Transcript

American Family Radio takes your Bible questions next hour

>>  : 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.

>> Bert Harper: Stay with American Family Radio for the.

>>  : Next hour as we study God's word and take your Bible questions.

Exploring the Word in Isaiah starts with verse nine in chapter 51

>> Bert Harper: Welcome to Exploring the Word in Isaiah. Right here in chapters 51 and following. there's three, phrases you get ready for. And I'm putting it in my vernacular. Listen up. Okay, Listen up, wake up, and then dress up. And we're going to look at some of those today. Yesterday we looked at listen up. He said, listen to me. King, James says hearken, but it means listen. But Today, in chapter 51, verse 9, we need to wake up. Well, this is Bert Harper along with Dr. Alex McFarland. And, we're in Isaiah, chapter 59. We're starting with, verse nine and we'll see how far we get today. It's a great, great passage, as all of Isaiah is. But again, notice what he says. Wake up. Put on strength, O arm of the Lord. awake. As the ancient days in the generations of old. Again, Alex, it's good to be with you. As we are going through the book of Isaiah, 66 books, and we're in chapter 51, if my add end's right, or I should say subtraction is right, Sounds like about 15 more chapters, brother.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Well, it's great to be with you, Bert. And I love this. I got the King James here in verse nine. Awake. Awake. Put on strength, O arm of the Lord. Awake. As in the ancient days, as in the generations of old. So it's remembering what God has done. But I love this. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the dragon?

Alex: Remind yourself of all that God has done in your life

I want to talk about this now. In the King James, it says cut, but it really means drawn out, selected out, saved. God is the God that saved Rahab. Now, Bert, does memory serve me? She wasn't Jewish, she was gentile.

>> Bert Harper: That's right.

>> Alex McFarland: One of the first. So our God is the savior of Israel also, the Redeemer, whose name is taken to the isles of the earth. But then also our God is the God who wounded the dragon. Romans 12, that's the devil who is defeated. In other words, awake and remember, this is God.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. You were talking about how it said cut Rahab out. Now, being raised in the 50s and 60s and television available, I like. I watched a lot of westerns. There's one that we haven't talked about. Rawhide and, guess what they would do when they were looking for one specific. you know, one specific. Maybe been a cow or bull, one of the steers. Whatever it was, they would cut it out. It didn't mean they cut it. It means they brought it out of the herd.

>> Alex McFarland: Selected.

>> Bert Harper: Selected. And this what is what? Rahab. Rahab is one of the most marvelous stories, I think that's in the Bible.

>> Alex McFarland: Fascinating.

>> Bert Harper: It is. And so, yes, that's the God. That's who's done it. And again, they're, asking this, Sid, are you the one who dried up the sea, the waters of the, great deep? These are the. I would say the Israelites who were in Babylon.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen.

>> Bert Harper: Praying. And they're reminded. Are you not the one that. And they know their history, don't they, Alex?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, I love verse 10. And they, as we are reflecting on God and his faithfulness, his power. Art thou not it, which dried the sea, the waters of the great deep that hath made the depths of the sea a way. And that means a road for the ransom, to pass over. Who were the ransomed, the redeemed? They're the Israelites being delivered out of Egypt. Bert, I've been at. Do you believe Moses parted the Red Sea? I sure do.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Well, God parted them. Moses held up his rod.

>> Alex McFarland: God made that ocean.

>> Bert Harper: He did.

>> Alex McFarland: And dried the floor and they passed through. But it's a wonderful thing. I'll say it, and I'll throw it back to you. To folks. Go back over and re. Remind yourself of all that God has done, obviously in the Bible and in history, but remind yourself of what God's done in your life.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: He has shown himself faithful.

>> Bert Harper: He does. And it happens again. God does this quite often, and he's going to do it just in verse 13. When he talks about him being the Maker and setting up the foundations of the earth and, doing all that, God reminds them of who he is. And that's what he does. Here in verse 12, notice, I, even I, am he who comforts you. This is God's reply to them in their prayers and them asking what you're going to do. It says, I, even I am he who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid of? A man who will die and of a son, of a man who will be made like grass. you forget the Lord, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens, laid the foundations of the earth. You have feared continually every day because the fury of the oppressor, when he has prepared to destroy. And where is fury of the oppressor? God is saying, listen, I'll take care of Babylon. You don't have to worry about him. It is time now for you. You've been here long enough. I'm going to take you back to Jerusalem. And so he reminds them again of what God has done, not only concerning their history, of bringing them out of Egypt and parting the sea, but he even reminds them he's the one that created the world in the first place. So God. God's going back, way back to let them know he has authority and power to do so, doesn't he?

