Podcasts about Hebrew Bible

Spirit of God E1 — In 2017, we released a 3-episode series on the theme of the Holy Spirit. And now eight years later, we've decided there's still a lot more to reflect on and explore! The word we translate in English as “spirit” is ruakh in the Hebrew Bible and pneuma in the Greek New Testament. The word refers to God's personal presence, but it also often refers to wind, breath, and a human's mind. So how can this word refer to God's manifest presence and energy, but also created things? In this episode, Jon and Tim kick off a new expanded series on the Spirit of God. CHAPTERS The Frequency of Ruakh and Pneuma in the Bible (0:00-13:32) The Meaning of Ruakh (13:32-25:05) The Paradox of Wind and God's Spirit (25:05-40:39) Ruakh as a Mind or Idea (40:39-53:39) OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT View this episode's official transcript. REFERENCED RESOURCES Tim mentions the work of scholar Benjamin Kantor. Here is an introduction to his work: A Short Guide to the Pronunciation of New Testament Greek. Here is the original Holy Spirit podcast series and the original Holy Spirit video. Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books here. SHOW MUSIC "City Sunset ft. Marc Vanparla" by Lofi Sunday “But Hopeful ft. Maddox” by Lofi Sunday “The Kingdom” by Lofi Sunday, Marc Vanparla BibleProject theme song by TENTS SHOW CREDITS Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey and Aaron Olsen edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty writes the show notes. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Subscribe to get access to the full episode, the episode reading list, and all premium episodes! www.patreon.com/OrdinaryUnhappinessAbby, Patrick, and Dan continue tracking the reflections – and refractions – of the myth of Narcissus across Western history. From the songs of French troubadours to the tale of Chaucer's Wife of Bath to the poetry of Dante and the dialogues of Petrarch, they examine how Ovid's narrative of Narcissus and Echo grew into a powerful cultural template for dramatizing changing attitudes towards love, sexuality, gender, and more. By the same token, as Abby, Patrick, and Dan explore, the figure of Narcissus became a touchstone for other literary traditions, moral discourses, and theological traditions. Turning to key moments from the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Church Fathers, the three then sketch out how the question of narcissism also came to reflect longstanding cultural anxieties about vanity, “vainglory,” pleasure, embodiment, humility, pride, and the nature of selfhood.Have you noticed that Freud is back? Got questions about psychoanalysis? Or maybe you've traversed the fantasy and lived to tell the tale? Leave us a voicemail! (646) 450-0847  A podcast about psychoanalysis, politics, pop culture, and the ways we suffer now. New episodes on Saturdays. Find us online:  http://www.ordinaryunhappiness.com X: @UnhappinessPod Instagram: @OrdinaryUnhappiness Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/OrdinaryUnhappiness Theme song: Formal Chicken - Gnossienne No. 1 https://open.spotify.com/album/2MIIYnbyLqriV3vrpUTxxO Provided by Fruits Music

Welcome to Day 2906 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. Day 2906 – Theology Thursday – Prayer as Communion, Petition, and Covenant: From Ancient Near East to Modern Faith Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2906 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps!   I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2906 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. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God's Word. John's lessons can be found on his website   theologyinfive.com.   Today's lesson is titled PRAYER AS COMMUNION, PETITION, AND COVENANT: FROM THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST TO MODERN FAITH. In the religious systems of the ancient Near East, prayer was a vital function, though its framework was drastically different from what later developed in Israelite and Christian thought. Prayer was primarily a method of maintaining the cosmic order through appeasement and transaction. Gods in Mesopotamia, Canaan, and Egypt were seen as powerful but unpredictable, often requiring elaborate rituals, sacrifices, and formulas to grant favor or avert wrath. These cultures did not operate under a theology of relational covenant but rather through a pattern of reciprocity: offerings and words were meant to provoke a specific divine response. Babylonian prayer texts like the “Shurpu” and “Maqlu” series reflect a deep concern with curses, omens, and unseen transgressions. The supplicant might not even know which god was offended or what sin was committed. In such cases, prayers became generalized pleas for forgiveness from all deities. Egyptian prayers often took the form of hymns to the gods, extolling their attributes and requesting protection or intervention, especially concerning the afterlife. Canaanite prayer and sacrifice, while less preserved in textual form, mirrored these transactional patterns. Ultimately, prayer in the ANE was primarily about control, using proper language and rites to maintain divine favor and personal or national survival. The first segment is: The Distinctive Voice of Ancient Israel: Relational and Covenant-Based. The emergence of Israel as a people devoted to Yahweh introduced a significant break from the ANE paradigm. While early Israelite religion still bore some cultural similarities to its surroundings, the theology of Yahweh as a covenantal, relational deity revolutionized the nature of prayer. No longer was prayer simply a means of magical manipulation or guesswork. It became a medium through which a person engaged with a God who had revealed His name, His character, and His promises. The earliest biblical prayers, such as those found in Genesis, reflect this relational nature. Abraham argues with God over the fate of Sodom, appealing not to ritual but to God's justice. Moses intercedes for Israel after the golden calf incident, reminding Yahweh of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These prayers do not treat Yahweh as distant or unknowable but rather as a God who can be reasoned with, challenged, and persuaded because of His own covenant loyalty. The Book of Psalms shows the breadth of human emotion brought before God: joy, fear, doubt, anger, and praise. Lament becomes a central form of worship, as seen in the cries of David or the national laments after Jerusalem's destruction. These are not sterile performances but passionate expressions of faith. Prayer becomes an act of courage, a wrestling with God, a protest against silence, and a clinging to hope when the world falls apart. The second segment is: From Temple to Synagogue: Formalization in Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism. As the Hebrew Bible gave way to the practices of Second Temple Judaism, especially after the exile, prayer began to evolve in response to historical necessity. With the destruction of the First Temple and the loss of the sacrificial system, the Jewish people turned increasingly to prayer and study as their central forms of worship. What was once spontaneous became structured. What was once private became communal. During this period, daily prayer rhythms began to emerge. Fixed times of prayer, morning, afternoon, and evening, mirrored the times of temple sacrifice and were eventually institutionalized. The Amidah, or “Standing Prayer,” developed into a core liturgical centerpiece. It offered a framework of blessings praising God, requesting needs, and praying for national restoration. The Shema, a declaration of God's unity and Israel's devotion, became part of daily prayer and identity. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, Rabbinic Judaism restructured prayer life around the synagogue. Prayer was no longer centered on the priesthood and sacrificial rites but on the Torah, communal liturgy, and ethical action. This shift preserved Jewish identity during centuries of diaspora. Though formalized, prayer retained its relational element. It became the heartbeat of Jewish life, binding communities together and anchoring them to God's enduring promises. The Third Segment is: Prayer Reimagined in Early Christianity: Access through Christ. The earliest Christians, being Jews themselves, inherited this rich tradition of covenantal and liturgical prayer. Yet their belief in Jesus as the risen Messiah transformed their approach to prayer in significant ways. Central to this transformation was the idea of direct access to God through Christ. Jesus's own prayers, such as the Lord's Prayer, serve as both instruction and theological statement. The address “Our Father” reflects unprecedented intimacy. It reaffirms the covenantal relationship while highlighting the nearness and care of God. The prayer also orients the believer toward God's will, God's kingdom, and daily dependence, not merely petition. The Apostle Paul builds on this foundation by portraying prayer as a Spirit-driven communion. Believers are said to cry out “Abba, Father” by the Spirit. Paul claims that even when words fail, the Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for speech. This understanding of prayer shifts it away from set ritual toward a continual, personal interaction with the divine. In Christian theology, Jesus becomes the eternal High Priest, interceding on behalf of believers. This transforms the act of prayer from an attempt to reach an uncertain deity into an assurance of access to a loving Father through a faithful Son. Whether corporate or private, spontaneous or formal, prayer is understood as the believer's participation in the divine relationship secured by Christ. The Fourth Segment is: Boundaries and Prohibitions: When Prayer Becomes Misuse. While prayer is central to both testaments, not all prayer is accepted. The Bible gives several warnings about misguided or forbidden types of prayer. Chief among these is prayer to other gods. The First Commandment is clear: Israel was not to call on or serve any deity but Yahweh. This was not a cultural preference but a matter of covenant loyalty. Invoking Baal, Molech, or Asherah was not neutral. It was spiritual adultery. Another prohibited form was manipulative or theatrical prayer, often seen in paganism. The prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel danced and cut themselves, trying to compel their god to act. Elijah mocks this as futile. Jesus echoes this in the New Testament when He warns against “vain repetitions” and showy public displays. The goal of biblical prayer is not to impress people or mechanically control God. It is relational. Also forbidden were necromancy and communication with the dead, practices common in surrounding cultures. Deuteronomy 18 lists these among the detestable practices of the nations that Israel was not to imitate. Prayer was not to be blended with conjuring or attempts to access hidden knowledge through forbidden means. Later rabbinic tradition added safeguards to ensure prayer was done with the right heart. One was not to pray while intoxicated, or in moments of ritual impurity, or without focus. Christian writers like James and Peter also warn against praying from selfish motives or while harboring unresolved sin. The Fifth segment is: Rhythm and Repetition: Between Discipline and Pagan Imitation Repetitious or rhythmic prayer is sometimes misunderstood. Scripture does not forbid repetition outright, but it sharply distinguishes between reverent repetition and pagan-style incantations. Psalm 136 repeats the phrase “His steadfast love endures forever” 26 times as an act of worship, not manipulation. Many psalms and prayers use repetition as a poetic or liturgical feature, meant to reinforce covenant truths and lead the heart toward trust. The Shema and priestly blessing were repeated regularly in Jewish worship. Jesus's warning in Matthew 6 verse seven, “Do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do,” targets the kind of mechanical babbling seen in magical or pagan rituals. It does not prohibit...

What if the most powerful religious leader in ancient Judah was the king's mother? Sister Heather Farrell walks us through 2 Chronicles and the queen mother whose name the record keeps even when it forgets everything else, and makes the case that the covenants have always traveled through the household and through family stories far messier than we'd like to admit.SHOW NOTES/TRANSCRIPTSEnglish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT230ENFrench: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT230FRGerman: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT230DEPortuguese: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT230PTSpanish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT230ESYOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/00ytqfvXE48ALL EPISODES/SHOW NOTESfollowHIM website: https://www.followHIMpodcast.comFREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKSNew Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBookOld Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBookBook of Mormon: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastBMBook WEEKLY NEWSLETTERhttps://tinyurl.com/followHIMnewsletter SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/followHIMpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastTIMECODE0:00 - Part 1 - Sister Heather Farrell1:15 Why would anyone love Chronicles?2:51 “Our eyes are upon thee”4:01 Bio6:40 Come, Follow Me Manual7:49 Chronicles 101: one book, not two (and its two obsessions)9:50 Hebrew Bible, Tanakh, and Torah10:55 The Chronicler as Mormon13:04 Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia–4 ways to conquer a people16:28 The last verse in the Hebrew Bible is about the temple17:47 Dolly, Mary, and a messy line22:23 Why do Kings and Chronicles tell the same stories?24:24 Solomon built two houses26:36 The Nauvoo parallel28:13 God accepts the dedication31:03 The verse that became a song33:33 The second covenant35:43 Official religion vs. household religion38:30 Easter happens at home (why we need fridge magnets)40:40 Asa tears down the high places and groves43:18 Asherah and why she is NOT our Heavenly Mother46:35 Asa's prayer48:20 Worthiness to ask for a miracle50:38 Spiritual storehouses (like grain but better)53:03 The hard verse is descriptive not prescriptive55:21 Asa's mistake58:13 The gebirah–the King's mother1:00:13 Bathsheba and why Kings always names the mother1:02:39 Covenant power that transfers through a woman1:05:13 A dynasty that runs on worthiness, not just blood1:06:12 Jumping Jehoshaphat1:08:37 “There is yet one man … but I hate him”1:09:47 End of Part 1 – Sister Heather FarrellThanks to the followHIM team:Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Cofounder, Executive Producer, SponsorDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: Marketing, SponsorLisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show NotesWill Stoughton: Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, WebsiteAriel Cuadra: Spanish TranscriptsAmelia Kabwika: Portuguese TranscriptsHeather Barlow: Communications DirectorSydney Smith: Social Media, Graphic Design "Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com

The 10 Commandments E17 —  We just finished exploring the 10 Commandments, or the 10 Words as they're called in the Bible. In community, we've sought God's wisdom in these 10 Words, first through Jon and Tim's conversations and then with your questions in the Q+R episode! And this communal reading approach also extends to how we make videos with our animation studio. The artists start with a blank slate, wrestle with ideas from the podcast recordings, and then formulate a plan for how to make it all come to life through animation. So what is their process? How do we move an idea from podcast to script to video? In this special behind-the-scenes episode, Jon talks with a few artists from our animation studio about making the 10 Commandments video series. CHAPTERS The Story Sprint With Bot and Everett (0:00-15:01) Visual Development and Storyboarding With Rose and Nyssa (15:01-26:58) Animation With Greg and Josh (26:58-40:44) Concluding Thoughts From the Artists (40:44-44:58) OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT View this episode's official transcript. REFERENCED RESOURCES Watch the 10 Commandments video series here. Find the 10 Commandments full collection of video, podcast, and written resources here. Everett compares the storytelling approach of this video series to our Sermon on the Mount video series. SHOW MUSIC “Solace” by Lofi Sunday feat. ahmo “Strolling Through The Park” by Lofi Sunday feat. Goodiegumdrops “The Commands” by Lofi Sunday feat. Oly.Lo BibleProject theme song by TENTS SHOW CREDITS Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey is our supervising engineer, who also edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty is the creative producer for this episode, and he also wrote the show notes. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins. Special thanks to our guests from the animation studio: Bot Perez, Everett Patterson, Rose Mayer, Nyssa Oru, Greg Stewart, and Josh Espasandin. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There are some strange stories in the Old Testament. This summer we dig into them. Join us for B-Sides: Deeper Cuts from the Hebrew Bible.

