The Ominous Number - 666

Hello friends this is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? 666 ... for many people just saying the number conjure up ominous images of secret occult ceremonies and evil powers of Bible prophecy. Others have refused phone numbers, license plates and credit cards containing the number 666 because of their fearful superstitions. There’s even a very long word describing this phobia. It’s called hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia and believe it or not that’s one word. The Highway 666 running from Gallop, New Mexico to Monticello, Utah was nick-named the devil’s highway because of the number in Scripture that identifies it with the beast of Revelation. This satanic connotation combined with the unusually high fatality rate has led some people to believe that the highway was cursed. The problem was compounded because the Satanists were constantly stealing the highway signs as souvenirs. So in 2003 the U.S. Highway Department decided to renumber route 666 as U.S. route 491.

We don’t have to be afraid of the number 666. It’s a natural number preceded by 665 and followed by 667. Never-the-less 666 is a very unique number. It’s an abundant number. It’s sum is the first 36 natural numbers. In other words, if you add 1+2+3+4 and on up it adds up to 666. Guess that’s means if you add up all 36 numbers on a roulette wheel the resulting number is 666. While going to the casino affects you dramatically, it’s not indicting that you will automatically receive the mark of the beast. 666 is also a triangular number since 36 is both square and triangular. 12+12+12 is 36 and of course 3 X 222 is also 666. It’s probably worth mentioning that the ancient Jews followed the lunar calendar and they had 360 days in their year.

666 is also the sum of the squares of the first 7 prime numbers. If you remember from your math class, prime numbers like 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17 if you add up the squares of those first 7 numbers you guessed it, it is 666. And if you add up the first 6 Roman Numerals i, v, x, l, c, d once again it is 666. Even organic molecules are based on Carbon 12 with 6 protons, 6 neutrons, in the nucleus surrounded by 6 electrons. With all of this in mind it makes one wonder why the book of Revelation said 'here is wisdom let him that has understanding count the number of the beast for it is a number of a man and his number is six hundred and sixty-six'. Stay with us friends we’re going to bring you more as “Amazing Facts” brings you this edition of “Bible Answers Live”.

[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]

Pastor Doug: I’m not exactly sure how it all works friends, but I’m glad it does. Somewhere from here in the Studios of Salem broadcasting in Sacramento, California we’re able to open up our laptop computers that are filled with Bible resources and then take your questions from around the world on the internet or the telephone and do our best to find the truth together. If you have a Bible question tonight you can simply call in three are lines open right now. Time to pick up your phone we are on for about another 55 minutes. That number is 1-800-GOD-SAYS 1-800-463-7297 and we dedicate this program to better understanding what the truth of God’s word is because His word is truth. My name is Doug Batchelor.

Pastor Ross: My name is Jean Ross. And good evening again listening friends. We are glad you are with us this evening. Pastor Doug let’s start with prayer. Dear Father we thank you again that we are able to study your word and we ask your blessing upon this program. Be with those who are listening and those who call in. Father we recognize that your word is true and we ask for your guidance as we search its’ pages. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pastor Doug: Amen.

Pastor Ross: You opened with a rather fascinating subject. 666 it has got a lot of mystery associated with this number and of course it has been identified as computer that is in Europe all the way through to something that is attached to a product that you buy in the store. A lot of confusion about the number 666.

Pastor Doug: That’s right. And people want to know why did the Bible say this? First of all though we think it is an unlucky number it is interesting that in China 666 is considered the luckiest number it is very popular to have that on your license plate. And of course they also kind of worship the dragon there, too. So I guess it shouldn’t bother us or surprise us that much, but you know what really spurned the amazing fact for tonight is that a few weeks ago I was doing a series in my church on Solomon. And the career of Solomon just continues to go up, up, up. And he’s just blessed and he becomes wealthy and he has wisdom and everything is going up. And then it makes a very small reference to how much gold came to the kingdom in one year and you can read in 11 Chronicles 9:13 the gold that came to Solomon yearly was 666 talons of gold. Now that’s one thing that’s a phenomenal amount of gold. But, from that mention all of a sudden things change and the record of history is that his kingdom starts to go downward spiritually and I thought that’s very interesting.

There’s another reference to 666 in the Bible it is in Ezra 2:13 it says the people of Adonikam (and that means the Lord has arisen), six hundred sixty-six (that’s the number of people who came out of Babylon and Persia into the Promised Land. They returned). And so then you don’t hear much about it then until you get to Revelation. And it talks about this very dangerous beast and I say that because the most fearful curse that you find in the Bible is found in Revelation 14 it’s pronounced on those who follow the beast and receive his mark or his number.

And people need to and want to understand—well really what they need to understand before they can really understand the number they need to know who the beast is. And on the subject of the mark of the beast there’s a lot of confusion and they don’t need to be confused knowing it is not a tattoo in your forehead. Others have said it is a computer chip that has the serial number 666 on it all kinds of ideas floating around out there.

We want to help people understand this. It is in the Bible the book Revelation means something revealed. The Lord wants us to understand this that’s why He said let him who has wisdom and understanding count it. There is something that we need to study and it takes a little attention and we’re going to offer a lesson tonight to give people a little better understanding of what is the beast and what does his number mean?

