Podcasts about canaanites

THE TEMPLE in Jerusalem fell into disrepair within a century of the death of Solomon. The king who repaired it was a good man—sort of. Joash (or Jehoash), son of Ahaziah, reigned in Judah 835–796 BC. He was made king at age seven by the high priest Jehoiada and is credited with restoring the Temple—even pushing the priests, who seemed rather slow to make repairs even after they were ordered to do so. However, the account in 2 Chronicles 24 records that after the death of Jehoiada, Joash fell away and returned to the pagan gods of the Canaanites. Worse, he had the son of Jehoiada, Zechariah, murdered for calling him out! As a consequence, God allowed Judah to be defeated by a relatively small army from the neighboring Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and Joash was assassinated in his bed by two of his servants. We also discuss the death of Elisha in the northern kingdom of Israel, and why King Joash (same name, different king) failed to completely defeat the Arameans. Sharon's niece, Sarah Sachleben, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer, and the medical bills are piling up. If you are led to help, please go to GilbertHouse.org/hopeforsarah. Our new book The Gates of Hell is now available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! Derek's new book Destination: Earth, co-authored with Donna Howell and Allie Anderson, is now available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! If you are looking for a text of the Book of 1 Enoch to follow our monthly study, you can try these sources: Parallel translations by R. H. Charles (1917) and Richard Laurence (1821)Modern English translation by George W. E. Nickelsburg and James VanderKam (link to book at Amazon)Book of 1 Enoch - Standard English Version by Dr. Jay Winter (link opens free PDF)Book of 1 Enoch - R. H. Charles translation (link opens free PDF) The SkyWatchTV store has a special offer on Dr. Michael Heiser's two-volume set A Companion to the Book of Enoch. Get both books, the R. H. Charles translation of 1 Enoch, and a DVD interview with Mike and Steven Bancarz for a donation of $35 plus shipping and handling. Link: https://bit.ly/heiser-enoch Follow us! • X: @gilberthouse_tv | @sharonkgilbert | @derekgilbert• Telegram: t.me/gilberthouse | t.me/sharonsroom | t.me/viewfromthebunker• YouTube: @GilbertHouse | @UnravelingRevelation• Facebook.com/GilbertHouseFellowship Thank you for making our Build Barn Better project a reality! We truly appreciate your support. If you are so led, you can help out at GilbertHouse.org/donate. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs Unraveling Revelation and A View from the Bunker, and the podcast that started this journey in 2005, P.I.D. Radio. Best of all, it bypasses the gatekeepers of Big Tech! The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Video on demand of our best teachings! Stream presentations and teachings based on our research at our new video on demand site! Gilbert House T-shirts and mugs! New to our store is a line of GHTV and Redwing Saga merch! Check it out at GilbertHouse.org/store! Think better, feel better! Our partners at Simply Clean Foods offer freeze-dried, 100% GMO-free food and delicious, vacuum-packed fair trade coffee from Honduras. Find out more at GilbertHouse.org/store. Our favorite Bible study tools! Check the links in the left-hand column at www.GilbertHouse.org.

Pastor John Ryan Cantu brings this week's message, “Egypt Spirit." Deuteronomy 7:1-7 ESV: ““When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you, and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire. “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples,” Deuteronomy 6:12-13 ESV: “then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.” Deuteronomy 7:17-19 ESV: ““If you say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I. How can I dispossess them?' you shall not be afraid of them but you shall remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt, the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the Lord your God brought you out. So will the Lord your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.” If you enjoyed the podcast, please subscribe and share it with your friends on social media. For more information about PNEUMA Church, visit our website at mypneumachurch.org. Connect with Us: Instagram: https://instagram.com/mypneumachurch YouTube: https://youtube.com/mypneumachurch Facebook: https://facebook.com/mypneumachurch If you'd like to Support the Need for our upgraded sound system, visit mypneumachurch.org/speakers Time Stamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:30 - Welcome 06:16 - Deuteronomy 7:1-7 ESV; Deuteronomy6:12-13ESV 08:38 - Egypt Spirit

Come As You Are Series - The Canaanite Woman's FaithMatthew 15:28 “Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.”I have heard this story in the Bible many times and I am sure you have too.  Right before this verse is the story of the woman who was asking Jesus to heal her daughter. Here is the story found in Matthew 15:21-28 “Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.”  But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”  He answered, “It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.I have heard several sermons on this story.  The focus always seems to be on why Jesus spoke to her the way that He did and why He said the things that He said.  I think those are important things to discuss because it sounds like He is being very rude.  If you have not heard any sermons or any explanations of why Jesus said the things He said, I recommend you look them up, as it is very interesting.  However, what the Holy Spirit highlighted for me for this series is the very last line in this story.  Jesus said, “‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.' And her daughter was healed instantly.”This came right after the woman said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.” What the Holy Spirit told me is that we don't have to be perfect to receive healing. This woman was not one of the chosen people, and yet she believed that even the crumbs left over after the chosen people had been healed would have enough power to heal her daughter.  She knew she wasn't one of the chosen people.  She knew she didn't have a right to speak to or ask Jesus for anything, let alone a miracle, and yet she was brave enough to ask anyway.  It's interesting, when I read the words, “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master's table,” I heard the Holy Spirit say, you are like the crumbs.  I had no idea what he meant by this.  Then I felt like he was saying, we think we need to be perfect to either ask for healing or pray for others for healing.  The Holy Spirit was telling me we don't have to be perfect.  This woman was not perfect, and yet she knew she needed a miracle, and although she didn't really know Jesus, she believed in His power and knew He could heal her daughter.  She knew, without a doubt, that He could heal her daughter.  She even said when she called out, “Lord, son of David.” Even his apostles were struggling to see who He truly was, and yet this woman could see.  If we want to be used by the Holy Spirit to pray for others, then we don't need to be perfect; we just need to be willing and humble.  This woman humbled herself and knelt before Jesus.  She begged Him to heal her daughter.  She did not get caught up in what she should or shouldn't do.  She didn't get caught up in what He was saying or how He was saying it.  She needed Him to heal her daughter, and she kept asking and persisting until He did.  We can all learn a lot from this woman.  Her faith was so powerful that it saved her child.  Whom do you know that could use some prayers like this?  This woman knew she had nothing to lose and everything to gain by begging Jesus to heal her daughter.  Are we playing it too safe with our prayers?  Are we holding back when we ask Jesus for healing, or not even asking Him to heal our loved ones, because we don't want to bother Him, or we don't feel we are worthy?  Are we asking for things, but not the big things, not the things we really want, because we are afraid we won't get them?  Are we protecting ourselves from the letdown of our prayers not being answered, so we don't ever ask?  I know this is for someone today because it is very strong in my thoughts right now.  God wants me to tell you to stop holding back and stop playing it small with your prayers.  God has some amazing blessings for you, and yet He is waiting for you to ask.  He is waiting for you to trust that He will answer your prayers, even if they seem a bit impossible, even if they seem extremely impossible.  God is telling us to ask Him anyway! I feel as though He really wants us to understand that we are not bothering Him with our prayers.  We honor Him when we pray to Him and ask Him for help, especially when we ask Him for big, bold, audacious things.  That is not a word I use often, but I felt that was the word I was supposed to use there.  Wouldn't it be great one day to be sitting there, or standing there with Jesus, and then He turns to us and says, “Woman, or man, great is your faith!” I long for that day.  That image, that vision, is enough for me to do all I can to increase my faith.  The image of Jesus saying that to me gives me the strength and fortitude to pray the litany of trust and the litany of humility often.  That image gives me the strength to call on the Lord whenever I need Him.  The woman in the verse today had great faith.  She believed He was who He said He was, she believed in His power, and she wasn't afraid to ask Him for help. How about us?Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you bless each and every person listening to this episode.  Lord, we want to have great faith. Please help us.  We want to come to you when we are in need.  We want to ask you the big, bold, audacious prayers.  We believe, Lord, help our unbelief.  We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen!Thank you for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I look forward to meeting you here again on Monday! Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in May 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is,“Life swiftly moves by like a shadow, my children. It's like a vapor that swiftly goes away. Think more of me, and you will act differently.”  www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

(2:45) Bible Study: Exodus 23:20-23 We sacrifice our children with abortion just like the Canaanites of the old testament who were driven out of the land. What is our fate? Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12 Do you really change your hearts when called? Matthew 18:1-5, 10 Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of God? Father explains. (23:09) Break 1 (26:19) Letters: Who is the arch angel Uriel? Can you change your God parent? How can angels help us if they are in heaven? Father answers these and other questions, send him a letter at simon@relevantradio.com (36:19) Break 2 (37:44) Word of the Day Talmud (44:22) Phones: Michael - Can I pray over the meal at wedding reception where Jewish people are present? Ho can I incorporate Jesus and Judaism in this prayer? Rosemarie - Is there more than one Guardian angel per person? Mike - A language question: '...pray for us sinner now and at the hour of our death'. what’s the imperative for of thou in that prayer? Ben - what is the different teachings on the Eucharist in the catholic and orthodox services? does the consecration happen at different times?

Several tribes fail to drive out the Canaanites

Days of Awe & the Rhythm of the Kingdom: True Readiness, Not Date-Setting – KIB 499 Description In this Kingdom Intelligence Briefing, Dr. Michael and Mary Lou Lake call the Remnant back into the rhythm of the Kingdom during the Days of Awe—away from hype, date-setting, and pagan substitutes. From Matthew 24 to Numbers 10, we explore daily practices that cultivate holiness, discernment, and protection for our homes, and we address the rising chaos around Halloween and other occult seasons. This is a sober call to walk in sync with Jesus, close the doors to Babylon, and live ready. Key themes: Day of Atonement & the believer's judgment, the “wheat and tares” reality, why hyper-grace and universalism miss the mark, how feasts tune us to Heaven's cadence, and practical morning/evening prayers to guard your home.

