Program 28: Talking in Tongues

Biblical speaking in tongues is very different from what is seen in Pentecostal churches today.

Welcome to WLC Radio, a subsidiary of World’s Last Chance Ministries, an online ministry dedicated to learning how to live in constant readiness for the Savior's return.

For two thousand years, believers of every generation have longed to be the last generation. Contrary to popular belief, though, Christ did not give believers “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, he repeatedly warned that his coming would take even the faithful by surprise. Yahushua urgently warned believers to be ready because, he said, “The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Matthew 24:44]

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

Part 1: (Miles & Dave)

Miles Robey: Hello there! Welcome to today’s program. I’m your host, Miles Robey. With me is Dave Wright!

Dave Wright: Thanks for tuning in. We’re glad you’ve made us a part of your day.

Miles: Tell me, Dave, are you good with accents?

Dave: Accents? You mean, like, can I mimic an accent? Or do you mean, can I tell where a person comes from, based on their accent?

Miles: I mean: can you understand someone who speaks with a different accent?

Dave: Well . . . yes, I’d say I’ve got a fairly good ear for it. Unless it’s a really heavy accent, of course. Why?

Miles: Well, the other day I was Skyping with one of our WLC team members in the United States. Now, English has lots of different accents. You’ve got a Canadian accent and a South African accent. You’ve got all the accents in the United States.

Dave: Then there’s Ireland’s lyrical sounds and Scotland’s impossible to understand brogue.

Miles: And all the various accents in England.

Dave: Not to mention Australia and New Zealand. Then, there’s all the differences in vocabulary, too. Amazing it can still be considered the same language, isn’t it?

Miles: Yeah, well, that’s what we got talking about. He was having a hard time understanding me, and he told me that when he was a teenager, his family spent some time in Australia. Now, you’ve got an American teenager in Australia. Both countries speak the same language, right?

Dave: Well, officially at any rate! What happened?

Miles: Apparently, one day this old lady said something to him, and he could not understand what she’d said! So, he asked her to repeat it. She did, but he still didn’t understand her. He apologized, and asked her to repeat it again.

Dave: I’m sure that quickly got awkward. So did he finally understand what she was trying to say?

Miles: No! That’s the thing. To this day, he still has no idea of what she was trying to say. Finally, the old lady looked at him and, clear as a bell, inquired, “What’s the matter? Don’t you speak English?”

Dave laughs: What did he say?

Miles: He said, “No, sorry. I only speak American.”

Dave: Yeah, if there is no understanding of what’s being said, communication just can’t occur, can it?

Miles: No. It really can’t. And that’s what I want to talk about today: speaking in tongues. The gift of tongues is unquestionably a gift of the Spirit—a precious gift. And yet there’s a lot of misunderstanding concerning it as well. I’m hoping you can shed some light on it for us today.

Precisely what the gift of tongues is, and whether or not it is genuinely in the world today.

Dave: It’s a great topic. Before we get into that, though, I want to say a quick word to any first time listeners. At WLC, we prefer to use the personal name of the Father, which is Yahuwah, or Yah. The name of the Son is Yahushua.

Scripture invites all of us to “call upon the name of the Lord,” but “the Lord” isn’t in the original text. It’s His actual name. It says: “Call upon the name of Yahuwah.” So, that’s what we like to do.

Miles: There’s so much more meaning when you can call upon the actual, personal name of the Father, isn’t there?

Dave: There really is.

Okay. Speaking in tongues. You’re right: there is considerable confusion on the topic with some people insisting that glossolalia—the modern term for speaking in tongues—is from Heaven, while others insisting, just as vehemently, that it’s from the devil.

Miles: What do you say? Do you think it’s from the devil?

Dave: I don’t feel comfortable dismissing it all as from the devil, no. I think we need to be careful that we leave Yah room to be the Almighty and sometimes He just does things that can take us by surprise! So, I’m not going to say it’s all from Satan.

However. That said: I do think much of what is accepted as being from Yahuwah, however sincere the person may be, does not actually come from Him.