>> Alex McFarland: Absolutely. Absolutely. It comes down through here. And he's the comforter, the redeemer. don't forget the Lord thy maker, verse 13, who stretched forth the heavens. And, you don't have to fear the oppressor or the destroyer, because God is bigger than that. And then verse 14, the captive exile, he has loosed, that you may not die in the pit or that his bread should fail. Bert, in a way, I think V14 might actually be a little bit of a reference to Joseph, who, his brothers threw him in a pit, but God rescued him out. now he was sold to Ishmaelites and worked in Pharaoh's ah, cabinet there. And the rationing that Joseph, wisely implemented, the bread did not fail during the famine. But I am the Lord thy God that divided the sea, whose waves roared. The Lord of hosts is his name. You know, we, need to remember who God is. Sometimes, though, in the life of Israel, God had to remind them who he was, you know, as if they could forget.

Bertrand Russell: Relationship with God is the most important thing in life

But sadly they did. And sometimes we do.

>> Bert Harper: We do. And again, when you see this, in verse 14, captive exile. They were held captive there, for 70 years. And now they're about to be released. So he has reminded them of where they are, like you said, in the pit, possibly Joseph. And how God was able to deliver and how God is able even then, and I'd say even now. So we're looking, talking to some people that may feel like they're in a pit, that they're captive, but our God is able when we depend upon him. But verse 15. But I am the Lord your God. That's it. Now, Alex, I know we read the rest of it, but I am the Lord your God. I'm the one. This is the one you can depend on and depend upon. And again, verse 16 goes back to the heavens and what he has done, and notice what he says and Say to Zion, you are my people. you may be in a strange land. you may be in an area where you should be somewhere else, but you're my people. So location did not change the reality of whose people they were. And I want to do this real quickly. When the Jewish people left the Holy Land way back in 70 AD and everything started happening, and they went across the world in 1948, God brought them back again. They were still. And it's one of the most amazing stories you'll see. They remain Jews. They remain the Jewish people, even though they were in all the lands of the earth, north, south, east, and west. But he had gathered them back together. And so here it is, we find out the Lord of hosts is his name. But in verse 16, you are my people. Alex, I want to ask you. And I'll throw it to you. Those of us who have been born again by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, we're His people as well today, aren't we?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, we are. And I was thinking about that. I love that in verse 16, you know, his people. See, Matthew 25:31 says, the Son of man will come in glory to gather his people to inherit the kingdom. Folks, make sure that you're one of his people. How do you make for sure about that? Well, you put your faith in Jesus, the sheep of his pasture. You, know, Bert, that is life's most important thing. A lot of things you have to see about in life. Got to make sure the power bill is paid, you know, if you're wise, you're going to make sure your family's taken care of. But here's the thing. See to it that you are one of his people.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: Bert, is there anything more important than that?

>> Bert Harper: There is not. And that relationship, it. Listen, here's what it does. The. The relationship you have with your spouse, your husband, or your wife, having the relationship with Jesus Christ first makes that relationship better. The relationship you have with your children, having a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ makes that stronger and gives it sweeter. So this relationship that you are my people, there's nothing more important than that.

Bert says Jerusalem was really in exile during World War II

You come to verse 17, and he uses the terms again. Wake up or awake. Awake. And, notice. Stand up, O Jerusalem, you have drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury. You have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling and drained it out. You've been punished for. But notice this, Alex. I believe that. And stand up, O Jerusalem. Now, Jerusalem was really in exile. Okay? you remember During World War II in France, the premier, the president, whatever it was of France, he remained it, but he had to be in exile. And there were several, countries like that. The leadership had. With the Nazi army coming in and taking over, they had to go, but they remained their government, but their government was in exile. So here is the children of Jerusalem in exile in Babylon. And I just thought that was interesting to put that thought on it, because you see what he says here afterwards, don't you?

