Transcript

American Family Radio takes your Bible questions live on American Family Radio

>> Jeff Chamblee: 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 to Exploring the Word. Bert Harper welcomes you

Welcome to Exploring the Word.

>> Alex McFarland: Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver. I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. Well, with that verse from Isaiah 48:10, we will begin our time today on Exploring the Word. We welcome you. And, I'm thinking about an old hymn. Maybe I'll reference it here in a minute, but. Bert Harper, welcome. And we've got Brent Austin on the soundboard.

Bert says we need to major on the word of God

and we are in Isaiah, beginning another wonderful week of God's holy word. Bert, it's a privilege, isn't it?

>> Bert Harper: It really is to have this opportunity and just to share in the word of God. And, we, we hear from it each week, people saying, man, we enjoy exploring the Word. You get into the Word and, listen, it's settled in heaven. So, we do need to major on the word of God. So that's what we do here on this program. And you was reading in that verse, I have it underlined and highlighted in my Bible. But also this is one of those chapters, chapter 48. I want you don't forget your hymn now. But in chapter 48, you nearly have to go to verses 20 and 21 to get what all he was talking about in the verses before that because he's switching from Babylon to Israel. And what he's done for them, in refining them, we'll get to that. And then what he wants to do to them. But he says it is now. And I'm adding a little bit here, I'm not adding the word of God, but just put it in context. Verse 20. It's now time to go from Babylon. It's time to leave it. You did what Jeremiah said, build houses, plant gardens. But now I've got something else for you. So when you read chapter 48 and you go through all this, God is getting them, I don't say getting them ready. He's demanded that they need to come. And he said, I've got a purpose for you. Where? Back in the land that I gave you, alex. chapter 48 was unique. But, reading what he wanted them to do in the last verses helped me to understand what Ollie was saying before that. That's my take, brother.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen.

Burt Anderson: Christians can go through some very severe tests

Well, you know, this is one of the shorter chapters we've been going through Isaiah, and some of the chapters are, you know, fairly lengthy. This one's just 22 verses. But I love this. And we'll back.

>> Bert Harper: Come.

>> Alex McFarland: Come back to it, about how they were not thirsty when God led them through the deserts. God caused waters to flow out of the rock. For them he clave, or made the rocks split. And out of the cleft in the rock, waters gushed out. And what a powerful image that is. But, we've got ongoing promises to Israel, about how on their journey and even in the seasons where they suffered for their own disobedience, God was still with them. And God is faithful. And there's certainly lessons, for us and for the church of the 21st century in that the faithfulness of God. I find it very encouraging, don't you, Burt?

>> Bert Harper: I really do. And, again, you was reading that in verse 21. That's what he did for them when he brought them into the land the first time. And now he said, if I did that for you the first time, guess what? I. I'm going to be with you when you go back in. And, so, Alex, our God, what you just said, let's put it into one word. Faithful.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Well, you know, we're going to get there. The furnace of affliction from verse 10. and I will quote an old hymn, maybe here in a minute. But, Bert, look, God loves us. And if you're a believer, we're secure in Christ. we are secure in Christ, but there is, and it can be beneficial if we allow it. The furnace of affliction. What does that mean in the life of a believer, Bert?

>> Bert Harper: It means that he is putting us through. let's go back. Okay, I got a better thought than that. The three Hebrew children, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, they were thrown into a furnace of affliction. They. God permitted it. And the only thing that was burned was the ropes which bound them. And when they came out, they were free. Okay. The furnace of affliction. God's purpose is always good. It is to get out the dross. Get out. And. And I think Peter talked about that about the assayer and what all he did concerning the goal that it's come out God. So his furnace of affliction is for our good. Is it painful? Yes, it is. Now, it's a little bit different than the three Hebrew children, but it is painful. But when we come out, Alex, that means he's got a purpose for Us, on the other side of the furnace.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, amen. And in 1st Peter 4:15, it says that we are not to suffer as a thief, a murderer, or an evildoer. And sometimes, yes, even Christians suffer because of their own disobedience or sin. I'm not talking about that, but I am talking about when, Christians, you know, good, godly Christians can go through some very severe tests. And, you know, it's like the old song says, how firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in his excellent word. And there's this line, I've quoted it many times, but it says, the fire will not hurt thee. I only design thy dross to remove thy gold to refine. Just like the refiner's fire, songs have been written about it, if we allow it. And even maybe today, Bert, you know, there's people listening, and they've had things happen that, you know, kind, of life can knock us to our knees. Here's the thing. God hasn't abandoned you. God. God isn't up in heaven wringing his hands. Oh, my goodness. What are we going to do now? No, nothing ever takes God by surprise. The hard times, and we. We've had a few. Everybody does. I look back and I see the faithfulness of God. I see the way God provided, and there was, you know, purging that needed to take place in my own life. And then new blessings that we probably wouldn't have experienced any other way. So, Bert, that refiner's fire or the potter's hand on this lump of clay, as believers, we can joyfully, confidently trust Jesus through those seasons, can't we?

