Ep 1311 | Let’s Decode End Times Prophecy & What’s Happening in the World Today

Summary

Podcast Summary: Unashamed with the Robertson Family Episode 1311 | Let’s Decode End Times Prophecy & What’s Happening in the World Today
Date: April 14, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, the Robertson family dives deep into biblical prophecy, especially surrounding popular end times beliefs and current world events, including tensions in the Middle East. The family explores how prophecies about Israel and the temple are often misunderstood, stressing the centrality of Christ’s completed work and the unifying message of the gospel. Interspersed with their trademark storytelling and humor, the episode aims to clarify scriptural interpretations while grounding discussions in New Testament teachings.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Lighthearted Personal Updates & Storytelling

• The episode opens with the family sharing personal anecdotes, from golf mishaps (Zach's MRI/golf tale) to awkward church memories, establishing a warm and relatable tone.
• Golf serves as a recurring metaphor for spiritual lessons—overcoming “the yips,” the importance of practice, and spiritual confidence.

Notable Quote:

"It's a mental thing. I take seven months off, I come out in my first round, I break 80, and that didn't seem to be a problem, that little shot. I'm like, I've been healed, but I didn't want to make a big deal about it." – Al (06:01)

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2. The Shift from Law to Grace: Understanding Completion

• Main Bible Focus: The team discusses 1 John 5, Hebrews, and Ephesians, illustrating the move from Old Testament law to the completed work of Christ.
• Key Insight: They deeply differentiate between “completion” and “replacement”—Jesus fulfills the law and offers a new way, not just a set of rules.
• They break down two Greek words for “complete/finished” (teleo and teleioo) to show the nuance between “finishing a task” and “bringing something to intended maturity/perfect goal.”

Memorable Moment:

"Completion. It's not replacement. It's completion. Christ completes it. Everything is completed." – Jase (25:56)

Relevant Timestamps:

• 22:01 – Tying in love, law, and the idea of completeness.
• 27:05 – Hebrews' focus on Christ’s superior, finished work.

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3. The Role of Israel & End Times Prophecy: Common Misunderstandings

• Prophetic Clarity: The Robertsons address current events involving Israel and Iran, noting how many people connect modern political events with prophecies Jesus made about Jerusalem’s destruction (Matthew 24).
• Misplaced Expectation: Some Christians anticipate a literal third temple in Jerusalem, misunderstanding the symbolic fulfillment in Christ.
• Red Heifers Anecdote: Al shares about modern Israelites importing red heifers to prepare for temple sacrifice, underscoring the confusion between old covenant practices and Christ’s fulfillment.

Notable Quote:

"When Jesus died on a cross, that kind of thinking was finished… Do you know when the sacrificial system of animals stopped in Judaism? …When that destruction of that temple happened." – Al (42:06)

Relevant Timestamps:

• 37:38 – Discussion turns to weapons, wars, and spiritual warfare as contrasted with geopolitical conflict.
• 40:59 – Red heifers in Israel & third temple speculation.

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4. Jesus as the Perfect High Priest

• Book of Hebrews Theme: They explain the new, eternal priesthood of Jesus, after the order of Melchizedek. The old Levitical priesthood (and by extension, the old sacrificial system) is now obsolete.
• Practical Application: The path to God is no longer restricted by heritage or location; unity in Christ is now open to all nations.

Notable Quote:

"That the old priestly system? It could never actually make you perfect. Because the problem is the priests who are offering the sacrifices for your sins. Guess what? They had their own sin." – Jase (45:21)

Relevant Timestamps:

• 42:42 – Deep dive into Hebrews and the priesthood of Christ.
• 53:47 – Yom Kippur, Jesus entering the heavenly tabernacle, and the ultimate sacrifice.

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5. The True Temple: The Church as God’s Dwelling

• Ephesians 2 Explained: The Robertsons highlight that Christ’s sacrifice makes both Jews and Gentiles into one new humanity—the church, now God’s temple.
• The search for a physical temple or location misses the point; God dwells within his people by the Spirit.

Notable Quote:

"It's not a red heifer that produced that. It's Jesus blood on a cross. That we become the temple through his spirit." – Al (56:21)

Relevant Timestamps:

• 54:16 – Ephesians 2 breakdown: unity in Christ, abolishing the dividing wall.

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6. Application to Current Events & Christian Living

• Christians should avoid seeing world events as mere fulfilments of old covenant prophecy, instead seeing Christ as the culmination and the unifying hope for all people.
• The family emphasizes living out the life and love of Jesus, not being sidetracked by speculative prophecy or political divisions.

Notable Quote:

"We say it all the time. It's less about a place, it's more about a person." – Zach (57:57)

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Selected Memorable Quotes with Timestamps

• "If you keep doing the same thing and expect a different result, that's on you. That's called delusion." – Al (10:41)
• "God invented sex. He did... sometimes the Bible's rated R." – Al & Jase, on Biblical bluntness about sexuality (15:29; 15:42)
• "Jesus fulfilled that. ...There's a new law called the Spirit of life..." – Al (34:00)
• "Either way, you got to have Christ." – Zach, on salvation in Israel/Iran (50:45)
• "He wants to live with people." – Al, final note on God’s true desire (58:02)

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Structure & Flow

• Opening (00:46–11:16): Family banter, personal life lessons, golf as a metaphor.
• First Major Section (11:16–35:06): Theological transition from law to grace, interpreting “completion” in the New Testament, storytelling.
• Second Major Section (35:06–57:46): End times prophecy, temple discussion, contemporary issues in the Middle East tied to scriptural context, Hebrews and priesthood.
• Final Application (57:46–end): Unity in Christ, importance of spiritual over physical/earthly focus, closing encouragements.

