Bert Harper The Bible. It's the word of God. Sharper than any two edged sword. This sacred book is living and active and contains all that's needed for life and godliness. Stay with American Family Radio for the next hour as we study God's word and take your Bible questions.
Welcome Back: Host Introductions and Retreat Reflections
Welcome to Exploring the Word. Well, as someone said, he's back. Yes, I'm back. This is Bert Harper along with Dr. Alex McFarland, and it's a joy to be back with you after a week. At the time Fishbow Retreat, Jan and I hosted 40 couples from 13 different states, pastors and their wives, and we just had a great time.
Gratitude for Pastors and Discussion on Matthew Study Progress
We might say more about it during the week, but all those pastors that are listening, I want to tell you that came. What a blessing you were. Well, Alex, I know you and Dillon took care of the book of Matthew after I left. Y' all seemed to go a little faster than when I'm here.
Alex McFarland Well, Bert, it's great to have you back.
Listener Feedback and Appreciation for Dylan Burroughs' Work
Alex McFarland here, and, we prayed for you. And I know that you, were doing a great work there at the Fishbowl Retreat. I do thank Dillon Burroughs. He did a very fine job. And even over the weekend, I got a couple of emails from listeners who were so complimentary.
Online Broadcast Visuals: Holding Up a Sticker and Voting Discussion
But, for those watching online, Bert, I'm holding up a sticker that I got today, and guess what Angie and I did a few hours ago.
Bert Harper A sticker. Did you vote?
Alex McFarland I voted today already.
Caroline Wow.
Early Voting Rationale Due to Travel and Importance of Citizenship
Alex McFarland I early voted because, you know, we. We've got a lot going on in early November, and Angie and I will probably be traveling on election day. So we early voted today. And, Bert, we think voting is really important, don't we?
Bert Harper Let me just share with you.
Christian Stewardship and the Duty to Participate in Voting
As a follower of Jesus Christ, I'm to be faithful as a steward. It is required of, stewards to be faithful. Part of our stewardship of American citizenship, we the people, is to be God's people and, and vote and participate in vote. Right. With that in mind, we have a guest with us to start off this week.
Introducing Studio Guest Dr. Heather Hefner to the Program
Alex.
Alex McFarland I believe we do. I believe we do have a guest, and it's, Heather Hefner, and, she's in studio with you. The Dr. Heather Hefner. Right?
AFA Action's Role in Informing Voters about Election Issues
Bert Harper It is. She's the director of communications here for AFA Action. AFA Action is a. The political arm of afr and we try to help voters know what's going on. And so we've asked, Heather to be here today because November 3rd is important.
AFA Action Voter Guide Resources for Navigating November 3rd Elections
What should we know about, you know, November 3rd in voting will AFA action do. We have a way to let people help to know what to do.
Heather Hefner AFA Action and I, Voter Guide, which is a division of AFA Action, have some resources that are really going to help voters, come November 3rd. So, you know, sitting this one out means that you're going to let other people decide on issues that affect your family, your community, your churches, your schools. and the only way to combat that is to go out and vote.
Listener Voting Strategy: Party Affiliation and Candidate Choice Discussion
Bert Harper Vote Alex. And you've already voted. So how did you make up your mind?
Alex McFarland well, every. This is Alex here.
Humorous Take on Party Affiliation and Voting Preferences
Bert Harper That's what. That's the reason I asked the question
Alex McFarland if they had an R by their name. You know, they say Vote Red and red stands for remove every Democrat. But, anyway, you know what?
Appreciation for Voter Guide and Personal Reflections on Patriotism
Heather, I appreciate the Voter Guide so much. my mother and dad were very, very politically active conservatives. They're both in heaven now. And so it was drilled into me, patriotism and citizenship from a young age. And I thank God for that.
The Importance of Voting and Time Commitment Comparison
But, Heather, you're right. We cannot sit this one out. I just want to say this, folks. They say that voting is. Takes maybe 45 minutes.
America's Worth: Discussing Voting Decisions with Family and Planning
And I mean, that's a, trip to the grocery store is longer than that. I really think that America is worth showing up for.
Heather Hefner Absolutely.
Bert Harper It is. With that in mind, I was looking at this, and my wife Janet and I were talking about it.
Beyond High-Profile Races: Examining Other Ballot Measures
What all are we going to vote for? We know the high profile. The Senate race. We know the. Usually the representative race.
Ballot Measures Across States: Topics Include Life, Voter ID, and Sports
We know those. But there's some other issues that we might need to look at. Is there.
Heather Hefner There are. So this election cycle, there's 24 states that have ballot measures on the ballot.
Protecting Women's Sports and Understanding Down-Ballot Issues
It's, 58 measures across 24 states. and topics include life, voter ID, election integrity, gender, women in sports.
Bert Harper Wow. Women in sports. Okay.
Ballot Measures Often Worded Confusingly to Mislead Voters
Heather Hefner You know, protecting women's sports.
Bert Harper Okay, so you're talking about those guys.
Heather Hefner Those guys that.
Caroline To be in.
Bert Harper Girls that couldn't make it NBA and they want to go to the. Okay, we won't go there. But that's exactly how important this is. And it's usually down the line, they call it, you know, down ballot.
Heather Hefner Yes, sir.
Bert Harper Because that's not.
Voter ID Constitutional Amendment and Election Integrity Discussion
That's, A lot of times people go in there, Alex, have you noticed they're usually worded funny so it will confuse people.
Alex McFarland Have you noticed that they are. You know, in my home state of North Carolina, there's a Constitutional amendment about you have to show a photo ID to vote. Now, that's a good thing, because voter integrity is on the ballot as well. So, Dr. Hefner, I want to thank you for doing what you're doing.
Prayer for the Election and the Duty of U.S. Citizens to Vote
And, I'm looking at, the talking points and it's so informative. 24 states that have very significant measures, 58 different measures. And so, folks, I want to say to everybody, please pray for this election and, please, let's all do our part. If you're a U.S. citizen, I really think voting is not only a privilege, it's a duty.
Bert Harper Amen.
Addressing Down-Ballot Issues: Lack of Information Hinders Voter Participation
Well, how can people, again, these down ballot things usually don't get a lot of high power.
Heather Hefner They don't.
Bert Harper How can people get help to know what they're saying?
Heather Hefner So we actually recently did a study with Dr. George Barna, and it showed that 85% of likely voters are going to go to the ballot box on Tuesday and they're going to vote, but most of them are going to vote only at the top of the ballot because they don't vote know anything about the rest of the ballot. It's not that they don't care.
AFA Action's Resources to Inform Voters About Ballot Measures
It's not that they don't want to vote. They just don't have the information. So over half, over half of that 85% said they're not going to vote all the way down the ballot. So what we have done at AFA Action I Voter Guide is, developed and provide resources to help voters be informed. So the newest one that we have is a PDF guide, state by state, that shows every single topic, all 58 measures across 24 states.
Accessing State-Specific Ballot Measure Information Online
And all you have to do is go to afaaction.net there's a red and blue banner right at the top, and you can see every measure for your state.
Bert Harper So here it is. And I heard this this morning in a meeting I was in. Even in Massachusetts, they've got this. So if you're living in Massachusetts, and I'm not saying we have a whole lot of listeners there, but we do have some.
Guide Availability for Massachusetts and Other States
We've gotten calls from Massachusetts and they're wanting to know they can go to this guide.
Heather Hefner They can. Massachusetts is there.
Bert Harper In Massachusetts. Even Massachusetts.
Reiterating Website for Ballot Measure Information Across States
Heather Hefner Even Massachusetts.
Bert Harper Okay.
Heather Hefner Even California.
Bert Harper Even California, they do. So if you're out there, you're listening on the radio or you listen by Internet or whatever you're doing, there's the possibility, give the name of how they can find this again, what site did they go to?
AFA Action Website and iVoterGuide Resources Explained
Heather Hefner So you just go to afaaction.net and it's right there on the homepage, a red and blue banner at the top. You just click check now and that'll give you all 24 states. And you can scroll through and find your state.
Bert Harper Alex, that's amazing. That took a lot of work.
Praise for iVoterGuide's Accurate and Accessible Voter Information
And these are individuals that AFR AFA has identified in these states with Ivoter Guide and others to look at these things and see what they mean. This is a great resource, Alex.
Alex McFarland Yeah. And Dr. Heffner, thank you for you and your staff, for making it so easy to read, to be accurately informed and, and very helpful. Give that website again if you would please.
Ballot Measures: Empowering Direct Decision-Making for Voters
Heather Hefner Sure. It's afaaction.net and the important thing to know about ballot measures is, you know, when we vote on candidates we're voting on other people who are going to make decisions on our behalf. But when we vote on ballot measures we have the voice we are able to make decisions.
Bert Harper And in some of these states it takes 60% or it's kind of like the Senate got to have a super majority as they call it.
Heather Hefner And one vote can make a difference.
Voting Action Plan: Sample Ballots, Polling Places, and Bringing Friends
Bert Harper One vote can make a difference. And I noticed on the talking points, I can't help but read this and it says make a plan. Check your sample ballot. You can get online and you can see that what's going on. Know where to vote, know where you're going and then bring a friend or a family member with you.
Encouraging Voter Turnout and Participation
Heather Hefner Take somebody with you.
Bert Harper Amen. And so that increases and helps the vote.
Heather Hefner It does, it does.
Bert Harper Alex, most of this is voter get out.
Motivations for Voter Turnout: Positive and Negative Incentives
Dr. Heavener, you responded. Voter turnout is there's two reasons. Some they turn out because they don't want that to happen and others turn out because they want this to happen. I think as we, as Christians we have both.
