Podcasts about davidic

Join Chris Montgomery as he delves into Ezekiel 19, exploring the vivid imagery of lions and vines to discuss the downfall of Israel's royal family and the broader implications for the people. Through this sermon, Montgomery reflects on the spiritual and political leadership of Israel, the importance of righteous leadership, and the ultimate hope found in Jesus as the fulfillment of the Davidic line. This moving sermon invites listeners to consider their own relationship with God and the power of restoration through faith.

In this thought-provoking episode of the Who's Who in the Bible series, Fr. Assisi Saldanha, C.Ss.R., explores the fascinating story of the House of Omri, one of the most powerful and influential dynasties in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Delving into the lives of Kings Omri and Ahab, Queen Jezebel, and Jehu, he uncovers the complex interplay of politics, faith, power, and covenant loyalty that shaped Israel's history.The episode examines the political instability that characterized the Northern Kingdom, contrasting it with the enduring Davidic dynasty in Judah. Viewers will discover how Omri emerged as a strong ruler who established Samaria as Israel's capital and strengthened the kingdom through strategic diplomacy. Fr. Saldanha also offers fresh insights into the often-debated figures of Ahab and Jezebel, exploring the challenges they faced and the religious tensions that arose from foreign influences and the worship of Baal.The story culminates in the dramatic rise of Jehu and the downfall of the House of Omri, raising important questions about leadership, faithfulness, and the consequences of abandoning God's covenant.Join us for this enriching journey into biblical history and spirituality.

This summer, we're taking a quick journey through the entire Bible, looking at the big picture of God's Word. Normally, we teach through the Bible expositionally—one book at a time and one verse at a time. But on Sunday nights this summer, at different locations, we're stepping back for a macro view. As we step back and see the big picture, we discover God's consistent pattern and message woven throughout His Word. The sermon presents a sweeping overview of the historical books of the Old Testament—from Judges to 2 Chronicles—as a unified narrative revealing God's faithfulness amid human failure, with a central theme of divine covenantal promise persisting through cycles of sin, judgment, repentance, and restoration. It highlights the recurring pattern of apostasy, oppression, cries for help, and deliverance through judges, culminating in the need for a king, which leads to the rise of David and the establishment of an eternal covenant that points forward to Christ. The division of Israel and Judah, the prophetic warnings, and the eventual exile underscore the consequences of compromise and rebellion, yet the Chronicler's perspective emphasizes God's enduring promises, spiritual revival, and the centrality of Judah and the Davidic line as the foundation for future hope. The message applies this historical arc to contemporary society, urging believers to remain vigilant, prophetic, and compassionate, recognizing that God's mercy precedes judgment and that revival is possible when His people return to Him, ultimately pointing to Jesus as the fulfillment of all promises and the only true King who succeeds where all others fail.

IntroductionHow do we know that God will keep his promises? It's a question we don't often ask out loud, but we might ask silently to ourselves. We may experience a setback in life, and we wonder if God is really looking out for us. Psalm 132 permits us to bring that question directly to God. Psalm 132 gives us God's answer. The Promise God MadeLong before Christ's entrance into history, God narrowed his redemptive promise to a single line. He started with the potential of all humanity. In Genesis 3:15, the Lord said, “The seed of the woman.” We do not know the genealogy or the promised heir, other than that the promised champion would arrive from humanity. This would give the Lord a lot of options and a lot of opportunities to bring about the heir. The Lord makes his promise very specific and very narrow. He narrows the promise from all humanity to the tribe of Judah and David's house. The Lord swears in 2 Sam 7 that he will build David's line through the eternal heir, the messiah, who is fully human and fully divine. Two natures in one person. This will establish David's line eternally. The second person of the Trinity will take on flesh to do what the first Adam could not and establish his eternal kingdom. This is wonderful, but then we see the stump of Jesse in Isaiah 11. It seems as if the line of David is cut off. This is the problem in Psalm 132. Where is David's heir? Sure, the line continues, but Israel is back in the land. They dwell there without a visible king. Will God fulfill his promise? Will there be an heir on David's throne for eternity? Sure, Isaiah shows us a shoot, but how strong is that shoot? The shoot seems like a small growth. Yes, we have assurance that the Lord has not forsaken his promise. However, can this small shoot carry the Lord's majestic promise? The Prayer God WelcomesPsalm 132 is in the context of the exile. The psalmist wants to know if God has forsaken his promise. The psalmist does something striking: he reminds God of his own covenant. There's no Davidic king on the throne. The land is restored, but the promise seems stalled. Rather than walking away in despair or stirring up doubt in the congregation, the psalmist brings the tension straight to God. He says, “For the sake of your servant David, do not turn your face away." This is simply, “Lord, you made the promise, and now fulfill your promise.”Scripture gives us that reminder and permission to bring our frustrations to God and remind him of his promises. We can come before God, name his promises, and honestly say: Lord, help me see what I'm missing. In fact, Psalm 132 is encouraging us to do this. We are not going to the community and stirring up unrest, but bringing our frustration to God. Lord, this is what you say, this is what I see, and I need reassurance of your provision. The Answer God GivesThe important thing is that we discern the Lord's answer. This might be through Scripture, it might even be by his providence, where we see the answer to our request. However, Psalm 132 gives us God's answer. God's response in verses 11–18 is not a scolding rebuke against the Psalmist. No, the Lord gives reassurance that his intention has not changed. We are impatient, but the Lord's timing is perfect. The Lord will clothe his priests with salvation. A horn (powerful king) will sprout from David's line. The Messiah will be anointed and equipped to perfectly fulfill his mission. His enemies will wear shame while his king wears a shining crown, and his priests are clothed with glory. In Christ, every one of these images finds its fulfillment. The Messiah came. The Lord fulfilled his promise in his perfect timing. ConclusionHas God forsaken His promise? The temptation is to think that God is looking for a new family to adopt. Psalm 132 assures us that God is not looking for a more deserving family to adopt. Apart from Christ, none of us is considered more deserving. But in Christ, we possess everything as heirs with Christ. Our Lord, who is our King, holds the promise. He wears the crown. He fulfills His word even when we think it is void. When we pray to God, and we rehearse the Lord's promises to us, we know that the Lord fulfills his promise. He has never once failed to keep his word. Rest in that assurance. Proceed in the confidence that you are the Lord's child as you take hold of Christ by faith. Live in the confidence and joy of that promise.

This episode of Bible Insights with Wayne Conrad explores the theological connection between God's historical covenant with Israel and His ultimate, universal desire to offer salvation to all nations. God's purpose for Israel was never isolated but rooted in His universal desire to reveal Himself to all nations. From the beginning, humanity's fall into sin and idolatry left the world in spiritual darkness, yet God chose Abram not for Israel's sake alone, but to bless all the families of the earth through him. Through the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic covenants, God established a people who would embody His character, foreshadow the Messiah, and ultimately prepare the way for Jesus Christ—the true Israelite and Savior of the world. The entire biblical narrative unfolds as God's redemptive plan to gather a great multitude from every nation, tribe, and language, who now worship the Lamb and the Father in eternal glory. This global fulfillment of covenant promises is being realized today through the gospel, as God calls people from every corner of the earth to know Him through His Son.

In this video, Dr Michael Brown tackles major Jewish objections to Jesus being the Messiah (including responding to questions from a precocious Jewish boy's voicemail): the divinity of the Messiah, the unfinished peace mission, the Trinity, Torah alteration, the virgin birth, and the church's tragic history of persecuting Jewish people. He also addresses online objections covering Davidic lineage, blood atonement, antisemitism, and conflicting genealogies — all with answers rooted in Hebrew scripture, the Talmud, and Jewish tradition.  ~~~FRONTL|NE Newsletter: https://thelineoffire.org/newsletterDonate: https://thelineoffire.org/donate-one-timeX: https://twitter.com/DrMichaelLBrownYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LFTVInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmichaelbrownFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASKDrBrownWebsite: https://thelineoffire.orgRadio Broadcast from The Line of Fire Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to Day 2875 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2875 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 132:13-18 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2875 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2875 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today's Wisdom-Trek is: The Blooming Horn of Zion's King In our previous episode on this grand pilgrimage, we marched alongside the ancient Israelite community in the second movement of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two, verses six through twelve. We witnessed the historical, corporate joy of locating the long-lost Ark of the Covenant, which had been neglected in the wooded, overgrown fields of the countryside. We joined the grand procession as the Ark was carried up the slopes of Mount Zion, and we heard the priests raise that dramatic, ancient battle cry: "Arise, O Lord, and enter your resting place!" We explored the cosmic weight of the Ark as the physical footstool of Yahweh's heavenly throne, and we stood in awe as the Creator responded to David's restless devotion by swearing an unbreakable, unconditional oath to establish the Davidic dynasty forever. Today, we have reached the magnificent, soaring finale of this epic psalm. We are completing our exploration of the longest Song of Ascent by diving deep into Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two, verses thirteen through eighteen, in the New Living Translation. The human voices of the pilgrims, and the earthly liturgy of the procession, now recede into a quiet, reverent silence. The stage is completely cleared, and we hear the direct, first-person decrees of Yahweh Himself. The Sovereign Commander of the heavenly armies takes the microphone to deliver His final, unyielding oracle regarding the destiny of His holy city, His anointed king, and the entire cosmos. Let us step onto the final ridge of this specific trail, open our ears, and listen to the voice of the Almighty. The first segment is: The Cosmic Headquarters and the Eternal Rest Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two: verses thirteen and fourteen. For the Lord has chosen Jerusalem; he has desired it for his home. “This is my resting place forever,” he said. “I will live here, for this is the home I desired.” The climax of the psalm opens with a foundational declaration of divine selection: "For the Lord has chosen Jerusalem; he has desired it for his home." To fully appreciate the absolute explosion of theological and cosmic weight embedded in these words, we must view this geography through the lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. We must recall the grand narrative of Deuteronomy chapter thirty-two, verses eight and nine, which reveals that when the Most High divided the nations at the Tower of Babel, He allocated the different people groups to the oversight of lesser spiritual beings—the sons of God. Those territorial elohim subsequently rebelled, corrupting their assignments, and demanding worship for themselves, plunging the pagan world into spiritual darkness. But Yahweh claimed one specific people, and one specific piece of geography, as His own personal, prized allotment. That prized allotment is Zion. By declaring that He has "chosen Jerusalem," Yahweh is executing a monumental act of cosmic boundary-setting. He is looking at the entire planet—which has been carved up by rebel spiritual forces—and He is planting His royal flag on this specific, modest hill. The surrounding pagan cultures believed their gods ruled from massive, physically imposing mountains, like Mount Zaphon or the towering heights of Mount Hermon. But Yahweh bypasses the arrogant, towering peaks of the rebels, and He chooses Jerusalem. He "desired it for his home." He then seals this choice with an absolute, eternal decree in verse fourteen: "‘This is my resting place forever,' he said. ‘I will live here, for this is the home I desired.'" The phrase "resting place"—or menuchah in the Hebrew—carries a deep, ancient Near Eastern royal meaning. A king's resting place was not where he went to take a nap; it was his palace. It was the centralized command center from which he issued decrees, administered justice, and ruled his empire after completely defeating his enemies. When Yahweh says Zion is His resting place "forever," He is announcing that Jerusalem is the permanent, unchangeable headquarters of the cosmos. He is completely evicting the claims of the rebel principalities. He says, "I will live here." The High King of heaven has moved His primary residence down into the human realm, establishing His divine council administration right in the midst of His people, and creating an unshakeable fortress of truth that can never be overthrown by the powers of chaos. The second segment is! The Overflowing Feast and the Garments of Victory Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two: verses fifteen and sixteen. I will bless this city and make it prosperous; I will satisfy its poor with food. I will clothe its priests with salvation; its loyal servants will sing for joy. Because the ultimate Source of life and cosmic order has taken His seat on the mountain, the blessings of His presence immediately begin to cascade down, radically transforming the socioeconomic and spiritual reality of the city. Yahweh promises, "I will bless this city and make it prosperous; I will satisfy its poor with food." The rebel spiritual forces and their arrogant, earthly proxies governed the pagan empires through exploitation, greed, and systemic cruelty. In Babylon, Egypt, and Canaan, the wealthy elite built their palaces by grinding the faces of the poor into the dirt, while their corrupt gods demanded heavy sacrifices from the starving masses. But the government of Yahweh operates on an economy of absolute Shalom—complete, flourishing wholeness and restorative justice. When the King of Zion prospers His city, the blessing is not hoarded by a select few at the top. It ripples all the way down to the margins of society. He promises to "satisfy its poor with food." In the ancient world, satisfying the poor with bread was the ultimate sign of a righteous, legitimate monarch. Yahweh's presence ensures that hunger is eradicated, oppression is broken, and the vulnerable are fiercely protected. The cosmic center becomes a place of abundant, overflowing life for everyone who dwells within its gates. The divine blessing then moves from the physical needs of the community, to their spiritual armor in verse sixteen: "I will clothe its priests with salvation; its loyal servants will sing for joy." We must look back to verse nine of this same psalm to see the beautiful, reciprocal nature of this verse. In the previous processional prayer, the pilgrims petitioned God, saying, "May your priests be clothed in godliness and righteousness." Now, Yahweh answers that prayer, but He expands the vocabulary. He doesn't just promise to clothe them in righteousness; He says, "I will clothe its priests with salvation." The Hebrew word for salvation here is yesha, implying deliverance, victory, and safety. The priests, who serve as the crucial human mediators between the heavenly council and the earthly congregation, are completely wrapped in the defensive armor of the Divine Warrior. They become walking advertisements of God's saving power. And because the leadership is securely wrapped in victory, the effect on the congregation is instantaneous: "its loyal servants will sing for joy." The hasidim—the covenant-keeping exiles—break out into uninhibited, ecstatic shouting. Their worship becomes an auditory shield, completely drowning out the deceptive lies and the mocking laughter of the surrounding culture. The third segment is: The Sprouting Horn and the Resplendent Crown Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two: verses seventeen and eighteen. Here I will increase the power of David; I will prepare a lamp for my anointed one. I will clothe his enemies with shame, but he will be a resplendent king.” The psalm reaches its grand, prophetic finale by focusing entirely on the destiny of the Davidic monarch, the human vice-regent of God's earthly kingdom. Yahweh decrees, "Here I will increase the power of David; I will prepare a lamp for my anointed one." The phrase "increase the power of David" uses an incredibly vivid, old-world idiom. The literal Hebrew text says, "There I will cause a horn to sprout for David." In ancient Near Eastern iconography, the horn of a wild ox represented raw, undefeated military strength,...