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Final Takeaways

• The Old Testament law and temple sacrifices pointed to Christ, who completed and perfected them—not merely replaced or abolished them.
• Christians are not to look to physical locations or rituals, but to Christ’s spiritual fulfillment and unity.
• Salvation and God’s presence are found in Jesus, not in geopolitical events or the rebuilding of a literal temple.
• The invitation is for all – Jew, Gentile, Greek, Persian, male, female – to become God’s dwelling place by faith in Christ.

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For listeners seeking clarity on end times prophecy, Israel’s place in God’s plan, and how to interpret current world events biblically, this episode offers compassionate, biblically grounded clarity, all suffused with the warmth, humor, and unashamed faith the Robertsons are known for.

Transcript

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[Zach]

Morning decisions. How about a creamy mocha Frappuccino drink? Or a sweet vanilla smooth caramel, maybe? Or a white chocolate mocha? Whichever you choose, delicious coffee awaits. Find Starbucks Frappuccino drinks wherever you buy your groceries.

[Al]

I am unashamed. What about you?

[Zach]

So I drove all the way back to West Monroe. I was in Gulf Shores, down in my happy place.

[Al]

I was shocked you were here.

[Zach]

I did a wedding yesterday. Or yesterday. I've lost track of time now.

[Al]

No, that was. You were going to do the wedding day before yesterday.

[Zach]

Yeah, I did that after the podcast. How'd that go? That went great. One of Mom's sitters asked me to do it, so I did. So that's why I drove back, because I had to come back right after the wedding. I got in, like, at midnight to climb into a giant magnet. Literally.

[Al]

A magnet.

[Zach]

A magnet. It's called a magnetic resonating imagery machine.

[Al]

Oh, I see.

[Jase]

AKA mri.

[Zach]

Mri. There's a giant magnet. So they ask you all these questions. Do you have any scrap. No. Any fish hooks in your body? Any lead shot in your liver? I mean, they ask all the. Because you can't.

[Al]

What did you say?

[Zach]

Well, I said not to my knowledge.

[Al]

Yeah, that's what I would say.

[Zach]

Yeah. Because, you know, I'm sure there's something. There may be, but apparently you don't want to climb in a giant magnet if you've got some metal on your body, I guess.

[Jase]

But it's got a metal. A little metal prosthetic bone in her. In her ear. She lost her hearing one time.

[Zach]

Yeah, that happened when you hit her

[Al]

in the head with a golf ball.

[Jase]

It's allegedly how it happened.

[Al]

Allegedly. I was there.

[Zach]

We were there. That's how it happened.

[Al]

So weird you bring this up because it's Masters week and we start off random with Zach doing something that was almost impossible, which is.

[Zach]

Well, I had a terrible effect. I have to feel bad.

[Al]

Let me tell what it is. He hit the ball. He hit a golf ball sideways. That's hard to do.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Al]

If you said, hey, let's do a trick shot and you're aiming here.

[Zach]

A good golfer could not even do it.

[Al]

I don't think I've seen you do it.

[Zach]

Well, I said, a good golfer. I don't consider myself a good golfer.

[Al]

Just think about that.

[Zach]

I'm better than Zach Take out.

[Al]

Whether you play golf or not, you set up and you're looking down and you're like, I'm going to hit this ball that way. And then take your right hand and point it sideways and you actually hit it at a 90 degree angle. I've done it. Of where you were aiming. Remember the time I hit your wife in the ear?

[Zach]

You remember the time.

[Al]

Jason, who was sitting in a golf cart.

[Zach]

Remember at the time we were at Muni. This is way back when we were like in school of preaching or interns.

[Al]

It's a municipal course that back then cost $3. $3.

[Zach]

And there's a line of people carts and people were all on number one because everybody's waiting in line and they were all to the right of us.

[Al]

I remember it well.

[Zach]

And I hit one just like Zach did, right off the tip of the driver. And it literally went straight through the group. It didn't hit anybody, shockingly, but it went into the carpet.

[Al]

It rattled around in the entrance of the building on concrete.

[Jase]

It's a dangerous.

[Zach]

I mean, everybody just was jumping out of the way. It was so I was so embarrassed.

[Al]

Well, it's crazy. So I took seven months off from golf because I was playing every year. I start usually right after the Masters because that's the only golf I watch. Like, up until that time. Well, there's something about the tradition. We've been there three or four times. I've seen the place.

[Zach]

It's beautiful. We used to play golf heaven.

[Al]

We used to play golf a lot. And so every year I try to work on my game and I get a little better, you know, and then we. My. I got a buddy who's good and he likes to play with me because in these team tournaments, because I'm just bad enough and just good enough to get him out of the championship flight because he wants to win and. But what.

[Zach]

And you can. You can turn it on at times.

[Al]

And I'm a. I'm a crazy player. It's like I'll go out and make three or four birdies on my way to shooting 86. But those birdies are valuable because he's consistent playing four ball.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Al]

But this year, you know, I hadn't touched a club because I was so frustrated. The way I played last year, I just. It's terrible. So I was like, I'm quitting golf. That's it. Because one. One element of my game fell apart, and I think it's due to age.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Al]

And it's the little pitch and chip shot. Yeah.

[Zach]

I got the yips.

[Al]

Now, that's what they call it, where it's a condition when you stand over the ball, you're uncomfortable, and you're like, I got nothing. And it's so embarrassing and so frustrating. And I went through watching all the videos, you know, so this year, it's a mental thing. I take seven months off, I come out in my first round, I break 80, and that didn't seem to be a problem, that little shot. I'm like, I've been healed, but I didn't want to make a big deal about it. And so I'm playing pretty good for the first two or three rounds. And so then all of a sudden, when I started getting confident, which is a word we talked about, I think, on the last podcast we did, I go out there and this one aspect reveals itself again, and I'm like, here we here. Here we go again. And so I just. This past week, I made up my mind. I was like, I got to figure this out. I watched every video you can watch. I go over to Willie's little golf course compound.