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Amen. That, he. Even when they got far from God, not only spiritually, but geographically, they were far from God and away from home. He didn't forget them. And so it is with us. Praise the Lord for his ability. CS Lewis talked about, the hound of heaven will come after you. The Holy Spirit will find you and call you back if you're willing to turn. There's none to guide her. Among all the sons whom she hath brought forth, neither is there any that take her by the hand of all the sons. And see, here's the sad thing. you have kids, and hopefully they would be godly kids. But he's saying here, you know, listen to the voice of God, because of all these children you've got, none are strong enough to deliver you from the troubles of this world. But you don't even have any. All these sons you've brought up are not guiding you back to God. You know, one of the great things about a Christian family is, we can hold each other accountable. And if somebody is, you know, getting sideways, maybe those around us that love us will call us back. Bert, it's a bleak prospect if you're away from God. And there's really no one around you that's walking with him either.

>> Bert Harper: It is true. And, he says this in verse 19. By whom will I comfort you? Yeah, those prophets that you had, the, others, the priests that you had, you haven't had them there in exile very much. There's none to lead you. But I am here. I can lead you. I can guide you. I can comfort you. I can bring you back. That's the promise of God. We'll be back with more of, Isaiah, chapter 51 and going into 52, right after the break.

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>> Alex McFarland: Sing everything I need, Everything I need, my father hasn't. And every single time the Lord will provide. That's right.

Exploring the Word has a Facebook page and would love others to join

Welcome back to Exploring the Word. Alex and Bert here, so honored that you're listening. Hey, we're going to resume Isaiah 51 here around about verse 18 and 19, but I wanna remind people we haven't really talked about this in a while, but we have a Facebook page. Exploring the Word is on Facebook. And Brent Austin, our ace producer, he posts stuff up there and there's just. You can, contact us that way. You can also email us wordfr.net but we had kind of a milestone about a year ago. We went over 10,000 Facebook followers and we would like for you to be one of those too, Bert. We hadn't really talked about it in a while, but like us on Facebook and, you'll get some things that we put up there and you might can share about Exploring the Word. But, I'm thankful Brent oversees our continually growing social media platform.

>> Bert Harper: I am as well. And he does such a great job at that. I'm glad I'm not in charge of that. I'm not a social media guy and Brent's over there with the biggest smile on his face even for me to say something like that. But, you know, I'm glad we have it and I'm glad Brent is there and I'm thankful that it grew and we would love for others to join and be a part of it. And we get some neat things there. Neat prayer requests, great questions and matter of fact, I'm going to do a question that we got from there. I, I saw it and I want to share it with you in our question and answer time. But until then, let's dig in.

Alex: When we have assurance that God is with us, what obstacles can we face

And Alex, again, when we look at all of this and see, what God is saying to them, I'm going to bring you back. you don't have somebody to guide you. You don'. That person to comfort you. But I am with you. Now let's go to the NewSong Testament when he said that. And I am with you always, even to the end of the age, have the presence of God. And I want you to come in after I set this up. And really it helps you to understand the rest of chapter 51. If God's presence in our life that he said, I'll come in. I will not leave you. I will not forsake you. I'm with you always. I'm a friend that sticks closer than a brother. When we have that assurance that our God is with us, what obstacles can we face?

>> Alex McFarland: Everything.

>> Bert Harper: That's it.

>> Alex McFarland: We can face anything and everything with.

>> Bert Harper: Christ, you know, so these, they could, they could, they could look at going back to Jerusalem even though it was left decimated, even though they'd have to rebuild, they could face it and do it. Why God is with them. We can as well, can't we?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, absolutely, absolutely. And you know, this, verse that notice, and I know we're sort of belaboring this just a bit, but in verse 17, it says that they had drunk the cup of God's fury judgment. But not only drunk it, verse 17, you have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling and wrung them out. Now, I, looked that word up, and it means the very bottom of an empty goblet.

>> Bert Harper: Matter of fact, Alex, in the new King James, you've drained it.

>> Alex McFarland: Drained it.

>> Bert Harper: Yeah, that's the word.

