Podcasts about amalekites

Lord, your mercy reaches to the heavens. Your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is as high as the mountains of God. Your justice is as deep as the ocean. You save both man and animal, O Lord (Psalm 36:5-6). Amen.Zechariah is a priest burning incense in the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. Suddenly, the angel Gabriel appears to him. "Whoa! This is different!" Zechariah thinks. People in the Bible are usually terrified when a holy angels appears to a sinful mortal. Gabriel says, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son for you, and you are to name him John. … He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. He will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God" (Luke 1:13, 15-16).That's a special assignment for a baby! Zechariah and his wife are old and Elizabeth is barren. Zechariah doubts the angel's words. He replies, "How can I be sure of this, because I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years" (Luke 1:18)? Gabriel doesn't like God's promise being doubted, so he answers, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God and was sent to speak to you to tell you this good news. Now listen, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at the proper time" (Luke 1:19-20).Zechariah is made mute during the entirety of Elizabeth's pregnancy.Fast forward nine months. The baby is born. The neighbors and relatives in the hill country of their small Judean town fill their humble home for the baby's circumcision. It's also been eight days. It's time this baby boy is given a proper name. The neighbors want to call him "Zach Jr." Elizabeth tells the crowd, "No. He will be called John" (Luke 1:60). The friends don't believe her because no one else in the family has that name. So, they appeal to Zechariah. He does what he's had to do to communicate for the past nine months. He pulls out his trusty writing tablet. He writes in his old man handwriting, "His name is John" (John 1:63).Immediately Zechariah's mouth is opened, his tongue is loosed, and he begins to speak, praising God (Luke 1:64).Now that he has his voice back, Zechariah immediately breaks into song. He praises God with the canticle we call, "The Benedictus Dominus" which is Latin for "Blessed Lord." Zechariah has been silent for nine months, but now he's got a mouthful to say. He's filled with the Holy Spirit, so he starts praising God."Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited us and prepared redemption for his people" (Luke 1:68). Perhaps you feel lonely – especially this time of the year. You don't have family nearby to celebrate the holidays with. Or there are strained relationships within your family, so even if they were nearby, you wouldn't enjoy getting together. Or you do get along with your loved ones, but death has removed them from you.Zechariah sings that Christ has visited us. The Son of God doesn't leave us alone and floundering. He has entered our lives as Immanuel – God with us.Christ has visited to redeem us. Some of you know what it's like to struggle. You've needed help with groceries and bills. Some of you know what it's like to be in a financial position to help others with a few dollars or some canned goods. Jesus visited us, not to drop a dollar or two or a few cans of creamed corn to help the needy. Jesus dropped his precious blood from the cross to redeem us. He paid the price to purchase us back from the Devil. He sets us free from sin.Notice, Zechariah uses the past tense with both of these verbs – "visited" and "redeemed." Even though the infant Jesus won't be born for a few months, and he won't be on the cross for thirty-three years, it's as good as accomplished. Though it will happen in the future – to God's people – it's already a done deal."He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, just as he said long ago through the mouth of his holy prophets" (Luke 1:69-70). A horn is a scriptural symbol of strength, like a ram's horn. Zechariah says that the Lord has raised up such a horn now "in the house of his servant David." The house of David was the royal line of that old king, the line from which Israel's kings were to come, as prophesied so long ago. That royal line had been dormant for centuries now. It was like a stump (Isaiah 11:1). No Davidic king had actively reigned in Israel for hundreds of years. But the genealogical line was still producing descendants from the house of David – plenty of descendants, just no kings coming up. Zechariah, inspired by the Holy Spirit, says that has now changed."He raised up salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us" (Luke 1:71). Zechariah and the Jews were surrounded by enemies who hated them. In Old Testament times, they were surrounded and attacked by Ammonites, Amalekites, and Philistines. Later they were surrounded and taken captive by Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians. Currently, they were surrounded and ruled over by the Roman Empire. We Christians are surrounded by enemies who continually attack us and may seem to rule over us. Enemies like atheists and agnostics, doubters and deniers, the Devil and his demons, militant pagans and antagonistic opponents of the cross. They surround you attempting to get you to question and doubt. They cancel you, shout at you, belittle you, and persecute you. They can do their worst. Jesus Christ has done his best. He has rescued you from your enemies. He saves you from your opponents. He has turned them into nothing more than a minor irritation."In order to show mercy to our fathers by remembering his holy covenant, the oath which he swore to Abraham our father" (Luke 1:72-73). It's hard to trust people. They have their own agendas. They get busy. They forget. They fail. They break their promises to you. Not so with our Lord. He made a promise to Abraham that he would have a Son that would be a blessing to all people. That Son who would bless all nations was presently residing within the womb of Mary. God is always faithful to his promises. What he says he'll do, he does.Mercy is not getting the judgment we deserve. God promises you mercy through his Son. He is faithful to his promises. You receive that mercy now. You'll receive that mercy through eternity."To grant deliverance to us from the hand of our enemies, so that we are able to serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days" (Luke 1:74-75). If God promises you deliverance from our enemies, you'll receive that deliverance. When your enemies are removed – or at least quieted – then you can serve God in freedom without fear. You can fulfill your vocations as Christian parents and children, citizens and students. You serve the Lord faithfully and everyone notices – especially God.You can serve in holiness and righteousness. Your past bothers you. Your guilt burdens you. Your sin weighs you down. But Jesus has already declared you holy, righteous, and without sin. He made this declaration in the manger, on the cross, and out of the tomb. Since you are released from your sins, you are free to serve God all your days.In the first half of the Benedictus, Zecheriah sings about the big picture of what God is doing – starting with the birth of John but going on to bigger things. Now in the second half of the Benedictus, father Zechariah turns to his infant son and has some words specifically directed to him. He says, "And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, because you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because of God's tender mercies, by which the Rising Sun from on high will visit us, to shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Luke 1:76-79).Though John is in the New Testament, he is the last of the Old Testament prophets. John would be God's mouthpiece to usher in the kingdom of God, to give the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of sins. We learn more about John's ministry during the second and third Sundays in Advent.By inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Zechariah saw the big picture of God's activity in human history, culminating in what God was about to do for his people in Christ. As he sings, Zechariah ties the old covenant together with the new covenant fulfilled in the Christ Child. He recognizes God's deliverance in the past and rejoices in his work of redemption for all eternity. Through Christ's visitation and redemption, we can serve the Lord forever in holiness and righteousness.Last week we studied and sang The Magnificat – the Song of Mary. Tonight, we study and sing The Benedictus – the Song of Zachariah. Next week we study and sing The Gloria in Excelsis – the Song of the Christmas angels. These are the songs of the Christian Church. In these songs, we sing about promises made and promises kept; God's wrath on his enemies and God's mercy to his people; the past, the present, and the future.Listen to Zechariah's song. Stop doubting and believe. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Loosen your tongue. Deepen your faith. Praise God for sending his Son to visit us in the manger and redeem us on the cross. Join your voice with the saints sitting around you, the saints gathered around Christ's throne, and the voices of those who first sang these ancient canticles – the virgin Mary, the muted Zechariah, and the heavenly host. Amen.How precious is your mercy, O God! So all people find refuge in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 36:7). Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/the-benedictus-the-song-of-zechariah/

