The Land and the BookIn 1947, Bedouin shepherds stumbled upon a remarkable discovery in the Judaean Desert: seven scrolls tucked into clay jars in the back of a cave. But not just ANY scrolls. These were the first of what came to be known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. This week on The Land and the Book, you’ll learn how YOU can see some of these scrolls—in person—without traveling to Israel! Plus…the latest headlines from the Middle East—on The Land and the Book.
In 1947, Bedouin shepherds stumbled upon a remarkable discovery in the Judean Desert seven scrolls tucked into clay jars in the back of a cave. But not just any scrolls. These were the first of what came to be known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Hey, stick around to learn how you can see some of these scrolls in person without traveling to Israel. Plus the latest headlines from the Middle East. Hey, welcome to this week's edition of The Land and the book. If we haven't met, I'm John Gager, and our Middle East authority is Doctor Charlie Dyer. How are you doing, Charlie?
John, I'm doing great as we end this year and get ready to start the new one.
Well, speaking of the end of this year, many world events have left us wondering what God's plan is for the future. And that's especially true when it comes to Israel. Despite its tiny size, people around the world are just intensely focused on what takes place. There are today's headlines, we wonder, connected in any way with prophecies in the Bible? And how should followers of Jesus interpret current events as we await Christ's second coming?
To help answer those important questions, our friends at Life and Messiah encourage you to check out their book, God, Israel, and Bible Prophecy with Scripture as its foundation. This book will take you on a journey into what God has in store, both for the Jewish people and the nations. The book is for anyone who wants to explore where modern day events fit on God's grand timeline. Now, if that's you or someone you know, this would be a great resource or gift. Visit Life in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody Radio button to find out how you can receive your copy of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org.
Well, as you've pointed out, Charlie, we're at the end of the year and boy, that has slipped by, hasn't it? But before we flip the page on the calendar to a new calendar, let's look back at the top stories of the past year. The major event had to be the Multi-front War fought by Israel. What were the highs and lows of this military struggle?
You know, this is the longest and most brutal war Israel has faced since its war of independence back in 1948. They had to fight both Hamas and Hezbollah. They also traded blows with Iran, with the Houthis and the Shiite militants in Iraq. And in addition, they experienced terror attacks from within their own borders. The highs over the past year definitely include the dramatic attacks against Hezbollah, thought to be the most powerful of Iran's allies, from the exploding pagers to the effective elimination of Hezbollah's leadership, including their long term head, Hassan Nasrallah. Israel decimated the group, forcing them to agree to a ceasefire and relocate their forces to a line north of the Litani River. Israel also devastated Hamas, destroying most of their brigades and killing their key political and military leadership, including Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, and Mohammed Deif. They also destroyed much of the military infrastructure, including underground tunnels, rockets, and manufacturing facilities. Israel attacked Iran in response to rockets Iran fired at them. They eliminated most of Iran's anti-aircraft sites, making Iran vulnerable to future attacks, and they eliminated Iran's ability to manufacture additional solid fuel rockets. Now the lows for Israel over the past year. That includes especially the toll in human life. Around 900 soldiers and police have been killed in the ongoing conflict. Another low is the impact of the war on Israel's economy. Service time for reservists in the IDF averaged 136 days per year. Some businesses failed, others were forced to cut back, and families struggled to get by financially with the loss of income. We saw that John firsthand back in March, when we visited a company that normally employs about 150 people. Most of the desks were empty, with just a handful of people still in place. The rest were either called up for reserve duty or furlough due to the lack of work and sadly, the conflict still isn't over. Though hopefully things are finally winding down.
Well, the second major story of the year was the surprising rise in anti-Semitism worldwide, in response to Israel's fight against Hamas and Hezbollah. What was behind this dramatic rise?
You know, analysts point to a variety of causes, including the apparent disparity between the number of casualties in Israel and the number in Gaza. The problem here is that the numbers provided by Hamas can't be verified and don't distinguish between civilians and fighters. Hamas was quick to report mass casualty events, even though many turned out to be inaccurate or downright false. But by the time the truth finally came out, the damage was already done. Those reasons alone, however, don't account for the dramatic rise in anti-Semitism. For example, protests began on college campuses on October 8th, the day after Hamas killed over 1200 Israelis and before Israel was able to respond, anti-Semitism was always there, just below the surface. October 7th gave those who hate the Jews an opportunity to publicly demonstrate that hatred under the guise of supporting Hezbollah, Hamas and the Palestinians. But let me dig even deeper, John. Bigotry, prejudice and the wickedness of the human heart are also key reasons for anti-Semitism. But I believe the ultimate cause for anti-Semitism can be traced back to Satan and his opposition to God. anti-Semitism has Satan's fingerprints all over it. He rebelled against God. Originally, he tried to kill God's Messiah at his first coming, and he's actively trying to turn the world against God's chosen people before the Messiah returns. The rise in anti-Semitism over the past year is a reminder that Satan hates God. He hates God's people, and he hates God's program. And it's also a reminder that we need to stand up for the Jewish people and for Israel's right to exist as a nation in their own land, a land which, by the way, was promised to them by God.
