tree anymore, because if he does, he'll live forever. So we're not going to let that keep happening anyway. That's my interpretation. Yours could be right, but mine is mine.

So I understand story. I, I agree with you there. The only thing I'll say there is one because I used John 524 a lot. He who here is my word and believes animals sent me has everlasting life will not be condemned. It seems to me there's not a cabinet of of. Maybe you won't be. Or perhaps might not be.

I understand. I understand. But let me let me show you a series of statements in the Gospel of John that talk like that, where he says, well, we'll just don't go that way since we've been talking a long time. I wanna show you a parallel to it. There's several there's several statements in the gospel. John's similar to John 524 where he says whoever does such and such, and it's in the present, it's in the present continuous sense. Whoever is doing this will never die or will not. Whoever drinks of this water, vegan will never thirst and that kind of thing. It's like there's there's a continuous present tense in the first clause and then like an absolute negative. And they will not thirst. They will not die. They will not come into condemnation. And but there is a line in John three that is in the very same same form. And it says in verse 36, John, through 36, he who believes in the sun has everlasting life and he who does not believe the sun shall not see life. But the wrath of God abides in him. Now notice, whoever does not believe present tense in the sun shall not see life an absolute negative. And yet, of course, it means they shall not see life as long as they are not believing, because if they repent and begin to believe, then they will see life. But the interesting thing here is that this verse shows and we know we know this one is not absolute because he says whoever does not believe will not see life. And yet they can if they if they stop being an unbeliever. Likewise, it says whoever believes will not come in to come to damnation, whoever drinks will not thirst. It means while they are drinking, they will not thirst. While they are believing they will not come into condemnation. They will not die. That's how I understand it, because there's a present continuous tense there. And then there's that statement, that absolute statement that you mentioned. But as I said, if you compare it with John 336, you've got the very same kind of statement in the negative. Whoever does not believe will not see life. And yet that's not absolute because they might if they stop being an unbeliever. So the question is, as long as they're doing this, this won't happen. That's what I think it means.

Okay. One just one quick comment, because you mentioned Matthew 724 quite a bit. He who does the will of my father, which is in heaven. And when I look in John's six 38, he says, they said, what are the works? The father wants us to do that. We might do the works of God. Jesus answers in the singular. And it's just a work of God is is to believe. He is sent.

Right. And if someone does believe that Jesus is the Lord and is the king. And by the way, they don't believe it. Then they don't believe in him. If someone believes that Jesus is the Lord and the King, then that'll show up in the way they live in it.

And I. I agree. I guess it works because you are there because I'm his son.

Exactly. Exactly. And that's my position. Also, a person who is a true believer in Christ, it will show in their behavior, like Paul said in Galatians five six, he said, in Christ Jesus, circumcision doesn't count for being an uncircumcised man, doesn't count for nothing but work, he says, a faith that works through love. So what saves a person is a faith that's believing. But it's a faith that works through love, Paul said. And therefore, it's a faith that makes a difference in the way you act. So a person can be actually, you know, it's history. The Bible says we're saved by faith, but we're gonna be judged by our works. Every every passage in the Bible about judgment says we'll be judged by works. But that's that's OK because it's safe, because what we believe about Jesus will be shown in our works and therefore we can be judged by our works and it will determine whether we believed or not.

Because if someone really believes Jesus is Lord and abrasives, that is true. Well, they're going to try to obey him. And that's all that God really wants them to do. Hey, I can take a break, but I appreciate your calling, John. God bless you. All right. Over here, take a break. But within another half hour to go. So don't go away. The narrow path is the name of this broadcast, and it's the name of our Web site. Also done Narrow Path dot com, where there's hundreds and hundreds of resources you can download for free audio lectures, archives with a radio program, some text documents, too. They're all there. It's all free. And there's also a free mobile app, the same name, the narrow path dot com. Get it for your phone and you can listen to the program on your phone. The narrow path is listener supported. If you go to our Web site, you will see that you can click a tab that says donate even though everything is free, you can donate at the narrow path dot com.