Sermon Summary Speaker: Andy Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-7, Matthew 4:12, Judges 6-8 The Context of Advent: The sermon opens by acknowledging the difficulty of looking past the commercial "tinsel and glitter" of Christmas to find the uncomfortable reality of a baby born in a manger. The Prophecy (Isaiah 9): Andy explores the prophecy written 700 years before Jesus, promising that "there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress". He connects this Old Testament prophecy directly to Jesus' ministry in Galilee (Zebulun and Naphtali) as recorded in Matthew 4. Historical Parallel (The Midianites): The sermon draws a parallel between the "gloom" of Isaiah's time and the story of Gideon (Judges 6). Israel was oppressed by the Midianites, hiding in caves and starving. Andy notes that just as Gideon—a "nobody" with a tiny army of 300—defeated a massive army of 135,000, God uses the small to defeat the massive. Modern Application: Andy connects the historical "gloom" to the modern struggles of the council estate and inner-city life: mental health issues, abusive relationships, crippling debt, addiction, and fear. He acknowledges that life often feels like being "hemmed in" with no respite. The Paradox and Hope: The central message is that God breaks this massive oppression not with a giant army, but through a child. The "light dawning" is Jesus. Andy emphasizes that our confidence should not be in our own strength or government strategies, but in the "zeal of the Lord Almighty" and the child who is "Mighty God" and "Prince of Peace". Transcript Speaker: Andy (00:00) Thanks, Steve. Good morning, everybody. So we are at the second in our little Advent series. I don't know about you, but sometimes it feels to me that, you know, with all the… what we're trying to do here is get past all the tinsel and glitter and commercialization and busyness and all that stuff, and actually discover actually there's a baby being born. There's a baby that's got a message behind all of that. And sometimes it just feels so uncomfortable and awkward. Just sat there looking at this angel, you know, and it feels like we're just sat on a load of prickly things through the Christmas period, right? And it's really uncomfortable. And it shouldn't be like that, right? And it's kind of strange. (00:54) So this morning we're going to be looking at a few verses in Isaiah chapter 9. If you've got a Bible, you might want to turn to that. If this is kind of new to you, then Isaiah is a book that's kind of roughly in the middle. If this isn't new to you, you're going to tell me off now for what I'm about to say. But so if you open your Bible up, you probably land somewhere in the book of Psalms. If you go forwards a bit, you find the book of Isaiah. (01:17) And Isaiah is one of those books in the Old Testament that we call one of the prophetic books. Because him and a number of other writers—in the same section of the Old Testament—are writing things that God has spoken to them about that are going to happen in the future. So Isaiah is one of these. And these verses that we're going to read, he's actually talking about something that's going to happen 700 years in the future. So we're going to read this… We're dipping around a few other verses because I want to try and help us get the context of what he's saying first of all. (01:54) So Isaiah chapter 9, I'm going to start in verse 1. "Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress." If you take home nothing else from this morning, take home that sentence. Pray about it. Meditate on it. Ask God what does it mean in your life? What does it mean in the lives of those that you rub shoulders with? Just think about that. Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. Anybody want that? Yes. Absolutely. So take that home and pray about it. That doesn't mean switch off for everything else I say! But if you take nothing else, take that home. (02:45) And Isaiah goes on: "In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali..." Now, Israel as a geographic area was carved up into the twelve tribes, and Zebulun and Naphtali are two of those tribes. And their land was actually on the border with the next country. And every time Israel got invaded, these two tribes were the first to cop it, right? And they took all of the onslaught of enemies invading them. (03:13) So he says: "In the past he humbled those lands, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." (03:34) Now just bear with me for a minute, we're going to flip forward into the New Testament. And I'm going to turn to Matthew chapter 4, and I'm going to read a few verses here. Matthew is one of those Gospel writers who's telling us about the story of Jesus as he was on this earth. And as Jesus begins his ministry, begins to teach and preach about what the Kingdom of God is, Matthew says this in chapter 4, verse 12: (04:02) "When Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali—aha—to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." (04:47) So Matthew for us is straight away saying this passage in Isaiah is about Jesus. What Isaiah is talking about here 700 years earlier is a statement about Jesus coming into this world, and what that means for mankind, and what that means for you and for I. (05:07) We carry on in verse 3 of Isaiah 9. "You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy." So he's talking about the change Jesus is going to bring to the nation and to people's lives, "…but once were in distress. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian's defeat"—and we'll come back to that—"you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." (06:33) Amen, indeed. So let's just go back to verse 4. Because Isaiah pulls right into the middle of this word about Jesus, he references something, he calls it "for as in the day of Midian's defeat." And he's talking about an event that happened 400 years earlier. So he's prophesying something that's going to happen 700 years in the future, but in doing that, he calls on something that happened 400 years in his past. We get the idea... "with the Lord a day is a thousand years and a thousand years is one day," right? (07:09) So it's a... and you can read about this event in Judges chapter 6 to chapter 8. That's about the sixth book of the Bible... sixth, yeah I think that's about right. So you can read about this event in Judges 6 to 8. We might better know it as the story of Gideon. Okay? But the... and actually what we're going to do, I'm just going to read the opening verses because it sets the scene. And I just think this is really important because it ties into why Isaiah is... something powerful about the message of Isaiah about Jesus coming and what it means. And also for the first time ever, I thought Gideon has something to do with Christmas. So, here we go. (07:54) So in Judges chapter 6, we read this. I'm just going to read six verses. "Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, in caves and strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count the men and their camels. They invaded the land to ravage it. Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help."1 (08:52) It was a desperate time for the nation of Israel. This powerful army overran them completely. They oppressed them as2 a nation. You know, every... the men of Israel and the families of Israel had to go, leave their homes and hide in caves and in cleft3s in the rocks in order to escape the oppression of this enemy that was all over them. And, you know, when they went out and planted crops, then the Midianites would turn up and take those crops and kill the livestock. And at the end of that section I read, it says Israel was impoverished. It's a strong word. (09:37) And you get this sense of huge oppression on the nation at that time. It was desperate for them. They were reduced, as I say, to living in caves and fending for their lives. Their world had shrunk. They were hemmed in. They were struggling for food, not knowing where the next meal was coming from. Always watching their back because of this invader. No respite and no end in sight. (10:07) And I just wonder this morning, for some of us, does it ever feel a little bit like that at all? The challenges of this life? I think for some of the people we rub shoulders with, does it feel like that in this life? You know, when we're here on a Thursday morning with Edge and we're chatting to people and just discovering some of the circumstances they're going through. There's elements of this. Sure, we're not overrun by a foreign army in that sense, but there are other things that are hemming us in, making us feel oppressed. And no matter what we do, we always seem to be knocked back down. That life is a struggle. That you do feel hemmed in by life's circumstances. And, you know, um, that we're facing something beyond us, something too powerful. (11:03) But the story is the story of God acting to change that. Because it is the story of Gideon and how he chose Gideon. And the interesting thing about Gideon is, because we haven't got time to go into it, but Gideon was the least of the least, right? He was a nobody. In fact when God comes to him and says "I've called you to lead my nation and to conquer the Midianites," he s4ays "Why me? I'm the least of my family. My family is the least of the clan that we're in. I'm the last person you should be choosing. I'm just a nobody." In fact what he actually says to God is: "If God is with us, why has all this happened?" Ever said th5at? Good bit of honesty, isn't it? Absolutely. What a great prayer. "God, if you're with us, why has all this ha6ppened?"78 (11:51) But he is the least of the least. Not only is he a nobody who sees himself as the least of 9the least, when God tells him to get an army, God whittl10es his army down to just 300 people. And that's it. So here you've got a man who regards himself as the least of the least with a tiny, tiny army. And yet when we get to Judges chapter 8 and the end of the story, what we see is this man with his 300 men defeats an army of 135,000 soldiers. And you think, what's going on? He captures their kings. And he routs them. And he brings freedom to Israel. And he ends the oppression of the Midianites. (12:35) And you think, how can something so small—this guy who was the least of the least with his tiny little force—how can something so small defeat something so huge? That is so daunting, that is so scary. To human eyes, you would need something bigger and stronger to throw off the oppressor. If you've got an army of 135,000, give me an army of 200,000 to at least have a chance, you would think, right? (13:06) So the question is, why does Isaiah reference this story in the middle of this prophetic word about Jesus coming and being born into our world? Why does he pull in this event 400 years earlier? And it seems to me there's probably several reasons, but two that I just pull out of this that I think help us understand and kind of earth what Isaiah is talking about. (13:30) First of all, Isaiah says "You have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor." You can see just from the glimpse of that story and my summary of it, it is well understood how the Midianites had oppressed the Israelites and how God had broken that oppression. But when we read that, we need to think carefully about, okay, how does that apply to us today in 2025? How does that apply to me and my life? How does that apply to this community where we live, this culture that we're in, this society that we're in when we read this? (14:09) Because like I say, there's not an army invading this land. Although actually probably for some of us here that might have been an experience at one point in our lives. But there are other things that squeeze in. There are other forms of oppression that stop people flourishing and blooming into all that God has called them to be and wants them to be. You know, we are overrun with mental health challenges in society today. The number of abusive relationships and control and manipulation that takes place is awful. And the effect of that on people's lives is like an oppression. (14:48) The grip of addiction and addictive behaviors is something that is so controlling that people struggle to break free of it. People spiraling into debt—which again we see on a Thursday morning so often—and not knowing how to get out and struggling how to get out and feeling like they're drowning in what is happening around them. A poverty not just of finance, but a poverty of hope and choice in people's lives becomes something that is so destructive in them. And stuck thinking that just this is their lot. (15:23) People full of fears and anxieties. You know, sure we're not running off to hide in caves, but so many people not able to get out of their own homes simply because of fear or because of anxiety. And so there are many things around us that we can equate and connect with what Isaiah is talking about here and make that connection. And all of these lead to a sense of oppression, of there's nowhere to go, of having to accept that this is our lot. (15:58) But not only is this a story about how the oppression of the Midianites was broken, it's a story of how that occurred. For as in Midian's day, this Gideon who was the least of the least, who was a nobody with his tiny little force... it just makes no human sense. How can that defeat this huge thing? How can that make any difference to this that seems so massive and so unable to overcome? How can Gideon with his tiny group bring freedom for the whole of Israel? As we look at it with human eyes, we think, huh? How's that gonna change? How is that ever gonna change? (16:47) So Isaiah tells us this breaking of oppression, this light shining in the darkness, this dawning of a light, is this child being born in 700 years time. That is what is going to make the difference. That is what is going to bring about a change. But again, it makes no sense! If you look at it with human eyes, how can that event—how can a tiny baby that is just totally dependent on Mum and Dad for its food, for its clothes, for its protection, for a roof over its head—how can a tiny baby be the thing that is going to make such a difference that it will break oppression in people's lives? That it will break the yoke on their shoulders and the rod of oppression on their backs? (17:34) What are... what are the baby's qualifications? You know, when we were doing... talking to builders about [Project] 146, that was a key question for us. What are the qualifications of this builder? So we interviewed five of them. You know, and we asked them questions like, "Have you done churches before? Do you work with charities?" Because that's different from working with commercial organizations. We wanted to see pictures of their work. We wanted to talk to other clients they'd had and get a conversation about how they found them and understand and make sure we were clear about the qualifications of the builder before we said "Yeah, we'll take you on and engage you." We need to know what their qualifications were. (18:16) When we look at Gideon, we see this man who is the least of the least with his tiny force. But what we also see is God said: "I will be with you." And so it's Gideon the nobody, tiny little force, but God with him. And that is what brought... broke the oppression for Israel. That's what brought freedom to those men and women and enabled them to step out of those caves, enabled them to plant crops, enabled them to go and, as Isaiah says here, "enlarge their nation and increase their joy." (18:55) So with Gideon, it's God is with him. But when we look at this child being born, this is God himself coming to this earth. This isn't somebody with God, this is God himself being born. All authority and power is his. He is the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of his government and peace. He will be establishing and upholding his Kingdom of justice and righteousness. (19:30) Paul, when he was writing to the church in Philippi, he put it this way. He says: "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but he made himself nothing" ...became a baby, totally dependent on Mum and Dad. "Made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore... Therefore God has exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (20:25) See, that's his qualifications. That's why he is well able to bring about freedom from oppression. That's why he is well able to tackle the things that we've just talked about that so grip society today and grip our culture and grip our own lives. That is his qualifications. That's why he is the one able to shatter whatever yoke is on our lives, whatever bar is across our shoulders, and whatever type of oppression we are under. Our confidence is not in our abilities. It's not in our self-control. It's not in our self-discipline. Our confidence is not in government strategies. It's not even in church programs. But our confidence is in Jesus Christ and him alone. And that's why we can challenge the principalities and powers of this world—because of Him. (21:20) And there's two other things I just want to pull out quickly before we finish. In verse 6, Isaiah says to us: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given." You see, what has been done to bring this light that Isaiah starts his message with... this great light, or to see that this light slowly dawning—what's been done to bring that has been given to us. (21:49) You see, when we read about Jesus in the Gospels, like in Matthew earlier, and we read about his three-year ministry, we don't see a man who was going around just doing his own thing. We don't see Jesus just doing what he wanted to do and that was it. No, we see him doing what the Father told him to do, but we see them doing that for us. He came to tell... teach us about the Kingdom of God. He came to teach us about what it is to repent and have our sins forgiven. He came to teach us what it is to live in a way that he calls us to. He came to... he demonstrated that with signs and wonders raising the dead, healing the sick, casting out demons, and bringing freedom to men and women's lives. (22:31) You see, when you were born, you were born into your family. You came to your family, in that sense. But this child has been given to us. That's good news! This Jesus has been born to us, for us. He's given to all of us. You see, God has reached down and come to us. That means he's come to you. And he's come to me. He has not remained distant. Nor has he sent somebody else in his place. You know, like if King Charles were going to write you a letter, it would be a postman that delivers it. He wouldn't come personally and give it to you. Yeah? That's not the way God works. He's come to us personally through his son Jesus. He's sent his one and only son Jesus to us that we may walk in light and that the hold of oppression on our lives may be broken. (23:25) But in coming to us... it demands a response, right? If you come to us—literally to me and Ange to our house—and ring the doorbell, it demands a response from us. We might think, "Uhh..." Shut the curtains? No, no, no, we wouldn't do that. We would open the door and welcome you in. But it demands a response; we have to respond. And in the same way, Jesus... [knocks on pulpit] ...comes to us, right? And it demands a response. Every time. (24:00) And we can reject him. And then we'll remain under the yoke that Isaiah is talking about. We'll remain seduced by the world around us and we'll succumb to the oppression that that world puts in our lives. Or... we can embrace this child. We can embrace this son. And surrender all to him and bow the knee. (24:26) And you might think, "Well does that matter?" Does that matter? Well Isaiah goes on in verse 7 and he says "Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end." In other words, it will grow, and grow, and grow. The government and peace of Jesus will grow and grow and grow. You see, Jesus did not remain a baby born in a stable. He did not remain even the man that walked this earth for three years preaching and teaching the Kingdom of God. He did not remain the man who laid down his life for you and for me on a cross. He did not even remain the man that God raised from the dead three days later and appeared to his disciples. But he is now seated at the right hand of God the Father. And all authority and all power has been given to him. And all things are under his feet. And countless millions have found that to be true ever since that day. (25:27) This Jesus has come to you, and to me. What is our response? And finally, Isaiah finishes this passage by saying "The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." And you know what it is when you want to change something in your own life? And in your own circumstances? And how we can try harder? And we want to do things better? And we want to be more careful? And we want to work smarter? And in just two or three weeks some of us will be duped into making resolutions... and all that kind of stuff, right? But we tire. And we get lazy. And we lose our way. Or something unexpected happens and comes from stage left and thwarts us with what we're doing and we're all of a tailspin again. And we thought we were making progress, but so often it can feel like one step forward, ten steps back. (26:15) You see, this breaking of the oppression... this son coming... this increase of his government and peace and the growth of his justice and kingdom isn't like that. This light of dawn breaking upon our lives isn't like that. God isn't going to start this and then decide it's too hard. It's not that he looks at you or he looks at me and thinks, "Can't really help with that bit." It's not that he looks at you or I and thinks... and starts working in us but then gives up because he gets bored, like we might. Or because actually he's busier with some more important people. Doesn't do that. (26:50) Why? Because the zeal, the passion of the Lord for you and for I will accomplish this. It's not dependent on our efforts. It's dependent on him. The Creator and Sustainer of the universe. The one who lives in unapproachable light. Who knew your name before you were born. And who ordained all the days of your life before one of them came to pass. His zeal, his passion for you will accomplish this in your life and in my life. His zeal will see it through. (27:30) I'd like us just to spend a little bit more time in worship and just come before this Jesus. There's a couple of things that strike me about this passage that are interesting in terms of, you know... we're very keen to try and encourage engagement in terms of prayer and asking Jesus to bring about change in our lives, right? And apply that. But there's a theme here that God seems to use what on the surface appears insignificant, possibly even weak. When we talk about Gideon and his little force. We talk about a child being born in a stable. And in fact if you take that further and you talk about a man willingly letting himself be crucified on a cross. (28:20) There's a theme that in God bringing freedom for you and me, he uses what seems weak and insignificant. And lays down their lives. And it seems to me that in responding to him, to know that freedom, there's something about that that you and I need to do as well. We need to, in a sense, admit before Jesus that we are weak, actually. And that we want to lay down our lives. And that actually, before Jesus, we are insignificant. (28:55) And let's be honest, that's quite hard because we like to think, you know... we're not... we like to think we've got some strength and some oomph. But in responding to Jesus, it's about laying down our own lives. And coming to him in full surrender. But the second thing about this passage Isaiah says is that this is about a light that is dawning. You see we can read a passage like this and there's a danger of triumphalism. Of thinking "Yeah! Jesus is going to change everything! Right now! Boom, boom, boom!" And I know it's not like that. Life is hard for a lot of people. Even in this room this morning, life is hard. But the promise that is here... the hope... is that there is light dawning. There's not a promise of when the full day comes, right? But there is a promise of hope, of light dawning. And that is Jesus. (30:04) And so we come to him. I wonder if we could have the worship band back please? And if we're going to worship again... but I just want to encourage you to respond to Jesus. You know, he's knocking. You might have been a Christian for donkeys' years. Guess what? He's still knocking. He's still looking and wanting to break things in our lives that we would know his freedom and walk in the goodness of all that he has for us. Thanks, Steve.

