Making Sense of Life Through The Biblical Story Podcast

Follow Making Sense of Life Through The Biblical Story Podcast
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Our lives are stories that are best understood in the context of the Larger Story of the Bible. Garth Oliver leads us through an exploration the key developments of this Story as it unfolds through the Old and New Testaments. In the lives of each of the major characters—people like Adam and Eve, Noa…

Garth Oliver


    • Feb 7, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 55m AVG DURATION
    • 129 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from Making Sense of Life Through The Biblical Story Podcast with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Making Sense of Life Through The Biblical Story Podcast

    123—Zechariah 3 - Cleansing of Joshua, The High Priest

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2024 80:35


    In this episode, we deal with the 4th of the eight visions given to Zechariah in Jan/Feb 519 BC, and look at what it contributes, not only to the combined message of those  8 visions, but also to the the Larger Story.

    Ep 122 Zechariah 1-2

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2023 77:19


    In today's episode, we're going to begin to dig into the prophecies of the Book of Zechariah, a book that, in my experience, hasn't gotten a lot of attention.

    121 Ezra 1-6 & Haggai

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2023 106:43


    In today's episode, we're going to move into the post-exilic period of Israel's history with a look at the first 6 chapters of Ezra, along with the prophesies found in the book of Haggai, which occurred during the time period covered in Ezra 1-6.

    120 Daniel — Putting It All Together; A Glimpse of How the Story Ends

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2023 143:52


    In today's episode, we're going to try to take all that is revealed in Daniel about the future, and put it together into a single, composite picture of where the Story is going.

    4/18/23 Update

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2023 3:22


    Podcast update

    119 Daniel and The Rise of the Antichrist

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2023 94:57


    In today's episode, we're going to look at the final, most detailed vision given to Daniel, which culminates with the rise of the antichrist.

    118 Daniel's 70 Weeks

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2023 64:12


    In today's episode, we're going to look at Daniel chapter 9, and what may be the most important chapter in the Bible for understanding how the Story ends.

    117 Daniel, the Ram, the Goat, and Another Small Horn

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2023 65:03


    In today's episode, we're going continue in Daniel, looking at chapter 8, where Daniel has another dream, that adds more details about how the Story will end.

    116 Daniel, the Four Beasts and the Little Horn

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2023 59:41


    In today's episode, we're going to look at Daniel 7, and Daniels dream about the 4 beasts and the little horn, and how it expands on what was revealed to him concerning the Kingdoms of the Ages.

    115 Daniel, An Introduction to the Kingdoms of the Ages

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2023 64:11


    In today's episode, we're going to move into Daniel, where we'll get an orientation to the Kingdoms that will unfold through the ages, as we consider what YHWH revealed to Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, through a dream.

    114 Ezekiel — The Millennial Temple

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2022 103:14


    In this episode, we're going to finish up our consideration of Ezekiel as we tackle the last 8 chapters, which includes a vision of a Temple that will be built during the Millennial Reign of Christ. 

    Update for Regular Listeners

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2022 3:25


    113 Ezekiel — Gog & Magog

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2022 75:37


    In today's episode, we're going to look at Ezekiel's Prophecies concerning Gog and Magog in Chapters 38 & 39 of Ezekiel.

    112 Ezekiel — The New Covenant & The Valley of Dry Bones

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2022 68:33


    In today's episode, we're going to look at Ezekiel's prophecies about the New Covenant and the Valley of Dry Bones in Ezekiel 36-37.

    111 Ezekiel — The Harlotry of God's People

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2022 85:47


    In today's episode, we're going to move into the book of Ezekiel, focusing on chapters 16-18, where YHWH presents one of the most graphic descriptions of Judah's unfaithfulness to Him.

    110 Jeremiah - The New Covenant

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2022 87:46


    In today's episode, we're going to examine the New Covenant, which YHWH promises to the exiles of Judah, and their descendants.

    109 Jeremiah — The 70 Years of Captivity

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2022 75:47


    In today's episode, we're going to overview the first half of the book of Jeremiah, with a particular focus on the 70 weeks of captivity that he prophesies for the exiles of Judah.

    108 Conclusion & Summary of Isaiah

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2022 62:43


    In today's episode, we're conclude our look at the book of Isaiah, and summarize the contributions it makes to the development of the Story.

    107 Redemption & Vengeance

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2022 66:12


    In today's episode, we're going first few verses of Isaiah 63, where we find, what I think is a surprising connection between redemption and vengeance.

    106 A Glimpse of Jerusalem's Future

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2022 70:16


    In today's episode, we're going work through chapters 60-62 of Isaiah, which gives us look at the glorious future that YHWH has in store for Jerusalem.

    105 Living in Anticipation of the Coming Redeemer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2022 59:17


    In today's episode, we're going work through chapters 56-59 of Isaiah, where YHWH, through the prophet exhorts His people to live in anticipation of the Redeemer that is coming to establish justice and righteousness.

    An Update For Our Regular Listeners

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2022 2:42


    The episode I had planned for this week is just not ready, so I want to give you a brief update for what to expect over the next few weeks.

    104 An Invitation and a New Covenant

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2022 48:43


    In today's episode, we're going look at Isaiah 55 and YHWH's promise of a New Covenant with the people of Judah, as He invites them to return to Him and be reconciled without cost.