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Welcome back to the Narrow Path radio broadcast.

My name is Steve Greg and we're live for another half hour, taking your calls. If you have questions about the Bible or the Christian faith.

Feel free to call. We'll talk about them together. Or you can call to disagree with the host if you want to. The number to call is eight four four four. Eight. Four fifty seven. Thirty seven. As I said at the beginning of the hour, when our lives were full. If you wait long enough, lines will open up and they have. We have a few lines open right now. If you want to call, it's eight four four four. Eight. Four fifty seven. Thirty seven. Our next caller is Darryl from Portland, Oregon. Darryl, welcome to The Narrow Path. Thanks for calling.

I see, I have my question firm Iberia's 60, verse three. It says that gentiles have come to work to your white kings, to the brightness of your writing. And then also has a relevant scripture to revelations 21 24. And it talks about these kings of the earth bringing their Borya honor into it. And I assume that you do. I'm not sure what that exactly is. But let's not where you Drew Sosebee, who is kings or maybe.

I don't know what to write, and when I look it up, they're saying maybe it's a magistrate or something. Whereas I thought it was a first. We've got the Kings were maybe members of the value rights.

Well, yes, it would be it would be the case that many of the kings are. Oh, if you think of the body of Christ are kings. That's not how I see it. The way I see it. Is it the prophecy is talking about the dawning of the of the sun, of the glory of the Lord, the Lord. You know, the glory of the Lord is risen upon you arise. Shine your light. Just come. The glory of the Lord has been up on you and you know the Gentiles to come to the light of your dawning. This is the dawning of the day. Well, some people see it as a future like that, the second coming of Christ. But actually it's almost certainly about the first coming of Christ. A person could take it the other way. But I don't think they'd have as much reason to because the Old Testament speaks a number of times about the first coming of Christ being like a sunrise here.

This is one of those places. Malikai Chapter four is another one. It says, Upon those who fear my name, shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings? And when when John the Baptist was born, his father, Zacharias, prophesied about the significance of John's birth, knowing that Jesus was going to be born. Shortly after that, and it says, and in Luke Chapter one versus 78 and 79, the prophecy of Zacharias was through the tender mercies of our God, by which the day spring, which means the dawn from on high, has visited us to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace. So he saw the birth of John as heralding the daybreak that DAYBREAK that Malikai speaks of and that Isaiah speaks of there. And interestingly, if you go over to Matthew Chapter four, there's a citation from Isaiah nine, which also uses similar language to that. I'm turning there just one moment.