Send us a textThis week we take a look at the battle of the Amalekites after Israel came out of Egypt. We take a look at who the Amalekites were and where they came from. 

Welcome back to the podcast! We're in week number five of our series on David!--The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you're looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.Donate Now --Big Idea:God's route to His promises is rarely efficient—it's fruitful. When Ziklag burns and hope falters, don't quit. Strengthen yourself in the Lord, inquire of the Lord, and obey the Lord—and you'll find the promise is closer than you think.ARTICLE When life feels slow, confusing, or painfully inefficient, many of us wish God acted more like a navigation app. Apps like Waze or Google Maps always chase the fastest route from Point A to Point B. But God doesn't choose the fastest route; He chooses the forming route. That truth sits at the center of David's story in 1 Samuel 27–30. After twenty years of running from Saul, David was exhausted. Scripture says “David kept thinking to himself…” (1 Samuel 27:1 NLT). His inner narrative was slipping, and discouragement was shaping his choices.We've all been there—moments where shortcuts look tempting, where God's promise looks distant, and where the path feels like a zigzag instead of a straight line. But David's journey shows us how to stay faithful when you're one step away from giving up.Settling for ZiklagDiscouragement often begins with unsubmitted self-talk. David “thought to himself” that Saul was going to kill him and concluded that escaping to the Philistines was his best option (1 Samuel 27:1–2 NLT). Without God's voice grounding his heart, David drifted into enemy territory.That's how he ended up in Ziklag.Ziklag—likely meaning “zigzagging”—was a Philistine town that became David's base for about sixteen months (1 Samuel 27:6–7 NLT). For a man who had been running for years, Ziklag felt like success. He finally had stability, safety, and a loyal army. It looked like arrival.But Ziklag wasn't the promise. It was provision—but not inheritance. God had spoken something bigger over David's life: a kingdom, a throne, and divine leadership over Israel. Ziklag was comfortable, but comfort can quietly become compromise. Sometimes the most dangerous place isn't the valley—it's the almost.Don't confuse the interim with the inheritance. Don't let a tired heart write your theology. God's promises may take time, but delay is not denial.When Ziklag BurnsThen came the breaking point. While David and his men were away, the Amalekites raided and burned Ziklag to the ground, kidnapping every woman and child (