Personalized Voting Guides and Aligning with Personal Values
Heather Hefner Yes sir, I agree. And you said you know, check your sample ballot, know your polling place. we want you to vote all the way down the ballot. Don't stop short, don't stop short. And not only will the ballot measures resource, ah, help with that, but we also have on ivoterguide.com you type in your address and it will give you a personalized guide exactly what's going to be on your ballot.
Praise for iVoterGuide's Thorough Research and Informative Content
the candidates a rating. It's going to show you not who to vote for but who will align with your personal values so that you can have an informed vote.
Bert Harper Alex, that's a great resource, isn't it?
Alex McFarland That's a great resource and I know many, many hours of research to accurately, lay out what the issues are, where the candidates stand. A lot of hard work has gone into this, and so thank you for such a great resource.
Transition to New Bible Study: The Book of Hosea
Heather Hefner Yes, sir. Thank you all for highlighting it today.
Bert Harper One more thing before we go to break, and we're going to study the book of Hosea. We starting a new book in the Old Testament, Hosea. What a book it was.
Historical Context of Hosea: Desperate Times in the Northern Kingdom
And I want to make this comparison, studying Hosea as I was looking at the overall view of it, they were in desperate times, especially the Northern Kingdomnomics. At that time, you had Judah and you also had the Northern kingdom, okay? And Israel. And Israel was completely gone wrong. They had never had a good king.
Leadership Contrasts: Southern Kingdom's Attempts at Religious Restoration
Leadership was always going in the wrong direction, downward. But in the Southern kingdom, you had those kings that would come along and they'd try to restore to them, worshiping God. So if we could look at this again. This is not a theocracy. We live in a democratic republic, as it is called Representative.
Democratic Republics and Godly Values in Policy Making
But we still need to look to godly values. And some of those values are in the policies that are being considered. That's what AFA Action does, or I Voter Guide does. They look at that and look at the values of who's backing them, what money's supporting them, all these other things to go in that when you cast your ballot, you have that knowledge, as you said, not telling you how to vote, but it certainly tells you and helps you to know how to vote as a follower of Christ, doesn't it?
Heather Hefner That's right, it does.
iVoterGuide's Rigorous Research Process and Human Oversight
So, you know, I Voter Guide is deeply rooted in research. every candidate profile has gone through a rigorous research process, by real people. We're not using AI and plugging all of this information in and letting it say, this is how we need to rate this person. These are real people who have been trained, they've been vetted. and then after they go through the rating process, that rating goes to an oversight panel who checks the rating.
Informed Voting: Considering Actions, Records, and Endorsements
So.
Bert Harper So it's not just what that candidate says, it's what he does. And what they've observed concerned their voting
Heather Hefner records, their endorsements, their donations.
Bert Harper Okay, Alex, that helps a person vote, doesn't it?
North Carolina Political Landscape: Cooper vs. Whatley Discussion
If they have all that information, it really does.
Alex McFarland And this is so important. And m. Let me just say, you know, here in North Carolina, a former governor, Roy Cooper, is running against Micah Whatley. And, Roy Cooper is very, very, very liberal. But here's my point.
The Critical Impact of Small Vote Margins in Elections
Ten years ago, Tony Perkins and FRC asked me to help. Roy Cooper was running for governor. And he won by just a few, very small amount, a few thousand votes. And we did our best. in fact, I toured all over North Carolina to try to get pastors to urge their people to vote.
Every Vote Matters: Reinforcing the Importance of Participation
And my point is this, Roy Cooper's political career, he's very leftist. He got into politics with just a few votes. And so every vote matters. That's my point.
Bert Harper And that's what Heather is telling us about.
Thanks to Dr. Heather Hevner for Her Valuable Contributions
Dr. Hevner, I just know where is Heather. So it's hard for me to go that. Thank you for being with us.
Caroline Yes, sir.
Bert Harper Thank you.
Call to Action: Check State Measures and Candidates Online
Heather Hefner Check your state [email protected] and look up your candidates on ivoterguide.com thank you, Heather.
Listener Support Acknowledgement and Call for Monthly Donations
Bert Harper Hello, I'm Bert Harper. Did you know that this content is listener supported? Without people like you, this podcast would not exist. That's why we need you. A generous monthly gift of any amount will sustain American Family Radio and specifically this podcast.
Sustaining American Family Radio: Becoming a Monthly Financial Partner
Please consider becoming a monthly financial partner today by visiting afr.net give that's afr uh.net gift
Hymn and Welcome Back: Exploring the Word Continues
Alex McFarland I know that my redeemer lives I know that my redeemer lives still keeping all his promises the same Jesus the same Jesus. Amen. This Same Jesus Acts 1, verse 11. This same Jesus will return in like manner. Well, welcome to Exploring the Word again.
Embarking on a New Study: The Old Testament Book of Hosea
Alex and Bert, so honored you're listening and you've tuned in a, very significant day. We're gonna begin a brand new study of Hosea, the Old Testament book of Hosea. And Bert, we spent quite a number of weeks in the book of Matthew and a lot of times we do this. If we're in the NewSong Testament, then we'll pivot back to the Old Testament. So Hosea is what they call one of.
Understanding Minor Prophets: Hosea and Its Significance
Well, actually the first of the minor prophets, Hosea through Malachi. Now, minor, it doesn't mean insignificant, but the major prophets. The minor prophets is just, the length. The minor prophets are pretty short little books, although Hosea's got 14 chapters. But, I'm excited about this.
Hosea's Ministry and Personal Favorite Bible Verses
One of my favorite Bible verses. We'll get to Hosea. well, there are quite a number of verses there that are very special. But Bert, I'm glad we're embarking on this prophet that ministered for four decades. That's about how long Hosea, ah, was, serving God as one of the prophets.
Hosea's Contemporaries: Prophets in the Northern and Southern Kingdoms
Bert Harper Four decades with four contemporaries. This is what's amazing. Micah was a contemporary, Isaiah was a contemporary, and so was Amos. And now Hosea and Amos would mostly be toward the northern kingdom, Israel. But Isaiah and Micah was toward the southern kingdom.
The Quartet of Prophets and Hosea's Volume Compared to Others
So God was doing that. It's a quartet. it's unusual to have that many, ah, prophets in the same century, as we would say. And it spread out and again, here it is when you find Hosea quote, a minor prophet. Far as volume, it was kind of in between, but it's less than the other that are greater than his for it.
The Unsurpassed Love of God Demonstrated in the Book of Hosea
But the message, there's no message of God's love greater told in any book of the Bible. Hosea tells it, he demonstrates it, and this is it, the scripture. And I just want to give, I would call it kind of the theme verse that, makes you understand. Hosea's in the middle of it. Chapter four, verse six.
Hosea's Warning: Destruction Due to Lack of Knowledge and Rejection
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because you have rejected knowledge. I also reject you from being priests for me, because you have forgotten the law of your God. I also will forget your children. What a warning that is. And he was laying it out.
The Downward Spiral of Rejection and Forgetting God
But notice this. They have lack of knowledge because they have rejected knowledge.
Caroline That.
Bert Harper And if you want proof of this, you want to look at the book of Romans, chapter one, and look how this downward spiral starts. It starts in chapter one, verse 21 of Romans.
Avoiding Downwardness: The Importance of Obeying and Staying with God
And it says concerning their gratitude, they neither were thankful and they would forget God. You don't want to start down that trip of downwardness. You want to stay with God. And one of the greatest things you can do is obey God, what he says. Now, rejecting that leads to only further rejection.
Hosea's Demonstration of Rejection and Contemporaries in Prophecy
And, Hosea demonstrates that in a great way.
Alex McFarland Alex, you know, I was thinking about something. I mean, Hosea being, a contemporary with Amos and in the Southern Kingdomnomics, living at the same time as Isaiah and Micah. Isn't that amazing? You know, we've, we've been so privileged over the last 28 years to put on a lot of conferences.
Recalling Past Conferences and Notable Speakers
And you know, it's, it's always a blessing. I remember, when he was traveling, we had Josh McDowell and at this, we had a number of conferences, get this, all on the same stage. James Dobson, Chuck Colson, Lee strobel, Josh McDowell. You know, it was great. But could you imagine putting on a Bible conference back in the day?
Imagining a Bible Conference with Contemporary Prophets
You know, come to the AFA conference. We've got Isaiah, Hosea, Micah, Amos. But they were contemporaries, you know, they were.
Bert Harper And that's, the first time I ever heard that was in Old Testament Bible class. And I thought, man, this is awesome.
Dating Prophetic Messages: The Word of the Lord to Hosea
And it really is. Now let's read if we could. Verse one, and we'll set it apart. This sets his four decades, as you said, the word of the Lord that came to Hosea the son of Berea, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, King of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. Now again, you see the first four, they are from Judah, they're from the southern kingdom.
Dating Prophetic Messages by Kings of Judah and Israel
But the one, Jeroboam the first, this is Jeroboam ii. And it would be in those days. That's when the word of the Lord came. That's how they dated that. Who was reigning when Isaiah.
Isaiah's Reference to King Uzziah and the Lord's Controversy
Alex McFarland Forgive me, but Isaiah, of course, famously references King Uzziah, doesn't he?
Bert Harper In the year that King Uzziah died. These were significant days. And when the Lord began to speak by Hosea, ah, the Lord said to Hosea, now listen to this. This is the controversy.
Hosea's Command: A Wife of Harlotry and Children of Harlotry
It's very difficult. Go take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry for the land, great harlotry, by departing from the Lord. Now again, he's asking him to demonstrate what Israel and Judah, what these lands have done. They've both done it. Now again, Israel, the northern kingdom, had.
Israel's Greater Harlotry Compared to the Southern Kingdom
Did it, had done that in a greater way than the southern kingdom. Again, as I introduced this, the southern kingdom had some good kings, and they would tear down all those evil temples and the places that they were doing it and restore. But here he says, take your a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry. Here it is. Here's the key.