Your Daily Prayer

In this Bible Story, Jesus speaks hard truths about being the bread of life. He speaks of how he was sent by God from heaven, and whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood would inherit eternal life. Although Jesus spoke metaphorically, his words cause many to leave. However the disciples stayed, for they knew that only Jesus held the words of eternal life. This story is inspired by John 6:22-71 & Matthew 15:21-28 & Mark 7:24-30. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is John 6:35 from the King James Version.Episode 194: The very next day as He and His disciples were on the other side of the sea, the crowd had tracked Him down. They wanted another miracle but Jesus cared more about their hearts than their bellies. And as Jesus was trying to teach them these things, they became confused and frustrated. The teaching was too hard for many of those in the crowd to accept, so they left. Later on, the disciples that stayed learned a lesson about God's grace to those outside of the family of Israel, as a Canaanite woman begged the Jewish Messiah for help, hope, and healing.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this presentation, Charlie opens up with a brief look at Jude 1:3 (“contend earnestly for the faith”) and then offers concise 2–5 minute answers to a variety of objections that atheists bring up about God and the Bible: • “The Bible condones slavery!”• “The God of the Old Testament commanded genocide, the wiping out of the Canaanite people in the Book of Joshua.”• “Surely God doesn't exist. If He did, He'd appear to us in a public setting and prove it to the world.”• “The universe is so vast! It's foolish to think a god built a universe billions of light years across just to have a personal relationship with you.”• “The Bible was written by men! It's not trustworthy.”•  “After the Roman Emperor Constantine became a Christian in AD 312, the Roman Empire took control of the Bible and tampered with its contents to better control the people.”• “The New Testament authors stole the whole idea for Jesus's virgin birth and resurrection from ancient religions that were around prior to Christianity.”• “Keep the Bible out of people's bedrooms. What two consenting adults do is their business. They have the right to do whatever they'd like to do.”• “Why do Christians persist in judging, when Jesus said not to judge?”• “The Bible is oppressive and harmful to women!”• “Religions, Christianity included, are responsible for most of the world's wars, suffering, and atrocities!”• “Evolution is a proven fact.” 

Joshua 9:1 And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;  9:2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.  9:3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,  9:4 They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;  9:5 And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.  9:6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.  9:7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?  9:8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?  9:9 And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,  9:10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.  9:11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.  9:12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy:  9:13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.  9:14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.  9:15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.  9:16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.  9:17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.  9:18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.  9:19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.  9:20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.  9:21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.  9:22 And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?  9:23 Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.  9:24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.  9:25 And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do....

During Jesus' ministry, He encountered a Canaanite woman from the region of Tyre and Sidon whose daughter was oppressed by a demon. She desperately sought Jesus' help and overcame several obstacles to receive her daughter's deliverance.Billy LileSunday, September 28, 2025 Live at 9:15 AM

Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.2 And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm,3 And his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land;4 And what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, and how the Lord hath destroyed them unto this day;5 And what he did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came into this place;6 And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel:7 But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which he did.8 Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it;9 And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.10 For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs:11 But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:12 A land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.15 And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;17 And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you.18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;23 Then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.25 There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you.26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day:28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.29 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.30 Are they not on the other side Jordan, by the way where the sun goeth down, in the land of the Canaanites, which dwell in the champaign over against Gilgal, beside the plains of Moreh?31 For ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God giveth you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein.32 And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I set before you this day.

During Jesus' ministry, He encountered a Canaanite woman from the region of Tyre and Sidon whose daughter was oppressed by a demon. She desperately sought Jesus' help and overcame several obstacles to receive her daughter's deliverance.Lina SamiaFriday, September 26, 2025 Live at 7:00 PMWebsite: ⁠http://pearlside.org⁠Facebook: ⁠http://facebook.com/pearlsidechurch⁠Instagram: ⁠http://instagram.com/pearlside

Hi Folks,What does one do when he finds himself at a church that seems just a bit peculiar? It's almost as if there is a paradox. It is a very uplifting place. The people are loving and friendly. The Lead Pastor frequently says to the congregation: I love you. I believe he means it. The preaching is unusually solid and Bible based and the application of the Bible based truths that are taught each week are appropriate and strong. And there are a multitude of spiritual activities that an attender can choose to be involved in. It is a great church!But something is missing. Unfulfilled prophecy, eschatology (the end times), and the modern Nation of Israel are never mentioned or talked about even though much of the Bible is about these things. And looking back over past messages on podcasts, even on the day after the massacre in Israel (October 7, 2023), the worst day of slaughter for the Jewish people since Hitler's Holocaust, not one word of any kind was said about it from the pulpit by the Lead Pastor that Sunday morning. A few weeks ago I asked one of the two associate pastors if the church leadership believed in replacement theology. I received a prompt, courteous, and truthful answer: “We believe in Covenant Theology”. That raised a red flag for me since I understand Covenant Theology to be intimately connected with replacement theology. So, what does a believer do in a situation like this?What is Replacement Theology? It is a teaching which deprives the Nation of Israel and the Jewish people of the specific elect status which God gave to them in the Bible. People who believe in Replacement Theology are sometimes confused about certain things. Let me list some of them, with my answers in upper case, in an attempt to clear things up:Are the Jews still God's Chosen People? YES.Are the Chosen people all saved and are they all going to spend eternity in heaven? NO. Only the elect, those with circumcised hearts, will spend eternity in heaven with God.Do Jewish people have a way of salvation that is different than the way of salvation for Gentiles? NO. There is only one way of salvation for all people: through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, on the cross.Is the gospel still to the Jew first, (Romans 1:16). YES. Is “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22) still true? YES. The Jews are no better than anyone else but God chose them for a specific purpose. The husband is no better than the wife but God chose him and not the wife as head of the family (Ephesians 5:23). It was and is like that with the Jews, the elect Jews. God has a certain order of things and He hasn't changed that. Thousands of years ago God said this to the Jewish people through Moses: Deuteronomy 28:13 “The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.”Did God make specific promises to the Jewish people as a Nation? YES. He did this in part through specific covenants, unconditional covenants, that He made with them. We'll look at the Abrahamic Covenant as the first example of this. Covenant Theology attempts to nullify or change the promises made to the Jewish Nation through these covenants.Do saved Gentile people, including those in the Church, participate in the promises that come through these covenants? YES! But they do not participate in promises made specifically to the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. One of those promises is the Land of Israel. The Abrahamic CovenantDo you remember when God made certain promises to Abraham in the Torah? In fact He made these promises to Abram even before his name was changed to Abraham. Let's look at some of these.Genesis 15:17-21 NLTAfter the sun went down and darkness fell, Abram saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses. [18] So the LORD made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River - [19] the land now occupied by the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, [20] Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, [21] Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”The smoking firepot and flaming torch, representing God, passed between the divided animal pieces alone indicating that God cut this covenant with Abraham unilaterally. It was an unconditional covenant. It was a covenant made with Abraham and his physical descendants, the Jewish people. The Land promised to Abraham was much larger than the Land of Israel is today.Then God promised certain other things to Abraham after he offered up his one and only child of promise, his son Isaac, on the altar after God had commanded Abraham to do so. It was a test of Abraham's faith. God interrupted the sacrifice and said this to Abraham:Genesis 22:16-18 NLT“This is what the LORD says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that [17] I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. [18] And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed-all because you have obeyed me.”Well folks, all the nations of the earth have been blessed through Abraham's descendants. Most important of all, the Messiah is a descendant of Abraham. The Jewish people were and are descendants of Abraham and they have been a great blessing to the world.But along the way, the Jewish people were seriously disobedient, breaking the Law in many ways, worshipping idols, and offering up their own children as sacrifices. And when their Messiah came, they rejected Him. There would be severe punishment for doing these things. The Jewish people were cast out of their Land twice and after two thousand years they still have not fully returned.And yet because of the unconditional covenant that God made with Abraham earlier, God renewed His covenant with the Jewish people and added to it shortly before they entered the Promised Land. This additional covenant, another unconditional covenant, is probably best called the Promised Land Covenant (a name given to it by Matthew Ervin). Let's read it:Deuteronomy 29:1,12-15 NLTThese are the terms of the covenant the LORD commanded Moses to make with the Israelites while they were in the land of Moab, in addition to the covenant he had made with them at Mount Sinai. [12] You are standing here today to enter into the covenant of the LORD your God. The LORD is making this covenant, including the curses. [13] By entering into the covenant today, he will establish you as his people and confirm that he is your God, just as he promised you and as he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. [14] “But you are not the only ones with whom I am making this covenant with its curses. [15] I am making this covenant both with you who stand here today in the presence of the LORD our God, and also with the future generations who are not standing here today.And He also said this to them:Deuteronomy 30:2–3 NIV2 and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, 3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.But many people say the Jewish people are still disobedient today. Most of them do not follow God's Laws, many are atheists, and as a Nation they continue to reject their Messiah. And they are still being punished. Look at what happened on October 7, 2023!Yes, all true. So how is God going to regather His people if they continue in disobedience? Here's how. The Promised Land Covenant continues:Deuteronomy 30:6-8 NLT“The LORD your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live! [7] The LORD your God will inflict all these curses (the curses of Deuteronomy 28) on your enemies and on those who hate and persecute you. [8] Then you will again obey the LORD and keep all his commands that I am giving you today.Yes, folks, God will supernaturally effect a change in the heart of every Jewish person and they, the whole nation, will obey God's Laws. After that, all God's promises to the Jews will be fulfilled, in the Millennial Kingdom, after the Messiah returns. That is yet future. At that time, these things will occur:Isaiah 2:2–3 KJV 19002 And it shall come to pass in the last days, That the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; And he will teach us of his ways, And we will walk in his paths: For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.Folks, the God of Jacob is the God of Israel.And here is one more passage:Zechariah 8:23 NIV23 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.' ”Folks, these are just two of many examples in the Bible!In the meantime the following verse regarding the Jewish people has not expired:Genesis 12:3 NLT3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”And God's special love for the Jewish people will never pass away:Isaiah 49:15–16 NIV15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! 16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.Now, what is the point of this message?* There is a future for Israel and the Jewish people as a nation and a people. God has ordained this. The Bible attests to this.* Covenant Theology is not Biblical and it evacuates the promises and prophecies regarding Israel that are in the Bible.* Covenant Theology therefore delegitimizes Israel and its right to the Land and its right to exist. Covenant Theology therefore promotes replacement theology and antisemitism even though individual covenant theologians may not be antisemitic.So, what should church leaders do? Those church leaders who subscribe to Covenant Theology should understand its negative aspects and reverse their position on Israel and the Jewish people. This is not a political issue. Leaders must take a stand.Next time we'll talk about what Covenant Theology is and how it delegitimizes Israel.Thanks for listening!This is Art Wolinsky. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit awolinsky.substack.com

For centuries, scholars debated whether Balaam—wrote about in Numbers 22–24 and elsewhere in Scripture—was a historical figure or merely a literary construct. In the 1960s, a European research team excavating an ancient site uncovered 119 plaster fragments inscribed in Aramaic, interwoven with Canaanite (a Hebrew dialect). Among the writings was a striking reference to Balaam, providing tangible evidence that aligns with the Biblical narrative. How do these fragments illuminate the historical credibility of Balaam and his story? Explore the significance of the Balaam Inscription in this episode!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------DONATE: https://evidence4faith.org/give/ WEBSITE: https://evidence4faith.org/NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/hpazV5BOOKINGS: https://evidence4faith.org/bookings/CONTACT: Evidence 4 Faith, 349 Knights Ave Kewaskum WI 53040 , info@evidence4faith.orgMy goal is that their hearts, having been knit together in love, may be encouraged, and that they may have all the riches that assurance brings in their understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. - Colossians 2:2-3CREDITS: Developed & Hosted by Michael Lane. Produced & Edited by Isabel Kolste. Graphics & Publication by Isabel Kolste. Additional Art, Film, & Photography Credits: Stock media “Memories” provided by mv_production / Pond5 | Logo Stinger: Unsplash.com: Leinstravelier, Logan Moreno Gutierrez, Meggyn Pomerieau, Jaredd Craig, NASA, NOASS, USGS, Sam Carter, Junior REIS, Luka Vovk, Calvin Craig, Mario La Pergola, Timothy Eberly, Priscilla Du Preez, Ismael Paramo, Tingey Injury Law Firm, Dan Cristian Pădureț, Jakob Owens | Wikimedia: Darmouth University Public Domain, Kelvinsong CC0 | Stock media “A stately Story (Stiner02)” provided by lynnepublishing / Pond5

After 20 years of oppression the Israelites cry out to the Lord for deliverance from the Canaanites. God sends Deborah, who led the Israelites into battle and victory over their enemies.