Text: Psalm 89 by John Williams, pastor | Lord's Day Afternoon | 5.31.26

Welcome to Day 2873 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2873 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 132:6-12 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2873 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2873 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today's Wisdom-Trek is: The Song of Ascent – The Enthronement of the Ark on the Holy Mountain In our previous episode on this grand expedition, we stepped onto the thirteenth ridge of our fifteen-part pilgrim journey through the Songs of Ascents. We explored the opening section of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two, verses one through five. We witnessed the unyielding, sleepless passion of King David. Even though he had a quiet, weaned soul within himself, he refused to enjoy the private luxury of his cedar palace while the Ark of the Covenant remained neglected in a temporary tent. We examined his solemn vow to the Mighty One of Jacob, a vow of deliberate restlessness, where he refused to sleep until he found a permanent, sacred space—a cosmic embassy—where the True King of heaven and earth could establish His earthly footstool. Today, we take our next historic step forward, continuing directly from that narrative. We are entering into the second movement of this grand, processional anthem, exploring Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two, verses six through twelve, in the New Living Translation. The psalmist shifts our focus from David's private, intense vow, to the corporate, joyful experience of the entire nation as they actually locate, recover, and march with the symbol of God's presence up the mountain. Let us step onto the rugged trail, join the ancient procession, and watch the Divine Warrior ascend His throne. The first segment is:The Discovery and the Procession to the Footstool Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two: verses six and seven. We heard that the Ark was in Ephrathah; then we found it in the distant countryside of Jaar. Let us go to the sanctuary of the Lord; let us worship at the footstool of his throne. The narrative transitions from David's intense, singular obsession, to the collective voice of the Israelite community, singing together on the road to Jerusalem. “We heard that the Ark was in Ephrathah; then we found it in the distant countryside of Jaar.” To fully appreciate the deep, emotional relief embedded in these two names—Ephrathah and Jaar—we must recall the tragic, historical backstory. Decades earlier, during the chaotic days of Eli the priest, the Israelites had foolishly treated the Ark of the Covenant like a magical good-luck charm, dragging it onto the battlefield against the Philistines. The rebel spiritual forces operating behind the Philistine armies achieved a temporary, mocking victory; the Ark was captured, and the glory of God seemed to depart from Israel. Even after the Philistines returned the Ark due to divine plagues, it sat neglected, stashed away in the obscure, overgrown, and wooded fields of Kiriath-jearim—which the psalmist poetically calls the “distant countryside of Jaar.” It was hidden in the brush, largely forgotten by the general public, while the nation drifted spiritually. But David mobilized the nation. The pilgrims recount the great rally: “Let us go to the sanctuary of the Lord; let us worship at the footstool of his throne.” We must view this through the profound lens of the Ancient Israelite Divine Council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. In the ancient Near East, a supreme monarch sat on a high, elevated throne, and his feet rested upon a beautifully crafted footstool. The footstool was the critical point of contact where the heavenly, royal realm physically touched the lower, earthly domain. In cosmic geography, the Ark of the Covenant, positioned inside the Holy of Holies beneath the outstretched wings of the golden cherubim, was recognized as the literal footstool of Yahweh's heavenly throne room. When the pilgrims say, “let us worship at the footstool of his throne,” they are not merely engaging in formal temple rituals. They are entering the earthly embassy of the Supreme Commander of the cosmos. They are stepping into the direct presence of the High King, joining the heavenly assembly of loyal angels, and declaring that Yahweh's authority completely eclipses the claims of the rebel spiritual principalities who rule over the surrounding, disinherited nations. The second segment is: The Divine Warrior Takes His Seat Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two: verses eight through ten. Arise, O Lord, and enter your resting place, along with the Ark, the symbol of your power. May your priests be clothed in godliness; may your loyal servants sing for joy. For the sake of your servant David, do not reject the king you have anointed. The procession reaches its absolute climax as the Ark is physically carried up the slopes of Mount Zion. The king and the priests raise a dramatic, liturgical shout to the heavens: “Arise, O Lord, and enter your resting place, along with the Ark, the symbol of your power.” This phrase, “Arise, O Lord,” is a direct, intentional echo of the ancient wilderness battle cry recorded in Numbers, chapter ten. Whenever the Ark of the Covenant set out from the camp to lead the tribes through the desert, Moses would stand and shout, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered!” It was the invocation of Yahweh Sabaoth—the Lord of Hosts, the Commander of the heavenly armies. But notice the fascinating, beautiful shift in Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two. The Divine Warrior is no longer marching out to do battle in the wilderness; He is marching in to take His seat. He is entering His “resting place.” In the Deuteronomy Thirty-Two framework, the rebel gods claimed ownership over the nations, but Yahweh has chosen Zion as His permanent, centralized cosmic mountain. By placing the Ark—the symbol of His power—on Mount Zion, Yahweh is establishing an unshakeable, eternal fortress. The warfare is completed; the King is officially taking His seat on the throne. This supreme, cosmic installation requires an entirely transformed community to serve the King. Verse nine petitions: “May your priests be clothed in godliness; may your loyal servants sing for joy.” The priests, who act as the human mediators between the heavenly council and the earthly congregation, must not wear the corrupt, manipulative garments of the pagan fertility cults. They must be literally wrapped, clothed, and saturated in tsedeq—true, uncompromised godliness and righteousness. When the leadership is holy, the entire community flourishes. The "loyal servants"—the hasidim, the covenant-keeping exiles—break out into uninhibited, roaring songs of joy. Their worship becomes a defensive shield, keeping the chaos of the world outside the walls of the sanctuary. The processional prayer concludes with a crucial plea for the continuation of the dynasty: “For the sake of your servant David, do not reject the king you have anointed.” The human king, the Mashiach, the anointed one, serves a vital function in the Divine Council worldview. He is designated as Yahweh's earthly vice-regent. He is the human representative who executes the justice, and the cosmic order of the High King, within the physical realm. The pilgrims pray that God will look at the faithful, historical sacrifices of David, and refuse to reject the current, fragile human king who sits on David's throne. They need the line of the vice-regent to remain unbroken, so that the connection to the cosmic mountain remains secure. The third segment is: The Reciprocal Oath of Eternity Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Two: verses eleven and twelve. The Lord swore an oath to David with a promise he will never take back: “I will place one of your descendants on your throne. If your descendants obey the terms of my covenant and the laws that I teach them, then your royal line will continue forever and ever.” In the final section of today's trail, the direction of the song flips completely. The pilgrims have finished speaking to God, and now, Yahweh speaks back to the pilgrims. He responds to David's historic, restless vow with a massive, unyielding oath of His own. “The Lord swore an oath to David with a promise he will never take back: ‘I will place one of your descendants on your throne.'” This is the beautiful, reciprocal irony of the Davidic covenant. In the first five verses of this psalm, David...

Daily Dose of Hope June 1, 2026   Scripture: 1 Kings 1   Prayer:  Holy and Almighty God, We come to you today in humility but also with expectancy.  As we start a new reading plan, we need to hear a word from you.  We need to sense your presence and be reminded of how you walk alongside us.  We want to learn and grow.  Challenge us, Lord.  In these next few moments of silence, help us settle our mind and gather our scattered thoughts, focusing on you and you alone...In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Daily Bible reading plan.  For the summer, we are digging into 1 and 2 Kings.  This should be a really interesting and even challenging reading plan and I'm looking forward to journeying through it with all of you.    Let's start by talking a little bit about these two books.  There isn't conclusive evidence as to who actually wrote 1and 2 Kings.  Tradition credits Jeremiah as the author but there is little indication that is true.  What we do know is that the book was written before the Jews went into exile by someone very familiar with Deuteronomy, as well as other historical texts related to the monarchy.  Thus, it could have been any of the prophets. Regardless, 1 Kings covers roughly 120 years of ancient Israel's history.  2 Kings covers about 250-300 years.   I Kings follows the book of 2 Samuel, which covers the turbulent, 40-year reign of King David.  2 Samuel goes into detail about David's military and political victories and his rise to power as a "man after God's own heart."  David loved the Lord.  But the author of 2 Samuel also doesn't hide King David's moral failures (think about what happened with Bathsheba), and the devastating family drama and violence that follows.  It almost leads to the collapse of the kingdom.  If it's been awhile since you've read it, it's definitely an interesting read and it will help with this study.  2 Samuel reads almost like a soap opera at times.    And that leads us to the book of 1 Kings. This book is going to bring us from a thriving, united Israel under King Solomon to a divided nation which just cannot get along.  Solomon builds the first temple, asks for wisdom from God, but then gets caught up in womanizing and idolatry.  His downfall isn't pretty and leads to the split of the nation of Israel.  By the end of 1 Kings, we will be introduced to Elijah.    Let's move to chapter 1.  King David is now very old and sick.  David's history of poor/permissive parenting is continuing to cause problems.  Because David is weak and vulnerable, one of his sons, Abdonijah, decides to take control of the throne.  Abdonijah doesn't ask for his father's permission or his blessing.  Rather, he manipulates the situation to ensure that he gets to be king. His arrogance is a bit appalling but seems in line with David's other sons.  Abdonijah recruits powerful people to support him.    This whole scene creates a serious issue. David had promised Bathsheba that their son, Solomon, would be king.  The way things were going, it wouldn't be long before Abdonijah had Solomon killed to ensure that he would have no rivals for the throne.  Both Bathsheba and Nathan the prophet step in to inform King David.  They have to move quickly.  David summons equally powerful men to support Solomon.  Then, they place Solomon on David's own mule as a sign that he is the next king.  Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint Solomon as king and he is placed on David's throne.    Keep in mind that the previous kings were not chosen this way.  With both Saul and David, the prophet Samuel communicated God's choice for king.  With Solomon, things are different.  This is to signal the beginning of the Davidic dynasty, which will eventually culminate with Jesus Christ.  God has kept his promise to David.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

What third tribe does the Chronicler especially honor? 1Chronicles 8 looks forward to the hearing of God's Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord's Day. In these forty verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that, in addition to royal Judah, and priestly Levi, the Chronicler honored faithful Benjamin. The passage from 1 Chronicles 8 highlights the faithful continuity of the tribe of Benjamin, emphasizing their unwavering allegiance to Judah and the Davidic line, particularly through their settlement in Jerusalem. While Judah and Levi are also prominently featured for their roles in the royal and priestly offices, Benjamin's significance lies in their loyalty during the nation's division, symbolizing steadfast commitment to God's chosen center of worship. The chronicler uses geography—tracing movements from Geba and Gath to Jerusalem—to underscore this faithfulness, culminating in the statement that these leaders dwelt in Jerusalem, alongside their relatives, affirming their dedication to God's presence. This genealogical emphasis ultimately points to Christ, the eternal King and High Priest, while affirming that faithfulness in the midst of spiritual decline is honorable before God. The devotional calls believers to remain loyal to Christ and His ordained means of access, even when the broader church strays, honoring the quiet faithfulness of those who cling to Jesus alone.

