Podcasts about canaanites

When God's people face impossible odds, where can we find lasting hope?Janet and Alexandra conclude their series on Judges 4-5, exploring Jael's defeat of Sisera and the stark contrast between Canaanite and Yahweh's treatment of women. They connect this story to Genesis 3:15 and reveal how Deborah and Jael point us to Christ—the ultimate deliverer who will defeat our enemy permanently.⁠Episode Transcript⁠Resources:PodcastsCrushing the Enemy's Head Part 1 - Joyful JourneyWebsitesRestoration Men's MinistryVisit the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joyful Journey website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to sign up for our newsletter, view a transcript, and search previous episodes.Emails us with questions or comments atjoyfuljourneyquestions@outlook.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate to Joyful Journey Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joyful Journey Podcast is a ministry of Faith Bible Seminary. All proceeds go to offset costs of this podcast and toward scholarships for women to receive their ⁠⁠⁠⁠MABC through Faith Bible Seminary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

There are two cults of ba'al: one worships this Canaanite storm deity by either appealing to his qualities of fertility or converting them to abortion, and another is paranoid and proud of their observations to the point they invoke the name of that god more often than the former group. The large number of celebrities converting to Christianity are being embraced without question and without concern for why they are still being pushed by the mainstream. They are drawing in those who would otherwise reject their content, lifesyle and worldview. Some people are burning Holy Bibles, too, but not because they hate God, instead because of masonry. Imagine chanting “Christ is King” as you toss a Bible into the fire. It appears the first cult has found a way to infiltrate and corrupt, to create a secondary cult in the name of Christ wherein people will chant ba'al more often than Jesus - or accept Jesus as a sterile image. Parallel to this is the burning of Moloch effigies in Iran. *The is the FREE archive, which includes advertisements. If you want an ad-free experience, you can subscribe below underneath the show description.WEBSITEFREE ARCHIVE (w. ads)SUBSCRIPTION ARCHIVE-X / TWITTERFACEBOOKINSTAGRAMYOUTUBERUMBLE-BUY ME A COFFEECashApp: $rdgable PAYPAL: rdgable1991@gmail.comRyan's Books: https://thesecretteachings.info EMAIL: rdgable@yahoo.com / rdgable1991@gmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-secret-teachings--5328407/support.

"But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel. And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few. So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name? And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the Lord taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the Lord shall take shall come by households; and the household which the Lord shall take shall come man by man. And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel. So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken: And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LordGod of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it." Joshua 7:1-21

2.23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.3.1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.7 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.”

This sermon explores the encounter between Jesus and the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15, examining what genuine, persistent faith looks like. The message challenges the common "Sunday school" perception of Jesus as only gentle and mild, revealing Him as also confrontational when addressing hypocrisy. Through the Canaanite woman's story, the sermon demonstrates that authentic faith is bold, humble, desperate, and unrelenting. It addresses the difficult reality that God is sometimes silent, but His silence is never absence—rather, it's an invitation to deeper trust. The woman's persistent pursuit of Jesus despite cultural barriers, silence, and seemingly harsh words reveals that great faith doesn't demand entitlement but cries out for mercy. The sermon emphasizes that faith isn't fragile but fierce, refusing to quit when obstacles arise, and that even a crumb of God's grace is sufficient to change everything.

ISAIAH REPEATEDLY condemned the practice of summoning spirits from the netherworld. It's not always apparent because translators often didn't have an understanding of the cult of the dead that surrounded ancient Israel, and the impact it had on the Israelites. After prophesying the imminent destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel by Assyria, the prophet condemned the people of Judah for turning to mediums and necromancers to ”inquire of the dead on behalf of the living”. Derek wrote about Isaiah 8:18–22 in The Second Coming of Saturn: The prophet described those who looked to the spirit realm for oracles as people who were already dead: They live in darkness, and they're “greatly distressed and hungry,” like the pagan dead of Mesopotamia who are not properly cared for by their descendants. In verse 21, Isaiah makes the connection to the dead explicit, writing that these unhappy souls will “pass through” the land. The Hebrew verb ‘ābar is based on the same root, ʿbr, from which we get ʿōberim—“Travelers,” as in the spirits of the dead who “travel” or “cross over” from the land of the dead to the world of the living; it's the same word used by the pagan Canaanites to describe the Rephaim summoned from the underworld through rituals to the threshing-floor of El on Mount Hermon.What Isaiah described is the punishment for those who defied God by using ritual pits to summon the spirits of the dead—they become like the unhappy dead themselves. When they realize their fate, “they will be enraged.” But in the context of the passage, with an understanding of the cult of the dead and the role of the “king” god in it, a better translation of the following sentence is this: “And they shall curse by Molek and by their ghosts.” (Elohay, the word translated “ghosts,” isn't always a reference to God. The basic meaning is “one who lives in the spirit realm.” Context is king, and here “ghosts” or “spirits” is a more accurate reading than “God.”)-- The Second Coming of Saturn, p. 188. Sharon's niece, Sarah Sachleben, has been 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 | @thebiblesgreatestmysteries• 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.

What if prayer isn't just something we do, but the place where our faith is formed? In this message, we explore Jesus' encounter with the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15 and discover a deeper, more resilient way of praying. Prayer is more than a discipline — it's the lifeline of our relationship with God and the source of everything that truly matters. What looks like silence or resistance from Jesus is actually divine formation. As this desperate mother cries out, kneels, and boldly contends, we see what authentic faith looks like: persistent, humble, and unwilling to let go. God's silence is not His absence, and delay is not denial — it's development. Jesus is still looking for faith-filled intercessors who will stay in the ring, contend with His promises, and keep pressing until breakthrough comes. This is the prayer that heals hearts, sets captives free, and changes lives.

ISAIAH REPEATEDLY condemned the practice of summoning spirits from the netherworld. It's not always apparent because translators often didn't have an understanding of the cult of the dead that surrounded ancient Israel, and the impact it had on the Israelites. After prophesying the imminent destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel by Assyria, the prophet condemned the people of Judah for turning to mediums and necromancers to ”inquire of the dead on behalf of the living”. Derek wrote about Isaiah 8:18–22 in The Second Coming of Saturn: The prophet described those who looked to the spirit realm for oracles as people who were already dead: They live in darkness, and they're “greatly distressed and hungry,” like the pagan dead of Mesopotamia who are not properly cared for by their descendants. In verse 21, Isaiah makes the connection to the dead explicit, writing that these unhappy souls will “pass through” the land. The Hebrew verb ‘ābar is based on the same root, ʿbr, from which we get ʿōberim—“Travelers,” as in the spirits of the dead who “travel” or “cross over” from the land of the dead to the world of the living; it's the same word used by the pagan Canaanites to describe the Rephaim summoned from the underworld through rituals to the threshing-floor of El on Mount Hermon. What Isaiah described is the punishment for those who defied God by using ritual pits to summon the spirits of the dead—they become like the unhappy dead themselves. When they realize their fate, “they will be enraged.” But in the context of the passage, with an understanding of the cult of the dead and the role of the “king” god in it, a better translation of the following sentence is this: “And they shall curse by Molek and by their ghosts.” (Elohay, the word translated “ghosts,” isn't always a reference to God. The basic meaning is “one who lives in the spirit realm.” Context is king, and here “ghosts” or “spirits” is a more accurate reading than “God.”) -- The Second Coming of Saturn, p. 188. 

What does it really mean to pray and how should we approach God? In this message from our AWAKEN series, Phil explores the mystery and gift of prayer: that we can speak to the God who spoke the world into being. While Scripture doesn't give a formula for guaranteed results, it does invite us into a growing, living relationship with God. Looking at Luke 11 and Jesus' teaching on prayer, we're reminded that prayer begins with recognising our need and approaching God with boldness, persistence, and even shameless audacity. Through examples like Abraham's conversation with God and the faith of the Canaanite woman, this message shows that God welcomes honest, courageous prayer that is rooted in confidence in His mercy and goodness. This is a call for us as individuals and as a church to wake up, stay alert, and become people who pray with faith, expectancy, and confidence that God is able to move.

Support Midgard Musings By Clicking Here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/MidgardMusings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to visit Fjallvaettir Workshop: Donate to my mother's-in-law GoFundMe for medical equipment upgrades: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gofund.me/43c134d0In this episode of Random Heathen Ramblings, I sit down with Killetz, a Canaanite polytheist Kohan (priest) for a wide-ranging conversation on comparative polytheism, lived tradition, and the deeper patterns that emerge when ancient religions are allowed to speak on their own terms. You can connect with Killetz by clicking any one of the links below, which also include the destination where you can pick up copies of books he's written.Youtube: The Kohan @KohanKilletz - https://youtube.com/@kohankilletz?si=mw8LHWtQCNLWhkdQInstagram: @KilletzSegalBooks on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B09WZMXW1Q

In this Bible study, Fr. Matthias Shehad continues his exploration of the book of Joshua, focusing on chapters 11 through 13. He discusses Joshua's final conquests in Canaan, highlighting the battles against a coalition of northern kings and the divine strategy that combined human effort with God's power. Fr. Matthias explains the significance of God's commands to utterly destroy the Canaanite kings and the role of Joshua in faithfully carrying out Moses' instructions. He also covers the comprehensive list of thirty-one defeated kings and the division of the land among the Israelite tribes by lot, emphasizing the cooperation between divine will and human action. Fr. Matthias addresses the tribe of Levi's unique inheritance and the ongoing presence of unconquered lands, setting the stage for future battles. Throughout, he reflects on faith, obedience, and the spiritual dynamics of hardening of hearts and repentance in the biblical narrative. Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhouston Follow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhouston Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhouston Visit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

Message by Doug Bunnell, recorded live January 25, 2026 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by Laurie Bunnell.Blessed to BlessWe are a blessed people, and we are to be a blessing.Why do you think God asked Abram to leave his country, people, and father's household?How does this passage connect to God's larger plan for humanity?Is there an area where God is asking you to trust Him without giving full details?In what ways has God blessed you so that you can bless others?How does Abram's obedience challenge your understanding of faith?Genesis 12:1-712 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother's son Lot and all the possessions that they had gathered and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran, and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

[Exodus 3:17] I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey--the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live."'Some people see __________________, while others see __________________.[Numbers 13:30-33] But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. "Let's go at once to take the land," he said. "We can certainly conquer it!" [31] But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. "We can't go up against them! They are stronger than we are!" [32] So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: "The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. [33] We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that's what they thought, too!"Faith doesn't deny obstacles it __________________ them through God.[Numbers 14:10] But the whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb.It takes endurance to stand in the face of __________________.[Numbers 14:24] But my servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land.Waiting isn't __________________ as long as your faith stays __________________.[Joshua 14:10-12] "Now, as you can see, the LORD has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise--even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old. [11] I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. [12] So give me the hill country that the LORD promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the LORD is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the LORD said."Mature faith doesn't ask for __________________ it asks for an __________________.[Judges 3:9-11] But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, the LORD raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Othniel, the son of Caleb's younger brother, Kenaz. [10] The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he became Israel's judge. He went to war against King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram, and the LORD gave Othniel victory over him. [11] So there was peace in the land for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.__________________ is formed through obedience.[James 1:3-4] For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. [4] So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

Study the daily lesson of Sefer HaMitzvos for day 337 with Rabbi Mendel Kaplan, where he teaches the mitzvah in-depth with added insight and detail.

Study the daily lesson of Sefer HaMitzvos for day 337 with Rabbi Mendel Kaplan, where he teaches the mitzvah in-depth with added insight and detail.

