Theology Thursday

* Christians Repent, Yet the Nation Dies. Why? Christians get no where by being in denial. (Contrariwise, the creationist father of modern astronomy, Johann Kepler, brought great glory to God when he refused to ignore the data even though it seemed to contradict what everyone expected.) Every last Christian in a nation can remain faithful to God, even to the point of martyrdom, and that does not mean that the nation will be healed. Some might think that this obvious observation flies in the face of II Chronicles 7:14. But, just like true science and Scripture, the Bible and reality fit together like hand and glove. So as Christians, we honor God by trusting His Word, and when history doesn't demonstrate what we Christians expected, it is our expectations (i.e., our interpretations) that we need to reevaluate.

* Show Title Should Begin with Lowercase i: As God said in II Chronicles chapter 7:

When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

* Programming Note: An upcoming BEL program will be titled, You Might Be An Anti-Semite If... So in preparation for that program, please join us as we apply Psalm 139 to our daily lives:

Search me, O God, and know my heart:
try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

D.
O.
C.
T.
A.

The Five Distinctives: On today's program Bob Enyart distinguishes, among Christian congregations, what charaterizes Denver Bible Church.

* Who is the Bride of Christ: Israel or the Body? If we Christians are BOTH the Body of Christ and the Bride of Christ, then by these teachings, do we marry ourselves? Of course not. The question of the Bride of Christ influences many other beliefs that Christians hold, almost subconsciously. The Old Testament says explicitly that God was married to the nation of Israel, and then because she was an unfaithful wife, that God gave to her a certificate of divorce. So, if Christians today are the Bride of Christ, then is Israel God's eternal ex-wife? Are we His second wife? Some say that we are Israel, and if so then are we currently God's estranged wife, looking forward to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb? Or is there a much more biblical and fulfilling scriptural teaching on God's view of His relationship with His covenant peoples? Enjoy!

* A Related Show: Bible study is Bob Enyart's passion and drives his on-air worldview: God created us in His image; He forbade killing the innocent; children are made in His image; abortion is the murder of children and God hates apathy; Jesus Christ rose from the dead to save those who would believe. Another show from a couple years ago is not quite a prerequisite for today's program but it would aid in understanding of this important Bible topic.

Cain and Able: Bob Enyart presents the conclusion of the account of Cain and Abel from his verse-by-verse Bible study, Genesis: The Fall. See also Cain and Able Pt 1.

FLASHBACK from GENESIS: Why Jacob's Fraud Paid Off. There's a wealth of spiritual knowledge in Bob's verse-by-verse Genesis Bible studies! Crime doesn't pay, except for Isaac's second son. Why? Jacob does all he can to deceive his father and steal his brother's birthright. And rather than getting punished, he is rewarded with the messianic blessing. "The pattern of sibling swaps that pastor Enyart reveals is one of the most important themes of Genesis, though it tends to lie hidden in plain view," says Darrell Birkey, BEL producer and all-around good guy. This startling story is one part of Bob's verse-by-verse Genesis: Abraham & Isaac series. You'll LOVE IT, guaranteed, or your money back! For God pivots the plot of the entire Bible around events in Abraham's life. So in this Bible Study series, Bob Enyart shows that without a clear understanding of Abraham, the believer cannot even "rightly divide the Word of truth" between circumcision and faith, nor works (Gen. 17) and grace (Gen. 15).

Cain and Able: Bob Enyart presents the account of Cain and Abel from his verse-by-verse Bible study, Genesis: The Fall.

FLASHBACK from GENESIS: Why Jacob's Fraud Paid Off. There's a wealth of spiritual knowledge in Bob's verse-by-verse Genesis Bible studies! Crime doesn't pay, except for Isaac's second son. Why? Jacob does all he can to deceive his father and steal his brother's birthright. And rather than getting punished, he is rewarded with the messianic blessing. "The pattern of sibling swaps that pastor Enyart reveals is one of the most important themes of Genesis, though it tends to lie hidden in plain view," says Darrell Birkey, BEL producer and all-around good guy. This startling story is one part of Bob's verse-by-verse Genesis: Abraham & Isaac series. You'll LOVE IT, guaranteed, or your money back! For God pivots the plot of the entire Bible around events in Abraham's life. So in this Bible Study series, Bob Enyart shows that without a clear understanding of Abraham, the believer cannot even "rightly divide the Word of truth" between circumcision and faith, nor works (Gen. 17) and grace (Gen. 15).

* The Plot: Every story has a plot, and a story's details can be confusing unless you understand its overview. Grasping the big picture will help you reconcile many seemingly contradictory, and controversial Bible passages. Achieve a fuller understanding of God's plan from Genesis to Revelation and equip yourself to share God's Word with friends and family. Consider listening to The Plot series based on Bob's life's work, his book, The Plot.

* Consider Subscribing to Bob's Bible Studies: Enjoy any of Bob's Bible Studies, made available by book title or by topic, or by subscription!