Hosea's Life as an Object Lesson: Preaching and Living the Message
Hosea's not only preaching this message, he's living it, Alex.
Alex McFarland Wow. Very. Yes, he is. He is living it.
Israel as God's Unfaithful Spouse: Hosea and Gomer's Marriage
And I mean, my goodness, what an object lesson, you know, this wife of harlotry. But the picture was Israel was like God's spouse, but, an unfaithful spouse, you know. So Hosea, verse 3. He went and took Gomer, the daughter of, Diblane, if I'm pronouncing that somewhat correctly. And she conceived and bore him a son.
The Name Jezreel: Prophesying Judgment on the House of Israel
Then the Lord said to him, call his name Jezreel, for in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and being at an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. so it shall come to pass in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel. it's been said that, Hosea mentions 150 sins or 150 times in this book, he will call out the sins. and really this marriage, this, son, it shows that the judgment of God is prophesied and there is time to repent. Although repentance is what mostly the people don't do.
Israel's Reprimand for Immorality, Lying, Murder, and Covetousness
Israel is going to be reprimanded for their, well, immorality, but lying murder, but covetousness. And Bert from the Ten Commandments isn't idolatry. really, to put something in the place of God, isn't that the most foundational sin from which all other sins come?
Bert Harper It really do is Alex. And you'll find out that from that comes ingratitude, and he's going to hit on that.
Idolatry as the Foundational Sin Leading to Other Sins
It comes from hypocrisy, because guess what they would do? They would honor the holy days, but guess what they'd do in honoring the holy days. They would honor the gods of baal. You know, but where does it stem? What is the root?
The Pronouns' Significance: Identity and Modern Relevance
It is idolatry, putting that which is before God. Notice the pronouns here. And I'm just going to use this and we'll go through it and come back real quick. He had two sons, one daughter. And how important are these pronouns in the day in which we live?
Children's Names: Jezreel
Yes, pronouns, identity of gender is important. His name is Jezreel. When you come to verse six, there's a daughter, her name is Lorimi. And then we come over, if we would, to verse 10, and he has another son, it says, and said they had another son. And his name would be, Loami. And so each one of these is significant. And they say something about the character, not only of the relationship, I think, between Hosea and Gomer, but the relationship of God in Israel as well. Each one of these names is significant in that way, isn't it?
Alex McFarland Well, Jezreel means scattered. Lo Ruhama, the daughter means no mercy. And lo, Ammi, or ammi, how you say it, not my people. And so everything is very vivid here about what God is doing. And like you say, that Hosea is not just preaching it, he's living it. And, you know, in the life of any Christian, I mean, it's not hard to say the right things, but really trusting God. And I think Hosea is a picture of trusting God, don't you?
Bert Harper It really is. And trust in God. And while he's doing this judgment, he's also given hope of restoration, turning to the Lord. And some of it is immediate and some of it is futuristic. Even after we through or through in our day. But notice what it says, in verse, at the end of verse four. And bring an end to the kingdom. Wow. Israel is going to be wiped out. They're going to be absorbed. Assyria is going to come. Was it 752, if I remember right? and they were destroyed. They were taken over by Assyria, Syrians moved, different nationalities and people that came from pagan backgrounds into that area. And it would become what in the biblical time would be Samaria, which, while Judah, at this time, they're being disciplined, but Israel is being, as it says here, bringing in to, Alex, severity of judgment. God is faithful to discipline us. he is. I'm glad he disciplines us. But here, Israel as the nation itself, the northern kingdom, they didn't have a king in David's line. Judah did. Judah had good kings among their evil kings. The northern kingdom were all evil kings going away from what God would have them to do. So it was two patterns here. And one is destroyed, the other one is disciplined. Isn't that true?
Alex McFarland That is very true. But, you know, in spite of all of the judgment, and I mean, throughout history is the Jewish people have. They've been in their homeland and they've been scattered. But I love verse 10. It says, yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. That was one of the promises God had made to Abraham. You know, that you'll have this land, that your descendants will outnumber the stars in the heavens, the sand on the sea, and through Israel, all the whole world would be blessed because the Messiah, Jesus Christ, would be born through Israel. And so, Bert, all of the melodrama, the wanderings, the enslavements, the backsliding, the sin, God, promised to send the Messiah through Israel. Satan always tried to derail God's plan of salvation by the persecution of the Jewish people. And, you know, nevertheless, they have been a numerous people. but here's the thing. Even to this present moment, all of the struggle in the Middle east and the antisemitism that we've seen in our own day, Israel, is a spiritual entity, isn't it, Bert? I mean, they're not just an ethnicity, though they certainly are. But Israel is a spiritual entity. And the whole wide world is embroiled in the spiritual crossfire of Satan fighting God.
Bert Harper That is the bottom line, Alex, as you said, it is that battle that's going on. One more thing about the three children and I know, I'm going backward here. Jezreel, there's no doubt in the way it's worded that that was Hosea and Gomer's child. The second two, there's doubt about the second one. The third one with the name Lo Amai, which means not my people. I think it's more than just talking about Israel. She, was playing the harlot. The chances are, and most of the scholars that I read definitely believe the third child of Gomers was probably. And not Hosea as the physical father. And so each one of these, in other words, it tends to go downward. I already talked about the book of Romans, chapter one, that downward spiral. I've talked about Israel and its downward spiral. It never, it never had a hiccup going downward. Judah, on the other hand, the southern kingdom, it would have that leveling out and even restoration going forward there. And so this third one, not my people. And Alex, that. That's. That God is. Hey, you're not acting like my people. You have it in name only. But you. It's more than name. It's really inward faith action, isn't it?
Alex McFarland Well, it is. And you know, the thing about it, in Hosea 1, verse 3, it says, Gomer conceived and bore him a son, or bore a son to him. And the second two children, it doesn't say that.
Bert Harper That's right. And that's the evidence of it. And with the second one having that name, you know, unpitied or unloved. But here, the third one, not my people, that's pretty loud, you know. And, so these names mean something. So Gomer plays the harlot, and then those children of harlotry, as he would say, they would forget God. And this is not my people, so it's being acted out. Let's do verse 11 real quickly, if we could, before we go to break. Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and, ah, appoint for themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land. For great will be the days of Jezreel. Jezreel has two meanings. One is God scatters. The other one is play on words. God sows. So what he scatters. One day he's. He's brought them back in 1948. But there's even going to be a greater gathering one day, Alex.
Alex McFarland Amen.
Bert Harper God's going to bring it together. And I know the nation of Israel destroyed, but the people themselves, some of them, worked their way south we don't know. And became a part of Judah where even the 12 tribes are still recognized. that's God's plan and God's purpose, isn't it?
Alex McFarland It is. And verse 11 of Hosea 1 is very much like Isaiah 11, 10, 13. You might want to reference that. Hey, we're going to come back and take your phone calls. The number, if You've got a Bible. 8885-8988-4088-8589-8840. Call us with a Bible question.
Bert Harper We would like to take a moment to thank our sponsor, preborn. When a mother meets her baby on ultrasound and hears their heartbeat, it's a divine connection. And the majority of the time, she will choose life. But they can't do it without our help. Preborn needs us, the pro life community, to come alongside them. One ultrasound is just $28. To donate, dial £250 and say the keyword baby or visit preborn.com afr oh,
Alex McFarland I've heard a thousand stories of words. They think you're like. But I've heard the tender whisper of love in the dead of, night. And you tell me that you're pleased and that, I never alone. You're a good, good, good father. It's who you are. It's who you are. It's who you are.
Bert Harper Amen. Amen. What a song. Thank you. he's a good, good father. If you've been sold a bill of goods that God is not good. You've been given wrong information. He is a good, good father. He loves you. He's care. He cares for you right where you are. If you're behind bars, he cares for you. If you're a truck driver, he cares for you. If you're a schoolteacher headed home after school, he loves you. If you're a student and you're, searching for answers. God loves you. He's a good, good father. I just want to make sure everyone knows that. Well, Alex again, we're getting phone calls and. But the number that we have room for more is 8885-898840-88858-9840. Let me say one more word about the fishbowl retreat. They asked, how's Alex doing? And, so I was able to give a good report. And I said, man, he's holding down the fort. He's taking care of exploring the word. And, so you're. You're well loved, brother by pastors. I just want to pass that on Man.
Alex McFarland Well, to God be the glory and plea. I'm sure you conveyed our loving regards. Speaking of holding down the fort, I want to say a big thanks to Matt Murphy. He is in our engineering department. And, over the last few months, some of the gear needed to be updated. And, you know, Jonathan Coker has the great staff, but Matt Murphy has helped me so much with our gear that I travel all over America with. And so I. Don't you appreciate all the staff of AFR Bert?
Bert Harper I do. And Matt's always when, Brent can't make it, Matt usually step the board operation for here. So well loved guy. And he does keep all those. Especially all of you guys that travel and all of you guys that are not in the studio. He communicates well. I heard him talking to some more. His office is right next to mine. He is helping some more of those hosts that sit a distance, make sure their equipment's working. With all that in mind, let's go to the phone lines, get as many calls as we can. And first, from the great state of Mississippi. Rick. Rick. Go right ahead, brother.
Caroline Hey, appreciate what y' all do. I've always been curious and never could really find a good explanation what happened to the people that, were resurrected at the crucifixion.
Bert Harper Okay, that's a. That's. The Bible does not say specifically, but it seems like they may have gone back into the grave or was their body translated the way Elijah's was? You know, I know he was dead, Alex, do you have an opinion on that? I'll share mine after. After we're through, After I give alternatives.