Miles: How can you tell the difference? I mean, a lot of sincere people really feel as though they’re praising Yah when they break out in glossolalia. How can you tell when it’s coming from Yahuwah, and when it isn’t?

Dave: Well, that’s a great question, Miles. The answer is found by looking back to the first recorded instance of speaking in tongues in Scripture.

Miles: The Day of Pentecost, to be precise, wasn’t it? There were about 120 believers, if I remember correctly, all praying together, when the Holy Spirit descended upon them, appearing as tongues of fire.

Dave: Yes. And Acts 2 spells it out. Verse four states, quote: “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Now, what happened next is the key to answering your question. Could you read verses five to eight?

Miles: “And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?” [Acts 2:5-8]

Dave: Then the next few verses actually list the various places from which these people came – places that had their own languages or dialects. It’s quite impressive. Why don’t you read it for us?

Miles: Okay . . . how do we all hear in our own tongue . . . um . . . “Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of Yah. And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?” [Acts 2:9-12]

That’s quite the list!

Dave: Isn’t it? I was counting up as you were reading. That’s a minimum of fifteen different languages, possibly even more.

Of course, there always has to be someone who mocks. Some of the people just dismissed it all, claiming the disciples were drunk. But Peter stood up and explained it was by the power of Yah.

He said, “Look. These men aren’t drunk. It’s only 9 o’clock in the morning! This is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel!” Read verses 17 and 18.

Miles: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith Yahuwah, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.” [Acts 2:17-18]

Dave: The gift of tongues is one of the tools Yahuwah bestows on believers in order to win more souls to the kingdom of Heaven! That’s its purpose. And that is why I am not comfortable dismissing all modern occurrences as being from Satan. We don’t know! But the point is this: it is given expressly for taking the gospel to the world. It is given to enable more people to hear the good news of salvation.

Miles: So, what I’m getting from you is it’s . . . it’s almost like it’s more the gift of hearing, than the gift of tongues.

Dave: Precisely! Peter speaks up. He explains what’s happening. Then, he goes on to give a powerful sermon. He tells the listening multitudes about the Saviour, pointing back to certain statements made by David under inspiration. And when they heard what Peter had to say, they were convicted! Verse 37 says that they asked, “Okay, so what do we do now?”

Peter told them to repent and be baptized. Now, what does 41 say?

Miles: “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”

Dave: A lot of people from all over had come to Jerusalem for Pentecost. That’s why there were so many from so many different lands. Do you notice anything about Peter’s sermon?

Miles: Yeah! There’s nothing in Acts 2 that says the other believers who’d been speaking in tongues had to translate what he was saying. Everyone there heard and understood Peter in their own tongue!

Dave: Exactly. So, you’re right: you could say it’s more the gift of hearing. The Holy Spirit enabled the minds of the listeners to hear and comprehend Peter’s sermon in their own, unique language.

This is a crucial point: The true “gift of tongues” always glorifies Yahuwah and is only given for the purpose of communicating divine truths to those who otherwise would not be able to understand the words being spoken.

Now, compare that to most modern episodes of glossolalia.

Miles: Ha! There’s no comparison! It’s just a babble of meaningless sound. Nonsense gobbledy-gook!

Dave: I know. I don’t even like listening to it. And that’s the problem. The sounds uttered by many who today claim to have the “gift of tongues” is nothing but meaningless babblings. The sounds aren’t distinct languages and they certainly don’t instruct any in truth and righteousness! In fact, the “speaking in tongues” practiced today directly contradicts the guidelines given in Scripture that reveal whether it is genuine or false.

Miles: Really. I didn’t even know Scripture gave guidelines for this sort of thing!

Dave: Well, read what the Saviour Himself said in Matthew 6, verses 7 and 8.

Miles: He said . . . “When you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them.”

Dave: Vain repetitions. You listen to the modern babbling trying to pass itself off as legitimate, Heaven-inspired “speaking in tongues” and that’s all it is!