Pastor Ross: The study guide that we are offering is called “The Mark of the Beast” it is free call our resource line 1-800-835-6747 again it is called “The Mark of the Beast” it will explain this mysterious number and the significance of that for us today.

Pastor Doug: We’ve also got in the lesson some charts and graphs that explain the number and how it is to be added up. And we have a website called “Prophecy Code” there’s actually a video presentation on the “Mark of the Beast” they can watch at that website “Prophecy Code dot com” and you reminded me there are also a special set of notes there on Bible numbers and their meaning. And a lot of people who have mathematical accounts out there will enjoy the number 7, 40, and 12 and why they appear so often in the Bible. And that is “Prophecy Code dot com”. Oh one more thought. People say how I may get a CD of this program because I just read these facts and a lot of details and they say I want that information, but it went by too quickly. If they go to the “Amazing Facts” website we archive these programs they can listen to it again. Go to “Amazing Facts dot org” and go to the “Media link” under “Radio Program”.

Pastor Ross: To the phone lines our first caller is Sharon calling from West Virginia. Sharon welcome to the program.

Sharon: Thank you. Doug my question has to do with Revelation Chapter 12: on especially verses 6 and 14-16. I understand some of the symbolism in Revelation I know that the woman refers to the church. But, I am wondering—okay the woman is led to the wilderness where God has prepared a place for her. Serpent—which I know represents the devil—cast out of his water after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away with the flood. And it says that, “The earth opened up her mouth and swallowed up the flood that the dragon cast out of his mouth.”

Pastor Doug: Yes.

Sharon: What is your interpretation of that the earth swallowing up the flood?

Pastor Doug: Well let me start first by going back to verse 6. The woman fled into the wilderness. You find God’s people Israel flees into the wilderness from the Egyptians. And He feeds them there miraculously. Elijah fled in the desert from Jezebel. And an angel appeared and miraculously fed him there. Jesus went into the desert and He fasted and prayed forty days and at the end of that it says angels ministered unto Him. All scholars agree that means they fed Him something. So you’ve got this pattern in the Bible of God feeding His people in the wilderness and helping them to survive and escape persecution. During the Dark Ages the prophetic 1260 years—oh by the way one more example—well I’ll get to that in just a second. During this 1260 years God’s church flees into remote places in the wilderness and He preserves her there and feeds her on the word of God. Now the powers in Rome and the government wanted to destroy these primitive Christians that were still going by the Bible and they sent army after army, but they were sort of protected by the stronghold of the wilderness and the canyons where they were. And when it says the earth opens her mouth that takes you back to a story in the Old Testament when God’s people were in the wilderness and God’s people tried to get to a coalition of adversaries against Moses and Aaron to overt row the government and Moses said you know if the Lord is with us and not with you, let the ground open up and swallow you. And the ground opened up and swallowed Nathan, Byron and Cora?

Pastor Ross: Umm-hmm. Yeah.

Pastor Doug: I get them mixed up with Nate out of the bayous sometimes, but anyway there’s a story that Revelation is sort of giving us an echo of what happened back there I the desert and He fed His people and he devil tried to destroy them from the inside and He opened the ground and swallowed up this opposition. So it is telling us about in the Dark Ages how God preserved His church. Now we do have a study guide Sharon that covers the bride of Christ that covers this history that you’re asking about in a lot more detail than I just shared id you would like a free copy.

Sharon: Sure I would like a free copy.

Pastor Ross: Again the number to call is 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the study guide “The Bride of Christ” and we’ll be happy to send that to you Sharon. Thank you. Our next caller is Pat calling from Canada listening on the internet. Welcome to the program Pat.

Pat: Well hi and thanks for taking my call. And thanks for the program. Mine’s I think a straight forward question. And it is not meant to be argumentative, but I know I hear to keep the Sabbath holy. But, I wonder if someone such as myself that is involved in fire fighting and hospital work and police I wonder how someone is able to keep the Sabbath holy and maintain working on that day?

Pastor Doug: Well you know that is a good question of course Sabbath keeping Christians around the world they don’t necessarily close their hospitals on Saturday and if a house is on fire they won’t stand there and say well we can’t do anything to help because it is the Sabbath. Jesus addresses this by saying if you have an ox that falls in the ditch obviously you pull it out because it is an emergency, but at the same time if you’re a Bible Christian and let’s just use that you are a fireman since you are using that you are a fireman. I have friends that are firemen and they don’t work seven days a week. You’ve got to have some time off. Even in an emergency they might be called up even on their day off. And be saving a life and I can understand that. But, if I was a Sabbath keeping fireman I would appeal to the directors and say look this is my Sabbath and this is the day I want off and unless there’s a life threatening emergency I appreciate you respecting that.

And so I know lots of people who work in hospitals and you know if a person is scheduled to work in a hospital and they are doing some humanitarian care and obviously it is needed then they should try to help. My wife used to work at the hospital and sometimes they’d schedule her and it could not be avoided and she would just not take her pay for that day. She said I’m going to give that to the Lord because I am not getting paid to work on a day of rest. If I am doing it I am doing it for Jesus as a service for mankind. And so that is an approach that people have taken through the ages and this is not a new question the Sabbath goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden and so there have always been certain necessary jobs of mercy.