In this episode, Mark Levin engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Yael Eckstein, the esteemed leader of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. As America celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this episode delves into the profound historical ties that bind America and Israel. From the early days of the Pilgrims, who sought religious freedom, to the founding fathers who were deeply influenced by Jewish teachings, the episode highlights how Judeo-Christian values have shaped the very foundation of America. Yael points out that many of the Founding Fathers, including John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, were inspired by the Hebrew Bible, emphasizing the significant role that Jewish culture played in America's independence movement.The conversation also touches upon the current state of affairs, where demonstrations against both America and Israel are becoming increasingly common. Yael shares her experiences witnessing these protests firsthand, noting how the values that unite both nations are often under attack. Despite this, she emphasizes the resilience of the Israeli people and the strength of their bond with America.Moreover, the episode addresses the importance of education and historical literacy in understanding the relationship between these two nations. Yael argues that many young people today lack knowledge about the history of Israel and its connection to America, which is crucial for fostering a deeper appreciation of their shared values. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) is a non-profit organization that aims to promote understanding and cooperation between Christians and Jews, and to support Israel and the Jewish people. To learn more, go to: ⁠⁠https://www.ifcj.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is atonement for sin possible without blood — or is that just a Christian idea imposed on the Hebrew Bible? Dr. Michael Brown digs into the original Hebrew to test every text that seems to offer atonement through prayer, incense, flour, or good deeds. You'll walk through word-by-word Hebrew analysis, rabbinic commentary, and a personal testimony that shows what's really at stake in the answer.  ~~~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.

There are some strange stories in the Old Testament. This summer we dig into them. Join us for B-Sides: Deeper Cuts from the Hebrew Bible.

Welcome to Day 2896 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Released from Sheol, Reembodied in Glory: A Revolutionary Promise in the Ancient Near East. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2896 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps!   I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2896 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. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God's Word. John's lessons can be found on his website   theologyinfive.com.   Today's lesson is titled Released from Sheol, Reembodied in Glory: A Revolutionary Promise in the Ancient Near East. The promise of resurrection and glorified embodiment is so central to Judaism and Christianity that it's easy to overlook how unprecedented the concept was in the world of the Ancient Near East (ANE). In a cultural landscape dominated by bleak afterlife expectations, the biblical vision of a redeemed, reembodied existence shattered prevailing norms. The idea that humans might not only escape the grip of death but rise again in everlasting glory was nothing short of revolutionary. The first segment is: Death in the Ancient Near East: A Realm of Shadows. In the cosmologies of Mesopotamia, Canaan, and Egypt, the afterlife was not a place of joy or fulfillment. It was a necessary descent into Sheol, Irkalla, or the Egyptian Duat, a dim and dusty realm where all the dead, good or evil, shared the same fate. This was a land of no return, where the dead were stripped of vitality, feasted on dust, and faded into obscurity. In Mesopotamian myth, even kings and gods wept over this fate, and no one, not even the mighty, escaped. These views were not born out of nihilism but reflected a spiritual realism shared across the ancient world. Sheol and its counterparts like Irkalla and Duat were not metaphors. They were real destinations in the cosmology of the time, dreaded places where the dead existed as weakened, diminished shades. Life was fragile. Disease, war, and disaster struck without warning. The best a person could hope for was to retain a name among the living. Immortality was not life eternal, but legacy. The gods might live forever, but humans were destined for the shadowlands. The second segment is: Sheol in the Hebrew Bible: A Shared Inheritance. Early Hebrew thought shared many features with this ANE worldview. Sheol, as depicted in much of the Old Testament, was not a place of torment or reward but of silence and forgetfulness. Job lamented that the grave was a place where both the righteous and the wicked went. Psalmists cried out to God, not wanting to descend to Sheol where praise was no longer heard. What made Sheol especially terrifying was the possibility of not just existing in a diminished state, but being utterly destroyed. In the worldview of Israel and its neighbors, some spirits in Sheol could be devoured, consumed by greater powers such as the Rephaim or forgotten entirely. To be erased from memory was to lose all identity and hope. The dead could descend further into oblivion, where no legacy or relationship with the living or with God remained. In this view, Sheol was not a passive waiting area. It was a realm where final annihilation remained a threat. The third segment is: The Bosom of Abraham: Covenant Protection in the Realm of the Dead. Amid this grim expectation, later Jewish tradition introduced a dramatic contrast. The righteous were not abandoned to dissolution. Instead, they were gathered into what became known as the Bosom of Abraham. Far from being a metaphor, this designation marked out a region of Sheol reserved for those who belonged to the covenant. As seen in Luke 16, the faithful were carried by angels to a place of comfort and remembrance, not terror and erasure. This was not yet heaven, but it was a protected state. While others faded into silence or were at risk of destruction, those in the Bosom of Abraham were remembered, preserved, and awaited resurrection. It was a place of being known by God, a key distinction from the rest of the underworld. Even in Sheol, Yahweh made a distinction between those who were His and those who were not. This growing expectation set the stage for a greater hope, one not just of preservation, but of reversal. The fourth segment is: The Breakthrough: Resurrection and Embodied Hope. The first major crack in the prevailing view comes in Isaiah and Daniel, where we find explicit references to bodily resurrection: “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.” These declarations were not metaphors. They were bold theological claims, ones that challenged the despair of the ancient world. No longer was Sheol the final destination. A day was coming when the faithful would be raised, not as disembodied spirits, but as reembodied beings, fully restored and transformed. The language hints at glory, justice, and joy, completely alien to the sorrowful tones of ANE afterlife texts. This was a radical theological move. The idea that the righteous would be bodily raised by Yahweh set Israel apart. The divine council rebelled, humanity fell, but God promised not just deliverance, but a glorified future beyond death. The concept did not develop in isolation. It was forged in contrast to the hopeless tomb-worlds of Israel's neighbors. The fifth segment is: Christianity: From Seed to Splendor. Christianity, rooted in Judaism, took this concept and revealed its full flowering. The Jewish hope of resurrection was never mere metaphor. It was a literal expectation of bodily restoration, rooted in prophetic texts like Daniel and Isaiah and affirmed in Second Temple writings, including the martyrdom accounts in 2 Maccabees. Christ's resurrection was not symbolic. It was the historic and physical defeat of death itself. For Paul, this event was not only proof of life after death, but the firstfruits of what all the faithful would experience. Christ's glorified body was a tangible preview of the embodied glory awaiting those who belong to Him. Whereas pagan religions occasionally flirted with ideas of apotheosis or immortality for heroes or emperors, the Christian claim was far more subversive. Every faithful believer, slave or free, male or female, Jew or Gentile, was destined to rise again in glorified embodiment. This was not mythic metaphor. It was cosmic revolution. The sixth segment is: Resurrection vs. Reincarnation or Spirit Survival Importantly, this vision differed from reincarnation, where the self dissolves or returns in new form, and from spirit survival, where a ghost or shade lingers. The biblical model insists on the restoration of the person, not merely their essence. The soul is not freed from the body. It is reunited with a perfected one. This was revolutionary not just in theology, but in anthropology. The human body mattered. The material world was not evil or illusory, as many surrounding philosophies taught. It was made good and would be remade. In Conclusion. In a world where death was final, where the grave was silent, and where the gods offered no escape, the biblical vision of resurrection was not merely hopeful. It was defiant. It redefined justice, identity, and destiny. No longer would the dead sleep forever. No longer would dust be the final word. From the ashes of Sheol, the faithful would rise, not as ghosts, but as glorified, embodied, eternal beings in communion with their Creator. To explore this subject further, please consider these Discussion Questions. How did Ancient Near Eastern views of the afterlife shape the early Israelite understanding of Sheol, and in what ways did Israel's theology begin to diverge? What does Yahweh's power over Sheol, as depicted in the Hebrew Bible, reveal about His nature compared to the gods of neighboring cultures? Why was the concept of bodily resurrection considered radical in the context of ANE beliefs about death and the afterlife? How does the promise of reembodiment challenge modern views that separate spiritual salvation from the physical world? In what ways does the Christian claim of universal resurrection and glorified embodiment subvert ancient notions of divine privilege and human limitation? Join us next Theology Thursday to learn Released from Sheol, Reembodied in Glory:...