David Cloud, of Way of Life Literature, attended a number of Charismatic conferences. He writes, quote:

“The tongues that I heard in these conferences were not languages of any sort but merely repetitious mumblings that anyone could imitate. Larry Lea’s ‘tongues’ at Indianapolis in 1990 went like this: ‘Bubblyida bubblyida hallelujah bubblyida hallabubbly shallabubblyida kolabubblyida glooooory hallelujah bubblyida.’”

Then he says, quote: “I wrote that down as he was saying it and later checked it against the tape. Nancy Kellar, a Roman Catholic nun who was on the executive committee of the St. Louis meeting in 2000, spoke in “tongues” on Thursday evening of the conference. Her tongues were a repetition of ‘shananaa leea, shananaa higha, shananaa nanaa, shananaa leea…’”

Then he adds: “This is taken directly from the audiotapes of the messages!” Unquote.

Miles: Sounds more like baby talk, if you ask me! If that’s a language, it doesn’t have much of a vocabulary.

Dave: These absolutely are the “vain repetitions” Yahushua told us not to utter.

Paul is another New Testament writer that spoke extensively of the gift of tongues. In his second letter to Timothy, he instructed believers to, quote: “Shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more impiety.” Unquote.

Miles: Did he really say that?

Dave: Yes, he did.

Miles: That’s fascinating. Because those who speak in tongues frequently point to Paul as their authority on why what they are doing is legitimately of Yah.

Dave: I know. But he did not, actually, support a flow of nonsensical sounds. He was quite blunt: “Shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more impiety.”

Miles: You can’t get any more clear than that. I want to hear some more from the Paul angle and why they quote him when, it’s very clear, he actually warned against what so often passes for speaking in tongues today. First, though, we’re going to take a really quick break.

Be right back.

* * *

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* * *Part 2: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: Okay, we’re back. Tell me some more about Paul’s perspective of speaking in tongues.

Dave: Well, I think it’s safe to say he believed in the gift of tongues. As the apostle to the gentiles, he used the gift himself on numerous occasions.

But, Paul understood language is a divine gift given specifically for the purpose of communication.

But if I don’t understand what you are saying, communication doesn’t occur!

Miles: That’s true. In fact, I’ve read that the English word “barbarian” comes from the Latin barbarus. It was originally a derogatory term for anyone with a different set of customs . . . or speech! In fact, you can hear the sound repetition: bar-bar-us. Like they were mocking those who couldn’t speak Latin.

Dave: Right! To the Romans, anyone who couldn’t speak Latin was a barbarian, with mumbling speech they couldn’t understand.

Now, the believers in Corinth were in danger of coveting the gift of tongues for the same reason many today desire it.

Miles: They think it makes them look more holy, more devoted to Yah.

Dave: Exactly. Paul quickly set them straight, however. He explained that speaking words no one else can understand, does not communicate truth which is the original purpose for which Heaven gives the gift of tongues in the first place!

Here. Read this. Paul says it best. It’s in 1 Corinthians, chapter 14.

Miles: “But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?

“Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played?

“So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.

"Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language [being spoken], I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me." [1 Corinthians 14:6, 7, 9, 11]

Dave: Paul went so far as to say that if the “language” being spoken was not understood by the listeners, or couldn’t be interpreted by someone else present who also spoke that language, than the person “speaking in tongues” was to remain silent.

Miles: Really? Where?

Dave: Same chapter, verses 27-28.

Miles: Let me see that . . . “If anyone speaks in a tongue, . . . let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in ekklesia.” [1 Corinthians 14:27-28]

Huh! Amazing. You’re right!

Well, not amazing that you’re right. But that Paul would say that. We don’t hear that caveat much, do we?

Dave: It’s kind of glossed over. But, you see, Paul understood that the true “gift of tongues” was always a legitimate language that can be understood.

He said, quote: “I thank my Eloah I speak with tongues more than you all; yet in the ekklesia [or assembly of believers] I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a [unknown] tongue.” [1 Corinthians 14:18-19]

Miles: Well, there you go. And, you have to admit, these meaningless babblings draw attention more to the person babbling than it actually glorifies Yah. It’s almost like it draws attention to oneself, saying: “Look at me! I’m so devout, I’m speaking in an unknown tongue!”