Friday, 30 January 2026   When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” Matthew 16:13   “And Jesus, having come to the allotments – Caesarea, the Phillipi, He entreated His disciples, saying, ‘Whom they say, the men, Me to be, the Son of Man?'” (CG).   In the previous verse, the disciples finally clued in to what Jesus was trying to teach them. His words about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees were speaking of their evil doctrine. Matthew now continues the narrative of their time after arriving on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, saying, “And Jesus, having come to the allotments – Caesarea, the Phillipi.”   A new word, Kaisareia, Caesarea, is introduced. It is derived from Kaisar, Caesar, a Latin word referring to the title of the Roman Emperor. Caesarea refers to two places in the area of Israel. The first is this location, Caesarea Philippi. Of this location, Albert Barnes says –   “There were two cities in Judea called Caesarea. One was situated on the borders of the Mediterranean (See the notes at Acts 8:40), and the other was the one mentioned here. This city was greatly enlarged and ornamented by Philip the tetrarch, son of Herod, and called Caesarea in honor of the Roman emperor, Tiberius Caesar. To distinguish it from the other Caesarea the name of Philip was added to it, and it was called Caesarea Philippi, or Caesarea of Philippi. It was situated in the boundaries of the tribe of Naphtali, at the foot of Mount Hermon.”   Having come to this general area, “He entreated His disciples, saying, ‘Whom they say, the men, Me to be, the Son of Man?'” Translations consider His words in one of two ways. One is “Whom do men say that I am? The Son of Man?”, or “Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”   The latter is correct. Jesus has referred to Himself as the Son of Man nine times already, making this the tenth. Peter's answer will also show that He is not asking if people say He is the Son of Man. Rather, He is asking what He, the Son of Man, is called by others. He is preparing them for a great pronouncement by asking this probing question first.   Life application: Jesus came to His own country in Matthew 13:53-58. He was rejected by them. In Matthew 14:1-12, the account of the beheading of John the Baptist was given. That was followed by the feeding of the five thousand in Matthew 14:13-21.   Jesus then walked on the sea, as is recorded in Matthew 14:22-33. From there, they came to the area of Gennesaret, at which time He fully saved all who simply touched Him. In Matthew 15:1-20, it then noted the traditions of the Jews which Jesus condemned, explaining that what comes out of a man is what defiles, not what enters into him.   That was then followed by His journey to the allotments of Tyre and Sidon, where the faith of the Canaanite woman was noted, and her daughter was saved. After that, Jesus went around the Sea of Galilee to the eastern side of it. There, He healed many and eventually fed four thousand. After feeding them, they crossed the Galilee, coming to the region of Magdala.   While there, He was accosted by the Pharisees and Sadducees who looked for a sign from heaven. He told them no sign would be given but the sign of Jonah. Once that was complete, they once again crossed the Sea of Galilee to the eastern side, being instructed on the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Now in the account, they have remained on this eastern side and gone north to the area of Caesarea Philippi.   This crisscrossing of the land and the Sea of Galilee all has a purpose. Jesus' movements are being used as a walking instructional tool in what God is doing in redemptive history. It is good to stop and reconsider where He has gone and where He is at any given time. By considering these things, we can follow what God is doing in reconciling the world to Himself through Jesus.   Each area visited, each topographical marker that is mentioned, and each thing Jesus does is being woven into a marvelous tapestry for us to ponder and learn from. Keep paying attention to the details, both from a micro and macro viewpoint. God is telling us a story of humanity's long trek back to Him, and it is all centered on Jesus.   Lord God, it would make no sense for You to send Your Son into the world unless there was something to be gained from it. His life of trials and burdens, culminating in His cross and resurrection, tells us that there is a great plan that has been put in place to bring Your people to a place we cannot even imagine at this time. We are grateful to be on this journey because of Jesus! Thank You for the sure hope we possess. Amen.

Garth Heckman The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com      A. Twelve disciples chosen and commissioned. 1. (Matthew 10:1-4) The twelve disciples are listed. And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. a. When He had called His twelve disciples to Him: The main feature of this list is its diversity. Jesus chose His disciples from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. About all they had in common was it seems that none of them were privileged or from backgrounds of high status. This is very much in the spirit of 1 Corinthians 1:26-29. b. He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease: Jesus did not only call the twelve; He also gave them power to do what He had called them to do. The same principle holds true today: whom God calls, God equips. The equipping may not be completely evident before the ministry begins, but it will be evident along the way. c. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: These twelve (excepting Judas, of course), have an important place in God's plan of redemption, including some particular role in the future judgment (Matthew 19:28), and in the founding of the church (Ephesians 2:20). The Bible promises that their position and work will be remembered through eternity (Revelation 21:14). i. This is the first and only time in Matthew that the twelve are called apostles. “The word apostle literally means one who is sent out; it is the word for an envoy or an ambassador.” (Barclay) “Called here for the first and last time apostoloi, with reference at once to the immediate minor mission and to the later great one.” (Bruce) The word apostle can mean a mere messenger, as in John 13:16, referring to he who is sent. Jesus is called an apostle in Hebrews 3:1: consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. Paul sometimes used the word in the sense of messengers or representatives, as in 2 Corinthians 8:23: they are messengers [apostles] of the churches; possibly also in Romans 16:7. Yet Paul also used the term in a more narrow sense, referring to the Twelve and himself by special dispensation (1 Corinthians 9:1-5 and 15:7-10; Galatians 1:17 and 1:19 following).

What is the prominence of idolatrous warnings in our chapter?Why do we hear - twice - a list of abhorrent sexual practices?And how does this relate to "Hukot Hagoy" - the notion of the ambient culture of Canaan.Today we explain the unit of ch.18-20 and what it seeks to say about the Torah's ethical lifestyle in contrast to the degenerate ways of the Canaanite nations.

Episode Synopsis:Is the Illuminati just a group of maniacal human beings hell-bent on world domination, or is it really a secret occult group influenced by demonic forces and fueled by supernatural power centers?We talk about this and much more, including:What are Illuminati Power Centers?How does the Illuminati use power centers to build out the Satanic Control Matrix?Who were the gods of the Canaanites?How does the Canaanite Order impact the world today?How can modern social norms be extensions of Canaanite ritual practices?Original Air DateJanuary 28th, 2026Show HostsJason Spears & Christopher DeanOur PatreonConsider joining our Patreon Squad and becoming a Tier Operator to help support the show and get access to exclusive content like:Links and ResourcesStudio NotesA monthly Zoom call with Jason and Christopher And More…ORP ApparelMerch StoreConnect With UsLetsTalk@ORPpodcast.comFacebookInstagram

"And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host; And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you. And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people. And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God. And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.4 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night. Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man: And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:" Joshua 3-4:5

When concluded our last reading, we found ourselves in the middle of an account concerning Abraham's servant and Isaac's future wife Rebekah. Abraham didn't want Isaac marrying a Canaanite woman, so he sent a messenger to find a wife for his son from among his own people. The servant recounts what happened in the last episode almost verbatim, so if you get a bit of déjà vu, don't worry. We'll see that the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree as we read about Isaac and Rebekah. Later, we'll be introduced to Isaac's sons: Esau & Jacob.Genesis 24:29-67 - 1:06 . Genesis 25 - 8:39 .Psalm 17 - 14:11 . :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Is the bread of children to be thrown to the dogs? When a Canaanite woman presses Jesus for mercy, she responds with profound faith that even the crumbs from the Master's table are enough. In this episode of The Magnificent 37, we see Jesus extend His saving work beyond the borders of Israel. From the healing of the Syrophoenician woman's daughter to the Feeding of the 4,000 (a distinct miracle in Gentile territory), Christ reveals that His compassion and His bread are for all nations.   The Rev. Jacob Hercamp, pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Noblesville, IN, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Matthew 15:21–28 and Mark 8:1–9.   To learn more about Christ Lutheran, visit clc-in.org. Thy Strong Word kicks off the new year by dedicating our time to study "The Magnificent 37: The Miracles of Jesus." Christ didn't just speak the Word; He demonstrated it with power. From the quiet intimacy of water turning to wine at Cana to the earth-shaking reality of the empty tomb, the Gospels record thirty-seven distinct moments where Jesus suspended the laws of nature to reveal the power of his grace. This isn't just a list of "neat tricks" from history. It is a systematic walkthrough of how God breaks into our broken world to fix it. Why did Jesus curse a fig tree? Why did He need mud to heal a blind man? What does the coin in the fish's mouth teach us about being citizens of heaven and earth?  Host, Pastor Phil Booe and a lineup of guest pastors will take you through each event, verse by verse. We'll move past the Sunday School summary and get into the meat of the text, including the Old Testament connections, the cultural context, and the immediate comfort these signs bring to your life today.   Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

It's impossible to go through life without being injured by others, just as it's impossible to go through life without being the one who causes injury to others. Each of us is afflicted with a spiritual disease called "sin" which produces rebellion toward God and selfishness. The result of living in a sinful world is that everybody carries scars which are left when others sin against us. Over the past few weeks we have studied some tragic mistakes Jacob made in the way he parented his children: he unnecessarily exposed them to Canaanite culture (Ge 33:18,19), he showed flagrant favoritism (Ge 33:1,2; 37:3,4), he passively refused to protect the honor of a daughter (Ge 34:1-31) and he tolerated demonic worship among his family (Ge 35:2,4). In doing so, he scarred all of his children one way or another, but today we'll particularly focus on the damage it did to his three oldest sons: Reuben, Simeon and Levi, because the way each reacted shows what can happen when bitterness is left unchecked. Sadly, their reaction caused the impact of their father's sin to extend much further than was necessary. Though they were not responsible for what Jacob did to them as a parent, God did hold them responsible for the sinful way they responded. Each in turn lost his birthright, which meant he forfeited the right to lead their family. Their example should be a warning to us how not to handle our deep scars the way they did, but to take them to God. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.    

Pastor Thomas delivers a powerful message on persisting faith, centered on Matthew 15:21–28.Through the story of the Canaanite woman, we are challenged to reflect on a faith that does not give up in the face of silence, resistance, or delay. This message highlights the kind of faith that presses forward, remains humble, and trusts God even when the answer doesn't come immediately.A timely and encouraging word for anyone who feels tested, overlooked, or weary, yet chooses to keep believing. This sermon reminds us that persistent faith moves the heart of God and opens the door to breakthrough.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into A Brief History of Ancient Israel by Victor H. Matthews — a concise but thought-provoking survey of one of the most complex civilizations in human history.Rather than retelling biblical stories at face value, Matthews asks a harder question: what can we actually know about ancient Israel when we compare the Bible with archaeology, ancient Near Eastern records, and historical method? From the patriarchs and the Exodus to the rise of the monarchy, the divided kingdoms, exile, and return, this episode explores how history, memory, and identity intertwine.We discuss: • Whether the patriarchs and Exodus reflect history, collective memory, or both • How Israel likely emerged from within Canaanite society • What archaeology really says about David, Solomon, and the monarchy • How trauma, exile, and foreign empires reshaped Israelite religion • Why ancient Israel survives not through power, but through text and traditionKeywords: Judaism, Old Testament, the Bible, history, and books Please consider supporting my patreon. Thank you for your support.https://www.patreon.com/posts/148872905?utm_campaign=postshare_creator

In this episode of the Those We Don't Speak Of Series Pt. 27 we return with the fourth episode of the Canaanite and Pagan influences of Judaism and see what the chosen ones stole, borrowed and co-opted from the cultures they came into contact with. This time we continue with the evidence of taking from other peoples but specifically focus on rituals and customs and where they may have originated. This is another one sure to bring some ancient history surprises so, come with me down the rabbit hole, far beyond the mainstream! Hey, if you like this one, please listen to the entire Those We Don't Speak Of series and share with friends. Cheers and Blessings.Support My Workhttps://www.patreon.com/theoddmanoutBuy Me A Coffee!https://buymeacoffee.com/theoddmanoutVenmo Tips - @theoddmanoutCash App Tips - https://cash.app/$theoddmanout   T-shirts, Mugs and Stickers - The Odd Man Out Merch Store At Bonfire https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-odd-man-out/TeeSpring https://theoddmanout.creator-spring.com/All Links https://linktr.ee/_theoddmanoutOddman Rumble https://rumble.com/user/TheOddManOut

In this episode of the Those We Don't Speak Of Series Pt. 27 we return with the fourth episode of the Canaanite and Pagan influences of Judaism and see what the chosen ones stole, borrowed and co-opted from the cultures they came into contact with. This time we continue with the evidence of taking from other peoples but specifically focus on rituals ans customs and where they may have originated. This is another one sure to bring some ancient history surprises so, come with me down the rabbit hole, far beyond the mainstream! Hey, if you like this one, please listen to the entire Those We Don't Speak Of series and share with friends.   Cheers and Blessings  #share   Support My Work https://www.patreon.com/theoddmanout   Buy Me A Coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/theoddmanout   Venmo Tips - @theoddmanout   Cash App Tips - https://cash.app/$theoddmanout     T-shirts, Mugs and Stickers  The Odd Man Out Merch Store At Bonfire  https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-odd-man-out/   TeeSpring  https://theoddmanout.creator-spring.com/   All Links  https://linktr.ee/_theoddmanout   Oddman Rumble  https://rumble.com/user/TheOddManOut   Please check out my Podcasting Family over at Alternate Current Radio. You will find a plethora of fantastic talk, and music shows including the flagship Boiler Room, as well as The Daily Ruckus! https://alternatecurrentradio.com/   Fringe Radio Network- Radio on the Fringe!   http://fringeradionetwork.com   Social Media: _theoddmanout on Twitter, and Instagram       Facebook https://www.facebook.com/theoddcastfttheoddmanout   Other Episodes In This Series-   Ep. 51 Kabbalah Secrets w/ DeAnne Loper  https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-51-kabbalah-secrets-w-deanne-loper/ Pt. 1 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-117-those-we-don-t-speak-of-pt-1/ Pt. 2 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-119-those-we-don-t-speak-of-pt-2/ Pt. 3 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-120-those-we-don-t-speak-of-pt-3/ Pt. 4 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-121-those-we-don-t-speak-of-pt-4/ Pt. 5 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-128-those-we-don-t-speak-of-pt-5/ Pt. 6 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-131-those-we-don-t-speak-of-pt-6/ Pt. 7 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-137-those-we-don-t-speak-of-pt-7/ Pt. 8 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-140-those-we-don-t-speak-of-pt-8/ Pt. 9 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-143-those-we-don-t-speak-of-pt-9/ Pt. 10 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-145-those-we-don-t-speak-of-pt-10/ Pt. 11 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-160-those-we-don-t-speak-of-pt-9/ Pt. 12 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-161-those-we-don-t-speak-of-pt-12/ Pt. 13 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-164-those-we-don-t-speak-of-pt13/ Pt. 14 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-165-those-we-don-t-speak-of-pt-14/ Pt. 15 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-170-those-we-dont-speak-of-pt-15/ Pt. 16 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-171-those-we-dont-speak-of-pt-16/ Pt. 17 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-172-those-we-dont-speak-of-pt-17/ Pt. 18 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-176-those-we-dont-speak-of-pt-18/ Pt. 19 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-199-those-we-dont-speak-of-pt-19/ Pt. 20 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-209-those-we-dont-speak-of-pt-20/ Pt. 21 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-210-those-we-don-t-speak-of-pt-21/ Pt. 22 https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-vh9w4-1989f0f Pt. 23 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-212-canaanite-pagan-influences-2-twdso-pt-23/ Pt. 24 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-213-canaanite-pagan-influence-3-twdso-pt24/ Pt. 25 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-214-those-we-dont-speak-of-pt-25/ Pt. 26 https://theoddmanout.podbean.com/e/ep-215-torah-has-endless-meanings/   Intro Song Diabolitical Man By Odd Man Out.   Listen or Download Here: We Are The Conspiracy Songs | ReverbNation http://reverbnation.com/wearetheconspiracy   A special Thank You to my supporters who contributed to this episode. You are very much appreciated.       Their Order Is Not Our Order!

Rev. Prof. Brian Klebig was preacher for this service. Genesis 24:1-4: Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

Order of Service: - Prelude - Hymn 172 - Songs of Thankfulness and Praise: vv. 1, 2 - Genesis 24:1-4: Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” - Devotion - Prayer - Hymn 172 - Songs of Thankfulness and Praise: vv. 3, 4 - Blessing - Postlude Service Participants: Rev. Prof. Brian Klebig (Preacher), Hannah Caauwe (Organist)

Jehu was God's weapon of judgment upon Ahab and Jezebel. He carried out his mission with intensity and zeal. Although God has not called the church to violence, we should, nevertheless, imitate Jehu's zeal in our mission to love. 1 Kings 16:30-33 Ahab did more to provoke God to anger than all the kings of Israel who came before him. He introduced and sponsored the worship of Canaanite gods, including Baal and Asherah. His wife, Jezebel of Sidon, was a religious zealot who relentlessly persecuted the prophets of Yahweh, including Elijah (1 Kgs. 19:2). 1 Kings 21:5-7 When righteous Naboth refused to sell his vineyard to Ahab, Jezebel took matters into her own hands. After she had Naboth executed, Ahab took possession of his neighbor's plot. 1 Kings 19:15-17; 21:19-29 God ordained that Jehu become king instead of Ahab. This Jehu would be God's weapon of vengeance upon Ahab's house. 2 Kings 9:4-13 After a young prophet anointed the military commander, Jehu, king, his officers immediately supported his bid for the throne. 2 Kings 9:30-31 Jehu first confronted and the reigning king Joram, Ahab's son. Then he came for Jezebel. Next, he arranged for the death of all Ahab's seventy sons. 2 Kings 10:18-19 Last of all, Jehu killed as many worshipers of Baal as he could and turned the temple into a latrine. John 3:16-17 Jesus is the true and better Jehu. However, God did not send him to condemn the world, but to save it. Revelation 19:11-16 Nevertheless, when Jesus comes again, he will come in judgment, making Jehu's zeal look small in comparison. Pastor Sean uses the Bible version NRSVUEThe post Forgotten Kings: Jehu first appeared on Living Hope.

In January 19th's exhortation, Stewart Jordan reads from Numbers 14 where Israel fears the Canaanites but God reminds them that it is not armies or circumstances that rule the day — it is his covenant passion.