[Zach]

Is this, like, for practice?

[Al]

Every. And I think because. Because part of the thing that I was watching these videos, they're like, if you don't go practice, what do you expect? And so I kind of thought, yeah, I didn't.

[Zach]

It's like us, if we didn't study the Bible and we're here talking about

[Al]

it, we'd be terrible at beating yourself up. So there was a little drill I saw. I go over there and a combination of thoughts I had, and I go, try, try this. Because I was practicing and all I was doing was just practicing. Poorly. Poorly. Yeah. I was like, this is not going to work. So we go out and play this past weekend, and I looked like a genius, and I thought, I think I figured this out.

[Zach]

You play with your sons? You played in Nashville?

[Al]

No, I played the day we got back. I played with my buddy, and I'm playing after the podcast Deco. Now. All of a sudden, I'm excited because for one round, I think I said. I said, I think I got it. What's weird, it Wasn't one thing. It was a combination of me watching all these drills and then noticing the number one golfer in the world, he does something before every chip and pitch. So you can. You can watch this and you'll see. In fact, he's been on viral videos where they say golfers are nervous and they do something every time as a trigger. And this pre shot routine that he does made the clip because everybody's thinking, why is he doing this? That move is what got me over whatever my problem was. And so I'll tell you what it is. So he gets up to the chip, and right before he hits it, he takes his left foot because he's right handed and he steps backwards and he practices chip shot. And I thought before when I saw him do that, I thought, why is he doing that? Because you're supposed to have your weight on the left side. Why would he move his foot back? I thought it's just a nervous. Oh, no, it's not a nervous thing. Because at one time he had what. I have a problem. So this story's getting long, but here's my spiritual application shocker. So when I take the club back, I feel that motion and I'm actually going backwards. Because all my problems were I was going forward and I couldn't get to the ball. So everybody was giving me these tips and I'm like, you don't understand. I can't get to the ball. They're like, what are you talking about? Just swing through. I was like, my body's in a position where that can't happen. So I pull up and scull it. But by going backwards, I could then let the club go around my body. So I'm thinking when I get to the ball to make it go forwards to Zach's story, I feel like my lower body, my rear end is going backwards just like he does in his little routine. Isn't that something?

[Zach]

That's funny because it's similar to. There's a guy that plays for the Dodgers. A year before last, he was having trouble. He couldn't get his weight right on his baseball swing. And that was his fix. He pulled his leg. He started pulling his leg back, part of his thing, and shifted his weight. And when he did, he started hitting the ball at the ballpark again. It was amazing.

[Al]

Well, and what made me think with all these pro golfers, you're like, how do you become a pro golfer? Because I've played with a few and they're just different. And you ask them for a tip, all of them to the man, guess what? They're like, it's not going to do you any good.

[Zach]

You're terrible. Most of them just say, you're terrible.

[Al]

No, they just. But they're like, you have.

[Zach]

That's what Bubba's, the Americans.

[Al]

You have to figure this out. You can't watch a bunch of videos

[Jase]

and figure out, I just retired after I hit Jill on the head with a golf. I said,

[Zach]

sometimes you just have to say, this probably isn't for me.

[Al]

But what I was saying is at some point, all these pro golfers were out there kind of like I was, and they figured it out. And then they figured this out. Then they start training. They get, you know, and they're young and they're athletic and all this, but it. That's basically what happens.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Al]

And once they figure it out, it looks easy. Yeah. But even they hit, you know, poor shots or whatever. But it's not what you think. And I think there's a spiritual application to that that is obvious because a lot of times you're like, what is my problem? And it's usually not what you're. How you're thinking. If you keep doing the same thing and expect a different result, that's on you. That's called delusion.

[Zach]

And that's why sometimes you have to just. So, Jase, you just got back from a little trip. When you came home, I know a couple of pooches were happy to see you come through the door.

[Al]

They're pretty self sufficient.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Al]

But the one thing they don't get while I'm gone is the little treat with the rough greens.

[Zach]

Well, rough greens has been great for our dogs as well. And they're excited when Lisa and I get home for the same reasons. And we've noticed that, you know, as our dogs have gotten older, they get a little more finicky and they have some stomach issues and things begin to happen. And one of the things we found out from Dennis Blythe, the guy who came up with the rough greens, was that traditional dog food is missing what your dogs really need. It's missing probiotics, enzymes, omega oils, and live vitamins and minerals that your dog needs to absorb and digest food. This is dead food, in other words. So what they've done is they come up with this product that is America's number one dog supplement. You sprinkle it right on their food and it has all those live nutrients that they need and it makes a difference. The coats will be shinier, they'll be happier. Alex mentioned a meatball her dog, her joints are better, so she's able to jump up on the couch again. And all this from rough greens. It's all natural. It's made in the usa. It's helping dogs feel younger, more energetic, and healthier than they have in years. And your dog could be one of them. Get a free Jumpstart trial bag for your dog. You discover the shipping. Go to roughgreens.com use the discount code. Unashamed rough greens. We make any dog food better. It's like the old catfish pal at church 30 years ago, and somebody asked him to lead the prayer in Bible class. And they had mentioned. You know how they'll mention people that have asked for prayers? And one of them was a guy named Jay who had broken his ankle bowling. And they said that. And it was kind of a little chuckle went through when they said he broke his ankle bowling. So when Keith led the prayer, when he got to. He's kind of praying for people that had been mentioned, he said, father, help O. Help O.J. help him to realize that some people ain't cut out for athletics.

[Al]

I wouldn't consider bowling an athletic sport.