>> Bert Harper: We really can. And that's really what the first 11 verses are about. It's them being refined, but also God redeeming. In God's refinery, there's redemption. now, that's the whole idea, because you'll get down to verse 17. He reminds us he is our Redeemer. Alex, chapter 48, verse 1. The last part of it really speaks why, they needed to be disciplined. Let me see. They swear by the name of the Lord, make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth or in righteousness. Okay? They felt who they were, okay, where they were and all the things that brought them through. Calling on the name of the Lord and talking about Jerusalem, that would get them through. No, truth and righteousness, they were dependent on the wrong things, were they not?

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, they really were. And he talks about, you know, you, call yourselves of the holy city and stay themselves upon the God of Israel. Okay, God and his city in Jerusalem. Fair enough. But he says in like verse four, I know you're obstinate and your headstrong, and your neck is like, you know, a piece of metal, stiff necked. And he says he's declared his promises from the beginning, and they are yea and amen. But let me read something, like in verse eight, yea, you heard not, you knew not. From that time thine ear was not opened.

Alex: Bert talks about how God will not give glory to another

In other words, God says, y' all haven't been listening to me, for I knew that you would deal very treacherously and was called a transgressor from the womb. For my name's sake will I defer mine anger. And for my praise I will refrain for thee that I cut thee not off. God is not showing mercy because they deserve it or because of how good they've been, but for his name's sake and for his will. And Bert, one last thing, and I'll throw it back to you. he talks about how he will not give his glory to another. For my own sake, even for my own sake, I will do it. For how should my name be polluted? And I will not give my glory unto another. Bert, I, think about some of the old, you know, denominations in America, and I love the church, but there are denominations that have not just drifted a little bit liberal. I mean, they've gone flat out apostate. How they deny so many of the clear teachings of Scripture. And God has held back judgment and punishment, because, for one, he is merciful. But he is not going to allow his glory to be given to another. And he is not going to allow his name to be polluted. I think about the name of God. The, the word of God, the purposes of God. It will come to pass. The wickedness and disobedience and even perversions of man cannot overthrow what God has decreed and what God is doing.

>> Bert Harper: The reason is, God's purpose is good. Remember Jesus in the garden, praying, not my will, but thine be done. Let this cup pass from me. you know, is there any other way to accomplish your will, O God? No, there is not. I'm just putting it in there. And he said, I, will do the will of God. God's will is always good. Now, Alex, it may be difficult. It may even be painful. It may be hard. That doesn't dismiss God's will. Just because it's difficult and hard doesn't mean God doesn't want us to go from through, we've talked about that in chapter 43. Matter of fact, I preached from Isaiah 43, this past Sunday at Ozark Baptist Church, where I'm interim pastor. And he says, I'll go through the rivers. I'll bring you out. I'll go through the fire with you. And so what we do, we want God's will to be done in our ease. But many times it is not that way. It is difficult. Jesus Christ bore the cross. There was no other way to accomplish the will of God. And for us, for God's will to be accomplished in our lives, that he would not give his glory to another. All glory goes to him. It's not saying to God. Look, what we've done Is that one reason we're saved by grace through faith, Alex. Not of our works. Lest any man should what, boast, when we stand before him at the time when we have died, or the time that he has caught us up and we stand before him, it's all about getting the glory. What will we do with our crowns if we get any?

>> Alex McFarland: We're going to lay them at his feet.

>> Bert Harper: Lay them at his feet. All glory goes to him, doesn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: Absolutely. Absolutely. This is amazing. Like verses 12 and 13. Hearken unto me. in other words, listen, O Jacob, my called. Isn't that something, Jacob, in Israel, my called. Remember, Christian, you are called by God. Church. You are raised up and called out by God. We are just like Israel of old, called by God. I am he. I am the first. I'm also the last. Okay? Jesus attributes that to himself in the book of Revelation, verse 13. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand, which has spanned the heavens. And when I call unto them, they stand up together. Now, this is just so beautiful. And we got so much more to say. But, hey, who is this guiding, talking? It's the one who laid the foundation of the earth. The Alpha, the Omega. His hand is longer than the solar system. Isn't that amazing?