What happens when a king refuses to be fathered by God? In this episode, we step into the historical world of Isaiah 7 by tracing the story through the political and spiritual timeline of 2 Kings 16:1–18. Rather than treating Isaiah's encounter with King Ahaz in isolation, we reconstruct the sequence of events surrounding the Syro-Ephraimite crisis—when Syria and Northern Israel threaten Judah—and examine how Ahaz responds under pressure.As the narrative unfolds, a troubling pattern emerges. Instead of trusting the Lord, Ahaz reaches out to Assyria for help, forging a political alliance that becomes something far more corrupt: a counterfeit father-son relationship between a king and a sovereign. In a shocking act of allegiance, Ahaz models himself not after the God of Israel, but after the king of Assyria—reordering worship, reshaping the temple, and redefining his identity as a son of another King.Against this backdrop, Isaiah offers Ahaz a sign: a young woman will conceive and bear a son, and before the child matures, the very enemies Ahaz fears—Syria and Northern Israel—will be laid waste by Assyria. This sign is not merely predictive—it contains a developmental dynamic. It places Ahaz within a timeline of trust, inviting him to align himself with God's unfolding purposes rather than grasp for security in an alliance with Assyria against Syria and Northern Israel.But Ahaz refuses.In this episode, we explore how Ahaz functions as a tragic foil—a failed son of David who rejects the Father's provision, protection, and pathway for growth. His story exposes a deeper pattern in Israel's kingship: a repeated inability to live faithfully within the relational framework of the Davidic covenant.And then we turn to Jesus.Where Ahaz grasped for security, Jesus entrusted himself to the Father. Where Ahaz aligned with empire, Jesus walked the path of obedient sonship. As the true Son of David, Jesus embodies what every king before him failed to become—a fully faithful, fully participatory Son who lives with God in perfect dependence and trust.In this light, Jesus is not just the fulfillment of prophecy—he is the completion of a developmental trajectory. He becomes the true “sign” that God is with His people—not merely in promise, but in lived, embodied reality.Key Passages:2 Kings 16:1-10Isaiah 7:10-16Matthew 1:20-25Explainer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Video⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.biblehub.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.blueletterbible.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave us a question or comment at our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website podcast page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

 Exploring the Connection Between Matthew 19, the Book of Psalms, and Isaiah 19 For Bible in Ten – By DH – 19th May 2026 Yesterday we completed Matthew 19.   Nineteen according to E W Bullinger is “a combination of 10 and 9, and would denote the perfection of Divine order connected with judgment.” During our episodes through Matthew 19,  we already learned how “..the words of Chapter 19 span all the dispensations of time.”   CG    .  In Matthew 19 Jesus brought judgments which referenced creation, the law,  the insufficiency of human merit, faith and grace, and looking forward to the millennial kingdom.  As we will see in this bonus episode we can also find these references in Psalms. Isaiah 19 also adds a sharper prophetic focus.  It lends support to the judgment theme.  According to BibleHub “It presents a two-fold prophecy against Egypt, revealing not only a looming divine judgment but also an ultimate transformation and redemption. This dual-nature prophecy exemplifies the complexity of God's plans for nations and His sovereignty over all things.” In Matthew 19 every false confidence is judged: confidence in legal argument, in religious achievement, in wealth, in status, and confidence in the flesh. In the end, the chapter points to Christ alone.    Consider the following seven sections which trace Matthew 19 as a historical sweep: from creation order and marriage, through law and human hardness, into grace, kingdom promise, final judgment, and the believer's reward before Christ.  Innocence and Creation   When answering the Pharisees' question about breaking up marriage, Jesus does not begin His answer with Moses. He goes further back. He goes to creation: “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female?” Psalms has many Creation references too: “The heavens are telling of the glory of God…” Psalm 19:1  “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made…” Psalm 33:6 “How many are Your works, LORD! In wisdom You have made them all…” Psalm 104:24  To Him who made the heavens with skill, For His faithfulness is everlasting; 6 To Him who spread out the earth above the waters, For His faithfulness is everlasting; 7 To Him who made the great lights, For His faithfulness is everlasting: 8 The sun to rule by day, For His faithfulness is everlasting, 9  The moon and stars to rule by night, For His faithfulness is everlasting.    Psalm 136:5–9 3 Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all stars of light! 4 Praise Him, highest heavens, And the waters that are above the heavens! 5 They are to praise the name of the Lord, For He commanded and they were created.    Psalm 148:3–5  The earth is the Lord's, and all it contains, The world, and those who live in it. 2  For He has founded it upon the seas And established it upon the rivers.   Psalm 24:1–2    You visit the earth and cause it to overflow; You greatly enrich it; The stream of God is full of water; You prepare their grain, for so You prepare the earth. 10 You water its furrows abundantly, You settle its ridges, You soften it with showers, You bless its growth. 11 You have crowned the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with fatness. 12 The pastures of the wilderness drip, And the hills encircle themselves with rejoicing. 13 The meadows are clothed with flocks And the valleys are covered with grain; They shout for joy, yes, they sing    Psalm 65:9–13  Man was created for ordered life beneath the Lord. Marriage belongs to that created order.   It was established by God at the beginning and Psalm 128 references it in verse 3. “Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house…”  Psalm 128:3  Law and the Hardness of Heart The Pharisees then press the matter further: “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” Jesus answers: “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.” The law could regulate certain consequences of sin, but it could not cure the heart of man. Moses' allowance was not the original ideal. It was an accommodation because of hardness of heart. Psalm 1, Psalm 19, and Psalm 119 all uphold the goodness of the law. The law is not evil. The commandments of the Lord are righteous. The word of God is pure, true, and desirable. But Psalms also makes clear that man himself is the problem. Psalm 14:3 says: “They have all turned aside, together they are corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one. ” Psalm 143 says: “And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For no person living is righteous in Your sight.”  verse 2. Psalm 51 gives the heart of the issue. David does not merely need external correction. He cries: “Create in me a clean heart, God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me..”   verse 10. The law highlights sin in man but cannot correct man's fallen state.  Psalms illuminates this powerfully. Psalm 49 says: “None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.” That is the heart of the matter. Man cannot redeem himself. Wealth cannot ransom the soul. Moral seriousness cannot purchase eternal life. Psalm 62 warns: “If riches increase, do not set your heart on them.”   Grace through Faith After this, children are brought to Jesus so that He might place His hands on them and pray.  Psalm 131 verse 2 says: “I have certainly soothed and quieted my soul;  Like a weaned child resting against his mother, My soul within me is like a weaned child.” That is the spirit of Matthew 19. The kingdom is not entered through self-confident legal achievement, but through humble dependence. Psalm 8 also says: “From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have established strength Because of Your enemies, To do away with the enemy and the revengeful.” Jesus later cites this psalm in Matthew 21. The children, the weak, the dependent, and the seemingly insignificant often perceive what a more mature mind misses.  The disciples wrongly rebuke the children. Jesus corrects them.   The Lord is near to the humble, the broken, the dependent, and the trusting. The children become a living illustration of the kind of faith that enters the kingdom.   The Royal and Millennial Hope Peter then asks what will be given to the disciples, since they have left all and followed Jesus. Jesus answers: “You who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” This moves Matthew 19 forward to the millennial kingdom.  Psalm 2 presents the Lord's Anointed as King: “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.” Psalm 72 looks forward to the righteous reign of the King, marked by justice, peace, dominion, and blessing. Psalm 89 recalls the Davidic covenant and the certainty of God's promises. Psalm 110 presents the Messiah seated at the right hand of God until His enemies are made His footstool. Psalm 122 says: “For thrones are set there for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.”   The Dispensational Sweep of Matthew 19 The chapter begins with creation order: male and female, marriage, and God's original design. It moves to law: Moses, divorce, hardness of heart, and the insufficiency of legal accommodation. It then displays grace: the children come to Christ with nothing, and Jesus receives them. It exposes human inability: the rich young ruler cannot obtain life through personal merit, morality, or wealth. It reveals divine possibility: with man salvation is impossible, but with God all things are possible. It then looks forward to the millennial kingdom: the apostles will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.   Isaiah 19 and The Great White Throne Judgment   At the Great White Throne, all false confidence is finally exposed. Only those who are in Christ have a righteousness that can stand before God. Isaiah 19 gives a searching picture of Egypt brought under the judgment of the LORD. Egypt's idols tremble. Her wisdom fails. Her princes become fools. Her counsellors are unable to give true guidance. The nation that once appeared ancient, powerful, wealthy, and secure is shown to be helpless before God. This is a stark picture of misplaced confidence. Matthew 19 teaches the same spiritual lesson. Do not trust law-performance, wealth, status, fleshly advantage, religious seriousness, or human ability. With men this is impossible. The rich young ruler appears clothed in morality, youth, wealth, and religious seriousness. But when Christ presses the true demand of perfection, the man is exposed. His confidence cannot save him. His possessions have his heart. He goes away sorrowful. He is like Egypt in Isaiah 19. What seemed wise, strong, and secure is brought to nothing before the LORD. This points forward to the Great White Throne Judgment, where every person outside of Christ will stand fully exposed before God. The books will be opened. No earthly confidence will remain. No religious appearance will cover the soul. No wealth, status, morality, wisdom, or human achievement can answer the demands of divine righteousness. Isaiah 19 shows the collapse of national confidence before the LORD. Matthew 19 shows the collapse of personal confidence before Christ. The Great White Throne shows the final collapse of every confidence outside of God's saving righteousness.   Matthew 19 and the Judgment of the believer Matthew 19 ends with the judgment: “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” In the 19th book of the Bible, Psalms repeatedly shows divine reversal. The proud are brought low. The humble are lifted up. The wicked may flourish temporarily, but they do not endure. The righteous may suffer for a time, but they are finally vindicated. Psalm 37 says the meek shall inherit the earth. Psalm 73 shows the prosperous brought to nothing. Psalm 113 says the Lord raises the poor out of the dust and lifts the needy out of the ash heap. Psalm 118 speaks of the rejected stone becoming the chief cornerstone. Isaiah 19 dramatizes the same reversal negatively. Those who seemed powerful and reliable, Egypt and Cush, are exposed in shame. Their apparent strength becomes humiliation. So Matthew 19 teaches that the judgment of believers will expose the true value of a life. Some things that looked great on earth will be shown to be small. Some sacrifices that looked foolish or unnoticed will be openly rewarded by Christ.    Life Application At the Judgment Seat of Christ, the question is not, “Are you saved?” No.  The believer's condemnation has already been dealt with in Christ. The question is rather: “How have you as a saved person followed, served, sacrificed, and valued Christ?” Let us not measure our life only by what we keep now, but by what Christ will count then.  Lord God, thank You that salvation does not rest upon our merit, wealth, strength, or status. Thank You that what is impossible with man is possible with You. Help us come as children, trust in Christ, and await the kingdom You have promised. For your glory!  Amen.

Indian paintbrush showed up at Porter Prairie Family Farm this week — native Oklahoma wildflower, first time Adam's seen it on his property. He didn't plant it. Nobody did. The seed bank was just dormant, waiting for the soil to be right. Two years of cattle grazing in the back pasture, no mowing, better land management — and something long dormant finally decided it was safe to bloom. Joel Salatin talks about this: when the practices change, when a property gets new stewardship, the land seems to know it. So does grace.David's been busy in a different direction. He wired up an automatic door for the chicken coop — actuator, relay, battery, timer — a sliding gate that covers the nesting boxes so the younger chickens stop sleeping in them and fouling the eggs. Under $150 total, including an actuator that lifts 300 pounds for thirty bucks. When he asked Lady Pamela what she wanted it to look like, she said: prison bars coming down. "We'll call it the Henna Tincture." David said say no more. The Henna Tincture it is.This week we're sipping Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond, Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 7 years — same distillery as Elijah Craig and Evan Williams. No gimmicks, under fifty bucks, smooth finish with a peanut butter quality that works. Bottled in bond since the Act of 1897. Very solid.Quick update on baby Mary: she's still having good days. Praise God. Keep her and Lady Haylee in your prayers. Adam also headed out to Arkansas over Mother's Day weekend to be with his goddaughter JoJo Kleine for her First Holy Communion — and got to watch nephew Danny Kleine go two-for-two at the plate with at least one RBI. After months of watching a daughter fight for her life in a NICU, sometimes what a soul needs is family, a Mass, and a kid absolutely cranking baseballs.Then we get into it: the papacy. A year in with Pope Leo XIV — the first American pope, the man who took the name knowing exactly whose shoes he was stepping into — and what does all of it mean? Where does that authority come from, and what's it actually for?Dave traces it back to the Davidic kingdom. When the king left for war, he handed the keys to his steward, who operated with full royal authority until the king returned. Matthew 16 isn't symbolism. "What you bind on earth will be bound in heaven" — the Jews at the time knew exactly what that meant. That's why Peter is listed first among the apostles almost every time. He was their leader. He had the keys. Two thousand years of unbroken succession later, here we are.But then the conversation goes somewhere unexpected. Authority is given to you so that you might serve those over whom you have authority. Not for your own glory. Not so people owe you. The pope is literally titled Servant of the Servants of God. The same authority Christ handed to Peter is the same authority He described in the upper room — the pagans lord it over their subjects, but not so among you. You will be the one who serves.For fathers, that cuts. Pope John Paul II stood up against governments, even after taking a bullet. He kept going out. What does that courage look like in an ordinary household? Probably not a wound in the square. More likely a different kind of martyrdom — the kind where you make a decision for your family that nobody else understands, that your kids resent for a season, that costs you something in your social circle. You make it anyway. Because you've prayed about it, talked it through with your wife, and you know in your gut it's the right thing for your people. You stand on the island by yourself if you have to.Dave closes with something worth trying: he prays specifically to the Holy Spirit to give Lady Pamela strong motherly intuition into the inner lives of their children. When she says something feels off, he pays close attention. That's him exercising his authority — his fatherly papacy — to draw more grace into his household. Not to control everything himself. To pray for the right graces for the right people.The fatherly papacy, if you will.Raise your glass.TOPICS COVEREDIndian paintbrush flowers appearing at Porter Prairie — and why the land responds to new stewardshipJoel Salatin and the School of Traditional Skills on how cattle and management change soil biologyDavid's automatic chicken coop door: actuator, relay, timer, and the Henna TinctureDavid's wheat harvest coming up — 12,000 square feet, building a grain cradle for the scytheBourbon of the week: Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond, 7-year Kentucky Straight BourbonJoJo Klein's First Holy Communion and nephew Danny Klein's two-for-two at the plateBaby Mary update — still having good days, keep her in your prayersPope Leo XIV's one-year anniversary — the first American pope and what it means to hear him speak in American EnglishThe modern problem of instant information and why it's harder than ever to be the popeWhy interview questions on a plane, stripped of all context, are unfair to any human beingThe name you give a child is an inheritance — a new name inherits nothingWhy Adam named Leo Thomas after Pope Leo XIII and Thomas Aquinas, and John Dominic after the Apostle and the DominicansPope Leo XIII: the Marian pope, the social doctrine pope, the first pope ever filmedThomas Aquinas on the papacy — Contra Gentiles and the SummaThe Davidic kingdom and the keys: Matthew 16 as a transfer of royal authority, not a metaphorThe question of authority — Trent Horn, Protestants, atheists, and why it always comes down to thisWhy the things closest to heaven get attacked the hardest — authority and sexuality as parallel examplesThe pope as Servant of the Servants of God — and what that actually costsPope John Paul II standing up against communist governments even after being shotWhat putting yourself in harm's way looks like for fathers: social martyrdom, not bulletsMaking decisions for your family that your kids, their friends, and their friends' parents all disagree withThe German church and what a timeout looks like at the universal levelWhy the Church has been around for 2,000 years and what that tells youPraying for your wife's specific graces — and why Dave prays for Lady Pamela's motherly intuitionAuthority as the source of efficacious prayer — a father's prayers for his childrenThe TOTUS TUUS decision and trusting a mother's intuitionPope Leo's upcoming AI encyclical — and why millennials are the generation tasked with figuring this outThe fatherly papacy — what domestic authority and universal authority shareREFERENCED IN THIS EPISODEBooks & Writings:Summa Theologiae by St. Thomas AquinasSumma Contra Gentiles by St. Thomas AquinasSaints & Historical Figures:St. Thomas AquinasPope Leo XIII (social doctrine, Marian encyclicals, first pope ever filmed)Pope Leo XIV (Robert Prevost, first American pope)Pope John Paul II (stood against communist governments, continued ministry after assassination attempt)Pope Francis (repose of his soul — the men still catching themselves saying the wrong name)King David / the Davidic kingdom (Old Testament typology for the papacy)St. Peter (first pope, holder of the keys)People & Guests:Joel Salatin — School of Traditional SkillsTrent Horn (Catholic apologist, debates on authority)Patrick Stephen (listener and Instagram follower who suggested the topic)JoJo Klein — Adam's goddaughter, received First Holy CommunionDanny Klein — Adam's nephew, baseballLady Haylee MinihanLady Pamela NilesLuke Minihan (Adam's oldest)Mary Minihan (in the NICU)Programs:TOTUS TUUS (Catholic youth formation program)School of Traditional Skills (online homesteading video subscription)Scripture:Matthew 16:18-19 — "I give you the keys to the kingdom"John 20:23 — binding and loosingSPONSOR BLOCKSponsor: Select International Tours — selectinternationaltours.comWhen Adam and Dave decided to lead their first pilgrimage, they asked around, and the same name came up over and over: Select International Tours. Having used them, they can tell you it's deserved. Whether you want to lead a pilgrimage or join one, Select has a tour ready for wherever the Lord is calling you. Head to selectinternationaltours.com and take a look.

Even though the prayers of David, son of Jesse, are said to have ended in Psalm 72, the Psalter records more Davidic psalms. In this way, the Psalter teaches us to look for the coming King who is both David's son and David's Lord. In Psalm 108, this Davidic king leads the people of God in rejoicing and giving thanks to the LORD for His steadfast love and faithfulness. He has shown His steadfast love and faithfulness to the King and all His people by giving victory to His people over their foes.  Rev. Dr. Adam Hensley, Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 108.  To learn more about Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, visit csl.edu. Join Sharper Iron this spring to study selected Psalms. In the Psalter, God speaks His Word to us and teaches us how to speak back to Him in prayer. Even in the great variety of the Psalms, each one points us to our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

The books of 1 & 2 Samuel chronicle Israel's transition from judges to monarchy, revealing humanity's need for the perfect King - Jesus Christ. Through Hannah's story of barrenness turned to blessing, we see a powerful contrast between bitterness and belief. Hannah's faith-filled response to hardship parallels Mary's in the New Testament, both women experiencing God's redemptive reversals. The Davidic covenant established in 2 Samuel 7 promises an eternal kingdom fulfilled in Christ. These books challenge us to examine whether we're growing in belief or bitterness, reminding us that God fights for His people when we have nowhere else to turn.

When a ruthless queen attempts to erase the future of the Davidic line, a princess steps into the shadows to save a single infant. Jehosheba's bravery wasn't a public battle but a six-year secret kept within the Temple walls. Her quiet defiance ensured the messianic promise survived a season of state-sanctioned darkness. We'll examine the grueling patience of "hidden" work—the diapers and the silence—and how the preservation of a fragile seed can eventually topple a corrupt throne.

This sermon explores the profound tension between God's unchanging faithfulness and the painful reality of human suffering, as poignantly expressed in Psalm 89. Centered on the Davidic covenant—God's promise to establish David's throne forever—the psalmist wrestles with the apparent contradiction of that promise amid Israel's exile and destruction, feeling abandoned and defeated. Yet, even in despair, the sermon affirms that God's faithfulness remains immutable; His promises are not nullified by circumstances, for they are anchored in Christ, the ultimate fulfillment of the Davidic line. The preacher emphasizes that while suffering and confusion may obscure God's purposes, faith trusts in His sovereignty, knowing that He is not only faithful but also the source of enduring hope, joy, and ultimate victory. The psalm concludes not in doubt, but in worship: 'Blessed be the Lord forevermore,' a declaration of trust in God's character above all visible evidence.

Key texts: Matthew 2:13-15, Hosea 11:1, Matthew 4:1-11, John 1:14, Luke 22:20, Luke 24:44-47.Unsponsored resource shout-out: Biblical Theology by Nick Roark and Robert Cline, from 9Marks.Topics discussed: Jesus as the true Israel, Jesus succeeding where Israel failed, the stained glass illustration, the Davidic kingdom, Jesus as the true temple, questions about rebuilding the temple, the new covenant, and why Christians cannot jump from Abraham to modern Israel while bypassing Christ.Send questions to saltybelieverunscripted@gmail.com.Find more resources at saltybeliever.com.

In this richly layered shiur on Megillat Ruth, Rabbi Dunner explores Ruth's journey from Moabite outsider to matriarch of the Davidic dynasty. Through Chazal, Midrash, Gemara, and modern scholarship, he reveals how the the themes of chesed, gerut, legitimacy, and personal redemption quietly shape the foundations of Jewish kingship, national destiny, and the ultimate vision of Messianic geulah.

Exposition of 2 Samuel 2-4

The book of 1 Samuel presents a pivotal transition in Israel's history, moving from the period of judges to the establishment of monarchy, marked by divine sovereignty, human failure, and God's enduring faithfulness. Central to this narrative is the corruption of the priesthood under Eli's sons and the moral decline of Samuel's own sons, illustrating how spiritual leadership can deteriorate when hearts are not aligned with God's will. Despite Israel's desire for a king to be like other nations, God permits their request not as approval but as a consequence of their rejection of His direct rule, ultimately leading to the anointing of Saul and then David—chosen not for outward appearance but for a faithful heart. The text underscores God's active governance over political and military affairs, demonstrating His power through miraculous deliverances from the Philistines, the empowerment of His servants by the Spirit, and the fulfillment of His covenant promises, particularly through the Davidic line. Throughout the cycles of obedience, rebellion, judgment, and grace, the overarching theme remains the sovereignty of God, who preserves His people despite their sin, setting the stage for the enduring hope of a righteous king and a faithful kingdom.

Key texts: Joshua 21:43-45, 2 Samuel 7, 2 Kings 17, 2 Kings 25, Luke 1:32-33.Unsponsored resource shout-out: The Charles Simeon Trust.Resources mentioned: Expository Preaching by David Helm and Listen Up! by Christopher Ash.Topics discussed: the promised land, Joshua's declaration that God kept his promises, the Davidic covenant, Israel's covenant failure, the divided kingdom, exile, restoration, and why the Bible's answer is bigger than a quick political slogan.Send questions to saltybeliever@gmail.com.Find more resources at saltybeliever.com.

John the Baptist's message still cuts straight through the noise: "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." In this episode of The Smith and Rowland Show, the conversation traces that statement back through Matthew, Isaiah, Daniel, and the covenants God made with Israel. The discussion stays focused on the big question, what did John mean, and why does it matter now? Jeff and Alan walk through the Davidic covenant, the Abrahamic covenant, and the opening of the New Testament, showing how Scripture connects the promise of a coming King with the hope of God's rule on the earth. They also talk about Isaiah 40, the voice crying in the wilderness, and why John the Baptist's ministry lines up with that prophecy. This Podcast doesn't treat the phrase "the Kingdom of heaven is at hand" as a small detail. It treats it as a central message. The hosts explain why John called people to repent, how that message was tied to prophecy, and why Jesus later preached the same words in Matthew 4:17. They also address how the Old Testament background shapes the way we read the Gospels, and why those details matter for Bible students today. If you've ever wondered what the Kingdom message meant in the days of John the Baptist, or why these passages keep coming up in prophecy discussions, this episode gives you a clear place to start. It also brings the conversation into practical terms, with a strong focus on what God said, what He promised, and what He intends to reveal. Watch the full episode and follow the thread through Scripture, covenant, prophecy, and the Kingdom message that still speaks today. #TheSmithAndRowlandShow #Podcast #KingdomOfGod #BibleStudy #JohnTheBaptist

God is raising up a generation with Davidic anointing - people after His heart, not just His hand. You're His treasure, mantled with His gifts. Don't judge yourself before your growth spurt. Ask boldly, worship deeply, and watch Him open doors you can't reach.

This week on *Consider This*, Justin Ebert is joined by Jim Johnson and Morgan Weece to discuss 2 Samuel 1–15 and 1 Corinthians 1–8. The conversation explores some of the most important and challenging moments in David's story, including the death of Uzzah, David's zeal before the Lord, the significance of the Davidic covenant, and the devastating sin of David and Bathsheba. Along the way, they reflect on what these passages reveal about the holiness of God, the danger of sin, the weight of its consequences, and the shape of true repentance. Then they turn to 1 Corinthians and consider Paul's emphasis on Christ crucified, the wisdom that comes from the Spirit, the calling and responsibility of church leaders, the seriousness of church discipline, the meaning of sexual holiness, and the practical challenges of marriage, singleness, and Christian freedom. The episode closes by considering how believers today can pursue faithfulness, wisdom, and love in the life of the church.

The national repentance of Israel is a major theme of Bible Prophecy, and is the precondition for the Second Coming of Christ. In this study, we see that Israel has a future in God, guaranteed by the everlasting Abrahamic, Davidic and Land Covenants, and the prophecies of the Old Testament Prophets which predict Israel's national repentance and salvation after being regathered to the Land (Ezekiel 36, Joel 2-3, Zechariah 12-14), especially the prophecy of the New Covenant with Israel in Jeremiah 31:31-34, confirmed in the New Testament: "blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:25-26). Although Israel has fulfilled much of God's Plan in bringing forth the Scriptures and the Messiah, she still has a major role in the bringing forth of God's Kingdom on earth (the Messianic Kingdom), which can only be established through a believing Israel, since it is based on and is the fulfilment of God's everlasting Covenants with Israel. This is why Israel's repentance and salvation through receiving Christ and His New Covenant is essential for the 2nd Coming of Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom. Israel's future repentance will complete the fulfilment of Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), followed by the 2nd Coming at Tabernacles. Thus we can understand the importance of prayer for Israel's salvation.

The national repentance of Israel is a major theme of Bible Prophecy, and is the precondition for the Second Coming of Christ. In this study, we see that Israel has a future in God, guaranteed by the everlasting Abrahamic, Davidic and Land Covenants, and the prophecies of the Old Testament Prophets which predict Israel's national repentance and salvation after being regathered to the Land (Ezekiel 36, Joel 2-3, Zechariah 12-14), especially the prophecy of the New Covenant with Israel in Jeremiah 31:31-34, confirmed in the New Testament: "blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:25-26). Although Israel has fulfilled much of God's Plan in bringing forth the Scriptures and the Messiah, she still has a major role in the bringing forth of God's Kingdom on earth (the Messianic Kingdom), which can only be established through a believing Israel, since it is based on and is the fulfilment of God's everlasting Covenants with Israel. This is why Israel's repentance and salvation through receiving Christ and His New Covenant is essential for the 2nd Coming of Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom. Israel's future repentance will complete the fulfilment of Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), followed by the 2nd Coming at Tabernacles. Thus we can understand the importance of prayer for Israel's salvation.

Derek Morphew:- This House: The Gospel of The Kingdom Pt 1 The "Kingdom Story" is a narrative-based theology focused on God's sovereign rule to renew all creation. The Narrative: It follows God's plan from the creation of humanity to the election of Israel (Mosaic, Davidic, and Prophetic eras), finding its ultimate fulfillment in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. *The Goal:The story describes the transition from "this age" to the "age to come," where God confronts evil to liberate humanity and establish a "New Creation". The Contrast:Unlike the traditional Western evangelical focus on individual forgiveness to reach heaven, the Kingdom Gospel emphasizes the union of heaven and earth and the restoration of God's reign over all things. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HdRVKL02HUCzFQ2j8A7SHX3OuDE--LvD/view?usp=sharing

What does it mean for Christ, who is a part of the triune life of God, to make Himself known and present within the history of Israel?To speak about Jesus in the Old Testament raises all kinds of questions about His pre-existence. That's really a driving concern.Today we will discuss the ways in which the Old Testament patterns and figures for us what God will ultimately do in time in Christ. So in that sense we think about the Old Testament creating a sense of anticipation for what will come in time.From Jeremiah 23:5-6 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely, and do what is just and right in the land. In His days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior." >>Watch on YouTube

The church is fundamentally the resurrection community—a people formed around faith in the risen Lord Jesus Christ. The church did not suddenly appear at Pentecost, nor did it fully exist from the Garden of Eden. Instead, the church developed progressively through three stages: roots in Israel, embryo in Christ's earthly ministry, and birth through the resurrection and Pentecost. The church's roots go back to God's covenant with Abraham, the nation of Israel, and the promises of the Messiah found in the Mosaic and Davidic covenants. These Old Testament foundations prepared the way for Christ and the formation of His people. During Jesus' earthly ministry, the church existed in embryo as He called the twelve apostles and gathered disciples around Himself, teaching them about the kingdom of God and laying the foundation for the future church. The birth of the church occurred when Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to His disciples. The resurrection transformed fearful followers into bold witnesses and confirmed that Jesus is Lord. During the 40 days after His resurrection, Jesus taught His disciples, commissioned them, and prepared them for their mission. Pentecost then marked the public, Spirit-empowered launch of the church as believers were empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the gospel to all nations. The church is therefore the body of Christ, composed of both Jews and Gentiles united in faith. Jesus is its head, the apostles and prophets form its foundation, and believers are being built together as God's dwelling place through the Spirit. The church exists visibly in local assemblies where believers gather for worship, teaching, fellowship.

A Divine Moment:

A @Christadelphians Video: A @Christadelphians Video: This Audio Book by Harry Tennant (read by Paul Cresswell) invites us to pursue a path through the Word of God whilst examining the faith of a Christadelphian.It deals freely and in detail with the things which Christadelphians believe and do, and what their organisation and way of life are like.The community has borne the name Christadelphian since the latter half of the 19th century. The name is intended to cover three words: 'Brethren in Christ'. Christadelphians are to be found in countries all over the world. They are bound together by a common faith in the gospel preached by Jesus Christ and his apostles in the first century.It was this faith and its appeal to men and women from all walks of life which brought the community into existence.This series will clearly show how the Christadelphian faith rests squarely and solely on the Bible as the Word of God.And the true Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God - Romans 10:17.**[Revealing] Discover the foundational beliefs of the Christadelphians in this outstanding and insightful Bible talk by Harry Tennant. Based on his thought-provoking book, this expositional presentation provides a clear, Scripture-based guide to what Christadelphians believe and preach. Explore the coherent Biblical hope centered on God's purpose from creation to the coming Kingdom. A wonderful resource for sincere seekers of truth.**Inspiring and thought-provoking, join us for this insightful expositional study with Harry Tennant as we explore one of the Bible's most outstanding prophetic threads: the promise of a coming King. This wonderful presentation reveals how God's ancient promises to Abraham, Judah, and David converge to point to a single, divine solution to human failure. We trace this revealing theme through the prophecy of Daniel and to its ultimate fulfillment, answering the critical question: Who has the right to reign?**Chapters:**00:00 - Introduction: The Question of Kingship00:49 - The Prophetic Promise to Judah03:19 - God's Covenant with King David05:43 - The Elements of the Promised King06:43 - Daniel and the Dream of World Empires11:08 - The Stone that Destroys Kingdoms13:45 - Jesus Christ: The Rejected Cornerstone16:08 - The Restoration of All Things19:58 - Visions of the Coming Kingdom24:55 - Conclusion: The King and His Kingdom**Key Bible Verses:**

Can God use one person to save His people? Absolutely! Today we'll study 2nd Chronicles 23 and discuss how a brave woman saved Joash and ultimately saved the Davidic line of the kings. Join us! Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon just in time for the Genesis relaunch in January! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

We serve a Triumphant King! And today we'll dig into 1st Chronicles 17 to see how this passage ties right into Jesus' Triumphal Entry and draws our focus to His ultimate kingdom. Join us as we turn to an encouraging chapter from the life of David! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    The podcast mentions that there are several similarities between the books of Kings and Chronicles, specifically that 1st Chronicles… focuses on David, covers both the Northern Kingdom and Southern Kingdom, seeks to explain Israel's downfall in terms of how they broke their covenant with God, and was written around the time of the return from exile to remind the people that they were still God's covenant nation. Why do you think these points were needed as God's people returned from exile?  2.    The podcast also mentions that an underlying purpose of the book of 1st Chronicles was to show that just as God was faithful to His promises to bring judgment, He would also be faithful to bring restoration. How would this have given the people hope in their time of exile? 3.    Since we've already discussed the Davidic covenant from 2nd Samuel 7 a few weeks ago, as you have come to today's study in 1st Chronicles 17, what is your understanding of its significance?  4.    In verse 4, what does the Lord tell David regarding His reasons for not having David build a temple? What does this show us about the priority the Lord places on fancy buildings?  5.    In the past, we've explained that a "Covenant" is a formal set of promises that one (or more) people make to another. In this passage, the Lord makes 8 key promises. In the space below, write the gist of each promise for each verse:  a.    Verse 8: b.    Verse 9: c.    Verse 10: d.    Verse 11: e.    Verse 12: f.    Verse 13 (#1):  g.    Verse 13 (#2): h.    Verses 14: 6.    Having just finished our study of 1st and 2nd Kings, how many kings in those books fulfilled these promises (hint: You don't have to look up the reigns of any kings to answer this question)? Who is the only King who fulfilled these 8 promises?  7.    How has Jesus fulfilled some of these promises already? How will the rest be fulfilled?  8.    In light of these promises, how can you praise the Lord today? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon just in time for the Genesis relaunch in January! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. TranscriptGood morning. Happy Easter, y'. All. We are In Luke chapter 24 today, verses 13 through 35. Nearly 2000 years ago, almost like. Exactly like 30, 33 AD is when the resurrection happened. Nearly 2000 years ago, some women who were followers of Jesus, they walked to the tomb expecting to carry the spices and to take care of his body and the humbling act of service that they were going to give. But when they arrived at the tomb, they were startled because the stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty.> He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.And then they went back and they told the company, they told the rest of the followers of Jesus. And then some of the 12 disciples came and they verified his body is not there. And then began to unfold this message that went forth throughout the day and for all the days that followed up until this day that Jesus is alive. That for 2000 years that message has spread and spread, that it's so immersed in so many different parts of the world. It's so immersed here in the South. There are churches all around right now that are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that are singing songs that make much of the empty tomb, that are preaching messages about his resurrection. There's a familiarity with this message. So much so that if we did call and response like this, if I said, he is risen, you would say, he is present in me. Y'. All. We don't even do that here. I'm not against it. We just don't. But it's. You're so familiar with it that you just are prompted. You jump right into it. We know this. We know this message. It's so clear here. But what I want us to see this morning as we look at Luke 24, is that it's more than just a message that we are. That we know, that we're familiar with. This is something that has to hit us deeper. And that's what we're going to see this morning. So I'm going to pray for us. Then we're going to walk through this wonderful story from Luke 24. Pray. Heavenly Father, I pray that you might help us be present in a way where your good news that you are alive, that you resurrected, and all that comes with that would come to bear on our hearts. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.So, same day, the message that his body is gone, and they're trying to figure out what's going on, there's some confusion. And then we get to Luke 24, to a story that's only in this gospel. And we're going to pick it up in verse 13 says that very day, two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. Let's pause there. Two of them. So we're going to learn the name of one of them in a moment. It's Cleopas. Okay. And then the other one we never get the name of. We don't know much about Cleopas. We don't. He's not talked about a whole lot. And then another unnamed person which could have been his wife, could have been just another guy, we don't know. But these two, it's going to be clear from the context as we read followers of Jesus, they've been following Jesus quite some time. They are walking on their way to a village called Emmaus. And they were talking with each other, verse 14, about all these things that had happened. So they begin to discuss all of these things on this seven mile journey to this village called Emmaus. Now, seven miles, that's about a two hour plus walk if you stop to do anything, maybe a little bit longer. But they've got the time and they're talking about all the things that have happened. A Good Friday, that we just celebrated on Friday, the events of the morning on Easter morning.> And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?"In verse 15, while they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. So they're talking about all the confusion of where, where is Jesus? Is he actually risen? Is he alive? And all of a sudden Jesus, who's walking from Jerusalem, just starts walking with him. And in that moment you would think they're just going to be so overjoyed. We found him. He's here. He is risen. But it says, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. So Jesus supernaturally puts a veil over their eyes. He's a stranger to them, some type of Jedi mind trick. Just, just, I am not Jesus, I am a stranger. And he just starts walking with them.> "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?"Verse 17. And he said to them, what is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk? So he's a stranger who just jumps in to the conversation, uninvited, I might add. He just jumps on in. I was at Peacewise with someone from our church about a month ago. And if you're at the main cafe area of Peacewise, all the tables are on top of each other. So I'm sitting at a table talking to someone from our church, and then someone beside us is listening in on the conversation. And then all of a sudden, she's like, I can't help but overhear your conversation. And I've gotten older and maybe a little bit grumpier in some ways. And I'm just like, I bet you can't just. We're having a conversation. You don't have to. You don't have to. But I fought it. I put it down. Because I'm like, that's selfishness. We're called to be everyday missionaries. Yes. Join the conversation. Kind of weave her way into it. That's fine. But Jesus does this. He just kind of weaves his way into the conversation and just says, what are you guys talking about? And it says, and they stood still, looking sad, which could be because they're introverts and don't want them in the conversation. Probably not more. Has to do with the substance of what he's about to say right here. Then one of them named Cleopas answered him.> "What things?"So Cleopas looks at Jesus and says, basically, are you living under a rock, bro? You're coming with us from Jerusalem. This is all that anyone has talked about for a week. That Jesus of Nazareth came down on the Sunday before, and he traveled in the city, and they shouted hosanna. There was this great hope for this great prophet, for this great leader, for this great rabbi. And then they crucified. Where have you been? Do you not know what has happened these days? And y', all. Jesus responds with one of my favorite responses in all of the gospels, says.> "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened."I'm just going to be honest. Jesus is playing dumb. He knows good and well what things. And as God, he foreordained them as man. He lived them out and felt all the suffering and the power that came with the cross and the resurrection. He knows good and well with things, but he's being coy and he's playing dumb, which for me is helpful because I play dumb with my kids. Sometimes I will witness something that I see them, you know, fighting. And I've. I've. I've seen it all. And I kind of come up and I'll say, hey, what's going on here? Why is. Why. Why is there crying? What. What happened? Just because I want to hear. What do you have to say? And I hear some version of, well, what happened was, is that I was here, and then she was running, and she ran, like, right into my fist. And it's like, oh, that's a. That's a spin. We're gonna have to talk about that after you get disciplined. Like, that's. He says, what things? He plays dumb. He wants to hear what they have to say. Which I think gives us a partial permission structure to do this if it's for a good thing. So if you're ever wondering, is that sneaky? Kind of. But Jesus does it, and he's perfect, so we'll rock with it. He says, what things? And this is where we see the sadness come out. This is where we see their dashed hopes and the confusion. They give a pretty succinct summary from Palm Sunday to Easter. And they said to him concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, mighty indeed, and word, and before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and crucified him, which is what we celebrated on Good Friday, that Jesus Christ gave himself over to be arrested, to be condemned, to be nailed to a cross. They say they crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one who would redeem. To redeem Israel. We had hoped that he was the Messiah, the one who was going to fix all of this. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these. These things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it, just as the women had said. But him they did not see. So they tell it all. They tell all the events from Palm Sunday to Easter. And now that Jesus is caught up on the matter, he has something to say about this.> "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself."Now, mind you, they still don't know it's Jesus. He's just a stranger. Supernaturally, he's got their eyes veiled. And these two followers of Jesus hear from this stranger, you foolish ones, O slow of heart, to believe all the prophets have spoken. You thought that hope was lost at the cross. You thought that was the end of hope. You don't know that was the very beginning of it. And then he Begins to walk through the Old Testament, begins to walk through from Moses, the law to the prophets, this is going to be Genesis to Malachi, and it begins to interpret to them all the things in the scriptures concerning himself. Y', all. There are moments in history that I just wish I could have been a fly on the wall to witness greatness, to witness a conversation like this happen. Like, if you could have been there. The moment that two people who were talking together realized that if you milked a cow, that you could actually systematize milking and have tons of milk, and the whole history of humanity was blessed because someone discovered something like that. And for those who are lactose intolerant, someone eventually discovered that you could milk almonds. And now we have that. There are moments of greatness that you get to witness that you just wish you could be there to see it. This is one of those moments where Jesus begins to walk through the Old Testament to point to all the different places where he is there. There's so many pictures and images and covenants and moments throughout the Old Testament that point to Jesus Christ. Some would call them Easter eggs. There you go. That are hidden, that point forward to what he is doing in his word. So for a moment, I just want to dream a little bit. We don't know what the substance of this conversation is, but for the moment, I just want to imagine what are some of the places he went to. Where in the Old Testament did he go to to point to himself? Did he start in Genesis 3? Did he start when the curse is being handed down to Adam and to Eve? And all of a sudden, in the middle of this curse, there's this declaration of hope, really the first declaration of the Gospel, that one day that the seed of Eve, the offspring of Eve, would crush the head of the serpent, which is the first declaration that there is a day coming that someone in the line of Eve will come and he will crush the head of evil and Satan and defeat the power of sin and death. Did he start there? Did he keep flipping through Genesis and he gets to the story of Abraham and Isaac on the mount, and he said, do you. Do you remember when Isaac was put on the altar being sacrifices Abraham's one and only son, the promised Son. But then God intervenes and says no and spares him. Do you not see that? That pointed one day to the day when God the Father would not spare his one and only Son, that he'd be raised up on an altar, on the cross to be crucified for the sins of man. That he keep flipping through the Old Testament and get to Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and see, hey, do you see Moses? Do you see how Moses, this mediator, which is a man in the middle between God and man, mediated this covenant, that they would follow the law and they'd be in the promised land. It would go well for them all. That was pointing forward to the day when one day the mediator of a better covenant, Jesus Christ, would come and he would stand between God the Father and mankind, taking on the sins and fulfilling all the perfect righteous requirements of the law. Did he go We've been walking through first and Second Samuel. Did he go to Second Samuel 7? We went through that about a month ago, which is the Davidic covenant, the covenant with David. We looked and we saw how there was a promise that in the line of David there would be someone who would bring an eternal throne, an eternal kingdom, an eternal house, that he take them there and say, do you see how that points forward to the day that one day Jesus Christ would establish an eternal kingdom, an eternal throne. Did he keep taking them through the prophets to show how all the prophets spoke of him? Did he reference how Isaiah called him the man of sorrows, of how Jeremiah called him the righteous branch of how Ezekiel called him the one shepherd, how Daniel calls him the Son of Man, how Hosea calls him the Son who was called up out of Egypt, how Joel calls him the Lord who pours out his spirit, how Amos calls him the tent of David, how Obadiah calls him the Lord who brings his kingdom? Did he go to the story of Jonah in reference back what he taught in the Gospels, that the sign of Jonah, Jonah being in the belly of the fish for three days, points forward to when he would be in the belly of the earth for three days and he would conquer death by stepping out? Did he go to Micah and say that he calls him the ruler from Bethlehem? Did he go to Nahum that says that this is the stronghold and the day of trouble? Did he go to Habakkuk and reference how Habakkuk calls him the Messiah, the Anointed One, which is the language of expectation, that they've been sitting in the for hundreds of years before Jesus comes? Did he go to Zephaniah that calls him the King of Israel, to Haggai, that calls him the Greater Temple, to Zechariah that calls him the king who rides in on the colt, which just happened the week before on Palm Sunday? Did he finish in Malachi, when Malachi talks about How John the Baptist prepared the way for him. He could have gone anywhere from the Old Testament and said, this all points to me that the entirety of the Old Testament is pointing forward to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, man. To be there and to witness and to wonder, what did he walk them through? What a glorious moment to see. And it made quite the impression on them, whatever he walked them through. Because at the end of all of them, they asked him, why don't you spend the night with us?> "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent."So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent that Jesus has left such an impression on them, this stranger, that they can't know who he is. Yet they said, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, you're coming with. You're staying with us tonight. So he comes. He stays. So he went to stay with them.> When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight.So they finally get down, ready to eat, and Jesus takes the bread, just like he did a few nights ago when he instituted the Lord's Supper. And he breaks the bread and he hands it to them. And supernaturally the veil is removed and they can see Jesus. And I like to imagine that Jesus was just grinning ear to ear, just, it was me. It was me that walked him through the Scriptures. It was me. And then they don't have a moment to, like, jump across the table and embrace Him. He just gone, just vanishes, supernaturally leaves the building and they're just left hanging, like, what just happened? And then on, in response to this, says,> "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?"And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the 11. And those who were with them gathered together, saying,> "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon."Then they told what happened on the road and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. And they, after he vanishes, they just like, we got to get back to Jerusalem. I don't think it took them two hours. I think they sprinted. I think they sprinted all the way back to Jerusalem and they burst through the door where the disciples and all the followers of Jesus are trying to figure out what happened. Comparing and contrasting all the events of the day. And there had to be a moment where they just were like, wait, okay, you are. You're not going to believe what just happened. We just spent, like the whole afternoon with Jesus and we didn't even know he's Jesus. Like, we couldn't see him. He did something to our eyes, and then all of a sudden, he broke the bread and boom, he was there. And then he was gone. But I'm telling you, he's alive. He is risen. And that story has been told and retold and retold for the last 2000 years.Now, there's so many parts of this story that you could post up in that you could focus on. There's not one way to approach this text. I want to focus on one phrase as we close out. It's the immediate aftermath of Jesus appearing to them and then vanishing. It's what they say, did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us? The scriptures, they had. Their eyes were veiled the whole time they're with Jesus until then, but they. They make the connection to something that was happening within them. Like, did our hearts not burn within us when he. When he walked us through the Scriptures, when he taught us what all these events were supposed. Did he not. Did you feel it? Yeah, I felt it. Did you feel it? I felt it. Did our hearts not burn within us when we encountered the resurrected Jesus Christ as he declared the message of the gospel to us? That's where I want to spend the rest of our time, is trying to understand this. It's important to understanding this passage. But more importantly than that, it's one of the most important questions that you could reckon with in your entire life. So let's try to understand this. What they're pointing to is something very specific, and it's very rich how they respond. They're not talking about the literal heart. So when the Scriptures speak about the heart, this is not the literal organ that is pumping blood through your body. What they're talking about when in the rest of the Scriptures, when it speaks of the heart, the heart is the inner self. This is your inner self. And what they're tapping into is, did our. Did our hearts. Did our inner self not burn within us? Were those affections that we were sensing not stirring within us? As Jesus, the resurrected Savior, walked us through the gospel throughout the Old Testament, explained to us the story of redemption from Genesis to him? Did you not sense that holy stirring, that holy burn within us as Jesus began to connect all those dots. That is a picture of what it looks like for God to work within us. This is what it means for the. For the Spirit of God to come at work within us and to change us. And it leads us to the most important question that you could ever reckon with. Does your heart burn within you when you hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Does your heart stir within you when you consider the message of this Jesus? Because here's the deal. You can hear that message over and over and over again. You can know it, you can recount it. And I could. I could walk through it all. I could. We could go through the Old Testament and point out all the places where God is weaving his redemption story together, leading to the cross and the empty tomb. That we could talk about how when you flip from Malachi into the Gospel of Matthew, that Jesus, God takes on human flesh and dwells among us. We can look at how he ministered to the people, how he taught the people, all the miracles that he performed. We can go all the way to the end of each of the gospels where he's betrayed by Judas, where he's abandoned by his friends, where he is given over to Pilate, where he is nailed to a cross, where the full cup of God's wrath is poured out on him. And we can keep going to what we celebrate today, that he was resurrected and that he walked out of the tomb. And that the power of the resurrection, the meaning of the resurrection, means that death doesn't have. That's what we just sang. That death doesn't have to have a grip on us, that through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, we can be made new from old to new, from dead to life, that we can step into an eternal life. And we can keep flipping through the pages and we can celebrate that all of this happens by grace, through faith alone in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. We can see how you can't earn this relationship with God, that you must trust in what Jesus has done. We can look at all of this and consider it. And, and, and what I would. What I would suppose is that many of us are familiar with that. We know that message. We know it. We've heard it. We've heard it over and over again. The central question is not do you know that message. The central question is, does your heart burn within you when you consider that message? Does God stir in you affections, worship, love, joy towards Him? That is the question that we must reckon with. That's what Ephesians, chapter One is getting at in verse 18, when it says, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you? What are the riches of his glorious inheritance? In the saints, the question is, have the eyes of your heart been opened enlightened when you consider the riches of the glorious inheritance that he secures through through his redemptive work? Does your heart burn and stir within you when you consider this? There's an old Puritan pastor named Jonathan Edwards from hundreds of years ago. He has a work called Religious Affections. It's a collection of his writings that are put together. And in this. In Religious Affections, what he's trying to do is make a distinction between false religion and true religion. So dead religion, that's a name only, and true religion, that is a relationship with God that is uniquely different. And he tries to separate this out, even goes to Luke 24, this passage, to be able to help us see that there's something different about true religion, about true relationship with God. There's something about this zeal and this love and this wonder and this worship and this wonder that he stirs within us that exemplifies a new life in Christ that is true, that is different than this false religion that may know all of these things, but God hasn't stirred within this individual affections for him. And when getting to the description of this false religion, I want to read what he wrote. He says here, their love is cold, their desires languid, their zeal low, and their gratitude small. How they can sit and hear of the infinite height and depth and length and breadth of the love of God in Christ Jesus, and of his of giving his infinitely dear Son to be offered up a sacrifice for the sins of men, and of the unparalleled love of the innocent and holy and tender Lamb of God manifested revealed in his dying agonies, his bloody sweat, his loud and bitter cries and bleeding heart. And all this for enemies. He says that you can know these things. You can sit and hear about the height and the length and the depth of the love of God that you can picture and have pictured before you this infinite, infinitely dear Son who is raised up on a cross. And we can bear witness by reading the Gospels. We can hear about his agonies and his suffering and the love that it took to stay on that cross for us. And that he does this all, all this for enemies, to redeem them from deserved eternal destruction, and to bring to unspeakable and everlasting joy and glory. And hear this and yet be cold and heavy and sensible. And regardless that we can be familiar with that message and have a heart that is cold, apathetic, does not care heavy, does not inspire to move insensible, just lacks complete sensitivity to the message of the gospel, regardless, does not consider it, does not regard it, that that is what he's getting at with this false religion.Friends, I, I, I want you to hear this very clearly. I think there are many of us in the south that are very familiar with this message. We know it, we know this message. But knowing doesn't save you. The question is, is that when you consider this message, if you know it, are your is your love cold? Are your desires? Is your zeal low? Is the gratitude small? Do you know it? But it that knowledge does inspire love and worship and affections towards Christ and faith and repentance and obedience and delighting in him over all things. Because if that isn't the fruit of what you say you believe, then the reality is you don't believe the message. Familiarity with the message of the gospel doesn't save. And Jesus may be looking at you this morning and saying, oh friend, slow of heart to believe. Slow of heart to believe this you might know all the Sunday school answers from growing up, and you might wear a cross around your neck and you might be a good, decent person who lives a good, decent life, will one day have a good decent funeral. Or people talk about you as a good, decent man or woman and none of that saves, none of it. What saves is encountering this resurrected Savior. And then your heart begins to burn within you. Your heart, your affections begin to stir within you. And my hope is on this Easter morning as we celebrate the goodness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, that he is alive, that he is risen indeed, and all of the eternal implications of hope that come with that. My hope this morning is that as you consider this message, that you might sit honestly before the Lord and you might begin to ask yourself, do I have actually believe this in a way where my heart burns for him, where my heart is stirred for him, where my affections are growing for him. And if you come to the maybe painful reality that that is not the case, my hope this morning is that you would begin to burn, that that stirring would happen in your heart. And I've walked with people long enough to know that sometimes this happens. Sometimes you can feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit beginning to work in your heart. And maybe right now you're trying to convince yourself out of this. Maybe you're trying to say, let's just get to brunch. Let's just get to the rest of the day. I don't want to reckon with this. I don't want to lean into this reality. I just want to move on. I want to press on. But I want to invite you to lean into the heat of that discomfort. Because what Jesus offers you, if he begins to stir and in your heart is a wonderful relationship with him. That is what we say every single Sunday here. That is far better than anything this world has to offer. Everything that you could possibly build your life upon in this world is nothing in comparison to Christ. Paul says it is rubbish in comparison to him. That what you are missing out on is eternally wonderful. So do not deny the heat that is burning within you. Do not run from it. Do not explain it away. Lean into it. I'm going to pray for you in a moment. And my hope is that as I pray, maybe for the first time, you'll lean into the heat. You'll begin to let the Spirit take over your life in a way that transforms you into a new creation in Christ, into someone who loves, worships, follows, and delights in God from now into eternity. But hear this. You must. You must pray. And you must ask Jesus to take over your life. That this cannot be in head knowledge only. This has to be a surrender of the heart to him.So I'm going to pray at the end of all of this. I'm going to be outside that door over there, that connect corner. And as I pray, if you for the first time are choosing to follow Jesus Christ, come talk to me. If you came with a Christian this morning who loves you, talk to him or her. But don't run from the heat. Let it take over. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I pray that right now you might open the eyes of our heart to the reality that you loved us so much that you came. You didn't leave us in our sin and our rebellion against you, but you came and you went to the cross to die for our sins. And that you conquered, you walked out of the tomb conquering the power of death and sin in our lives. And Lord, I pray if there's anyone here this morning that has known this message from their youth, that maybe is young and knows this message can recite it back word for word, but they've never had the burning desire of the stirring of affections towards you. Lord, would you melt their heart this morning? Would you work in their heart this morning? Would you bring them to life and that life into eternity. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.Band's going to come up, we're going to sing and we're going to worship Christ because he's worthy of our worship and worthy of our praise. And if this morning, if that moment right now, you just prayed to follow Jesus Christ, I want to invite you again. Come find me out there at the connect corner. Talk to a friend that brought you, but don't run from it this morning, lean into it.

What if the crowd on Palm Sunday wasn't wrong to shout "Hosanna" -- they just didn't know how big the answer would be?On the Sunday of the Passion, we hold two moments at once: the joy of Jesus entering Jerusalem to shouts of "Hosanna to the Son of David!" and the weight of the full Passion Gospel (Matthew 26:14 -- 27:66), read dramatically by the congregation.In his sermon, Fr. Craig Swan reflects on the word "Hosanna" -- which simply means "save us." The crowd wanted what crowds have always wanted: relief from the immediate problem. For first-century Jerusalem, that meant freedom from Roman occupation, a restored Davidic kingdom. They got something far larger than they bargained for. Fr. Craig draws a line from that ancient disconnect to our own prayer lives today -- the way we tend to pray for the things right in front of us (health, safety, the needs of our loved ones) while missing the greater reality the cross addresses: release from the bondage of sin itself, freedom from the fear of death, and the restoration of the whole world as the Kingdom of God. "We make God our cosmic Santa Claus," he says -- but the cross has already given us the greatest gift. The call of Holy Week is to lift our eyes to the larger picture.Scripture ReadingsIsaiah 50:4-9a -- The Suffering Servant: "I gave my back to those who struck me"Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 -- "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord"Philippians 2:5-11 -- "He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death"Matthew 21:1-11 -- The Triumphal Entry into JerusalemMatthew 26:14 -- 27:66 -- The Passion of Our Lord Jesus ChristHoly Week & Easter at St. Peter'sMaundy Thursday, April 2 -- Shared meal 5 PM + Holy Eucharist 6 PM at St. Augustine's, KingstonGood Friday, April 3 -- Stations of the Cross 12 PM; Liturgy 7 PM (joint service with St. Augustine's)Easter Vigil, April 4 at 7 PM -- Deanery-wide event; Bishop presiding and preachingEaster Sunday, April 5 -- Festival Eucharist with brass and timpaniSt. Peter's by-the-Sea is an Episcopal Church in Narragansett, Rhode Island. Sunday worship rooted in Anglican liturgy, scripture, and thoughtful preaching. Plan a visit: https://www.stpetersbythesea.com

Send us Fan MailIf you've ever been told that a literal 1,000-year kingdom on earth is simply “what the Bible says,” we want you to slow down and look at the assumptions underneath that claim. We start with one detail all four Gospels record: the sign above Jesus on the cross declaring him King of the Jews. We ask what that kingship means biblically, and why that inscription does not automatically translate into a future political program centered in Jerusalem. From there, we trace a core dispensational teaching back to John Nelson Darby and the Scofield Reference Bible: the postponement theory. The claim is blunt, even if people soften it today: Jesus allegedly came to offer Israel a literal earthly Davidic kingdom, Israel rejected it, and the kingdom was delayed until the second coming. We explain why that logic changes the meaning of Matthew 4:17 (“the kingdom of heaven is at hand”), why it suggests a “Plan B” view of the cross, and why it collapses the moment you take seriously Jesus' words that his kingdom is not of this world. We also dig into the broader dispensational framework of “dispensations” and why it often implies multiple ways of being saved across history. We argue for one gospel, one Redeemer, and one consistent pattern of salvation by faith from Abraham to the present, and we point out the downstream effects this debate has on rapture teaching, the church age concept, and how people read Revelation 20 and the millennium. If you care about biblical doctrine, biblical theology, and testing popular end times charts against Scripture, listen through and weigh the texts with us. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves prophecy, and leave a review with the verse you think is most decisive.Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Does the Psalter have a unified theme or message? Davy Ellison says, “Yes!” In his new book Hope for a New David in the Psalter's Narrative Impulse: Reading the Psalms as Utopian Literature (Fortress Academic, 2025), he argues that the Psalter's narrative impulse sustains expectations of a better future by assuring readers that one day Zion will be glorified, enemies vanquished, and the Davidic dynasty embodied in a new Davidic king. Join us as we speak with Davy Ellison about his book, Hope for a New David in the Psalter's Narrative Impulse. Davy Ellison is director of training and lecturer in Old Testament at the Irish Baptist College in Northern Ireland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Does the Psalter have a unified theme or message? Davy Ellison says, “Yes!” In his new book Hope for a New David in the Psalter's Narrative Impulse: Reading the Psalms as Utopian Literature (Fortress Academic, 2025), he argues that the Psalter's narrative impulse sustains expectations of a better future by assuring readers that one day Zion will be glorified, enemies vanquished, and the Davidic dynasty embodied in a new Davidic king. Join us as we speak with Davy Ellison about his book, Hope for a New David in the Psalter's Narrative Impulse. Davy Ellison is director of training and lecturer in Old Testament at the Irish Baptist College in Northern Ireland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

Does the Psalter have a unified theme or message? Davy Ellison says, “Yes!” In his new book Hope for a New David in the Psalter's Narrative Impulse: Reading the Psalms as Utopian Literature (Fortress Academic, 2025), he argues that the Psalter's narrative impulse sustains expectations of a better future by assuring readers that one day Zion will be glorified, enemies vanquished, and the Davidic dynasty embodied in a new Davidic king. Join us as we speak with Davy Ellison about his book, Hope for a New David in the Psalter's Narrative Impulse. Davy Ellison is director of training and lecturer in Old Testament at the Irish Baptist College in Northern Ireland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biblical-studies

Does the Psalter have a unified theme or message? Davy Ellison says, “Yes!” In his new book Hope for a New David in the Psalter's Narrative Impulse: Reading the Psalms as Utopian Literature (Fortress Academic, 2025), he argues that the Psalter's narrative impulse sustains expectations of a better future by assuring readers that one day Zion will be glorified, enemies vanquished, and the Davidic dynasty embodied in a new Davidic king. Join us as we speak with Davy Ellison about his book, Hope for a New David in the Psalter's Narrative Impulse. Davy Ellison is director of training and lecturer in Old Testament at the Irish Baptist College in Northern Ireland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/christian-studies

This teaching walks through Jeremiah 22–23, explaining how Judah's coming exile under Babylon prefigures end-time judgment and false religion, with the pain imagery of childbirth in Jeremiah 4:11 pointing forward to eschatological fulfillment in Revelation 12 and the return of Christ; the downfall of Coniah (Jeconiah) in Jeremiah 22:24–30 is shown to foreshadow those who perish in “Babylon the Great” (Revelation 17–18), while also explaining the genealogical necessity behind Jesus' lineage in Matthew 1 and Luke 3, in light of the curse and the Davidic promise (Ruth 4); the passage then turns to God's indictment of corrupt shepherds in Jeremiah 23:1–4, echoed by Jesus' warning about hirelings in John 10, before unveiling the messianic hope of the “righteous Branch” in Jeremiah 23:5–6, a prophecy operating simultaneously in Jeremiah's own time, Christ's first coming, and His future reign; the teaching stresses proper biblical interpretation as modeled by Jesus (cf. Matthew 15, Isaiah 29, Acts 1), reinforced by apostolic instruction that past events were written for our warning (1 Corinthians 10, Romans 15, Galatians 1), and concludes that God faithfully preserves His promises to David (Ezekiel 34; 37) while holding leaders accountable, urging discernment in light of Daniel 9 and the certainty of Christ's ultimate, righteous kingdom. You can connect with Moriel in more locations than just YouTube! Check out all our official links on the About page: https://www.youtube.com/c/MorielTVministries/about.