But, even people who do speak in tongues have largely got away from doing it publicly. So, what do you do with this concept that when someone speaks in an “unknown tongue” he’s just speaking in a “private prayer language”?

Because there are a lot of sincere believers out there, not looking to draw attention to themselves, but they’ll still do this in their private prayer time.

Dave: The Bible does not support the idea of a “private prayer language.” First of all, Paul says that when a person is babbling and no one understands what he’s saying, the speaker is edifying . . . himself. Now this is an important point. What’s the definition of “edify”?

Miles: Uh, well, it means, basically, to instruct; especially in such a way as to encourage intellectual, moral, or spiritual improvement.

Dave: Right. Now read verses four and five of 1 Corinthians 14.

Miles: “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.”

Dave: Paul is saying here: “Sure! I wish you all spoke in tongues. But more than that, I wish you could all prophesy, because that’s even more important. Because unless the words are understood, the church isn’t edified!”

Miles: True. You’re not going to get any intellectual, moral, or spiritual improvement if you can’t understand what’s being said!

Dave: Later in chapter 14, Paul makes it very clear that Yah speaks to us through human tongues. It’s in verses 20-22.

Miles: Let me look that up . . . Okay, in verse 19, Paul just said he’d rather speak 5 words that are understood so others could learn, than 10,000 words no one understands. Then he says, verse 20:

“Brethren, be not children in understanding: . . . but in understanding be men. In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith Yahuwah. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not.”

Dave: Yahuwah’s point is to communicate. Right there, it says He will try to reach them by speaking to them in other tongues, but these are clearly human languages, that can be understood by certain groups that speak that language! That’s why speaking in tongues is a sign to those who . . . what did it say? Those who believe?

Miles: Those who don’t believe.

Dave: Right. Which cannot occur if there is no comprehension. If there were such a thing as a “private prayer language,” Paul would not have made it a point to say that it’s an earthly language!

Miles: Makes sense.

But.

What about verse 28? Paul says that if there is no one to interpret, the person should keep silent and speak to himself and to Yah. Wouldn’t that imply a private language?

Dave: Not at all. What do we call it when someone speaks gibberish?

Miles: Uh, well, baby talk! And if anyone speaks gibberish to himself, we kind of call into question his intelligence.

Dave: Precisely. A person who is speaking to himself can still understand what he is saying. Otherwise, how could he speak to himself?

There is not a single example in 1 Corinthians 14 of anyone speaking in tongues privately, to himself. And, there’s no encouragement to do so.

Miles: Well, you put it like that, and it made me think of something else. If there were such a thing as a private prayer language that edified the believer’s spiritual life, you’d think the Bible would talk about it!

Dave: The Bible is full of admonitions and guidance on how to be victorious in overcoming. And you’re right. Nowhere is the practice of praying in some mysterious “private prayer language”—

Miles: –which the speaker himself doesn’t understand!

Dave: Right. Nowhere is that mentioned. Not in the context of sanctification and victorious Christian living, or any other context. It’s just not there.

And this brings me to my next point. Speaking in tongues is not—I repeat: NOT—a vital part of the Christian walk. If it were, Paul could not have said that not all believers speak in tongues!

Miles: Hmmm. That’s true. I hadn’t thought of that. But it wouldn’t be fair, would it?

Dave: No.

Miles: All right, but . . . sorry, but I just want to cover all bases here. In verse 5, Paul says he wishes that they all spoke in tongues.

Dave: Yes, but he’s obviously not saying that they actually all do or even can speak in tongues. He’s simply saying he would love to see more people exercise spiritual gifts and do it right.

We have to be careful we don’t read to much into any one phrase. Paul was human. He was simply trying to express an idea.

We do the same thing. Have you ever heard a kid say, “Oh, my mum’s going to kill me if she finds out!”?

Miles: Heard a kid say it? I had plenty of occasions to say it myself when I was growing up.