    103 The Restoration Accomplished by the Suffering Servant

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2022 47:54


    In today's episode, we're going to look at the restoration that will be accomplished through the ministry of the Suffering Servant, found in Isaiah 54.

    102 The 4th Servant Song

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2022 47:42


    In today's episode, we're going wrap up our look at the Suffering Servant as we consider the 4th  and final Song of the Servant, found in Isaiah 52-53.

    101 The 3rd Servant Song

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2022 54:17


    In today's episode, we're going to look at the 3rd Song of the Servant, found in Isaiah 50.

    100 The 2nd Servant Song

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2022 49:45


    In today's episode, we're going to look at the Second Song of the Servant, found in Isaiah 49.

    099 Cyrus, King of Persia, Servant of YHWH

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2022 57:39


    In today's episode, we're going to encounter prophecy concerning Cyrus, King of Persia, whom YHWH calls His Anointed, as we look at Isaiah 45-48 .

    098 The Servant in Whom YHWH Delights

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2022 73:17


    In this episode, we're going to encounter the first of what are called the Servant Songs as we look at Isaiah 42-44.

    097 Comfort My People

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2022 55:36


    In todays episode, we're going to move into the 2nd prophetic section of the book of Isaiah, in which the focus shifts from the failures of the people of Judah in Isaiah's day, to the distant future, in which YHWH will comfort His people.

    096 Prophecies Fulfilled in Isaiah's Day

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2022 58:53


    In todays episode, we're going to look at some of the historical developments in Isaiah's day, in which YHWH fulfills elements of the prophecies given through Isaiah.

    095 Woes & The Kingdom to Come

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2022 66:49


    In todays episode, we're going to sharpen our picture of the Kingdom that is to Come, as we look at the 3rd major unit of the Book of Isaiah.

    An Update

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2022 2:15


    A quick update on the timing of the next episode.

    094 The Apocalypse According to Isaiah

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2021 43:31


    In todays episode, we're going to look at Isaiah's revelation of the events that are going to make up the Apocalypse.

    093 Oracles Concerning Israel and the Surrounding Nations

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2021 50:25


    In todays episode, we're going to continue our look at Isaiah's oracles concerning the nations of the world in which Israel existed.

    092 The Oracle Concerning Babylon - Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2021 37:43


    In todays episode, we're going to continue our look at Isaiah's oracle concerning Babylon, and consider the implications of that oracle for both Judah, and for us.

    091 - The Oracle Concerning Babylon - Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2021 54:35


    In todays episode, we're going to look at Isaiah 13, and the first part of an oracle YHWH gave to Isaiah concerning Babylon, and consider why He included this in His messages  to Judah through Isaiah.

    090—The Stump, The Root, and The Branch - Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2021 50:07


    In todays episode, we're going to look at the reign of the One depicted as the Branch from the Root of Jesse in  Isaiah chapter 11.

    089 The Stump, The Root, and The Branch - Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2021 47:18


    In todays episode, we're going to begin to examine the imagery of the Stump, the Root, and the Branch as we follow his message into Isaiah chapter 11.

    088 YHWH's Message Against Jacob

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2021 42:21


    In todays episode, we're going to examine YHWH's message against Jacob in Isaiah 9 & 10.

    087 A Child To Be Born To Us

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2021 49:59


    In todays episode, we're going to look at the prophecy of A Child to Be Born to us; a child whose name will be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

    086 Maher-shalal-hash-baz

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2021 38:16


    In todays episode, we're going to look at the birth of Isaiah's son, and the message contained in his name, Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

    085 The Sign of the Virgin — Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2021 40:09


    In todays episode, we're going to finish up our look at Isaiah 7, the sign of the virgin, and the other signs related to it.

    084 The Sign of the Virgin

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2021 47:28


    In todays episode, we're move into the heart of the book of Isaiah as we look at the Sign of the Virgin, in the first half of Isaiah 7.

    083 Isaiah's Call & Commission

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2021 45:56


    In todays episode, we're going to wrap up our look at the introduction of the book of Isaiah, with an examination of Isaiah's call and commission.

    082 Isaiah's Song of the Vineyard

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2021 48:00


    In todays episode, we're going to look at the parable of the Vineyard in Isaiah 5, which was not only important to the message of Isaiah, but also provides the imagery behind several NT passages.

    081 Special Episode — Created Male & Female

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2021 38:41


    Today's episode is going to be a special episode where we go back to the beginning of the Story — to the first 3 chapters of Genesis to unpack God's design as He created Man male and female, and come to understand the distinct roles that He created each for.

    080 Exaltation of the Mountain of the Lord

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2021 51:31


    In todays episode, we're going to begin working our way through the book of Isaiah, which I think may be one of the most important prophets for understanding what happens in the Gospels.

    079 Isaiah's Opening Indictment

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2021 44:35


    In todays episode, we're going to begin working our way through the book of Isaiah, which I think may be one of the most important prophets for understanding what happens in the Gospels.

    078 - Micah, part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2021 54:30


    In todays episode, we're going to look at the first 2 chapters of the book of Micah, which contains one of the more familiar passages of the Minor Prophets.

    077 Micah, part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2021 63:58


    In todays episode, we're going to look at the first 5 chapters of the book of Micah, and its message to both Israel and Judah.

    Claim Making Sense of Life Through The Biblical Story Podcast

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel