United Israel World Union

This class covers the annual cycle reading known as MiKetz (Genesis 41:1-44:17). It is part of the popular series of Pentateuchal studies and the second in the Joseph Saga. In this teaching, we discuss the texts from Pharaoh's dreams through the meeting in Egypt between all Israel's sons. The class provides insights into the connectedness […]

This week in “Pentateuch: A New Look,” we begin a new section of Genesis called Eleh Toledoth Ya'akov. This section, the final of ten such sections in the book of Genesis, will carry us through the end of the Bible's first book. Our focus now shifts to Joseph, the favored son of the favored wife […]

This week in “Pentateuch: A New Look,” Ross K. Nichols delves into Torah Reading VaYishlach (Genesis 32:4 – 36:43), focusing on the pivotal journey of Jacob. Exploring the intricate relationship between Jacob and Esau, bringing a fresh insight into their legacy. Follow Jacob's strategic encounters, his transformative night at Peniel, and his emergence as Israel. […]

In this teaching, we will delve deep into the profound concept of Israel's chosenness as depicted in the Bible. From the Pentateuch to the Prophets and Writings, we will explore a wide array of texts, encompassing narratives, songs, prose, and poetry, all converging to paint a consistent picture. Our journey begins with God's choice of […]

In this study, we delve into the recurring phrase גוי גדול, “goy gadol,” or “Great Nation.” This phrase, appearing 18 times in the biblical text, is pivotal to understanding the unique role and identity of Israel as envisioned in the Scriptures. We explore the specific references to Abram/Abraham and his descendants, the people of Israel, […]

Join us on a profound exploration titled ‘The Holy Wars,' where we delve into the Bible's intricate narrative of conflict and conquest. Throughout the sacred texts, from the journeys of the Patriarchs to the Israelites' arduous battles for the Promised Land, warfare is a recurring theme. The Bible portrays God not just as a divine […]

Embark on a captivating journey through biblical prophecies and divine promises, all leading to the irrefutable conclusion: Israel is destined to return and unite in their promised land. With the dramatic visual of Ezekiel 37's Two Sticks prophecy as our starting point, we witness the prophesied reunion of Judah and Ephraim, setting the stage for […]

From the time of the Patriarchs to the words of the Prophets, the pages of the Bible echo a promise – that the Holy Land belongs to the people of Israel, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Today, many nations and voices deny this right, but God's promise is unwavering. The title deed to […]

Join us as we delve into one of the most fascinating sections of the Book of Isaiah: chapters 11:1-12:6. Commonly categorized as “messianic,” this passage intriguingly omits direct mentions of the “messiah” or David, prompting profound theological contemplation. Is this section a subtle nod to a coming figure of Davidic lineage? Was Isaiah reflecting on […]

Step with us into a journey through time as we traverse the aligned pathways of the prophecies of Isaiah and Micah. This enigmatic parallelism begs the question: when did their shared vision crystallize, and which clues within the sacred scriptures illuminate its moment? As we meticulously untangle their prophetic parallel, insights from another prophet of […]

According to the Jewish calendar, the first day of the seventh month is celebrated as Rosh HaShanah, or “Head of the Year.” Yet, in the Biblical narrative, this day is termed Yom Teruah, frequently translated as the “Festival of Trumpets.” However, a keen observation reveals two inconsistencies: the Bible doesn't designate the first day of […]

This week's episode in our Isaiah series uncovers a remarkable, yet often overlooked, tapestry of intertwined prophetic lives. In the shadow of the reigns of Uzziah, Yotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, four prophets—Hosea, Isaiah, Amos, and Micah—proclaimed their visions. But did you know that amidst the turbulence, at least two of these prophets became fathers? Their […]

Step into the world of Isaiah as we delve into the third episode of our ongoing series on The Book of Isaiah, titled “The Eyes of Isaiah.” This class illuminates the importance of context in understanding Isaiah's prophecies, encouraging us to view the text through the lens of the events unfolding in Isaiah's lifetime. In […]

This session delves into the formative moments of Isaiah's prophetic journey, illuminating the divine calling that set the course for his profound contributions to biblical history. A Divine Summons: What can the biblical narrative reveal about the nature and nuances of Isaiah's calling? How does his experience align with, or diverge from, the callings of […]

Join us as we embark on an enlightening journey through the Book of Isaiah, delving deep into the life and times of one of the most influential prophets in biblical history. Isaiah's words have resonated through the ages. His profound prophecies, remarkably preserved at Qumran and frequently echoed in the New Testament, underscore his unparalleled […]

It has long been recognized that the Book of Deuteronomy holds a distinct place within the Pentateuch, utilizing language that sets it apart. In this insightful class titled ‘The Fourever Faith,' we uncover a fascinating pattern involving four specific Hebrew words (שמע למד שמר עשה: Listen, Learn, Guard, and Do). While these words are not […]