Dave: Now why does that not surprise me? Anyway, it’s just an expression! Paul used the same expression in 1 Corinthians 7 when he said, “I would that all men were even as I myself.”

Miles: Wasn’t he talking about celibacy there?

Dave: He was. Now, personally, I don’t know any Christians who take this so literally that they believe Yah’s will for every single believer is to remain unmarried!

Miles: No. No, you’re right.

Dave: And yet, just a few chapters later, they take that exact same expression and try to apply it as a law. That’s inconsistent!

Miles: It is. You know, there’s something of a science to prayer.

Dave: There is. We’ve got a number of articles on our website dealing with prayer. I’d like to invite our listeners to visit our website—WorldsLastChance.com—and check them out.

Prayer is very important to the spiritual life.

Miles: I’ve heard it referred to as the “breath of the soul.”

Dave: That’s good. With something this important, you’d think that there would be instruction in Scripture about praying in some private prayer language, but when you go back and look up everything said about prayer, you can’t find it anywhere.

For example, early in Yahushua’s public ministry, in the sermon on the Mount, He taught His listeners to pray by giving them an example. It’s come to be called “the Lord’s prayer.”

Miles: Yeah, I think every Christian knows it: “Our Father, which art in Heaven. Hallowed be Thy name . . .” It’s the perfect prayer, really. Covering everything.

Dave: But before Yahushua spoke it, He prefaced it by saying, as we read earlier: “When ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” So even then, He was laying the principles for a healthy prayer life, and “vain repetitions,” nonsensical babblings, were forbidden.

Miles: Didn’t the disciples at some point ask Yahushua how to pray?

Dave: Yes. It’s recorded in Luke 11. Verse 1 says: “And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

Miles: It’s a great question. To be taught how to pray by the Saviour Himself!

Dave: Yes, it is. And in answer, Yahushua repeated to them the prayer He’d said earlier in the sermon on the mount.

Miles: He repeated the Lord’s Prayer?

Dave: He did. As you observed, it’s the perfect prayer. Paul, too, had quite a bit to say about prayer, and frequently asked believers to pray for him in his ministry. But nowhere is anything taught about a private prayer language, or praying in some unknown tongue when in private worship. It’s all very specific.

Miles: Which can only be done if you know the words you’re saying!

Dave: The thought I want to leave with everyone today is simply this: the “gift of tongues” is just that – a gift. It’s given by Heaven for the sole purpose of communicating truth to others.

But, Heaven’s gifts do not come on demand! They are given only to those who, in humbleness of heart, are filled with the Spirit of Yahushua and do His work.

Miles: That’s a good point. And I think we should add that not everyone is given the same gift.

Dave: And no one is given the gifts of the Spirit who uses them simply to glorify himself. The gifts of the spirit are given to those who first reveal the fruits of the Spirit.

Miles: Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and . . . help me out here!

Dave: Self-control.

Miles: Right! Self-control. Basically, if we’re revealing Yah in every word, deed, and act, if His law is written in our hearts and we are living in accordance with His will, just as Yahushua was, then we’ll be safe to give the fruits of the spirit to.

Dave: Exactly. And listen—we can ask to be made ready to receive the fruits of the spirit! The Father delights to give the gifts of the Spirit to us. In fact, He wants to!

Yahushua said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” [Luke 11:13]

Miles: That’s so encouraging. I love that He wants to give us the fruits and the gifts of the Spirit.

Dave: Everyone who makes a full surrender to the will of Yah will be blessed with the fruits of the Spirit. Then, when Yahuwah needs them, He will gift His children with the gifts necessary to enable them to complete His will on earth.

Miles: I can see that. And really, babbling, either in worship or in prayer, only glorifies the one claiming to have the “gift of tongues.” It doesn’t edify, or “instruct in righteousness” anyone around if no one can understand what’s being said!

Dave: What’s more, the fruits of the spirit are lost when someone glories in his own self-perceived importance by babbling gibberish. The only prayer and worship that is acceptable to Yah is that which comes from a heart full of love, because that is a heart that’s filled with the Spirit of Yah.

Miles: Don’t move that dial! We’ll be right back with our Daily Mailbag!

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* * *Daily Mailbag (Miles & Dave)

Miles: Welcome back to our daily mailbag where we take questions from listeners, just like you, from around the world.

Dave: What have you got for us today?

Miles: Well, our first question comes from Mike of Spokane, Washington, in the United States. He writes: “I’ve been on your website and read through everything you’ve got on the earth being flat rather than a globe. Wow. That’s quite the paradigm shift! I’m still not entirely convinced, but the point I find most compelling has to do with line of sight if the earth is indeed round. Could you share with me the mathematical formula for figuring the curvature of the earth? I’d like to check this out for myself.”

Huh! Interesting question. I’d like to know that for myself.

Dave: It’s a great exercise so grab a pen and paper, everybody! I’ll tell you what the formula is. I’ll be honest, the first time I heard that there were people saying the earth is flat I thought they were mad!

Miles: Yeah, you immediately get this picture of a ship sailing off the edge of the earth and falling forever through space!

Dave: Right! But it’s the math behind the supposed curvature of the earth that is the main point I find so convincing that the world is, indeed, flat.

Miles: And enclosed! Don’t forget that. You can’t actually sail a ship off the edge of the world.

Dave: No, not possible! All right. Got a pen and paper?

Miles: Yep!

Dave: Okay. We’ve been told that the circumference of the earth is just over 40,000 kilometers, right?

Miles: Right. Forty thousand and seventy-five, if I remember correctly.

Dave: That’s not going to mean anything to Mike. He’s an American and they’re a bit metrically-challenged.

So, in miles, the circumference of the earth is just under 25,000 miles around at the equator. We’ll round it off to 25 thousand. Now, if the earth were really a sphere 25,000 miles in diameter, the formula for determining the curvature at any given distance would be 8 inches, per mile, squared.

Miles: Could you give that in metric?

Dave: Sure. If the earth were truly a sphere that was 40,000 kilometers around at the equator, the rate of curvature would have to be 20.32 centimeters per 1.6 kilometers, squared.

Don’t forget the squared part. That’s very important.

Miles: So, what does this mean? How does this compute in the real world?

Dave: Well, let’s take the Statue of Liberty as an example. The Statue of Liberty, in the harbor of New York City is a recognizable landmark, known around the world. It stands 326 feet (or 99.3 meters) above sea level. On a clear day, it can be seen up to 60 miles away. That’s over 96 kilometers away, that the statue can be seen.

That, right there, proves the earth is flat!

Miles: How so?

Dave: If the earth were truly a globe as we’d always been told, you could not see the Statue of Liberty from so far away. The curvature of the earth would actually put the Statute of Liberty 2, 074 feet below the horizon.

Miles: How much??

Dave: A little over 632 meters below the horizon.

Miles: That’s crazy!

Dave: Right. It’s simply not possible to have such a long, straight line of sight on a round earth! That’s why I find this particular argument so compelling.

Miles: I can see why!

Okay. We’ve got time for one more, quick question. This one’s coming from Claudine in Antwerp, Belgium. She says: “Dear WLC, In Genesis 2, Yahuwah warned Adam and Eve that if they ate from the tree of knowledge, they would die. In verse 17, it says: ‘thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.’ But Genesis 5, verse 5, states that Adam was 930 years old when he died! Could you please explain why he didn’t actually die in the day he sinned, even though Yahuwah said that he would?”

Dave: I’m glad you’ve asked this, Claudine. There are a couple of ways to look at this. First, Adam did die in the day he ate of the fruit—he died spiritually. He lost the gift of immortality, which was conditional upon obedience. By sinning, he brought the curse of death upon himself and, subsequently, the entire human race. And we know this because he could no longer, freely, openly, joyfully, meet with his Creator face-to-face.

Miles: He ran and hid. He was ashamed.

Dave: Correct. That’s one way to look at it.

Miles: What’s the other way?

Dave: The other way is explained in 2 Peter, chapter 3. Would you read verse 8 for us?