This powerful exploration of Romans 11:1-10 confronts one of the most critical questions in biblical theology: Has God abandoned His chosen people Israel? The resounding answer echoes through Scripture with the strongest possible negative—absolutely not. We discover that God's faithfulness to Israel isn't merely a historical curiosity but the very foundation of our confidence in His promises to us. The message challenges modern theological trends like replacement theology by examining God's unbreakable covenant with Israel, reminding us that if God can remain faithful to a people who rejected the Messiah, wandered in disobedience, and were scattered for two millennia, then His promises to us are equally unshakeable. The dramatic fulfillment of prophecy in 1948 when Israel became a nation in a single day serves as a stunning reminder that we live in prophetic times. Through the examples of Elijah confronting the prophets of Baal and the promise of a faithful remnant, we see that God always preserves those who are truly His, even when circumstances seem hopeless. This isn't just about geopolitics or ancient history—it's about understanding that the same God who cannot lie, cannot break His word, and cannot abandon His covenant with Israel is the God who promises never to leave or forsake us.Sermon Notes – Romans 11:1–10  I. Big Idea  God has not rejected Israel; His unbreakable covenant with them displays His faithfulness to all His people. Israel's history, blindness, and future restoration are a living proof that God keeps His word and works by grace, not works.---II. Text: Romans 11:1–10  • v1–2 – Question: “Has God rejected His people?” Answer: “By no means.”   – Paul himself: an Israelite, tribe of Benjamin, proof God still saves Jews.  • v2–5 – Elijah & the remnant (1 Kings 18–19)   – Elijah: “I alone am left.”   – God: “I have kept for myself 7,000 who have not bowed to Baal.”   – Application: There is always a remnant; God preserves a faithful people.  • v5–6 – Remnant chosen by grace   – If by grace, not by works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.  • v7–10 – Israel's hardening   – “The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened.”   – Spirit of stupor; eyes that don't see, ears that don't hear.   – David's imprecation: their table (privilege, blessings) becomes a snare.---III. God's Unbreakable Promises to Israel  • God cannot lie or break covenant (Titus 1:2; Joshua 23:14; 1 Kings 8:56).  • Davidic covenant (Psalm 89):   – Even when David's offspring disobey, God will not revoke His steadfast love or violate His covenant.  • New Covenant promised to Israel (Jeremiah 31:31–34):   – Law written on hearts, sins forgiven, intimate knowledge of God.   – What we experience in Christ now is what will one day be poured out on Israel as a nation.  • Jeremiah 31:35–36 – As long as sun, moon, stars remain, Israel remains a nation before God.---IV. Israel in History & Prophecy  • Uniqueness of Israel: other ancient peoples (Hittites, Amorites, etc.) vanished; Israel remains despite dispersion and persecution.  • 70 AD: dispersion; 2,000 years without a homeland; ongoing suffering (e.g., Holocaust).  • 1948: Israel reborn as a nation “in a day” (Isaiah 66:8) – a key marker in end-times prophecy and a visible sign that God keeps His word.  • Future: Zechariah 12:10 – God will pour out a spirit of grace; Israel will look on “Him whom they pierced,” mourn, and turn to Christ. Their future obedience will bring worldwide blessing.---V. The Remnant Principle  • Always a remnant in Israel (Elijah's day; Messianic Jews today).  • Always a remnant in the church—faithful believers holding to Scripture despite cultural Baal worship (sexual immorality, gender confusion, idolatry).---VI. Grace, Not Works  • Salvation of Jew and Gentile alike is by grace alone.  • Israel's current hardening opened the door for Gentile salvation; their future turning will mean even greater worldwide revival (later in Romans 11).---Practical Applications  1. Trust God's Promises    – If God keeps His word to stubborn, often disobedient Israel, He will keep His word to you: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  2. Reject Replacement Theology in Your Heart    – Don't assume God is “done” with anyone—Israel or individuals. No one is beyond His reach.  3. Stand Firm in a Baal Culture    – Refuse sexual immorality, gender confusion, and cultural idols. Be part of the remnant that doesn't bow.  4. Pray for Israel and the Nations    – Pray for Jewish people to see Jesus as Messiah and for peace and justice in the Middle East.  5. Persevere When You Feel Alone    – When you think “I alone am left,” remember God has many others. Stay faithful; God loves “fourth-quarter” moments.---Discussion Questions  1. How does Romans 11:1–2 challenge the idea that God might be “done” with certain people or groups?  2. When have you felt like Elijah—alone in your faith? How did God show you there was a remnant?  3. In what ways do you see “Baal worship” (idolatry, sexual confusion, self-worship) resurfacing in our culture?  4. How does God's faithfulness to Israel strengthen your confidence in His promises to you personally?  5. What does it practically look like for you to live as part of the faithful remnant in your workplace, school, or family this week?

Welcome back to the Truth Podcast!In this episode, we explore the structural backbone of the entire Bible: The Covenants. From the rainbow over Noah to the cross of Christ, God has used formal, binding agreements to reveal his character and his unfolding plan for salvation. We'll discuss the difference between a cold legal contract and a relational biblical covenant, and how each major agreement—Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic—ultimately finds its fulfillment in the New Covenant through Jesus Christ. Whether you are new to the faith or a long-time believer, understanding these divine promises will help you see the "big picture" of God's unwavering commitment to humanity.--The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you're looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.Donate Now--

How does the entire Bible fit together? In this episode of inContext, Michael Easley sits down with New Testament scholar Alan Thompson, author of A Basic Guide to Biblical Theology, to explore how Scripture unfolds as one unified story. They unpack the difference between exegesis, biblical theology, and systematic theology—and explain why context is king when reading the Bible. You'll learn how the major covenants (Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and New) progressively reveal God's redemptive plan, how Jesus fulfills those promises, and what He meant when He said the Kingdom of God was “at hand.” They also explore the “now and not yet” tension in the New Testament, the meaning of inheriting the Kingdom, the Exodus as a pattern of redemption, temple imagery throughout Scripture, and the breathtaking vision of the holy city in Revelation 21. If you want to grow deeper in your understanding of Scripture—and think theologically about your faith—this conversation will strengthen your confidence in God's Word.Subscribe for more in-depth biblical conversations. Chapters 00:00 Introduction & Prayer 02:00 What Is Biblical Theology? 05:30 Exegesis vs. Systematic Theology 09:00 The Kingdom of God Explained 14:00 What First-Century Jews Expected 18:00 The Major Biblical Covenants 26:30 The New Covenant & the Lord's Supper 32:00 Exodus, Temple & God's Presence 38:30 The “Now and Not Yet” Framework 44:00 Inheriting the Kingdom 47:00 The Holy City & Final Transformation 52:00 Why Theology Matters for Every Christian Key Topics Covered Biblical theology vs. systematic theology Why context is essential in Bible study The Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and New Covenants Jesus and the fulfillment of covenant promises The Kingdom of God: present and future The “now and not yet” tension in Scripture Exodus as a model of redemption Temple imagery from Eden to Revelation Revelation 21 and the holy city Final transformation and eternal hope Links Mentioned: A Basic Guide to Biblical Theology by Alan J. Thompson

In this episode of House of Learning: Understanding the Doctrine of the Temple, Meghan Farner and Cory Jensen explore three major covenant structures found throughout scripture — the Sinai covenant, the Davidic covenant, and the Abrahamic covenant — and how all three operate within what is called the “new and everlasting covenant.”This lesson reveals how God mercifully extends covenant relationships to humanity through multiple structures: collective covenants with nations and communities, intercessory covenants through proxy saviors, and personal covenants with individuals and their posterity. Together, these patterns reveal a divine system designed to bless, gather, protect, and spiritually mature God's children across generations.You'll learn:✨ What the Sinai covenant teaches about collective covenant responsibility✨ How the Davidic covenant reveals intercession, proxy leadership, and spiritual stewardship✨ Why Jesus Christ is the ultimate intercessor and covenant mediator✨ How the Abrahamic covenant demonstrates personal covenant relationship and divine promise✨ Why God honors covenant across time, nations, and generations✨ How covenant structures support spiritual ascension and becoming✨ What the “new and everlasting covenant” truly meansThis episode also explores biblical examples including Moses, David, Hezekiah, Abraham, Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon covenant tradition, and how covenant structures may continue to unfold in modern spiritual development. If you've ever wondered how covenants operate beyond individual belief, how intercession functions spiritually, or how God organizes collective spiritual growth, this lesson offers deep insight and spiritual coherence.

In 2 Samuel 7:1–29, David has a good idea. He wants to build a house for God. After all, he is living in a palace while the ark of the covenant rests in a tent. It seems honorable, spiritual, and even obvious. But God says no. Instead of allowing David to build Him a house, God makes a covenant with David and promises to build him a house, a dynasty that will last forever. This chapter marks a turning point in redemptive history and ultimately points to Jesus, the true and eternal King who would come from David's line. In this episode, Pastor David Maestas explores: Why good intentions are not always God's assignment How to respond when God redirects your plans The difference between ambition and obedience What the Davidic covenant reveals about God's faithfulness How 2 Samuel 7 ultimately points to Christ If you're in a season where God has closed a door, delayed a dream, or redirected your path, this chapter reminds us that His "no" is often protecting a bigger "yes." God's promises are not dependent on your performance. They are rooted in His covenant faithfulness. Listen in as Pastor David Maestas unpacks how to trust God's timing, surrender your plans, and rest in the reality that He is building something greater than you can see.

In this message from Gospel of Mark 12:35–44, we step into the temple during the final week of Jesus' life and watch Him confront the religious leaders with a question they cannot answer. Quoting Psalms 110 and pointing back to the promise of 2 Samuel 7, Jesus asks how the Messiah can be both David's Son and David's Lord. The riddle exposes more than bad theology—it reveals hardened hearts. The scribes know the Scriptures inside and out, yet their love for recognition, status, and control proves they have missed the very One the Scriptures point to. This sermon unpacks that tension and reminds us: knowing who God is isn't about winning debates or looking spiritual—it's about lives transformed by the truth. The passage closes with a striking contrast at the temple treasury. As wealthy worshipers give from their abundance, a poor widow quietly offers two small copper coins—everything she had. Jesus declares her gift greater, not because of its size, but because of her surrender. Together, these scenes press one clear takeaway: knowing who God is shows up in how you live. From generosity to humility to daily obedience, our actions reveal what we truly believe. This message invites us to examine our own hearts—are we performing like the scribes, or trusting like the widow? And as we look to Jesus, the greater King who would soon give everything for us, we're called to respond with wholehearted faith.

Christians are included in the Davidic covenant. What David received, we will also receive in Christ Jesus.