What if you've been reading the Old Testament your whole life and missed the most important name on every page? Dr. Don Parry opens the Hebrew Bible with a scholar's precision and a testimony revealing how Elisha's miracles, his very name, and 6,800 attestations of Jehovah converge into one stunning, Christ-centered portrait of a God who never stops showing up.SHOW NOTES/TRANSCRIPTSEnglish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT228ENFrench: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT228FRGerman: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT228DEPortuguese: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT228PTSpanish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT228ESYOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/s7MPgm2gLooFREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKSNew Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBookOld Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBookBook of Mormon: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastBMBook WEEKLY NEWSLETTERhttps://tinyurl.com/followHIMnewsletter SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/followHIMpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastTIMECODE0:00 - Part 1 - Dr. Don Parry5:27 Bio 8:01 Elisha's name “My God is salvation”15:41 The prophetic mantle: Elijah to Elisha19:58 Elisha as a type of Jesus Christ and chariots of fire24:48 Chariot mysticism, temples, returning to God's presence30:36 Restoration-era chariot visions–Joseph Smith and angels36:04 Old Testament metaphors in Restoration scripture40:04 Elisha heals the waters at Jericho46:09 The mocking young men and she-bears55:06 Don't mock the Lord's anointed1:00:10 Jehoshaphat, Moab, and seeking God through a prophet1:04:23 Music invites revelation, and Elisha calls for a minstrel1:09:29 Water miracle without rain1:10:45 End of Part 1 - Dr. Don ParryThanks to the followHIM team:Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Cofounder, Executive Producer, SponsorDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: Marketing, SponsorLisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show NotesWill Stoughton: Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, WebsiteAriel Cuadra: Spanish TranscriptsAmelia Kabwika: Portuguese TranscriptsHeather Barlow: Communications DirectorSydney Smith: Social Media, Graphic Design "Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com

The 10 Commandments Hyperlink Episode (E15) — Sometimes at the close of a series, we'll dig through the podcast archives to find clips that discuss similar ideas from a different perspective. In this 10 Commandments series, we explored how trusting in God's wisdom leads to true life and flourishing, while building lives on our own terms often leads to pain. So in this hyperlink episode, we'll listen to three clips that explore this theme further. First, Jon and Tim break down the literary structure of the stories surrounding the 10 Commandments, which highlight humanity's reluctance to wait on God's commands. Second, Jon, Tim, and former BibleProject scholar Carissa Quinn look at how the golden calf story in Exodus 32 relates to the 10 Commandments. And finally, Jon, Tim, and Carissa discuss how all of the Bible's poems, narratives, laws, and letters are wisdom for us. CHAPTERS The Literary Structure of Exodus 19-24 (0:00-11:32) Obeying God on Our Terms (11:32-31:10) Commandments in a Modern Context (31:10-47:10) REFERENCED RESOURCES Find the 10 Commandments full collection of resources here. Clip 1 is from “Testing at Mount Sinai,” episode 6 in our 2022 series, Exodus Scroll. Clip 2 is from “A God of Our Own Making,” episode 2 in our 2020 series, Character of God. Tim reads quotes from both the Talmud (sometimes referred to as the Babylonian Talmud) and Midrash Exodus Rabbah in the discussion about the golden calf of Exodus 32. Clip 3 is from “Wisdom for Life's Complexity,” episode 8 in our 2021 series, The Paradigm. Find the 10 Commandments full collection of video, podcast, and written resources here. Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books here. SHOW MUSIC “The Shepherd” by Lofi Sunday feat. Marc Vanparla “Just Truth” by Lofi Sunday feat. Yoni Charis BibleProject theme song by TENTS  SHOW CREDITS Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey and Aaron Olsen edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty writes the show notes. Our host for today is Michelle Jones. Our creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Bible didn't drop out of the sky. It was written by real people, in real places, surrounded by some of the most powerful civilizations the ancient world ever produced. Egypt. Babylon. Assyria. Their literature, their laws, their prayers, their creation stories. All of it was in the air when the authors of the Hebrew Bible sat down to write. And they weren't ignoring it.Dr. Christopher Hays is the D. Wilson Moore Professor of Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. He holds a PhD from Emory, an MA in Egyptology from UCLA, reads six ancient languages, and is the author of Hidden Riches, the leading textbook on comparative study between the Old Testament and the Ancient Near East. In this conversation, he walks us through what happens when you place the Bible side by side with the texts of Israel's neighbors. From Mesopotamian prayers that sound like the Psalms to Egyptian wisdom literature that mirrors Proverbs to Assyrian propaganda that Isaiah turned on its head, this episode will reshape how you understand the origins of Scripture.In this episode you will learn:- Why the Old Testament is an Ancient Near Eastern text and what that means for how we read it- How Mesopotamian prayers called Dinger Shah Dibba incantations parallel the language of the Psalms- What the Enuma Elish and the Memphite Theology reveal about what Genesis 1 is actually doing- Why Egyptian influence on the Bible has been massively overlooked and what it teaches us- The striking connection between the Instruction of Amenemope and the book of Proverbs- How the Code of Hammurabi and ANE treaty forms reshape our understanding of the Mosaic Covenant- Why God functioning as the lawgiver in the Torah is a radical departure from ANE norms- How Isaiah used Assyrian imperial propaganda against the empire itself- Why Isaiah 24 through 27 is not apocalyptic and what it actually describes- How new archaeological evidence ties Isaiah 24-27 to the fall of the Neo-Assyrian Empire under Josiah- What it means that Scripture "breathes in" the surrounding culture and "breathes it back out" in a new formGet Dr Hayes Book:Hidden Riches: A Sourcebook for the Comparative Study of the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East- https://a.co/d/0cBF0ZNK Fuller Faculty Page: https://fuller.edu/faculty/christopher-hays/Stay Connected with Dig InWebsite: https://johnnyova.comSubscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thejohnnyovaGet Johnny's latest book- The Revelation Reset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DSHTP16Q

There are some strange stories in the Old Testament. This summer we dig into them. Join us for B-Sides: Deeper Cuts from the Hebrew Bible.