Miles: Sure! Uh . . . "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with Yahuwah as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

Dave: One thousand years with Yahuwah are as one day. Even looked at this way, Adam died within that one thousand-years-as-a-day. As Claudine mentioned, he was 930 years old when he died, well under the 1,000 year-limit of a divine “day.”

Miles: I really like that. It shows the loving heart of Yahuwah, too. Instead of, “Whoop! You sinned!” ZAP! “You’re dead.” Yahuwah gave Adam and Eve time to repent. He didn’t want them to be lost! He wanted to save them!

Dave: The very next verse in 2 Peter three confirms this. It says: “Yahuwah is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

Miles: Beautiful. Yah continues to love even those who turn away.

Dave: Ritu Ghatourey is a writer from India who has written some very beautiful, inspirational things. She once wrote, quote: “God’s Love is love in its highest form. It is not a performance based love, that says, I'll only love you if… It loves unconditionally, unselfishly, without end or measure; always willing to forgive. It doesn't seek its own, but rather gives its own life for your highest good. It doesn't approve of wrong or injustice, and it can bring discipline and correction, but no matter how much you have disappointed it, God's love will never stop loving you. It is ever yearning to bring you into its embrace.”

Miles: Amen. Praise His holy name! His love is immeasurable.

If you have any questions, send us a message. Just go to our website at WorldsLastChance.com and click on Contact Us. We want to hear from you, too.

* * *Daily Promise

Hello! This is Elise O’Brien with your Daily Promise from Yah’s Word.

Most young people are filled with optimism. The future is bright and their eyes are starry with dreams and plans.

But as we all know, life happens! And it usually doesn’t happen exactly the way we thought it would when we were young. As life experience accumulates, anxiety and uncertainty, combined with depression, can become a real issue for many people.

In fact, one study found that 85% of people diagnosed with major depression were also diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. Thirty-five percent had symptoms of panic disorder!

But that’s not all. Post-traumatic stress disorder, (or PTSD) is also an anxiety disorder that is common among veterans and many who have lived through extremely traumatic events. OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is also an anxiety disorder.

The truly surprising thing about OCD is how common it is. Medical Daily stated, quote: “Though the intrusive, unwanted thoughts of obsessive-compulsive disorder have to be extremely intense for someone to be diagnosed with OCD, a new study shows that 94 percent of people experience such symptoms in their daily lives.” Unquote.

In other words, OCD is shockingly common.

And it’s not surprising. As conditions in the world worsen, as times get harder and people struggle to earn enough money to meet their basic needs, as these struggles are made worse by extremes of inclement weather and political turmoil, there’s a lot to be anxious about!

The wonderful thing is, that Yah is still in control. In 1841, the poet, Robert Browning published a verse drama that contained a statement that has become famous for it’s simple, yet profound faith. It says:

“God’s in His heaven—All’s right with the world.”

The mountains of difficulty in front of you, the complicated situation in which you find yourself, none of that matters because Yah’s in His heaven, so all’s right with the world.

Second Chronicles 16 promises: “The eyes of Yahuwah run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.” [Verse 9]

You may very well be in danger. You may be in circumstances too complicated for any human wisdom to know how to resolve. But that’s okay! You’ve got Yah on your side! He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Isaiah 41 contains a message to you from Yahuwah. Listen and let the words embrace your heart with assurance: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” [Verse 10]

Yahuwah is with you wherever you go. He is in His heaven, so no matter what else may happen, all is right with the world.

We’ve been given great and precious promises. Go, and start claiming!

* * *Part 3: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: This has been a really interesting discussion today. Because, you know, Yah does give gifts! There are spiritual gifts!

Dave: There are, and that which is of Yah, we want to accept with gratitude. But, on the other hand, we don’t want to attribute to Yahuwah that which is from the devil.

Miles: That is so true. It’s imperative that we, each one and for ourselves, ask Yahuwah for spiritual discernment. We have to know what is of Yah and what’s not.

Dave: I’m reminded of Paul’s warning in 2 Corinthians, chapter 11 where he speaks of “false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Yahushua.” Then, in the next verse, he goes on to add, quote: “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” Unquote. [2 Cor. 11:13-15]

Miles: For the devil to be able to transform himself into an angel of light? We’re talking major deception, here!