It says in verse 14. Well, let me read verse 12 and following Matthew for 12. Now, when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he departed to Galilee and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the regions of Zabulon and Naftali that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet, saying the land of Zabulon and the land of Naftali, the way of the sea beyond the Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who sat in darkness saw a great light. And upon those who sat in the region of the shadow of death, light has dawned. Again, it's the light. The language of the dawning of the day. That's an Isaiah Chapter nine. It's quoting. And you have it in Isaiah 60. And of course, Malachi and other places speak of the Messiahs coming as a dawn. Now, I actually think that the New Testament writers tend to look at the second coming of Christ as being like the dawning of another day. It's like when when the sun is here, it's daytime. When the sun is out of view, it's nighttime. So when Jesus left, we entered the night. And remember, Paul said the night is far spent and the day is close at hand. And Peter talks about how we give heed to the word of God is a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawns and the day star rises in our hearts. They see the coming of Christ in the future as a day dawning also. So we're like it's like we're living in the in the night between two dawns to between two days. Jesus said, as long as I'm in the world, I'm the light of the world. He said, I must work while it is day. The night comes when no man can work. And so I think Jesus himself encouraged us to see his presence here was like the presence of the sun in the sky giving light. It was a day, a daylight season. But when he left, the night came and I just still with us until he returned. So I think Isaiah, 60, is talking about the Jesus first dawning here when he first was born. Because Isaiah speaks of it in Chapter nine. And Matthew says that was fulfilled in Jesus mystery. Now, when he talks about kings coming, you're right. Some commentators think it's talk about the Magi because they were. But the message I weren't kings, actually, they match I. Although that despite the song we Three Kings of Orient are. They're not really kings. They were wisemen. And they weren't rulers of nations or anything like that. But I think what's referred to in Isaiah is that when Jesus would come, which he did, that this would not only bring light to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles. In fact, you know, when when Jesus was presented by his mother and father as an infant in the temple in Luke, Chapter two and old Simeon came and prophesied. He said this and this is in Luke chapter two verse was 29 through 32. He says, Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the faces of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people, Israel. Now Isaiah talks about how the glory of the Lord will rise upon them Israel. But then the Gentiles will also be brought to the light. And here, as Simeon says, that Jesus is a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles. So the fact that says, you know, the Gentiles will come to the light if you're rising and that and it says no kings will come and so forth. I think what it means is it's not just gonna be peasants, followers of Jesus. There's to be people of all stations in life, including rulers. And there are many there's many Christian rulers throughout history who were actual kings. And there are Christians who have been president or who've been, you know, other kinds of rulers. So I think what it's saying is that even people of high rank will will be impressed with him in Isaiah 52. Ah, yeah, I think so. I say 52 or 53 when it's talking about Jesus there. The prophecy begins in Chapter 52 and goes through Chapter 53. It says that Kings. Yeah. This is actually 52. Verse fifteen says so. He shall sprinkle many nations meaning Jesus kings shall shut their mouths at him for what they had not been told them they shall see and what they had not heard. They shall consider Isaiah 52. Fifteen. Paul quotes this in Romans fifteen twenty one about his ministry that he is going to people who have not seen and have not heard. But in the context it says that among those that will be impressed by Jesus will be kings. And we know that Paul, for example, preached to King a grip on and and to other rulers, Roman rulers like Felix and Festus and so forth. And in the case of Felix, he was very impressive. He shook. He trembled when he when Paul reasoned with him, but he didn't convert. But many kings have converted. And I think that that's what I say sixty is talking about.

Thank you.

All right. Thanks for your call, Darryl. OK. Our next caller is Jenny from Phenix, Arizona. Jenny, welcome to The Narrow Path. Thanks for calling.

Hi. Thank you for taking my call. Sure. My question is about the things that God said were abominations in the Old Testament, like eating, eating swine and what he said. And these were lies to be taught to generation favor. And I'm wondering, why are these things okay? Now take each line. I mean, if he said it was an abomination, why don't you eat them now? And I said, yeah, okay.

Thank you for your call. Thank you. All right.