* Giving Under the Covenant of Grace: On today's Theology Thursday program, Bob Enyart explains the difference between tithing under the Covenant of Law and giving for the Body of Christ under the Covenant of Grace. A beloved listener who disagreed with Bob wrote in his reasons, and Bob replied, below.

* How to Get this Stuff: Those who subscribe to our Monthly Sermons get in the mail their choice of either Bob's sermons on DVDs or the audio on standard audio CDs or on a single MP3 CD. And those who subscribe to Sermons plus Classics receive the current sermons AND a month's worth of sermons out of Bob's sermon archives.

* Suicide and the Cross: On today's Theology Thursday, Bob gives a biblical perspective on suicide and answers emails on the subject from two listeners. Those who subscribe to our Monthly Sermons get in the mail their choice of either Bob's sermons on DVDs or the audio on standard audio CDs or on a single MP3 CD. And those who subscribe to the Sermons plus Classics receive the current sermons AND a month's worth of sermons out of Bob's sermon archives.

Today's Resource: Holocaust survivor, messianic rabbi and author Eliezer Urbach describes Bob Enyart's life's work, The Plot, an overview of the Bible, this way: "Take this startling journey into truth. So traditional, at each step, everything appears familiar. Yet, as an expert guide revealing new wonders (Mat. 13:52), Bob Enyart brings the Bible to life with often ignored passages." Aside from that best-selling book, you can also listen to Bob teaching through that same overview of the Bible and to study dozens of books of the Bible with him, all on CD or downloadable MP3s and some on DVDs! And you can subscribe to our monthly Bible Study Albums on DVDs or via audio MP3 CDs. Every month, you get another Bible Study CD or DVD delivered to your door in the U.S. Mail. These subscriptions will help you grow spiritually and intellectually. So many have reported that the biblical knowledge they gain from these resources is so practical that it has helped them improve their marriages, friendships, parenting and grand-parenting, work relations, evangelizing, and so many general life skills! And of course, subscribing to one or more of these resources will not only help you, at the same time you will be helping BEL reach more people!

* Hierarchy of 16 Hermeneutics: Welcome to today's Theology Thursday here at Bob Enyart Live! A hermeneutic is a tool for understanding the Bible. Proper hermeneutics are invaluable. In our hermeneutics seminars (one of which, held in downtown Denver's beautiful and historic Brown Palace), we study and prioritize a list of 16 hermeneutics:
God: existence, eternity, and entity (i.e., the Godhead)
His Story: the plot, or storyline, of the Bible (grasping the Bible's overview is the key to its details)
His Nature: living, personal, relational, good, and loving (includes J.O.N.A.H. & N.O.A.H.)
Christological: Christ-centered, the text is His Word (the work of the righteous, and hatred of the wicked)
Context prioritized: God's Nature; His Story; the dispensation; the book; chapter; paragraph; sentence
Literalness: Scripture presents a literal message, and contains figures of speech, symbols, parables, and poetry
Historical/Grammatical: method emphasizes original languages, cultural and historical setting
Covenantal vs. Dispensational Principle: Paul instructs students to "rightly divide the Word" 2 Tim 2:15
Prophetic: Speaking God's Word; also, predictive prophecy; and non-prophecy (predictive only in hindsight)
Sufficiency Principle: Scripture presents ample revelation on everything vital to our spirituality (accountability)
Spiritually Discerned: God gave His Word to the world to lead men to Christ, but much is written to His own
Typology: people, events, objects, rituals, etc. serve as symbols of Christ, salvation, heaven, etc.
Inerrancy: Not translators and scribes but the original autographs (like DNA) were breathed by the Holy Spirit
Numerology: numbers at times are symbolic: 3 for God, 6 for man, 12 for Israel, 40 for judgment, etc.
First-Mention: knowledge of good and evil leads to death; seed of the woman; justification by faith
Hebrew Parallelisms: poetry; couplets; alternation; inversions; story symmetry

Today's Resource -- Bob Enyart's Hermeneutics Seminar on CD! Just call the BEL studio at 1-800-8Enyart (836-9278) or click on the CD artwork (above) or our store links (below)! It's just like attending the seminar!  Simply click to get and enjoy our full-length Bible seminar and you will also receive, on the CD, the same notes handed out to the attendees. And also, on the CD, you'll see the same slides displayed during this great event! So, we think you will love our Hermeneutics: Tools for Studying the Bible CD! Just click or call the BEL studio at 1-800-8Enyart (836-9278)!

* Archived Announcement:

TONIGHT! Personhood Meeting at Cherry Hills Community Church

Join Bob Enyart Tonight at the Launch of the Colorado 2014 Personhood Fight!

Tonight, Thu., April 4th, at 7 p.m. at
Cherry Hills Community Church
3900 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch

Enter off of Grace Blvd. into the main building (not the smaller chapel).
We're meeting in the lobby of the main building.

Colorado RTL invites you to join us to hear Heather Surovik who will speak to us about our 2014 personhood amendment, also known as the Brady Amendment, named for her nine-month old baby boy who was killed in his mother's womb by a drunk driver just hours before his birth. See more...