[Zach]

Well, that was his point, I guess.

[Al]

Yeah.

[Zach]

If you break your ankle bowling, then maybe you shouldn't be bowling.

[Jase]

Do you remember when Keith Powell said the prayer when we had our Summer of Sex series?

[Zach]

It was communion. It was the communion message.

[Al]

Communion.

[Jase]

Yeah. Phil had. I won't say what Phil said, but he had preached.

[Al]

At this point in our life, why not? Well, I give us the things that

[Jase]

man said from the pulpit. I'm like, whoa. But it was.

[Zach]

Well, Bill Smith had written a series called Biblical Sexual Ethics. I'll never forget it because I was in charge of the Bible classes.

[Al]

Where was I at?

[Zach]

You were there somewhere.

[Al]

And.

[Zach]

And for some reason, they decided to include Bill's teaching. Mac oh was teaching. And they included dad in the series.

[Al]

Are you just now remembering that?

[Zach]

I mean, it was a bad decision.

[Al]

What kind of meeting. What kind of meeting occurs? I mean, where they say, I tell you, here's what.

[Zach]

Because they were the main Bible class teachers at the time, and dad had a large audience and a lot of people listened to him. So their thinking was, you know, people would be interested to hear what he has to say about it. But I knew. I was like, this is going to be a disaster, dad. You know, so tell the stories. So Keith.

[Al]

Keith was. I won't.

[Jase]

I won't finish what Phil said.

[Zach]

But.

[Jase]

But it was probably the most blunt sermon I've ever heard. It was Bible class. But the whole church was in there.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Jase]

And we were all just like that. And it was just one after another. It was just never still in full throttle. You know, pre Duck Dynasty.

[Al]

It was all.

[Jase]

Before all that. And if you wonder, was he like that before? Yes, he was. And we were just like, wow.

[Zach]

Every euphemism you could come up with for the sex.

[Al]

What was the context? I mean, was it.

[Zach]

Well, it was a biblical look at everything the Bible has to say about sex. You know, Smith was. He was thorough.

[Al]

God invented sex. He did.

[Zach]

But, you know, there's a lot of stuff in the Old Testament about. I mean, the very vivid language about what to do, what not.

[Al]

We talked about that a few times.

[Zach]

So they got. I mean, it was biblical. I'm not saying. But, dad.

[Jase]

Yeah, it was just. It was very graphic. But, you know, the Bible's graphic. So it is. Sometimes the Bible's rated R. But the. So Keith gets out the next week. I think he was so inspired by. By Phil that he's gonna give his own version of bluntness at the communion. So he's leading the communion talk. And I don't remember what all he said.

[Zach]

I remember his opening line. Remember his opening line? He said something like, love, sex.

[Jase]

Yeah.

[Al]

Are you kidding me?

[Zach]

That was his opening line. The community. I must have been out of the out and out. And one of our. Which is John David's grandpa, he got in a coffin fit because he had some issues.

[Al]

He never got back up after that. No.

[Zach]

I mean, we had a little meeting on Monday there. Zach.

[Al]

Has he ever been back.

[Zach]

He says he's never been back up front again ever.

[Al]

You know what they call that, Al? They call it a suitcase.

[Zach]

That's right.

[Al]

Have your bags packed because you're done.

[Zach]

And he claims now he never even said it. And I said, keith, come on. You don't get a lifetime ban unless you say something bad.

[Jase]

Well, there's a ver. There's a verse. I think it's in First Corinthians where he says, do not deprive each other except by mutual consent.

[Al]

That's First Corinthians 7. I know where that verse is, because when I was in the first couple years of my marriage, I thought I may need to know where that verse is, depending on how this goes.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Jase]

Because the idea is, is you don't deprive each other when you're married. And except for the time to come together in prayer. And so Keith Catfish, he said. He said, I like sex. I mean, just like. And he just left it hanging out there.

[Zach]

Yeah, he just.

[Jase]

And everybody's just like, whoa, that came out of nowhere.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Jase]

And then he said something like, the only time or not having sex, me and my wife, is when we're in prayer, let's pray. So it was something like that.

[Zach]

Well, he tried to tie it in, but, you know, when you, when you lead with that in. In a place in a position like that, you're probably. Whatever else you say is probably not going to get remembered, which I don't. But I remember the opening line. And he says he's never been back up again. So.

[Al]

Yeah, the verse says, he says in First Corinthians 7, now for the matters you wrote about, it is good for a man not to marry. There's an alternate, Alternate interpretation. It's good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman. But since there's so much immorality, which would be sex, that's not moral. Which would be not between a husband and wife. Yeah. Each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. He's very specific. This is in the Bible, 1 Corinthians 7:2. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, which in the context is sex. And likewise the wife to her husband. The wife's body does not belong to her alone, but also to her husband. I think that's why God defined it as the two will become one flesh. You're one. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him, but alone, but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other. So that's what he read. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, then come together again so that the evil one, Satan, will not tempt you because of your lack of. Of self control. Of course, then he says, I say this as a concession, not as a command.

[Zach]

Yeah. So which, which is clearly telling you that there was a situation with the Corinthian Church that he's dealing with. That's the hard thing about Bible study. Trying to take a compilation of all these thousands of years of history and scripture dealing with certain situations all throughout these. These time frames, and trying to just make a rule book about everything. That's the problem we get into because you'll have a couple that's having some issues, used to happen to me all the time, and they'll just want to go to the verse and say, well, just tell her to do this and we'll fix it. It's like, wait, your problems are way different than this is a result of what's happening in your marriage. But you guys got a lot you got to work on. I mean, the two being one. What about all the stuff about the unity and the other stuff that's in the idea of the passage? Well, that's why when Jesus kept taking. When Jesus was asked about marriage, he just went back to the basics, which is what Paul does. It's just like there's a model.

[Al]

Yeah. I mean, you read it goes back to Genesis 2. I mean, there it is. He created them, male and female, for this reason, a man will leave his father and mother, which is another neglected aspect, and be united to their wife or their husband, and the two will become one flesh. And guess what happens? Godly offspring come from that. I mean, the idea, if everybody followed that model, would the world not be a better place?

[Zach]

Yeah. And it's by exclusion. God told me one time, because he was trying to make a point, that if people were homosexual and they loved each other, that they could get married and have a life together and be fine with God. And I was like, well, that goes against what Jesus. He said, Jesus never addressed homosexuality. I said, oh, yeah, he did.

[Al]

Well, he defined marriage, validated it, and

[Zach]

he said it was a man and a woman. So, yeah, it's pretty much the way it is.

[Al]

So if you think, what does that have to do with 1 John 5? It does have a little bit to do with that.

[Zach]

It does.

[Al]

We didn't plan on getting off into that, but when he starts 1 John 5 and we just went through all this living, I mean, God living in us, that love being contagious, where it affects our relationships with other people in this world, we become like Jesus. So we're confident now, and we'll be confident on the day of judgment. So he gets to chapter five, which in the original there wasn't a chapter break here.

[Zach]

Next thought. Yeah, so.

[Al]

But he ends chapter four where we left off when he says, he has given us this command. Whoever loves God must also love his brother. So there's a command, because a lot of people even today try to go back and put themselves under the commands of God. And they that's their orientation of how to live a godly life. It's like, I got to try to do all this. And they put themselves under kind of a rule book law situation, which when you look at all the old law, which is over 600, it's not comprehensive to any matter that comes up. And that list was probably much Longer in practicality, but in their culture. And you see that it was impossible to do all that perfectly, which is why Jesus came. And so when you read these, this word, like, we come to what was the rabbit hole we went down where it said complete. Like. Like verse 17 of chapter 4. In this way, love is made complete among us, right? Well, that same word for complete is perfect, but it's also fulfilled. Jesus used it to say he fulfilled the law. What does that mean? He completed. There was an end of one set of way of life, and he brought a new way to do that when it comes to the law, since he was.

[Zach]

And by the way, Hebrews 8, Zach is very clear about that. When you study Hebrews, there was one way. And then Jesus came, and then there was a new way. He called the first. Being obsolete was the word the Hebrew writer used. I'm not sure what the Greek word is there, but that's the idea is it was all fulfilled in Christ. And it doesn't mean the law and the commandments are not still out there, but they were completed in Christ. And so if we're in Christ, that's why there's no condemnation, which is. That's where our confidence come from. When we grew up, one of the things we were never short on around the Robertson household was stories.

[Al]

I tell my wife this all the time because she. She will have a kids book and she'll be like, you know, you read this when you were a kid. And I said, no, we didn't read books. We told stories.

[Zach]

Our good friends at Brave Books, they do understand the power of stories because stories teach kids things like courage, forgiveness, fruit of the spirit. Every book has games and conversation questions already built in, so you don't have to come up with the teachable moments yourself. They're in the books.

[Al]

My wife partnered with Brave Books because you're my family. And we have started a new tradition in my family where we do read books to our kids. And it's one of my favorite times, late night before bed.

[Zach]

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[Jase]

yes. Completion. It's not. That's such a key distinction too, because it's not. It's not replacement. It's completion.

[Zach]

That's it.

[Jase]

And so Christ completes it. Everything is completed. That's the.

[Zach]

You read Hebrews.

[Jase]

I mean, that's pretty good because he's, he's basically making the case. He. I think if you were to say, well, what is. In the last podcast we talked about confidence. The whole point of Hebrews is like the, the Hebrew writer is intentionally trying to make if you can't, if you were under Judaism. He's trying to make you feel insecure about it to show you that this isn't going to work.

[Al]

Right.

[Jase]

This isn't like this is only going to work to the point that it's going to make you aware of your sin, but it's going to, it's going to do nothing in you to actually give you the real confidence that you need to go into a relationship and into the presence of the holy God. And so here's how you're going to get that. And then he establishes Christ as the cornerstone of our confidence, the finished work of Christ. And so that is kind of the whole point of the book of Hebrews. Right?

[Zach]

And everything in there he keeps. He just does a checklist of everything that's been under the old law and the old system. And he comes to the same conclusion in almost every chapter of Hebrews is Jesus is better. Jesus is better. Jesus is better.

[Al]

You want to hear something interesting?

[Zach]

Yeah. Why don't we listen to this?

[Al]

So there's two Greek words that are used for completed or finished. So this one in First John 5. 17, because I've studied this before, so I looked this up in the Greek that you're going to find this fascinating. Which, which one is the one you used in First John 5? Let me find that First John 5. Isn't that something? It's used a lot in First John. I was kind of shocked here.

[Zach]

Yeah. The word complete for complete.

[Al]

Well, but, but, but this is fascinating because there's two different ones. Okay, so let's do the AI. Alright. So I'm gonna give you the number so you can do this. This is fascinating. This really shows you the story. So one of them, the number, is 5,055, and they give these Greek words numbers. So when you look it up in the Greek lexicon, it'll be easier. So it's Teleo, which is 5055. And the other one, 5048, is Teleo. It has an I in there and two O's.

[Jase]

What verse?

[Al]

Well, I'm going to give you the different ones, but I want to define them now. I'm going to use AI just for. So what is the. Because you're not going to be able to tell based on English because the English translators use them differently for different English words. But there's something here that's very powerful. So I'm going to read this. The difference between The Greek words 5055, teleo, and 5048, teleo, centers on the distinction between finishing a task, which is Teleo 5055, and bringing something to its intended maturity or perfect goal. So now look. But basically what I'm going to describe is a verse like, the old is gone. That's one teleo. The new has come. You see?