Pat: Alright I appreciate your answer and I think I your point of offering up your pay for that day is a good idea. Many of us here where I live we don’t have—like most of us are Union workers and of course everything is tightly scheduled. So we really don’t have much choice the days we work.

Pastor Doug: Well sometimes you can put in a special petition and they’ll respect that, but that’s really a challenge for everybody. You know it occurred to me with all of the Ten Commandments not just with the Sabbath. So it takes an effort by God’s grace to obey. We’re inclined towards idolatry. Our hearts are inclined toward covetousness and we’re inclined to forget God’s timing. So it takes and effort to keep it.

Pat: Okay I appreciate your answer and I’ll see what I can do.

Pastor Doug: Alright. Hey Pat I appreciate the question and we also have a study guide on the subject of the Sabbath. We’ll be happy to send you.

Pastor Ross: Again the name of that study guide is “Lost Day in History” and it is free if you call our resource line it is 1-800-835-6747 and you can ask for the study guide on the Sabbath called “Lost Day in History” and we’ll be happy to send that to you. Our next caller is David listening from KDIA from Richmond, California. David welcome to “Bible Answers Live”.

David: Hi guys I have to ask you guys a question about Jesus.

Pastor Doug: You have to get real close to your phone. I can barely hear you David. That’s better.

David: Okay I said I have to ask you a question about Jesus.

Pastor Doug: Yes.

David: After He was in the wilderness when He got tempted by the devil and the devil had left. Was it the angels that came and ministered to him or not?

Pastor Doug: Well the Bible says that after forty days that He was a hungered, He was very hungry He was very weak and that is of course why the devil tempted Him to turn the bread--or the stones into bread. When Elijah was in the wilderness and he was faint, angels came and fed him. And so when it says the angels ministered unto Him we believe that they brought Jesus food and probably water, too. Just like the angel did for Elijah. So the word ministry does not mean that the angels acme to preach to Him. It means the angels came and took care of His practical needs which were food at that time. His fast was over then and God sent angels from heaven to tell Him that He was victorious over the devil and He was given supernatural food somehow to sustain Him. So I hope that helps a little bit.

David: It did.

Pastor Doug: Well good and I appreciate your question and it doesn’t explicitly say food, but most scholars believe that is what it was.

Pastor Ross: Alright our next caller is Jeff listening on the internet from Edmonton, Canada. Jeff welcome to the program.

Jeff: Good evening.

Pastor Doug: Good evening.

Jeff: My question—I have a question here I have a professor that teaches the kind of ancient understanding of the Universe. Basically there is the heaven of heavens and then there’s the firmament waters above and waters below and then the earth and then this under earth and I’m just wondering if this is Biblical and he talked to me and his main verse is Philippians 2: where it says the under earth, but you can also find that in Revelation 5:13 Jesus mentions the heart of the earth and then the abyss is mentioned throughout the New Testament. So I’m just wondering is this teaching Biblical, this underworld?

Pastor Doug: Well you go ahead and finish I am sorry.

Jeff: He didn’t say it was like hell per se, but he said it is a conscious world where there are souls or something like that.

Pastor Doug: No. No it is not Biblical. Let me read Revelation 5:13 you quoted. 13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea and in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory and power, be to him that sitteth upon the throne…” When it says under the earth and it says creatures, it’s not talking about people. Creatures can be any creature that lives underground that could be of course the Bible speaks about moles and of course there are all kinds of critters that live underground and bats. They used to come out of Carlsbad cavern. It is talking about every creature it doesn’t matter if they are with Jonah at the bottom of the ocean or they are up in the sky flying with the birds. Every creature in the sea, on the land, under the earth, in the air they are all praising God it is not talking about an underworld like Hades that Pluto was in charge of.

Pastor Ross: You know there is a verse in Galatians 4:3 that I find interesting that has the word under and world. Okay let me read it. It says, “Even so we when we are children were in bondage under the world…” and that it goes on to say, “We can be forgiven and saved.” So to be part of the underworld is in essence to be in bondage to sin in the domain of Satan.

Pastor Doug: Yeah and it is not as thought the devil has an office down yonder someplace because when Satan came and appeared to the Lord, the Lord said where did you come from? This is the book of Job Chapter 1: “Satan says I came from walking to and fro on the earth.” And so the devil isn’t interested in what is happening down where the worms are. He is interested in what is happening top side.

Jeff: Okay and so he mentioned specifically like he was very keen on the word so when Jesus said the heart of the earth and the demon in Like 9: said the abyss. You know don’t send me into the abyss? If it is not talking about an underworld then what could it be referring to?

Pastor Doug: Alright the word “abyss” is actually in Greek the word “abusos” that you find both in Luke Chapter 8: and in Revelation Chapter 20: was a place where the demons cannot inhabit people. And if you want to know what that word means the Jews in the Septuagint, that’s the Greek translation of the Old Testament according to the Jews who had the original Hebrew. And then a number of them translated them into Greek and that’s called the Septuagint because there were 70 elders that were involved in doing it. When they talked about the earth when it was void and without form back when God began the creation they called it the abusos. And it is just talking about chaotic emptiness and so when devils are sent into this empty realm where they can’t possess people.

Jeff: But, where is that? Is that an actual place or—because there are people on the earth and there were people on the earth at that time right? So—

Pastor Doug: No. Oh—are you talking about in Luke Chapter 8?

Jeff: Yeah.