Dave: Remember: light is always a symbol for truth, just as darkness, the night, are symbols for error. When Satan transforms himself into an angel of light, it’s saying that he is presenting error in a way that the sincere may assume it is true!

This is why none of us can afford to assume that we know all truth, and that our beliefs are without error. We have to look for more truth, advanced light. But we should also go back and take a look at the beliefs we already hold as true.

Are they really true? With the additional light we’ve gained, do they still stand? We can’t be too careful on this for our eternal destiny is at stake.

Miles: I remember reading a quote once where the author said that there’s no excuse for anyone to assume that there’s no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years, isn’t a proof that our ideas are infallible. Then it said something that has always stuck with me. Quote: “Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation.”

Dave: That’s really good. Because truth builds on itself. I’ve had the experience of actually rejecting something I was sure was error, a falsehood of Satan . . . only later, after learning other things that broadened my understanding, I realized that it wasn’t a lie of Satan. It really was truth!

But if we are so sure we know everything necessary for salvation, we’re going to automatically reject anything new. It may be the latest rays of light from the heavenly courts, but if our default is that everything new is wrong, we may very well reject the precise rays of light we need to discern the trap the devil has laid at our feet, to ensnare and keep us from the truth!

Miles: And he’s got a ton of snares. How many of you, listening to these presentations, when you hear something new, something with which you may very well disagree, how many of you lay your preconceived opinions on the altar and tell the Father, “Not my will, but Thine be done. Show me Thy truth.”

Dave: How many of us will cling to the word of Yah, and the word of Yah alone? What are you going to do? Are you willing to put your life on the line to cling to your beliefs?

Miles: That level of faith is a gift. It’s gotta be a gift, because we can’t . . . spontaneously generate it within ourselves.

Dave: No. No, only Yahushua’s faith, which has been tried to the uttermost, is strong enough to get us through.

Miles: And we’re going to need it.

It’s going to take the faith of Yahushua to stand firm for the truth when it means the loss of your job, the loss of your marriage—

Dave: The loss of your reputation.

Miles: That one really cuts to the bone, doesn’t it? No one likes being ridiculed. But yeah. Even at the loss of our reputations; at the loss of everything. Even if we have to give up everything. And we will! Have to give up everything, that is. Can’t take anything with us, not even our pride, our jobs, or our reputation.

Dave: Every day, we must commit to following truth wherever it leads. Every single day, we must lay at the foot of the cross our will, and seek the Father’s will.

Miles: In 1 Peter 5, verse 8, there is a very solemn warning. It says: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

Satan is going to be doing absolutely everything in his power to delude, deceive and distract each one of us from what really matters. These are very solemn times in which to be living and we can’t afford to waste our time playing at religion, playing at getting ready.

Dave: Thankfully, the Father has promised us all the help we could need for getting us ready. The verse just before the one you just read contains a beautiful promise. It says: “Casting all your cares upon Him; for He careth for you.” [1 Peter 5:7]

Miles: I like that. Listen, if you don’t feel ready, you’ve still got time to get ready. Make a full surrender today. Don’t listen to your feelings. Don’t stay away until you can clean yourself up. Go to Him. Today!

In John 6, Yahushua promised that anyone that comes to Him, He will in no wise cast out. So go to Him just as you are. And He will get you ready.

Join us again tomorrow, and until then, remember: Yahuwah loves you . . . and He is safe to trust!

* * *

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This program and past episodes of WLC Radio are available for downloading on our website. They're great for sharing with friends and for use in Bible studies! They're also an excellent resource for those worshipping Yahuwah alone at home. To listen to previously aired programs, visit our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Click on the WLC Radio icon displayed on our homepage.

In his teachings and parables, the Savior gave no “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, the thrust of his message was constant … vigilance. Join us again tomorrow for another truth-filled message as we explore various topics focused on the Savior's return and how to live in constant readiness to welcome him warmly when he comes.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.