Saturday, 17 January 2026   And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala. Matthew 15:39   Note: You can listen to today's commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)   You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).   “And having dismissed the crowds, He in-stepped into the boat, and He came to the borders of Magdala” (CG).   In the previous verse, it was noted that there were four thousand men, besides women and children, who comprised the multitudes Jesus fed. With that portion of the narrative complete, and to close out the chapter, Matthew next notes, “And having dismissed the crowds, He in-stepped into the boat.”   They have been on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. With this cycle of attending to a Gentile woman in the allotments of Tyre and Sidon noted, followed by a time in the Gentile-led eastern regions near the Decapolis completed, He got into a boat, “and He came to the borders of Magdala.”   This is a location not named this way anywhere else in Scripture. Some manuscripts note the location as Magadan, meaning Megiddo, but that is incorrect based on Matthew 16:5, which notes they are still in the region of the lake. Rather, the town Magdala in Hebrew is Migdal-el, Tower of God, a city of Naphtali recorded in Joshua 19:38.   This is also known as Al-Majdal (Mejdel) on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, north of Tiberias. Mark 8:10 notes that when they got in the boat, they came to the allotments of Dalmanutha. Saying it this way, there is no contradiction to be found. Just as Jesus went to the “allotments” of Tyre and Sidon, meaning the surrounding areas, in Matthew 15:21, so they went to Magdala in the allotments, meaning the surrounding areas, of Dalmanutha.   Life application: Chapter 15 of Matthew gives a picture of what is going on in the world from the time Jesus fulfilled the law until the rapture. The verses, though literally occurring at the time of Jesus, point to truths after the completion of Jesus' ministry. The New Covenant is now what God is doing in the world. Israel as a whole, however, rejected that.   Though they no longer observe the Law of Moses, they remain bound to it. During this dispensation, they are spiritually led by rabbis, both in their writings in the Talmud as well as in their cultural and religious life.   These are reflected by the scribes and Pharisees who came from Jerusalem (verse 1) to challenge Jesus. Paul explains in Galatians 4:21-31 that the earthly Jerusalem reflects them and their teaching. The main point for now says –   “But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, 24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— 25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— 26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.” Galatians 4:23-26   In verses 2-9, Jesus explains the state of Israel at this time, living by the laws of men rather than by the law of God. After the introduction of the New Covenant, the law of God is not the Law of Moses. Rather, that is fulfilled.   At this time, religious Israel draws near to the Lord with their lips, but their hearts, because of their rejection of Jesus, are far away from Him.   In verse 11, Jesus stated that what goes into the mouth does not defile. Rather, what comes out of it does. Though that was a truth concerning the traditions of these elders, it is a truth that is spiritually seen in Israel to this day. They refuse to proclaim Jesus.   This is their defilement. But what does Paul say concerning this? In Romans 10, he says –   “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:8-13   The only thing that can cleanse a person from sin is Jesus. Anything else, meaning any other proclamation, defiles that person. As such, Jesus says in verse 14 to let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind, and both will fall into a pit.   In verse 15, Jesus reexplained to dull Peter (later, the Apostle to the Jews) the matter of the heart and what it is that causes defilement. While Israel remains in their state of defilement because of their oral proclamations, something else takes place. This is seen in verse 21, where Jesus “went out from there,” meaning from the Jewish people to the allotments of Tyre and Sidon, a Gentile area.   Tyre (Hebrew: Tsor) signifies Rock. While Israel abandoned their Rock, the Gentiles received Him. That this is speaking of Christ is seen, for example, in Deuteronomy 32:32, where it says, “For their rock is not like our Rock.” There are those who are confident in their rock (tsur), and yet their rock is not the Lord who is the Rock (tsur).   Sidon (Hebrew: Tsidon) signifies Fishery. It is a place for catching fish. Everyone is like a fish. When Jesus said to Simon and Andrew that they would be fishers of men, He meant that men are like fish to be caught.   While in this area (verse 22), a Canaanite woman came to Jesus and begged for compassion for her demon-possessed daughter. Canaan signifies Humbled, Humiliated, or even Subdued. She pictures those of faith who have humbled themselves before the word of Christ.   The issue is the daughter. In Scripture, a son or a daughter is representative of the state of something. A “son of death,” for example, is a person deserving of death. That is his state. A daughter, in this case, is the state of a group of people, such as “daughter of Jerusalem,” “daughter of Tarshish,” etc. What is the state of the Daughter of the Humbled who are also Gentiles?   Jesus said in verse 24 that He had come “if not to the sheep, the ‘having been lost' – House Israel.” Despite there being a New Covenant, with whom was that covenant made? The answer is found in both Jeremiah and Hebrews –   “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” Jeremiah 31:31   The early church did not understand that the word was to go to the Gentiles. That is a major subject found in Acts. It is representative of the disciples' comments found previously in verse 23 when they told Jesus to dismiss her.   It literally took an act of God to get them to see that the New Covenant included Gentiles, first with the Ethiopian eunuch and then the house of Cornelius. Jesus' calling, though, to redeem the House of Judah and Israel, is inclusive of the Gentiles of faith, as seen in this account. It is something prophesied in Isaiah 49:6, but which is revealed in typology here.   The woman was told that it wasn't “good to take the children's bread and cast to the puppies.” In the Bible, dogs represent Gentiles. That is seen in the Caleb series of sermons. Caleb, kalev, is from kelev, dog. It is also seen in the account of Gideon and his men, who lapped like dogs, a typological picture dealing with the Gentiles.   The woman didn't argue Jesus' point. Instead, she noted that “even the puppies – he eats from the crumbs, the ‘falling from their master's table.” Jesus thus remarked concerning her great faith, something evidenced in the Gentile world. At that time, it noted the child was cured. Salvation, in fact, is also directed to the Gentiles. They are brought into the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12).   From there, verse 29 said of Jesus that “He went near the Sea of the Galilee, and having ascended to the mountain, He sat there.” The Galilee has previously been explained as “the Liberty.” It is a picture of freedom from sin. As sin stems from a violation of law, it ultimately signifies freedom from law.   A mountain in the Bible represents a lot of something gathered. In typology, it is synonymous with a large but centralized group of people. Though it is only stated in Mark, the last area noted was the Decapolis, a Gentile controlled area.   Thus, this is typologically referring to a large but centralized group (meaning under Jesus) of Gentile people. The Canaanite woman already established that, but this is an extension of the thought, explaining the result of the dispensation of the Gentiles. In other words, “What will happen in the world once it is established that Gentiles are to be included in the New Covenant?”   In verses 30 and 31, multitudes came to Jesus for healing, so many that they were strewn about Him. It is reflective of the broken Gentile world coming to Christ for healing and salvation. As many came, He healed them so that “they glorified the God of Israel.”   As noted at that time, the term is unique in the New Testament. It suggested the presence of Gentiles on the mountain, but it typologically asserts this fact. Paul's ministry literally shouts out the parallel to this thought in Matthew –   “Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.” Acts 19:11, 12   Was the God of Israel glorified through this? The answer is found in Romans –   “Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, 9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: ‘For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name.'” Romans 15:8, 9   And...   “For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient— 19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” Romans 15:18, 19   In verses 32-38, the feeding of the four thousand is recorded. Jesus said they had been with Him three days. In Scripture, three “stands for that which is solid, real, substantial, complete, and entire. ... Hence the number three points us to what is real, essential, perfect, substantial, complete, and Divine.” Bullinger   The time these people have been with Jesus speaks of a divine fullness, something reflected in Romans 11:25, “that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” It goes right back to the state of Israel, noted in Matthew 15:14, where the blind are leading the blind.   While Israel is blinded, the blind of the Gentiles (Matthew 15:31) are brought to sight. The miracle of the bread (think of Jesus, the Bread of Life) and fish (a word which signifies “increase” in Hebrew) speaks of the immense harvest. There were seven loaves, the number of spiritual perfection, and a few tiddlers. However, they were enough to feed the multitude of four thousand. The number is a product of four and tens.   Four is the number of material creation, the world number. It speaks of the entirety of the world hearing the gospel, just as Jesus said it would. Ten is the number where nothing is wanting, and the whole cycle is complete. The entire world of the Gentiles will be evangelized before the end comes.   To demonstrate the immense harvest that will be realized in the church age, the baskets of fragments were collected, totaling seven large baskets. Notice the difference from the feeding of the five thousand –   “And they ate all, and they gorged, and they lifted the superabounding pieces – twelve handbaskets full. 21And those eating, they were about five thousand men, besides women and children.”   “And they ate all, and they gorged, and the superabounding of the fragments they lifted – seven hampers full. 38And those eating, they were four thousand men, besides women and children.”   Whereas a remnant of the twelve tribes of Israel represented by the twelve small handbaskets (Greek: kophinos) was collected, there will be an immense harvest of the seven churches (as defined in Revelation 2 & 3), represented by the seven large hampers (Greek: spuris).   The chapter ended with a location only mentioned here in Scripture, saying of Jesus, “And having dismissed the crowds, He in-stepped into the boat, and He came to the borders of Magdala.”   The town Magdala in Hebrew is Migdal-el, Tower of God, a city of Naphtali recorded in Joshua 19:38. Migdal El is contrasted to the tower of man, meaning Babel and all that accompanies her. Thus, this is implicitly a picture of the ending of the church age, where believers are delivered from the Babylon of the end times recorded in Revelation.   To understand why these conclusions have been made, one should refer to the descriptions of these locations found in the Old Testament sermons given by the Superior Word. Each location, number, or other reference has been drawn from the information already recorded there. Thus, the typology is not new. It has already been seen and has been reused without change, confirming that this analysis of Matthew 15 is sound.   Lord God, Your word is beyond amazing. It is a lifeline for the soul caught in despair. It is a treasure for the seeker of riches. It is a guide for the path of our lives. And Lord, it is so much more. It is so glorious to enter into its pages and find rest for our souls in the Person of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Thank You for this precious word. Amen. Matthew 15   15 Then they came to Jesus from Jerusalem, scribes and Pharisees, saying, 2“Through what – Your disciples, they sidestep the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they may eat bread.”   3And answering, He said, to them, “Through what – also you, you sidestep the ‘God's commandment' through your tradition? 4For God, He enjoined, saying, ‘You honor your father and your mother,' and the ‘disparaging father or mother,' death – he expires!' 5And you, you say, ‘Whoever, he should say to father or mother, “Gift – whatever if from me you should benefit.”' 6And no, not he should honor his father or his mother. And you invalidated God's commandment through your tradition. 7Hypocrites! Well, Isaiah, he prophesied concerning you, saying,   8‘He neared Me, this people – the mouth, And the lips – he honors Me, And their heart, it distances far from Me. 9And vainly they revere Me,  Teaching instructions – men's injunctions.'”   10And having summoned the crowd, He said to them, “You hear and comprehend! 11Not the ‘entering into the mouth' it profanes the man, but the ‘proceeding from the mouth,' this, it profanes the man.”   12Then His disciples, having come near, they said to Him, “You have known that the Pharisees, having heard the saying, they stumbled!” 13And having answered, He said, “Every planting that not He planted, My heavenly Father, it will be uprooted. 14You leave them! They are blind, blind-conductors. And blind, if they should conduct, both – they will fall into a pit.”   15And Peter, having answered, he said to Him, “You expound to us this parable.”   16And Jesus, He said, “And yet, you, you are unintelligent! 17Not yet you grasp that all, the ‘entering into the mouth,' into the stomach it contains, and into the john it ejects? 18And those proceeding from the mouth, it comes from the heart, and those, it commonizes the man. 19For from the heart, they come: evil meanderings, murders, adulteries, harlotries, thefts, false-witnessings, blasphemies. 20These, they are, the ‘defiling the man,' but to eat with unwashed hands, not it defiles the man.”   21And having departed thence, Jesus, He withdrew to the allotments – Tyre and Sidon. 22And you behold! A Canaanite woman from those same borders, having come, she cried to Him, saying, “You compassionate me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter, she is demon possessed-badly.”   23And He answered not a word.   And having approached, His disciples, they entreated Him, saying, “You dismiss her! For she cries after us.”   24And answering, He said, “Not, I was sent, if not to the sheep, the ‘having been lost' – House Israel.”   25And having come, she worshipped Him, saying, “Lord, You rush-relieve me!”   26And answering, He said, “It is not good to take the children's bread and cast to the puppies.”   27And she said, “Yes, Lord. And even the puppies – he eats from the crumbs, the ‘falling from their master's table.'”   28Then, Jesus answering, He said to her, “O! Woman, your faith is great! It become to you as you determine.” And she's cured, her daughter, from that hour.   29And having departed thence, Jesus, He went near the Sea of the Galilee, and having ascended to the mountain, He sat there. 30And they came to Him, great crowds, having with them lame, cripples, blind, mutes, and others – many, and they strewed them near Jesus' feet, and He healed them. 31So too, the crowds marveled, seeing mutes speaking, cripples healthy, lame walking, and blind seeing, and they glorified the God of Israel.   32And Jesus, having summoned His disciples, He said, “I gut-wrench upon the crowd because already three days they bivouac with Me, and naught they have that they may eat. And I wish not to dismiss them unfed, not lest they should collapse in the way.”   33And the disciples, they say to Him, “Whence to us in solitude – loaves so many as to gorge a crowd so vast?”   34And He says to them, Jesus, “How many loaves do you have?”   And they said, “Seven, and a few tiddlers.”   35And He ordered the crowds to sit upon the ground. 36And having taken the seven loaves and the fish, and having thanked, He broke, and He gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the crowd. 37And they ate, all, and they gorged, and the superabounding of the fragments they lifted – seven hampers full. 38And those eating, they were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39And having dismissed the crowds, He in-stepped into the boat, and He came to the borders of Magdala.

Exploring the Connection Between Matthew 15 and Ezra For BibleInTen.com - By DH, 17th January 2026 Welcome back to Bible in Ten!     Today, we have another bonus episode as our daily commentary from the Superior Word closes out Matthew Chapter 15. Matthew's Gospel contains 28 chapters, and remarkably, it mirrors the first 28 books of the Old Testament as arranged in the Christian Bible. So in this episode, having concluded our walk through Matthew 15, we'll now look at its fascinating counterpart: Book 15 of the Old Testament-Ezra. Please do check the last episode to see how Chapter 15 of Matthew gives a picture of what is going on in the world from the time Jesus fulfilled the law until the rapture. The verses, though literally occurring at the time of Jesus, point to truths after the completion of Jesus' ministry. Authority from Jerusalem  Matthew 15 opens with scribes and Pharisees coming from Jerusalem to challenge Jesus. Jerusalem represents authority still bound to Sinai. Ezra came from Babylon to Jerusalem as a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses. That was necessary then. But Matthew 15 shows what happens after the Law has been fulfilled. The authority remains -  but the life is gone. Paul explains this tension in Galatians: “Jerusalem which now is… is in bondage with her children.” The challenge to Jesus does not come from pagans -   but from Law-bound religion. 2. Tradition Replacing God's Word  In verses 2 through 9,  Jesus exposes the condition of Israel. They honor God with lips, but their hearts are far away. Ezra saw the same problem. Israel had returned from exile. The Temple was rebuilt. But the heart problem remained. Ezra tore his garments and confessed: “After all that has come upon us… should we again break Your commandments?” External obedience never cured internal rebellion. Matthew 15 shows that the problem has hardened. 3. Where Defilement Truly Comes From  Jesus says: “What goes into the mouth does not defile a man, but what comes out of it.” This is more than food. It is proclamation. Israel refuses to confess Jesus. Paul later explains: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart… you will be saved.” Defilement is not ritual failure. It is rejecting the Rock. Ezra spoke of a land defiled by peoples and practices. Jesus reveals the deeper truth - defilement flows from the heart outward. 4. Blind Leaders and Separation  Jesus then says something severe: “Let them alone.” Blind leaders. Blind followers. Ezra enforced physical separation. Jesus declares spiritual separation. Same judgment. Different stage of history. The Law has reached its limit. 5. A Turn Toward the Gentiles  Verse 21 is pivotal. Jesus goes out from there to Tyre and Sidon. Ezra's restoration preserved Israel. Jesus now expands the promise. Tyre means Rock. Sidon means Fishery and fish relates to increase. Israel abandoned their Rock. The nations who receive Him will increase. A Canaanite woman approaches - humbled, persistent, faithful. Ezra allowed Gentiles who separated from uncleanness to join Israel. Jesus reveals the heart of that principle. Faith, not bloodline, is the door. 6. Bread, Crumbs, and Faith Jesus speaks of children's bread. The woman doesn't argue. She trusts. “Even the crumbs are enough.” This is not rebellion against Israel. It is trust in Israel's Messiah. Ezra guarded the holy vessels carefully. Jesus shows that grace is not diminished by sharing. Faith gathers what Law could only preserve. 7. The Mountain and the Multitudes  Jesus ascends a mountain near the Sea of Galilee - Liberty. A great gathering forms. Ezra gathered Israel to restore covenant order. Jesus gathers the nations under Himself. Broken people come. They are healed. And Matthew records something unique: “They glorified the God of Israel.” The Gentiles now do what Israel was called to do. Paul later says: “That the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.” 8. Bread, Fulness, and Preservation  The feeding of the four thousand follows. Three days. Divine fullness. Seven loaves. Spiritual completeness. Four thousand - the world number. Ezra preserved what was holy by careful accounting. Jesus preserves what is holy by abundance. Seven large baskets remain. Nothing is lost. The fullness of the Gentiles comes in while Israel remains partially blinded. 9. Toward the Tower of God The chapter ends with a quiet note. Jesus goes to Magdala - Migdal-El, the Tower of God. Not Babel. Not the tower of man. Ezra ended with restored order. Matthew 15 points toward final deliverance. Ezra shows us what faithfulness under the Law looked like. Matthew 15 shows us what happens when grace takes the field. The Rock rejected by Israel becomes the foundation of the nations. CONCLUSION Ezra supports the typological interpretation of Matthew 15 because it provides the historical “control text” that shows Matthew follows an existing biblical pattern.    The reason Ezra confirms the typological reading of Matthew 15 is that Ezra provides the final Old Covenant pattern.   Matthew typologically provides the New Covenant pattern. In Ezra, Israel is restored to the land, the Law is fully reinstated, scribal authority is established, separation is enforced, and a remnant is preserved - yet the heart problem remains unresolved. Matthew 15 follows that same sequence in order: authority from Jerusalem, Law elevated through tradition, defilement exposed, separation declared, a preserved remnant, and then a movement beyond Israel to the Gentiles. The difference is that what Ezra preserves under the Law, Jesus resolves through Himself. Because Matthew follows Ezra's structure rather than inventing a new one, the typology is not imaginative - it is controlled, historical, and intentional. Matthew 15 is not merely a series of confrontations, healings, and feedings, nor is it simply a lesson about religious hypocrisy or personal faith, as it is often reduced to in casual teaching. Rather, it is also a picture of what is going on in the world from the time Jesus fulfilled the law until the rapture. What Ezra records historically - Israel restored under the Law, preserved through separation, yet still bound by the limitations of Sinai - Jesus reveals prophetically. Matthew 15 walks through that same reality step by step: Jerusalem-based authority bound to tradition, a people near in speech but distant in heart, blindness leading blindness, separation declared, and then a decisive movement outward to the nations. Ezra preserves a remnant under the Law. Jesus gathers a people by grace. Ezra safeguards holiness through consolidation and exclusion. Jesus reveals holiness through mercy, healing, and abundance. Seen together, these chapters show that Matthew 15 is not simply about what happened on a particular day in Galilee, but about what God has been doing in redemptive history from the close of the Old Covenant to the fullness of the New. It is the Law reaching its limit and Christ stepping into that space - not to abolish what came before, but to fulfill it. Matthew 15, read through Ezra, becomes a sweeping retelling of Israel's restoration, its partial blindness, the inclusion of the Gentiles, and the preservation of God's people - all centered on the person of Jesus Christ, the true Rock, the Bread of Life, and the Lord of the harvest. Lord God, we thank You for Your word - holy, faithful, and true. We confess that it is easy to handle Scripture carelessly, to bend it toward our own ideas, or to use it as a tool rather than receive it as a gift. Guard our hearts from pride. Guard us from turning truth into tradition and obedience into self-righteousness. Teach us to read Your word with reverence, to see Christ where You have revealed Him, and to submit ourselves to what You have spoken. May Your grace reach deeper than our habits, deeper than our defenses, and deeper than our fears. And may our lives reflect not just knowledge of Your law, but the transforming mercy found in Jesus Christ our Lord. To Your glory alone. Amen.   Before we close this episode, we want to share something very simple and very personal. The following song was made up and sung by our Gracie when she could barely speak. She created the words herself and sang it from her heart. It's hard to understand in places, and it's certainly not theologically precise - but that's actually part of why it feels so fitting here. In Matthew 15, Jesus reminds us that what truly matters is not polished words, tradition, or perfect expression, but the heart. This little song isn't about getting everything right; it's about love, trust, and a heart turned toward Jesus. So we'll let it stand just as it is - imperfect, sincere, and honest - a small reminder that faith begins in the heart even before it can be explained. >>>> Grace sings “I love you Jesus” >>>> 