In this session, we cover the readings appointed in the Revised Common Lectionary for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 9), Year A, falling on July 5, 2026.Of course, you may be in search of something “patriotic” to say with the Independence Day celebration (aka, July 4) in America. That's not really our bag here at the Lectionary Lab, but I'll see if I can't whip up a little something for the Thursday Sermon (on Wednesday) — which I will send out this week on Tuesday for the holiday!This Sunday turns a corner. Last week closed the four-week Matthew 10 sending discourse with the small image of a cup of cold water. This week, the Gospel offers what may be the most beloved invitation in all of Scripture: come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. After weeks of being called, sent, warned, and welcomed, the same Jesus turns to his disciples and says: come.The Old Testament tracks both lead toward that Gospel, but they get there along very different roads. Track One brings us a tender story from Genesis — the long account of Abraham's servant finding Rebekah — paired with either Psalm 45's royal wedding song or Song of Solomon's love poem. (The lectionary offers the two as alternatives, and this guide treats both fully.) Track Two brings us Zechariah's vision of a humble king coming on a donkey rather than a war horse, paired with Psalm 145's sweeping celebration of God's compassion for all. The Epistle moves into Romans 7 — Paul's honest, piercing description of the war between intention and action.A small but real continuity is worth noticing as you prepare. Rebekah's first kindness in Genesis 24, in the verses just before our reading, was to draw water for a thirsty servant — and then for his camels. That echo of last week's cup of cold water is the lectionary doing some quiet preaching on its own. For preachers following a sermon series, this Sunday opens a new arc; the Matthew 10 cycle is complete, and Matthew 11 begins a new movement that will carry into the parables in the weeks ahead.A small but real continuity is worth noticing as you prepare. Rebekah's first kindness in Genesis 24, in the verses just before our reading, was to draw water for a thirsty servant — and then for his camels. That echo of last week's cup of cold water is the lectionary doing some quiet preaching on its own.The ReadingsGenesis 24:34–38, 42–49, 58–67First Reading (Track One) — The Finding of RebekahSummaryThis is selected portions of the longest chapter in Genesis. After Sarah's death, Abraham sends his trusted servant back to his homeland to find a wife for Isaac. The selected verses give us three moments: the servant explaining his mission to Rebekah's family, his retelling of the prayer he had silently prayed at the well and how Rebekah had appeared at exactly the right moment, and the close of the story — Rebekah's choice to go, her family's blessing, her journey to Canaan, and the meeting with Isaac in the field. Isaac, the text tells us, brings her into the tent that had been his mother's, and is comforted after his mother's death.Photo by james ballard on UnsplashKey Ideas for Preaching* Rebekah's first kindness, in the verses just before our reading, was to draw water for the servant — and then to draw water for his ten thirsty camels. After last week's cup of cold water, the echo is hard to miss. What does it mean for your congregation that a story this important to the family of Israel begins with the small kindness of a young woman drawing water for thirsty strangers?* When the servant prayed, he says, his prayer was answered before he had finished speaking. The text holds together strong human action and quiet divine arrangement, neither one swallowing the other. Where does your congregation tend to imagine that God's providence and human kindness compete, and how might this text suggest they work together?* Rebekah's “I will go” is one of the clearest moments of agency for a woman in Genesis. She is asked, and she chooses. What does it look like to honor the women in your congregation by reading this story with careful attention to her voice, not just to the men around her?* The story closes with Isaac being comforted after the death of his mother. He has barely spoken since the binding two chapters ago — and now, quietly, the text tells us he is starting to heal. How might your sermon let your people feel that healing often happens slowly, in ordinary ways, after the wounds we cannot easily name?Significant Cautions* The story has often been used to bless arranged marriages or to model dating advice. The text is doing something much larger; do not flatten it into a prescription for modern relationships.* The servant's prayer at the well has sometimes been read as a model for laying out tests to see if God will give the right sign. That is a small and anxious use of a story that is mostly about quiet divine arrangement, not negotiated tests.* Sarah, who dies just before this story, was wronged in this family in ways the text does not resolve. Be honest that the comfort Isaac receives at the end of the chapter does not erase the harder family history that has come before.Psalm 45:10–17The Psalm (Track One, primary option) — A Royal Wedding SongSummaryA wedding song — one of the few psalms not addressed to God but to a king and his bride. The selected verses focus on the bride. She is counseled to leave her own people and join her husband. She is described in glorious clothing, accompanied by joyful companions, and brought with celebration into the king's palace. The psalm closes with a promise that her sons will be princes in all the earth.Key Ideas for Preaching* The psalm describes a celebration — joy at a wedding, glad procession, glorious clothing. After several weeks of demanding texts, what would it look like to let your congregation feel the goodness of celebration as a faithful response to God?* The Christian tradition has often read this psalm allegorically as the marriage of Christ and the church. There is real poetic richness in that reading. How might it shape your sermon to let the psalm be both a wedding song and an image of the love that holds the church?Significant Cautions* “Forget your people and your father's house” has been a difficult line throughout the psalm's history. In its original setting, it describes a foreign princess marrying into Israel — a major dislocation. Modern readers are right to feel the strangeness of the line. Do not preach it in a way that suggests God ever asks anyone to simply forget where they come from.* The psalm focuses almost entirely on the bride's appearance and her function as the producer of royal sons. That is one voice within Scripture, not the whole of what Scripture says about women. Be careful with how you handle the imagery in a contemporary congregation.Song of Solomon 2:8–13The Psalm (Track One, alternative option) — Arise, My LoveSummaryAn alternative reading to Psalm 45. The Beloved's voice rings out across the hills: “the voice of my beloved! Look, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills.” The lover calls the Beloved to come away. Winter is over. The flowers appear. The fig tree puts forth its early fruit. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.Key Ideas for Preaching* The book of Song of Solomon, surprisingly to many in the pews, is in the Bible — and most of what it celebrates is human, embodied love. What does it do for your congregation to hear that the Scriptures have room for an unabashed celebration of human longing?* The image of winter ending and the world flowering again has been used by faithful readers across generations as a picture of God's renewing work. How might your sermon let the text speak both as a love poem and as a picture of what God's love does to a frozen heart?Significant Cautions* The text has, for most of its history in the church, been allegorized into a song about Christ and the church or God and the soul. That tradition is rich. But it has sometimes been used to apologize for the book's frankly erotic content. The text was given to us as it is. Be careful not to scrub it for modern propriety.