If you have a question for Dave and Tom to respond to in a future Contending for the Faith, stay tuned, we’ll provide our contact information at the end of the program. You are listening to Search the Scriptures Daily, a radio ministry of The Berean Call. Turning now to our final segment:
UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES
We resume our excursion through the Book of Acts. Here again are Dave and Tom: This is our Understanding the Scriptures segment, and Dave, you know, for all the stuff that we go through, it’s like a treat, this is like an oasis to get to this segment, because we are going through God’s Word, and that’s our encouragement to our listeners. We point out some things that are going on, some trends that are going on in the church, and so on, and try to give you information about it so people don’t get caught up in it, but the bottom line is, we want to point people to the Lord and to His Word, that’s our hope in this program.
Dave:
Well, that’s the only authority we have, Tom.
Tom:
Right now we are in Acts chapter 19 in this segment, we’re going to pick up with verse 30. A little background for this Dave, talked about the DSM earlier, and money, it’s really about money, and in this particular case, Paul was disrupting the income for those who made idols in the city of Ephesus . So they were upset, they were losing some income here.
Dave:
Well, Paul had the audacity to say there are no gods that are made with hands. You can’t create gods out of silver, these were silversmiths, and that just ruined their business.
Tom:
Well Dave, Paul had this trouble before, do you remember, Act 16, chapter 16, there was a woman following them around saying she was possessed of a spirit of divination. And Paul finally had enough of it, he couldn’t handle it anymore, I assume, and he delivered her from the demons.
Dave:
Well, he didn’t want any endorsement of the gospel from that source.
Tom:
Right. There was income now being obstructed by Paul’s act.
Dave:
Yeah, because certain people had used her—well, her handlers used her to earn money, to tell fortunes for various people.
Tom:
Well, two of Paul’s disciples, Gaius and Aristarchus, the crowd jumped all over them. They were his companions there and Paul wanted to help them out, he wanted to go and rescue them, I assume.
Dave:
He was going to appeal to the mob.
Tom:
Right. So that brings us up to verse 30: “And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.” So, he took their counsel, they said, no, Paul, they’re going to beat you up, as well. “And certain of the chief of Asia , which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theater. Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.”
Dave:
Jesus said, They won’t receive you, go to the next city, and don’t try to push anything on anybody, don’t cast your pearls before swine, they will rend you. So Paul doesn’t say, Well, God is with me, the Lord will protect me, He will send His angels. He doesn’t say, Well, I don’t care, I’ll go out there and be killed. No, he listens to reason, and it’s something that we need to do as well. I had a dear friend, Tom, you would remember him.
Tom:
Wally, yeah, and he adventured himself into the Watts riot, and thought he would preach the gospel. He was very zealous for the gospel, zealous very much with Mormons, and of course he got knocked down and kicked and he was in a coma for months and then he died. I thought of him the other day because I was in Boise speaking.
Tom:
Where there are many Mormons.
Dave:
Yeah, and we had a debate there at Boise State University , and he was my partner. We debated two Mormons, and interestingly enough, they said that Joseph Smith—one of their arguments was: Joseph Smith was the first prophet of the new age! And I said, Well, he was one of the prophets in the new age, but the first one happened to be a serpent in the garden. Anyway, we had an interesting time there, that made me think of Wally. And Paul was not going to go against the counsel of the brethren. He’s not the big shot who calls all the shots, and says, Why don’t we do what I want to do, and we all need to take advice. I guess my best counselor is my wife, she’s got more wisdom than I have.
Tom:
Well Dave, that brings up an interesting point, especially those who have such a burden for our relatives or friends and so on, and at what point, or how would you go about—Okay, now I think that I am casting my pearls before swine. Is there some reasons or rationale that you apply to that?
Dave:
You can’t force yourself, and you can’t force the gospel, you can’t force Christ on anyone, and of course that’s what Islam does, Off with your head, if you don’t confess there’s no—
Tom:
And they don’t even care if you believe it just as long as you support it.
Dave:
That’s right, but God is not going to force anybody to go to heaven, not going to force anybody to believe. Because if you are forced to believe something you haven’t really believed it. And you know the old saying: A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still. So, they are keeping him back. I mean, he’s not going to be able to reason with this wild mob. What are they going to do? They’re going to throw dust in the air and say, Great is the goddess of the Ephesians, and so forth. But anyway Tom, carry on here.
Tom:
Verse 33: “And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defense unto the people. But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” Well, they turned that into a mantra, Dave, or was it just—what?
Dave:
It’s fanaticism, just like at a football game, you probably get more of it there. In high school they really do it, chanting for the team.
Tom:
A basketball game—fair ball, fair ball, you know that one?
Dave:
Yeah, yeah, but it’s their team and you see how excited they get because their team is winning, or they subside because their team is losing. And this was their champion, Diana of the Ephesians, she was their goddess, and she brought a lot of income for them. So just fanatically, Great is Diana the goddess of the Ephesians, over and over and over. It doesn’t mean anything, there’s no rationale for it, there’s no proof of it, it’s just an emotional surge.
Tom:
Thirty-Five: “And when the town clerk had appeases the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus , what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshiper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.”
Dave:
Well Tom, he doesn’t say: Seeing that we have proof of Diana of the Ephesians is the true goddess, or god, he says, Well, of course everybody knows that this is what we worship here. So nobody is going to argue about that. It’s really pitiful, it’s sad.