Well, you know, the Old Testament says a lot. There's a lot of things mentioned. The Old Testament there said to be forever, but they aren't. For example, God told Israel that the Levites would walk before him as priest forever. Well, they haven't done that for the past 2000 years, and they never will again, because they're their priesthood has been replaced by Jesus as the high priest, according to the Order of Melchizedek Forever. It says he's a priest forever. Ephedra. OK. So the Levitical priest who is gone forever and yet God said they will walk performing forever. He also told Solomon, I will dwell in this house that you built me forever. But that temple is destroyed in 586 B.C. and hasn't ever you know, it was rebuilt, a temple was rebuilt. But then that was destroyed in 70 A.D. and it hasn't been. It's been almost 2000 years. It's not in existence either. And it won't be in the future either, because it the only purpose of a temple is to offer animal sacrifices. And those are done. Jesus is the final sacrifice offered himself once for all. There's no more animal sacrifice as ever. So if things like the temple being where God will do forever, the priest been forever circumcision in Genesis 17, God told Abraham, you know, this is a kind of between me and your offspring forever. Every male on the eighth day shall be circumcised. And yet in the New Testament, clearly that's dated not to be necessary. So there are a lot of Old Testament things that are said to be forever. And we there's a couple of ways to explain that. One is that the word forever and the Hebrews alarm, which means for a very long time or for the foreseeable future, or if it has an end, it's beyond the horizon where we can't see it. It may be forever or it might not be it might have an end, but we can't see it from here. That's what Islam means. It means over the horizon. So in the Bible, the word alarm forever is used of many things that are not really forever. For example, the everlasting doors of the city of Jerusalem. Well, they're not there anymore, but they were called alarm at the time. Even a slave who was given his freedom after seven years of serving and said, no, I want to be my master servant voluntarily. He would have his ear, Pearson says, and he shall serve that man forever. Well, certainly that means like a servant on into the next world and in the next life and so forth. Forever doesn't always mean. I mean, o long the word in the Hebrew, it doesn't always mean forever. It does mean for a very long time, or at least for the foreseeable future. And yet we know that in the Old Testament, Jeremiah said that God is gonna make a new covenant, that we not like the covenant he made at Sinai, which means there will be some changes in those things, even though those things are said to be forever. See it the other way is look at it, is that those things still continue only in a spiritual mode. We don't circumcise our babies anymore, but we are to have a circumcised heart. We don't worship in Solomon's temple, but we are a temple made of living stones. And God dwells in us. We don't have the Levitical priest, but we're a kingdom of priests. In other words, the thing that that was said to be forever in the Old Testament was a ritual thing which was not going to be in that form forever. But it has an eternal form that it would come into it the type. Mode would give way to the anti type mode, which is the spiritual reality. So that in a sense, God does still do well with his people forever, not in Solomon's temple, literally, but in the temple that Solomon's temple was a type of. And so forth now. So when we see God makes these Old Testament commands, he says this is forever. We are very careful about saying, well, that means it never ends. Well, that's not necessarily the case. Now, as far as the abomination of the swine and the shellfish and all the unclean foods and things like that. I believe that like other ceremonies in the Old Testament, these ritual laws had symbolic meaning.

And I I don't want to go into that now because I have too many people waiting and too little time. But I do have lectures on that. They're free. You can listen at the website. I do talk about the Torah observance. I have a series called Torah Observance. We talk all about that. But let me just give you this scripture first. Timothy chapter for Paul said in the opening verses versus one through five. Paul says now the spirit expressly says that in the latter time, some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies and hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with Thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth for every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with Thanksgiving before it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. But how did every creature of God become sanctified by the Word of God? When did the Word of God sanctify that? Well, it was when Jesus spoke. And in the 15th chapter of Matthew, it's also an mark, chapter seven. But Jesus said there's nothing that goes into a man's mouth. Defiles him. Now, that wasn't true in the Old Testament. Lots of things you would eat would defile you. In the Old Testament, they're unclean food. You'd be defiled eating it. But she said no. Nothing that goes into a man's mouth. Defiles. And when Mark reports that in Mark Chapter seven, Mark adds this commentary, which says thus he declared all foods clean and mark seven 19. So Jesus declared all foods clean by saying nothing will defile you by eating it. So when Paul says all the animals are good to eat and it's been sanctified by the word of God, that is only the word of Christ, Christ said it's OK. Christ said it's sanctified. So in Romans 14 and verse 14, when Paul is talking about foods that can be eaten or not. Romans 14 14, Paul says, I know and I am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there's nothing unclean of itself. He's not about food. Now, he said, I'm convinced by the Lord Jesus. Well, why? Because Jesus said that Jesus said nothing that goes into your mouth will defile you. So Paul says, I'm convinced by the Lord that there is no unclean foods. And that's why he says it's a doctrine of demons to forbid people to eat certain foods because God has declared all of them clean through Christ. And so that's why we wouldn't go by those dietary laws anymore.

OK. I think she's gone. All right, let's talk to Chris from Brighton, Michigan. Chris, welcome to The Narrow Path. Thanks for calling.

Hey, thank you for taking my call. Sure. I have a question in regards to marrying a divorced woman. I know what the Bible says is your only source. Well, anyway, I'd like your opinion on that. And under what circumstances could you marry that divorced woman?