>> Bert Harper: Hallelujah. What a savior. And it. It only gets better as we continue on walking with him. The best is always yet to come in his glory.

>>  : The AFR app is a powerful tool, but it does have limitations. You can't use it to change the oil in your vehicle or get rid of carpet St.

>> Bert Harper: It won't walk.

>>  : The dog won't pick up the dry cleaning or take the kids to practice. But while you're doing those things, you can listen to your favorite AFR content through the app on your phone. Smart device. Or Roku.

American Family Radio thanks listeners for supporting preborn ministry

Just go to your app store or visit afr.net listen to AFR wherever you go with the AFR app.

>> Alex McFarland: For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven not built by human hands. Second Corinthians 5:1.

>> Jeff Chamblee: American Family Radio.

>> Alex McFarland: Oh, Lord, give me eyes to see.

>> Dr. Jessica Peck: That what I need don't cost a thing? You fill my life with something money can't buy? I'm done chasing after gold with the price tag on my soul you fill my life was something money can't buy.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. we can't. But I want to tell you something money did buy. Okay, get ready. And to praise the Lord, all of you who are driving, you might need to pull off the side of the road so you can, just hold up your hands glorifying the Lord. Last two weeks, we've been promoting preborn. Preborn is a ministry we partner with. We love Dan Steiner in that ministry. they, they provide ultrasound machines for crisis pregnancy centers. So when, abortion minded m women come into that clinic, they're able to let them see their baby through ultrasounds and the heartbeat, and it doubles the chances of that mother deciding to let that child be born. And it's not just, okay, they're born, we're through. No, they provide help like diapers, baby seats and counseling. They do all that. And our goal, Alex, was $5,000.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. 5,000. Ultrasound.

>> Bert Harper: Ultrasound, yeah. Excuse me. I had dollar signs on my mind, didn't I? 5,000 ultrasounds at $28 apiece. The final total that we got today after we came in and we saw it was 6238. 1238 over our goal. That is awesome. 6238. And that means here's what's going to happen. Babies will be born and helped m and those mothers will have the gospel presented to them. And last year alone, 80,000, ladies gave their heart to the Lord Jesus Christ.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen.

>> Bert Harper: Praise God. I want to say thanks and thanks to our listeners. Best listeners. They don't let me see. The Bible said, you don't just be hearers of the word, you need to be doers of the word. Well, it sounded like our listeners became not only listeners and hearers, but doers. Doesn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: We are so grateful and exploring the word Audience. The listeners to American Family Radio, the American Family association, you all, we acknowledge you all are so generous and so faithful, and we just want to sincerely say thank you. For supporting preborn and standing with us. Just one of our absolute core values is the sacredness of human life. Every child given by God and linking arms together to save lives and evangelize young parents. what a worthwhile endeavor, Bert. That thrills my heart.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Ah, we were rejoicing in it today, and we just wanted to let our listeners know and, thank God for ministries like PreBorn. Great. Let me just go a little further. Praise God for great partnerships here in northeast Mississippi. Well, all of north Mississippi, basically. we. That ice storm that went through did more damage. Schools are still out because they can't get there. And we have individuals who work with us whose electricity is still out after about 12 days. And, some of them are waiting even they think it will be more days before they get their electricity turned on. And they're going through that. But guess who's on the ground in North Mississippi? Samaritan's Purse and Eight Days of Hope. And we partner with both of those in the ministries. Isn't it awesome to have partners like that, Alex?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, it really is. And God's family is such a big, beautiful tapestry, and what a joy to work together. And I want to say a big thank you. as you all know, I live in North Carolina and North Carolina, we got a big old band of winter weather, depending on where you were. In North Carolina, it was 6 to 16 inches. Some said 18 inches, but I know verified from a number of news sources, there was like, ah, Lexington, which is about 30 miles from where we are, got 16 inches. Tim Wildmon texted me pretty early this morning. He said, did y' all get much snow where we were in Pleasant garden, got around 5 to 8 inches of snow. But a number of people emailed and texted, and they said, hey, y' all doing okay? Do you have power? And, the power did not go off. But thanks, everybody, for praying for the Mid Atlantic region. And Bert, this is so wild, I gotta tell you this. We're gonna get back to Isaiah 48. I saw yesterday morning. Tampa, Florida, was 24 degrees. Juneau, Alaska was like 45 degrees yesterday. The south of Florida was colder than Alaska. Isn't that amazing?