>> Alex McFarland: Now, First John 2:28 says, Abide in him, that we may have confidence before him and not be ashamed at his coming. Maybe you've, felt the loving chastisement of God before conviction. You did something, you feel bad about it, and the Holy Spirit is saying, make it right. Then there's other people, I mean, even born again Christians that have done things that cost them their job. I mean, born again Christians do bad things and wind up in jail. I mean, you don't want to have to drink from the cup of God's punishment, and you certainly don't want to drain it dry. The dregs, the bottom of an empty goblet. But they did. And we talked about there's none to guide verse 19. These two things are come unto thee who shall be sorry for you. In other words, you're going to crash and burn. Your sin is going to ruin you and nobody's going to care. Hey, let me just say this, Bert. When we were years ago, we were on the 50 States in 50 Days tour. yes, it is true. Angie and I went to 50 states in 50 days. And we took a team of nine people and I preached in 50 states in 50 days. Now I remember something out on i80 in Wyoming, we were on this highway and it said, last gas for 100 miles. In other words, look at your gas gauge. Now down there in, near the Grand Canyon in Peach Springs, Arizona, there's Route 6, Highway 6, Interstate 6. There is a sign. It's an actual sign, and it says, last gas for 167 miles. Now, the wise motorist will say, you know, I better make sure I got enough fuel to get me across this desert. If there's not. Now, here's my point, folks. When the spirit of God convicts you, this might be the last opportunity you have to turn to Christ and get right. And the spirit of God is just nudging you. And maybe these verses, don't drink the cup of God's punishment. Turn to the Lord. He will amply forgive. those warning signs on the highway are there for a reason. And I think on the highway of life, Bert, the Lord puts a few warnings in front of us that we might respond.

>> Bert Harper: Yeah, Red lights on their way to hell. Who was the preacher that preached? Was that J. Harold Smith?

>> Alex McFarland: I think it was red lights. Was that in, God's three deadlines?

>> Bert Harper: I think that's exactly right. And so heed the warnings. Don't just. Oh. Ah, we'll make it. No. Be sure.

Alex: Second Exodus talks about persecution of Jews by Gentile nations

Alex, again, 20 through verse 23, looks at it and talks about the antelope in a net. Listen, you've played around long enough. You've tried me long enough. I've got something better for you. And again in verse 21, Hear this. You afflicted the drunk, but not with wine. They've drunk the foolishness of the world, thinking that they would, get by with it, but you don't. Thus says the Lord. The Lord and your God, who pleads the cause of his people. See, I've taken you out of your hand, the cup of trembling, the dregs of the cup of my fury. You shall no longer drink it. I'm delivering you. Yes, you've been there, but I'm bringing you out. And again, another opportunity. They called this the Second Exodus. The first Exodus was when they left Egypt, but now they're leaving Babylon. And I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you. They're going to be afflicted. I'm going to take care of those that have afflicted you. Alex, here's, I want to set this up, too. I want you to comment those that are afflicting God's people. And I do believe the Jewish people, but also believe believers, followers of Jesus Christ, we may suffer. And they have. And we've got brothers and sisters this past year in Nigeria, in the Sudan, in North Korea, and China. So many of them suffering, our brothers and sisters in Christ. But I want to just tell you, when they die, they go to be of the Lord. But these who have put those under the. And it talks about putting their feet to their, throat, you know, going to persecute them. And God's going to reverse the tables. If I read that right, he says, you shall no longer drink it, but I'll put it in the hands of those who afflict you. Is God saying that? Saying, listen, judgment is mine. I will repay, saith the Lord.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, let me read verse 23. And God is warning, pleading, turn back, come back to me. But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict you, which have said to thy soul, bow down, that we may walk over you. And thou hast laid thy body as to the ground and as the street to them that went over. Now, the commentators say that Assyrian, nations, when they would subdue people, they would make people lay down on the ground, and. And they would, like, just purposely walk over the people. I mean, isn't that cruel to be stepped on and walked on? But God is saying, look, you're gonna go down if you don't turn to me. Turn to me. And, I'll raise you up. But your captors are gonna make you bow down, and they'll walk on you. It'd, be all right if we sort of transition into chapter 52.

>> Bert Harper: Yes. He says, wake. Let me make sure, and then I'll hand it to you. He says, wake up. This is the third time again. Wake up. Chapter 51, verse nine. Wake up. Here it is. They say in verse 17, O Jerusalem, in chapter 52, verse one.

>> Alex McFarland: Awake.

>> Bert Harper: awake. Put on your strength, O Zion. Put on your beautiful garments. Now I'll throw it to you, Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, things turn a little more positive, don't they?

>> Bert Harper: They really do, because.