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Al]

That's the way it works.

[Zach]

Right.

[Al]

So the most famous word for it is finished. Remember when Jesus was on the cross?

[Zach]

Yep.

[Al]

He said, it is finished. So let's see what word that is. So first John 4:17 is the second one. So it is finished. All right, well, let me. Let's do this, because you have two different ones used. The two different words used in John 19. So John 19:28, this will be interesting. I know this is technical, but 1928, what does that say?

[Zach]

Well, 1930 is where he says, it is finished.

[Al]

Well, but 28.

[Zach]

28 says, knowing that all was now completed and so that the scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, I am thirsty.

[Al]

Yeah, well, so that's the same word, 28 and then 30. Yeah, but look how that is. Everything's fulfilled. So that's the same one. That's teleo. That's the first one.

[Zach]

Yep.

[Al]

All right, so the second one. Let's see where it's used in John, not used in John, but It's used in First John.

[Zach]

Hmm.

[Al]

It's all those. Those perfect, complete First John 2:5. So let's see what First John 2:5. So my point is. Okay, he. So, so it is finished. Well, he took care of the old law. He fulfilled scripture. That's What. What John 19 said.

[Zach]

Yep. 2:5 says, if anybody obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him.

[Al]

There you go.

[Zach]

I'M sure that's where it is. Yeah.

[Al]

So if I read back to the definition, and it's not just 1 John 2, what was the other one? 1 John 2 5. 1 John 4:12 is the second one.

[Zach]

Yeah, that's the one that says no one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

[Al]

First John 4:17. We got that one.

[Zach]

Yeah, we got that one.

[Al]

Then 1 John 4:18. The one who fears is not perfected in love. So my point is those two words kind of go together kind of in the now, not yet. Because there's Jesus fulfilling what we couldn't do, keeping the law. It is finished. And then here we are, invited in by his grace and blood. We get in, that love is passed on to us, and then it's a mature.

[Zach]

So one one is a finished task that then opens the doorway for a task in progress.

[Al]

Exactly.

[Zach]

Is really what happens.

[Al]

And it's accomplished, it's fulfilled, it's. So the big picture is that going back to First John, we've been invited into that fellowship, completed work, we become a finished product of what Jesus did on the cross. But so it's an ongoing work that has been completed. I mean, it's. It's a kind of a riddle in your brain. But if you go look those two things up in your mind, I think you see some power there that God designed. I mean, look that. And that's the message they were conveyed, conveying. Because. Because think about it. How many people get up and say, jesus said it's finished? Well, there's nothing. They're just looking at it wrong. They're like, well, there's nothing I can do. Well, you can respond. You see what I mean? He wants you to respond to that and have that love that he is in your life.

[Zach]

How many times does he say in this book, live, live, live, live the life, the life, the life, the life. Well, that's ongoing.

[Jase]

Exactly.

[Al]

Well, the reason I'm bringing this up, which it just popped into my head, but this really conveys itself in fulfilled scriptures. When he says he, what's the famous verse in Luke 24 where it says he fulfilled everything written in the law and in the prophets? Because we have this big debate and maybe Zach can jump in on this. It's like, well, do we. How many commands are we supposed to accomplish or get right as a follower of Jesus? Well, when somebody asked me that question, I'm like, well, you're never going to get them right. That's not what being a disciple of Jesus is. And they're like, well, you're saying we don't do the commands. No, I didn't say that. But Jesus fulfilled that. And we have. We're not under the old law. There's a new law called the Spirit of life thinking what Romans 8. So we're obeying the law, but we're not doing it to work our way to God based on our performance. That's what kind of the old Judaism spawned. And so I think that debate is why I think this understanding these two different words will help you realize when you read the verses where he's like, well, I thought Jesus were under his grace and not commands. Why does John keep bringing up follow his commands?

[Zach]

Yeah, he says it a lot.

[Al]

I mean that's a very tough thing. And people argue. And I've had so many arguments about that. So case in point, let's take this for example where so people I ran across this al that this is crazy to me because a lot of people will come up to me with all this, the war going on between which now we're heavily involved between Iran and Israel. Now here I am, I've shared the gospel to people who are currently living in Iran. Right? Because I know as a my king is Jesus Christ and I have a responsibility since he died for all mankind to share Jesus. This is my warfare.

[Jase]

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[Al]

Think of the verse in 1st Corinthians, or is it 2nd Corinthians where it says the weapons we fight with are not of the world. But now I get it as here we have a political nation against nation. You notice that America, they're pitching the politicians, they're like, well, we don't want them to have a nuclear war. We all agree with that. But even in this conflict, it's kind of morphed into something that makes Christians feel uncomfortable because they're like, well, pretty sure you got that. And then they kind of moved on to let's blow up bridges and infrastructure. Well, we're thinking about the civilians and so on. A lot of people start pushing back, saying, well, wait a minute now we're not in for ending a civilization now. We don't want them to be a threat. So they're kind of the two sides of that. But I bring this up because everybody who has a view that Jesus didn't fulfill kind of the Israel way of life in that he became the perfect Israelite to die for everybody. But that changed our narrative as far as it doesn't matter where you're from or what nationality you are. Jesus said, go into all nations. There's no Jew or Greek in Christ. There's no male or female in Christ. So we're all under the same agenda in what Jesus offered, which is we're a new creation. Whether you're from Israel or whether you're from Iran, the only way you're spending eternity with God is through Jesus, right? So that there's a common bond. And that's what I'm all about. But here's what happens. I think people misunderstand all these prophecies about the destruction of Jerusalem, the temple that Jesus clearly stated. No one talks about this. He predicted something that Happened years after. Remember when he said, not one stone will be left on another? Where is that at? Matthew 24. Remember when he said, I am the temple? You know? But we have a group of people who read those predictions of Jesus and say, oh, that's going to happen when he comes back. And I had a very smart person that I respect who pretty recently told me that they were getting their spot ready on whether they were going to go back to Israel. So when Jesus comes back and sets up his temple. And I was like, where did you get that from? That's not going to happen. There's no physical temple going to be built. You know, the third. She called it the third temple. I was like. And so after I did a study on it, I realized there's a lot of people who believe this to the point of. In my research, I found that three or four years ago, I think it was in 2022, a group of people from Israel spent almost a million dollars on five red heifers from Texas. They had them shipped over to five red heifers. And I was like, why would you do this? You know why they did it? Because in Numbers 19, verse 9,