Pastor Doug: Well when the devil said to Jesus in Luke Chapter 8 please don’t cast us out in to the deep the word there in English is translated deep it means the emptiness. They said don’t put us into nothingness, let us possess the pigs let us possess a man, let us possess something. But, no where does it intimate that it is down somewhere where the oil derricks drill. The word is never used that way—the word abusos is never used that way to talk about region down below geographically. It just means a place where devils cannot possess people. It refers to the angels that are in the everlasting chains of darkness. But, it is not talking about a cavern somewhere.

Pastor Ross: And in Matthew 12:40 where Jesus says the son of man shall be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth and Christ was in control of the evil powers from the time of Gethsemane all the way through until His resurrection in the morning. That’s not referring to some subterranean cavern, but rather the power of Satan the forces of darkness.

Jeff: Alright so it is a metaphor.

Pastor Ross: Correct. Yeah.

Jeff: Okay. Now in the waters above there is in the Genesis 1:7 there’s an account where’s there’s the waters above and he said basically like if you have an ancient understanding you would look up and see blue and so you’d think of a sea above, but I’m just thinking is it literal? And we just can’t see now because of the flood gates of the flood? Or is this metaphorical?

Pastor Ross: Yeah just let me mention one thing—there’s different theories out there as to what the world was like before the flood. And there was one that was there was some kind of a water canopy surrounding the earth which almost created a hot house type effect on the earth you didn’t need rain. There was this mist.

Pastor Doug: They polarized the weather. I am inclined to believe that all the good creationist scientists that I’ve heard support that theory that some sort of an envelope of water and even in Genesis where it says God separated the waters above from the waters below and then when the floods came it says the heavens were broken up and then the waters came down here was like a polarizing layer of moisture around the earth that even the temperature that’s why you’ve got ferns growing inside Siberia and Antarctica.

You know I was hesitating a minute ago because I was looking up another verse for you Jeff and it was back to the devil being underground. Jesus was telling in Luke 11:24, “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walks through dry places seeking rest and finding none. He says I will return unto my house where I came out.” So he has got demons that do not possess anyone and they are wondering to and fro just looking for someone else to possess. That is the abusos there that’s those desolate places. That’s the way it is used so I was looking for that verse. I hope that helps.

Jeff: Lastly could I just ask just one last thing. My professor—I know you’re talking about the 666—he says that many manuscripts indicates 616 and that the original Greek and Latin that is translated as Nero or the Emperor Nero and I was just wondering have you heard that before? Like I know it doesn’t fit the prophecies of the beast, but I am asking.

Pastor Doug: There were some manuscripts that they tried to deflect attention away and they said—they wanted to say that everything I Revelation was past and they inserted Nero’s name there and they came up with some Hebrew derivative of Nero’s name and said that his was really talking about him. But, all of the dependable manuscripts just use the number six hundred three score and six. And there is really no question about that.

Pastor Ross: And of course the number 666 is just one of many identifying mark as to who the beast is it is not the only.

Pastor Doug: That is right. Thais exactly and as a matter of fact Jeff you’d enjoy that lesson that we’re offering tonight called “The Mark of the Beast”.

Pastor Ross: To receive it call our resource line that’s 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the study guide entitled “The Mark of the Beast” that’s the one we’re offering tonight and we’ll be happy to send that out to you.

Pastor Doug: The engineer says our music is going to start in just a moment for our half time break so we don’t want to give our caller just thirty seconds. So why don’t I take this extra time we’ve got before we take our break to remind our friends about the “Amazing Facts” website that has evangelistic programming 24 hours a day. Basically it is television on the internet and it is just “Amazing Facts dot TV”. And it has programs that are archived and you can watch a prophecy series and we’ve been talking a lot about prophecy tonight. And just there is a fresh round of programming going on 24 hours a day so if you’re just washing the dishes and you want to hear some good Bible preaching we’d invite you to go to “Amazing Facts dot TV”.

Also there’s another website we’d like to encourage you to check out. If you haven’t ever been to “Bible Universe” take a look. If you haven’t been there lately go back because they have refreshed and redecorated the “Bible Universe” website and there are a lot of study resources there and as well as Bible study guides in a number of different languages. And we’d encourage you to send that link to your friends from around the world. It will encourage them in their faith. We have got so many websites connected with “Amazing Facts” people ask questions tonight for instance on the Sabbath. We’ve got a website called “Sabbath Truth dot com” we just had a question a minute ago about the depths of the region of darkness. There’s a website called “Truth about Death dot com” and I think if you just go to the main flagship website “Amazing Facts dot org” you’ll see these links, there’s a store, there’s TV programming, archives of this program, and much more. And so we encourage you to check that out. And also the latest news about “Amazing Facts” you can find out right there at “Amazing Facts dot org”. The Batchelor family just came back from Central America a little while ago and we’ve got that report there. Actually I just logged on Pastor Ross to the website while I was rambling here and I said, “Oh they’ve got the report on out trip to Belize.” So you may want to go there and find out what the latest news is. We’ll be back in just a moment with more Bible questions.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Pastor Doug: We are back and friends if you tuned in as you’ve been going down the road. This is “Bible Answers Live” an interactive, international Bible Study. Where we take your phone calls and do our best to answer your Bible questions. We have got several people in line here so without any further ado Pastor Ross who is next?