Alex McFarland You know, the Bible doesn't say in. In Matthew 27, you know, 51 through 54, you know, talks about. And we actually had this question last week about some of the phenomenon. Okay. Christ is on the cross. The sky becomes dark, there's an earthquake, there's the curtain of the temple rips. And it says, after his resurrection, some of the saints that slept arose and appeared to many in Jerusalem. Then it goes back, and the, centurion says, truly, this was the Son of God. So Matthew 27:52 is kind of like a parenthetical insertion. Bert. I've always wondered, because it says they appeared in the holy city, Jerusalem appeared to many. I wonder if in. Just as that first Easter morning was sort of. They call it a proto resurrection of the believers of all the ages. Acts 1 is almost a proto rapture. Christ ascends. I wonder if they ascended to heaven with Jesus when he ascended to heaven.
Bert Harper That is one of the possibilities. Others, yes, he could let them appear for a while and go back. God is unable to do that. But when you think of that, the resurrection, prototype, I agree with you now, again, that's one of those questions. Rick, you're going to have to wait. Somebody, else will get to heaven before we know that for sure. Right now, it is the possibilities of. And so that's what we're stuck with. And that's what the Bible is. Some of these answers, they are, could be. And, when you go to the Holy Land and they'll take you on tours, they'll say, this is near the place where this happened. They can't put you exactly where it was, but they can put you in the area. And I hope we've put you in the area of the resurrection of those that. Those that were walking around in Jerusalem when Jesus was, dead, died on the cross. Let's go to Kentucky. Steve, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
Caroline Yeah, good afternoon, Bert and Alex. Good to talk to you guys. You know, I have a thing with Bibles. I do not want to buy a Bible that was manufactured in China, a country that hates the Bible and, imprisons Christians. So I was. I found a publisher called Church Publishers out of, I think it's Longview, Texas. And, they. All their Bibles are made in the United States. So I ordered a, KJV with the original C.I. schofield notes in it from 1917. So I just wanted to ask your opinion about that, study Bible.
Bert Harper Okay, I can do this quickly. I cut my teeth on a Scofield study Bible. That was the first study Bible I had. I loved it. I love it still. are there some issues with that? Well, he's hyper dispensational, but I'm a dispensational, so that doesn't throw me off. Alex, the story about C.I. scofield and what God did for him is an amazing story story, but his study Bible's amazing as well. Go ahead.
Alex McFarland Yeah, I lo. I love the Scofield study Bible. sometimes I think it's called a reference Bible, but, you know, it's got notes and cross references. When I was at Liberty University, it was almost mandatory that you get a Scofield study Bible. And, you know, I've mentioned it. I do love study Bibles. I really do. My Scofield study Bible is somewhere in Zambia right now because, we were there with the International Mission Board. And I took my seminary Bible, and there was a Zambian pastor. I said, how can I be praying for you? And he said, well, for years, I've prayed to someday get a Scofield Bible. And I said, well, here you go, brother. I got one. And so it was my great honor to, endow that to a Zambian pastor in the Bush country. But, Bert, I love the Scofield Bible. I recommend it. Another one that, I believe Thomas Nelson put out. It used to be called the Liberty Annotated Bible because the professors at Liberty did it. Now I think it's just simply called the Believers Study Bible. That's a real, real good one, too.
Bert Harper There are some great ones out there. Steve, you hear our answer? AOK on Schofield.
Alex McFarland Amen.
Bert Harper Amen. Let's go to the great state of North Carolina and talk to Pat. Pat, thank you for calling.
Caroline Hi. I, actually have two questions. My first one is, and I love your program. I can't reach you in my home. So I always listen when I'm on the road. And I'm on the road now. I was in a conversation yesterday with two ladies, a younger lady and an older lady. And the young lady was expressing her desire for her father to become a Christian. And the older lady said to her, that's good, but whatever sin he has committed, he will, still be held accountable for it when he dies.
Bert Harper Wow. Alex, you hear that?
Alex McFarland Yeah. I would, disagree with that. When you become a Christian, your sins are washed away. and so now I know that there are penalties in this life. For example, if someone is a, you know, heavy smoker and they get saved, they still might have health repercussions for that. So just because we get born again doesn't mean that there aren't some repercussions. But in terms of judgment before God, no, that's washed away in the blood of Jesus. Praise the Lord. Positionally. Scholars use the term positionally in Christ, and that means absolved of all guilt.
Bert Harper Amen. Cleansed from all sin, past, present, future. We are. Pat, you have a second one? Go right ahead if you can get it in.
Caroline Okay. I appreciate your answering that. I was kind of thrown off when I heard that. the other one was this morning, traveling. I was listening to the radio in the car, and this preacher stated that in the Old Testament, there was no salvation because there was no basis for salvation because Jesus had not come yet and died on the cross. Is that. Explain that to me.
Bert Harper Okay. Go back to Abraham. Abraham was Justified before God because of his faith. He trusted God. sometimes it's for what God's going to do in the Old Testament, but it's still by faith, and it's still through Christ. And there in salvation. How in the world could you have Hebrews 11 hall of Fame of faith with all those Old Testament, people listed if there was not salvation in the Old Testament? Alex.
Alex McFarland Amen. Amen. You see Romans, chapter four. I would encourage, people to read Romans 4. And you're right, Bert. The faith hall of fame. Now, here's how we're saved. Habakkuk 2 tells that we are justified through faith. The Old Testament saints, and even there were Gentiles that believed. You know, I think about, like Rahab, but in faith, they look to the Messiah that would come. In faith, we look back at the Messiah that did come. Same Messiah, Jesus, just two different sides of the cross. But there absolutely was salvation in the Old Testament. and, Bert, I really believe when it says, whosoever will may take the water of life, or whosoever will may come. That's in Isaiah 55. It's in Jon 3:16. I really think the whosoever will has been operative throughout history.
Bert Harper Listen to this passage of scripture. David wrote it. It's in Psalm 51. Restore unto me the joy of your salvation. Oh, man. Salvation, your salvation, restore. That mean he had it, and it was to be restored.
Alex McFarland Was that Psalm 51?
Bert Harper 51, verse 12. That's it. One of the greatest chapters in the Bible. just have that one there and just go to restore unto me. If. Let me just take a minute. If you're out there and the joy of the Lord is not real for you anymore, return to him. Repent. In return, come to him and say, oh, God, I, need to confess my sins. I need to serve you. I need to rejoice in you. Paul would write from prison in the book of Philippi, rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice. Rejoice who he is and rejoice what he's done. So, yes, that salvation's real then, and it's real today. Let's go to Mississippi. And it's Rod. Rod, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
Caroline I just wanted to thank both of you for praying for me. a couple of weeks ago, I called in and told you about my wife dying, and you prayed for me, and I wanted to thank you for that.
Bert Harper I remember that question is.
Caroline I wanted the other question I have for you. Is, the. The parable, that's in Luke 16, where the rich man goes to hell and Lazarus goes to hell. Do you believe that's a parable, or you believe that's a true story?
Bert Harper Well, the evidence, Lazarus using a person, a real person's name. Alex. Tends to lean toward real reality, doesn't it?
Alex McFarland It doesn't. And by the way, Lazarus went to heaven. He was in Abraham's bosom or paradise. The rich man went to hell. I, really think it's real. This is in my Bible. It's red ink. So this is the words of Christ in Luke 16, and in all the other parables, there's not a proper name given and many. a commentator. In fact, when I was in seminary, Dr. Harold Wilmington, the great Bible scholar, he believed it was a real account, you know.
Bert Harper Yeah. let me say this. And Brent's got a question in just a second here, but I heard someone say, I believe it's real, but if it's not real and it's just a parable, think about how real hell really is, if that's a parable and not truth. So I believe it's that way. Brent got a question got from Facebook.
Caroline We do.
Bert Harper this one, wanted to remain anonymous. their question is, how do you explain where the races come from? he has a friend who thinks God created them in Genesis two, and then Adam and Eve in chapter three. Okay. there's something about Shem and Chapheth, isn't there, Alex?
Alex McFarland Yeah, the sons of Noah. every ethnicity. And by the way, just to be clear, there's one race, the human race, you know, but all of the ethnicities, every ethnic group comes from either Shem, Ham, or Japheth. now, Shem is the ancestor of the. The Israelites. Ham, the people of Egypt, Cush, Canaan, Babylon. and the African peoples would have come from Ham, Japheth, you know, the European peoples and generally Caucasians would be, from Japheth. But yes, all of the ethnic groups, hundreds of ethnicities, they all come from these three sons of Noah.
Bert Harper Okay, time is running out. Philip from Tennessee. We wouldn't have time for your question and then our answer. So we've got your name down, and if you'll call tomorrow or anytime next week, we will rise and put you forward first on our list. I've got your name down on my list, and I'll transfer that to Richard to make sure he knows that. But we're sorry that we couldn't get to you today. But, Alex, I just want to say I'm looking forward in this study of Hosea, and, we see the love of God demonstrated, in Hosea toward Gomer. What a love God has for us. it's, indescribable, isn't it?
Alex McFarland Well, it is indescribable, the love of God. And many songwriters have written about it. But, hey, fidelity. Let's show fidelity. Just as spouses are to be faithful to each other, let's be faithful to the one. Romans 7 says, if you're a believer, you're a spouse to Jesus. And so Hosea is going to remind us of the importance of fidelity to God.
Bert Harper So in school preparation, read ahead and get ready for chapter two. You're going to get some judgment, but you're going to also see restoration. You'll see the love of God in action. Thank you for listening. Tell someone about this program, but more importantly, tell them about Jesus.
Heather Hefner The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
Bert Harper The Bible. It's the word of God. Sharper than any two edged sword. This sacred book is living and active and contains all that's needed for life and godliness. Stay with American Family Radio for the next hour as we study God's word and take your Bible questions.