When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;2 And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.6 For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.7 The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:8 But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.9 Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:13 And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.15 And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.16 And thou shalt consume all the people which the Lord thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.17 If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?18 Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt;19 The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the Lord thy God brought thee out: so shall the Lord thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.20 Moreover the Lord thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.21 Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the Lord thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.22 And the Lord thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.23 But the Lord thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.24 And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them.25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therin: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God.26 Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

She wasn't anyone's first pick for a hero, but God had other ideas. She showed a courageous faith that changed her life—and history—forever.Her name was Rahab, a disreputable woman from the pagan Canaanite city of Jericho. The word the Bible uses to describe her is zonah: prostitute, harlot. There's no way to sanitize it.Yet Rahab had come to a point of faith in Israel's God, Yahweh. She had heard the stories of the miraculous ways God had given victory to His people, so when she heard that the Israelite army was breathing down Jericho's neck, her faith moved her to act with courage.Israel's commander, Joshua, had sent two spies into the city of Jericho. When the king of Jericho heard about the two strangers who had entered the city and that they had gone to the hostel run by Rahab, he sent a message commanding her to turn the spies over to him. But Rahab hid the spies and sent a message back to the king, saying that the men had already left. Once the pursuers left Jericho, the gates to the city were closed. Rahab went to the spies where they were hiding and begged for her life. “Please swear to me that you will spare my life and the lives of my family when you attack the city.”The men agreed, with one caveat. She must gather her family into her house and hang a scarlet cord from the window to identify her house. Rahab then let the men down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, and they safely returned to the Israelite camp.When the time came for the battle of Jericho, there on the city wall was a scarlet cord hanging from the window. Rahab and her family were spared, and Rahab lived among the Israelites for the rest of her life.Rahab's story teaches us some wonderful lessons.1.     Though God's righteousness demands that evil must be judged, His love demands that He looks to offer mercy. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “God does not want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2.     God is looking for any who might be seeking Him and will pull out all the stops to make their salvation possible.Could it be that God had Joshua send those spies, just for Rahab?God is ready, willing, and able to reach out to those who are seeking Him. He is using creation, conscience, and Christ to prompt them by His Spirit. But…3.     God uses His people to help spiritual seekers take the necessary next steps. At the top of this message, I mentioned that Rahab's courageous faith changed history. In the first chapter of Matthew, we find the genealogy of Joseph, husband of Mary. Believe it or not, Rahab was the great-grandmother of King David. Not only that, the shady lady of Jericho is listed in the ancestral line of Jesus, the Messiah. Text: Joshua 2, 6 Originally recorded on August 21, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN 

Study Passage: Exodus 3:7-4:177 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” 13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them,‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, ‘What is his name?' what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.'” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. 16 Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, 17 and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.”' 18 And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.' 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, 22 but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.” Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.'” 2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 3 And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. 4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” 6 Again, the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. 7 Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. 8 “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. 9 If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.” 10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. 16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. 17 And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.

From Woodchoppers to Kings: How the Torah's Radical Covenant Redefined Ancient Politics In this episode we're diving into the radical inclusivity of the covenant in Parashat Nitzavim. From princes to woodchoppers, everyone is called to stand before God. But there's more to this than meets the eye. We explore how the rabbis upped the ante, suggesting these "woodchoppers and water carriers" might have been outsiders or even forbidden Canaanites. This covenant wasn't just inclusive - it was pushing boundaries. Key Takeaways Radical Inclusion: The covenant encompasses everyone, from leaders to strangers, even those not yet born. It's a deliberate expansion of who "belongs." Divine Democracy: By making God the sole sovereign, the covenant undermines human hierarchies. It's a blueprint for egalitarian society. Movement Dynamics: The text reveals an evolving community, with various motivations for joining. It challenges our notions of purity and belonging. Timestamps [00:00] The first “We the People” — long before Jefferson [01:20] Who were the wood choppers and water carriers? [03:10] Covenant as a new movement before entering the land [05:30] Outsiders joining Israel — sincere converts or cunning opportunists? [07:45] Commentaries on inclusion, agency, and social hierarchy [10:00] The mixed multitude and converts of convenience [12:45] Are menial roles punishment or sacred service? [14:20] Radical responsibility — why every member matters [20:10] Joshua and the Gibeonites: deception, covenant, and consequences [28:15] Covenant as political revolution — God as king, no man as master Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ Safaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/675947 Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/  

This week we follow up on a question regarding how to reconcile Jesus' teachings on violence with the commands of God to the Israelites during the Canaanite conquest.

These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.2 (There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.)3 And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them;4 After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei:5 On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying,6 The Lord our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount:7 Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates.8 Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.9 And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone:10 The Lord your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.11 (The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)12 How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?13 Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.14 And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do.15 So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.16 And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.18 And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.19 And when we departed from Horeb, we went through all that great and terrible wilderness, which ye saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the Lord our God commanded us; and we came to Kadeshbarnea.20 And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the Lord our God doth give unto us.21 Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.22 And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come.23 And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe:24 And they turned and went up into the mountain, and came unto the valley of Eshcol, and searched it out.25 And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the Lord our God doth give us.26 Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God:27 And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the Lord hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.28 Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.29 Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them.30 The Lord your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes;31 And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the Lord thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.32 Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God,33 Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.34 And the Lord heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying,35 Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers.36 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the Lord.37 Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.38 But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.39 Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.40 But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.41 Then ye answered and said unto me, We have sinned against the Lord, we will go up and fight, according to all that the Lord our God commanded us. And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill.42 And the Lord said unto me, Say unto them. Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.43 So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up into the hill.44 And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.45 And ye returned and wept before the Lord; but the Lord would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you.46 So ye abode in Kadesh many days, according unto the days that ye abode there.

Patrick fields thought-provoking questions ranging from whether Jesus ever lost his temper to the challenges of having charitable discussions with relatives from other faith backgrounds. In the same breath, he addresses concerns about Mass being held in a home, unpacks why Catholic and Protestant Bibles have different books, and responds candidly to community reactions on the absence of commentary about Charlie Kirk’s assassination at church. Wisdom and practicality shape Patrick’s responses, blending pastoral warmth with historical context and real-world advice. April - Was Jesus losing his temper when calling the Canaanite woman a dog? (52:00) Valerie - How do I talk to an Uncle who is 7th Day Adventist? How should I handle debating him? (07:57) Sylvia - A family invited us to go to mass at their house. Would it be a sin to go to mass there for a funeral? (19:36) Chad - What are the origins of the Catholic Bible vs the origins of the Protestant Bible? (22:31) Patrick comments on the many people who are angry or upset that they didn’t hear about Charlie Kirk at Church on Sunday (37:04) Rick - What security measures should Catholic Schools have? The principal of the school that my granddaughter goes to says that ultimately God is in control of our security. (45:06)

A MIRACULOUS healing led to a Syrian warrior carrying mule loads of dirt from Israel back to Damascus. Why did Naaman the Syrian do that? In the ancient world, it was understood that every nation had a patron deity. For Syria, that was the storm-god Hadad, better known to us as Baal. For Israel, it was Yahweh—although Jezebel and her children tried hard to replace the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with Baal, Astarte, and the rest of the Canaanite pantheon. When the prophet Elisha instructed Naaman to wash in the Jordan to be healed of his leprosy, Naaman was angry, expecting something more elaborate—a ritual of some kind. But after following the prophet's instructions and being restored to full health, Naaman realized the true God was Yahweh, not Baal, and Israel was His home. So, Naaman loaded two mules with dirt and carried it back to Syria—not because it held magical properties, but because it was a reminder of the one God with the power to heal. The concept of “holy ground” was established after the Tower of Babel, as described in Deuteronomy 32:  When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance,        when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples        according to the number of the sons of God.But the LORD's portion is his people,       Jacob his allotted heritage. (Deut. 32:8–9, ESV)  In other words, God allotted the people of Earth to angelic representatives who were tempted into receiving worship themselves, but He chose Israel as the conduit through which He would bring forth the Messiah to save the world from those fallen entities. We also discuss the way God delivered the northern kingdom of Israel from a prolonged siege of Samaria by the Syrians—despite the continued apostasy of Samaria. Sharon's niece, Sarah Sachleben, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer, and the medical bills are piling up. If you are led to help, please go to GilbertHouse.org/hopeforsarah. Our new book The Gates of Hell is now available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! Derek's new book Destination: Earth, co-authored with Donna Howell and Allie Anderson, is now available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! If you are looking for a text of the Book of 1 Enoch to follow our monthly study, you can try these sources: Parallel translations by R. H. Charles (1917) and Richard Laurence (1821)Modern English translation by George W. E. Nickelsburg and James VanderKam (link to book at Amazon)Book of 1 Enoch - Standard English Version by Dr. Jay Winter (link opens free PDF)Book of 1 Enoch - R. H. Charles translation (link opens free PDF) The SkyWatchTV store has a special offer on Dr. Michael Heiser's two-volume set A Companion to the Book of Enoch. Get both books, the R. H. Charles translation of 1 Enoch, and a DVD interview with Mike and Steven Bancarz for a donation of $35 plus shipping and handling. Link: https://bit.ly/heiser-enoch Follow us! • X: @gilberthouse_tv | @sharonkgilbert | @derekgilbert• Telegram: t.me/gilberthouse | t.me/sharonsroom | t.me/viewfromthebunker• YouTube: @GilbertHouse | @UnravelingRevelation• Facebook.com/GilbertHouseFellowship JOIN US IN ISRAEL! Our next tour of Israel is October 19–30, 2025. For more information and to reserve your place, log on to GilbertHouse.org/travel. NOTE: If you'e going to Israel with us in October, you'll need to apply for a visa online before you travel. The cost is 25 NIS (about $7.50). Log on here: https://www.gov.il/en/departments/topics/eta-il/govil-landing-page Thank you for making our Build Barn Better project a reality! We truly appreciate your support. If you are so led, you can help out at GilbertHouse.org/donate. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs Unraveling Revelation and A View from the Bunker, and the podcast that started this journey in 2005, P.I.D. Radio. Best of all, it bypasses the gatekeepers of Big Tech! The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Video on demand of our best teachings! Stream presentations and teachings based on our research at our new video on demand site! Gilbert House T-shirts and mugs! New to our store is a line of GHTV and Redwing Saga merch! Check it out at GilbertHouse.org/store! Think better, feel better! Our partners at Simply Clean Foods offer freeze-dried, 100% GMO-free food and delicious, vacuum-packed fair trade coffee from Honduras. Find out more at GilbertHouse.org/store. Our favorite Bible study tools! Check the links in the left-hand column at www.GilbertHouse.org.

September 14th, 2025—Never short sell an immeasurably more God.Never underestimate the power of a simple prayer offered on behalf of a complex situation.Never dismiss the impact of obedience (disobedience).Never be afraid of the repercussions of telling the truth in love. One of those repercussions is freedom.When in the dark always ask for more of God. You need Him more than answers, advice or direction.When I am primarily after God to serve my interests, I have missed His greatest value – presence. God's love for us isn't best expressed in what He does for us. His love was best expressed by what He did for us. John 3:16,17 (NIV) “16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 1:14 (AMP) 14 And the Word (Christ) became flesh, and lived among us; and we [actually] saw His glory, glory as belongs to the [One and] only begotten Son of the Father, [the Son who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, who is] full of grace and truth (absolutely free of deception).Matthew 1:23 (NIV) “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). 3 Aspects of God's presence vital to navigating dark and directionless seasons. Presence = Guidance & ProtectionPresence = Daily ProvisionPresence = Identity & Security1. God's Presence = Guidance & Protection Exodus 13:17-18, 20-22 (NIV) 17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.20 After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.Israel needed this type of unmistakable guidance because they had never gone this way before. They longed to be free without the slightest clue of what direction to walk in to be free. 2. God's Presence = Daily ProvisionIsrael couldn't connect the dots between a God powerful enough to deliver them, lead them and protect them to a God would could provide for them.Joshua 5:10-12 (NIV) 10 On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. 11 The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. 12 The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.God as our Provider has less to do with what He provides or how He provides, but who He is - He is Jehovah-Jireh. Acknowledging God as Provider is to never think what we have is solely due to who we are or what we can produce. 3. God's Presence = Identity & SecurityExodus 32:9-10 (NIV) 9 “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God… 14 Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.Exodus 32:30-34 (NIV) 30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31 So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” 33 The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.” 35 And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.Exodus 33:1-3 (NIV) Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.' 2 I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”Exodus 33:12-17 (NIV) 12 Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” 14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” 17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”Outcomes and destinations are empty without Identity. God's presence gives us our identity. If you are confident in an immeasurably more God and secure in who you are in Christ, where you are and what's in front of you become secondary to whose you are. Jeremiah 29:10-14 (NIV) 10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”Psalm 34:4 (NIV) I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered my from all my fears.Psalm 18:6 (NIV) In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) So do not fear for I am with you do not be dismayed for I am your God I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.James 4:8 (NIV) “Come near to God and He will come near to you.”2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways I will hear from heaven and heal their land.”Revelation 3:20 (NIV) “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and eat with him and he with me.”

A MIRACULOUS healing led to a Syrian warrior carrying mule loads of dirt from Israel back with him to Damascus. Why did Naaman the Syrian do that? In the ancient world, it was understood that every nation had a patron deity. For Syria, that was the storm-god Hadad, better known to us as Baal. For Israel, it was Yahweh—although Jezebel and her children tried hard to replace the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with Baal, Astarte, and the rest of the Canaanite pantheon. When the prophet Elisha instructed Naaman to wash in the Jordan to be healed of his leprosy, Naaman was angry, expecting something more elaborate—a ritual of some kind. But after following the prophet's instructions and being restored to full health, Naaman realized the true God was Yahweh, not Baal, and Israel was His home. So, Naaman loaded two mules with dirt and carried it back to Syria—not because it held magical properties, but because it was a reminder of the one God with the power to heal. The concept of “holy ground” was established after the Tower of Babel, as described in Deuteronomy 32: When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance,    when he divided mankind,  he fixed the borders of the peoples    according to the number of the sons of God. But the LORD's portion is his people,    Jacob his allotted heritage. (Deut. 32:8–9, ESV) In other words, God allotted the people of Earth to angelic representatives who were tempted into receiving worship themselves, but He chose Israel as the conduit through which He would bring forth the Messiah to save the world from those fallen entities. We also discuss the way God delivered the northern kingdom of Israel from a prolonged siege of Samaria by the Syrians—despite the continued apostasy of Samaria.

A Sermon for the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity St. Luke 10:23-37 & Hosea 6:1-11 by William Klock “A lawyer got up and put Jesus on the spot,” writes St. Luke in today's Gospel.  If you're following along, this is Luke 10:25.  “A lawyer got up and put Jesus on the spot.”  An expert on torah.  If you had a question about whether or not to do such-and-such or how you were to do this or not do that and it wasn't spelled out in black and white in the Bible, this was the guy you asked.  He knew how to parse it and extrapolate it all out.  And he's angry.  He's been hanging out on the edge of the crowd as Jesus addressed his disciples, but enough is enough.  He pushes forward.  He's going to put Jesus on the spot and expose him for the fraud he is.  And so he calls out, “Teacher,” and he gets Jesus' attention.  And then he asks, “What should I do to inherit the life of the age to come.”  I can imagine him leaning back on his heels, arms crossed.  Jesus is going to hang himself with his answer and everyone's going to walk away and never listen to Jesus again. But we before we get to Jesus' answer, we need to ask what the lawyer was actually asking.  “What must I do to inherit…zoen aionion?”  Zoe aionios to say it in Greek.  Zoe means “life” and we've traditionally translated aionios as “eternal”.  That's not wrong, but “eternal” doesn't fully capture the significance of aionios as it was used by Judeans of Jesus' day.  In English “eternal” just means “eternal”…“forever”.  And we think the lawyer is asking, “What must I do to live forever?”  For a lot of people that translates into “What must I do to go to heaven when I die?”  But it's really a lot deeper than that.  At the root of this word aionios is the word—and it might sound a little familiar—aion.  It's where we get our word “aeon” and it's basic meaning is “age” and it became shorthand for “the age to come”—meaning the messianic age everyone was hoping and longing for. And the lawyer asks this question about the age to come, because he's been listening to Jesus address his disciples as they returned from the mission he'd sent them on.  He sent out seventy to proclaim the good news—to gospel the gospel in the cities and towns of Israel and they came back excited because of the things they'd seen.  At the name of Jesus, even demons obeyed them.  And Jesus said to them: This is what the prophets foretold.  Isaiah and Ezekiel told of their visions of the satan falling like lightening and you're seeing it happen.  God's kingdom is breaking in.  God's light is driving away the darkness and toppling the rulers of the present evil age—and you're part of it.  And this is where he says to them, “Don't rejoice that spirits are subject to you, but rejoice [about what it means:] that your names are written in heaven.” God's got a book—metaphorically speaking—and in it he records the names of everyone who belongs to him, of everyone whom he will one day resurrect from death and lead into the age to come.  The Jews knew their names were written in that book.  God had chosen them and so long as they didn't wilfully reject him—which is what the tax collectors and sinners did—their names were written in that book and, when the Messiah came, he would set the world to rights and lead them into the age to come. But what's got this lawyer worked up is that Jesus is implying that they may not all have their names written in the book after all.  The lawyer—like pretty much everyone in Israel—knew his name was written in the book because God had made a covenant with them and because they kept their end of the covenant—the torah.  Circumcision, sabbath, diet, all these things marked them out and demonstrated their commitment and love for God.  But Jesus has just said to his disciples, “A blessing on the eyes which see what you see!  Let me tell you, many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and they didn't see it; and to hear what you hear, and they didn't hear it!”  In other words, the renewal of Israel that God had promised through the prophets had come—in Jesus—and being written in God's book is about more than just being born a Jew or even the outward observance of torah.  And it's that last bit that Jesus is getting at in his answer.  Look at verse 26.  Jesus responds to the lawyer's question and asks, “Well, what is written in the law?  What's your interpretation of it?” And the lawyer gives the answer that every kid in Judaea could have given: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your understanding; and your neighbour as yourself.” And Jesus replied—I'm sure to the frustration of the lawyer—“Well said!  Do that and you will live.”  Picture the lawyer gritting his teeth.  No, no, no.  If that's true, then we're all on the same page!  But he knew they weren't, because if Jesus' disciples were “in”, then everyone else was, by implication, “out”.  So, Luke writes, “to justify himself” the lawyer asks Jesus, “But who is my neighbour?”  It's his second attempt at a gotcha question.  And Jesus responds with a story, a parable: “Once upon a time,” he said, “a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and was set upon by robbers.  They stripped him and beat him and ran off leaving him half-dead.” Everybody knew that road.  Very soon Jesus would be travelling it himself, going the other direction, up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover—and to become the new Passover himself.  That road was steep and windy and notorious for the robbers hiding in wait for unwary travellers.  The wise travelled in groups or well-armed.  Travelling it alone, like this man did, was foolish.  This lawyer, listening to Jesus, would be shaking his head and thinking to himself that anyone dumb enough to travel that road alone was a candidate for a Darwin Award. But Jesus goes on.  “A priest happened to be going down that road, and when he saw him he went past on the opposite side.'”  Now, you and I shake our heads and think, “What a horrible priest!  How could he not stop to help the man.”  But we only think that way because we've been shaped by the gospel and by Jesus and the Spirit.  The cross of Jesus has taught us mercy.  That God would not only humble himself, but would shed his blood on behalf of his rebellious children has taught us mercy in a way never understood before the gospel.  But that lawyer—and the crowd and maybe even Jesus' disciples—they lived in the dark world on the other side of the good news of the cross.  They saw nothing wrong with this priest passing by the man.  The priests kept themselves ritually pure.  They had to in order to enter the temple.  Even though this priest is going in the opposite direction—probably on his way home from serving his rotation in the temple—he still kept himself pure.  He couldn't tell if the man was dead or alive and if went over, rolled him over, and found him dead, well, then he'd be impure.  That was okay for normal people, but not for a priest.  And everyone knew this.  And, again, no one had a problem with it.  And, of course, this is the very problem with Israel that Jesus wants to highlight for the lawyer. “Then,” said Jesus, “a Levite came by the place.  He saw him too and went past on the opposite side.”  He might not be a priest, but being a Levite, he too served in the temple.  Again, he's going the opposite way—like the priest, he's probably on his way home from serving in the temple.  But, still, being a Levite, he can't chance becoming impure.  And, again, this was all normal and good and right as far as most people were concerned. “But then,” said Jesus, “a travelling Samaritan came to where he was.”  Everyone frowned at this.  Samaritans were filth.  They were descendants of the Jews who intermarried with the native Canaanite peoples when the people of Judah were in exile.  They worshiped at their own illicit temple at Shechem and they compromised torah with pagan practises and pagan philosophy.  They were traitors of the worst kind.  Just being on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho meant he was fouling the promised land with his impure Samaritan feet.  And yet, Jesus said, “He came over to the man and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine.  Then he put him on his own beast, took him to an inn, and looked after him.  The next morning, as he was going on his way, he gave the inn-keeper two dinars. ‘Take care of him,' he said, ‘and on my way back I'll pay you whatever else you need to spend on him.'” “Where's Jesus going with this?”  Everyone was thinking.  “What's his point?”  There's no way this would happen in real life.  But that's kind of the point.  Jesus looks the lawyer in the eye and asks, “Which of these three do you think turned out to be the neighbour of the man who was set upon by the brigands?”  Jesus is going make the lawyer come out and say it.  And the lawyer does, because there's no escape for him.  “The one who showed mercy on him,” he said. “Well,” Jesus said to him, “you go and do the same.” I fully expect that as the lawyer answered the question and said, “The one who showed him…mercy.”  The lights suddenly went on for him for everyone else.  That word “mercy” is the key.  Jesus had just turned Hosea 6:1-11 into a parable.  Here's what the Lord had said through the Prophet Hosea some eight centuries before: Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud,          like the dew that goes early away. Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,          the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. But like Adam they transgressed the covenant;          there they dealt faithlessly with me. Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood. As robbers lie in wait for a man,          so the priests band together; they murder on the way to Shechem;          they commit villainy. In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim's whoredom is there; Israel is defiled. For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed, When I restore the fortunes of my people. This the Lord's rebuke of the northern kingdom of Israel—also known as “Samaria”.  Hint, hint.  There's a reason Jesus puts a Samaritan at the centre of the story.  The people of Israel went through the motions of obedience, but the Lord accused them.  Their love for him was “like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away.”  Their nation was a nation of evil-doers with blood on their hands.  They offered their sacrifices, but there was no love in their hearts.  The priests were lying in wait for their people like robbers. Again, this was a rebuke of Israel eight hundred years before, but now Jesus brings the same rebuke to Judah.  And yet, there's still the promise.  The long-awaited age to come is breaking in.  As the Lord promised through Hosea, he will come to heal his people, to bind up their wounds, to revive them after two days, and to raise them up on the third day.  But whom will he heal and revive and raise up?  The lawyer gave the answer “The one who showed his neighbour mercy.” There was no mercy in the heart of the priest and no mercy in the heart of the Levite—and there was no mercy in the hearts of the people of Judah who saw nothing wrong with the priest and the Levite leaving the man to die.  For that matter there was no mercy in the hearts of people who saw the Samaritans as unredeemable, reprobate scum.  And that was the heart of the problem.  And this heart problem was precisely what Jesus came to fix.  Because the only people who will have a share in the age to come—in the kingdom of God—are the people who have the heart of God.  The people who are poor in spirit, who mourn the state of the world, the meek, the people who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the pure in heart, the peacemakers—and the merciful. This is why I think it's so important to pay attention to how we translate those words in the lawyer's question—zoe aionios.  Because it's not just “eternal life” Jesus offers; it's eternal life in the age to come—in God's world set to rights and eternal life in his presence.  Brothers and Sisters, “salvation” isn't just fire insurance.  It's not just rescue from death so that we can live forever, so that we can see our loved ones again, so that we can experience bliss forever and ever.  That's all a very self-centred, a very worldly, a very therapeutic understanding of salvation.  What Jesus offers us is the life we were meant for, the life we see Adam and Eve living in the garden at the very beginning of the story, a life of perfect fellowship with God, a life serving as the priests of his temple, a life stewarding his heart for the sake of the world. And ever since he called Abraham, but especially since he rescued Israel and made them his people, God's purpose for his people has been to reveal himself to the nations through them so that the world might know his goodness, his faithfulness, his love, his mercy, his grace—and on and on.  God's purpose for his people has always been to make his heart known to the nations.  Our lives and our collective life together is meant to lift the veil on God's future, on his new creation.  It's not about us or about our glory; it's about God and it's about God's glory. When he delivered Israel from Egypt, God came down and dwelt in their midst.  He fellowshipped with them.  It wasn't the perfect fellowship of the garden that Adam and Even had known, but it was a fellowship that made know his desire for humanity and a fellowship that pointed forward to the day when, through Jesus, he delivered us from sin—and even further to that day when sin (and death) are gone forever.  He gave Israel a law that set her apart and that taught her his heart so that they would know justice and mercy, love and grace, and put his heart on display for the world.  Theirs was to be a little microcosm of his new creation—however imperfectly—where reconciling love was on full display. Israel failed.  They kept the law outwardly, but they lost the heart of God.  They offered sacrifices, but their was no mercy in their hearts.  But in Jesus and the Spirit the renewal that the Lord had promised has come.  In forgiving our sins, Jesus has taught us the true depth of God's lovingkindess, of his grace and his faithfulness.  And in the Spirit he's turned our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh.  He's written his law of love on them so that we really can love him with all of our being and so that we really can love our neighbours as ourselves. But I don't think we reflect often enough on why God's done that—in part because we too often think of salvation in selfish, or at least self-centred, terms.  Our salvation is not an end in itself.  God has called and created a people to witness his heart to the world.  Brothers and Sisters, in us God is leading a redeemed people—a people he's already beginning to set right through the work of his indwelling Spirit—he's leading us to bring hope and good news to the nations.  He's using us to carry the good news about Jesus, crucified, risen, and Lord, to every part of the world and with it the kingdom, with it the message of new creation, with it the hope of a world set to rights, in which Jesus has finished once and for all the work he began when he died and rose again.  In the witness of Jesus and the power of the Spirit he's given us his heart.  And that's what it's all about: bearing witness to his heart.  And the people who do that, they're the ones who will one day know him eternally in the age to come. I like to think of it like a symphony.  Jesus and the Spirit have made us the players.  We each have our instrument and we look forward to the day when we all come together in the great concert hall to play our parts in harmony and to finally hear that glorious and beautiful piece of music under the hand of the divine conductor.  It's not about us.  It's about the music and the one who leads us in it.  But in the meantime, he's given us the sheet music for our parts and he's sent us home to practise.  And we have the privilege of being able to meet in our little sections to practise some of those parts together.  And in our practising we get a foretaste of the great symphony to come.  But, Brothers and Sisters, do we actually practise?  Are we investing our practise time in the fruit of the Spirit?  Are we practising the reconciling love of God that we've known in Jesus?  Are we practising the justice and mercy we've met in God?  And along the way, are we drawing in the nations as they hear the beauty that's present even in our little bits and pieces of the symphony?  Or are we wasting the time God has given us on sin?  Instead of practising the gospel life, are we investing in the fear and wrath and scrambling and grasping of the present evil age? Like Gilead, the world around us is filled with evil and tracked with blood.  It's always been that way, but it seems we see it getting closer and closer to home.  We've seen worsening in the last months and weeks and days in the US and there's no reason to think we're somehow safe in Canada.  Because this is what happens to a people without the gospel—and to a people who have lost the gospel.  And Brothers and Sisters, the worse it gets, the more the world needs the heart of God that Jesus and the Spirit have given us.  The more the world needs God's promise to heal and to bind up our wounds.  The world needs Jesus and the gospel and you and I are the stewards of that good news.  Don't be tempted to jump into the violent fray.  Don't throw gas on the fire.  Instead, be the wine and the oil that God has made us to anoint the world's wounds.  Show the world what godly justice and godly mercy are and minister the healing power of the gospel—of the good news that Jesus the Messiah has died for us, that he has risen for us, and that he is creation's true Lord. Let's pray: Almighty and merciful God, by whose gift alone your faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.  

Equipping Hour - Caleb

Sunday AM Sermon

Key Verses: Exodus 32 Key Questions
 What is more devastating—the loss of the land or the loss of God's presence? How does this speak to what we truly value in our spiritual lives? Why does Moses ask to see God's glory—and why does God only reveal God's “back”? What does this reveal about the limits of human understanding and God's self-disclosure? What does it say about God that God chooses to rewrite the covenant rather than cancel it? How do we experience “rewriting” moments in our relationship with God? Why is God so emphatic about avoiding assimilation into Canaanite religious life? How do we ...

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Today's shout-out goes to Andrew Nippert from Woodbury, MN. Thank you for your partnership with us through Project23. Your commitment is helping deliver God's Word with clarity and conviction. This one's for you. Our text today is Judges 3:5–6. So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And their daughters they took to themselves for wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons, and they served their gods. — Judges 3:5-6 What happens when God's people start blending in instead of standing out? Israel didn't fall overnight. They didn't storm the temples of Baal in one reckless decision. They simply “lived among” the nations. They intermarried. They shared meals. They shared gods. Compromise always starts small. Like a leak in a dam, it seems harmless—until the whole wall bursts. Israel traded holiness for comfort, obedience for acceptance. And soon, what was unthinkable became normal: bowing to idols. God had called them to be set apart. But instead, they got cozy with the very people who were meant to be driven out. Compromise is rarely loud. It's quiet. It's slow. It's choosing to laugh at the joke you shouldn't, to flirt with the temptation you know is dangerous, to keep silent when God calls you to speak. Don't be fooled: small compromises never stay small. They grow. They spread. They enslave. The world doesn't need more Christians who blend in. It needs men and women who stand out—even if it costs them something. ASK THIS: Where in your life are you “living among” compromise? What small choice today could grow into big trouble tomorrow? Have you justified something that God clearly calls sin? How can you take a bold step toward holiness this week? DO THIS: Choose one area of compromise in your life today and cut it off before it cuts you down. PRAY THIS: Lord, reveal where I've allowed compromise to creep in. Give me the courage to stand apart, even when it costs me comfort. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Build My Life."

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Today's shout-out goes to Stan Jackson from Farmington, MO. Thank you for your partnership with us through Project23. Your commitment is helping deliver God's Word with clarity and conviction. This one's for you. Our text today is Judges 3:1–4. Now these are the nations that the Lord left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan. It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before. These are the nations: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath. They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. — Judges 3:1-4 What if the struggle you're facing isn't punishment—but preparation? God didn't clear the land all at once. He left enemies in place. Why? To test Israel. Not to crush them—but to train them. Think about that. God could've snapped his fingers and wiped every enemy away. But he didn't. Instead, he left battles to fight, not because he was absent, but because he was present in a different way—training his people to lean on him, sharpening their obedience, and forging their faith in fire. Life's tests work the same way. They're proving grounds. The challenges you're staring down right now may be God's way of toughening your spiritual muscles. Like a trainer who won't lift the weights for you but won't leave your side either, God sets you under the bar to see if you'll trust him for the strength. Don't despise the battles God leaves in your life. That demanding boss, the marriage struggle, the nagging temptation—they might be the very tools God is using to test and teach you. Tests aren't about failure; they're about faith. The question isn't why is this happening to me? But how will I respond? Will you trust God when it's heavy? Will you obey when it's easier not to? Your test today might be the training ground for tomorrow's victory. ASK THIS: What's one battle in your life right now that feels like it should already be over? Do you tend to see trials as punishment or preparation? How can you reframe a current struggle as training from God? Who in your life needs encouragement to keep fighting their God-given battles? DO THIS: Identify one struggle you're facing today. Instead of asking God to remove it, ask him to use it to strengthen your faith and obedience. PRAY THIS: Father, help me see my battles not as punishments but as proving grounds. Give me the strength to trust you and obey, even when the struggle feels endless. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Battle Belongs."

A Sermon for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity 2 Corinthians 3:4-9 by William Klock Imagine you're an Israelite at the time of the Exodus.  Moses shows up and announces that the God of your ancestors—a God no one's heard from in four hundred years—is going to deliver you from Pharoah's slavery.  Sounds pretty sketchy.  But then God begins to act.  He sends ten plagues on the Egyptians.  He turns the Nile to blood.  Wow!  But then Pharoah's magicians do the same thing.  Okay…maybe not as impressive as it seemed at first.  But as the plagues go on, they get more and more impressive and Pharaoh's magicians can't keep up.  By the tenth plague you know without a doubt that this God of your fathers is something.  He's even more powerful than Pharoah and his gods.  And then the Red Sea.  Pharaoh chased you down.  Your people are stuck between the sea and Pharaoh's army.  All is lost.  And then the God of your fathers parts the sea itself in an amazing display of power and authority.  Imagine what it was like to walk through the sea on dry ground.  And then to watch as, just as miraculously, the God of your fathers causes the waters to come crashing back into place just at the right time to drown Pharaoh's army.  And you join with your people as, for the first time, you sing praise to this God of your fathers—a God whom you're now starting to think of as your God.  But God isn't finished.  He appears as a magnificent pillar of cloud in the day and a pillar of fire at night and he leads your people into the wilderness.  When there's nothing to drink, he causes water to pour forth from a rock.  When there's nothing to eat, he miraculously provides an abundance of manna and quail.  At Mount Sinai he meets your people in cloud and lightning on the mountaintop.  He establishes a covenant with you.  He will be your God and you will be his people.  He sends Moses down the mountain with the torah and with instructions for the tabernacle.  And having been in God's presence, Moses' face shines so brightly with God's glory that he has to wear a veil.  And when your people have finished assembling the tabernacle, you see God's glory—like a cloud—descend to fill it.  It's stounding.  It's the sort of thing the Egyptians could only dream about their gods doing and the God of Israel does it for real.  And, eventually, just as he promised, God leads your people into Canaan—the promised land—and he conquers the people for you and gives you their cities.  And you know it's him, not you.  There's no doubting it.  He had you march on Jericho, not with swords, but carrying his ark and blowing trumpets as you marched in circles around the city.  Not to attack it.  Not to put siege to it.  But simply to announce that the Lord, the God of Israel had come.  And when that announcement was clear and when everyone could see that you and your people had done nothing but announce the Lord's presence, he caused the walls to come crashing down.  He defeated the city.  And neither you nor anyone else could possibly think of taking credit for it.  Neither you nor anyone else took the Lord for granted.  Neither you nor anyone else could dream of giving your faith, your loyalty, your allegiance to any other god.  Because you had seen with your own eyes the glory of the Lord. Even as the generations passed, the people remembered the Lord.  They lived in those cities, they drew from those well, they harvested crops from those fields that the Lord had taken from the Canaanites and given to their fathers and grandfathers.  They bore in their flesh the sign of God's covenant—that statement, “I will be your God and you will be my people”—they bore that sign in their circumcision.  And every year they celebrated the Passover and not only recalled the events of the Exodus in which the Lord had saved their fathers; they participated, themselves, in those events—they owned them as if they'd happened to them.  And the covenant was renewed. And if you read the Old Testament no further you might think it would be like that forever.  How could a people who had so experienced the glory of God ever take him for granted, let alone turn their backs on him?  How could a people who had so experienced the glory of God ever look for confidence and hope in anyone or anything else?  But it happened.  They took their status as his people for granted.  They began to take those cities and wells and vineyards and fields he'd given them for granted.  They stopped celebrating the Passover and remembering what he'd done for them.  They started worshiping other gods.  They lost faith in the Lord and started putting their trust in kings and in armies and in politics.  And when the prophets came to rebuke the people and to call them back to faithfulness, they refused to listen and abused those prophets.  Eventually, because they took it all for granted, because they were unfaithful, the Lord took away the land and the cities and fields and vineyards—and finally even his presence—and sent the people into exile in a foreign land.  But not before he promised them renewal.  One day he would restore them and make them new and fill them with his own Spirit, he would turn their hearts of stone into hearts of flesh, so that they would be forever faithful. And, in Jesus, the Lord fulfilled that promise to his people.  In Jesus he was born as one of them, but rejected and crucified as a false Messiah.  God raised Jesus from death and overturned the verdict against him, declaring that he really was the Messiah and creation's true Lord.  In rising from the grave Jesus conquered death.  And then, to those who were baptised and received the sign of God's new covenant, he gave God's Spirit.  The old Israel had a temple.  This new Israel is the temple.  And as we read in last week's Epistle, Paul stressed that the risen Jesus appeared to the twelve, and to the other disciples, and even at one point to five hundred, and lastly to him.  And Jesus changed everything for them.  In his death and resurrection he led his people in a new exodus, not this time from physical bondage under Pharaoh, but from bondage to sin and death themselves.  And in baptism, Jesus leads his people like Moses through the waters of redemption to meet the Lord on the far side.  And the Spirit leads us, not as a pillar of cloud or fire, but as God's very presence within us, as we embark on a world- and humanity-saving trek through the wilderness of the old evil age into the age to come, towards the New Jerusalem, to that day when gospel and Spirit have done their work and Jesus does away with sin and death and evil once and for all and forever, and creation is set to rights and we enjoy the presence of our God eternally.  Those first eyewitnesses took this astounding gospel story to Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and to the world and amazing things happened.  It was more than just a story of the glory of God.  The story of the old exodus was that, but this was more.  The story of the Messiah and this new exodus has power unlike any story that has been told before or since.  This is a story backed by the life-giving and life-changing power of Jesus and the Spirit and the people who heard it and believed it and came to trust in the death and, most importantly, the resurrection of Jesus, they were changed.  Forgiven by the redeeming death of Jesus and then given a foretaste of the life of God's new world by the Spirit whom he poured into them.  It was a change that no one could ignore.  Some were captivated by it and came to hear and to believe the gospel story for themselves and they shared in this new life too.  And others got angry as the gospel story and God's new world challenged the gods and the kings and the systems in which they were already invested.  But to those who believed, the gospel, the good news about Jesus was life itself.  And they gathered together as often as they could and when they did, they not only shared the community the gospel had given them, they shared in the meal Jesus had given them.  In the Lord's Supper they ate bread and drank wine—and just as in the Passover—they didn't just remember what Jesus had done to deliver them from sin and death, they appropriated that death and resurrection, they participated in that saving event themselves.  They owned this new exodus just as the Israelites owned the events of the first exodus.  And each time it was as if the Lord was renewing his covenant with them: through Jesus and the Spirit, I will be your God and you will be my people. And you might think that their faithfulness to the Lord would be unending.  You would think that their trust and loyalty—their confidence—would always and only be in Jesus the Messiah.  But it wasn't.  If we're honest about our struggles, we know that it's easy to become distracted by other things.  There's a reason we gather every Sunday to hear the good news again and to come to the Lord's Table to be reminded and to renew the covenant.  There's a reason why wendaily immerse ourselves in the scriptures and in the story there of God and his people.  Because when we don't, even as glorious as that story is, even as it once captivated us so thoroughly, somehow—and to our shame—we forget.  And Jesus is still there, but we start focusing on other things and we start looking for other things and we start putting our confidence and our hope in other things. It even happened in the early church with that first generation of believers.  Paul had arrived in Corinth in about a.d. 50 or 51.  He proclaimed the good news about Jesus and both Jews and gentiles there were captivated by the story.  They believed.  They were baptised.  And Paul stayed with them for about a year and half, helping them to set up a church.  And everyone knew that it wasn't Paul who had done.  He was just an unassuming little man.  Funny looking, maybe with a speech impediment.  (Remember in last week's Epistle he owned that insult about being a monster, prematurely born.)  What happened in Corinth wasn't about Paul.  Brothers and Sisters, it was about the power of the gospel and the Spirit.  And yet just a few years later, it all started to fall apart.  The amazing story about the death and resurrection of Jesus that had once so spoken to them about the glory of God started to fade, and with it their motivation to holiness.  Sin—gross, truly wicked sin—started to creep into the church and they found ways to justify it.  Their worship became chaotic as people began using the gifts the Spirit had given to bring attention to themselves instead of to build up the body.  They abused the Lord's Supper and twisted and undermined its covenant meaning.  And when Paul, their brother, the one who had not only brought the gospel to them, but who could speak with authority about it because he, himself, had met the risen Jesus, when he wrote to them they brushed him off.  They told him they didn't want to hear from him anymore.  He'd been displaced by other preachers who were flashier, who were more handsome, who were better spoken then he was. And so, at the end of 2 Corinthians 2 he appeals to them.  He talks about himself as “we” instead of “I” and I think he does that to emphasise that he stand with the other apostles whose authority came from being eyewitness of the risen Messiah.  The same could not be said of others who have come to them and led them astray.  He writes to them, saying, “We aren't mere peddlers of God's word, as so many preachers are.  We speak with sincerity.  We speak from God.  We speak in God's presence.  We speak in the Messiah.”  The Messiah: that's who this is really about.  Paul has no authority of his own.  He simply speaks what he heard from Jesus himself.  And his point here is that they had once been captivated by that gospel of the Messiah that Paul had proclaimed to them, but now they've been captivated by the words of mere men.  “Do you want a letter of recommendation before you'll listen to me?” Paul asks.  “Do I need to give you a sheaf of reference letters so you'll know I'm legit?” “No,” says Paul, going on in 3:2: “You are our official reference!  It's written on our hearts.  Everyone can know and read it.  It's plain that you are a letter from the Messiah, with us the messengers.  A letter not written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God.  Not on tablets of stone, but on the tablets of fleshly hearts.” In other words, despite all their problems, despite their backsliding into worldly ways, they are not the people they once were.  Paul had proclaimed the good new—the story about Jesus and his death and resurrection and ascension—and through that preaching the Spirit had captivated them and filled their hearts with faith.  They believed.  They gave their trust, their loyalty, their allegiance, their obedience to Jesus and they were transformed.  And Paul could see it even through all their problems.  No, Paul doesn't need to give them references.  “You are my reference,” he says to them.  I know you've kicked me to the curb, but it was the message I received from Jesus that I preached to you that transformed you—not the merely human words of the other preachers who came along.  It was the word of God that did it. And they really, really need to hear this.  Because in the years since Paul left, as they've listened to teachers who led them astray, as the glory of the pure gospel has faded from their vision, they've begun to put their confidence in other things.  They no longer associate Paul with the gospel.  They're thinking of him as that funny-looking little man with the speech impediment.  And following someone like that in Greek culture, well, that wasn't going to get you anywhere.  And so they associated with the handsome preachers with eloquent rhetoric who could impress the Greeks.  They've forgotten that the gifts the Spirit gave them were gifts of grace to build up the body, and now they're abusing them and putting their confidence in them.  They've forgotten that the gospel puts them all on an equal footing before the throne of grace, and they're letting their old class and cultural divisions divide them up.  They were growing their church—as we'd say it today—but they weren't growing it on the gospel. We do the same thing today.  We may do it even more than the Corinthians, because commercialism is the cultural water we swim in and we don't even realise how much it impacts how we think about church and we don't realise how it so easily displaces the gospel and gospel growth and gospel ministry.  We build our churches around personalities.  We build our churches around programmes.  We build our churches around demographics.  We build our churches by advertising that we're better than or that we're not like our neighbouring churches.  We treat the church as if it's a business or a social club instead of a family—the covenant people of God, transformed and shaped by the gospel and the Spirit.  The Spirit has transformed our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh through the power of the gospel, but we forget the centrality of the gospel and allow our hearts to calcify back into stone.  It might not seem like that's what's happening at first.  Our churches may even have the appearance of success, but it's because we're appealing to stony hearts of worldly people with what they value, not with the power of the transforming gospel they need.   It's that simple gospel that needs to be at the centre of everything.  The risen Jesus always before us.  The risen Jesus at the centre of every decision we make.  The risen Jesus at the heart of everything we do.  Just Jesus, crucified and risen.  The simple gospel.  So Paul goes on in verse 4: “That is the kind of confidence we have toward God, through the Messiah.”  Stop putting your confidence in other things.  Just put it in Jesus.  He and only he can bring us before God.  So Paul says, “It isn't as though we are qualified in ourselves to reckon that we have anything to offer on our own account.  Our qualification comes from God: God has qualified us to be stewards of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit.  The letter kills, you see, but the Spirit gives life.”  The gospel was his only qualification and the only one that mattered.  The same goes for us. Now, think again of the glory that God put on display in the Exodus and in the story of Israel that followed.  That's what Paul gets at in verse 7 when he writes: “But just think about it: when death was being ministered, carved in letter of stone,”—he's talking about Mt. Sinai and the giving of the law”—“it was a glorious thing, so glorious in fact that the children of Israel couldn't look at Moses' face because of the glory of his face, a glory that was to be abolished.”  The glory God displayed in those days was astounding.  It moved the people to faith and trust and worship. But now Paul's talking about the new covenant and what God has done in Jesus and the Spirit.  “Will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?” he asks them.  “If ministering condemnation is glorious, you see, how much more glorious is the ministry of vindication—of righteousness, of justice?  In fact, what used to be glorious has come, by comparison, to have no glory at all, because of the new glory which goes so far beyond it! O, Brothers and Sisters, would that we would also be so captivated by the glory of the simple gospel of Jesus the Messiah.  There is no other glory that can compare and if we will keep it always before us—this good new of Jesus, crucified, risen, and Lord—if we would keep our eyes always focused on it, if we let it shape our lives, if we let it shape our decision, if we let it be the basis for everything we do as the church.  If the glory of the gospel were our sole source of confidence and hope, it would transform our churches and make us the people God intends for us to be.  God's promise is that one day the knowledge of his glory will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, but, Brothers and Sisters, remember that he has made us the stewards of that glory.  He has entrusted his gospel of life to us and he's filled us with his Spirit.  It is our calling to make his glory known by taking the good news of Jesus to Courtenay and Comox, to Vancouver Island, to Canada, and even to the ends of the earth.  You may have placed a veil over God's glory.  This morning let the scriptures lift that veil.  Let the bread and the wine here at his Table lift that veil.  Look on the glory of the Lord revealed in Jesus the Messiah and be refreshed and renewed for the gospel ministry to which you have been called. Let's pray: Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve:  Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Saviour; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Siyum Masechet Avodah Zarah is dedicated with love and pride to Terri Krivosha from her husband, Rabbi Hayim Herring, her children, Tamar, Avi and Shaina, and her grandchildren, Noam, Liba, and Orly, for completing her first Daf Yomi cycle. You embody the words of Micah 6:8, and “do justice, love goodness, and walk modestly with HaShem.” A contradiction arises between the Mishna and a Mishna in Zevachim regarding the proper method for kashering a spit. Several sages present different approaches, prompting five proposed resolutions—though many are ultimately rejected. When it comes to kashering knives, the Mishna recommends polishing as the preferred method. However, Rav Ukva offers an alternative: inserting the knife into the ground ten times. The Masechet concludes with an intriguing anecdote involving the Persian king Shabur Malka, Mar Yehuda, and a Canaanite slave named Bati bar Tuvi. Before serving Mar Yehuda, the king inserts the knife into the ground, adhering to Rav Ukva’s method. Yet he omitted this step before serving Bati previously. When Bati questions the discrepancy, the king responds with a dismissive remark, implying that Bati lacks the same level of halachic stringency. In an alternate version of the story, the king’s reply is even more pointed and accusatory.

As the LORD brings His charge against Israel and Judah, He calls them to remember the story of their father, Jacob. Although Jacob was known as a cheater early in his life, the LORD still showed His faithfulness to Jacob. Because the LORD gave Jacob His blessing when Jacob strove with Him, Israel now should strive with God in repentance and faith, seeking His forgiveness even now. Yet rather than returning to the LORD as Jacob once had done, Israel only continues to live as the Canaanites in their iniquity and idolatry. Even though the LORD has spoken to His people by the prophets since Moses, they only continue to provoke Him to anger.  Rev. Doug Minton, pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Milford, IL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Hosea 12:2-14.  To learn more about Our Savior Lutheran, visit oursaviormilford.com. “Majoring in the Minors” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the books of Hosea, Joel, Jonah, Micah, and Nahum. Although the books of these prophets are shorter, the Word of God they preached was important in the years leading up to the coming of the Christ, and that Word remains important for the Church today. Just as we still need to listen to their call to repentance over our idolatry, so we still need to heed their call to trust in the Savior, Jesus.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Siyum Masechet Avodah Zarah is dedicated with love and pride to Terri Krivosha from her husband, Rabbi Hayim Herring, her children, Tamar, Avi and Shaina, and her grandchildren, Noam, Liba, and Orly, for completing her first Daf Yomi cycle. You embody the words of Micah 6:8, and “do justice, love goodness, and walk modestly with HaShem.” A contradiction arises between the Mishna and a Mishna in Zevachim regarding the proper method for kashering a spit. Several sages present different approaches, prompting five proposed resolutions—though many are ultimately rejected. When it comes to kashering knives, the Mishna recommends polishing as the preferred method. However, Rav Ukva offers an alternative: inserting the knife into the ground ten times. The Masechet concludes with an intriguing anecdote involving the Persian king Shabur Malka, Mar Yehuda, and a Canaanite slave named Bati bar Tuvi. Before serving Mar Yehuda, the king inserts the knife into the ground, adhering to Rav Ukva’s method. Yet he omitted this step before serving Bati previously. When Bati questions the discrepancy, the king responds with a dismissive remark, implying that Bati lacks the same level of halachic stringency. In an alternate version of the story, the king’s reply is even more pointed and accusatory.

6/8. In Professor Eric Cline's After 1177 BC, The Survival of Civilizations, the Phoenicians and Cypriates are highlighted as "antifragile", flourishing in chaos. Phoenicians, surviving Canaanites, took over Mediterranean trade, spreading purple dye and standardizing the alphabet. Cypriates, original copper suppliers, pioneered iron metallurgy, disseminating both goods and techniques, possibly out of innovation rather than just necessity. They used their Mediterranean access to even buy off the Neo-Assyrians with tribute.

5/8. As discussed by Professor Eric Cline, the Philistines are definitively identified as part of the Sea Peoples, likely the "Pleset" mentioned by the Egyptians. They settled in five key cities, including Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Gaza. Archaeological and recent DNA evidence from children in Ashkelon shows a mix of local Canaanite and "other" (possibly Aegean/Sardinian/Spanish) ancestry, indicating their descendants were from the original Sea Peoples, confirming their identity and origins. 1ST CE, NAPLES

Here are eight segments, each summarizing content from Professor Eric Cline's work, with book titles and authors, limited to 75 words, and numbered as requested: 1/8. In Professor Eric Cline's books, 1177 BC, the year civilization collapsed and After 1177 BC, The Survival of Civilizations, the Uluburun shipwreck (c. 1300 BC) serves as a microcosm of Late Bronze Age globalization. Its cargo included 10 tons of copper from Cyprus and 1 ton of tin from Afghanistan, along with ebony and Canaanite jars, demonstrating a sophisticated, wide-ranging trade network connecting multiple civilizations across the Mediterranean. A solid gold scarab of Nefertiti helped date the wreck to around 1300 BC. 1879 PLSTO SYMPOSIUM, MUMICH                                                          

Today we explore one of the most surprising stories in Hebrews 11, the story of a Canaanite prostitute named Rahab, who comes to believe FULLY in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.How does she come to faith? Based on what she hears about God's faithfulness to His people!Turn in your Bibles to Hebrews 11:31 and Joshua 2 as we explore this incredible story and as we learn how this woman not only saves the lives of the Hebrew spies, but also is named in the very genealogy of Jesus!!(RAR2025EP36)

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“Waiting is not a waste.”~Mark Vroegop (author Dark Clouds, Deep Mercies, pastor, president of TGC)“In the waiting, in the searchingIn the healing, in the hurtingLike a blessing buried in the broken piecesEvery minute, every momentWhere I've been or where I'm goingEven when I didn't know itOr couldn't see itThere was Jesus.”~Zach Williams (Southern Rock artist), feat. Dolly Parton “Waters never part, until our feet get wet.”~Petra (Christian Rock group) “Life doesn't discriminateBetween the sinners and the saints.It takes and it takes and it takesAnd we keep living anyway.We rise and we fall and we break.And we make our mistakes.And if there's a reason I'm still aliveWhen so many have died,Then I'm willing toWait for it,Wait for it."~Leslie Odom Jr. as Aaron Burr in Lin Manuel-Miranda's Hamilton “The waiting is the hardest part.”~Tom Petty (Rock artist, 1950-2017) SERMON PASSAGEJoshua 3:1-3, 3:9-4:3 (NIV)Joshua 3 1 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it….” 9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” 14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.Joshua 4 1 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

Ability or Dependability? This week join Aaron with special guest Sean Butler as they unpack the Faithful fruit. In Scripture, the concept of faith is often misunderstood as mere belief or mental agreement. However, a deeper look at both the Hebrew (אָמֵן – aman, H539) and Greek (πιστεύω – pisteuō, G4100) roots reveals a fuller picture: faith is trustworthiness, reliability, and dependability—not just belief in God, but faithfulness to God. “The just shall live by his faith.” – Habakkuk 2:4 In both the Old and New Testaments, faith is consistently shown through action and loyalty. It's not enough to acknowledge God's existence; true faith manifests as consistent obedience and unwavering commitment to God's ways. This is why Abraham was counted righteous—not because he believed God existed, but because he trusted and obeyed Him. Moses, too, is called faithful in all God's house—not because of what he believed, but because of how he lived. Even Jesus commended individuals for their faith when He saw their actions—like the friends who lowered the paralytic through the roof (Matt. 9:2) or the Canaanite woman whose persistence led to her daughter's healing (Matt. 15:28). A faithful husband is not judged by his beliefs, but by his consistency, loyalty, and actions. Likewise, God calls His people to demonstrate faith by their dependability—by living lives that reflect His character. Faithfulness is Dependability ● Keeping commitments, even when it's hard. ● Trusting God's Word enough to live by it. ● Showing up consistently—for others and for God. ● Obeying when it's inconvenient. ● Being loyal to God's Kingdom over worldly pressures. Faith is more than ability. It's not about being strong, talented, or capable in ourselves—it's about being reliable and loyal to God, just as He is to us: "Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God." – Deuteronomy 7:9 Faithfulness is the Victory In the end, it's not ability but faithfulness that overcomes the world. “This is the victory that overcomes the world—even our faith.” – 1 John 5:4

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 on video over the next 23 years. Read more about it here: PROJECT23 Our text today is Judges 1:27-33: Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages, for the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land. When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not drive them out completely. And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them. Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them, but became subject to forced labor. Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon or of Ahlab or of Achzib or of Helbah or of Aphik or of Rehob, so the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out. Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, so they lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to forced labor for them. — Judges 1:27-33 It started small. One tribe didn't fully obey. Then another. Then another. Until compromise became the norm, Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, and Naphtali—all of them— failed to drive out the people God had commanded them to remove. And the language is chilling: they did not drive out… they lived among… What began as a delay turned into disobedience. Disobedience evolved into a cultural shift. Before long, coexisting with sin replaced conquering it. Here's the danger: when one man compromises, others will follow. When one tribe accepts partial obedience, others begin to believe it's acceptable. Spiritual apathy is contagious. It numbs courage. It silences conviction. And it spreads through passivity. As Christians, our influence carries weight. Your kids, your friends, your brothers, your church—they're all watching. Not to see perfection, but to see consistency. To see surrender. To see obedience even when it's hard. You may think your compromise only affects you. But it doesn't. It affects your circle. And eventually, it reshapes a culture. Don't underestimate the influence of your obedience—or your passivity. This is your call to drive out what needs to be driven out. Don't coexist with what God has called you to confront. Stand up today, even if others sit down. ASK THIS: What area of my life have I let slide because others around me have? Who's watching my obedience and learning from it? What sin or habit have I tolerated that God has clearly addressed? What would courageous obedience look like today? DO THIS: Identify one spiritual compromise you've tolerated due to others' influence, and take a stand to reject it. PRAY THIS: God, I don't want to blend in with spiritual apathy. Give me the courage to confront what others have ignored and to live fully surrendered to You. Amen PLAY THIS: "Give Me Faith."

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 on video over the next 23 years. Read more about it here: PROJECT23 Our text today is Judges 1:16-21: “And the descendants of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the city of palms into the wilderness of Judah, which lies in the Negeb near Arad, and they went and settled with the people. And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they defeated the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath and devoted it to destruction. So the name of the city was called Hormah. Judah also captured Gaza with its territory, and Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory. And the Lord was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they had chariots of iron. And Hebron was given to Caleb, as Moses had said. And he drove out from it the three sons of Anak. But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.” — Judges 1:16-21 At first glance, things still seem to be moving forward. Judah fights. Victories are won. Cities are claimed. Hormah is renamed after a devastating defeat of the Canaanites. Caleb continues to drive out giants. However, the cracks soon begin to appear. Judah takes the hill country, but they stop short in the plains. Why? Iron chariots. A visible enemy with intimidating strength. And then there's Benjamin. They don't even drive the enemy out. They just let them live there. This is where the shift happens. The faith-filled obedience we saw earlier begins to give way to fear-based compromise. The Lord was with Judah, but that didn't mean it would be easy. Obedience never guarantees comfort. It guarantees conflict with our flesh, our fears, and our enemy. And here's the truth: any area we leave unconquered becomes a future foothold for the enemy. What we tolerate today may torment us tomorrow. Compromise is subtle. We tell ourselves, “I've done enough.” Or “This part isn't so bad.” Or “It's too hard to deal with now.” But unfinished obedience is still disobedience. And letting sin live beside us only weakens our walk. So what have you left unfinished? What stronghold are you ignoring? Where have you stopped short of full surrender? Today's the day to pick up the fight again. Don't settle where God has called you to conquer. ASK THIS: Where have I grown passive in my obedience? What's the “iron chariot” I've been afraid to face? Am I tolerating sin that should be driven out? What would full obedience look like in this season? DO THIS: Identify one area of compromise and take one bold step toward obedience today. PRAY THIS: God, expose the places I've compromised. Give me the courage to fight again and finish what you've asked me to do. Amen PLAY THIS: "Battle Belongs."

The nation is on the doorstep of Canaan. In our Parsha, the people are instructed in how they must treat the Canaanite inhabitants of the land. It's not pleasant. The people are told that they must engage in total war against these nations. How do we understand the requirement to be so violent and aggressive […]

The nation is on the doorstep of Canaan. In our Parsha, the people are instructed in how they must treat the Canaanite inhabitants of the land. It's not pleasant. The people are told that they must engage in total war against these nations. How do we understand the requirement to be so violent and aggressive towards the Canaanite nations? What about the Canaanites who opt to join the nation? What is their status? In this podcast, we first explore the general notion of how to understand the Torah's instructions regarding the Canaanite policy, and then we explore a very interesting thread about the power of behavior and how it can get embedded in the spiritual DNA that we transmit to our descendants.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe's PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

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 on video over the next 23 years. Read more about it here: PROJECT23 Our text today is Judges 1:8-15: “And the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire. And afterward the men of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, in the Negeb, and in the lowland. And Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (now the name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-arba), and they defeated Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai. From there they went against the inhabitants of Debir. The name of Debir was formerly Kiriath-sepher. And Caleb said, ‘He who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give him Achsah my daughter for a wife.' And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, captured it. And he gave him Achsah his daughter for a wife. When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. And she dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, ‘What do you want?' She said to him, ‘Give me a blessing. Since you have set me in the land of the Negeb, give me also springs of water.' And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.” — Judges 1:8-15 The conquest continues—and Judah isn't slowing down. City by city, they obey and advance. But embedded in this war-torn section is a beautiful picture of legacy. Caleb—the same man who stood faithful back in Numbers—is still moving forward with bold faith. And he's pulling others into the fight. He throws down a challenge: “Whoever captures Debir gets my daughter's hand in marriage.” It's not just a reward—it's a call to courage and a test of sorts of the type of man he hoped would carry his legacy on. Othniel steps up. And Achsah, Caleb's daughter, isn't passive either. She asks her father for more land, then asks boldly for water. She's not greedy. She's confident. Courage, boldness, and bravery run in the family. This moment isn't about a single conquest; it's a story of leadership character. Caleb isn't just taking territory; he's building a family legacy. His faith didn't start and die in the desert. It grew stronger, and now it lives on through his extended family. Your faith wasn't meant to die with you. It was meant to inspire the next generation. You might not be capturing cities, but are you cultivating courage? Are you raising up sons, daughters, disciples, or friends who trust God boldly? Do those closest to you see a legacy worth following? Caleb didn't retire. He led. He gave. He kept walking in faith until his last breath. Pass on a spiritual legacy to someone today. ASK THIS: Am I building a legacy of faith or just surviving spiritually? Who is watching and learning from my walk with God? What bold step of obedience can I take today? How can I encourage courage in someone else's life? DO THIS: Share one spiritual lesson with someone younger today—something that's shaped your faith. PRAY THIS: Father, let my faith be contagious. Help me build a legacy that honors you and strengthens others. Amen PLAY THIS: "Build My Life."

There are moments where Jesus' words can be uncomfortable, especially if you were raised in western culture. We talk about what Jesus said and did regarding the Canaanite woman who asked for her daughter's healing.

Matthew 18:15 NIV “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. Matthew 18:19-20 NIV “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”POINT 1: VALUESJoshua 24:15 NIV But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”POINT 2: VOLUME Joshua 6:10 NIV But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!”Galatians 5:22 NIV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. POINT 3: VOW Joshua 1:3-7 NIV I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.Joshua 26:15 NIV But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Genesis 12:7-7 NIV Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring[a] I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 NIV When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Matthew 18:19-20 AMP “Again I say to you, that if two [a]believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them.”