The book of Judges shows us what life looks like when a people try to live without God. Israel was religious, but their religion had drifted far from the God of Adam and Eve, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Joshua. Judges tells us bluntly that a generation arosewho did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel(Judg. 2:10). Surrounded by nations with kings, Israel wanted one too. Wanting a king wasnt the problemGod had already promised a coming ruler from Judah:The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the rulers staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples(Gen. 49:10). He even gave instructions for Israels future king in Deuteronomy 17. The issue wasnt the idea of kingship, but Israels motivation. They wanted a king not to be more like God, but to be more like the nations. Their first king, Saul, looked the parttall, strong, impressivebut his heart was far from God. He cared more about preserving his image than obeying the Lord. The breaking point came when God commanded him to destroy the Amalekites. The Amalekites were a brutal nomadic tribe who had been Israels sworn enemies since the days of Moses, attacking Israel from behind when they were weak and exhausted (Ex. 17). Instead of obeying fully, Saul spared their king and kept what pleased him. So the Lord said through Samuel: Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrificesAs in obeying the voice of the LORD?Behold, to obey is better than a sacrifice,And to pay attention than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as reprehensible as the sin of divination,And insubordination is as reprehensible as false religion and idolatry.Since you have rejected the word of the LORD,He has also rejected you from being king. (1 Sam. 15:2223) Saul finally confessed,I have sinned because I feared the people and listened to their voice(1 Sam. 15:24), but the damage was done. Samuel told him the kingdom had been torn from him and given toa neighbor of yours, who is better than you(v. 28). That neighbor was a young Judean shepherd named Davidsomeone no one expected. When Samuel arrived at the home of Jesse (Boaz and Ruths great-grandson), he assumed Israels next king would look like one of Jesses oldest sons. But God corrected him:Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart(1 Sam. 16:7). After seven sons passed by without Gods approval, Samuel asked,Are these all the boys?Only then did Jesse mention his youngestDavidso overlooked that even his family hadnt considered him. But when David appeared, the Lord said,Arise, anoint him; for this is he(v. 12). And from that moment on,the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward(v. 13). David Was Gods Man The first time we are invited to look into Davids heartand to see what set him apart from everyone elseis in 1 Samuel 17 when he faced Goliath in battle. While Israels army stood frozen on the front lines, David had only been sent to deliver food to his brothers. The Philistines had proposed a champion-to-champion battle: Goliath against anyone Israel dared to send. The stakes were highthe losing side would become the servants of the winner. No one in Israel wanted to step forward. After Goliath roared,I defy the battle lines of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together!Saul and all Israel weredismayed and extremely afraid(1 Sam. 17:1011). For forty days, the giants taunts filled the valley. And for forty days, young David went back and forth between tending his fathers sheep and tending to his brothershearing the escalating tension firsthand. Eventually David had heard enough. Offended by Goliaths insults against God and His people, he asked,What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes the disgrace from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he has dared to defy the armies of the living God?(v. 26). When word reached Saul, David was brought before the king. Without hesitation, he said,May no mans heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight this Philistine(v. 32). David stepped forwardnot with armor, experience, or military strengthbut with confidence in Yahweh. Armed only with a staff, a sling, and five stones, David stood as Israels champion. Goliath mocked him, saying,Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?and cursed him by his gods (v. 43). He then threatened,Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild animals(v. 44). But Davids response revealed everything about his heart and his source of confidence: But David said to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a saber, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I will strike you and remove your head from you. Then I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that this entire assembly may know that the Lord does not save by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lords, and He will hand you over to us! (1 Sam. 17:4547) Davids confidence was not in his ability, but in Gods character. The God who had rescued Israel before would rescue them again. David slung one stone, struck the giant in the forehead, and killed him with what seemed like nothing more than a slingshot. There was no earthly guarantee that David would defeat Goliath. But he knew God had promised Abraham that Israel would represent Him among the nations, and that a king would one day rise from Judah, the one to whomthe scepter shall not depart and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples(Gen. 49:910). David trusted that Gods purposes could not be stopped by a Philistine giant. David Was Israels Flawed King Under Davids leadership, Israel finally defeated and subdued the Philistinesthe nations greatest threat throughout the time of the Judges and during Sauls reign. David had been one of Sauls most successful military commanders, and the women of Israel even sang,Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands(1 Sam. 18:7). Under Davids rule the borders of Israel expanded, and the promises made to Abraham appeared closer than ever to becoming reality. Some of the high points of Davids reign include making Jerusalem the capital of Israel, bringing the ark of the covenant back into the city as the visible sign of Gods presence, preparing the way for Solomon to build the temple, and establishing Jerusalem as the spiritual and political center of the nation. David wanted God to be at the center of everything Israel did, reflecting Gods covenant at Sinai where the people were called Godstreasured possession, Hiskingdom of priests, and Hisholy nation(Exod. 19). But David is also remembered for one of the darkest moments of his lifehis adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband in a desperate attempt to cover up his sin. Uriah, one of Davids most loyal soldiers, was a man devoted to his king and to Israel. He also happened to be married to a woman of striking beauty named Bathsheba. We are told in 2 Samuel 11 that while Israels army was out fighting, David remained in Jerusalema decision that placed him exactly where temptation could reach him. What follows is one of the most sobering accounts in Scripture: Now at evening time David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the kings house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. So David sent messengers and inquired about the woman. And someone said, Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? Then David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he slept with her.(2 Sam. 11:24) Soon after, Bathsheba sent word back to the king:I am pregnant. David never imagined his sin would come to light so quickly. Like many who try to hide their sins, he moved from temptation to adultery, and from adultery to deception. He brought Uriah home from battle, attempting to manipulate him into sleeping with his wife so the pregnancy would appear legitimate. But Uriah refusedhe would not enjoy the comforts of home while his fellow soldiers risked their lives. With his plans unraveling, David chose a darker path. He wrote a sealed letter to Joab, the commander of the army, and sent itin Uriahs own hand as messenger. The letter read: Place Uriah at the front line of the fiercest battle and withdraw from him, so that he may be struck and killed (2 Sam. 11:1415). It was a death warrant. And David made Uriah carry it. Uriah died just as David intended, and for a moment the king must have felt deep reliefhis sin was concealed. But the covering of sin never hides it from God. The Lord sent the prophet Nathan to confront David, and when the truth broke through Davids self-deception, he finally said,I have sinned against the LORD.[1] The difference between David slaying Goliath and Davids failing with Bathsheba was not his strength, his ability, or his statusit was his dependence on God. When David trusted God, giants fell. When David trusted himself, David fell. We Need a True and Better David It was before Davids great sin with Bathsheba that God promised him that through his linage would come another king in 2 Samuel 7:1216; this moment is one of the most breathtaking moments in the entire Old Testament. Before a flawed king of whom God knew would fall terribly. The One David worshiped exclusively announced that the hope promised to Adam and Eve, the covenant repeated to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that would one day burst into reality through one of Davids descendants: When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever. (2 Sam. 7:1216) This covenant echoes the very promises God made to Adam and Eve, and later to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was a promise given specifically to Judah, and its path can be traced through some of the most unlikely people in Scripture. It moved forward throughTamar, a Canaanite woman surrounded by scandal. It continued throughRahab, another Canaanite woman who married Salmon of Judah and became the mother of Boaz. Boaz then marriedRuth, a Moabite widow, and they had a son named Obed. Obed fathered Jesse, and from Jesse came David. Consider the astonishing depth of God's grace, mercy, and loveHe chooses to accomplish His purposes through people with significant flaws. The covenant God was fulfilling through them is what theologians refer to as an unconditional covenanta promise not reliant on human strength, virtue, or even obedience, but founded solely on the perfect will of our good and holy God![2] Think about the weight of the promise made to David: Aforever throne that will never be compromised by sin.Aforever kingdom that will never be overcome by evil.Aforever King whose righteousness will never need improvement. Israel didnt just need a brave king, or a talented king, or even a repentant kingIsrael, and indeed the entire world, needed a perfect King. A King who would never fail, never fall, never waiver, and never walk away from God the way David did on the roof that night. And here is where the grace of God overwhelms:God chose to fulfill His forever covenant promise through the very place of Davids greatest failure. Bathshebathe woman David exploited, the woman whose husband he murdered, the woman whose story began with sinis the very woman God folded into the line of redemption. Bathsheba bore David five sons; the first was conceived through their affair and was taken from them by God through death. Of the other four sons listed in Scripture, was Solomon and the last child listed was Nathan. ThroughSolomon, the royal line flowed to Joseph, throughNathan, the line flowed to Mary. And standing at the end of both genealogies is the One the prophets longed forJesus, the Son of David. Jesus is the King that David could never be. He is the flawless Son whom God promised.He is the Shepherd-King of Ezekiel 37 who gathers the broken, restores the wandering, and rules with justice and compassion. He is the One who never surrendered to temptation, never hid His sin, never needed to be confronted by a prophetbecause He lived in perfect dependence on the Father every moment of His earthly life. Every one of us knows what it is to stand in front of a Goliathan addiction, a fear, a bitterness, a woundand feel small. And every one of us knows what it is to stand on the roof like David, spiritually lazy, drifting, self-confident, and one decision away from disaster. But Gods purpose was never for David to be the hero of IsraelDavid was the signpost, not the destination. His victories pointed to the kind of dependence God wants from us, and his failures pointed to the kind of Savior we desperately need. The remarkable message of the gospel isnt simply that God offers us another chance, but that He provides us with a greater Kinga true and better David. This King never surrendered to temptation, never acted out of pride, and never misused His power for harm. Instead of taking anothers life to hide His wrongdoing, He willingly gave His own life to atone for ours. Jesus, as the Son of David, is the true and better Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Boaz, and David. He is the King David could never be. And to the weary and the woundedto the Davids who have fallen, and to the Bathshebas whose stories have been marked by anothers sinHe speaks: Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matt. 11:2830). [1] David is remembered as a great king, but also as a deeply flawed man. And yet, Scripture still calls hima man after My heart(Acts 13:22). [2] Remember this, and be assured; Recall it to mind, you wrongdoers. Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My plan will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure... (Isa. 46:8-10).

Esther 3 introduces us to the villains of the book - those who are against Yahweh and His people. But as Isaiah 54verses17 tells us, they are doomed to failure. Haman, the son of Hammedatha (the Agagite), the richest noble of the realm wins king Ahasuerus' favour. Haman should never have existed if Saul had fulfilled God's commission to destroy the Amalekites. Agag is a kindred word to the "Gog" of Ezekiel 38. That latter day enemy will also attempt to exterminate the Jews. Could it be the Russian leader? Whoever it is he will be destroyed and buried in the valley of Jehoshaphat, and on the mountains of Israel. How quickly do the archetypal foes meet each other and the result is instant hatred and loathing. The Jew, Mordecai, is warned by the king's servants that in not bowing down to Haman he is in great danger. In verse 7 we are told that Haman seeks a sign from casting lots ("pur"), which he does from the first to the twelfth month, as to when would be the right time to destroy every Jew. From verses 8-11 Haman asks of king Darius (Ahasuerus) the right to destroy a race, which he describes as pests, whose existence (Haman said) was to the detriment of the king's realm (this is not this dissimilar to Hitler's argument in his book, "My Struggle"). If, says Haman, Darius allows this to be done 10,000 talents will be paid into the king's treasury facilitating this to happen. Permission is given and the postmen are sent to all corners of the realm announcing the date of the destruction of the Jews. Chapter 4 tells how God, through Mordecai, is able to thwart this plan. Firstly, Mordecai shows humility before he invokes help from the Almighty. Esther 4verses4 speaks of Mordecai's remorse and from verse 5 Esther seeks to know the reason for his being clothed in sackcloth. On finding out, and having been told by Mordecai that this perhaps is the reason she has become Queen is providential. Esther agrees to be part of a counter plan to defeat Haman. Esther would do whatever it required, even if it is to cost her life. Amos 8 begins with the vision of the basket of summer fruit, revealing that God's judgments cannot be averted. Great destruction would be seen everywhere, even in the Temple, which they mistakenly believed was their defence. Verses 4-6 explain why their Sovereign is going to discipline them. The entire population is covetous in the extreme and sees religion as an impediment to their greed. Yahweh swears in His righteousness to avenge such evil deeds practiced by the rulers of Israel. Verses 8-10 tell us that what they hypocritically delighted in is to be totally overturned. Verses 11-12 speak of the famine that is to come when those seeking counsel from God would not find it. At that time their idolatry and calf worship will cease. In the final segment of our Bible readings, we are introduced a picture of ourself - Onesimus, a profligate runaway slave, who in Rome is liberated from his wasteful state to become a brother in Christ. Theo key words in this letter are related to BOWELS. Paul is demonstrating his love for God, His Son, His Word, His truth, and for Philemon and his family and the ecclesia, as well as for Onesimus. The Apostle is   demonstrating to Philemon that, we must not only know and live the truth, but we must also love it, and God and His Son and His Word, His truth, His ecclesia, His familyverses we must be emotionally involved and committed. K Paul sends Onesimus back to his master, as a fellow believer in Christ carrying this letter and the epistle to the Colossians. Onesimus is formerly described as being "unprofitable", which is our condition before we believed the gospel and received forgiveness. But now he has learnt to abound in his grateful realisation of his elevated status see Ephesians 2verses1-12. The Apostle Paul had taught Philemon the truth of the gospel. He speaks of Philemon's debt to God in the forgiveness which he has been given. Therefore, Philemon ought to show the same forgiveness to his fellow believer - even though Onesimus was his slave. The Apostle Paul is confident that Philemon will comply with the Apostle's request. Final greetings are conveyed through Epaphras, who carries the letter to Philemon. Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow 

Islington Baptist is a church for the Islington and widerNewcastle community sharing the life-changing message of Jesus. Our sermons / Bible teaching is a central part of our gatherings.Deuteronomy 17:14-20 14 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” 15 be sure to appoint over you a king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite. 16 The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” 17 He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.18 When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. 19 It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees 20 and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel. 1 Samuel 15:12-2612 Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.”13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord's instructions.”14 But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?”15 Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.”16 “Enough!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”“Tell me,” Saul replied.17 Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.' 19 Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?”20 “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”22 But Samuel replied:“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices    as much as in obeying the Lord?To obey is better than sacrifice,    and to heed is better than the fat of rams.23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,    and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,    he has rejected you as king.”24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the Lord's command and your instructions. I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them. 25 Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord.”26 But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!”

Hosts Pastor Robert Baltodano and Pastor Lloyd Pulley Question Timestamps: John, email (2:53) - When praying, should you repent of your sins every day? Reinaldo, NY (5:36) - How can I study the Word and retain it? How do I know when God is speaking to me and not my mind? Why was Job singled out? Michael, Facebook (15:49) - Where do our thoughts come from? John, YouTube (17:49) - Do you have to repent of your sin at salvation? Is turning from sin or repenting a work? Robert, VA (20:45) - What is the need for Jesus, if God is all powerful? Can't God choose to forgive our sins without the sacrifice? Why send Jesus if He could have just gotten rid of the devil? Do we have a choice when we get to heaven? Dennis, email (34:22) - Which Bible would you suggest with modern language and is easier to read? Camille, email (36:48) - Was Mary a surrogate mother with an embryo implanted, or did Jesus come from her seed? Steve, GA (39:02) - What is the difference between laity and clergy? Is that distinction Biblical? BJ, TX (43:06) - Should an evangelical Christian be dating a Catholic? Ann, LA (47:40) - How would you answer someone who says that the Hamas attack on Israel is the same as Israel's attack on the Canaanites and Amalekites? Anonymous, email (50:44) - What are your thoughts on alcohol consumption as Christians? Jamie, MA (54:10) - Where did Cain's offspring come from? Ask Your Question: 888-712-7434 Answers@bbtlive.org

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Today's shout-out goes to Daniel Crofoot from Cape Coral, FL. Your commitment through Project23 helps deliver God's Word daily with clarity and conviction. This one's for you. Our text today is Judges 12:13-15 After him Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel. He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys, and he judged Israel eight years. Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites. — Judges 12:13-15 Abdon's leadership doesn't come with stories of war or dramatic miracles. Instead, Scripture records his family line and their prosperity—sons and grandsons riding seventy donkeys, a cultural sign of peace, wealth, and influence. For eight years, Israel experienced stability under his leadership. It may not read like an epic story, but in a book filled with chaos and conflict, Abdon's peaceful legacy shines as a rare blessing. We live in a restless world. We celebrate fame, power, and controversy more than faithfulness, humility, and stability. However, Abdon reminds us that a quiet life of faith can have a ripple effect that lasts for generations. His legacy wasn't built in the spotlight—it was built at home, among his family, and in the stability he provided his community. That's the kind of legacy we need today. Fathers who create safe homes. Leaders who model integrity. Believers who commit to their church and community with steady devotion. The impact of such faithfulness outlasts the drama of the moment—it builds generations of blessing. Don't chase the momentary spotlight. Build the kind of faithfulness that outlives you. Stability is a gift to your family and your community—and it's the kind of legacy God loves to multiply. ASK THIS: What kind of legacy am I building for my family and community? Do I value stability and faithfulness as much as God does? How can I invest in people, not just accomplishments, today? DO THIS: Take one step today to invest in stability—pray with your family, encourage someone younger in the faith, or strengthen your commitment to your local church. Faithful seeds planted now will bear fruit for generations. PRAY THIS: Father, help me build a legacy of faithfulness. Use my life not for fleeting applause, but to bring peace, stability, and blessing that ripple into the lives of others long after I'm gone. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Faithful Then / Faithful Now."

Do you know the One whom we worship? He doesn't ask us to slay Amalekites! He asks us to praise and thank Him because we are not the Savior; we are children; men and women who are “drawn from water.”

This episode is part 25 in a series going through the story of the Book of Mormon.This episode covers chapters 20-26 of the book of Alma. We continue the account of the sons of Mosiah as missionaries to the Lamanites. After King Lamoni was converted, he and Ammon went to Middoni to free Ammon's brothers from prison. However, they encountered Lamoni's father along the way. Ammon battled "king dad" and convinced him to release his brothers and let his son reign as he wishes.The brothers do more mission work in an ancient city of Jerusalem but get resistance from Amalekites, Amulonites, and Nehorites. Eventually, Aaron, one of the brothers goes to "king dad" in the land of Nephi and sees a conversion similar to what King Lamoni experienced. As many Lamanites were converted, others tried to attack them.We also learn a bit of the geography of the lands of the Book of Mormon and wonder what part of the western hemisphere this all allegedly describes.Further research:Book of Mormon in videoJoseph Smith: The Prophet of the RestorationThe Book of Mormon online: Alma [chapters 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26]Have questions for Truthspresso? Contact us!

Our Exodus series continues with Duane Major taking us through the episode when the Israelites battled the Amalekites - a key event that showed the (until recently grumbling) people and (the always faithful) God working successfully together.

Our Exodus series continues with Duane Major taking us through the episode when the Israelites battled the Amalekites - a key event that showed the (until recently grumbling) people and (the always faithful) God working successfully together.

A Reason For Hope with Pastor Scott Richards! Sharing the Word one question of the heart at a time. Tags: America First, The Amalekites, and Muslim Objections

We'll see God give the Israelites water from a rock. They then fight the Amalekites with God's help. Finally, Jethro helps Moses establish a judicial system.  Exodus 17:1-16, 18:1-27, 19:1-8; Deuteronomy 25:18. #everydaychristians

Pastor Erick Aguilar's sermon was entitled “The Heart Before the Gift.” He read about Joshua and the Israelite army were to ”March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse….” Joshua 6:3-5 (NIV)Those instructions seem ludicrous to us so imagine how they sounded to Joshua and the mighty army of God. They were to march silently for six days around the city walls. Do those directions empower an army before it launches into a battle against its rival? God's plans are higher than man's plans. Pastor Erick's Paramount Point was Worship is a weapon that must be coupled with obedience. Why do we worship? We worship first and foremost because we have an innate desire to adore Him who created us. “Yet God made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 We want to know our Creator. We want to know who He is and how He functions. Every human has a sense of our smallness in contrast to His grandeur and power. He is beyond our imagination, and yet we want to know Him. That is why we worship.Additionally, obedience is costly. Pastor Erick cited the life of King Saul. The Lord had directed him to kill all the Amalekites and their livestock. However, Saul saw some livestock he valued and saved the livestock and the king of the Amalekites. When Samuel the prophet confronted King Saul and his disobedience, Saul justified his behavior and stated that he had obeyed the Lord. Saul was in denial. “But Samuel replied, 'What is more pleasing to the Lord; your burnt offers and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice?'” 1 Samuel 15:22Saul wanted what he wanted including God's approval of his disobedience. “When we put our words in God's mouth, we are in danger,” emphasized Pastor Erick. Saul was more interested in what he wanted instead of what God instructed. Pastor Erick repeated Pastor Greg Hendrick's words,”Failing the instructions means succeeding in destruction.” Saul continued in his path of disobedience and even went so far as to erect a monument to himself. Obedience quickly becomes disobedience when the assignment has changed

Sunday, November 2, 2025Judge #1: OthnielJudges 3:7-11 (NLT) The Israelites did evil in the LORD's sight. They forgot about the LORD their God, and they served the images of Baal and the Asherah poles. Then the LORD burned with anger against Israel, and he turned them over to King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim. And the Israelites served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years. But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, the LORD raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Othniel, the son of Caleb's younger brother, Kenaz. The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he became Israel's judge. He went to war against King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram, and the LORD gave Othniel victory over him. So there was peace in the land for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.LESSON: It's not enough to be gifted and obedient; we must depend on the Spirit's power in everything we do.Judge #2: EhudJudges 3:12-7 (NLT) Once again the Israelites did evil in the LORD's sight, and the LORD gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel because of their evil. Eglon enlisted the Ammonites and Amalekites as allies, and then he went out and defeated Israel, taking possession of Jericho, the city of palms. And the Israelites served Eglon of Moab for eighteen years. But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, the LORD again raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed man of the tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites sent Ehud to deliver their tribute money to King Eglon of Moab. So Ehud made a double-edged dagger that was about a foot long, and he strapped it to his right thigh, keeping it hidden under his clothing. He brought the tribute money to Eglon, who was very fat.LESSON: Be fully available to God—even when you feel limited or less than capable.Judge #3: ShamgarJudges 3:31 (NLT) After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath rescued Israel. He once killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad.LESSON: Stand strong and give what you have, even if there are limited resources.NEXT STEPSDepend Daily - Begin each day this week with a simple prayer: “Holy Spirit, I depend on You today. Lead me, empower me, and help me not to rely on myself.”Be Available - Ask God to show you one area where you've been holding back because you felt inadequate and say yes to His leading.Use What You Have - Identify one resource, relationship, or skill you already have that could serve God or someone in need this week and act on it.

Selective obedience is the dangerous pattern of following God's commands partially while justifying compromises in areas that seem inconvenient. King Saul's story in 1 Samuel 15 demonstrates how partial obedience is actually disobedience in disguise. When God commanded Saul to completely destroy the Amalekites, Saul obeyed mostly but spared the king and best livestock, leading to his rejection as king. God desires full obedience because it demonstrates our love for Him and prevents the consequences that come from compromise. Every act of disobedience begins with a whisper of justification, but God's commands are not burdensome - they are freeing when followed completely.

We're kicking off a 6-week series on one of the most recognizable figures in the Bible—David. But before we meet the shepherd who became king, we have to meet the man who came before him: Saul, Israel's first king. Saul looked like a king on the outside, but his heart drifted from God on the inside. His story reminds us that it's possible to look the part but lack the power.--The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you're looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.Donate Now --We're kicking off a 6-week series on one of the most recognizable figures in the Bible—David. But before we meet the shepherd who became king, we have to meet the man who came before him: Saul, Israel's first king. Saul looked like a king on the outside, but his heart drifted from God on the inside. His story reminds us that it's possible to look the part but lack the power.Israel wanted a king “like the nations.” God warned them it would bring problems, but they insisted. Saul looked the part—“a head taller than anyone else”—but he didn't have the heart. 1 Samuel 13:14 (NLT) says, “The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.” Sadly, that man wasn't Saul.Today we'll contrast Saul's heart and David's heart to see what it takes to have a heart after God. Saul's downfall exposes three spiritual drift patterns we all face: fear, expedience, and pride.1. A heart after God moves from fear to trust.When God doesn't show up when or how we expect, will we still wait?Saul couldn't. Surrounded by enemies and losing soldiers, he panicked and offered a sacrifice himself instead of waiting for Samuel.1 Samuel 13:12 (NLT) – “So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”Fear always tries to justify disobedience. Saul's math was simple: scattering soldiers + late prophet + looming enemy = act now, ask later.Samuel's response cut deep: “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you… The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.” (1 Samuel 13:13–14)Every sin begins as a failure to trust. Faith waits when fear wants to rush. Trust trades the best I can do for the best God can do.2. A heart after God moves from expedience to obedience.Expedience means taking the convenient shortcut even if it's not right. Saul did this when God told him to destroy everything from the Amalekites—but he spared what “appealed to them.”1 Samuel 15:9 (NLT) – “They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.”Saul tried to spin his compromise as worship: “My troops brought in the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord.” (1 Samuel 15:21)But Samuel said it plainly:1 Samuel 15:22 (NLT) – “Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.”God's commands aren't arbitrary; they're descriptions of reality. Break them, and you break yourself. Saul had titles but no truth-tellers. He was surrounded by people who agreed, not people who corrected. You can...

In this fascinating episode of Sasquatch Odyssey,  Brian welcomes Justin from Tennessee — Bigfoot researcher, conference speaker, and author of The Epic of Esau: The Birthright and Seed War — for an in-depth discussion on the connections between biblical history, ancient mythology, and modern Bigfoot encounters.Justin shares how his interest in Sasquatch began not in the woods, but in the Bible, where a passage referencing “hairy men” and “wild men of the wilderness” sparked his curiosity.That single verse led him on a journey through scripture, history, and legend, uncovering surprising links between the biblical Nephilim, Amalekites, and the mysterious beings we know today as Bigfoot. The conversation delves deep into Justin's research — from his experiences at the Smoky Mountain Bigfoot Conference to his comparative studies of ancient texts, apocryphal writings, and cross-cultural myths that describe giant or hairy beings with supernatural qualities. Together, Brian and Justin discuss the scientific challenges of studying Bigfoot, the academic resistance to cryptid research, and the divide within the Bigfoot community between those who see Sasquatch as purely physical versus those who believe it may also have spiritual or interdimensional aspects.Justin also discusses his book, The Epic of Esau, which combines biblical interpretation, mythological analysis, and anthropological theory to present a unique framework for understanding Bigfoot's origins — one that could bridge faith, science, and folklore.This episode is a must-listen for anyone intrigued by the possibility that ancient texts and sacred stories may hold forgotten truths about the Sasquatch phenomenon. Whether you lean toward science, spirituality, or both, this thought-provoking discussion will challenge what you thought you knew about Bigfoot — and human history itself. Get Justin's BookGet Our FREE NewsletterGet Brian's Books Leave Us A VoicemailVisit Our WebsiteSupport Our SponsorsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sasquatch-odyssey--4839697/support.

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Check out our mission to teach every verse of the Bible on video in what we call Project23. Our text today is Judges 10:10-14. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, "We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals." And the Lord said to the people of Israel, "Did I not save you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand. Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress." — Judges 10:10-14 Israel finally cried out to God after years of misery. But this time God pushed back. He basically said, "I've rescued you before, and you ran right back to idols. Why should this time be any different?" That's the moment when regret had to become repentance. It wasn't enough to admit failure. Israel had to do more than cry out—they had to truly turn from idols. This is the difference between worldly regret and godly repentance. Regret says, "I don't like the consequences." Repentance says, "I hate the reason that got me here — my disobedience." We've all been there. We regret getting caught in a lie—but do we hate lying? We regret the hangover—but do we hate drunkenness? We regret the fallout of anger—but do we hate the pride that sparked it? God isn't after our half-hearted apologies. He wants surrendered hearts. He'll even let us sit in our misery until we get serious enough to put away our idols. Maybe you are caught in the spin cycle right now—sin, sorrow, repeat. Maybe you've even prayed prayers that felt empty. The way out is always the same: not just regret, but repentance. Not just "sorry," but surrender. That means getting brutally honest with God—not just naming what you did, but admitting why you wanted it. Then, ask him to change your desires, to help you hate the sin itself, and to love him more. That's where real freedom begins. ASK THIS: Do I confuse regret with repentance in my life? What idols have I said "sorry" for but never actually removed? How might God be using misery to push me toward surrender? Am I willing to put away the counterfeit gods and trust Him fully? DO THIS: Don't just confess—clean house. Remove one "idol" today that competes with God's place in your heart. Then get honest with God about why you chased it, and ask Him to reshape your desires. PRAY THIS: Lord, I don't just want to regret my sin—I want to repent of it. Expose the motives behind it, and give me a heart that hates sin and loves You more. Amen. PLAY THIS: "We Repent."

Welcome to a Brain Wrinkling Wednesday with Fr. Tom Koys.  Today Father speaks regarding the 1st reading from mass on Sunday and the correlation of the position of Moses arms and who was winning the battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites. He discovers that the Amalekites were descendants of Esau. Being a history buff, he talks about the fact that family feuds affect history.  During the second half of the show Father goes into thoughts of CSW Lewis and ideology to share a couple of Aha! moments. St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish

This week in our study of Exodus the Israelites are attacked by another nation called the Amalekites. Will Israel prevail against this ambush? Will the Lord protect His people? We will see that the Lord will not only help them win this victory but also give them hope for future battles. We hope you will join us as study the book of Exodus and how it points us to victory in Jesus! (Exodus 17:8-16)

Father Joshua Fons explores the importance of perseverance in the day to day struggles of life by unpacking the battle of the Israelites against the Amalekites on Sunday, October 19th, 2025. Joshua, Moses, Aaron and Hur were each given different roles, but each was essential and irreplaceable. The same is true for us, and yet the Devil tries to hinder us in various ways, and make us believe that what we do doesn't make a difference. As Father Joshua unpacks the tactics and lies of the enemy, especially within marriages, he points to the deeper truth: God has put you here for a purpose, and your life and your vocation are irreplaceable.

“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” — 1 Samuel 15:22 Paul had been commanded to slay utterly all the Amalekites and their cattle. Instead of doing so, he preserved the king, and suffered his people to take the best of the oxen and of the sheep. When called to account for this, he declared […]

From a master of Biblical Fiction, Connilyn Cossette is back with a new book set in the time of Saul and David. Listen in to learn more about The King's Men series. note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.  I loved chatting with Connilyn about this series. One thing that struck me was that the time period--I'd never thought about how things that happened in the Bible happened during historical "ages" like the Iron Age.  Whoa. This series really gives new perspective on the time and culture surrounding the time of Saul and David. That's the richest part of good Biblical fiction--giving you insight into how they probably lived.  Splendor of the Land by Connilyn Cossette Gavriel, a soldier in the elite company of Yonatan--son of King Saul--dreams of forging his destiny through crafting weapons with his own hands. Despite earning his place among Israel's finest, he is haunted by a dark past that no distraction can dispel. When his reckless behavior crosses a line, Yonatan gives him one last mission to prove his worth: help persuade a distant Kenite tribe to sever their ties with the Amalekites. Zahava, a gifted goldsmith hidden behind her father's legacy, lives in the shadows due to her physical affliction. Her unmatched and unrecognized talent is a closely guarded secret within her family. Disheartened by a future that seems unattainable, she resigns herself to a life of obscurity. However, when Gavriel arrives in her village, they're tangled together in ways neither could have imagined. As they navigate unforeseen dangers and enemy threats, Gavriel must confront his past and either bend his knee to the One True King or lose the woman he loves forever. Set against the backdrop of ancient Israel, this exhilarating Old Testament-era tale is threaded with themes of redemption, courage, and sacrifice. This Iron Age story will appeal to readers of biblical fiction, Francine Rivers, Tessa Afshar, and Angela Hunt.  Splendor of the Land is still 30% off with FREE US shipping from BakerBookHouse.com. Don't forget to get your novella on her WEBSITE (and sign up for her newsletter!) You can also find Connilyn Cossette on BookBub and GoodReads, and don't forget Connilyn's Bibliophiles on Facebook. Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple Castbox Google Play Libsyn RSS Spotify Amazon and more!

It's the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time! This week, Moses holds up his staff to secure victory in battle against the Amalekites. Then, St. Paul writes to Timothy about good governance and Jesus tells the parable of the arrogant judge.This episode of Sunday School is sponsored by SEEK 2026. Invite your parish to experience encounter, community, and transformation at SEEK 2026—January 1–5 in Columbus, OH • Fort Worth, TX • Denver, CO.To learn more, visit seek.focus.org-Bound for Freedom: The Book of Exodus in Jewish and Christian Traditions by Göran Larsson-Already read the readings? Skip ahead to 7:48.Reading 1 - Exodus 17:8-13Psalm 121: 1-8Reading 2 - 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2Gospel - Luke 18:1-8 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pillarcatholic.com/subscribe

Christian Historical Fiction Talk is listener supported. When you buy things through this site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Become a patron and enjoy special perks and bonus content.Show your appreciation for the show and buy me a coffee. You'll find details by following this link.Connilyn Cossette joins us on the podcast again to talk about her latest release, Splendor of the Land. The book, set at the very beginning of the times of the kings in Israel, is a wonderful read, and we had such a lovely conversation about it. On of my favorite quotes, that is now taped to my computer monitor, is "For those who feel unseen, the One who lit the stars aflame is calling you by name." Wow. So we chat about those who feel unseen and the God who sees us, among many other things. There's even something special in store for patrons.Splendor of the Land by Connilyn Cossette"A triumphant story in which flawed characters face real choices and must rely on a real God to save them."--MESU ANDREWS, bestselling and award-winning author Gavriel, a soldier in the elite company of Yonatan--son of King Saul--dreams of forging his destiny through crafting weapons with his own hands. Despite earning his place among Israel's finest, he is haunted by a dark past that no distraction can dispel. When his reckless behavior crosses a line, Yonatan gives him one last mission to prove his worth: help persuade a distant Kenite tribe to sever their ties with the Amalekites.Zahava, a gifted goldsmith hidden behind her father's legacy, lives in the shadows due to her physical affliction. Her unmatched and unrecognized talent is a closely guarded secret within her family. Disheartened by a future that seems unattainable, she resigns herself to a life of obscurity. However, when Gavriel arrives in her village, they're tangled together in ways neither could have imagined. As they navigate unforeseen dangers and enemy threats, Gavriel must confront his past and either bend his knee to the One True King or lose the woman he loves forever. Get your copy of Splendor of the Land. More about Connilyn:When I finally put aside my fears and put that first manuscript out there in the world, to my astonishment, I semi-finaled in the ACFW Genesis contest, won the Frasier Award from My Book Therapy, signed with literary agent Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency and within only a few months I'd signed on with my dream house, Bethany House Publishers. Since my first book was published in 2016 my books have appeared on numerous bestseller lists, have won both Christy and Carol Awards and have sold thousands of copies all over the world in several languages.  Above all that God has done with my writing career and regardless of where He may lead me in the future, my passion is to write stories that draw readers into an immersive fictional experience within the rich ancient world of the Bible, to personalize the history found there, and to spark a curiosity that will lead to digging deeper into the truth of the Word.Thank you for stopping by, I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter and you are welcome to drop me an email at connilyn@connilyncossette.com. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter that will bring you exciting updates and opportunities for giveaways and sales!Visit Connilyn Cossette's website.

Send us a textIn this episode, Pastor Dom continues to teach about the story of David. 1 Samuel 15:1-31 Samuel also said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the Lord. 2 Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them…1 Samuel 15:99 But Saul and the people spared (king)Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.1 Samuel 15:2222 …to obey is better than sacrifice,…1 Samuel 30:1-4Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, 2  and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way.  3  So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 1 Samuel 30: 6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.1 Thessalonians 5:1111 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another,…Ephesians 5:1919 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;Philippians 4:1313 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.John 14:2727 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.Matthew 11:2828 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Hebrews 13:55 … For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”1 Samuel 30:8 8 So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?”And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”1 Samuel 30:17 Then David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day…. 18 So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away,…1 Samuel 30:19 And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all. Luke 6:46-4946 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded (built) on the rock. 49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell (collapsed). And the ruin of that house was great.”Romans 8:3131 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Join Dr. Jacobs' membership for all kinds of perks and access: thenathanjacobspodcast.com/membership (use code LEWIS for a discount on the Fellows tier!) Today Dr. Jacobs takes a look at the challenge of genocide in the Old Testament, particularly the commanded extermination of the Amalekites and Canaanites. We'll critique divine command theory from a realist metaphysical framework and explores how Eastern patristic theology understood divine providence, justice, and redemption in relation to these narratives. Dr. Jacobs will dig into cultural practices of ancient Near Eastern peoples, the distinction between race-based genocide and practice-based judgment, and how concepts like Christ's descent into Hades inform a coherent theological reading of these difficult passages.All the links: Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastWebsite: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs00:00:00 Intro 00:00:19 Series context & the question 00:05:27 Divine Command Theory is not the answer00:38:13 A thought experiment about evil 00:41:05 Cultural examples: Game of Thrones & black death00:47:40 Lord of the Rings & the Orcs 00:51:48 Understanding the Amalekites00:56:20 What Genocide really means01:05:40 A horror movie scenario01:13:02 The story of Saul & Samuel 01:17:34 The story of Jonah01:26:08 Christ's descent and redemption 01:31:38 Death as gift and mercy01:35:08 The broader narrative context01:39:03 Addressing the epistemological worry

2 Samuel 1: 1-27After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.' 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?' I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.' 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.' 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord's anointed.'”17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said:19 “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.21 “You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fields of offerings!For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.22 “From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided;they were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions.24 “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.25 “How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!“Jonathan lies slain on your high places.26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.27 “How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Today's shout-out goes to John Hardin from Hemphill, TX. Thank you for your partnership with us through Project23. I love you, brother. This one's for you and your family. Our text today is Judges 7:12–15. And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts in abundance, and their camels were without number, as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance. When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.” And his comrade answered, “This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp.” As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the LORD has given the host of Midian into your hand.” — Judges 7:12–15. From a distance, the enemy looks unstoppable — countless soldiers, endless camels, the valley packed like a swarm of locusts. This is not a fight 300 men can win. But as Gideon sneaks into the camp with Purah, he overhears a soldier describing a dream: a humble loaf of barley bread crashing into a tent and flattening it. His comrade interprets it: “This is the sword of Gideon… God has given Midian into his hand.” The irony in these verses is thick. Barley bread was poor man's food — not a symbol of military might. But in the dream, it's the weapon God uses to topple Midian's strength. Gideon hears it, and the moment is electric. He falls into worship. Fear gives way to faith, and he races back to rally his men with the words, “Arise, for the LORD has given the host of Midian into your hand.” When God gives you a calling, he often follows it with a powerful confirmation. Gideon's confirmation came in the unlikeliest place — through the lips of his enemies. The detail that broke his fear wasn't a vision of a sword or a chariot but a loaf of bread. That's God's style: using the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary. In our lives, God's confirmations might not be as dramatic as this battlefield dream. It might be a Scripture that leaps off the page at the exact moment you need it, a conversation that seems divinely timed, or a provision that comes through right before the deadline. These are not random. They are reminders that: “The Great I Am is with you. He has gone ahead of you. The victory is His.” Fear dissolves when you realize God has already gone before you. And worship isn't just a response; it's the fuel for your obedience. Worship turns a hesitant heart into a ready soldier. So look for a godly confirmation in your present fears, and when you get one, turn to worship and let it fuel the fire of your obedience through those fears. ASK THIS: When has God confirmed His call in your life? What unexpected means has He used to reassure you? How has worship fueled your courage in the past? Is there something you need to stop worrying about and start worshiping over today? DO THIS: Take 5 minutes today to stop everything and worship God for a promise He's already confirmed — even if the battle hasn't been fought yet. PRAY THIS: Lord, thank You for confirming what You've called me to do. Turn my fear into worship and my hesitation into obedience. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Raise a Hallelujah."

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Get behind our through the Bible project. Read more here Project23. Our text today is Judges 6:33–40. Now all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East came together, and they crossed the Jordan and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. But the Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him. And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him. And he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them. Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew. — Judges 6:33-40 The Valley of Jezreel was filling with enemy troops — Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern peoples. From a human perspective, this was overwhelming. But then comes a defining moment: “The Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon.” The language is vivid — God didn't just give Gideon a pep talk. He wrapped him in His own Spirit like a warrior putting on armor. Suddenly, the man who once threshed wheat in hiding is blasting a trumpet for war, summoning tribes from all directions to follow him. And yet… clothed in God's Spirit, Gideon feels the pull of the gap — that space between what he believes about God's promise and the confidence to act on it without hesitation. Twice, he lays out a fleece for reassurance. Twice, God answers patiently. It's a moment both victorious and vulnerable — a Spirit-filled man still learning to walk in the courage God has given. Most of us live with a gap — the space between what we believe about God and how we actually live it out. We believe He's faithful, yet we still fear. We believe He provides, yet we cling to our own protection. We believe He calls us, yet we cower when it's time to move. Gideon's story reminds us that the Spirit doesn't nullify our humanity. The Spirit equips us for the fight, but God's patience shapes us for it. He meets us in the gap — not to leave us there, but to move us forward. And here's the pivotal point: the way to close the gap is not to wait until you feel fearless, but to act with the faith you have today. Each step in obedience shrinks the distance between belief and boldness. So what's your gap right now — fear, control, insecurity, doubt? Name it. Write it in the comments. Write it into your journal. Bring it before God. Ask His Spirit to fill it and clothe you. And then take a step that puts your belief into motion. ASK THIS: Where is the gap between your belief and your obedience right now? How has God's Spirit already equipped you for it? How has God shown patience toward you in that gap? What step could you take today to close it? DO THIS: Name your gap, pray for the Spirit to fill it, and take one concrete action today that turns belief into boldness. PRAY THIS: Lord, thank You for clothing me with Your Spirit and meeting me in the gap between what I believe about You and how I live it out. Help me to step forward today, trusting Your power more than my fear. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Even When It Hurts."

Saul hears from Samuel and is brought low. David sent home to Ziklag by the Philistines only to find his town has been burned to the ground and his wives have been captured, all by Amalekites. God through David turns things around quickly.