Welcome Back: Host Introductions and Retreat Reflections
Welcome to Exploring the Word. Well, as someone said, he's back. Yes, I'm back. This is Bert Harper along with Dr. Alex McFarland, and it's a joy to be back with you after a week. At the time Fishbow Retreat, Jan and I hosted 40 couples from 13 different states, pastors and their wives, and we just had a great time.
Gratitude for Pastors and Discussion on Matthew Study Progress
We might say more about it during the week, but all those pastors that are listening, I want to tell you that came. What a blessing you were. Well, Alex, I know you and Dillon took care of the book of Matthew after I left. Y' all seemed to go a little faster than when I'm here.
Alex McFarland Well, Bert, it's great to have you back.
Listener Feedback and Appreciation for Dylan Burroughs' Work
Alex McFarland here, and, we prayed for you. And I know that you, were doing a great work there at the Fishbowl Retreat. I do thank Dillon Burroughs. He did a very fine job. And even over the weekend, I got a couple of emails from listeners who were so complimentary.
Online Broadcast Visuals: Holding Up a Sticker and Voting Discussion
But, for those watching online, Bert, I'm holding up a sticker that I got today, and guess what Angie and I did a few hours ago.
Bert Harper A sticker. Did you vote?
Alex McFarland I voted today already.
Caroline Wow.
Early Voting Rationale Due to Travel and Importance of Citizenship
Alex McFarland I early voted because, you know, we. We've got a lot going on in early November, and Angie and I will probably be traveling on election day. So we early voted today. And, Bert, we think voting is really important, don't we?
Bert Harper Let me just share with you.
Christian Stewardship and the Duty to Participate in Voting
As a follower of Jesus Christ, I'm to be faithful as a steward. It is required of, stewards to be faithful. Part of our stewardship of American citizenship, we the people, is to be God's people and, and vote and participate in vote. Right. With that in mind, we have a guest with us to start off this week.
Introducing Studio Guest Dr. Heather Hefner to the Program
Alex.
Alex McFarland I believe we do. I believe we do have a guest, and it's, Heather Hefner, and, she's in studio with you. The Dr. Heather Hefner. Right?
AFA Action's Role in Informing Voters about Election Issues
Bert Harper It is. She's the director of communications here for AFA Action. AFA Action is a. The political arm of afr and we try to help voters know what's going on. And so we've asked, Heather to be here today because November 3rd is important.
AFA Action Voter Guide Resources for Navigating November 3rd Elections
What should we know about, you know, November 3rd in voting will AFA action do. We have a way to let people help to know what to do.
Heather Hefner AFA Action and I, Voter Guide, which is a division of AFA Action, have some resources that are really going to help voters, come November 3rd. So, you know, sitting this one out means that you're going to let other people decide on issues that affect your family, your community, your churches, your schools. and the only way to combat that is to go out and vote.
Listener Voting Strategy: Party Affiliation and Candidate Choice Discussion
Bert Harper Vote Alex. And you've already voted. So how did you make up your mind?
Alex McFarland well, every. This is Alex here.
Humorous Take on Party Affiliation and Voting Preferences
Bert Harper That's what. That's the reason I asked the question
Alex McFarland if they had an R by their name. You know, they say Vote Red and red stands for remove every Democrat. But, anyway, you know what?
Appreciation for Voter Guide and Personal Reflections on Patriotism
Heather, I appreciate the Voter Guide so much. my mother and dad were very, very politically active conservatives. They're both in heaven now. And so it was drilled into me, patriotism and citizenship from a young age. And I thank God for that.
The Importance of Voting and Time Commitment Comparison
But, Heather, you're right. We cannot sit this one out. I just want to say this, folks. They say that voting is. Takes maybe 45 minutes.
America's Worth: Discussing Voting Decisions with Family and Planning
And I mean, that's a, trip to the grocery store is longer than that. I really think that America is worth showing up for.
Heather Hefner Absolutely.
Bert Harper It is. With that in mind, I was looking at this, and my wife Janet and I were talking about it.
Beyond High-Profile Races: Examining Other Ballot Measures
What all are we going to vote for? We know the high profile. The Senate race. We know the. Usually the representative race.
Ballot Measures Across States: Topics Include Life, Voter ID, and Sports
We know those. But there's some other issues that we might need to look at. Is there.
Heather Hefner There are. So this election cycle, there's 24 states that have ballot measures on the ballot.
Protecting Women's Sports and Understanding Down-Ballot Issues
It's, 58 measures across 24 states. and topics include life, voter ID, election integrity, gender, women in sports.
Bert Harper Wow. Women in sports. Okay.
Ballot Measures Often Worded Confusingly to Mislead Voters
Heather Hefner You know, protecting women's sports.
Bert Harper Okay, so you're talking about those guys.
Heather Hefner Those guys that.
Caroline To be in.
Bert Harper Girls that couldn't make it NBA and they want to go to the. Okay, we won't go there. But that's exactly how important this is. And it's usually down the line, they call it, you know, down ballot.
Heather Hefner Yes, sir.
Bert Harper Because that's not.
Voter ID Constitutional Amendment and Election Integrity Discussion
That's, A lot of times people go in there, Alex, have you noticed they're usually worded funny so it will confuse people.
Alex McFarland Have you noticed that they are. You know, in my home state of North Carolina, there's a Constitutional amendment about you have to show a photo ID to vote. Now, that's a good thing, because voter integrity is on the ballot as well. So, Dr. Hefner, I want to thank you for doing what you're doing.
Prayer for the Election and the Duty of U.S. Citizens to Vote
And, I'm looking at, the talking points and it's so informative. 24 states that have very significant measures, 58 different measures. And so, folks, I want to say to everybody, please pray for this election and, please, let's all do our part. If you're a U.S. citizen, I really think voting is not only a privilege, it's a duty.
Bert Harper Amen.
Addressing Down-Ballot Issues: Lack of Information Hinders Voter Participation
Well, how can people, again, these down ballot things usually don't get a lot of high power.
Heather Hefner They don't.
Bert Harper How can people get help to know what they're saying?
Heather Hefner So we actually recently did a study with Dr. George Barna, and it showed that 85% of likely voters are going to go to the ballot box on Tuesday and they're going to vote, but most of them are going to vote only at the top of the ballot because they don't vote know anything about the rest of the ballot. It's not that they don't care.
AFA Action's Resources to Inform Voters About Ballot Measures
It's not that they don't want to vote. They just don't have the information. So over half, over half of that 85% said they're not going to vote all the way down the ballot. So what we have done at AFA Action I Voter Guide is, developed and provide resources to help voters be informed. So the newest one that we have is a PDF guide, state by state, that shows every single topic, all 58 measures across 24 states.
Accessing State-Specific Ballot Measure Information Online
And all you have to do is go to afaaction.net there's a red and blue banner right at the top, and you can see every measure for your state.
Bert Harper So here it is. And I heard this this morning in a meeting I was in. Even in Massachusetts, they've got this. So if you're living in Massachusetts, and I'm not saying we have a whole lot of listeners there, but we do have some.
Guide Availability for Massachusetts and Other States
We've gotten calls from Massachusetts and they're wanting to know they can go to this guide.
Heather Hefner They can. Massachusetts is there.
Bert Harper In Massachusetts. Even Massachusetts.
Reiterating Website for Ballot Measure Information Across States
Heather Hefner Even Massachusetts.
Bert Harper Okay.
Heather Hefner Even California.
Bert Harper Even California, they do. So if you're out there, you're listening on the radio or you listen by Internet or whatever you're doing, there's the possibility, give the name of how they can find this again, what site did they go to?
AFA Action Website and iVoterGuide Resources Explained
Heather Hefner So you just go to afaaction.net and it's right there on the homepage, a red and blue banner at the top. You just click check now and that'll give you all 24 states. And you can scroll through and find your state.
Bert Harper Alex, that's amazing. That took a lot of work.
Praise for iVoterGuide's Accurate and Accessible Voter Information
And these are individuals that AFR AFA has identified in these states with Ivoter Guide and others to look at these things and see what they mean. This is a great resource, Alex.
Alex McFarland Yeah. And Dr. Heffner, thank you for you and your staff, for making it so easy to read, to be accurately informed and, and very helpful. Give that website again if you would please.
Ballot Measures: Empowering Direct Decision-Making for Voters
Heather Hefner Sure. It's afaaction.net and the important thing to know about ballot measures is, you know, when we vote on candidates we're voting on other people who are going to make decisions on our behalf. But when we vote on ballot measures we have the voice we are able to make decisions.
Bert Harper And in some of these states it takes 60% or it's kind of like the Senate got to have a super majority as they call it.
Heather Hefner And one vote can make a difference.
Voting Action Plan: Sample Ballots, Polling Places, and Bringing Friends
Bert Harper One vote can make a difference. And I noticed on the talking points, I can't help but read this and it says make a plan. Check your sample ballot. You can get online and you can see that what's going on. Know where to vote, know where you're going and then bring a friend or a family member with you.
Encouraging Voter Turnout and Participation
Heather Hefner Take somebody with you.
Bert Harper Amen. And so that increases and helps the vote.
Heather Hefner It does, it does.
Bert Harper Alex, most of this is voter get out.
Motivations for Voter Turnout: Positive and Negative Incentives
Dr. Heavener, you responded. Voter turnout is there's two reasons. Some they turn out because they don't want that to happen and others turn out because they want this to happen. I think as we, as Christians we have both.
Personalized Voting Guides and Aligning with Personal Values
Heather Hefner Yes sir, I agree. And you said you know, check your sample ballot, know your polling place. we want you to vote all the way down the ballot. Don't stop short, don't stop short. And not only will the ballot measures resource, ah, help with that, but we also have on ivoterguide.com you type in your address and it will give you a personalized guide exactly what's going to be on your ballot.