>> Bert Harper: It is amazing. We have family that lives in Colorado, and you know how Colorado's there and got some in Iowa, and I keep up with their weather and their temperature to see what it is. And ours has been colder than theirs of late. And, so when that Arctic blast comes through and comes this far south, it brings some difficult weather with it, so. But we're praying. Keep on praying for the linemen. Linemen are still out there connecting those lines. And there have been several that they've been.

Some that have died, uh, several that have been injured putting electricity back on

Some that have died, several that have been injured, putting. Getting electricity back on. We don't think much about it until something like this happens. And when we all of a sudden see how important those linemen are in the work that they do, so praise the Lord for them. If your electricity is not on and you're just out there, listen, be patient. They're getting there. They're working hard. You don't want to work. They don't need to work 24 hours a day working with electricity. So they've got to get their rest so they can go back and see straight and handle those wires correctly. So be praying for them.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Amen.

One of the great blessings of being a Christian is believing in the Bible

I'm going to read a verse here that I think is fascinating. in verse 15 and 16, I even I have spoken. Yea, I have called him, I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous. Come ye near to me. Hear ye. This I have not spoken in secret from the beginning, from the time that it was. There am I. And now the Lord God and his spirit hath sent me. You know, it's interesting. In, Mark 13:23, Jesus told the disciples, behold, I have told you all things. See, one of the great blessings of being a Christian and believing in the Bible is how much we know, because we've been told by God. God says he didn't speak in secret. you know, Bert, God and his word. The written revelation of God, which is the Bible, tells us origin, purpose, destiny, where did we come from, why we are here, where we're headed, what is wrong with the world, what is going to fix it, what Christ has done to redeem us. Aren't you glad that we. We have a savior who I think very graciously has disclosed to the human race a lot, a lot of things that otherwise we could not have known.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Alex. And how many of the discoveries in the past, the currents in the ocean, gravity, and things such as that, that one of the reasons the people who found these out, I guess you could say, discovered them, many times it was reading scriptures and seeing what it says and finding out, man, God knew this. Life is in the blood. Listen, the sphere of the earth, you know, the Bible is accurate. Now, verse 17 goes to the third part that I was talking about, that God refines them, he reminds them, and now he redeems them. Thus says the Lord. Your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. I, am the Lord, your God, who teaches you to profit, who lead you, by the way you should go. Wow, Alex. The way you should go. Now they're there in Babylon. They've built their houses, they've planted their gardens. They've reaped them the vineyards. They've made their home there for 70 years, just like Jeremiah chapter 29 told them to go and do that. But now God says, I'll lead you the way you should go. And he begins to remind them. Oh, that you had heeded my commandments. Oh. If you had have done what I told you to while you were still in the land, you wouldn't have missed 70 years of being out of the land. Am I reading that a little correctly?

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Amen. Well, look at this. It's almost like, verse 20 is like another exodus from Egypt. Go ye forth of Babylon, Flee ye from Chaldeans with a voice of singing. Declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the ends of the earth. Say ye. The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob. And they thirsted not. When he led them through the deserts, caused the water to flow out of the rock. You know, that Exodus out of Egypt, that wasn't the only deliverance from a pagan land. Also from Babylon and Chaldea, wasn't it?

>> Bert Harper: It really wasn't. And again, that's the reminder. he was talking about old songs. There's the one. I don't know the full lines, but remind me. Dear Lord, you know, many times a good sermon is not necessarily teaching us something new, but it's reminding us something that we have let slide, that we've put aside. And here he's reminding them of what he has done for them in the past. Now what has he done? Yes, he's refined them in a furnace. But now he has something for them in the future. Let's relate that for us real quickly, Alex. God has worked in our lives, and he has redeemed us by the blood of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ. He has indwelled us with the Holy Spirit of God that we could do the work that God has given us to do. And going back to what we said in verse 11, what the Bible says, he'll not give my glory to another. He's putting his holy Spirit in us, that we could do the work that God's called each and every one of us to do. Here's the reminder. If you've been saved, you're a minister of God. He's equipped you. He's given you gifts. The Bible talks about it in first Corinthians, talks about it in Ephesians, in Romans, that we have received gifts. And over in, Corinthians, it makes it plain to each one of you. Every believer has been given spiritual gifts. Now, you have talents. Amen. You can develop those. You have spiritual gifts that God's given you. You're to use them for his glory, that he gets the glory. And when I read this in the old testament, chapter 48, and I see that. That what you could have done, what you would have. Look at verses 18 and 19, and you'll have a repeated phrase. You know I'm going to find them, don't you, Al? Amen. M notice would have been verse 18. Then your peace would have been like a River. Verse 19. Your descendants also would have been like the sand. Alex, here's the challenge. To me, to you, to everyone. Don't let would have been be a part of what we're doing. Let's do it. Not what would have been, but what is. Follow the Lord with all your heart. Lean not in your own understanding, but in all your ways. Acknowledge him. He'll direct your paths. He'll bring you through. So, Alex, when I,