Message Take Aways: 1. King Ahab provoked the Lord to anger by embracing Canaanite idolatry and openly opposing the word of God—“I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze.” Leviticus 26:192. Elijah courageously proclaimed God's coming judgment upon the land of Israel because of their unrepentant sin—“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.” Malachi 4:53. The Lord faithfully provided for Elijah as the prophet trusted and obeyed the word of God—“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:334. The gentile widow made a genuine profession of faith after she witnessed the Lord's omnipotence in the midst of her trial—“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” James 1:2-3

"And the Lord said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it: And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way. And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments. For the Lord had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb. And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp. And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle. And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door. And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle. And Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name." Exodus 33:1-17

TableTalk - “Who was Melchizedek?”READ Hebrews 7, Genesis 14:17-24.This episode is about a strange encounter that Abraham had with two kings in Genesis 14. Beor, the now defeated King of Sodom appears in the text first, in Genesis 14:17. But there was a second king, in 14:18. His name was Melchizedek and he was the ruler of a town called Salem, which means ‘peace' or ‘righteousness.' Most scholars think that the town referred to was Jerusalem, which before David conquered it was a Canaanite city. Little is known about this man. We don't know his ancestry or what became of him after this incident. He just appears on the page of Genesis over a few verses and vanishes again. Hebrews 11:3.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sermon Summary: Judges – Session 1 (When God's People Refuse to Yield)   A New Season Begins with Old Problems The book of Judges opens after the death of Joshua, during a time when Israel had entered the Promised Land but had not fully obeyed God. Though God was faithful, the people failed to complete the work of driving out the inhabitants of the land, setting the stage for future trouble. Partial Obedience Leads to Compromise Judah began strong and experienced victory, but many tribes weakened in obedience. Instead of removing the Canaanites, they tolerated them, made compromises, and placed them under tribute. What began as fear or convenience eventually became spiritual compromise. You Reap What You Sow The confession of Adoni-Bezek reveals a biblical principle: God repays actions justly. The sermon emphasizes the importance of honesty—acknowledging personal responsibility rather than blaming God or others. God is merciful, but consequences often remain. Salvation Brings New Battles Entering the Promised Land did not eliminate conflict. Likewise, salvation does not remove spiritual battles. The enemy adapts, and believers must remain vigilant, disciplined, and yielded to God in every season of life. Compromise Always Returns with Consequences Israel's decision to coexist with the Canaanites allowed foreign gods, practices, and influences to remain. These compromises eventually became snares, pulling the nation away from God and leading to repeated cycles of defeat. God Warns Before Judgment The Angel of the Lord confronted Israel, reminding them that God had kept His covenant, but they had not. Because they refused to tear down idols and sever ungodly alliances, God allowed their enemies to remain as thorns in their sides. A Generation That Did Not Know the Lord After Joshua's generation passed away, a new generation arose that did not know the Lord or His works. Without personal relationship or spiritual foundation, the people turned to idolatry, provoking God's anger. The Cycle of Judges Begins Israel repeatedly: Forsook the Lord Served false gods Fell into oppression Cried out in distress Were delivered by a judge God's mercy responded to their repentance, but their refusal to yield led to repeated failure once the judge died. The Root of Sin Is Refusing to Yield The sermon concludes by identifying the core issue behind all sin: choosing our will over God's will. Sin manifests in many forms, but it always begins with a heart unwilling to yield. Final Call Believers are challenged to: Learn from Israel's failure Reject partial obedience Remove compromises Yield fully to God The message sets the tone for the book of Judges: when God's people refuse to yield, they suffer; when they repent, God shows mercy.

Joshua 2:8-13, 18 | January 11, 2026 | Pastor Todd SmithIn this sermon from the Joshua series, Pastor Todd explores the remarkable story of Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute from Jericho. Her inclusion in the lineage of Jesus and the hall of faith in Hebrews 11:31 powerfully illustrates that God's grace extends to all, regardless of their past. Rahab's act of hanging a scarlet cord from her window becomes a profound symbol of faith and redemption. Discover how Rahab's story challenges our perceptions of who God saves and why her faith, not her past, secured her future. What does it mean to truly place your trust in Christ, and how does this timeless narrative speak to your own life today?To find out more about Crossroads Community Church or to connect with us, visit the following links:→ lifeatcrossroads.org→ facebook.com/lifeatcrossroadsTo give online: lifeatcrossroads.org/giveonline.CCLI License: 2915685CCS WorshipCast License: 9466GRANT OF LICENSE. Crossroads Community Church is granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable license during the term of the agreement to publicly play, perform, and transmit via the website noted above, any musical composition controlled by one or more of the domestic Performing Rights Organizations (ASCAP, BMI and SESAC), as stated in the CCS WORSHIPcast License Terms and Conditions.Colossians 2:1-5 | September 28, 2025 | Pastor Todd SmithIn this powerful exploration of Colossians 2:1-5, we're challenged to develop courageous hearts and convictional minds in our faith journey. The apostle Paul's struggle and agony for believers he's never met reminds us of the depth of Christian love and the importance of spiritual encouragement. We're called to be 'knit together in love,' forming a tight-knit community that stands firm against false teachings and plausible arguments that threaten to lead us astray. The message emphasizes that all wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ, urging us to seek Him above all else. This passage invites us to reflect on our own convictions about Jesus and how firmly we're willing to stand for truth in a world full of deceptive ideologies. Are we ready to live for Christ, not just in moments of crisis, but in our everyday lives? This teaching challenges us to step into the arena of faith with courage, conviction, and clarity, reminding us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces that seek to undermine our faith.To find out more about Crossroads Community Church or to connect with us, visit the following links:→ lifeatcrossroads.org→ facebook.com/lifeatcrossroadsTo give online: lifeatcrossroads.org/giveonline.CCLI License: 2915685CCS WorshipCast License: 9466GRANT OF LICENSE. Crossroads Community Church is granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable license during the term of the agreement to publicly play, perform, and transmit via the website noted above, any musical composition controlled by one or more of the domestic Performing Rights Organizations (ASCAP, BMI and SESAC), as stated in the CCS WORSHIPcast License Terms and Conditions.

Send us a textThis week we look at the importance of the Canaanite conquest as a picture of the new heaven and new earth and also how the crossing of the Jordan is a type and shadow of Christ when we pass through death. 