Pastor Ross: We’re going to go to Josh whose calling from Thousand Pond, California. Josh welcome to the program.

Josh: Hello.

Pastor Doug: Hi Josh I know where that is.

Josh: Yeah I think it’s out where you found the Bible up in the mountain I believe.

Pastor Doug: Yeah and I also had a son who was stationed at 29 ponds not too far away. Your question?

Josh: Yes my question is this and I was hoping you can make this a little clearer for me to understand. Talking about the Old and New Covenant. Now the Old Covenant refers to the law that was given to the Israelites in the Old Testament correct?

Pastor Doug: Yes.

Josh: And when we get to the New Covenant it’s where God is going to write it on our hearts?

Pastor Doug: Well I was going to say that the New Covenant really originates in the Old Testament. The New Covenant is first mentioned two times in the Old Testament. And it is really ratified in the New Testament, but go ahead.

Josh: Okay I see, but I was just wondering if you can explain the difference between the two what is it that He writes on our hearts and what the original one is.

Pastor Doug: Alright very good—but, before I forget—when we get done with this question I’ll send you a book and it is called “Why the Old Covenant Failed”. And you just ask for it and we send it to you. But, to quickly answer your question Deuteronomy 4: 13 it says, “And the Lord declared unto you His covenant. Which he commanded you to perform the Ten Commandments and He wrote them on two tables of stone.” But, of course we all remember the story of the golden calf and before Moses even finished retrieving the first copy they had broken the commandments with idolatry and a number of other areas. And so when people made a covenant it’s an agreement so God gave them the Ten Commandments the people as a Nation said all the Lord has said we will do. And so they have the agreement and Moses went and got the written copy and they were two tables of stone and the people broke it.

And so the Lord said look the real sacrifice is not going to be the sacrifice of the lambs and the law written on stone. The New Covenant is going to be the law written on your hearts and it is going to be empowered by my son the Lamb of God. So the difference between the Old and New Covenant is not the law, the law is really the same the law is love. The Ten Commandments are summarized in love for God and love for your fellow man. But, instead of it being written in stone it is written on your heart and it is ratified by the blood of Christ as opposed to the blood of a lamb.

So the New Covenant is first mentioned in Jeremiah 31 the Old Testament, but it isn’t really ratified until the sacrifice of Christ.

Josh: Okay. You answered my question thank you.

Pastor Doug: Yeah so we’re all saved by the New Covenant really with the law of God in our hearts and we’re saved by faith. You know Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. And Pastor Ross you have been studying Hebrews I forget what Chapter was it in Hebrews where he reiterates the New Covenant is it Hebrews 8?

Pastor Ross: Oh it’s repeated in Hebrews 10 and then also in Hebrews 8 while in Hebrews 8 and then repeated in 10.

Pastor Doug: Right.

Pastor Ross: Just one more thought on the New Covenant there is what the Bible refers to as the everlasting covenant which is summarized where in Genesis Jesus as the Messiah promise was given to direct those living before Christ to the everlasting covenant the promise of a redeemer God instituted the sacrificial system. That of course came to an end when Jesus died on the cross and now we don’t need a lamb to guide us or point us to Christ, but we have Christ who actually came. So the purpose of those laws before Christ came are the same and it all points us to Jesus He’s the only one through whom we can be saved. In other words there are not two ways to be saved.

Pastor Doug: Right. Some people think that Jews are saved by keeping the law and Christians are saved by faith, but God is not racist like that He saves everybody by faith. Nobody is saved by works.

Pastor Ross: Absolutely.

Pastor Doug: By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified and that means nobody. Thanks Josh and don’t forget to ask for “Why Did the Old Covenant Fail?” and we’ll send you a free copy of that book.

Pastor Ross: The number to call is 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the book “Why Did the Old Covenant Fail?” and we’ll be happy to send that out to you. Our next caller is Jason listening from WMCA from Brooklyn, New York. Jason you’re on the air.

Jason: Good evening Pastor Doug and Pastor Ross.

Pastor Doug: Good Evening.

Jason: My question is in regards to Daniel Chapter 8:14. I understand that the 2300 days and I understand it is significant that it ended in 1844. My question is when Christ moved from the Holy to the Most Holy in the presence of God isn’t He still cleansing the sanctuary here on earth? I know there are two sanctuaries in heaven and on earth. Isn’t the cleansing still going on because isn’t that investigating and judging in Daniel 11?

Pastor Doug: Well just let me—for our listeners because you and I know what we’re talking about Jason, but we’ve got a lot of listeners that are hearing this subject for the first time. There is a time prophecy in Daniel Chapter 8 friends and then you’ll find it mentioned in 8:14. And here the angel says unto Daniel, “Unto 2300 days shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” And many Christians believe that because Christ is our High Priest in heaven He—and there’s no question about that, that’s also mentioned in Hebrews several times—that He just as the High Priest had two really types of ministry—he had a daily ministry and then there was an annual ministry where at the end of the year there was a cleansing of the sanctuary. And many Christians believe that Christ entered the last phase of His High Priestly ministry in heaven in 1844 and I’m one of those that believe that. And when He is done with that ministry then Jesus is going to stand up and that’s when it says and Michael shall stand up and the great prince and there shall be a time of trouble and probation closes. Well not only is Jesus cleansing the sanctuary in heaven from the sins through their prayers and the accepting of the sacrifice that is spiritually stored there. And they are being cleansed and there’s an investigative judgment that goes on before Jesus comes. Now stay with me friends. When Jesus comes it tell us in Revelation that when He comes that He will reward everyone according to their works. If He rewards everybody when He comes then it stands to reason that some kind of an investigation or judgment takes place before He comes. And the Bible says that judgment begins at the House of God so that first judgment that pre second coming judgment begins with the House of God.