John Greenleaf Whittier was one of the first abolitionists

Those are powerful. When I started this in chapter 48, I said, okay, I've got. It's a lot of stuff to go on, but it's easy to see. This is what God would have done. And now is he giving them a second opportunity to fulfill what they should be doing?

>> Alex McFarland: Hey, I got to tell you something. a little history lesson. There's a city in California called John Greenleaf Whittier. I mean, a city called Whittier. California is named for John Greenleaf Whittier. He was a Quaker minister. He convened the first ever abolitionist conference in America. He wanted to end slavery. Sadly, during COVID one of the first statues torn down was John Greenleaf Whittier. He was a Christian minister, but he was one of the first abolitionists. So, anyway, it was crazy. They would tear down his statue during the BLM riots. But based on this verse about what would have been verse 19, he wrote a poem. The saddest words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these. It might have been. Do you remember that?

>> Bert Harper: I remember that.

>> Alex McFarland: And that Christian, poet and leader came out of Isaiah 48. And so think about this, Elmer Townes, great Christian leader, and he's in his 90s now, and, he was a dear friend, but he was the academic dean of liberty for four decades. But he said this. You purchase your tomorrows today. When you think about that, what you're going to be doing, the opportunities you have, maybe m the abilities to serve the Lord. What you're doing today is building your tomorrows. And Bert, in the spirit of, you know, being a steward of life, we're not just living. We don't just, you know, eat and live and die and we'll go to heaven one day. Although certainly if you're a born again Christian, that's part of it. I really do think that we in the body of Christ, we're to be as the Bible says, that we are to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. And you know it. Really, I'll say this. I'll throw it back to you. Time and opportunities are great things God entrusts to us. And we. Let's not look back and lament what might have been. Let's see what God is going to do to use us to bear fruit for his great kingdom.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Alex, thank you for remembering that. That truth, that story about John Greenleaf Whittier. I knew that. I hadn't thought about it, hadn't put it together, but let's close out. And by the way, that number that you can call the lines, we'll have them open, is 8885-8988-4088-8589-8840. If you have a Bible question, we'd love to hear it today. But, Alex, let's look at verse 22. It looked like he comes out and he said, I want to give you one more motivation. Okay? with that in mind, I want to read it. And you may want to say something. There is no peace, says the Lord for the wicked. Now, what they had missed out on was the peace that God had for them, the peace that God would work through them. He says, hey, there's no peace. The Lord says, for the wicked.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, that's true. That's true. And so, folks, on the flip side, there is peace for the righteous. The blessings, the leading of God and Bert, this great adventure called the Christian life. Who wouldn't want to be on mission with and for God? What a joy.

>> Bert Harper: It is a joy. There's nothing greater than if you don't know him. Listen, get on board that number. 888, 589, 8000, 840. Give us a call.

We partnered with preborn to introduce pregnant women to their unborn babies

We'd love to hear from you today.

>> Bert Harper: You've heard a lot about saving babies on this show. That's because it's important to me personally. And let me just be frank with you.

>> Bert Harper: We need to save them.

>> Bert Harper: That is why we partnered with preborn, the nation's leader, in introducing mothers with unplanned pregnancies to their babies. And once she hears that heartbeat and sees that precious life growing inside of her, she is twice as likely to choose life.

>> Bert Harper: Now, that's a miracle.