You're listening to The Land and the book from Moody Radio. Our host is Doctor Charlie Dyer, noted Middle East expert. I'm John Gager, and our third major story of the year looks at the International Criminal Court, which charged Israel and her leaders with genocide and war crimes. What's the impact of these charges? And is Israel guilty?
Well, in terms of the impact of the charges, they do make it difficult on Israel as a country and on individual Israelis. Israel's leaders are threatened with arrest if they visit a country that's a member of the ICC. This also opens the door for countries to boycott Israeli products. Israeli soldiers who fought in Gaza or Lebanon are in danger of being arrested and charged with war crimes for serving in the military. So the bottom line, though, is Israel guilty? Well, they're not. In fact, over the past year, Israel demonstrated that it's done more than any army in history to protect civilians while fighting in an urban environment against an enemy who deliberately embedded itself among civilians, using them as human shields. Israel filed two appeals against the arrest warrants, the first focused on serious procedural deficiencies in the ICC decision, and the second dealt with the claim that the ICC lacks any jurisdiction over Israelis. Could there be individual instances where soldiers committed war crimes? Yeah, that's true of every war ever fought. And Israel, just like the US, has a mechanism for prosecuting individual soldiers for war crimes. But Israel didn't invade Gaza to try and wipe out the Palestinian people. They invaded to defeat an enemy that had attacked them. And they called on civilians within Gaza to move out of areas they're about to attack. You know what nation telegraphs its plan of attack, putting its own soldiers in harm's way to spare civilians? Well, that's what Israel did. Thankfully, the United States has made it clear that we believe the charges have no merit. There has been genocide, but it's been committed by Hamas and Hezbollah, not Israel.
The final story of the year has to be the ongoing hostage drama and the related opposition to Prime Minister Netanyahu on the part of many Israelis. How do these two pieces interconnect?
Yeah, well, one reason Hamas chose to attack when they did was the very public division within Israel, between the government and those who were opposed to it. The specific issue was a plan on the part of the coalition to reform Israel's legal system. Now, what got lost in all of the protests is the fact that some of the reforms would have made their system more like that in the U.S., adding additional checks and balances to keep the judiciary from exerting too much power to Hamas as they looked at all the conflict. It appeared that Israel was imploding, and this encouraged them to attack. One tactic they've used in the past was to capture hostages, to try to keep Israel from responding. And in this case, Israel initially came together as a nation to oppose Hamas and to push for the return of the hostages. That was a highlight for Israel in terms of their unity. But Hamas scattered the hostages throughout Gaza, making their rescue extremely difficult. Hamas then demanded Israel stop its attack, withdraw from Gaza and allow Hamas to remain in power as conditions for the return of the hostages. Israel set two goals in this war with Hamas defeat and remove Hamas from power and bring back all the hostages. But as the war dragged on, those goals seemed to become mutually exclusive. The fractures within Israel resurfaced, and those opposed to Netanyahu claimed he was prolonging the war for his own personal benefit, which, sadly, just isn't true. Hamas saw political benefit in keeping the hostages until Israel agreed to all its demands. Now, as this year ends, we might, and I use the word might be seeing a way forward. Hamas is feeling more isolated. Israel didn't allow U.S. pressure to force them to back off in the fight against Hamas. They kept advancing inside Gaza, further degrading Hamas's military capabilities. And as the year ends, the hope in everyone's mind is that the release of the remaining hostages might finally be close at hand. It's certainly time to bring them home, and the threats by president elect Trump seem to be helping in that regard. But the same can't be said for the opposition to Netanyahu on the part of a significant number of Israelis that opposition is likely to continue.
Charlie, isn't it true in one sense that although it's bad for the hostages and their families, the longer this thing continues to play out, it seems to weaken the position of Hamas. It makes their lives more difficult.
Well, what I would say is it makes the lives of the people in Gaza definitely more difficult. Sadly, Hamas have been hijacking the aid trucks that have come in. The individual Hamas fighters are doing much better than the average person within Gaza, but Hamas doesn't care about them. And that's what's sad.
Let me ask you to put on your thinking cap here. What's a likely six month forecast for both Syria and Lebanon. The situations there, Syria and Lebanon.