>> Alex McFarland: Awake. Put on strength, O Zion. Put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city. Henceforth there shall be no more. Come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. These are pagans. These are the enemies of God. Really, The Gentile nations. no more are going to come there. Shake thyself from the dust. Arise and sit down, O Jerusalem. Loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter. For thus saith the Lord. You have sold yourselves for nothing. You shall be redeemed without money. Verse three, Bert. We are redeemed, all right. They fell into sin for no reason, and there was no benefit from abandoning God. But there's no price that can be paid humanly to get right with God. They're redeemed with something that's different than money. In fact, infinitely more precious than money.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

God tells Israel to wake up and get ready for Zion trip

Go back to verse one note. It says, wake up. But you're not just to wake up. You're to dress up. I'm using it a little bit. Put on your beautiful garments. Listen, the armor of God, over and over again, Paul would say, put off the old man and put on the new man. This is what you're to do. And he is telling them, okay, wake up. You're going to a new place. You need to dress up in. Act like it. I'm taking you to Zion. I'm taking you back to Jerusalem. And so you waken up and now you dress up and get ready for the trip. And again, shake yourself from the dust. This is the past. You remember that scripture. If anyone goes into a town and they don't receive the good news of Jesus Christ, shake the dust off of your sandals off and go to the next place. They're about to shake that dust off and they're headed to the new place. Where what's going to happen? Listen, they're getting ready for Messiah to come back. Honestly, they are. And they're. The temple is going to be rebuilt. So many things are going to be there and they're going to establish Jerusalem. Bethlehem is going to be there and they're going back so that the redemption story can is completed. And hey, Assyria, had done their job. The Babylonians had done their job. But God is saying, okay, Zion, O Jerusalem, I've got a job for you to do. Go back and rebuild the city that was deserted 70 years ahead of time ago.

>> Alex McFarland: So God delivers them from the Egyptians, from the Assyrians. Verse 5 says, now therefore what I have here says the Lord, that my people is my people taken away for naught. No, they that rule over them shall howl or wail. The captors. my name was continually, every day blasphemed. See, God knows about all this. And he knew about the evil pagan demonic forces of old. He dealt with it. He knows about the evil pagan demonic forces now and before time fleets away. There's two verses. Now we're going to parse all this out, but verse 7 of Isaiah 52, Paul quotes in Romans 10:15 about beautiful feet.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: And I remember Bert, I was a brand new Christian. And one day I was at Macedonia Baptist and Pastor Mark Sink was going to preach and he got up and he said, I'm asking the question today.

>>  : Do you have beautiful feet?

>> Alex McFarland: And I thought, what in the world is this about? But how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them that bring good news, that publish peace, that bring good tidings. All right, what is that good news? Message that our feet are to carry the world over. It's Jesus salvation.

Alex: The fourth Servant song starts in chapter 52, verse 13

And, anyway, we've got some time before we completely conclude with chapter 52. We have to talk about verse 14. But, Bert, I want to throw it back to you.

>> Bert Harper: Okay? I believe, honestly, the fourth Servant song starts in chapter 52, verse 13. And, you know, sometimes they put numbers and chapters in places that I would say, oh, it would have fit better there. just my thoughts. But again, when you get to verse 13, notice what it starts out. Behold my servant. And we're getting to the fourth. It's called the servant song, Alex. And this is the longest one it takes care of. It starts in chapter 52, verse 13, and goes all the way through the end of chapter 53 and telling us about Jesus. Now, again, I'm going to throw it to you. I'll read it, and you do it. But we'll come back to it on Monday. Just as many were astonished at you, so his visage was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men. We're getting to the suffering servant, aren't we?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, we are. And this talks about the fact that Christ was so beaten and bloodied, they pulled out his beard by the roots. His visage or his appearance was marred more than any man. Isn't that something? How he. Yeah, we think about Jesus suffered for our sins. And that's true, but not only spiritually, physically. And you're right. And this is, you know, 750 years before the cross. And yet it's one more vivid depiction of the cross. Something else that I would say about verse, 14 there in Psalm 22, 6 and 7. You know, Psalm 22 says, you know, my God, My God. In other words, eli, eli lama sabachthani, which is what Christ cried out from the cross. And it talks about they pierced his hands and his feet. Verse 6 of Psalm 22. I am a worm, no man, a reproach of men, despised of the people. All that see me laugh and scorn, shoot out the lip, shaking their head, saying, they trusted. He trusted the Lord. Bert, all these verses. It's Calvary, centuries before Calvary happened.