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Get behind our through the Bible project. Read more here Project23. Our text today is Judges 6:1–6. The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD gave them into the hand of Midian seven years. And the hand of Midian overpowered Israel, and because of Midian the people of Israel made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. They would encamp against them and devour the produce of the land, as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel and no sheep or ox or donkey. For they would come up with their livestock and their tents; they would come like locusts in number—both they and their camels could not be counted—so that they laid waste the land as they came in. And Israel was brought very low because of Midian. And the people of Israel cried out for help to the LORD. — Judges 6:1-6 The story of Gideon, in chapter 6, begins with a tragic pattern: sin, oppression, despair. This time, it's the Midianites who overrun Israel. They don't just raid; they ruin. They strip the land bare like locusts, leaving nothing behind. Year after year, the Israelites hide in caves and watch their harvest vanish. This is a defeat on two levels: Outside: The enemy takes what sustains life. Inside: Fear drains the will to fight. When God's people abandon Him, the enemy doesn't just win battles — he slowly erodes courage, hope, and identity until they're shadows of who they once were. That's how the enemy works today. He targets more than your circumstances — he aims at your spirit. First, he gets you to compromise, breaking down your guard. Then he keeps showing up, relentlessly, until you're hiding instead of fighting. He is relentless. For some of us, the “Midianites” are obvious sins. For others, it's a slow creep of fear, bitterness, shame, or distraction that saps spiritual strength. Either way, the result is the same: the land of your life is stripped bare. Because the "Midianites" are relentless then and today. The only way to fight a relentless enemy is with a relentless return to God. Israel didn't find victory in a stronger hiding place — they found it when they cried out. You can't outlast the enemy by retreating deeper into fear; you defeat him by trusting in God and running with complete abandon to God. Is it time to run relentlessly to God? So what compromise in your life has led to your retreat? Identify it and then run relentlessly back to God. ASK THIS: What “Midianite” is stripping away your spiritual strength right now? Have you been hiding from the problem instead of facing it with God's help? Where do you see signs of inside-out destruction in your life? What's one step toward God you can take today to push the enemy back? DO THIS: Name one area where fear or compromise has made you retreat. Instead of hiding from it today, bring it to God in prayer and take one practical step to address it in His strength. PRAY THIS: Lord, expose the enemy's work in my life. Keep me from hiding in fear. Teach me to run toward You, not away from the fight, and restore what's been stripped away. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Defender."

We have recently studied the book of Exodus: Question:As God led Israel's escape through the Red Sea, how many battles did Moses have to win against the Egyptians? Question:How did Moses respond to an unprovoked attack by Amalekites? Question:On this urgent occasion did Moses ask for specific guidance from God? Question:And did this impromptu battle give Israel lasting protection from raids by Amalekites or from other brigands? Question:On later occasions God would send a destroying angel, or rain down hailstones. He might create auditory hallucinations, produce blindness, plague enemies with "terror," or maybe afflict them with stinging insects. So, was it necessary for God's untrained ...

In 1 Samuel 15, God commands Saul to destroy the Amalekites completely. Saul wins the battle but spares King Agag and the best livestock, choosing partial obedience. When confronted, Samuel delivers the timeless truth: “To obey is better than sacrifice.” Because Saul rejected God's word, God rejected him as king. This chapter reminds us that obedience to God's voice is more important than appearances or rituals. Hashtags: #SendMeRadio #BibleStudy #1Samuel15 #ObedienceOverSacrifice #GodsWord #FaithAndObedience #BibleTruth #DailyWord #PastorChidiOkorieBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sendme-radio--732966/support.“Thank you for listening to SendMe Radio — where we share the Gospel, inspire faith, and keep you connected with powerful stories and updates from around the world. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe so you never miss a message.And remember — you can listen to SendMe Radio streaming 24/7 at www.sendmeradio.net or simply say: ‘Hey Alexa, play SendMe Radio.'

Exodus 17:8-168 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.”15 Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. 16 He said, “Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”

'When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord 's instructions.” But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?” Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.”  But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. ' 1 Samuel 15:13-15,22

1 Samuel 15:1–15 tells the story of Saul's partial obedience to God's command against the Amalekites—sparing Agag and the best of the livestock while claiming to obey. It's a sobering reminder that partial obedience is still disobedience, and that God desires our hearts more than our excuses.

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Support our mission to teach every verse of the Bible. Read more here: Project23 Our text today is Judges 3:12-23 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He gathered to himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites, and went and defeated Israel. And they took possession of the city of palms. And the people of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. And Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his clothes. And he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. And when Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute. But he himself turned back at the idols near Gilgal and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” And he commanded, “Silence.” And all his attendants went out from his presence. And Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And he arose from his seat. And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly; and the dung came out. Then Ehud went out into the porch and closed the doors of the roof chamber behind him and locked them. — Judges 3:12-23 Why would God choose a left-handed man with a hidden dagger to deliver his people? Israel fell again, this time under the heavy hand of King Eglon of Moab. Eighteen years of oppression. And then, once more, the cry for help. God's answer? Ehud—a left-handed man. In a tribe where warriors were expected to be right-handed, Ehud was an outsider. But that “weakness” became his advantage. Guards didn't suspect the dagger strapped to his right thigh. In the palace, standing before the bloated king, Ehud struck—and Israel's deliverance began. This story feels raw, almost shocking. But it's here to remind us: God doesn't save the way we expect. He uses unlikely people, in unlikely ways, to accomplish his purposes. Maybe you feel like Ehud—overlooked, underestimated, maybe even carrying what others see as a weakness. But with God, that very thing can become your weapon for his glory. God's not looking for polished people with perfect resumes. He's looking for willing hearts. He loves to flip weakness into strength, using the very things others count out to bring about victory. Stop disqualifying yourself. If God can use Ehud's left hand, he can use your story. ASK THIS: What's one area of my life where I feel disqualified or overlooked? How might God want to use that “weakness” as a strength? Do I believe God can deliver in ways I don't expect? Where do I need to step out in bold, Ehud-like faith this week? DO THIS: Write down one personal “weakness” you usually hide. Then ask God how he might want to use it for his glory. Take one step to offer it back to him today. PRAY THIS: Father, use what I see as weakness to show your strength. Help me trust that you can work through the parts of me I least expect. Amen. PLAY THIS: "God of the Impossible."

Send us a textIs God a moral monster? How do you explain the passages in the Old Testament where He orders the complete annihilation of the Amalekites, including the women, children, and animals? What answer do you give a skeptic who wants to use these passages to prove that God is not loving or good? Listen in.================ We want to be a resource for you. Please send us your questions to questions@kerrvillebiblechurch.org or leave us a text or voicemail at 830-321-0349.Please share this podcast on your social media or to your mailing list. We'd appreciate your help getting the message out.================The KBC Pastors Podcast is a production of Kerrville Bible Church. The show is hosted and edited by Toby Baxley. Original theme music by Toby Baxley.Our pastors are: Lead Pastor Chris McKnight, Associate Pastor Scott Christensen, Worship Pastor Toby Baxley, and Youth & Family Pastor Murray Van Gundy.

Could today's war in Gaza be part of a blood oath sworn thousands of years ago?In this explosive episode of Wake Up with Miya, returning guest Gary Wayne, author of The Genesis 6 Conspiracy Volumes 1 & 2, unpacks the spiritual roots of the Gaza conflict, the transgenerational hatred linked to Nephilim bloodlines, and how this ties into the Gog of Magog war prophecy in Ezekiel 38.We go deep into:The giants of Gaza: who the Philistines really were and how they merged with other hybrid tribesThe blood oath of the Amalekites and its spiritual legacy in modern geopoliticsWhy today's war isn't Gog & Magog yet—but is setting the stage for itHow Project Blue Beam and alien deception fit the Antichrist's playbookThe true power structure: bloodlines, Jesuits, secret societies, and the 33 invisible familiesThe coming false Armageddon that may deceive even the electWhy we're reliving the Days of Noah—and what that really meansGary breaks down the prophetic chessboard like no one else can—backed by deep scripture, ancient texts, elite bloodline records, and spiritual discernment.This isn't just history. It's the blueprint for what's happening now.

Put to death what the Lord says to   This sermon on 1 Samuel 15 explores Saul's disobedience to God's command to completely destroy the Amalekites and how his compromise revealed pride, fear of man, and a shallow form of worship. The passage highlights the danger of valuing human approval over obedience to God, the grief we cause when we resist His word, and the generational consequences of leaving sin undealt with. Samuel's rebuke—“to obey is better than sacrifice”—underscores that true worship flows from obedience, not religious performance. The message challenges listeners to identify and put to death the “Agags” in their own lives before they take root in future generations, reminding us that humility, obedience, and reverence for God are essential to a life that honors Him

We delve into the story of Saul's disobedience and its dire consequences. Saul, the first king of Israel, fails to follow God's explicit command to destroy the Amalekites completely, sparing their king and the best livestock. Samuel confronts Saul, emphasizing that obedience to God is more important than sacrifices. Saul's failure leads to God's rejection of him as king.Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.org Want to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out ou...

In 1 Samuel, Saul received shocking instructions from God to "utterly destroy" the Amalekites. How do we reconcile the God who smites with the God whom the Bible says "is love"? Join John Bradshaw for "Love and Destruction" and discover the depths of God's love and mercy for us.

In 1 Samuel, Saul received shocking instructions from God to "utterly destroy" the Amalekites. How do we reconcile the God who smites with the God whom the Bible says "is love"? Join John Bradshaw for "Love and Destruction" and discover the depths of God's love and mercy for us.

The prophet Samuel told King Saul that because the Amalekites had treated Israel poorly when they exited Egypt, that God wanted Samuel to destroy all the Amalekites and their animals.  But 1 Samuel 15:9 says, “Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and choice animals...”  Saul thought that ... The post Partial Obedience appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

As the nation of Israel makes their way through the wilderness, they come across some trouble. Lack of food and water make the people a bit testy. On top of that, they have a new enemy that has decided to attack them at their weakest spot. And in each instance, God continually provides for them. On this episode of Bible Backdrop, find out some of the details regarding the Israelites journey to Mount Sinai. What was important about the springs of Marah? What were the manna and quail like? Why did the Amalekites attack the Israelites? If you are enjoying Bible Backdrop, please tell a friend and have them subscribe. You can also get in touch with the show with the e-mail in the episode. Thanks for listening!