Unearth an ancient mystery in “The LOST Scroll of Moses.” Deuteronomy informs us that Moses wrote a scroll and bequeathed it to the Levites and the elders of Israel. Tradition claims this Moses scroll is the Pentateuch, but clues within the Pentateuch point elsewhere. The Bible describes the enigmatic scroll as lost, then found in […]

The conventional belief held by Jews and Christians posits Moses as the singular author of the Pentateuch, also known as the Torah or the Five Books of Moses. However, through a close reading and analysis of the texts themselves, a different narrative may begin to emerge. In “The Ghostwriters' Guild,” we delve into the captivating […]

Join me as we discard stereotypes and journey to the heart of the Hebrew Bible in a special class titled “The Biblical King of Hearts.” Amid the misconceptions painting the Hebrew Bible as a rigid, ritualistic, and legalistic manual, we will unearth its deeply spiritual core – a faith focused on the human heart. In […]

Dive deep into the heart of the biblical narrative in our compelling class, “Sacrifice: A Dogma of Death.” This exploration delves into the complex and profound paradox of the sacrificial system presented within the pages of the Bible. We'll journey together through a realm where the sacred aroma of sacrifices mingles with divine disapproval, where […]

The figure of the Messiah, integral to both Jewish and Christian eschatologies, has evolved throughout the centuries. This journey, from the first glimmers in our earliest texts to the multifaceted concept we see in later writings, reflects a fascinating transformation. Yet, many who seek to answer the question of WHO the Messiah is have bypassed […]

Uncover the veiled mysteries of the ancient biblical monarchy in “Godforsaken: A King Like the Nations.” Journey with us as we delve into the labyrinth of time, challenging widely accepted narratives and uncovering hidden truths subtly inscribed by ancient scribes. Traditionally, the monarchy of Israel has been viewed as the pinnacle, the golden age of […]

Join me, Ross Nichols, for a deeply personal and engaging exploration of the life and teachings of Jesus in my video, “Following Jesus Out of Christianity.” I invite you to delve into my 50-year journey of understanding Jesus beyond the constraints of traditional Christianity. In this transformative class, I recall my response to the call […]

This is a song written and performed by my friend John Carlson. It was inspired by, and based upon the Shema. It is a great song and I think that many will enjoy it. Please feel free to share it far and wide. John Carlson wrote the following about the song. “Shema means “hear” or […]

Dive into our standalone season finale of ‘The World and Words of the Prophet Jeremiah' as we undertake an intricate journey of disentanglement and reordering. This episode seeks to reveal the internal chronology of the book of Jeremiah, a task that scholars have puzzled over for centuries due to the apparent lack of chronological arrangement. […]

In this episode of our series, “The World and Words of the Prophet Jeremiah,” we dive deeper into the prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel during the final days of the Kingdom of Judah. Amid the turbulence, these two prophets stand as beacon lights of divine revelation, their words paralleling and intersecting in extraordinary ways. Witness […]

The timeline of the 11-year reign of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, is shrouded in mystery, with a chronology that has long baffled scholars. But we have finally found the keys that unlock this enigma. Dive into our upcoming class, where we present a solution to this chronology conundrum, a set of clues hidden […]

In the aftermath of Jeconiah's deportation, Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar positioned the last king of David's line on Jerusalem's throne. Watch as Jeremiah steps onto the international stage, boldly interrupting a council of envoys from neighboring nations gathered in Jerusalem to confront the Babylonian predicament. Witness as Jeremiah sets the final phase of his divine prophetic […]

Immerse yourself in the dramatic saga of King Jehoiakim, who brazenly defied God's warnings, persecuted His prophets, and ultimately faced divine judgment. Witness the unraveling of a dynasty as we navigate the twists and turns of biblical accounts, illuminating the enigmatic fate of Jehoiakim, his son Jehoiachin, and the ascent of the last king of […]

Travel back in time to a chilling winter night in 604 BCE when King Jehoiakim, fueled by rage, cut the original Jeremiah scroll to pieces and fed it to the flames. Discover the dire prophecy that enraged the king – a prophecy foretelling the arrival of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, who would lay waste to […]

Join me for an exciting class on “Jeremiah's New Covenant,” which builds upon the teachings of my recent class, Passover from Moses to Jeremiah. Jeremiah recognized the importance of the covenant that God made with the Exodus generation. However, he also acknowledged that Israel had turned away from God and rejected that covenant. What Israel […]

The biblical story of the Exodus is arguably the greatest story ever told. God acts against Egypt and its unnamed Pharaoh to deliver the children of Israel from slavery. According to sources that make up our Pentateuch, elements of this great deliverance were to be commemorated yearly in the Festivals of Pesach and Chag HaMatzot […]

When Jeremiah was instructed to write his original scroll, God expressed that perhaps the House of Judah would repent when they heard all He intended to do to them. God then made an extraordinary promise. What was that promise, and does the phrasing of that promise provide a clue as to what was contained in […]