OK. Well, one circumstance that would be very unambiguous would be if her husband has her first husband has since died. In other words, if she was divorced, but then after that, her husband died. Well, she's a widow now, even. No matter what. And so you could do that. He could marry her without a sin in that. But I don't think it has to be that her husband has died. I'm very much aware of First Corinthians seven and from verse thirty nine or so where Paul talks about a woman is about her husband while he lives, and also Romans seven versus one through four where he says that a woman who has a husband is bound her husband's long lives. But in those cases, he's seen only as long as he lives. Not beyond that. He's not saying there's no circumstance in his lifetime that would make her free to remarry because Paul says in first Corinthians seven, in verse fifteen, I think it is that if, for example, a Christian is married to a non Christian. If the Christian tries to keep in the marriage, but the non Christian leaves and the marriage ends. Paul said the brother or sister is not in bondage in such cases. Now, if a divorced woman was left by her husband and he divorced her, you know, then and she's a Christian, well, then it says that she is not in bondage and not bound or not in bondage. In first grade at seven January, 12 weeks have been freed.

What what what if it's the reverse situation where she divorced him?

Then the question be on what grounds did she divorce him? Why did she divorcee?

Because he's.

Bipolar drinks takes drugs, so all that stuff and was very controlling, demanding.

Well.

Did he remain faithful to her, did he say cheat on her?

I don't know that.

I don't know if he cheated on her. I think it be. I'd be an open, shut case when it comes to other kinds of abusive behavior. That is not so clear. There are some people who would. Now, was she a Christian at the time? Yes, there are some people who would say that in a situation where a Christian is made to a non Christian and his behavior. If that's if we're hearing the description accurately. I mean, unless we hear both sides, we don't know for sure. But if we're hearing the situation accurately, his behavior would mark him off is not a Christian so that she would have been a Christian, married to a non Christian.

There are some people who say that his behavior would not be that befitting somebody who agrees to to be a husband. I don't know enough about this case. I would say this, though. What do you know what he has done since the divorce? How long has how long ago did she divorce him?

Well, it's actually coming up. Oh, I see. OK, I. OK. OK.

I would not consider. I would not even consider marriage to a woman who's still not divorced. In fact, I wouldn't really want right. I wouldn't want to consider marriage to a woman who was divorced at all. If there's ambiguity in terms of whether she had grounds. I don't know that she does. And it I mean, it seems to me that if he had been unfaithful and she knew it, she had mentioned that usually people mentioned.

I know that well, I haven't talked to her about that because I have not been able to talk to her. I've only been able to talk to her mother.

I sense of the situation in him and everything like that. Yeah. No wonder my whole entire life. Is he fighting the divorce? No.

Does he want her to stay or is he just letting her go? What?

He's he works on an oil rig, he's only all short period of time, and he he. What? Yeah. He's fighting a divorce and the controlling aspect, you know.

Okay.

Well, I can't very I would say this if this man has not been unfaithful to his wife, even if he's a bad man, she could move out. If she feels there's danger or if she feels that there's something that would make it unsafe to live with him, she could move out without divorcing him. I always recommend that if if a man is, you know, abusing a woman or children, things like that, in a way that seems dangerous, that the wife and children should go to a safer place to live, but not divorce, hopefully, because sometimes by their leaving, it'll make him realize that he has to take seriously his obligation as a man and stop being an abuser and stop those things. And he may repent and the marriage may be saved. I, you know, I, I wouldn't be surprised since he's gone a lot if there's I mean, I don't know her, but I wouldn't be surprised if there's something in her thinking. I'm just not satisfied. This marriage of my husband is not around enough. He's not very nice. When he's around, he misbehaves. I don't I'm not happy in this marriage anymore. Now, I don't think that being. I don't think that being unhappy in marriage is grounds for divorce. I've known many men and women who are very unhappy in marriages that they stayed in until death or until their spouse abandoned them or whatever. And, you know, it's that's one of the things you do promise when you get married. For better or for worse, for richer, for poorer and so forth. So I would say that her situation does not strike me as one where she'd be unambiguously free to remarry. And I would I I don't know if you're a single man considering a relationship with her if she gets divorced. I don't if that's where you're calling or not. But I would I would advise men not to not to count her as available until there's some unambiguous proof that she is the real freedom to divorce.