* Alan Keys Encouragement to Tonight's Personhood Gathering: Ambassador Alan Keyes, who represented America and Ronald Reagan at the United Nations, passed along these comments:

"Like all of us, little Brady Surovik was made by God, in His image and in His likeness, which means that Brady was a person in the most profound sense. This understanding of the pro-life truth, that we are made in God's image, is critical to restore respect, not only for the right to life, but for all of our rights, which today are under assault. Thank you, all of you, for fighting this fight, for Brady, for all unborn children, and really, for all of us. May God bless your work." -Alan Keyes, April 4, 2013

* Time Sensitive Request: Please call or email Colorado RTL to get your Brady Amendment personhood petition for our fourth round battle to get Colorado to uphold the God-given right to life and personhood of every unborn child!

* The Temptation of Jesus, and What it Means: How is it that Jesus Christ was tempted by Satan, and what does the Bible mean when it says that Jesus was tempted in all ways?

* A Wonderful Endorsement of Bob Enyart's Bible Teaching: Holocaust survivor, messianic rabbi and author Eliezer Urbach described Bob Enyart's life's work, The Plot, which is an overview of the Bible, in this way: "Take this startling journey into truth. So traditional, at each step, everything appears familiar. Yet, as an expert guide revealing new wonders (Mat. 13:52), Bob Enyart brings the Bible to life with often ignored passages." (See The Plot's back cover for this and other wonderful endorsements.) "As the KGOV staff, we'd like to echo Rabbi Urbach's comment, and encourage our listeners to enjoy Bob's many wonderful Bible studies!"

March is BEL Telethon Month

We're at $21,350 $22,500 of our $25,000 goal. You guys keep calling in (or giving online) trying to help us reach our goal by midnight, March 31st, (which is Resurrection Sunday)! THANK YOU! And we still need your help! Please consider one or more of our monthly subscriptions that will not only help support BEL, they will also help to better understand the Bible and equip you to be a better witness to those around you.

* To Be Absent from the Body is to be Present with the Lord: Some Christians believe in soul sleep, that is, "the dead know nothing," so that when we die, we go into a kind of suspended animation that endures until the resurrection. Most Christians, rather, believe that, as affirmed by many biblical accounts and Bible passages, that when we die we go to be with the Lord!

* About our Ecclesiastes Study: As mentioned on today's program, check out our verse-by-verse Ecclesiastes study! Without a teacher, Christians struggle to make sense of backslidden Solomon's book of Ecclesiastes, which says that All is vanity. What is crooked cannot be made straight. Man has no advantage over animals for all go to one place. Nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works. So I praised the dead more than the living. Yet, better than both is he who has never existed. One good man among a thousand I have found, but a woman among all these I have not found. A man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry. Drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works.

* About our Song of Songs Study: Bob Enyart's thoughtful and entertaining verse-by-verse study will help you unravel the Ecclesiastes conundrum. And as a bonus, the study comes with Bob's study of another Bible book, the compelling love story of the Song of Songs (also called, less accurately, the Song of Solomon). Like Ecclesiastes, this book too seems perplexing, until that is, one realizes the theatrical literary device in which the Holy Spirit inspired it to be written. For not unlike the first Bible book written, long before the famous dialogues of Socrates, Scripture presents the history in the book of Job in the form of a drama, complete with the characters' lines demarcated. Further, like Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs does not put Solomon in a good light (as he had become not only a sex-obsessed fornicator but also an open promoter of idolatry). Not surprisingly then, in Song, the young Shulamite woman spurns Solomon, despising a place among his harem of hundreds of wives and concubines. Instead, she remains faithful to her inaccessible true love, who vanishes inexplicably each time they are about to embrace. For her love, symbolic of the Messiah, appears to her only in dream sequences in the short theatrical dialogue of this amazing Bible book. Song illustrates the believer holding fast to love for God, in spite of the lures of the world, regardless of the fact that God cannot be seen or touched.

* This Week on Denver's 7News: Bob Enyart said on 7News to Colorado's ABC audience that Christians who say that the death penalty is immoral are unwittingly accusing God the Father of being unjust, for He required a payment of death to pay for the sin of the world. We thank God for the opportunity to promote the principles of the Gospel on the nightly news! Please also see AmericanRTL.org/death-penalty.

* A Wonderful Endorsement of Bob Enyart's Bible Teaching: Holocaust survivor, messianic rabbi and author Eliezer Urbach described Bob Enyart's life's work, The Plot, which is an overview of the Bible, in this way: "Take this startling journey into truth. So traditional, at each step, everything appears familiar. Yet, as an expert guide revealing new wonders (Mat. 13:52), Bob Enyart brings the Bible to life with often ignored passages." (See The Plot's back cover for this and other wonderful endorsements.) "As the KGOV staff, we'd like to echo Rabbi Urbach's comment, and encourage our listeners to enjoy Bob's many wonderful Bible studies!"