I heard someone speak on this once (I think they were of Jewish decent, but can’t remember). They said that the Jews believed that the person’s spirit hung around for a couple of days before leaving (remember Lazarus–“he stinketh”). Therefore, Jesus waiting for 3 days should have quieted the lies that “He never really died”.

I was thinking by myself about eternity, and was wondering what your opinion would be on the topic of eternity. God is eternal, and when we die and go to our Father in Heaven, we leave this time-based universe with beginnings and endings for an eternal existence. When we will become eternal, will it be like from God’s point of view with regards to time? Could it be then that we also existed then, viewed from that point of view, when we are in Heaven, that we also existed before the earth was created because we will be in eternity?

Thanks for your dedicated ministry. I’ve enjoyed reading both your Q&A and your commentaries. Both Lot and Noah are referenced in Luke 17 :26-29 as to what the world would be like at the end of the age. In Noah’s case, only 8 out of millions and with Lot, only him and his family were spared. Looking at what Jesus said, asking if there would any be any faith when he returned (Luke 18:8) do you see a comparison to the full number of Gentiles? Will it be a relatively small number too?

In our fellowship group, we are going through a series focused on helping the poor in other countries. The line seems to always be, “these people need to know Christ, BUT we need to meet their physical needs too.” The problem is, the gospel message never seems to get in there. Then the term “social justice” gets thrown in and all I can think about are the corrupt, socialist politicians who use the same term. What should I make of high-profile leaders, ministries, and regular people who strive for this social justice and seem to neglect all mention of sin and redemption? The explicit message is “Go into the world and heal the world,” instead of “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” (Mark 16:15). Am I being too cynical here?

I wonder if you could clear up some confusion for me about 2Thess.2:6-8. I think most scholars believe the restrainer mentioned is the Holy Spirit. Some say this means he will vacate the scene, so to speak, which also means the church must go with him. My question is about the vacating the scene aspect. Isn’t the Holy Spirit omnipresent, which makes it impossible for him to vacate the scene?

My granddaughter has a friend who is reading his horoscope daily and sees nothing wrong with it. She needs specific verses of scripture to show him that will convince him it is demonic. I am familiar with the verses in Deuteronomy 18, and in several places in Daniel, but they are not as specific as I would like. Can you help?

I would like to know why Jesus was dead for three days and not one or five. Is there a symbolic reason for three days?

In Revelation 3:10 Jesus promises the Philadelphia church that He will keep them from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. I use this as one of my pre-trib rapture evidences of the church being spared from the judging wrath of God. However since it is not the last church to be addressed, how does Laodicea fit in? Is Laodicea the apostate church? Yet it reads like they can be saved also, so how can they come after the church that is spared? Or are the two church types overlapping at the same time?

Regarding the Royal Family, when I look at 1 Pet. 2:9 I first have to remind myself that Peter addressed this letter to Jews because in his salutation he addresses it to the pilgrims of the Dispersion/exiles of the Dispersion/aliens scattered/God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered. When he states in 2:9 that you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God isn’t he talking about the children of Israel and not the Church? Wouldn’t it be the children of Israel that is the Royal Family?

In Isaiah 17, after Damascus becomes a ruinous heap, vs. 4 and on speaks of the glory of Jacob waning and the land becoming lean, etc. Is this past or do you think Israel will once again have agricultural lack? And in Psalm 83–scholars say it is yet future. Indeed it sure could be. Do you think any of the ancient past wars, 1948, 1974, or 1967 would have fit that picture as well? Or is it just future?