Pastor Ross: You know I think that is beautifully illustrated in the parable that Jesus told and you can read about in Matthew 22 where there was a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son and those who were first invited didn’t come and finally the message went out going to the highways and byways to get as many as you could and everyone was there. And then it says that the king came in to look at their gifts and saw the man that didn’t have on the wedding garment. And he said how is it that you are here not wearing a wedding garment—of course that wedding garment represents the righteousness of Christ. The man was speechless and so he was bound hand and foot and cast out. Now of course what this parable is depicting is it is depicting events that take place before Jesus comes because nobody is going to be cast out of heaven. So this examination of the Father is looking at the guests and those that have responded to the gospel invitation that must precede the actual coming of Christ. And so even now the father is looking to see who is wearing the righteousness of Jesus and who has on that wedding garment.

Pastor Doug: Yeah it’s not just a mere profession. It’s actually having that. And now we’ve got a book that deals with that we’ve got a study guide talking about the 2300 days. And it’s called is that the one “Right on Time”?

Pastor Ross: “God Set a Date”

Pastor Doug: Oh “God Set a Date for the Judgment”.

Pastor Ross: And to receive that call our resource line again that’s 1-800-835-6747 and the study guide again is called “God Set the Date” and we’ll be happy to send that to you also.

Pastor Doug: And Jason was asking also what about the sanctuary on earth. And God still has a church on earth and He is cleansing them as well right now from the false teachings of the Dark Ages. There in Daniel it talks about the truth being cast to the ground. And God is restoring the truth to His people and when He is done cleansing the sanctuary above and the sanctuary below He is coming.

Pastor Ross: Of course God won’t have an angel make an inaccurate entry into heaven and say the sanctuary is cleansed on earth when in reality it is not so God is even now cleansing His people from sin. Our next caller Gary listening on the internet from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Gary welcome to the program.

Gary: Thank you for taking my call Pastor Doug.

Pastor Doug: Sure. And your question?

Gary: Yes and my question revolves around Colossians 2:16 and the way that it words and you shouldn’t let any one judge you for the things you eat and what you don’t eat and the feasts that you keep and the traditions that you observe and that they are shadows of things to come. But, that letter was actually written after Christ had been sacrificed and ascended into heaven so are we talking about future events that are going to happen in Revelation time?

Pastor Doug: Well I’m not sure I understand your question, if you had stopped before that last sentence I might have thought I understood. Okay now restate that again. Now—in Colossians let me read this for our friends—just who are driving down the road. Paul says, 16: “Let no man…” this is Colossians 2:16 “…therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect to the Holy Day or of the new moon or of the Sabbath days which are a shadow of the things to come, but the body is of Christ.” So do you want me to launch into explaining that verse or do you have a specific part?

Gary: I don’t understand because if it talks about—you know things that people normally would understand and a lot of people actually use this as a test they don’t have to observe the Sabbath and they don’t have to do other things and that they can eat whatever they want and those types of things. But, this letter was actually written after Christ had been crucified and had ascended to heaven. So how can it be a shadow of things to come if all those things were a shadow of Christ?

Pastor Doug: Oh I see what you are saying. Well not everything that is foreshadowed in the Old Testament prophecies has happened yet even with the coming of Jesus. There are –for instance after Christ came and ascended to heaven –the feast of Pentecost pointed to the out pouring of the Holy Spirit. Well that happened after Christ ascended. So there are still shadows in the Old Testament that you see fulfilled in the New Testament history. Does that make sense?

Gary: Yeah.

Pastor Doug: And there are still some in the future. In other words the feast of tabernacles talks about when we’re in heaven. They were gathered out of the slavery of Egypt. And it was to be a reminder of their liberation. The Passover is really the angel of judgment and how it passes over because of the blood of the lamb. We enjoy that now because of the way we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, but when we’re in heaven that will mean that the angel of judgment has gone by because of the blood of Christ. So the shadows are not all past, but there’s still some that are future.

Gary: Okay.

Pastor Doug: Now just so our friends listening understand. When Christ rose and ascended to heaven, some of the Jewish Christians were telling the Gentile converts to Christianity that you’ve got to keep the Jewish ceremonial Sabbaths. You’ve got to keep the ceremonial laws that had to do with the diet-- and we’re not talking about the health laws now—we’re talking about the other laws. And the Holy Days—it’s not talking about the Ten Commandments—there it is talking about the ceremonial annual feasts. And Paul says don’t let anyone judge you regarding these things which are shadows of things to come. And so some have been fulfilled by Christ coming and some still were happening then and some were still future, but they were all symbolic in nature. Gary we have got a study guide that’s called “Feast Days and Sabbaths” and the author Joe Crews, I believe that he addresses that in there and we’ll send you send you a free copy. Thanks for your question.