Introduction: The Story We Have Been Telling The entire Bible tells a single, unified storya story that begins in Genesis and finds its fulfillment in Revelation. It opens with God creating the world and placing two trees in the garden: the tree of life, from which Adam and Eve were free to eat, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which God, in His loving wisdom, commanded them to avoid. Tragically, instead of trusting Gods goodness and choosing life, Adam and Eve reached for what was forbidden. In that moment, they embraced curse rather than blessing by taking from the tree God had graciously withheld for their good. The pinnacle of creation came when God declared,Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness (Gen. 1:26). Unlike any other creature in Eden or on earth, Adam and Eve were uniquely formed to reflect Gods image. God then blessed them and commissioned them:Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it(Gen. 1:28). Humanity was created to live under Gods rule and to extend His reign throughout the world. I began this sermon series by reading a quote from Owen Strachans bookThe Warrior Savior:It was a tree that damned us. It was a tree that redeemed us. And it will be a tree that heals us in the age to cometime beyond all time.[1] Today, we turn our attention to the tree that ultimately redeemed usthe tree upon which Another was cursed in our place. As Strachan observes,Adam, the first man, was a priest and a king unto God. He lived and ruled under the divine regency of his Maker.[2]Yet Adam failed. Through his disobedience, sin entered the world, and with it came death. As Paul explains,Through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind death reigned from Adam until Moses Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come(Rom. 5:1214). Humanity rebelled against God, the curse entered creation, and death became an ever-present reality. But the story does not end there. God promised that the curse would not have the final word. From the very beginning, Scripture reveals not a collection of disconnected stories, but one unfolding storya story of how God moves toward a cursed people and a broken creation with redemption. This morning, we come to a passage where the apostle Paul explainsexplicitly and unmistakablywhat that story has always been about. Galatians 3:1014 is not a detour from the story we have been tracing; it is Paul putting words to it. Here, the curse is named, the problem is clarified, and the solution is revealed with stunning clarity. Paul tells us plainly,All who rely on works of the law are under a curse (3:10; BSB).That statement may sound severe. But it is the biblical diagnosis of the human condition. The origin of that curse is ancient. It reaches back to Eden, where God created humanity for life, fellowship, obedience, and worship. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, sin entered the world, the curse followed, and spiritual and physical death became the inevitable outcome. The curse did not merely affect humanity inwardly; it affected creation itself. The ground was cursed. Thorns and thistles appeared. Pain, toil, suffering, and death became woven into the fabric of life. From that moment forward, every human has been born under the weight of that curseinclined toward sin, separated from God, and unable to restore what was lost. Pauls point in Galatians is not that the law created the curse, but that the law exposes it. Gods commandments reveal the depth of our problem. They show us that no amount of effort, obedience, or religious devotion can undo what was broken in the garden. As Scripture says,Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, to do them(Gal. 3:10). And none of us has. Our Need Is a Righteousness We Cannot Produce To be under the curse is not to suffer from bad luck, karma, or chance; it is to stand under Gods righteous judgment. Our greatest problem is not circumstance or ignoranceit is that God is holy, and we are not. The law demands perfect righteousnessand we are incapable of producing it. That is why Paul insists,No one is justified before God by works of the law. The righteous live by faith(Gal. 3:11). Think about the people we have looked at throughout this series. Reflect on the gravity of their sins. Adam let Eve eat the forbidden fruit, even though he had been told that doing so would bring death and curse. But as the priest and king appointed by God in Eden, he didnt protest or intervenehe stood by, silent and passiveand then joined her. For what? Because both of them bought into the lie of the dragon that they could be just like God. In that moment, they tore apart the sacred boundary between creature and Creator, unleashing the curse that would plague every generation to come. Consider the violence of Cain and his descendantshow they perverted the sacred institution of marriage and showed no regard for the sanctity of life. Reflect on Noah and his family: even after the flood, even after Gods rainbow appeared in the sky, sin still found its way into their lives. After Noah became drunk, his son Ham committed such a shameful act related to his fathers nakedness that Scripture does not even specify what it was. Think also about the Tower of Babel, where people sought to build an empire not for Gods glory, but for their own. All these accounts serve as a mirror, revealing just how broken and corrupted by sin humanity truly is. Consider Abraham, weighed down by his own failures as a husband and father. Picture Isaachis love for Esau burning brighter than his love for Jacobsplintering their family and sowing seeds of rivalry that tore through generations. Consider Jacobs twelve sons, born to two wives. Their family was marked by jealousy, betrayal, and constant conflict, with discord replacing the harmony that should have filled their home. See Judahdrawn toward idols, taking a Canaanite wife, wandering far from the ways of God, his heart tangled in spiritual darkness. And then Tamar, Judahs daughter-in-lawdriven to the brink by desperation and grief. Her life battered by the wickedness of Judahs sons, she cloaked herself in the garments of a prostitute, her face veiled, her dignity hanging by a thread. She knew Judahs moral weakness. When he passed by, she sold herself for silverpain disguised as survivalhis own lust blinding him to her true identity. This is not a sanitized tale; it is the raw, exposed reality of sins gripbrokenness that bleeds through families, hearts shattered and lives twisted by deceit and desire. Shall I continue? I mustbecause its essential for you to grasp the full gravity of the word cursed. Look at David: the mighty king, the poet, the man after Gods own heartyet swept away by desire, stealing Bathsheba and orchestrating the death of her husband to cover his shame. Blood stained his hands, guilt gnawed his soul, and tragedy ravaged his house. Yet out of this relationshipmarked by betrayal and sorrowGod, in His mercy, brought forth a way for hope to emerge. Their surviving son, Solomon, would rise from the ashes of their brokenness. Through Solomons line would come Joseph, the husband of Mary and stepfather of Jesus; and from Davids son Nathan would descend Mary herself, the mother who would cradle the Savior. Out of scandal and sorrow, God wove together the lineage through which the true and better David would comea King crowned not by conquest, but by grace. What connects all of these individuals is twofoldlisten carefully. First, none could escape the curse of sin, a problem rooted in the heart. Second, nearly all of them stand in the lineage of Jesus. The Law given to Moses revealed to themand to usthat their struggle was one only God could solve: For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did Gods grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many (Rom. 5:15; BSB). As Paul explains,Before faith came, we were held captive under the law So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith(Gal. 3:2324). This is where the story presses us toward hope. If the curse cannot be undone by our obedience, then liberation must come from outside of us. What we need is redemption; what we need is rescue. And that rescue must address the curse at its root. Our Only Hope Is That Christ Became Our Curse What is our hope? Our hope is that there is One who is able to save us from our sins by providing a righteousness that we could never produce on our own. Oh, my dear friends, this is exactly what we learn from Galatians 3:1314. God has provided the righteousness we neednot through our obedience, but through Jesus Christ. Look at verse 13you have to see this:Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for usfor it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree. How is it that a person is cursed on a tree?The answer is found in Deuteronomy 21:2223. Under the Law of Moses, if a man committed a crime punishable by death and was executed, his body could be displayed on a tree or wooden post. This was not merely a method of disposal; it was a public declaration. To be hung on a tree was to be marked as one who stood under Gods judgment. Scripture says plainly,Anyone who is hung on a tree is under Gods curse (Deut. 22:23; BSB).In other words, to be hung on a tree was to be identified as extraordinarily cursed. Now, look directly at the crosssee it for what it is. The very wood upon which Jesus hung was shaped by Roman hands, but in God's eyes, it was a tree. And according to the Scriptures Paul cites, anyone nailed to a tree is branded as cursed, set apart for divine judgment. But here is the shocking, undeniable truthJesus was wholly innocent. He was blameless, completely undeserving of any punishment or condemnation. And yet He was treated as the cursed one. Jesus did not become sinfulHe became the embodiment of the curse itself, willingly standing in the place of those doomed by sin. The full weight of God's wrath, the judgment that should have crushed us, was hurled upon the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! And because Christ took the curse upon Himself, the day He hung on the cross became the moment when God gave undeniable, visible signs that Jesus alone was truly qualified to bear our sin. By fully enduring the wrath of God the Father, Christ the Son broke the power of the curse over sinful humanity. As He hung on the cross, He wore a crown of thorns; when He took His final breath and declared, It is finished, the ground shook; and at that very moment, the curtain in the temple was torn in two. The Crown of Thorns Why does Scripture bother to tell us about the crown of thorns? Because thorns were the visible sign of the curse pronounced in Eden:Cursed is the ground because of you thorns and thistles it shall bring forth(Gen. 3:1718). At the cross, Jesusthe Redeemer of a cursed people and a cursed creationwas nailed to a tree wearing a crown made from the very symbol of that curse. The One who knew no sin bore upon His head what sin had produced. The curse that began in Eden was placed upon Christ. The Quaking Ground When Jesus cried out,It is finished,and breathed His last, Matthew tells us thatthe earth shook, and the rocks were split(Matt. 27:51). Why did the ground quake? Because the ground once cursed in Eden was being redeemed. Creation itself responded as its Redeemer purchased it with His blood. The curse that brought death into the world no longer held uncontested power. The Torn Curtain When Adam and Eve sinned, they were driven from the presence of God. That separation stood visibly in the curtain of the temple, a reminder that sinful people could not freely dwell with a holy God. But when Jesus died, the curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. The meaning is unmistakable: because Jesus bore the curse, the barrier has been removed. Through His death, we are no longer exileswe are invited back into the presence of the God we were created to know. Paul tells us why Christ bore the curse:So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles. The blessing promised in Genesisthat through Abrahams seed all nations would be blessedcomes only through the curse-bearing work of Christ. What began in a garden, moved through a family, a nation, and a kingdom, now reaches the nations through the cross. Conclusion The curse is real, but it is no longer final. Forgiveness is secured. Righteousness is given. The Spirit is poured out. New life has begunand yet, the story is not finished. The cross does not merely explain the past; it guarantees the future. Because Jesus bore the curse, the curse itself is living on borrowed time. Because Jesus rose from the dead, death has been defeated. And because God has always kept His promises, Scripture assures us that what Christ accomplished at the cross will one day be completed in full. The Bible ends where it begannot with exile, but with restoration; not with thorns, but with a tree of life standing once again; not with humanity driven from Gods presence, but with God dwelling forever among His redeemed people. And the promise is clear:No longer will there be any curse. And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illuminate them; and they will reign forever and ever. As we turn next to the book of Revelation, we are not beginning a new story. We are finally ready to see how the story we have been tracing from the beginning comes to its appointed end. [1] Owen Strachan, The Warrior Savior (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing; 2024), 1. [2] Ibid., 3.

Friday, 9 January 2026   So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. Matthew 15:31   “So too, the crowds marveled, seeing mutes speaking, cripples healthy, lame walking, and blind seeing, and they glorified the God of Israel” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus healed the many people with various maladies as they were strewn before Him. Matthew now continues with, “So too, the crowds marveled.”   Seeing what they were seeing would marvel anyone in any generation. These weren't false Charismatic church healings that would astound the audience until their deceitful, magician-like tricks are discovered. Rather, these were true miracles performed on people whom those in the crowd had interacted with for many years.   Jesus, filled with the power of God, was able to diagnose and correct any and all infirmities set before Him. Matthew next gives a list of some of them, saying that the people were “seeing mutes speaking.”   The participle, seeing, used here, along with the others in the verse, indicates the people actively beholding the miracles that had taken place. One can see the crowds watching, unable to take their eyes off these joyous souls as they, one after another, were freed of their afflictions. Mutes who may never have uttered a word in their lives spoke. Also, “cripples healthy.”   This is the same word, kullos, introduced in the previous verse. These people were broken and rolling about when they were brought in, but they were raised up to perfect health. As noted, the word may even indicate they were missing limbs but were restored. Along with them, there were the “lame walking.”   People brought in on beds would no longer need them. Instead, they could give a free ride to the tired soul who brought them in, repaying them for the years of lugging around their bodies bound with infirmity. Matthew also says, “and blind seeing.”   People who needed to be guided up the mountain to the feet of Jesus could now lead the way back home, learning the terrain of the land and the ancient paths that crisscrossed the hills they previously were unable to see. Because of these marvelous things, it says of the crowds, “and they glorified the God of Israel.”   This seems to suggest that the crowds included Gentiles. The exact term is used only here in this manner. There is a reference to the Lord God of Israel in Luke 1:68, along with other variations of the words elsewhere, but the exact phrase is unique in the New Testament to this event.   Therefore, even if Jesus' ministry was to the lost sheep of the House of Israel, it may be that to build upon the excited faith of the Canaanite woman, Jesus purposefully went through the Decapolis as noted in Mark 7:31 in order to elicit more Gentile awareness concerning His abilities. The interesting underlying meaning of the miracle of feeding these people that lies ahead in the narrative seems to indicate this.   Life application: Whether Jesus actually healed any Gentiles or not isn't the point here. He had just traversed through a predominantly Gentile area. As He did, it is obvious that people followed Him to this location on the mount. As they flocked to do so, any Jew would tell their Gentile neighbors that this was the great Teacher and Healer of Israel.   Therefore, even if Jesus only healed Jews (and we cannot know), it is likely that a multitude of Gentiles witnessed the event. Jesus' movement from the Canaanite healing through this Gentile area, then, indicates that this was His intent.   A few scattered Gentiles within the land, seeing His miracles, would be outnumbered in number by those who gathered here in the region of the Decapolis. Therefore, saying, “and they glorified the God of Israel,” is intentionally stated to draw attention to this matter.   God was not uninterested in the Gentile people of the world. But there had to be an order and propriety to His working through Christ Jesus to step by step reveal Himself to His people first, while still allowing Gentiles to behold and later understand through Scripture, what He had done and continues to do for all the people of the world.   Unlike the Messianic fervor that fills churches today, which exalts everything Jewish, this is not the intent of Scripture for Gentile people. Rather, they are to come to the Lord as they are, in whatever culture, using who they are to glorify God. Color is irrelevant. The means of worship are left up to the group, etc.   What God is looking for are people who will worship Him with their whole existence, just as they are and just where they are.   “Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.'” John 4:21-24   Lord God, thank You that we don't have to change one iota of who we are culturally in order to worship You. We don't need to go to a temple in the earthly Jerusalem, which reflects Your now-fulfilled law. Rather, we can worship You through Jesus in a manner that truly glorifies You. No more pointless rituals that only looked ahead in shadows. Now we have the substance. We have JESUS! Amen.