Unfortunately, we're likely to see a Sunni Islamic state come into play for Lebanon. There's perhaps a little bit more hope. The lifeline to Hezbollah has been cut off with Iran not being able to resupply them. And there's a possibility at least of a government forming in Lebanon that could hold Hezbollah in check and not let them become, again, a state within a state.
All right. And that's a look at current events and a little bit of a forecast of what's likely ahead in Syria and Lebanon. I'm looking forward to our conversation coming up next, where we're talking about the Dead Sea Scrolls and how you can see some of them right here in the United States of America. That's a great conversation. Up next on the Land and the book. In 1947, Bedouin shepherds stumbled upon a remarkable discovery in the Judean Desert. Seven scrolls tucked away into clay jars in the back of a cave. But not just any scrolls. These were the first of what came to be known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Over the next decade, thousands of manuscript fragments from 11 different caves were discovered near the ancient site of Qumran, dating back two millennia. These fragile parchments, preserved by the dry climate and darkness of the caves, represent the oldest known copies of the Hebrew Bible, which we refer to as the Old Testament. But here's the shocker. Eight of those scrolls and more than 200 artifacts are part of a special exhibition that you can see now for yourself at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California. Are you intrigued? Well, I am. Hey, welcome to segment two of The Land and the book. I'm John Gager. Joining our conversation today is Melissa Giller, chief marketing officer for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. Melissa oversees the marketing, the public relations, social media center for public affairs, programming and facility rental business for the Foundation. While working for that foundation, Melissa has helped secure the special exhibitions that are housed at the library, helping make the Reagan Library the most visited museum in the presidential library system. That said, welcome to the land and the book. Melissa, thank.
You so much for having me.
Well, how in the world did you get approval from the Israeli antiquities authorities to host this exhibit?
So we've been working with them since 2019. This exhibition had traveled before, but it went on rest in 2018, and they knew they were bringing it back out in a couple of years. And it takes a really long time to get approval from the Israeli Antiquities Authority. We're very fortunate. We're actually a government building, so we have all the security and safety measures that they require. We've also been able to host some of the most, you know, exquisite exhibitions like Auschwitz not long ago, not far away in Vatican splendor. So they know that we have a venue that can bring in these large exhibitions and host them. And, you know, we were even able to point to the fact that President Reagan believed so strongly in his faith, believed so strongly in Israel, and all of those things mixed together. They opened up their doors. And we are so excited about this new exhibit.
So how long will that exhibit be available to the public? I'm curious.
Yeah. The exhibition will run through the very end of August in 2025. And what's extraordinary about it, you mentioned that there are eight scrolls. Well, the scrolls can only be in light three months every five years. So we have this exhibition for a total of nine months in its entirety. And every three months they bring us an entire new eight set of scrolls.
Wow.
To honor that, need to keep those fragments in good, good health, as it were.
Exactly preserved as long as they can be.
Well, in addition to the scrolls, one of the artifacts on display, I'm told, is the Magdala Stone, which dates to the Second Temple period. Describe this piece. How big is it and what does it look like?
Sure. So as you said, it dates back to the Second Temple period. It's a very intricate stone that shows the carvings of the temple, and they believe that those drawings are actually showing the role of the synagogue as a sacred space. They believe it was used as furniture, perhaps, to hold the Torah or some other important object from the temple of the time. It's completely made of stone. It's perhaps maybe two feet wide by maybe four feet across and maybe about three feet tall. And it's just it's extraordinary. It has a whole bunch of different markings. They believe it's the first ever use of a seven candle menorah on an object like that, dating back 2000 years.
Yeah. And if you've been to the Magdala site, you've seen a replica of that. And boy, fascinating to see that you guys have the actual one. This is the land in the book I'm John Geiger, visiting today with Melissa Giller, who is taking us on a bit of an audio tour of a fabulous exhibit open to the public now at the Ronald Reagan Library. Also on display is the Sea of Galilee boat, often referred to as the Jesus Boat. That's a first century fishing boat discovered in 1986 along the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. Many of our listeners will be familiar with that, and they know this is not a small thing. So describe this remarkable treasure for anybody who's new to it.
Yes. So what's extra? Well, there's many things extraordinary about this boat, but one of the things that's extraordinary is it's never toured before. So since finding it in 1986, it has never left the Israel Antiquities Authority archives. So we are the first location to ever have it on display. It was found in 1986, as you said, during a really strong drought in the Sea of Galilee. And through carbon dating, they have been able to prove that it was a boat, most likely a fisherman's boat used on the Sea of Galilee at the exact same time that Jesus was a fisherman on that exact sea. So the boat itself is very fragile. It doesn't really travel. So what they've traveled are wood fragments from the boat. They can prove that the wood is both cedar from Lebanon as well as other wood species from Israel. And then they've sort of recreated the full scope of the boat, so you can see the size of it with the original wood carvings, the sort of wood fragments in a case in the middle of the boat.