>> Bert Harper: It really is. And so, listen, Monday, when we'll start it, because Friday, is fire away Friday, but Monday, you don't want to miss Monday. As we go through this servant song. That number. If you got a question, triple 858-98-8840.

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>> Caroline: They do an ultra ultrasound.

>> Bert Harper: And that's when everything changed.

>> Alex McFarland: Because when I saw my baby and ah, when I heard her heartbeat, that was it.

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>> Caroline: If I get down, you pick me.

>> Alex McFarland: Up from the ground. You give me love and don't give out. Giving no condition, you lift me up.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. He does. I'm telling you, we can trust him. He's going to, he's going to be with us.

Alex: We got a question that came to us again about marriage

Alex, we're going to go to the phone lines in just a minute, but, we got a question that came to us again. We were talking about Facebook and Word and this one came to us and I just felt like, we could start off with answering this one. He says he doesn't get off. He able to listen most of the time on podcasts, but doesn't get a chance to call in to ask the questions. So that's a good way to do it at Word or Facebook asks you questions. And he said, Proverbs 18:22 says, he who finds a wife, finds treasure and finds favor with God. But he said, Paul tells us in Corinthians 1 Corinthians 7 that he wishes we were all like him, talking about being single so we can work and serve the Lord without distraction. Is that a contradiction?

>> Alex McFarland: I don't think it's a contradiction. and by the way, I'm very happy to comment on Proverbs 18:31 and 1 Corinthians 7. I'm going to throw out a word here that, it's the word antinomy, which is, a n t I n e m m e I think it is. But anyway, the word antinomy means something on first glance that looks irreconcilable. But on further examination, there's no conflict. And, you know, if you just took these two verses, he who finds a wife finds a good thing. In Proverbs 31, she's worth more than rubies. But then in 1 Corinthians 7, 8 and 9, Paul says, Now, to the unmarried and the widows, I say it is good for them to stay unmarried. But here's a corollary. If they cannot control themselves, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. Okay, for one thing, m, a wife is a blessing. And I think, Bert, you and I could go lengthy on that.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: A, Christian wife is a great blessing. And God ordained the family from the Garden of Eden to this present moment. However, this thing about Paul said it is good for a man not to touch a woman. It is better to marry than to burn. I think that's really a statement about the Bible's strong condemnation of sexual immorality. And the other thing is, you know, Paul, at that point in his life, most commentators think Paul was married. To be a part of the Sanhedrin, you had to have been married. Maybe he was a widower and he was traveling. And so, you know, if you're going to be serving the Lord 24, seven, you can't very well be a husband and parent. Bert, I've known men that tried to become a vocational evangelist. And with a home and children, it ain't easy. So I think it's dependent on the status of your life. A wife is a blessing. The Christian family is ordained by God. But if you are in full time ministry that you really can't be an adequate spouse or parent, you might need to think twice about making a vow you can't fulfill.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, we hope that helps. Hope you get that. And we, weren't going to use your name, but we hope that answers that question. Roy called us yesterday and we didn't get him on, but he's called back. So, Roy, thank you for calling back and welcome to Exploring the Word. Go right ahead, brother.

>> Caroline: Yeah, man, I appreciate it. I can barely hear you.

>> Bert Harper: Well, okay, just, we can hear you, so go right ahead.

>> Caroline: Okay, I hear you.

Roy: Verse three says the Lord sits as a Refiner of silver

Now, I just had a comment on, a verse that, that I often wondered about and I seen this video on it. And this lady was reading in Malachi chapter three, she got the verse three where it says, the Lord sits as a Refiner of silver. And, she wondered what that really meant. So she sought out a refiner of silver. And she asked, can I watch what you do?

>> Bert Harper: And he said, why?

>> Caroline: I just want to know the process. So he said, sure. So he showed her what he had to do. Put the silver particles in the, melting pot. And then he said, you got to stick it in the center of the fire or it's the hottest. And, it burns off all the, infirmities and stuff off the silver till there's nothing but the silver then. And she thought about the verse. I sit as a refiner of silver. She said, do you have to sit there the whole time? He goes, oh, yes. You gotta watch it. If you leave it in there too long, then, it ruins a silver. And, he says, you got to be ready to pull it out when it's ready. She asked him if she remembered, the verse. And she asked him, said, well, how do you know when it's ready? He says, oh, that's easy. When I see my image in it, that's it. That made me think right there, you know, the Lord sitting over us, as a refiner of silver. And he's burning off the unrighteousness and ungodly in our life until he can see his image in us. And I just want to share that with you, Roy.