Thursday, 8 January 2026   Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them.  Matthew 15:30   “And they came to Him, great crowds, having with them lame, cripples, blind, mutes and others – many, and they strewed them near Jesus' feet, and He healed them” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus was said to have departed from where the Canaanite woman was, drawing near the Sea of the Galilee and going up a mountain to sit there. Next, Matthew records, “And they came to Him, great crowds.”   Matthew doesn't record how they found Jesus, but it appears that the words “near the Sea of the Galilee” from the previous verse may mean He stopped in a town. As Mark says that He went through the midst of the Decapolis and healed a deaf and mute man, that may have been the trigger to draw so many to where He now is.   The people would know He was there and decided to follow Him. Regardless, it next says, “having with them lame, cripples, blind, mutes and others – many.”   Of these afflictions, one is new, kullos, crippled. It is from kulió, to roll about. Thus, it is someone maimed in the hands or feet. Some commentaries say that the idea of rolling about means that a hand or foot was actually missing. If so, the word should be translated as limb-lost or something similar.   Whatever the exact intent, the adjective “many” indicates that they just kept coming and coming. The sea of humanity in need of the care of Jesus seemed limitless, even though it was in a small part of a very small country. Matthew continues, saying, “and they strewed them near Jesus' feet.”   The word rhiptó is used. It was already seen in Matthew 9:36. It signifies to deliberately fling or hurl something. It gives the idea of sudden motion. The word strew, to scatter or spread things untidily, gives the proper sense. There were so many people that those helping them cast them down in any available spot. One cannot help but think of the words of Isaiah –   “Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows.” Isaiah 53:4   These people, suffering from all types of afflictions, were brought forward and hurled wherever space would allow by people who were frustrated with the tedium of caring for them day after day. Their only hope in their suffering was Jesus. Understanding this, Matthew notes, “and He healed them.”   The scene gives the sense of one person after another. If not, what would be the point of strewing them around? Jesus could have just said, “I heal all of you,” and been done with it. Rather, it appears He carefully evaluated each, probably talked to them with care, and then healed them. The tender care of the Lord for the people reveals the heart of God for those who will come to Him with their needs.   Life application: The sad part of this story is the part that remains unstated at this point. Jesus came to Israel, spent His life restoring people who would otherwise have been permanently afflicted with various maladies, and tended to the people's spiritual needs as well.   His fame was so great that the gospels record that the people wanted to make Him king (John 6:15). However, when prompted by the leaders, Jesus was rejected, crucified, and maligned as a wrongdoer. That attitude toward Him remains to this day among the vast majority of Jewish people.   How poorly humans tend to pick their leaders and heroes. And how faithless we are to those who tend to us. This includes those of the church in their attitude toward Jesus. We are granted restoration and eternal life through what He did for us, and yet we spend much of our time pursuing the things of this life.   Everything we have and all those we know will fade away with time, but Jesus is with us forever. And yet, we constantly seek what is temporary, forgetting to honor the Lord in the process.   Someday, it won't be like this. A new type of existence is coming, but we should be anticipating that now, holding fast to the Lord, and doing our utmost to get the word out to others. Let us not be waffling or unfaithful in our faith toward and love of the Lord.   Glorious God, we can be so easily pulled away from a close and personal walk with You. It usually isn't intentional. Things just come up, and off we go in pursuit of that which doesn't profit. Help us, Lord, to redirect our hearts and minds to You at all times. Give us wisdom to walk in this temporary world with an eternal view. May it be so, to Your glory. Amen.

Wednesday, 7 January 2026   Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. Matthew 15:29   “And having departed thence, Jesus, He went near the Sea of the Galilee, and having ascended to the mountain, He sat there” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus noted the Canaanite woman's faith and granted her desire, healing her daughter. It next says, “And having departed thence.”   They were in the allotments of Tyre and Sidon (Matthew 15:21). With this short excursion complete, they return to the area of the Galilee, where Matthew records, “Jesus, He went near the Sea of the Galilee.”   As a reminder, the Galilee is a somewhat circular area in Israel which borders the sea, hence this name. However, the sea has a couple of other designations as well: Kinneret, the Sea of Kinnereth (Chinnereth), Lake Gennesaret, and the Sea of Tiberias.   As for the name, the Galilee, as has been seen before, it is derived from the verb galal, meaning to roll or encircle. Hence, it signifies Rolling, Circle, or Circuit. The verb galal is also the basis for Gilgal, which bears a similar meaning. However, to roll something away gives the sense of being liberated. Thus, the meaning extends to Liberty.   Despite saying Jesus went from Tyre and Sidon to near the Sea of the Galilee, Mark more specifically identifies this trek to be inclusive of going through “the midst of the region of Decapolis.” That is on the eastern side of the sea, so it was a large area He traversed before finally getting to where He is now.   With His return to this area, Matthew records, “and having ascended to the mountain, He sat there.” This will set the stage for another great gathering of people and another noted miracle to take place.   Life application: Despite seeming random, Jesus' movements in and through the land of Israel are purposeful. His movements are like a walking picture of other events. When we stand back and look at the places He goes and the things He does, pictures of other things in God's process of redemption can be seen.   This is known as typology. One thing is being used as a type or picture for something else. The Old Testament is filled with typology. Each story is included for a reason, including every detail.   It is important not to jump to conclusions with typology, though. The pictures God reveals have many nuances that must be carefully considered. When they are, rather amazing parallels to what occurs elsewhere in God's plans can be elicited from the text.   When they are mishandled, erroneous conclusions result. When this occurs, it can actually mar the theology of others, leading them to believe something inaccurate about what God is doing. So be careful as you read and consider the word.   Do your best not to insert what you want the text to say. Rather, let the text provide the information without bias or presuppositions. This is not easy, but it is an important step in understanding these hidden truths tucked away in this precious word.   Heavenly Father, Your word has so many levels of information in it that we cannot process them all. It is wonderful that different people, with different abilities, likes, and understandings, have access to Your word. Each can build on the work of others as we work to understand the marvelous things You have secreted away in it. Thank You for this precious word. Amen.  

Tuesday, 6 January 2026   Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. Matthew 15:28   “Then, Jesus answering, He said to her, ‘O! Woman, your faith is great! It become to you as you determine.' And she's cured, her daughter, from that hour” (CG).   In the previous verse, the Canaanite woman agreed with the Lord's assessment concerning bread going to the children, but she noted that even the puppies got the crumbs from the table. With that, we next read, “Then, Jesus answering, He said to her, ‘O! Woman, your faith is great!'”   These words are not because of her astute assessment of the workings of a household. Rather, her note concerning crumbs being sufficient for the great miracle she requested in the healing of her daughter is what set her apart. How unlike Naaman the Syrian, who misunderstood God's workings and capabilities –   “Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha's house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.' 11 But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, ‘Indeed, I said to myself, “He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.” 12 Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?' So he turned and went away in a rage.” 2 Kings 5:9-12   Naaman was looking for something great and exciting as a means of healing his servant. This Canaanite woman asked for no such thing. She was observant of how things worked in a house. In hearing Jesus' words concerning His mission, she was able to take the two and conclude how things must work in God's economy.   In other words, “If God has a plan and purpose for the lost sheep (a metaphor) of Israel, and that purpose is to provide bread to the children (another metaphor), then He must be dealing with Israel in a way which reflects those metaphors.”   Astute, yes, but her faith is in understanding that bread, no matter how small the amount, would crumble off and be uneaten when it was broken. And more, that teeny amount of bread would be sufficient to tend to her needs.   Understanding this, Jesus next says, “It become to you as you determine.” The woman had asked in faith, Jesus accepted her request, and from there His words noted that as she determined, so it would come about. Just as when a person calls out for spiritual healing, the physical healing was to be realized for her daughter. This is noted in Matthew's closing words, “And she's cured, her daughter, from that hour.”   The woman determined that healing her daughter was what she desired. Jesus responded accordingly, and her daughter was immediately healed. Concerning salvation, Paul says –   “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” Ephesians 1:13   Life application: The word repent has been so thoroughly abused from its original meaning that there is no longer any sense of what God expects of His people in order to be saved. See if you think these words from George Barna match what Paul says concerning salvation as noted in Ephesians 1 –   “Tens of millions of people who attend Christian churches every week, and who consider themselves to be followers of Christ and eternally secure, do not seem to understand that repentance is necessary for salvation, and repentance demands a change in behavior.” He stressed that “repentance is not merely sorrow over misdeeds” but “must include a determined effort to change both mind and actions to avoid committing the same sins in the future.”   The answer is that not only do they not match what Paul says, but they are heretical. The gospel says that we come to Jesus with nothing but faith. If we need to change our actions before salvation, then it means that our salvation is up to us, not to Jesus Christ.   This woman was not told, “Ok, then you need to go get medicine and administer it to your daughter three times a day, and she will be healed.” This is essentially what George Barna is saying concerning the woman's faith, which would not be sufficient at all to heal her daughter.   The Greek word translated as repent is metanoeó. It means to “think differently.” That may lead to action, but action is not a part of what the word means. If we have to go beyond a mental assertion that we need a Savior and that Jesus can save us, then we have merited our salvation. This is not the gospel.   However, it is what almost all preachers in the world present to their congregations, week after week. Instead, we come to Jesus needing a Savior. We believe that He can save us. Jesus saves us. From that time, we should have actions worthy of our repentance. Even Jesus said that in Luke 3:8 to the people of Israel while still under the law.   We must keep our theological boxes separate, or we will fall into contradiction, legalism, or full-blown heresy. Be circumspect in your soteriology (doctrine of salvation), never crossing the lines of the beautiful gospel that Jesus has presented to the people of the world.   Lord God, give us the wisdom to consider what You have done and of what You expect us in relation to salvation. May we never tread on Your ground, attempting to earn what has already been provided by Jesus. May our hearts be trusting in Him alone for reconciliation to You. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

When Abram left Haran, it was with a multitude of people and many goods. These had increased greatly during his sojourn in Egypt. The same things were true for his nephew, Lot, and contributed to the problem told us in the end of chapter 13. Nonetheless Abram had learnt a great lesson in trust; and as an acknowledgment of that we are told in verse 4, "he made an altar and called on the name of Yahweh" (a name with which the faithful were familiar - see Genesis 4verses25-26). The location of this altar was between Bethel (the house of God) and Ai (ruin). His choices would determine whether his life would be ruined, or whether he would dwell with God - this is likewise true for each one of us. The troublesome Canaanites and Perizzites then dominated the land. The multitude of cattle made finding pasture difficult and the large number of people meant arguments were very common. A dispute caused Abram to suggest that they go their separate ways. Abram graciously allowed Lot the choice; and Lot chose the choicest pastures. Lot's choice was influenced by "the lust of his eyes". Abram was contented with trusting in the LORD to provide. The record uses the same words from God to Abram as is used of Lot's viewpoint. What God promised Abram was real estate - the earth (Romans 4verses13) - not a reward in heaven. Jesus taught the same in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as in heaven" Matthew 6verses10. And as proof of what God had promised Abram; Abram was asked to walk on what he was to receive (see also Genesis 15verses18-21). Genesis 14 is an account of Abraham's rescue of his nephew Lot, who was takencaptive when a northern confederacy headed by Chedorlaomer - whose name signifies "a bundle of sheaves" - (the famous historical Hammurabi). The account is a literal event, but also symbolic of the nearing conflict of Armageddon, WW 3. Abram was "in fellowship " - confederate with two Amorites. The victor, Abram was offered rich rewards, which he spurned. The chapter's close sees the King-Priest of Jerusalem Melchizedek offering fellowship through bread and wine with God Almighty (see Hebrews chapters 5, 6 and 7; where the extended parable about the Lord Jesus Christ is explained).In Psalm 17 David seeks vindication from his Omnipotent Creator in whom David has sought and found protection in distress and constant care. David calls on Yahweh to rise and judge his enemies. But the greatest message from the Psalm is found in David's heartfelt hope, "As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with Thy likeness" ESV. The resurrection will bring the realisation of this hope (Philippians 3verses20-21; Colossians 3verses1-5.1 John 3verses1- 3).