I understand you also feature a number of ossuaries, small stone receptacles used for secondary burial. For those who aren't familiar, tell us a bit about the practical side of an ossuary and why these are important to include in your display.
Yes, so they really wanted this exhibition to, you know, it's called the Dead Sea Scrolls. But as you said earlier, there are 200 objects and only eight scrolls. So the scrolls are really just almost a small part of it. And they wanted to be able to show the culture and the foundations of faith across Christianity, Judaism, and even the beginning of Islam faith in this exhibition, and they do so through the use of these other 200 artifacts we have. I believe it's five ossuaries on display. And for those who aren't aware, as you said, they hold bone fragments inside of them. And I've been learning some really interesting information because, again, if you are of the Jewish faith, they have to keep things in a sense kosher and what they can and can't do with certain bones and sort of changing things up so the bones would be cleaned before they would be put inside these stone cases to be preserved forever.
Melissa Geller is our guest today on the Land and the book. She serves as chief marketing officer for the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California. I am just blown away that you also have on display some objects from Masada. That's Herod the Great's desert fortress overlooking the Dead Sea. Remind listeners why this particular fortress was such a strategic site, and what specific artifacts can we expect to see?
So what I can tell you is that Masada is really important, because what they're explaining in this exhibit as a whole is why these scrolls, why these artifacts were hidden to begin with, and they were hidden to begin with because of the Roman Empire rule and them going in and all the the fighting, if you could call it that. But really, the execution and persecution of the Jews at the time. And most of those fights were happening. Some of the strongest fights were happening at Masada. So they've actually built replica sort of scenic view of what Masada looked like at the time, as well as really beautiful photographs that people can get a sense of where you were sort of near the Dead Sea during those fights. There are sort of panel copies around the exhibition explaining what happened during that time, why that time is so important to the history of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the hiding of all these objects. And then this is a sort of silly answer, but, um, so they're still inserting artifacts and they haven't yet put the artifacts in that gallery at the time of this recording, so I haven't seen exactly what's going in there yet. So you might need to cut that part out. But the history part, I can tell you.
No, I think we're good, because I heard from a little bird somewhere that you guys have some small pot sherds bearing writing, some botanical remains, including some pomegranate peels, walnut shells and olive pits, as well as imported textiles. All that to say, it's more than just a couple of photos. It really is a remarkable presentation of Masada at several different levels, so that's just too cool, I think.
Yeah, very cool. They also even have they talk about Pilgrimage Road, which is the road that people would take as they approached the temple. And so along the pilgrimage road were shops. And they have found through their excavations jewelry, weapons, pottery, money, all the different things that were used along pilgrimage roads in these markets. And these things will all be on display as well.
In the New Testament, we read that the shekel coin was the official annual temple tax you had to pay. Every male above 20 years old had to pay up because your collection is so amazing. Melissa. You also have some shekels for people to see.
We sure do.
I'm kind of curious if you've seen one. What American coin does the shekel mostly resemble, or am I putting you in a in a tough spot there?
You know, I don't know if I can answer that. We have the silver coin, which was the coin used to pay the half shekel head tax. It has a man's face engraved in it, almost like maybe we might have the face of Washington engraved in a coin. But of course, much more textured, because our coins are manufactured in such a beautiful way. There's even some that have an eagle on one side. And again, these were used for the actual tax that was used to pay to enter the temple. So just like the same kind of tithes that many people still pay today to their churches or their temples. They were doing it 2000 years ago.
We're talking with chief marketing officer Melissa Giller. I'm assuming there's a fair amount of security concerns that must be managed with something like this. Help us understand that facet of the exhibit as much as you can without giving away too many secrets.
Sure. So again, we are a government facility, so we actually have security on our premises 24 over seven already. Our last really big exhibition was on Auschwitz, and we sort of ramped up our security a little bit for that as well. When we had the Auschwitz exhibition, that's when the October 7th Hamas attack happened on Israel. So we're sort of prepared for this. I don't think visitors will really see a difference. It's security cameras, security guards, the things that we already do, we do check bags. So nothing like that is really changed. But we are just more aware. We do live in a very political climate. I can tell you, without naming names, that there were other locations being considered for this exhibition, and some of those museums backed out because they were too nervous that it might not be a safe time to house the exhibition, but that made us want to house the exhibition even more. It is so important for people to see these artifacts, to learn these stories, you know. As you said, this is the oldest known full portion of the Hebrew Bible known to ever exist. It's the same books in the Old Testament and the Christian Bible. And what's also spectacular about them is that if you can read Hebrew, you can actually read the Dead Sea Scrolls, because the characters haven't changed in over 2000 years. So again, if you can read it when you see these scrolls, you will still be able to read it just as if you were reading a Torah today.