Praise for iVoterGuide's Thorough Research and Informative Content
the candidates a rating. It's going to show you not who to vote for but who will align with your personal values so that you can have an informed vote.
Bert Harper Alex, that's a great resource, isn't it?
Alex McFarland That's a great resource and I know many, many hours of research to accurately, lay out what the issues are, where the candidates stand. A lot of hard work has gone into this, and so thank you for such a great resource.
Transition to New Bible Study: The Book of Hosea
Heather Hefner Yes, sir. Thank you all for highlighting it today.
Bert Harper One more thing before we go to break, and we're going to study the book of Hosea. We starting a new book in the Old Testament, Hosea. What a book it was.
Historical Context of Hosea: Desperate Times in the Northern Kingdom
And I want to make this comparison, studying Hosea as I was looking at the overall view of it, they were in desperate times, especially the Northern Kingdomnomics. At that time, you had Judah and you also had the Northern kingdom, okay? And Israel. And Israel was completely gone wrong. They had never had a good king.
Leadership Contrasts: Southern Kingdom's Attempts at Religious Restoration
Leadership was always going in the wrong direction, downward. But in the Southern kingdom, you had those kings that would come along and they'd try to restore to them, worshiping God. So if we could look at this again. This is not a theocracy. We live in a democratic republic, as it is called Representative.
Democratic Republics and Godly Values in Policy Making
But we still need to look to godly values. And some of those values are in the policies that are being considered. That's what AFA Action does, or I Voter Guide does. They look at that and look at the values of who's backing them, what money's supporting them, all these other things to go in that when you cast your ballot, you have that knowledge, as you said, not telling you how to vote, but it certainly tells you and helps you to know how to vote as a follower of Christ, doesn't it?
Heather Hefner That's right, it does.
iVoterGuide's Rigorous Research Process and Human Oversight
So, you know, I Voter Guide is deeply rooted in research. every candidate profile has gone through a rigorous research process, by real people. We're not using AI and plugging all of this information in and letting it say, this is how we need to rate this person. These are real people who have been trained, they've been vetted. and then after they go through the rating process, that rating goes to an oversight panel who checks the rating.
Informed Voting: Considering Actions, Records, and Endorsements
So.
Bert Harper So it's not just what that candidate says, it's what he does. And what they've observed concerned their voting
Heather Hefner records, their endorsements, their donations.
Bert Harper Okay, Alex, that helps a person vote, doesn't it?
North Carolina Political Landscape: Cooper vs. Whatley Discussion
If they have all that information, it really does.
Alex McFarland And this is so important. And m. Let me just say, you know, here in North Carolina, a former governor, Roy Cooper, is running against Micah Whatley. And, Roy Cooper is very, very, very liberal. But here's my point.
The Critical Impact of Small Vote Margins in Elections
Ten years ago, Tony Perkins and FRC asked me to help. Roy Cooper was running for governor. And he won by just a few, very small amount, a few thousand votes. And we did our best. in fact, I toured all over North Carolina to try to get pastors to urge their people to vote.
Every Vote Matters: Reinforcing the Importance of Participation
And my point is this, Roy Cooper's political career, he's very leftist. He got into politics with just a few votes. And so every vote matters. That's my point.
Bert Harper And that's what Heather is telling us about.
Thanks to Dr. Heather Hevner for Her Valuable Contributions
Dr. Hevner, I just know where is Heather. So it's hard for me to go that. Thank you for being with us.
Caroline Yes, sir.
Bert Harper Thank you.
Call to Action: Check State Measures and Candidates Online
Heather Hefner Check your state [email protected] and look up your candidates on ivoterguide.com thank you, Heather.
Listener Support Acknowledgement and Call for Monthly Donations
Bert Harper Hello, I'm Bert Harper. Did you know that this content is listener supported? Without people like you, this podcast would not exist. That's why we need you. A generous monthly gift of any amount will sustain American Family Radio and specifically this podcast.
Sustaining American Family Radio: Becoming a Monthly Financial Partner
Please consider becoming a monthly financial partner today by visiting afr.net give that's afr uh.net gift
Hymn and Welcome Back: Exploring the Word Continues
Alex McFarland I know that my redeemer lives I know that my redeemer lives still keeping all his promises the same Jesus the same Jesus. Amen. This Same Jesus Acts 1, verse 11. This same Jesus will return in like manner. Well, welcome to Exploring the Word again.
Embarking on a New Study: The Old Testament Book of Hosea
Alex and Bert, so honored you're listening and you've tuned in a, very significant day. We're gonna begin a brand new study of Hosea, the Old Testament book of Hosea. And Bert, we spent quite a number of weeks in the book of Matthew and a lot of times we do this. If we're in the NewSong Testament, then we'll pivot back to the Old Testament. So Hosea is what they call one of.
Understanding Minor Prophets: Hosea and Its Significance
Well, actually the first of the minor prophets, Hosea through Malachi. Now, minor, it doesn't mean insignificant, but the major prophets. The minor prophets is just, the length. The minor prophets are pretty short little books, although Hosea's got 14 chapters. But, I'm excited about this.
Hosea's Ministry and Personal Favorite Bible Verses
One of my favorite Bible verses. We'll get to Hosea. well, there are quite a number of verses there that are very special. But Bert, I'm glad we're embarking on this prophet that ministered for four decades. That's about how long Hosea, ah, was, serving God as one of the prophets.
Hosea's Contemporaries: Prophets in the Northern and Southern Kingdoms
Bert Harper Four decades with four contemporaries. This is what's amazing. Micah was a contemporary, Isaiah was a contemporary, and so was Amos. And now Hosea and Amos would mostly be toward the northern kingdom, Israel. But Isaiah and Micah was toward the southern kingdom.
The Quartet of Prophets and Hosea's Volume Compared to Others
So God was doing that. It's a quartet. it's unusual to have that many, ah, prophets in the same century, as we would say. And it spread out and again, here it is when you find Hosea quote, a minor prophet. Far as volume, it was kind of in between, but it's less than the other that are greater than his for it.
The Unsurpassed Love of God Demonstrated in the Book of Hosea
But the message, there's no message of God's love greater told in any book of the Bible. Hosea tells it, he demonstrates it, and this is it, the scripture. And I just want to give, I would call it kind of the theme verse that, makes you understand. Hosea's in the middle of it. Chapter four, verse six.
Hosea's Warning: Destruction Due to Lack of Knowledge and Rejection
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because you have rejected knowledge. I also reject you from being priests for me, because you have forgotten the law of your God. I also will forget your children. What a warning that is. And he was laying it out.
The Downward Spiral of Rejection and Forgetting God
But notice this. They have lack of knowledge because they have rejected knowledge.
Caroline That.
Bert Harper And if you want proof of this, you want to look at the book of Romans, chapter one, and look how this downward spiral starts. It starts in chapter one, verse 21 of Romans.
Avoiding Downwardness: The Importance of Obeying and Staying with God
And it says concerning their gratitude, they neither were thankful and they would forget God. You don't want to start down that trip of downwardness. You want to stay with God. And one of the greatest things you can do is obey God, what he says. Now, rejecting that leads to only further rejection.
Hosea's Demonstration of Rejection and Contemporaries in Prophecy
And, Hosea demonstrates that in a great way.
Alex McFarland Alex, you know, I was thinking about something. I mean, Hosea being, a contemporary with Amos and in the Southern Kingdomnomics, living at the same time as Isaiah and Micah. Isn't that amazing? You know, we've, we've been so privileged over the last 28 years to put on a lot of conferences.
Recalling Past Conferences and Notable Speakers
And you know, it's, it's always a blessing. I remember, when he was traveling, we had Josh McDowell and at this, we had a number of conferences, get this, all on the same stage. James Dobson, Chuck Colson, Lee strobel, Josh McDowell. You know, it was great. But could you imagine putting on a Bible conference back in the day?
Imagining a Bible Conference with Contemporary Prophets
You know, come to the AFA conference. We've got Isaiah, Hosea, Micah, Amos. But they were contemporaries, you know, they were.
Bert Harper And that's, the first time I ever heard that was in Old Testament Bible class. And I thought, man, this is awesome.
Dating Prophetic Messages: The Word of the Lord to Hosea
And it really is. Now let's read if we could. Verse one, and we'll set it apart. This sets his four decades, as you said, the word of the Lord that came to Hosea the son of Berea, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, King of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. Now again, you see the first four, they are from Judah, they're from the southern kingdom.
Dating Prophetic Messages by Kings of Judah and Israel
But the one, Jeroboam the first, this is Jeroboam ii. And it would be in those days. That's when the word of the Lord came. That's how they dated that. Who was reigning when Isaiah.
Isaiah's Reference to King Uzziah and the Lord's Controversy
Alex McFarland Forgive me, but Isaiah, of course, famously references King Uzziah, doesn't he?
Bert Harper In the year that King Uzziah died. These were significant days. And when the Lord began to speak by Hosea, ah, the Lord said to Hosea, now listen to this. This is the controversy.
Hosea's Command: A Wife of Harlotry and Children of Harlotry
It's very difficult. Go take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry for the land, great harlotry, by departing from the Lord. Now again, he's asking him to demonstrate what Israel and Judah, what these lands have done. They've both done it. Now again, Israel, the northern kingdom, had.
Israel's Greater Harlotry Compared to the Southern Kingdom
Did it, had done that in a greater way than the southern kingdom. Again, as I introduced this, the southern kingdom had some good kings, and they would tear down all those evil temples and the places that they were doing it and restore. But here he says, take your a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry. Here it is. Here's the key.
Hosea's Life as an Object Lesson: Preaching and Living the Message
Hosea's not only preaching this message, he's living it, Alex.