Monday, 5 January 2026   And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.” Matthew 15:27   “And she said, ‘Yes, Lord. And even the puppies – he eats from the crumbs, the ‘falling from their master's table'.'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus responded to the Canaanite woman, telling her it wasn't good to take the children's bread and cast it to the puppies. Now, her incredible response to His words is given. Matthew records, “And she said, ‘Yes, Lord.'”   This Canaanite woman doesn't argue Jesus' premise, nor does she go off on some woke tangent, crying that His words are xenophobic, racist, or anti-Canaanitish. She fully accepts His statement, knowing it is right and logical.   However, she has words for Jesus that not only acknowledge this, but which highlight them in the most profound way, saying, “And even the puppies – he eats from the crumbs, the ‘falling from their master's table.'”   A new word, psichion, crumbs, is introduced. It will only be seen here and in the parallel account in Mark. It is also found in Luke 16:21 in some texts. Of this word, the Topical Lexicon says –   “First-century Mediterranean households commonly used small flat loaves both as food and as utensils for dipping and scooping. Portions too small or too soiled for human consumption were discarded from hand to mouth or allowed to fall to the floor, where house dogs—kept not as pampered pets but as low-status scavengers—would consume them. In that light, ‘crumbs' suggests the tiniest, seemingly insignificant portion of sustenance. The woman's statement accepts her social standing without protest while affirming the superabundance of the Master's provision: even leftovers from Israel's table are sufficient to meet her need.”   This woman understood the power of Jesus, obviously having paid heed to what was said by others who had encountered Him. She understood that she had no standing in Israel but that the God of Israel was abundant in mercy and was capable of extending Himself beyond the Israelite nation.   Using the metaphor of the dog receiving table crumbs, she acknowledges Jesus' words concerning her being a dog. Without finding any fault in His statement, she humbly accepts her status but wisely notes that even in Israel, where dogs are unclean animals according to dietary laws, it did not make them inherently unclean within the society or the household.   Instead, they were a recognized and acceptable part of the family and received their sustenance, including that which was reserved for the family under ceremonial laws of cleanliness, when it was surplus to the needs of the family.   This woman had in no way “out-mastered the Master.” Rather, she had brilliantly relieved the tension that He faced in the matter of being sent to the lost sheep of the House of Israel, which was contrasted to His innate desire to help this distressed Gentile woman.   Jesus' response to her logic will be seen in the next verse.   Life application: No person who has heard the gospel message of Jesus and believed that it is true should ever feel that he is unacceptable to be saved. It doesn't matter if a woman was a prostitute or a lesbian, it doesn't matter if a man was a womanizer or a drunk, it doesn't even matter if someone was a cannibal. God's mercy in Christ is without any such limit.   People from each of these categories, and an innumerable list of others, have heard, been saved, and gone on to do great things for Jesus. To assume that your earthly status, culture, skin color, or past is a limiting factor in your being accepted by God is to place that supposed issue above God, who created all things.   All such things are incidental to your state as a human. It is your humanity that allows these things to be overlooked because Jesus shared in human existence. Don't fret that you are unworthy to be saved. Every other person ever saved has been unworthy of being saved. Rejoice that in our state of unworthiness, God sent His Son to reconcile us to Himself. Rejoice in this and praise His name!   “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! 2 For His merciful kindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 117   Lord God, we stand in awe of You. You have created all things and given life to all beings. We are the ones who strayed and offended, and yet You, in Your infinite grace and mercy, have brought us back to Yourself through Jesus Christ our Lord. Thank You for Jesus! Amen.  

In Genesis 11 we are told, that as humans again multiplied on the face of the earth, they conceived a united plan of open rebellion against their Creator. They sought to build a tower, or Ziggurat, whose height would prevent the human race from being overwhelmed by a flood from God. The plan was stopped by creating confusion through the creation of new languages. This created suspicion and people scattering from the place of rebellion. From verses 10-26 is the record, or genealogy, of Shem's descendants till Terah, the father of Abram (whose name was changed in chapter 15 to Abraham). Verses 27-32 tells us the genealogical details surrounding Terah and Abram. It would appear that in the initial call of Abram to leave Ur of the Chaldeas the initiative was left with the patriarchal family head - Terah - to initially lead the family towards the Promised Land. Chapter 12 tells us, "Now the LORD had said ...". Later information tells us that at this time Abram was about 70 when called to forsake wealth, luxury and social prestige in Ur for an undefined Land (later we find it to be Israel - see Paul's comments in Hebrews 11verses8-9). Again, the Hebrew words for verse 1 are "Go for yourself". Both, Abram's father Terah, and his uncle Nahor, appear to want to settle in Haran - and to not continue their journey to the Land of the Promise. The words of the first 3 verses are a sevenfold promise that from Abram would descend the great nation of Israel. The personal element was to make the name of "Abraham" great in the earth. There was an international promise in verse 3 that blessings would come to all nations through "Abraham's" descendant - the LordJesus Christ (see what that meant in Romans 4verses13). At the age of 75 Abram left Haran without Terah, or his brother Haran. In verse 7 we see that the land of Canaan (Israel) was first promised to Christ (Abram's descendant) before it was promised to Abraham himself. There were great dangers in the Canaanite land. Famine forced Abram and his large group to seek sustenance in Egypt. Here Abram showed a lack of trust in God and told lies about his beautiful wife Sarah, believing that would save his life. God did deliver Abram despite this failure; and taught him that the Almighty can be depended on regardless of theseemingly immense difficulties.

This Sunday we'll be returning to our study in Matthew, and we'll read Matthew 15:29-16:12. It's a big section, but I think you'll see how it all goes together pretty well.As you read through this section you'll notice that, even connected with last section, there is an ongoing bread theme. The Canaanite woman asked for bread crumbs. Jesus provides bread in the wilderness and then warns about the wrong kind of spiritual bread. There could be a whole teaching in that thematic vein alone…but that's not where I went for this study.In the section that closes out chapter 15, Jesus is doing all sorts of miracles, finishing off with a miraculous feast on a desert mountaintop. Mark's parallel account clues us in that this happened in the Decapolis – a largely gentile region. When Jesus is performing all these miracles in that region, what does it mean? How should it be read?When we come to chapter 16 the Pharisees and Sadducees ask for a sign – ignoring what has been happening right under their noses. They are intent on trying to control God's plan concerning what Messiah would be doing, and with whom. In what ways are we sometimes guilty of trying to dictate to God our own purposes? How can we keep from trying to steal the director's chair in life?in v 5-12, Jesus' disciples are cast in a pretty dim light. They forgot bread and assume Jesus' warning about the leaven of the Pharisees was about a lack of bagels. Leaven is used as a metaphor for an element introduced that changes it's host into something else. Leaven changes bread dough, causing it to rise and inflate. In what way do you think the teaching of the Pharisees had done this as it touched Israel's calling? What is Jesus warning his disciples about? What are the philosophies, politics and religious agendas in our world that could veer us off the path that God originally set the church on? What is lacking, according to v8, that can keep us from falling prey to these aberrant directions?Once again, this will be a challenging and thought provoking passage to dig into. Hope to see you on Sunday!Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Sunday, 4 January 2026   But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs.” Matthew 15:26   “And answering, He said, ‘It is not good to take the children's bread and cast to the puppies'” (CG).   In the previous verse, the Canaanite woman came to Jesus and worshiped Him and asked Him to help her. Following this, Matthew records, “And answering, He said, ‘It is not good to take the children's bread and cast to the puppies.'”   A new word is seen, kunarion, a diminutive form of kuón, a dog. Thus, it refers to a puppy. The word is found only four times. All four are in the same account found in Matthew and Mark. According to the Law of Moses, a dog is an unclean animal in regard to dietary restrictions.   It does not logically follow that dogs are unclean and not to be associated with, apart from those dietary laws. If that were true, those of Israel could not ride on donkeys, horses, mules, or camels. Therefore, equating a dog to something inherently unclean is not something to be found in Jesus' words.   Further, Jesus' words about casting the bread of the children to the puppies are not devaluing the woman at all. It is simply a truth that Jesus, the Bread of Life, was sent to the house of Israel, not to the Gentiles.   And that brings up the obvious metaphor used in the Hebrew Scriptures of Caleb. His name means Dog. He is used typologically as a picture of the Gentiles every time he is mentioned. Likewise, in Judges 7:5, the dog is used again typologically referring to Gentiles –   “So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, ‘Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.'” Judges 7:5   In that seemingly cryptic passage, the focus is not on how the lapping is conducted but on which animal did the lapping, the dog. The dog, anticipating Gentiles in Scripture, is thus typologically equated in that story to the fact that Gentiles during the church age will lap up the water (the word, Christ, the Spirit, etc.), meaning by faith. They reflect those who will engage in the spiritual battle that Israel failed to accept at the coming of Christ.   Jesus' words here do not speak in a derogatory manner. Rather, there is the matter of priority. God covenanted with Israel. Therefore, Jesus' ministry was to be focused on the House of Israel. Only after they rejected Jesus would the Gentiles become the focus of God's ongoing redemptive narrative.   Life application: It has been said that the actions of Jesus toward this Canaanite woman show a flippant, derogatory attitude toward Gentiles. The exact opposite is the case. Referring to a group of people by their nature is simply a way of making people understand a particular point about them. This is as common as threads in a weaving factory.   Throughout the Bible, the names of people groups are identified by the things they do, the places they live, or certain characteristics they possess. This is true in both testaments. Instead of finding offense in such things, we should try to discover why the name of a person or a people group identifies them in such a way.   By doing this, we will understand more about their nature and how God and other people groups perceive them. Further, when we understand these things, we can then understand how they and their names anticipate other things typologically. The entire Old Testament is filled with typology, anticipating other truths that are realized in Jesus Christ, His church, the future state of Israel, the dispensations of time, and so forth.   The only thing that is derogatory about the account of Jesus and this Canaanite woman is how people misuse it for various reasons. However, in understanding how God views the Gentiles, using the dog as a metaphor for them, and then in understanding the noble traits of the dog, we find that God is actually exalting the Gentiles, placing them in a preeminent position in Scripture.   While Israel failed to accept Jesus, the dogs of the world, the Gentile people, have been lapping up the spiritual truths of the word, faithfully following their Master, eagerly awaiting His return, and doggedly defending His house until He returns. Hooray for the dog! For a wonderful, short look at the dog, check out this song by Wendy J Francisco: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H17edn_RZoY&list=RDH17edn_RZoY&start_radio=1   Lord God, Your creation reflects You in such wonderful ways. You created the dog, which is faithful, loving, infinitely patient, and always forgiving when we return to it. Thank You for what we can learn about You when we consider our pet dogs.  Amen.

Sermon Summary: Joshua – Session 11 (Ending the Year Right)   God Calls His People to Possess What He Has Given As the land is divided in Joshua 17–18, God reminds Israel that the inheritance already belongs to them—but they must rise up and take possession. Delayed obedience, fear of opposition, or spiritual passivity keeps believers from fully walking in God's promises. Incomplete Obedience Leads to Future Struggles Some tribes failed to fully drive out the Canaanites, choosing compromise instead of obedience. What is tolerated today often becomes a snare tomorrow. God calls His people to remove what competes with devotion, not manage it. Faith Requires Action, Not Excuses When tribes complained about limited territory, Joshua challenged them to get up and do the work. God had already given them power, but they had to act in faith. Blessing follows obedience, diligence, and courage—not passivity. The Lord Is Our True Inheritance The Levites received no land because the Lord Himself was their inheritance. This points to a greater truth for believers today: our ultimate reward is not earthly security but life with God. Like Abraham, believers are called to live as pilgrims, prioritizing spiritual inheritance over temporary comfort. God Is a Refuge for the Guilty and Broken The cities of refuge reveal God's mercy. Long before sin occurred, God provided a place of safety. These cities foreshadow Jesus Christ as our refuge, where sinners can flee for forgiveness, protection, and restoration. Salvation Must Be Received, Not Ignored A refuge only saves those who run to it. Jesus is God's provision for sin, but each person must choose to enter. Trusting in goodness, effort, or delay is dangerous—Christ alone is the safe place. A Call to Renewed Commitment As the year closes, the sermon challenges believers to: Be honest with themselves Reject spiritual sluggishness Recommit to disciplined faith Place God first without reservation The message closes with hope: when all hope seems lost, the Lord shows up. God remains faithful, and those who trust Him will find safety, purpose, and victory in Him.