>> Bert Harper: But quite honestly, if we don't save them, who will? Preborn receives no government funding, so their work is completely dependent on us. Preborn has rescued over 280,000 babies. And that's not all. They provide love, support and counseling for up to two years for free, saving lives and souls. One ultrasound is just $28 or $140 helps to rescue five babies. Abortion doesn't stop, so we can't. Together, you and I can save lives. Just call £250 on your cell phone and say the key word baby. That's 250, baby. Or, go to preborn.com. that's preborn.com.

>> Dr. Jessica Peck: Just because I'm, a believer doesn't mean I don't forget that my heart is a deceiver there's doubts in my head but I belong to a redeemer who's not finished with me yet I could break it all and he'd make it all new that's the gospel truth.

>> Alex McFarland: We belong to a redeemer who is not finished with us yet. Isn't that wonderful? What a great song. Thank you. Brent Austin. Hey, here's the number. It's 888-589-8840. That's triple 858-98840. If you've got a bible question of any sort, it doesn't just have to be about Isaiah. Just a, Bible question. Bert and I will do our very best to answer that bible question. Calls are coming in and I see some names on the board. Hold tight, folks. We will get to you. But we also get a lot of questions, via email. And you can always email us wordfr.net that's W O R D wordfr.net and Mr. Brent Austin. I bet you've probably got some questions from the mailbag, maybe. Do you?

>> Alex McFarland: I will bet you're right.

Some ancient Bibles have longer ending than others, Alex says

>> Bert Harper: Well, let's get one, at least one.

>> Alex McFarland: This comes in from Chris in our email. It says, why is it that some of the bibles that I have seen have Matthew, chapter 17, verse 21 in there, but there are some bibles that Skip from Matthew, chapter 17, 20, 22. I'm just curious about this.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, Alex, does it have to do with anything of some ancient manuscripts? Some have some and some don't have the other.

>> Alex McFarland: They do. And I'm looking it up in my Bible. It goes from, I got a king James here, 20, 21, 22. And there is a note. And let me just very briefly say this, that, there are what they call majority text readings. In other words, all these manuscripts, they've got thousands and thousands of copies of the NewSong Testament. And then they might find a manuscript that didn't have that particular verse. Another that's very much like this is first John, five, seven. Bert, do you remember that?

>> Bert Harper: I do, yes.

>> Alex McFarland: and so what they'll do in the marginal notes, they might say, some manuscripts contain this one or that one. I think it's original to the text. Another is like, the last few verses of Mark, chapter 16. And I've interviewed a lot of scholars, even I've interviewed a couple that are not the world's most conservative scholars, and they've said, you know, the longer ending is canonical and part of the text. So here's the thing. The Bible is God's perfect word in the original manuscripts. Now, every translation, even English translations, you know, they are copies of copies. But, Bert, I think one of the beautiful things is that translation has gotten so precise and so careful that when we read our translation, it's every bit as inspired as the originals from which it came.

>> Bert Harper: I agree with you. And listen, I appreciate footnotes in these different, Bibles that help us to know that, and it puts it in context to know. Okay, that was, you know, left out. But it's in other manuscripts. But there's none that is left out that changes anything in any significant manner. Need to understand that. That. That they do. And so, Alex, great answer. Well, we've got people who've called in that number, and we have lines that are open. Triple 858-98840.

Alex: We've got Barry in Texas. Good evening. Barry, are you there

Alex, where did we go to first?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, we begin in Texas, one of my favorite places. We've got Barry in Texas. Barry, are you there?

>> Caroline: yes, I am. Can you hear me?

>> Alex McFarland: Yes. Good evening.

>> Caroline: Good evening. yes, thanks for taking my call. Recently, my wife and I were blessed to go on a tour of some of the great national parks in the usa Yosemite, Yellowstone, Zion, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, that type of thing. And while we were. While we were touring around and met a lot of, rangers, it was really conspicuous that nobody, nobody, even suggested or put forward a, late Earth, doctrinal belief. Now, I know what, I know what you and Bert think about this, but my question hasn't to do with that. My question is simply is this, when it comes to the absolute non negotiables of the Bible of the faith, is, belief in a early, creation or early years, early Earth doctrine, is it one of the non negotiables or not?

>> Bert Harper: Oh, wow, Barry, thank you for great, great question, Barry. Let me just say we enjoy Barry. When we see Barry from Texas on, we get ready to put our thinking caps on.

Bert says he believes the Earth is several thousand years old

Alex, I know we, he didn't ask this, but in a synopsis, tell us about your trip to the Grand Canyon that you took a few years ago. I think everybody deserves to hear this.