On a cold wintery day in 604 BCE, the original Jeremiah scroll was cut up, piece by piece, and thrown into a fire until it was consumed. Beginning this week, Ross K Nichols attempts to reconstruct this ancient, precious scroll by following the clues in our present Book of Jeremiah. How much of the charred […]

The year is 605 BCE. It's Jehoiakim's 4th year and Nebuchadnezzar's 1st. After defeating the Assyrians at Charchemish, the Babylonians pushed Egypt out of Judea, subjugated the King of Judah, and took captives. Meanwhile, Jeremiah is told to record all the words the LORD has spoken to him for the previous twenty-three years. Check out […]

While missed by most, one righteous family is ever present in the Book of Jeremiah. Three generations of THIS family represent the best of the Judeans in the Kingdom's final years. They ARE … The Holy Family. Who they were and what they did is the subject of class thirteen in my ongoing series – […]

Featuring the biblical teaching of Ross K. Nichols. This series covers The World and Words of the Prophet Jeremiah. This teaching is class twelve of Ross's ongoing series on The World and Words of the Prophet Jeremiah. We are studying the days of King Jehoiakim, and this class picks up at the beginning of the […]

In class eleven of our ongoing study of the World and Words of the Prophet Jeremiah, we begin to explore the days of the reign of King Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah. Jehoiakim's reign is covered in the Books of Kings and Chronicles, by the prophet Jeremiah, and by one other biblical book (revealed in […]

After Josiah Ben Ammon died, the Kingdom of Judah passed to his sons. Hulda had predicted that the good king would die a peaceful death. He didn't. He died from wounds he sustained in a battle at Megiddo with Egypt's Neco. The writers of Kings and Chronicles inform us that his son Jehoahaz takes the […]

During the days of Josiah, in the eighteenth year of his reign, the king dispatched Shaphan, the scribe, with instructions to work alongside the High Priest Hilkiah on a project to repair the house of the LORD. During the restorative work, the High Priest reportedly discovered the scroll of the Torah that Moses wrote. This […]

In the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign, the king begins a restoration of the Temple. The writer of Chronicles informs us that “the kings of Judah had let [it] go to ruin.” In this class, we go through the texts of the books of Kings and Chronicles, comparing and contrasting the accounts of each from […]

To understand a text, we need to know the circumstances that form the setting. We need to know the context. The words of Jeremiah then MUST be understood within his world, the events of which are presented in 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, the prophetic books of Jeremiah, Zephaniah, and some of Ezekiel. Context provides clarity. […]

His “ministry” began 40 years before the destruction of the Temple and a great exile. He predicted that the beautiful Temple which he called a den of robbers (or cave of violent ones), would be destroyed. The priests considered him enemy number one and plotted against him, even seeking his life. He criticized his people […]

We learn from the Book of Jeremiah that his prophetic career overlaps the days of King Josiah. Jeremiah first hears the word of the LORD in the 13th year of Josiah's reign, and his prophecies extend until the captivity. The Books of Kings and Chronicles say that during Josiah's days, a significant revival/reform took place, […]

What do we know about prophecy in the time of Josiah (640-609 BCE)? According to the biblical narrative sources, we know that Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:1-3) and Zephaniah (Zephaniah 1:1) were hearing from God during the reign of Josiah. But readers of these texts are left with questions. Did Josiah even know these two prophets? The […]

Many have noted that the Bible's Book of Jeremiah, in its present form, is NOT in chronological order. To properly understand the World and Words of the Prophet Jeremiah we must first determine the correct order and arrangement of the materials and THEN study the words, prophecies, and narratives. In this class we show that […]

This series covers the World and Words of the Prophet Jeremiah. In this class we begin to sort out the events from the beginning. In order to do so we orient ourselves to the unfolding narratives contained in Jeremiah by providing the background to some of the characters mentioned in the book. We also uncover […]

This series covers the World and Words of the Prophet Jeremiah. In class one, I introduce the new series and show multiple scribal hands in the Book of Jeremiah. I also shed light on Jeremiah's village of Anathoth. We learn in the superscription that Jeremiah is of the priests in Anathoth in the land of […]

Jews and Christians believe that Moses wrote the Torah. Scriptural evidence supports this view.  According to the texts of the Hebrew Bible, the Torah that Moses wrote is referred to by several phrases: Sefer ha-Torah, Sefer Moshe, Torat Moshe, Sefer torat Moshe, and torat Moshe avdi. This class works through each of these, establishing that […]

In 1875, Cecil Francis Alexander penned a poem called The Burial of Moses. The opening stanza says By Nebo's lonely mountain On this side Jordan's wave In a Vale in the land of Moab There lies a lonely grave And no man knows that sepulcher And no man saw it e'er For the angels of […]

The Final Acts of Moses A HORIZONTAL STUDY OF FIVE MONTHS IN THE 40TH YEAR Many fail to recognize the intended chronology recorded in the Pentateuch. This is only appreciated when we carefully study the narratives and align the parallel passages. In this study, I show the following: The time and place of Aaron's death […]