Pastor Ross: The number to call for that book is 1-800-835-6747 and again Pastor Doug the title of the book is “Feast Days and Sabbaths” and we’ll be happy to send that out to you. Our next caller is MaryAnn and she is listening on VAOR in Quebec, Canada. MaryAnn welcome to the program.

MaryAnn: Hi.

Pastor Doug: Good evening.

MaryAnn: I have a question concern baptism. Have some friends of mine and even myself. We were baptized by non ordained pastors and I have had this on my mind since last Monday. And it was on mind so in the Bible and with your program I would get my answer. So that I figured that was the Holy Spirit letting me know that was the only way I’m going to get my answer.

Pastor Doug: Well that’s a good question. I sit necessary to be baptized by an ordained minister in order for your baptism to be valid?

MaryAnn: Is it valid?

Pastor Doug: It is the preferred method that God outlines in the Bible, but there are no doubt going to be some in heaven who has been baptized by some who may not have been officially ordained. For instance there are countries where Christians are persecuted and church leadership is not even allowed in the country and so different deacons and elders will have clandestine baptisms in China and other places and they may not be ordained by the official church to do that, while I know God is going to honor and bless those baptisms, but when Christ gave the great commission He said, “Go ye therefore and teach all Nations and baptizing them.” Now principally He has leadership around Him when He said that.

You do have an example in the Bible of the deacon Philip performing a baptism and he was ordained later as a deacon and evangelist so we don’t know where he was on his journey when that happened. But, not long after he was a deacon he was baptizing some. And that’s in Acts Chapter 8 I believe.

So now what the problem is MaryAnn if every Christian lets someone join the church and a week later they want to go baptizing people before they are really grounded in the word and teaching the word because Jesus said, “Go ye therefore…” and this is in Matthew 28:18 “…teach all Nations, baptizing them.” So people who do the baptizing should also be qualified to teach people first. And so it should be someone who is authorized and settled and rooted in the truth that does the baptizing. If you’ve got baby Christians out there baptizing people before they are ready for baptism then folks start joining the church before they are converted and you have all kinds of problems. So I don’t know what your circumstances were, but if you are unsettled about it I’d contact someone. Do you have a church that you attend?

MaryAnn: Yes, I went back to the church I used to go to and it’s a good church.

Pastor Doug: Talk to the Pastor there and tell him what happened and if the pastor says look that is good enough for me then you can feel confident that your baptism is recognized.

MaryAnn: And for this couple she’s a new Christian and she doesn’t even go to church anymore. We stayed friends and gradually I am kind of teaching her—you see the Bible to answer her questions.

Pastor Doug: Right. And that’s exactly what you are supposed to do is to as a Christian to share your faith with others. But, we have a study on baptism. It’s called “Baptism is it Necessary?” By Joe Crews. I’d like to send you a copy of that and have you read that MaryAnn and also share it with your friend that you are talking about. And hopefully it will help also to fill in some of the gaps.

Pastor Ross: The number to call again 1-800-835-6747 and the book is “Baptism is it Necessary?” we’d be happy to send that out MaryAnn. Just call again 1-800-835-6747. Our next caller is Sharon listening from WMCA in New Jersey. Sharon welcome to the program.

Sharon: Hi

Pastor Doug: Hi how are you?

Sharon: I’m good. My question was how you do you ask to be able to understand if God has a specific will in our lives especially in the end times?

Pastor Doug: Well that is also a good question. You know it is interesting that right at the “Amazing Facts” homepage is an article that I just wrote and it is called “Determining the Will of God” and I’ll do my best to give you a quick answer, but I would also recommend you look at the article if you are able to get on the internet Sharon. And just go to the “Amazing Facts” and there you will see this article comes up with this banner “Determining the Will of God” how do I know the will of God?

And a lot of people have that question, but first of all the biggest criteria to being clear on the will of God is to have a willing heart. You know Jesus said if any man is willing to do His will he will know the doctrine whether it be of God. And that’s John Chapter 7:17. So that’s the first thing is just surrender to His will and say Lord I am willing to do whatever You want and He’ll guide you. Then look at His word and find out what the word of God and the law of God say about the different directions you might potentially go.

The Bible says His word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. If we commit our way to the Lord He will direct our paths. So surrender yourself to the Lord and He will direct your paths and you know what? I am pretty sure that this article has been turned into a book. And we can send you a free copy of that. And so you can either read that online Sharon or…

Sharon: Yes I can.

Pastor Doug: …you can request the book on how to determine the will of God and we will send you a free copy. Okay?

Sharon: Okay thank you.

Pastor Ross: Alright the number to call 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the book “How to Know the Will of God” and we’ll be happy to send that out.

Our next caller is Chevonne listening on WMCA from Manhattan, New York. Chevonne welcome to the program.

Chevonne: Hi.

Pastor Doug: Hi.

Chevonne: How you doing Pastor Doug Batchelor?

Pastor Doug: Doing well. And how can we help you tonight?

Chevonne: I have a question on Matthew 5:48 it says, “Be therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” I wanted to know does that mean we have to be perfect before Jesus comes or is it possible for us to live a sinner’s life before Jesus comes?