>> Bert Harper: That was worth, Thank you for calling back. It reminds you of First Peter, chapter one. talking about, We greatly rejoice even through various trials. Listen to 1 7. It just amplifies that, Roy, and those who are listening, that the genuineness of your faith being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it be tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Alex. Roy headed out of the park. And, That is strong, isn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: That is really. That was quite moving. Thank you.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: Good job, sir.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

What language did Adam and Eve speak, Alex? Well, Elmer Town

Let's go to Virginia. And in the great. I think it's Commonwealth, if I remember. Virginia is. Tim? Tim. Thank you for calling. Tim, are you there?

>> Caroline: Yes, sir.

>> Bert Harper: Go right ahead. You're on the radio, brother.

>> Caroline: Yes, sir.

>> Bert Harper: Go ahead with your question.

>> Caroline: Yes, sir.

>> Bert Harper: Well, I don't know what's happening. We're just not getting through. Here's his question. I'll read it. What language did Adam and Eve speak, Alex?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, Elmer Town said it was Hebrew. but, you know, Adam called Eve, ah, woman. She was taken out of the man. And that's, ah, Hebrew. So really, we don't know for sure. We really don't know. But in the dialogue between God and Adam and Eve, it was Hebrew. Now, a, lot of these archetype words that we use today are, you know, we speaking in English, but, you know, we're often referencing Latin or French, the Romance languages, or among the m. Romance languages, but they go back to Greek and then ultimately to Hebrew and some Aramaic. So I don't know. But it was, the purest of all communication, Bert. Just as they were genetically pure, they were linguistically pure, weren't they?

>> Bert Harper: I would say so. In the garden before sin came in, that's the way it was. And whichever language it was, it was a pure language and understandable by God and by the Adam and Eve. And so praise the Lord. Good question. Appreciate that. Let's go to Texas and talk to William. William, thank you for calling. Exploring the Word, and you're on the radio, brother.

>> Caroline: Howdy, pilgrims.

>> Bert Harper: M. Yes, hello. Yeah. Yes, sir.

>> Caroline: Thank you all for your transparency and accountability. I, just have a praise. I just. I have a praise report. Last Thursday, I had a, cornea transplant. Of course, they can only do one eye at a time, unfortunately, but, it is. It's only by the grace of God. I have clear vision now in one eye, but I'll, take it.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Thank you. Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: Hey, William.

>> Bert Harper: William, are you there? Alex, Got something to say?

>> Caroline: Yes, go ahead.

>> Alex McFarland: Alex, you greeted us with that John Wayne salutation, Pilgrimage. What movie did he utter that line?

>> Caroline: He was truly my hero.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, do you know what movie he used that line in?

>> Caroline: No, sir.

>> Alex McFarland: The man who Shot Liberty Valance. But anyway, forgive me, folks. I digress. Let's get back.

>> Bert Harper: Our boss, Jonathan Coker, would know that he talked about a John Wayne fan. But anyway, thank you, William.

>> Alex McFarland: Forgive me.

William: There are going to be different levels of punishment in hell

Let's get back to the topic.

>> Bert Harper: Let's do it. Hey, we're going to go to another William, but he's in Illinois. Or, Illinois, whichever way you say it. William, thank you for calling.

>> Caroline: Thank you, brother.

>> Bert Harper: go right ahead.

>> Caroline: This revelation, talking about the false prophet will have his part in the Lake of Fire. I think that's more than just something to do with the church. I think we got a lot of false prophets even in this country right now, even in politics. and I think, and all liars are going to have their part in the Lake of Fire, too. But people, should really wake up the idea of what they're accepting out of these situations, because, the hell punishment is more than just one, one item down there. There's parts of it where people are going to get an extra part, especially when you got 8m 80 million abortions or so under your belt and things like that. But, people need to wake up that this here playing the games with this, situation like this, that, you can just do anything, that there's going to be one punishment, but it's going to be severe for some others.

>> Bert Harper: Amen, brother. Thank you, William. Righteousness needs to be preached from the pulpits, don't they, Alex? Honestly, it does. It's not legalism, but it's righteousness. And there's a difference. Go ahead.