So let me ask you a personal question. As you have examined this collection being put together and taking shape. What for you is the most intriguing item or the most maybe significant personal takeaway?
For me personally, it's the two ton piece of the Western Wall. Israel is a place I've always wanted to visit. I have not yet been able to do that and to go to Israel to be at the Wailing Wall, the Western Wall, and to leave a note of prayer or something that is really important to me. And when this exhibition has traveled in the past, it has only traveled with a replica of the Western Wall. And this exhibition travels, as I said, with a real two ton piece. It fell off the wall surrounding the Second Temple, but it's never left Jerusalem before. And to have that here and visitors are allowed to actually leave a note next to it. Um, again, I still want to get to Israel. It's not a replacement for going to Israel.
That's right. But it is.
For me a very significant piece that something I've always wanted to do, and that I can now do it at the Reagan Library is fun, but extraordinary at the same.
Time. Oh, for.
Sure. And that's neat that you're allowing people to place, uh, notes and prayers there, as they do at the wall. We we see those crammed into the cracks. I've placed one there myself a time or two. Hey, what is your goal in hosting this exhibit when all is said and done? Melissa.
We want to bring awareness to history, first and foremost, religion. But the importance of not forgetting, right? I mean, I know if people study the Bible or people study the Torah, they know the stories that are in there. But to see the items themselves, these 2000 year old items from the time of Jesus, I think it sort of opens up what you believe and what you see in a whole new way. So we really hope that people come to the Reagan Library, see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition, not let the political environment scare them away, or think maybe another day, another time. It's more important now than ever to remember these stories and to see these items up close and personal. So, um, we are the only location in all of the West Coast to house this exhibition. When it starts to travel. It'll be on the East Coast. So we do encourage anyone west of the Mississippi who can hear me.
Come on out.
Before it.
Closes.
That's great. And we'll link to your museum right there at our website. The land and the book. Org take you right to this display and all the information you need to know about the Ronald Reagan Library's extraordinary collection, the Dead Sea Scrolls. Melissa, a pleasure to chat with you today. Thanks for letting us know what we can expect when we get out there and see this tremendous exhibit for ourselves.
Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate.
It, and.
We're looking forward to connecting with a fresh set of Bible questions and their answers. Up next here on the land and the book. You know, you have so many options in what you listen to these days. Here you are with us at the land and the book, and we're glad you decided to hang out. I think you'll be glad you did. Fascinating to hear what people are wondering as they open their Bibles. Do some study. We're going to get to a great list of questions. First, though, you think about the end of the year approaching and all the world events that have left us wondering what God's plan is for the future. And that's particularly true when it comes to Israel, despite its small size. Think about this people around the world are intensely focused on what takes place there. Many wonder, are today's headlines connected in some way with the prophecies in the Bible? And more specifically, how should followers of Jesus interpret current events? As we await his second coming?
And those are great questions. And to help answer those questions, our friends at Life and Messiah encourage you to check out their book, God, Israel, and Bible Prophecy. Now, with Scripture as its foundation, this book will take you on a journey into what God has in store for the Jewish people and the nations. This book is for anyone who wants to explore where modern day events fit on God's grand timeline. Now, if that's you or someone you know, this would be a great resource or gift. Visit Lifeline Messiah. Org and click on the Moody Radio button there to find out how you can receive your copy of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org.
Jared is questioner number one in this Q&A segment for the day. He says, I've been noticing that even some conservative evangelical folks are leaning now toward centering prayer and contemplative prayer, these being the most important thing to learn and the way to be closest to God. Do you have any counsel about what is biblical and what is extra biblical versus traditional in this emerging practice?