Pastor Doug: Well if you read how Jesus says the same thing in Luke 6:36 it may help you a little bit. In Luke 6:36 he says, “Be therefore merciful even as your Father in heaven s merciful.” And so the kind of perfection Christ is trying to really be looking for is a perfect mercy and a perfect love.

When the Bible is telling us to be perfect it is not telling us that we need to be sterilized stainless steel robots that are just squeaky clean and we don’t make any mistakes. What He wants is a perfect surrender and a perfect Christian love. You have Christian perfection when you get to the place where you are willing to obey God rather than hurt Him or sin. And you love Him.

You know the Bible says that Job was a perfect and upright man because he feared God and hated evil. And Zachariah and Elizabeth walked in the commandments of the Lord. They loved the Lord. And then it goes on to say that Zachariah doubted the angel so he wasn’t perfect, but as far as he knew God’s will he always did God’s will.

Chevonne: Because I have a lot of people saying to me it is not possible to live a sin less life. You know I am not Jesus. Jesus was able to live a sin less life because He was Jesus. So that’s not possible, but I don’t really believe that I believe you can live a sinless life. Do you know what I mean?

Pastor Doug: Well let me give you something to think about. Watch out for anybody who claims to be sin less. I think you need to be careful, but if at the same time, who does a Christian follow?

Chevonne: Right.

Pastor Doug: Jesus. Was He perfect?

Chevonne: Yes He was.

Pastor Doug: So our ideal our Master is a Perfect Master. Secondly, do we believe that the devil can tempt us to sin?

Chevonne: Umm-hmm.

Pastor Doug: Of course. Do we believe that Jesus can keep us from sin?

Chevonne: Yes.

Pastor Doug: See if we only believe that we can fall, but we don’t believe that Christ can keep us from falling people end up having more faith in the devil than Jesus. Do you see what I am saying?

Chevonne: Umm-hmm.

Pastor Doug: So we’ve got to be careful about falling into that trap as well.

Chevonne: Right.

Pastor Ross: Jude Chapter 4:21 says, “Now unto you who is able to keep you from falling.”

Chevonne: Right.

Pastor Doug: You know we have a book—I was actually flying a plane a couple of years ago and I read this book and it just really blessed my heart it is written by Joe Crews. We’ll send you a copy of this and we don’t send it out often it is called “Is it Possible to Live without Sinning”

Chevonne: Oh I would like that.

Pastor Doug: Is it Possible to Live without Sinning” now you have to remember the title so when you call the numbers tell them the title of the book and “Is it Possible to Live without Sinning” and we’ll send it out to you for free.

Chevonne: Okay.

Pastor Ross: The number 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the book “Is it Possible to Live without Sinning” a great resource for anyone wanting to learn more about this. Evelyn is listening on WMCA from New York, New York. Evelyn welcome to the program.

Evelyn: Hi. The reason I am calling is because I believe in the coming of Christ and so does my sister and we were both raised in the faith, however my sister she is living a life of adultery. And she knows that it is wrong, but she feels that after the rapture takes place that she will probably get saved. So I said to her when that happens and when God comes and takes up His chosen ones we aren’t even going to be here and it is going to be even more difficult and so I was wondering is it true that if she dies for her faith that she will be given that other chance? I said to her also that you have to look into your heart because God can tell whether it was phony or not. You know what I mean?

Pastor Doug: Exactly. Yeah, you can’t just sin and say I’ll just count on the Lord later and I’ll do something.

Evelyn: Umm-hmm.

Pastor Doug: That’s dangerous presuming on God’s grace. First of all there’s a misconception about the rapture that I hear your sister has. What is going to happen after the rapture? There’s really no second chance following the rapture. Let me quote what the Bible says in 11 Peter Chapter 3, “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night…” Now many people say that when the Lord comes and the rapture takes place that this is when He comes as a thief. Now let me finish reading the verse, “…in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise. The elements will melt with fervent heat and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” So when the Lord comes as a thief there is no one down here getting a second chance. Yeah, Pastor Ross.

Pastor Ross: Yeah you know in Revelation 22:11 let me just read to you a couple of verse here real quickly. Jesus says, 11“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still, he that is filthy, let him be filthy still, he that is righteous, let him be righteous still, he that is holy, let him be holy still.” So Christ pronounces this command that those that are holy will be holy and those that are sinful will be sinful and the very next verse Jesus says, 12“Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according to his works shall be.” So prior to the second coming of Christ Jesus says that those who are holy will remain holy and those who are sinful will remain sinful. There will be no changing sides. We call that the close of probation that precedes the second coming.

Pastor Doug: Yeah now there’s a book that we’ll send to you that talks about the rapture and what happens just after it. It’s called “Anything, But Secret” I hope you will ask for that Evelyn. We knew the music was going to chase us away. Call the resource number and we’ll send that to you.

Pastor Ross: 1-800-835-6747 the book is “Anything But Secret”.

Pastor Doug: Listening friends we hope that you will not let the program end. One way you can keep this program going is by contacting us and letting us know that you are tuning in. You can keep listening if you go to the “Amazing Facts” website. Click on the “Media link” you will see there an information link with archives of former programs. And some of the most popular Bible questions can also be found there as well. That address one more time is “Amazing Facts dot org” great website and great links to other great websites. Also contact us this is how we keep the program on the air. We would love to hear from you because we want people to know about Jesus who is the truth that will set you free.

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