Tom:
They do the same thing today with evolution, don’t they, Dave?
Dave:
Yeah, or, I was born a Catholic, I’ll die a Catholic, or a Hindu or whatever, Ours is the largest church and the oldest—it has nothing to do with the truth. Hopefully, we try to give people the truth of the Word of God, and we encourage them to search the scriptures daily. Don’t take what we say, just check it out for yourself.
Gary :
Dave and Tom will resume their discussion on the topic of salvation next week, we hope you can join us. This is Search the Scriptures Daily, a radio ministry of The Berean Call. The apostle John, in Revelation 17, describes in detail characteristics of a beast which comes in the last days. Virtually, all attention these days is focused on the coming Antichrist, but he is only half the story. Many are amazed to discover that that same passage reveals another mysterious character at the heart of prophecy, a woman who rides the beast. Who is this woman? John depicts her as a false church, which will be a partner of the Antichrist. Tradition says she is connected with the church of Rome, but isn’t such a view outdated? After all, today’s Vatican is eager to join hands with Protestants world wide. We are told the Catholic church is changed, or has it? In A Woman Rides the Beast , prophecy expert Dave Hunt sifts through biblical truth and global events to present a well defined portrait of this woman, and her powerful place in the Antichrist future empire. Eight remarkable clues in Revelation prove the woman’s identity beyond any reasonable doubt. Was John describing the church of Rome? To answer this question, Dave has spent years in historical research primarily from Catholic sources and provides indisputable documentation. Video host, author and lecturer, Dave Hunt: There’s over 500 pages and about 800 footnotes, I think, of documentation that will surprise, perhaps even Catholics as well as non Catholics, as to the official teaching and practices of the Roman Catholic church, its history, what it really has stood for and stands for today. I’m not making it up, I think it is worthwhile, I think it is something you need to read.
Gary :
A Woman Rides the Beast , the book and the video are available from The Berean Call. Information on how to order in just a moment. And now, to tell you more about our ministry, here is TBC Executive Director Tom McMahon: The name, The Berean Call, is taken from the Book of Acts Chapter 17, Verses 10 and 11, where we find the apostle Paul entering the synagogue in the Greek city of Berea after he had just come from Thessalonica. To these Bereans he preached that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah sent from God. They were commended for being noble, or fair-minded, not only for their willingness to hear what Paul had to say about the matter, but more specifically, because they searched the scriptures daily to find out whether or not what the apostle was saying was found in God’s Word. That’s what we hope to encourage through this ministry. Our mission is to alert believers in Christ to unbiblical teachings and practices impacting the church. We want to exhort believers to give greater heed to biblical discernment and truth regarding what they are accepting as spiritual. We hope to supply those who profess to be biblical Christians with information and materials that will encourage the love of God’s truth. Our prayer is that we can be used of God to stimulate Christians to look to the Bible alone as their rule of faith, authority and practice in living lives pleasing to our Lord and Savior.
Gary :
Would you like to expand your knowledge of God’s Word? We offer a wide variety of items that will greatly assist you, from books and tracts to audio and video recordings, CD-ROM, our website and much more. For a complete list of materials, or to get a copy of today’s broadcast, write to us at PO Box 7019 , Bend , Oregon 97708 , call us at our toll free order number 877-882-4253, that’s 877-88Bible, or visit our website at www.thebereancall.org . If you would like a copy of this broadcast on compact disk, ask for Program #1707, and be sure to mention the call letters of this station. And now, if you would like to watch Dave and Tom, our weekly broadcast is available on DVD, ask about a subscription when you contact us. You can also download both audio and video podcast at our website. If you receive television programming from Sky Angel you will be able to view our video, Psychology and the Church, Critical Questions, Crucial Answers, featuring T. A. McMahon on May 16, starting at 9:00 PM Eastern. We invite you to tune in. Those of you who attended our first annual conference last year know what a blessed time of learning and fellowship it was. We are planning our second get together for this August 9 th through the 11 th here in Bend . The Judgment Day Conference will again feature Dave and Tom plus special guest, archeologist and Middle East expert Randall Price, and former Israeli General Shimon Erem, and just added to our list of speakers, former Palestine Liberation Organization militant Walid Shoebat, in prison for acts of terror and violence against Israel, he is now an advocate for his former enemy. All the information is at our website, or ask about registration when you call or write. Get a pen or pencil ready, we’ll repeat our contact information in just a moment.
Next week, we’ll continue our series of programs based on Dave and Tom’s book, Psychology and the Church , and is psychology Satan’s most ingenious scheme In Religion in the News, Winning the right to evangelize. We’ll take a look at that story and address the question: Why has Jesus delayed the Rapture for so long? We hope you can tune in. If you have questions or comments about this program, we urge you to contact our offices. Search the Scriptures Radio Ministry, is made possible by God’s grace, your prayers and your financial support. I’m Gary Carmichael, and for Dave, Tom and everyone here at The Berean Call, I would like to thank you for joining us, and invite you to tune in again next week. Until then, if you desire to know God’s truth, search the scriptures daily. For more information about The Berean Call, write to us at PO Box 7019 , Bend , Oregon 97708 . Call us toll free at our order number 877-882-4253, that’s 877-88Bible, or visit our website at www.thebereancall.org .