Yeah, I just need to say right up front, I have problems with the practice of people that refer to these centering prayer or contemplative prayer. Now, in these practices, prayer becomes a form of meditation where the person is told to focus his or her attention on a simple word or phrase and attach it to a rhythmic breathing pattern. But when I look at prayer in the Bible, it's an active, not a passive activity. You know, Jesus gave very specific instructions on how to pray in Matthew six, the passage. We often call it the Lord's Prayer, but it actually should be called the Disciples prayer. Since he was explaining to his disciples how his followers ought to pray. And he says there that prayer ought to be private rather than public, and is not to involve the incessant repetition of words. In fact, in verse seven he uses the word bartolaccio, which refers to stammering or repeating words over and over, which he then connects to the compound word eulogia, which literally means many words. Then Jesus provides a basic outline for prayer that involves a focus in prayer on adoration, submission to God's will, requests for specific needs, confession, and requests for guidance and protection. The kind of prayer Jesus is describing is active and focused. Rather than seeking some altered state of serenity. It's a realization that we've come into the presence of God Himself in active communion. You know, when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, Luke says, and being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling on the ground. In his extended prayer in John 17, Jesus prayed actively for himself, his disciples, and for all believers who would then come to faith. Now in all those instances, Jesus's prayer is active and direct. Another example in Colossians chapter four, Paul described one of the church's own members, who was with Paul as a servant of Christ, who was always wrestling in prayer for you. And the word Paul uses. There is the Greek word agonism, from which we get the word agony. Now the word has the idea of fighting, struggling, striving, or laboring. His prayer for these saints was an act of labor on his part. Now we're all told to meditate on God's Word. So I'm not against meditation. Psalm one verse two tells us that Psalm 119, verse 11 does as well. The word of Christ is to dwell in us richly. Colossians 316. We're told to read God's Word and memorize God's Word and meditate on God's Word. But that's not the same activity as prayer, at least not as I see prayer being described in the Bible.
Well, a question from Robin, who says A Jewish friend greeted me on Yom Kippur with the phrase Djemaa satima tova. I know it's a greeting and means a good final ceiling, but can you explain just a bit more of its meaning? Is it in the Bible?
Yeah, well, the phrase comes from the Jewish tradition that God writes a person's fate for the coming year on Rosh Hashanah into one of three books. The righteous are inscribed in the Book of Life, the evil into the Book of Death, and those in between have their judgment suspended until Yom Kippur, the ten days between the start of the New Year and Yom Kippur give this third group of individuals an opportunity to tip the scales in their behalf so they can do extra good deeds or something during that period. So the greeting by your friend is hoping that your fate for the coming year will be tipped in your favor, and that you'll experience God's blessing in life for the coming year. Now, the idea of a book of life does come from the Bible, though modern Jewish understanding isn't exactly what's meant there. In Psalm 69 verse 28, David called on God to judge his enemies and said, May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous. Now these enemies had been seeking David's death, so David prays that God will bring about their death. David's prayer isn't based on the idea that there's a ten day period when this person's fate is sealed. He's using the imagery of a book in a poetic fashion, to ask God to remove his enemies from God's record of those who remain alive. In the Book of Revelation. The Book of Life is also used to picture God's record of those who have been declared righteous, and anyone whose name isn't written in the Book of life will be cast into eternal punishment in the lake of fire. And that's in revelation 20. But the modern Jewish use of these words isn't exactly the way they appear in the Bible.
Sadie asks, was the Babylonian captivity a revenge for what King Solomon did?
Yeah. I don't believe the Babylonian captivity was revenge on God's part, though. The breakup of the empire into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah, was part of God's judgment for his turning away from God. I traced the Babylonian captivity back to the covenant God made with Israel. In Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, God gave a series of blessings he would give for obedience and cursings that he would send for disobedience. The ultimate curse was his threat to cast Israel out of the land. And in Second Chronicles 36, at the end, as they describe him going into captivity in Babylon, the writer connects that captivity to the nations disobedience. The kingdom was divided because of Solomon's sin, but the people were carried into captivity because they violated God's Word and brought on themselves that ultimate covenant curse, expulsion from the land.
You're listening to the land in the book. Doctor Charlie Dyer, our host, always welcomes your Bible questions at the land and the book@moody.edu. In Romans 11 verse 28, Paul says, Israel is beloved for the sake of their ancestors. A listener wants to know, does this mean that God loves those whose ancestors were pagan in a different way for different reasons? What exactly does it mean that God loves someone for his ancestor's sake.
Well, in Greek the phrase is literally beloved for the sake of the fathers. And in the context since Paul's speaking about Israel, the fathers he's referring to are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the three patriarchs to whom God made specific promises regarding the nation of Israel. Hundreds of years later, Micah the prophet ended his book with an assurance that God could bless Israel because of the oath God made to these patriarchs. He said, you will again have compassion on us. You'll tread our sins underfoot, hurl our iniquities into the depths of the sea. You will be true to Jacob and show mercy to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our fathers in days long ago. Now, what Paul meant by this phrase is that God had made a solemn promise to Abraham, which he reaffirmed to Isaac and Jacob. And in context Paul is saying, the Jewish people are beloved in the sense that they could rely on God to keep the promise he made to Abraham and the other patriarchs. And we can't apply this principle to the ancestors of pagans simply because there's no record of a promise God made to them. Here's a simple illustration to show what I mean. Suppose I made a promise to you and your family, and then later I had it notarized to make it legally binding. Now, the fact that I made a promise to you and your descendants doesn't necessarily mean I also made a similar promise to someone else. Nor does it keep me from choosing to do so for someone else later on. The one really doesn't impact the other. Paul's just saying Israel has a future because God made a solemn covenant with the patriarchs and God's gifts and his calling, he says, are irrevocable. The good news for us is that God has also given us promises in the New Testament, and we can depend on those as well.