* Be careful, on the other hand, not to use this text to baptize any contemporary picture of romance. The poem describes mutual longing, mutual delight, and the breaking of seasons; it is not a manual for human relationships and should not be flattened into one.Zechariah 9:9–12First Reading (Track Two) — The Humble KingSummaryA vision of a king coming to Jerusalem — but not the kind of king the people are expecting. He is humble and righteous, victorious yet riding on a donkey rather than a war horse. When he comes, he will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem. The bow of battle will be broken. He will command peace to the nations, and his rule will reach from sea to sea. The reading closes with a word to the “prisoners of hope” — return to your stronghold, double restoration is on the way.Key Ideas for Preaching* The king Zechariah envisions is humble — he comes riding a donkey rather than a war horse. Power that does not look like power. This is the picture the Gospels will pick up at the entry to Jerusalem, and it is the picture Jesus offers of himself in today's Gospel as “gentle and humble in heart.” What does it mean for your congregation to follow this kind of king in a world that still measures power by chariots?* The peace this king brings includes cutting off the implements of war. Not making them better; getting rid of them. Where in your congregation has the language of peace been allowed to coexist with the quiet building up of weapons of one kind or another?* “Prisoners of hope” is one of the strangest and most beautiful phrases in the prophets. The people of God are imagined as captives — but captives of hope, not despair. What might it mean to your people to hear themselves named that way?Significant Cautions* This text is most often heard on Palm Sunday, when it gets read as a prediction of Jesus' entry to Jerusalem. Hearing it now, outside that context, gives a preacher a chance to let it speak first in its own voice. Be careful not to rush it toward Christ in a way that strips it of its own original power.* “Peace to the nations” has sometimes been used to bless military adventures branded as bringing peace. The text says the opposite. The peace comes from disarmament, not from victory.Psalm 145:8–14The Psalm (Track Two) — Good to AllSummaryA great hymn of praise to God's goodness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love. God is good to all, and God's compassion is over all that God has made. All God's works give thanks; the faithful bless God. God's kingdom is everlasting. The Lord upholds those who are falling and raises up those who are bowed down.Key Ideas for Preaching* “The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.” That is a remarkably wide claim. Not good to the worthy. Good to all. Where has your congregation accepted, without thinking, the idea that some are inside God's compassion and some are not?* The psalm is full of universal language — all, every, all that he has made. This is one of the cosmic visions of God's reach in the Hebrew Bible. How might your sermon let your congregation feel the size of that reach?* “The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.” This pairs beautifully with the Gospel's invitation to come to Christ and find rest. What does it look like to preach to those who are falling — gently, without shame?Significant Cautions* “Slow to anger” can be heard bitterly by people who have been crying out for justice for a long time. Do not preach this verse without making room for that experience.* “Upholds all who are falling” can land cruelly on those whose loved ones did, in fact, fall and not get caught. Be careful with this verse near grief.Romans 7:15–25aThe Epistle — The War WithinSummaryOne of the most psychologically piercing passages in the New Testament. Paul describes the experience of doing what he does not want and not doing what he wants. “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” He finds, he says, a kind of law at work in him — that when he wants to do good, evil is right there. He delights in God's law in his inmost self, but another law is at work in his body. The passage rises to a cry: “Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” And then, almost without taking a breath, it pivots: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”Key Ideas for Preaching* This is one of the most honest descriptions of the human condition anywhere in Scripture. Paul does not pretend to have mastered himself. He names the experience that everyone in the room recognizes — wanting to do better and finding the same old patterns returning. What does it mean for your congregation to hear that the Bible knows this experience by heart?* The cry “wretched man that I am” is not despair. It is honest grief that something is broken — and it leads directly to the cry for rescue. How might your sermon teach your people that naming what is broken in themselves is not the same as despairing of themselves?* The pivot at the end is not a quick fix. “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” does not mean the internal struggle disappears overnight. Paul will go on in chapter 8 to describe how the Spirit groans with us in the meantime. Where might your sermon hold the honesty of the struggle and the hope of the rescue together, without rushing past either?Significant Cautions* This passage has been argued about for centuries — whether Paul is describing his pre-Christian past, his ongoing experience as a believer, or some other voice altogether. Faithful readers come down differently. Do not preach as if the question has been settled.* The passage has sometimes been used to bless moral failure — “even Paul couldn't do it, so why try?” That is a misuse. Paul is naming the struggle, not surrendering to it.* The “body of death” language has sometimes been used to disparage the physical body as the source of sin. That is not what Paul says. The whole human person, body and mind together, is involved in the struggle, not the body alone.* “Try harder” sermons that ignore Paul's actual point are common with this text. The point is not effort. The point is the rescue.Matthew 11:16–19, 25–30The Gospel — Come to Me, All Who Are WearySummaryTwo paired sections of Matthew 11. In the first, Jesus complains about his generation. They are like children in the marketplace who cannot be pleased — neither the dance music nor the funeral song moves them. John came as an ascetic and was called demon-possessed. Jesus came eating and drinking and was called a glutton. The wisdom of God will be vindicated, he says, by what it actually produces. The reading then skips ahead — past the harsh woes against the Galilean cities, which the lectionary omits — to Jesus' thanksgiving. He thanks the Father for hiding things from the wise and revealing them to infants. And then the famous invitation: come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.Key Ideas for Preaching* The opening verses describe a generation that cannot be pleased by either austerity or celebration. Where in your own time do you see the same dynamic — a culture that rejects every kind of religious witness, on different grounds? How might your sermon take that pattern seriously rather than dismiss it?* Jesus says wisdom is vindicated by what it produces — its deeds. Not by its claims, its slogans, or its theology, but by what comes of it in actual lives. Where in your congregation has wisdom been measured by talk rather than by fruit, and how might today's text reset that?* The thanksgiving in verse 25 is for what God reveals to “infants” — the simple, the small. That has often been misread as anti-intellectual. It is not. It is a critique of the kind of wisdom that is too sure of itself to receive a gift. What does it mean for your people to come to God like infants — open-handed, not pre-loaded with answers?* The famous invitation — “come to me, all you who are weary” — is offered to everyone, no test required. After four weeks of Matthew 10's increasingly demanding sending discourse, this is the gentlest possible turn. How might your sermon help your congregation feel the contrast and receive the invitation?* A yoke is the wooden frame that binds two oxen together so they can pull a load. A well-fitted yoke makes the work bearable; a poorly fitted one is torture. Jesus offers an easy yoke — one that fits, one that pairs the weary person with him. What does it look like for your people to be yoked with Christ in their actual daily work?* “Rest for your souls.” Not just rest for the body, though that matters too. Rest in the deeper place. What kind of rest are your people most in need of, and how might today's text point them toward it?Significant Cautions* The “easy yoke” should not be flattened into the claim that following Jesus is without cost. We have just spent four Sundays on the cost of being sent. The yoke is easy because of who it is shared with, not because the work is small.