Right. Even though the courts are letting them get the courts, the courts don't know thing one.

The courts don't know, you know, their rear end from first base. So so when it comes to marriage, courts to zero, they think they think that, you know, people of same sex can marry, don't they? I mean, so what do the courts know about the Bible and marriage? Not much. So I wouldn't I wouldn't bother considering what the courts say so much as what God says.

OK. So basically that unless you screwing around on her.

Yes, unless that happens, unless that happens, I think she should probably seek reconciliation. She can shake if he's if he's impossible to live with or something like that or if he's doing criminal behavior that she could get in trouble for with him, then then moving out would be a wise thing to do and and to let him know.

You know, I'm not coming back until you get these things straightened out because this is unacceptable. And if he never gets it straightened out, then he'll probably find another woman, you know? And if he finds another woman that I would say she's free. But I wouldn't rush that because I think we should always hope that a marriage can be saved and have children.

All right. No, no children.

Well, that makes it a little less tragic if they end up apart. But, yeah, I mean, if there's children involved, it be more more urgent to try to save the marriage. But I think that yeah. I mean, she's a she's a Christian. Mary doing our Christian.

One eight four. Now, now, now, now a professional to be a Christian. Well, lots of people do. I can't. I can't judge. I can't judge that.

Right. Right. But God can. And God tells us that if. If your brother sense against you, go to him and confront him and try to get to repent. He won't repent. Take a couple others. Took him to repent if he won't do that. This is Jesus talking in Matthew 18. And then, you know, bring it publicly before the Christian community. And if he doesn't repent, then then you said count him as an unbeliever. So, you know, and I'm a person who lives in sin and won't repent when the urge to. Is not a Christian. At least Jesus said you can't think of them as a Christian. If there's something secret in them that is a Christian, they're just really messed up. I don't know. But but, Jesus, you're under no obligation to think of them as a Christian at that point.

I see. OK. OK. All right, fantastic. Well, that's it when I eventually do talk to her then.

Well, you know, I can do that because before they do get divorced.

Yes. Chris been appeared before the church.

Yeah, Chris. I think they'd be right if you would go to my Web site, the narrow path dot com. There's a tab. OK? There's a tab there called topical articles. There's also topical lectures.

But as topical articles and there's an article there I wrote about divorce or remarriage where I cover all the biblical data on it and it be good for her to read that before she goes through the divorce. It wouldn't hurt to read it to.

There were two top articles. All right, real good.

Thank you for your time. And I appreciate your time, appreciates your ministry and the knowledge that it just flows out to you. It's very, very nice.

I can't keep it any. Just come out fantastic.

I wish I had all the answers. Every everybody like you as well. I mean, I.

I wish I had all the answers. I don't have all the answers. But I you know, when you study something for 50 years, you learn something, I hope. If you're paying attention.

Right. Right. All right. Yeah, I understand. I. Real quickly. I ask you one last thing. Okay. When? A few seconds. Go ahead.

OK, I've copyrighted some things that I was supposed to spread throughout the world that pertain to Jesus. And he woke me up in the middle of night, said, do this.

So I and I made these things and copyrighted them and basically their crosses with keys on the bottom. And the theme is Jesus is the key.

Okay. I'm supposed to start help doing about out of time here anyway. Yeah. Well, I.

I don't know that there's anything I can do about that. But if God told you to, some do it and it'll it'll prosper. Appreciate your call. You've been listening to the narrow path. We're out of time today. More on Monday through Friday. So there's always tomorrow. We're willing if the Lord Terry's you can call in tomorrow if he didn't get it today.

The narrow path is a listener supported ministry. And if you'd like to help us, you can write to the narrow path. P.O. Box 17 30, Temecula, California. Nine to five nine three. Or you can donate from the Web site at the narrow path dot com. And thanks for joining us. Let's talk again tomorrow.