Nancy takes us to Luke chapter 17, where it says, they answered and said to him, where, Lord? And he said to them, wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together. I've seen many different interpretations that seem quite confusing. Nancy wants to know what is the body. Refer to the church. Someone who died in battle. What are the eagles or vultures symbolize? Is this an allusion to the rapture, end times or or some past tragedy that has already taken place?
Well, the phrase appears to be in the form of a proverb there, though the only other occurrence is in Matthew 24. But in both cases, it seems the point of the proverb is that if you want to know where the dead bodies are, look for vultures circling. Or perhaps it could be understood this way. If you see a flock of vultures circling overhead, we can assume something dead must be somewhere nearby. On the ground below the object we can see that is, the vultures flying overhead point towards something that we might not otherwise be able to see in the context in Luke 17. It's a context of judgment. In verses 26 and 27, Jesus mentions the days of Noah, when a flood came and destroyed them in 28 and 29. He mentions the days of lot when fire and brimstone came and destroyed them. He then compares all that to his return and the judgment it will bring the two people who are in a bed, or two people who are grinding in verses 34 to 36 represent those who will be alive at his return. One taken is the one taken in judgment, like in the flood or in Sodom. And the one who is left like Noah or Lot is the one who's left to remain alive. So I think what Jesus is doing here isn't emphasizing where the judgment will take place or what the body is, but he's just giving an illustration to say, when you see the vultures, when you see the events happening, you know that the judgment is coming.
Well, we've certainly covered a lot of ground today. Thank you for your hard work on these questions. Yours is welcome any time at the land and the book@moody.edu. Well, there's more to come in today's program, and that includes Charlie Dyer's devotional. It's next right here on the land and the book. Well, you don't need me to tell you the end of the year is coming. Hi, I'm John Gager here at the Land and the book. Do you ever think about the fact that you and I might need wisdom to finish this year out, and of course, wisdom as we begin another year. Charlie, is that the essence of your devotional? I'm looking forward to it, by the way it is.
We're going to talk about the end of the year and New year and Wisdom and Solomon. They all fit together.
Okay, I'm looking forward to that after we take in this Holy Land experience.
I was raised Jewish, so I had a totally different experience than probably any of your listeners. I thought it was amazing. When I came back, I was more religious as a Jew. And then in 1985, I had a conversion experience and became a Christian. The Lord totally called me to follow him and become his child of God. And I have yet to go back as a Christian, but I see Israel as a totally different place than I did as a Jew. One of my favorite experiences was hiking up the top of Masada at three in the morning and watching the sun rise and learning all about how the battle. You know, the battle that was fought there, they were under attack by Romans, and instead of losing, they all committed suicide. I thought it was noble at the time. That was pretty cool. Absolutely loved Israel and said, Jesus's birthplace. I saw King David's tomb. I saw lots of ruins. It was very, very, very beautiful place to visit. As I said, I'd like to go back there as a Christian because I would have a totally different experience now. Thanks for letting me share.
Charlie, I have to confess, I've never given thought to wisdom to finish the old year out. I'm looking forward to that and what you have to say about the new Year.