>> Alex McFarland: And Barry, I appreciate, you listening and calling in. Yeah, I mean, if you go to the national parks because, you know, for 150 years, Darwinian evolution has really had a stranglehold on American academics. They'll just routinely say millions of years and billions of years. I believe that if you read the Bible, you can only get what some might call a young earth or a recent creation. I believe the Earth is several thousand years old, not many millions. But listen to this. I went with, answers in Genesis and also Canyon Ministries. And we spent 11 nights in the Grand Canyon and we saw all these fossils. It was just amazing. And they would say, the official narrative, they'll say, oh, well, the Grand Canyon was caused by millions of years of erosion from the, the Colorado River. All right, we hiked down this side canyon, a tributary. It was a mile and a half hike one day we had our backpacks and we hiked. And, I need to go on that trip again because I lost about £20 in 11 days. But anyway, the walls of this side canyon, this tributary, were indistinguishable from the rest of the canyon. A mile and a half long. And yet they know because they have pictures of it. This side canyon was carved out in under 24 hours in a huge flood in the 1950s. And the thing was, there were some, professors in our group that were Old Earth, they believe. And the, the tour guide, who was a young creationist, he said, look, the walls, the layers of sediment. We know from eyewitness, this canyon that looks just like the rest of the Grand Canyon that you think is millions of years, it was carved in a flood in 24 hours in the 1950s.

>> Bert Harper: Bert.

>> Alex McFarland: I would encourage people to also read about Mount St. Helens. Now, this was, I'm going to say 80, 81. But there are fossilized trees there that look identical to the millions of years old fossils. And yet we know it was 46 years ago. So rapid, burial, high pressure, flooding. The topography of planet Earth is best explained in terms of it being the result of a global flood.

>> Bert Harper: Barry, to answer your question, essential, we've got some brothers that we are friends with that do believe in old Earth. They don't believe that. I agree with Alex. A biblical view, you do it. But essential, Alex, it's not a fundamental.

>> Alex McFarland: On the level of the deity of Christ.

>> Bert Harper: If you put it on a score of one to ten, you know, it's six or seven at least. But here it is, Creation, it's a ten. Okay, that's it. The other thing I want to go because the number. And we do have room for calls. 888, 589, 8840. But God's given us enough time to answer this good question that Barry had. Since it's hard to study creation apart from the flood, the flood apart from creation. And that's why Ken Ham answers in Genesis, how the ark encounter in the creative, Creation Museum. Let me suggest if you go and make your trek there to see the ark encounter, that gets a lot more publicity and everything, which it should get a lot. Go to the Creation Museum, go to the creation first and then go to the ark. And, and I want to tell you, you'll come away with some equipment to be able to understand what God was doing and how he did it. Alex, I, can't emphasize that enough. Wouldn't you suggest both of them?

>> Alex McFarland: Absolutely, absolutely. And let me say this, and believe me, I've got strong opinions on creation and the age of the earth because of what the Bible says and science. But, you can be wrong on the age of the earth and still go to heaven, but you wrong on Jesus, you're not going to be in heaven.

>> Bert Harper: Praise the Lord. Alex, that is so good.

Somebody called in. They wanted to know what is meant by mercies

Somebody called in. We got callers coming in right now. They wanted to know and our comment on what is meant by mercies are new every morning. His mercies? Yes.

>> Alex McFarland: I think that his grace and his mercy, and his, patience with us is inexhaustible.

>> Bert Harper: I agree. Even breathing. Okay. The redeemer is also the Creator. And sometimes we, as believers, we do. Man, our redemption is so glorious. But just creation that, my cells reproduce, you know. And, I just, I'm Amazed at our great creator. To think that he did not design this in such a way. he is great. So his mercies are new every day, physically, spiritually, both. Aren't they, Alex?

>> Alex McFarland: They are.

Bert Harper: Where is the best place to start reading the Bible

Hey, I've got a question that came in, online. And folks, please keep trying to call in if you are, ah, calling in. might have a little glitch in our phone thing today, but here's an online question and I'm going to throw it to you. Bert Harper, somebody asked where is the best place to start reading the Bible? Says they're kind of new, kind of a beginner. Where's the best place to start reading the Bible?