>> Alex McFarland: and really a topic that you probably don't hear preached on much is. And folks, I take no joy in this, but this is biblical truth. There are going to be different levels of punishment in hell. Okay? Revelation 20:12, and it says that, people are thrown in the lake of fire and the people are judged according to what they had done and as recorded in the books. And then you read in Luke chapter 10, where Jesus talks about the different levels of judgment on different cities. Woe to Chorazin, Bethsaida. You know, if, you know, Sodom and Gomorrah had seen what you've seen, they would have repented. So people are going to be giving an account for what they did with what they knew. And, I mean, the most important thing about hell is don't go there. Believe in Jesus, be saved. But Bert, I really do think that, based on a number of scriptures, in the Gospels and in Revelation, you, know where Luke 12, Jesus said, one is going to be beaten with few stripes. One is beaten with many stripes. Yes. There will be degrees of punishment in hell for those that are lost.

>> Bert Harper: I agree. Now, let me make this statement, and I've made it many times. There's something worse than going to hell. It's taking someone with you.

>> Alex McFarland: Oh, my goodness.

>> Bert Harper: And when you think about the rich man in Lazarus, you remember what his concern was in the flame? Yeah, he wanted, he wanted some water, but he had five brothers. And, what are you leading? What kind of life are you leading? Look at yourself to see is Christ being seen. When people see you as a believer, do they see Christ? So those are. Thank you. Thank you, William. Let's go to Texas and talk to Rick. Rick, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.

>> Caroline: Hey, how you doing?

>> Bert Harper: Doing well today.

Alex: Colossians 3 says do not be bitter toward your wives

All right.

>> Caroline: Yeah, I've been studying here in, Colossians 3, and, I got to chapter 19 it says, husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. And I was like, bitter, you know, why did they choose, you know, that word as opposed to, you know, mean, angry, whatever. And it just. It stuck in my head. I did a little bit of research on it, but I just wanted to hear where y' all guys. 19, 20, and 21. All three of them verses are kind of different, but I'm working on 19 right now.

>> Bert Harper: That's a good one to work on. Alex, don't have a lot of time. Go ahead and we'll try to get to Rhonda's question if we have time.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, and you know, the King James says, do not be bitter against them. And it really means not to be harsh. not to be harsh against your wives. And I think that would include, holding a grudge, being malicious, you know, I think we Contrast this with First Corinthians 13, don't we? We do not. Seeking our own way, not keeping a record of wrongs, rejoicing in that. Which is good. But, yeah, let me tell you, Rick, I'm glad you brought this up, that, the Colossians 3, 18, 23, make for some good home life, if we.

>> Bert Harper: Would heed to it, really does. Wives, husbands, children, fathers. Wow.

>> Alex McFarland: We're all in there.

>> Bert Harper: We're in there somewhere. You're in there. Thank you, Rick. Let's go to Texas or stay in Texas and talk to Rhonda. Rhonda. Thank you for calling. Go right ahead.

>> Caroline: Hey, thank you for answering.

Matthew 35 says whoever divorces his wife for any reason commits adultery

So I actually got a husband wife question, too. so Matthew 35, 32 says, but I say to you, whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. I totally don't understand that.

>> Bert Harper: Alex. Give Dr. Dobson. Give that answer. We get that quite often. Would you mind doing that real quickly?

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. And let me preface this by saying, the marriage God wants to save is the one you're in right now.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: But, if ever there was a man that was Mr. Marriage and Family, it was James Thompson. He was my boss, and not only boss, but he was a friend. But he said the three A's, adultery, abandonment, and abuse. He said those break the marriage covenant. Now, I got to be really careful here because, abuse and I would never counsel a woman to stay in a place of physical danger. But we should not be looking for an out. But if somebody commits adultery, they have broken the marriage covenant, and the other spouse is free to go. There's much more we could say, and we should say, and we will, but that's.

>> Bert Harper: Well, we get that question often enough. So, Rhonda, keep listening, and I'm sure we'll expand on it. But thank you for calling. And again, listen, the marriage that you're in is the one that God wants to save. He wants it to be what it needs to be. As Christ loved the church, that's what we want to do. Men. Alex, tomorrow's Fire Away Friday. You going to be ready?

>> Alex McFarland: It's going to be great. All questions, all the hour. Fire Away Friday. Hey, don't forget the Facebook page. Like us, if you can and do this, tell somebody about Jesus. The views and opinions expressed in this.

>> Bert Harper: Broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of.

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