Alex McFarland Wow. Very. Yes, he is. He is living it.
Israel as God's Unfaithful Spouse: Hosea and Gomer's Marriage
And I mean, my goodness, what an object lesson, you know, this wife of harlotry. But the picture was Israel was like God's spouse, but, an unfaithful spouse, you know. So Hosea, verse 3. He went and took Gomer, the daughter of, Diblane, if I'm pronouncing that somewhat correctly. And she conceived and bore him a son.
The Name Jezreel: Prophesying Judgment on the House of Israel
Then the Lord said to him, call his name Jezreel, for in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and being at an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. so it shall come to pass in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel. it's been said that, Hosea mentions 150 sins or 150 times in this book, he will call out the sins. and really this marriage, this, son, it shows that the judgment of God is prophesied and there is time to repent. Although repentance is what mostly the people don't do.
Israel's Reprimand for Immorality, Lying, Murder, and Covetousness
Israel is going to be reprimanded for their, well, immorality, but lying murder, but covetousness. And Bert from the Ten Commandments isn't idolatry. really, to put something in the place of God, isn't that the most foundational sin from which all other sins come?
Bert Harper It really do is Alex. And you'll find out that from that comes ingratitude, and he's going to hit on that.
Idolatry as the Foundational Sin Leading to Other Sins
It comes from hypocrisy, because guess what they would do? They would honor the holy days, but guess what they'd do in honoring the holy days. They would honor the gods of baal. You know, but where does it stem? What is the root?
The Pronouns' Significance: Identity and Modern Relevance
It is idolatry, putting that which is before God. Notice the pronouns here. And I'm just going to use this and we'll go through it and come back real quick. He had two sons, one daughter. And how important are these pronouns in the day in which we live?
Children's Names: Jezreel
Yes, pronouns, identity of gender is important. His name is Jezreel. When you come to verse six, there's a daughter, her name is Lorimi. And then we come over, if we would, to verse 10, and he has another son, it says, and said they had another son. And his name would be, Loami. And so each one of these is significant. And they say something about the character, not only of the relationship, I think, between Hosea and Gomer, but the relationship of God in Israel as well. Each one of these names is significant in that way, isn't it?
Alex McFarland Well, Jezreel means scattered. Lo Ruhama, the daughter means no mercy. And lo, Ammi, or ammi, how you say it, not my people. And so everything is very vivid here about what God is doing. And like you say, that Hosea is not just preaching it, he's living it. And, you know, in the life of any Christian, I mean, it's not hard to say the right things, but really trusting God. And I think Hosea is a picture of trusting God, don't you?
Bert Harper It really is. And trust in God. And while he's doing this judgment, he's also given hope of restoration, turning to the Lord. And some of it is immediate and some of it is futuristic. Even after we through or through in our day. But notice what it says, in verse, at the end of verse four. And bring an end to the kingdom. Wow. Israel is going to be wiped out. They're going to be absorbed. Assyria is going to come. Was it 752, if I remember right? and they were destroyed. They were taken over by Assyria, Syrians moved, different nationalities and people that came from pagan backgrounds into that area. And it would become what in the biblical time would be Samaria, which, while Judah, at this time, they're being disciplined, but Israel is being, as it says here, bringing in to, Alex, severity of judgment. God is faithful to discipline us. he is. I'm glad he disciplines us. But here, Israel as the nation itself, the northern kingdom, they didn't have a king in David's line. Judah did. Judah had good kings among their evil kings. The northern kingdom were all evil kings going away from what God would have them to do. So it was two patterns here. And one is destroyed, the other one is disciplined. Isn't that true?
Alex McFarland That is very true. But, you know, in spite of all of the judgment, and I mean, throughout history is the Jewish people have. They've been in their homeland and they've been scattered. But I love verse 10. It says, yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. That was one of the promises God had made to Abraham. You know, that you'll have this land, that your descendants will outnumber the stars in the heavens, the sand on the sea, and through Israel, all the whole world would be blessed because the Messiah, Jesus Christ, would be born through Israel. And so, Bert, all of the melodrama, the wanderings, the enslavements, the backsliding, the sin, God, promised to send the Messiah through Israel. Satan always tried to derail God's plan of salvation by the persecution of the Jewish people. And, you know, nevertheless, they have been a numerous people. but here's the thing. Even to this present moment, all of the struggle in the Middle east and the antisemitism that we've seen in our own day, Israel, is a spiritual entity, isn't it, Bert? I mean, they're not just an ethnicity, though they certainly are. But Israel is a spiritual entity. And the whole wide world is embroiled in the spiritual crossfire of Satan fighting God.
Bert Harper That is the bottom line, Alex, as you said, it is that battle that's going on. One more thing about the three children and I know, I'm going backward here. Jezreel, there's no doubt in the way it's worded that that was Hosea and Gomer's child. The second two, there's doubt about the second one. The third one with the name Lo Amai, which means not my people. I think it's more than just talking about Israel. She, was playing the harlot. The chances are, and most of the scholars that I read definitely believe the third child of Gomers was probably. And not Hosea as the physical father. And so each one of these, in other words, it tends to go downward. I already talked about the book of Romans, chapter one, that downward spiral. I've talked about Israel and its downward spiral. It never, it never had a hiccup going downward. Judah, on the other hand, the southern kingdom, it would have that leveling out and even restoration going forward there. And so this third one, not my people. And Alex, that. That's. That God is. Hey, you're not acting like my people. You have it in name only. But you. It's more than name. It's really inward faith action, isn't it?
Alex McFarland Well, it is. And you know, the thing about it, in Hosea 1, verse 3, it says, Gomer conceived and bore him a son, or bore a son to him. And the second two children, it doesn't say that.
Bert Harper That's right. And that's the evidence of it. And with the second one having that name, you know, unpitied or unloved. But here, the third one, not my people, that's pretty loud, you know. And, so these names mean something. So Gomer plays the harlot, and then those children of harlotry, as he would say, they would forget God. And this is not my people, so it's being acted out. Let's do verse 11 real quickly, if we could, before we go to break. Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and, ah, appoint for themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land. For great will be the days of Jezreel. Jezreel has two meanings. One is God scatters. The other one is play on words. God sows. So what he scatters. One day he's. He's brought them back in 1948. But there's even going to be a greater gathering one day, Alex.
Alex McFarland Amen.
Bert Harper God's going to bring it together. And I know the nation of Israel destroyed, but the people themselves, some of them, worked their way south we don't know. And became a part of Judah where even the 12 tribes are still recognized. that's God's plan and God's purpose, isn't it?
Alex McFarland It is. And verse 11 of Hosea 1 is very much like Isaiah 11, 10, 13. You might want to reference that. Hey, we're going to come back and take your phone calls. The number, if You've got a Bible. 8885-8988-4088-8589-8840. Call us with a Bible question.
Bert Harper We would like to take a moment to thank our sponsor, preborn. When a mother meets her baby on ultrasound and hears their heartbeat, it's a divine connection. And the majority of the time, she will choose life. But they can't do it without our help. Preborn needs us, the pro life community, to come alongside them. One ultrasound is just $28. To donate, dial £250 and say the keyword baby or visit preborn.com afr oh,
Alex McFarland I've heard a thousand stories of words. They think you're like. But I've heard the tender whisper of love in the dead of, night. And you tell me that you're pleased and that, I never alone. You're a good, good, good father. It's who you are. It's who you are. It's who you are.
Bert Harper Amen. Amen. What a song. Thank you. he's a good, good father. If you've been sold a bill of goods that God is not good. You've been given wrong information. He is a good, good father. He loves you. He's care. He cares for you right where you are. If you're behind bars, he cares for you. If you're a truck driver, he cares for you. If you're a schoolteacher headed home after school, he loves you. If you're a student and you're, searching for answers. God loves you. He's a good, good father. I just want to make sure everyone knows that. Well, Alex again, we're getting phone calls and. But the number that we have room for more is 8885-898840-88858-9840. Let me say one more word about the fishbowl retreat. They asked, how's Alex doing? And, so I was able to give a good report. And I said, man, he's holding down the fort. He's taking care of exploring the word. And, so you're. You're well loved, brother by pastors. I just want to pass that on Man.
Alex McFarland Well, to God be the glory and plea. I'm sure you conveyed our loving regards. Speaking of holding down the fort, I want to say a big thanks to Matt Murphy. He is in our engineering department. And, over the last few months, some of the gear needed to be updated. And, you know, Jonathan Coker has the great staff, but Matt Murphy has helped me so much with our gear that I travel all over America with. And so I. Don't you appreciate all the staff of AFR Bert?
Bert Harper I do. And Matt's always when, Brent can't make it, Matt usually step the board operation for here. So well loved guy. And he does keep all those. Especially all of you guys that travel and all of you guys that are not in the studio. He communicates well. I heard him talking to some more. His office is right next to mine. He is helping some more of those hosts that sit a distance, make sure their equipment's working. With all that in mind, let's go to the phone lines, get as many calls as we can. And first, from the great state of Mississippi. Rick. Rick. Go right ahead, brother.
Caroline Hey, appreciate what y' all do. I've always been curious and never could really find a good explanation what happened to the people that, were resurrected at the crucifixion.
Bert Harper Okay, that's a. That's. The Bible does not say specifically, but it seems like they may have gone back into the grave or was their body translated the way Elijah's was? You know, I know he was dead, Alex, do you have an opinion on that? I'll share mine after. After we're through, After I give alternatives.