>> Bert Harper: I recommend the Book of John, the Gospel of John. I, know first, John is awesome. I agree there. But Genesis, no, I know it's in the beginning and read it through. But John, matter of fact, I was talking. My wife and I were talking to one of our sons and their, church that he's a part of. They're going through the Book of John. And he said, man, it's so exciting. And I said, the reason is John has, you know, the seven miracles, the seven I am's, the 11 conversations. And when you read the last of John, he wrote this that you might know and that you might believe that Christ is who he said he was. He is the, the savior. And Alex, John would be my recommendation. Brother. That's my thoughts.

>> Alex McFarland: Wonderful. Well, thank you there. we're going to go to Texas again. Liz, Liz in Texas, are you there?

>> Caroline: Yes, I am. Hi.

>> Alex McFarland: Hi. Thanks for calling.

>> Caroline: Thank you for, letting me call in.

A beautiful sign that reminds me of the flood is the rainbow

I just, you were talking about creation in the flood. And just to me, a beautiful sign that reminds me of the flood is the rainbow. Because in the Bible it says that God put the rainbow in the sky to, you know, remind us the promise that he won't do that flood again. And I always wondered, like, how in the world they do that. Because we know it's the raindrops. You know, we understand the science behind. He's shown us that. But it's it remind. It's because like, if you really read scripture carefully, it says the water used to like kind of sprinkle from the ground. It was raining on us. So the rainbow kind of shows that. Yeah, just a sweet reminder that there, was a flood. And he did put it up there in the falling of the water cycle we have now, you know, because of after the flood.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Caroline: I just thought it was a sweet thing to remember.

>> Bert Harper: Amen I love it when there's a double rainbow. You ever seen a double rainbow, Alex?

>> Alex McFarland: A, couple of times, actually.

>> Bert Harper: And I say, okay, man, your promise is sure. It's doubled. Go ahead.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, yeah, and she's right. You know, prior to the flood of Noah, the earth was watered by kind of a mist that came up from the ground. It was kind of almost like a greenhouse. And yet, even in the flood, because the flood was judgment and there was great cataclysm, and the foundations of the great deep broke loose. And yet now sunshine going through the moisture in the air creates that rainbow. God's promise that he would never again flood the earth. And I think the rainbow. It's so sad that the LGBTQ trans gay people have used the rainbow as their symbol, when in reality it's a symbol of God's power, his redemption, and his faithfulness.

>> Bert Harper: Alex, just something came to me, and I want to pass it to you. This is fresh on my mind. You know, it's going to be destroyed next time by fire, you know. Okay. It's the first time by water. I couldn't help but think of Isaiah 43, where I preached Sunday. And listen to this. When you pass through the waters, I'll be with you. But then also, when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned.

>> Alex McFarland: Wow. That's.

>> Bert Harper: You catch the connection, brother.

>> Alex McFarland: The two judgments on fallen humanity. Water and fire. Good catch.

>> Bert Harper: And he brought Noah through. Amen. And his family. Listen, I don't know where all we fit. You know, when you look at eschatology, there's. Hey, listen, I know what I am, but I hear others, so. That's a good question. But our assurance is he is with us, and he's going to go through it with us. Alex. Hallelujah. What a savior.

>> Alex McFarland: I want to try to get Wayne, on from Arkansas. Wayne, are you there?

>> Bert Harper: Yes, sir.

>> Caroline: How are you doing, sir?

>> Alex McFarland: Quickly, if you don't mind, my friend.

>> Caroline: All right. I've been a Christian 50, years, and thank God for that, and thank for your ministry there. Enoch is mentioned three times in the Old Testament and once in the NewSong Testament. And I've also read the book, of Enoch, so I wonder why some of that information wasn't put in the Old Testament.

>> Bert Harper: Go ahead, Alex. Got a minute, brother?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, what is commonly called the Book of Enoch comes from Ethiopia, and it. It wasn't referenced by the early church leaders as scripture. I truly believe. We'll unpack this tomorrow. I believe the 27 NewSong Testament books are exactly what God intended. Now, the 39 Old Testament books. Nobody questions those. Suddenly, the Book of Enoch is pretty famous. it's a historical curiosity, but it's not part of the written revelation that God's Holy Spirit gave. We'll elaborate more tomorrow. How about the.

>> Bert Harper: That sounds like good. And tomorrow's a day of prayer. We really. If you have prayer requests, be ready to call them in. We love to pray. We group them together. But pray for Alex and myself, pray for our team that we will stay on target with God. American Family Radio will make much of Jesus. Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word.

>> Alex McFarland: The views and opinions expressed in this.

>> Caroline: Broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of.

>> Alex McFarland: The American Family association or American Family Radio.