Yeah. Thanks, John. Well, the orchestra is on stage tuning up and getting ready to play. The noisemakers and party hats are arranged on the tables by each place setting, and the guests are already milling about out in the foyer, waiting for the banquet doors to open. It's almost time to gather and celebrate the ringing out of an old year, and the ringing in of a new one. Most of those gathering are more than ready to say goodbye to the old year. It started last January 1st with such promise, but in so many ways it failed to live up to its potential, and each person arriving tonight has his or her own reasons to feel less than nostalgic over this past year coming to an end. For some, it was the loss of a loved one, or the loss of a job, or the tragic breakup of a relationship, or an unexpected illness, or serious financial setback or or well, the circumstances are unique to each person coming through the doors, but the year certainly had its share of hurt and heartache, and on this New Year's Eve, most hope the next year will somehow be different. As we take our seats, we notice an old, distinguished looking gentleman seated next to us. We introduce ourselves and discover this is none other than the wise King Solomon. Taking advantage of the opportunity, we turn to him and say, so, do you have any words of wisdom for us as we get ready to start a new year? We're somewhat taken aback when he says, rather cryptically, there's a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven. Well, that's true, we respond. But exactly what kind of times or seasons might the new year bring? We try to pin Solomon down to get his read on the economy or world affairs, or maybe even our own personal circumstances. But Solomon proves to be as elusive as trying to pick up a drop of oil between two fingers. Turning to look directly into our eyes, he compresses the entire new year into 14 pairs of opposites, encompassing all of life. The new Year will be a time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build. A time to weep and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them. A time to embrace and a time to refrain. A time to search and a time to give up. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace. Initially we're at a loss for words. We were hoping for some golden nuggets of wisdom that could help us become more healthy, wealthy, and wise in the coming New Year. But instead, Solomon has reminded us that there will be times in the New Year that will bring both joy and sorrow that will result in healing and death. Our emotions will span the gamut from love to hate. Countries will experience both war and peace. In other words, next year will be very much like the one just ending. But just as we start to wrap our minds around these conflicting actions and emotions, Solomon adds two other truths to this already complex equation. First, all our effort and toil to get ahead, to reach our own personal goals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness will end up falling short and leaving us unsatisfied. Solomon immediately goes to the bottom line what does the worker gain from his toil? No matter how hard a person works, results can be elusive. Sometimes something unexpected can come along to undermine the business or the property or the family. And no matter how tightly someone tries to hang on to all the stuff of life, in the end he or she must leave it all behind. Death is certain, and no one can carry their material possessions into eternity. Solomon's Second Truth focuses on the reality that God has arranged life in a way that causes everything to be beautiful, or perhaps appropriate in its time. And because of our God designed nature, we innately understand this to be true. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, but this truth only leads to more frustration on our part, because he says, we cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. We can see all the different pieces of life, and we get glimpses of how all those pieces must somehow fit together. But try as we might, we can't get all the pieces to match up. The sheer complexity of life overwhelms our ability to see the entire picture. The orchestra is working its way through all the songs as the clock heads toward midnight. Before very long, it will be time for them to begin playing Auld Lang Syne, and people will start singing and blowing their noisemakers. But frankly, we're too depressed right now to care. We're trying to wrap our arms around the disturbing truths presented by Solomon. We finally blurt out, okay, is this what you're saying? This next year will be pretty much like the past year, and like the one before that, because all of life is a mixture of joy and sadness. It'll be a year of births and deaths, of hatred and hope, of weeping and laughing. There are struggles where we'll need to keep searching for answers, and others where we finally need to acknowledge the hopelessness of it all and give up. And no matter how hard we try, we'll never be able to reach a point where we can say we have it all together, or that we've arrived, or that we finally understand how it all works. Is that what you're saying? Touching our arm, Solomon quietly says, yes, that's what I'm saying. Then how in the world can I find the wisdom to make it through such a confusing, frustrating New Year? And with the kind smile of a man who lived through all the ups and downs of life, Solomon leans in and says, by remembering this, there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his toil. This is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever. Nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so men will Revere him. Don't miss my three secrets for living a wise life in a confusing world first. Don't spend your time trying to pursue happiness. Learn to be satisfied with what you have. Enjoy the blessings God has already provided rather than pushing to acquire more stuff. Trust me, stuff doesn't provide long term satisfaction. Second view where you are, what you have, and what you do as gifts from God, and learn to be thankful for his gracious provision. Learn to enjoy what he has provided. And third, be willing to admit you are not God. He understands how life works, but you don't. Trying to put all the pieces together will only frustrate you. What he has done is what will endure forever. Just be sure to Revere him by putting him first in your life. As we rise from the table and head toward the door, we leave with a wisdom we didn't possess before. We understand the New Year will be filled with the same highs and lows as the year just ending. Blind optimism has been replaced with clear eyed realism. We know that the goal is not to pursue happiness and strive to acquire more stuff, hoping to get ahead. We've replaced that with a plan to enjoy what God does provide. To take pleasure in the tasks he places before us, and to focus on learning how to trust him more fully as the year goes on. And that is indeed a wise way to end this year and to move on into the new one.
Wow, great perspective there. Thank you. Charlie, I found myself as I'm listening to you, just wishing I was there in the room with Solomon. But in a sense, every time we open the book and read that passage, we really are right.
That's exactly right. Yeah.
Well, it's been a great broadcast. I hope you enjoyed it. Our host, doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Gager. Dan Anderson, our producer. All three of us say thank you to you for carving out time to be with us here at The Land and the book, a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.