[Home Depot Announcer]

part

[Al]

of the law that was given to the Israelite nation is there had to be some red heifer sacrifice and burned, and the ashes had to be spread out. I'm just paraphrasing. I don't remember exactly what it said, but somebody was reading their Bible and said, this is the law and we don't have any red heifers over here anymore. So let's buy some.

[Zach]

Let's get some from Texas.

[Al]

Yeah, this is not a hundred years ago without. This is three or four years ago. There's five heifers over in Israel.

[Zach]

Probably not anymore, unless they're breathing.

[Al]

So when I read the story, they had them inspected by the priest. And you know why they did it? They're getting ready for the third temple to be established, and they want to have this sacrifice with the burnt five heifers burned and get it ready for Jesus to set up his temple. Now there it is. What say you?

[Zach]

What about that, Zach?

[Al]

Are you looking that story up? It's a true story.

[Jase]

I would want to know more about the priest who analyzed it,

[Al]

I would say. And that was not my first reaction. My first reaction was when Jesus died on a cross. That kind of thinking was finished. Look, do you know when the sacrificial system of animals stopped in Judaism? Do you know when it stopped? When that destruction of that temple happened? Because then they couldn't go to the temple and offer the sacrifice all the

[Zach]

things they've been doing. Well, there's thousands years.

[Jase]

The reason why I brought up the priesthood, because you go, I mean, this is, this is actually like one of the main points of the Book of Hebrews. Again, going back to Hebrews, he talks about the legitimacy of the priesthood. And he is making the point that if perfection, this is chapter 7, verse 11. If perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received the law, what further need would there have been for a priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek rather than the one named after the order of Aaron? So what does that even mean? Well, in Psalms there's a prophecy that there is going to be another priest that's going to come. And this is actually quoted in Hebrews chapter five. He says, you are my son the day I've begotten you. In verse 6 of chapter 5 of Hebrews, he says, he also says in another place in Psalms that you are a priest after the order of Melchizedek. And so he said, what in the world? And who is Melchizedek? And what does all that mean? That there is a prophecy that anyone who is in Judaism would know this. They would know that there is going to be some type of priest that is going to come in the order of Melchizedek, who was a character in the Old Testament, that he was a king of Salem and he was a priest of God, of the Lord Most High. And Abraham meets him. And do you guys remember what Abraham did? He tithe 10% of, of everything that he had. He, he tithed to this priest. And so the Hebrew writers, like you guys, are tithing to the priests that are, that are of the tribe of Levi. Because if you're going to be a priest in Judaism, you have to be from a certain tribe. You can't be from the tribe of Judah, for example. You have to be from the tribe of Levi. You have to be a descendant of Aaron to be a priest. And so you would tithe to those guys. Well, then the Hebrew writers, like if you're tithing to these Levitical priests, well, they all came out of Abraham's loins. And guess who Abraham was tithing to Melchizedek. So Jesus, he is a different kind of priest. He didn't come from the tribe of Levi. In fact, he came from the tribe of Judah. And he is a priest in the order of Melchizedek. And the whole point that he's making here Is that the old priestly system? It could never actually make you perfect? Because the problem is the priests who are offering the sacrifices for your sins. Guess what?

[Zach]

They had sin.

[Jase]

They had their own sin.

[Al]

Yeah, Zach, you just made me realize this. Take on Hebrews. So those four times that perfected is used, 1st John 2. Five, in love, you know, 1st John 4:12, 1 John 4:17, 1 John 4:19. Well, the Hebrew references of that word, which is all of them, are the second one because of what Jesus did on the first one. Fulfilled it, completed it, perfected it. Well, read the Hebrew versions of where that word is used. I mean, I'm shocked. I started scrolling down through this. It is exactly what you're saying, because Hebrews 2:10 is the first time it's mentioned. It says, this is about Jesus becoming a human and bringing many sons to glory. It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the offer of their salvation perfect through suffering. So there's that word, and we know what happened on the cross, and we know the resurrection.

[Zach]

And by the way, when that happens, verse 11, the next verse says, and therefore he who is holy and makes men holy is unashamed to call them his family.

[Al]

Right? So look, the next times this word is used is Hebrews 5. 9. It says, Talking about Jesus. And just look, it is specifically talking about his whole life. Verse 7. During the days of Jesus life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death. And he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. And look here. And once made perfect. Same, same. The goal of this, he became the source of eternal salvation for all of them.

[Jase]

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[Zach]

Yeah, Zach, Bella was telling me that Duck Commander has used Shopify to power their store for years. So it wouldn't be what it is without Shopify.

[Jase]

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[Al]

I actually own shares of Shopify in my portfolio.