Alex McFarland You know, the Bible doesn't say in. In Matthew 27, you know, 51 through 54, you know, talks about. And we actually had this question last week about some of the phenomenon. Okay. Christ is on the cross. The sky becomes dark, there's an earthquake, there's the curtain of the temple rips. And it says, after his resurrection, some of the saints that slept arose and appeared to many in Jerusalem. Then it goes back, and the, centurion says, truly, this was the Son of God. So Matthew 27:52 is kind of like a parenthetical insertion. Bert. I've always wondered, because it says they appeared in the holy city, Jerusalem appeared to many. I wonder if in. Just as that first Easter morning was sort of. They call it a proto resurrection of the believers of all the ages. Acts 1 is almost a proto rapture. Christ ascends. I wonder if they ascended to heaven with Jesus when he ascended to heaven.
Bert Harper That is one of the possibilities. Others, yes, he could let them appear for a while and go back. God is unable to do that. But when you think of that, the resurrection, prototype, I agree with you now, again, that's one of those questions. Rick, you're going to have to wait. Somebody, else will get to heaven before we know that for sure. Right now, it is the possibilities of. And so that's what we're stuck with. And that's what the Bible is. Some of these answers, they are, could be. And, when you go to the Holy Land and they'll take you on tours, they'll say, this is near the place where this happened. They can't put you exactly where it was, but they can put you in the area. And I hope we've put you in the area of the resurrection of those that. Those that were walking around in Jerusalem when Jesus was, dead, died on the cross. Let's go to Kentucky. Steve, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
Caroline Yeah, good afternoon, Bert and Alex. Good to talk to you guys. You know, I have a thing with Bibles. I do not want to buy a Bible that was manufactured in China, a country that hates the Bible and, imprisons Christians. So I was. I found a publisher called Church Publishers out of, I think it's Longview, Texas. And, they. All their Bibles are made in the United States. So I ordered a, KJV with the original C.I. schofield notes in it from 1917. So I just wanted to ask your opinion about that, study Bible.
Bert Harper Okay, I can do this quickly. I cut my teeth on a Scofield study Bible. That was the first study Bible I had. I loved it. I love it still. are there some issues with that? Well, he's hyper dispensational, but I'm a dispensational, so that doesn't throw me off. Alex, the story about C.I. scofield and what God did for him is an amazing story story, but his study Bible's amazing as well. Go ahead.
Alex McFarland Yeah, I lo. I love the Scofield study Bible. sometimes I think it's called a reference Bible, but, you know, it's got notes and cross references. When I was at Liberty University, it was almost mandatory that you get a Scofield study Bible. And, you know, I've mentioned it. I do love study Bibles. I really do. My Scofield study Bible is somewhere in Zambia right now because, we were there with the International Mission Board. And I took my seminary Bible, and there was a Zambian pastor. I said, how can I be praying for you? And he said, well, for years, I've prayed to someday get a Scofield Bible. And I said, well, here you go, brother. I got one. And so it was my great honor to, endow that to a Zambian pastor in the Bush country. But, Bert, I love the Scofield Bible. I recommend it. Another one that, I believe Thomas Nelson put out. It used to be called the Liberty Annotated Bible because the professors at Liberty did it. Now I think it's just simply called the Believers Study Bible. That's a real, real good one, too.
Bert Harper There are some great ones out there. Steve, you hear our answer? AOK on Schofield.
Alex McFarland Amen.
Bert Harper Amen. Let's go to the great state of North Carolina and talk to Pat. Pat, thank you for calling.
Caroline Hi. I, actually have two questions. My first one is, and I love your program. I can't reach you in my home. So I always listen when I'm on the road. And I'm on the road now. I was in a conversation yesterday with two ladies, a younger lady and an older lady. And the young lady was expressing her desire for her father to become a Christian. And the older lady said to her, that's good, but whatever sin he has committed, he will, still be held accountable for it when he dies.
Bert Harper Wow. Alex, you hear that?
Alex McFarland Yeah. I would, disagree with that. When you become a Christian, your sins are washed away. and so now I know that there are penalties in this life. For example, if someone is a, you know, heavy smoker and they get saved, they still might have health repercussions for that. So just because we get born again doesn't mean that there aren't some repercussions. But in terms of judgment before God, no, that's washed away in the blood of Jesus. Praise the Lord. Positionally. Scholars use the term positionally in Christ, and that means absolved of all guilt.
Bert Harper Amen. Cleansed from all sin, past, present, future. We are. Pat, you have a second one? Go right ahead if you can get it in.
Caroline Okay. I appreciate your answering that. I was kind of thrown off when I heard that. the other one was this morning, traveling. I was listening to the radio in the car, and this preacher stated that in the Old Testament, there was no salvation because there was no basis for salvation because Jesus had not come yet and died on the cross. Is that. Explain that to me.
Bert Harper Okay. Go back to Abraham. Abraham was Justified before God because of his faith. He trusted God. sometimes it's for what God's going to do in the Old Testament, but it's still by faith, and it's still through Christ. And there in salvation. How in the world could you have Hebrews 11 hall of Fame of faith with all those Old Testament, people listed if there was not salvation in the Old Testament? Alex.
Alex McFarland Amen. Amen. You see Romans, chapter four. I would encourage, people to read Romans 4. And you're right, Bert. The faith hall of fame. Now, here's how we're saved. Habakkuk 2 tells that we are justified through faith. The Old Testament saints, and even there were Gentiles that believed. You know, I think about, like Rahab, but in faith, they look to the Messiah that would come. In faith, we look back at the Messiah that did come. Same Messiah, Jesus, just two different sides of the cross. But there absolutely was salvation in the Old Testament. and, Bert, I really believe when it says, whosoever will may take the water of life, or whosoever will may come. That's in Isaiah 55. It's in Jon 3:16. I really think the whosoever will has been operative throughout history.
Bert Harper Listen to this passage of scripture. David wrote it. It's in Psalm 51. Restore unto me the joy of your salvation. Oh, man. Salvation, your salvation, restore. That mean he had it, and it was to be restored.
Alex McFarland Was that Psalm 51?
Bert Harper 51, verse 12. That's it. One of the greatest chapters in the Bible. just have that one there and just go to restore unto me. If. Let me just take a minute. If you're out there and the joy of the Lord is not real for you anymore, return to him. Repent. In return, come to him and say, oh, God, I, need to confess my sins. I need to serve you. I need to rejoice in you. Paul would write from prison in the book of Philippi, rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice. Rejoice who he is and rejoice what he's done. So, yes, that salvation's real then, and it's real today. Let's go to Mississippi. And it's Rod. Rod, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
Caroline I just wanted to thank both of you for praying for me. a couple of weeks ago, I called in and told you about my wife dying, and you prayed for me, and I wanted to thank you for that.
Bert Harper I remember that question is.
Caroline I wanted the other question I have for you. Is, the. The parable, that's in Luke 16, where the rich man goes to hell and Lazarus goes to hell. Do you believe that's a parable, or you believe that's a true story?
Bert Harper Well, the evidence, Lazarus using a person, a real person's name. Alex. Tends to lean toward real reality, doesn't it?
Alex McFarland It doesn't. And by the way, Lazarus went to heaven. He was in Abraham's bosom or paradise. The rich man went to hell. I, really think it's real. This is in my Bible. It's red ink. So this is the words of Christ in Luke 16, and in all the other parables, there's not a proper name given and many. a commentator. In fact, when I was in seminary, Dr. Harold Wilmington, the great Bible scholar, he believed it was a real account, you know.
Bert Harper Yeah. let me say this. And Brent's got a question in just a second here, but I heard someone say, I believe it's real, but if it's not real and it's just a parable, think about how real hell really is, if that's a parable and not truth. So I believe it's that way. Brent got a question got from Facebook.
Caroline We do.
Bert Harper this one, wanted to remain anonymous. their question is, how do you explain where the races come from? he has a friend who thinks God created them in Genesis two, and then Adam and Eve in chapter three. Okay. there's something about Shem and Chapheth, isn't there, Alex?
Alex McFarland Yeah, the sons of Noah. every ethnicity. And by the way, just to be clear, there's one race, the human race, you know, but all of the ethnicities, every ethnic group comes from either Shem, Ham, or Japheth. now, Shem is the ancestor of the. The Israelites. Ham, the people of Egypt, Cush, Canaan, Babylon. and the African peoples would have come from Ham, Japheth, you know, the European peoples and generally Caucasians would be, from Japheth. But yes, all of the ethnic groups, hundreds of ethnicities, they all come from these three sons of Noah.
Bert Harper Okay, time is running out. Philip from Tennessee. We wouldn't have time for your question and then our answer. So we've got your name down, and if you'll call tomorrow or anytime next week, we will rise and put you forward first on our list. I've got your name down on my list, and I'll transfer that to Richard to make sure he knows that. But we're sorry that we couldn't get to you today. But, Alex, I just want to say I'm looking forward in this study of Hosea, and, we see the love of God demonstrated, in Hosea toward Gomer. What a love God has for us. it's, indescribable, isn't it?
Alex McFarland Well, it is indescribable, the love of God. And many songwriters have written about it. But, hey, fidelity. Let's show fidelity. Just as spouses are to be faithful to each other, let's be faithful to the one. Romans 7 says, if you're a believer, you're a spouse to Jesus. And so Hosea is going to remind us of the importance of fidelity to God.
Bert Harper So in school preparation, read ahead and get ready for chapter two. You're going to get some judgment, but you're going to also see restoration. You'll see the love of God in action. Thank you for listening. Tell someone about this program, but more importantly, tell them about Jesus.
Heather Hefner The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
Join Bert Harper and Alex McFarland on Exploring the Word as they welcome Heather Hefner from AFA Action to discuss critical upcoming ballot measures, the importance of Christian civic duty, and how to use resources like iVoterGuide. Plus, the hosts embark on an insightful new verse-by-verse study of the Old Testament book of Hosea,examining God's relentless love, the danger of rejecting truth, and listener Bible questions.
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