[Jase]

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[Al]

So what does this got to do with the law? Well, watch when it gets to chapter seven and verse 19. He says and this is all about the Melchizedek that Zach just brought up. And it says, for the law made nothing perfect. Same word. Well, but it's in the negative, right? The law didn't make you perfect. Only Jesus made you perfect. Because he was perfect. He is perfect. 7:28 says for the law appoints US high priest men who are weak. But the oath which came after the law appointed the Son who has been made perfect forever. And that's that second one. He has matured. He has. So I think that's how you should look at number one, the role of Israel in this. That was God's plan. They were elected for a special purpose. Jesus came through that heritage to redeem Israel. In that he was what Israel wasn't. He trusted God completely, perfectly. He kept the law and then died as one who didn't. As a lawbreaker for everyone who broke the law to free us from that power that the evil One contributed to so that we could be free from that law. He offered the new way, which was his love, because he did it in love.

[Zach]

And that's why you get into these war situations and it gets awkward and tricky because we know that the only way to find salvation is to be in Christ. Well, that goes for an Iranian who's under a regime that believes in a totally different God. The same for Israel. That's still going by Yahweh, but no Jesus, but no Messiah. And so they're still waiting on the Messiah, too, if you're a true Jew, from their perspective. But look, we know either way, you got to have Christ. So you fight wars over situations, but the only way to salvation, these aren't. Like. People view this as like some chess pieces on a board. Like, somehow it's not just about Jesus. No, you have to be the. You have to be a Christian in whatever setting your country is now. People fight wars over all kinds of different things, but you begin to go down a bad rabbit hole when you try to tile this in. Like, somehow we're still waiting on God to do something other than send Jesus here because he's coming back, but he's coming back for those who were in him in the Resurrection.

[Al]

So, well, you throw in passages like Ephesians, which is all about that. Through God's plan, the Jews and Greeks are now one human one.

[Jase]

Yeah.

[Al]

That's what the whole world.

[Zach]

Persians, Greeks, Romans is.

[Jase]

I don't know how you get it. Yeah, I don't know how you get away from it.

[Al]

But all about.

[Jase]

Let me say this real quick, because you were talking about the priest, you know, observing the red heifers. I mean, truthfully, there's not a. That is an issue right now with Rabbinic Judaism, which is what we're. You know, what we have now is you don't have a temple system, so you don't have a sacrificial system, and you don't have a priesthood, because all of that really did get burned up in 80, 70 records. How do you even trace your lineage anymore to prove that you are a legitimate priesthood? But I think when you read what Hebrews is saying, here is such an incredible argument. Because now Christ. You mentioned that 7, 28. I was going there, too. Essentially, what it's saying is that Jesus's appointment to high priest was contingent on him being made perfect forever. Which goes back to what you Also read, Hebrews 2. He was made perfect forever through his suffering. That's the finished work on the cross. That's why at the end of his suffering, he says it's finished because it's through the cross that Christ is perfected. And it's through. Because he was made perfect through his suffering, through his perfection. He's now appointed as high priest. Not a high priest, the high priest. And now he will go, according to the Hebrew writer, he will go into the final Yom Kippur, which he did. He goes into the true heavenly tabernacle. And now he's examining the sacrifice.

[Al]

The.

[Jase]

The. You Know where the priest would examine the sacrifice of the blood of goats and bulls? Now Christ, the new high priest, examines the new sacrifice, which just so happens to be his own body.

[Zach]

Yeah. It's not a red heifer.

[Jase]

It's not a red heifer.

[Zach]

It is the.

[Jase]

It is the. It is the son of the living God that is this new sacrifice. So when we start talking about this return back to an old system, it's. I'm like, what happened to the whole Jesus thing? Yeah, I mean. I mean.

[Zach]

Well, exactly.

[Al]

I feel like I need to read this Ephesians 2, because if you're like, well, this seems complex. Well, if we have to address people thinking that somehow or another we're all traveling to Israel when Jesus comes back, let's just read what the Bible says right after one of the greatest salvation discussions in the first part of chapter two ever. And I know we're all familiar with that. We're saved because of Christ and God's mercy. God raised us up with Christ, and it's not based on us. It is by grace. You've been saved through faith. It's a gift of God. So then he says, therefore, verse 11, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth or uncircumcised, so not a Jew. Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now, Ephesians 2:13, In Christ Jesus, you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace. He who has made the two one, and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. Now people say, well, that doesn't mean abolish. We'll work it out. That's what he said. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility, that thing is still hostile over there. You're like, well, what do law keepers who think that's how they're going to get their salvation, because of their heritage? And what do people who don't even believe in that God, what do they have in common? They both need to go to the cross. That's what he's saying. He came and preached peace to you who are far away and peace to those who are near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one spirit. Consequently, you're no longer foreigners, alien citizens with God's people and members of God's household built on the foundation. Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone. And this is where I wanted to get in him 21. The whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. It's not a red heifer that produced that. It's Jesus blood on a cross. That we become the temple through his spirit. We have the Holy Spirit.

[Zach]

And look, if you're going to get hung up on a place, because we're out of time, but I'll close with this. I'll drop this bomb. Metaphorically speaking. You know, we talk about restoration of the Garden of Eden, which was probably. Guess where. Not in Israel. Iran. Yeah, what about that? I mean, if we're talking about. If you just want to run to a place that you want to be on the Second Coming, you know, it's almost like I'd rather be where the garden was than where the old temple stood. So that's just something to chew on.

[Al]

Well, the key point is the last verse kind of says that in him, you two are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his spirit.

[Zach]

We say it all the time. It's less about a place, it's more about a person.

[Al]

He wants to live with people.

[Zach]

All right, we'll. We'll hit this again next time on Unashamed. Thanks for listening to the Unashamed podcast. Help us out by leaving a rating and review on Apple podcast. And don't miss an episode by subscribing on YouTube. And be sure to click the little bell and choose all notifications to watch every episode.