* The “hidden from the wise” language has been misused to bless anti-intellectualism. Jesus is not against thinking. He is against the kind of self-satisfied wisdom that cannot receive what is given.* “Come to me, all you who are weary” has been preached in ways that minimize the systemic causes of human weariness. People are not just personally tired; many are exhausted by work conditions, economic pressure, racism, and political structures that are wearing them down. The invitation is real, but it does not let the church off the hook for addressing what is producing the weariness.* The “yoke” image has been used by abusive religious systems to bind people to harmful authorities. Be careful that nothing in your sermon sounds like that. Jesus' yoke is gentle. Anything that is not is not his.Thematic ConnectionsThe Gospel is the natural center for the day, and it offers one of the most beloved invitations in all of Scripture. After four Sundays inside the Matthew 10 sending discourse — in which Jesus has called, sent, warned, and welcomed his disciples — the same Gospel now offers them, and us, a startling change of key. Come to me. Find rest. The same Jesus who was sending people out is the one who now invites them in.The Old Testament tracks both lead toward that Gospel along very different roads. * On Track One, Genesis 24 gives us a tender story of God's providence working through human kindness and choice. Isaac, whose binding we read about two Sundays ago, is now being comforted. Rebekah's voice (and her camels) carry forward last week's cup of cold water into a new generation. Whether you choose Psalm 45 or Song of Solomon, the paired text celebrates love that comes when winter ends. The whole track has the quality of a thaw — a turning toward warmth after the heaviness of recent weeks.* On Track Two, Zechariah's vision of the humble king on a donkey leads directly into the Gospel's “gentle and humble in heart” Jesus. Psalm 145 widens the scope: God's mercy is for all, God's compassion over everything that has been made. The track invites a congregation to see the kingdom of God as fundamentally gentle in nature.* Romans 7 sits inside the day in a fascinating way. After the Gospel's invitation, Paul's honest description of the war between desire and action gives a name to one of the heavy burdens we carry. The rest Jesus offers is not the absence of that struggle. It is the company in which the struggle is held.For preachers continuing a sermon series, this week opens a new arc. The four-week Matthew 10 sending discourse is complete. * Matthew 11 begins a movement that will carry into parables and signs in the weeks ahead. The transition from “go out” (Matthew 10) to “come to me” (Matthew 11) is itself the heart of this Sunday's word. Sending and rest are not opposites; they are two sides of the same life. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lectionarypro.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Gloria Roorda explores a deep cut from the Hebrew Bible as she invites us to encounter Shiphrah and Puah, Egyptian midwives, who defied the Pharoah's command to kill all newborn Hebrew baby boys. Speaker: Dr. Gloria Roorda Part of the series “My Side of the River: An Artisan Spring Read”

In this episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Tony Arsenal walks through Jonah 1–2, focusing on the remarkable prayer Jonah offers from the belly of the great fish. Far from a simple morality tale, the Book of Jonah presents a complex, deeply theological portrait of a disobedient prophet who nonetheless clings to the Lord in his darkest moment. Tony explores the Hebrew literary features that shape how we read Jonah's prayer, the doctrine of divine sovereignty as it operates through human agency, and the rich typological connections between Jonah and the death and resurrection of Christ. Most importantly, the episode grounds Jonah's experience in the Westminster Confession's teaching on sanctification — offering genuine hope to believers who feel buried under besetting sin, assuring them that salvation, from beginning to end, belongs entirely to the Lord. Key Takeaways Jonah is not the hero of his own story — he functions more as an anti-hero whose failures actually make him a more useful and relatable example for ordinary believers. Divine sovereignty operates through, not apart from, human agency — the sailors freely threw Jonah overboard, and yet Jonah rightly says God cast him into the deep; both are simultaneously true. The sequence debate in Jonah 2 matters theologically — whether Jonah prayed before or after being swallowed affects how we read the book; reading it as a strict cause-and-effect sequence risks turning the gospel into a quid pro quo transaction with God. Jonah's "yet I will see your holy temple" is a confession of eschatological faith — in the midst of near-certain death, Jonah expresses confidence not merely in earthly rescue, but in his ultimate destiny as one of God's people. The deep is a Genesis image — Jonah's descent into the primordial waters deliberately echoes the formless void of Genesis 1 and the undoing of creation in the flood, placing his experience within the grand arc of biblical cosmology. Jonah is a prophetic type of Christ's death and resurrection — his three days in the belly of the fish, his descent into the pit, and his emergence onto dry land anticipate and foreshadow the resurrection, as Jesus himself confirms in Matthew 12. Sanctification is real but imperfect — drawing from Westminster Confession Chapter 13, Tony argues that the up-and-down nature of Jonah's spiritual life is not an aberration but a description of the normal Christian life, in which the flesh and spirit remain in perpetual war until glory. Key Concepts Eschatological Faith in the Pit One of the most striking moments in Jonah's prayer is his declaration in 2:4 — "Yet I shall again look upon your holy temple." Tony argues that this is not merely a hope of physical rescue and a return to Jerusalem. Jonah believed he was dying. The waters had closed in to take his life; he was being dragged into underwater trenches that the ancient Semitic mind associated with the very gates of Sheol. In this context, Jonah's declaration is better understood as eschatological faith — a confession that even if God takes his life in judgment, he will still see the Lord face to face in the heavenly temple. It mirrors Job's cry, "Yet in my flesh I shall see God," and anticipates the kind of faith that says, with the father in Mark 9, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief." Sovereignty and Human Agency Working Together Tony uses Jonah's descent as a teaching moment on the Reformed doctrine of concurrence — the truth that God's sovereign decree and human free will are not in competition but operate simultaneously on different levels. The sailors made a free, agonized decision to throw Jonah overboard; and yet Jonah rightly attributes his casting into the sea to God himself. Tony draws the parallel to Joseph's words to his brothers in Genesis 50: "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good." This is not a philosophical sleight of hand. It is the consistent testimony of Scripture that God governs all things — including the underwater currents that dragged Jonah to the ocean floor — without reducing human beings to puppets or eliminating their moral responsibility. Sanctification Is Real, Imperfect, and Guaranteed Perhaps the most pastorally significant thread of the episode is Tony's application of Westminster Confession Chapter 13 to Jonah's experience. Jonah makes genuine progress in faith — his prayer is theologically rich and demonstrates real trust in God — and yet he almost immediately slips back behind the curve, making vows the sailors had already made before him, and later in chapter 4, sulking over a dead plant. Tony refuses to read this as a failure of the text. Instead, it is the text faithfully portraying the reality of sanctification: real throughout the whole person, yet imperfect in this life, with an irreconcilable war between flesh and spirit. The hope is not that we will finally overcome that war on our own, but that through the continual supply of the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part will overcome. Salvation — including sanctification — belongs entirely to the Lord. Memorable Quotes Jonah is constantly behind the curve, but for this little moment, for this glimpse in the very center of the book, the pinnacle of the book is Jonah finally catching up to the sailors. All outside visible indicators said he was going to die and he was going to hell. Yet he trusted in the Lord that he would see his holy temple again. God redeems our life from the pit. From the very depths of hell itself, he snatched us like brands from the fire. Full Transcript [00:00:08] Tony Arsenal: Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it. For their evil has come up before me." But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.  [00:01:24] Storm and Sailors [00:01:24] Tony Arsenal: But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. So the captain came to him and said, "What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god. Perhaps the god will give us a thought that we may not perish." And they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us." So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. Then they said to him, "Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation, and where do you come from? What is your country, and of what people are you?" And he said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land." Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, "What is this that you have done?" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you that the sea may quiet down for us?" For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. [00:02:36] Cast Into Sea [00:02:36] Tony Arsenal: He said to them, "Pick me up and hurl me into the sea. Then the sea will quiet down for you. For I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you." Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to the dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. Therefore they called out to the Lord, "O Lord, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not on us innocent blood. For you, O Lord, has done as it pleased you." So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea. And the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. [00:03:15] Fish and Prayer [00:03:15] Tony Arsenal: And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying, "I called out to the Lord out of my distress, and he answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. For you cast me into the dep-- into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me. All your waves and billows passed over me." Then he said, "I am driven away from your sight. Yet I shall look again upon your holy temple. The waters closed in over me to take my life. The deep surrounded me. Weeds were wrapped around my head." At the root of the mountain I went to the land, whose bars closed upon me forever. Yet you brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God. When I-- when my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you into your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I, with a voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord.  [00:04:23] Jonah Not the Hero [00:04:23] Tony Arsenal: And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land Jonah is an interesting book because, as I commented a year ago, Jonah is not necessarily the hero of the story. Uh, if anything, he is kind of the villain in, in some senses. But nevertheless, I think as we'll see today, Jonah still gives us a good example to follow in a sense, and that I think is really the centerpiece of this prayer, is that even as Jonah's going through all of this, his prayer is still remarkably filled with faithful sayings and trust in the Lord. We learned early on in Jonah that Jonah was a prophet during the time of the kings. Uh, he, uh, he seemed to have been a sort of a court temple. He was in the presence of the kings in Jerusalem itself, and he received a calling from the word of the Lord, and this phrase, "the word of the Lord," seems to imply a pre-incarnate, uh, visible manifestation of the second person of the Trinity. So we're not just talking about a, a disembodied voice. We're not just talking about some sort of sense or impression, but the word of the Lord itself, himself, came to give Jonah this mission, to give Jonah this task, to commission him as a prophet to Nineveh. And Jonah gets up and says, "No, thank you," and he goes the opposite direction. We see in that first section there the repeated phrase, "He goes to Tarshish. He boards a ship in Tarshish." The author here, who we, we think is Jonah, is hammering that he did not go where he was supposed to. He went the opposite direction. He went to Tarshish instead of Nineveh, which is 180 degrees the other direction from, uh, from Nineveh on the map. And he boards the, he boards the ship in order to flee the presence of the Lord. He pays, probably buys out the entire ship itself. He pays the fare for the whole ship, and the Lord hurls a great wave, uses the language of weapons. He hurls this storm like a spear. He weaponizes nature itself to correct and chastise and judge Jonah for his disobedience We get to verses seven through 17, and everyone on the boat is crying out to their chosen deity except Jonah. Jonah is asleep in the hold of the ship, oblivious to everything, totally dead to the world and dead to his Lord. The sailors begin to seek divine li- divine wisdom after they wake Jonah. He comes to the deck of the ship, and they cast lots to identify by divine, uh, revelation, sort of a strange practice in the Old Testament or the old, uh, world. Divine revelation that shows them Jonah is the source of this wickedness that is being wrought upon them, at least their impression of it. So they ask Jonah, "Who are you? Tell us who it is that has caused this great calamity." And he says emphatically, "A Hebrew am I." He identifies himself with God's people, and he says, "The Lord is my God, and he made the heaven and the earth and the sea." There's no small amount of irony, and it explains why the sailors are so afraid when he says that God created the heavens where the storm was. He created the sea where they were about to die, and he created the dry land where they were trying to get to. And so this one phrase that Jonah uses almost casually demonstrates that the Lord has total and utter sovereignty over what is going on, which is a theme that we'll see come back again and again through the book The sailors say, "Well, what do we do about this?" And Jonah says, "Throw me into the ocean, because I know that if you do so, then the storm will calm down and you will be saved." Whether he knew this because he's a prophet and it had been revealed to him, or whether he just was surmising that this was the case, we don't know. But the, uh, sailors are hesitant to do so, and we talked about how it was a little bit strange that these, uh, pagan sailors from cultures that d- had no qualms about human sacrifice were suddenly, uh, unwilling to throw Jonah over the sea a- as a, an appeasement offering to this Lord. And we came to the conclusion that they had been regenerated. They had come to faith in this God who created the heavens and the sea and the dry ground. And so they knew intrinsically that this was wrong, that there was a moral imperative not to do this. So they tried to row back to the land. They jettisoned all of their, uh, all of their goods, all of their cargo. They were making for land as best they could, and when it finally became clear that they couldn't do this, they sought the Lord's mercy in saying, essentially, "We don't understand how this is, but please don't put this man's blood on us, because you, Lord, have done as you please," right? The sovereignty of the Lord again comes to the forefront. They finally cast Jonah into the sea, and this is, this is important. They cast Jonah into the sea, and then they worship, they vow vows, and they vow to sacrifice. They offer sacrifices. They seek the Lord, they acknowledge his s- his sovereignty, and they worship him with what they have left. And then rounding out the chapter, the Lord appoints a great fish to come and swallow up Jonah. And we talked about how this, this swallowing of Jonah, although our popular children's books and VeggieTales and other stories we might read to our kids paints the fish often as the vehicle of judgment, it's actually a vehicle of deliverance for Jonah. There's this interesting grammatical feature that happens where in 1:17 the fish is masculine. The, the, the gender of the word is masculine, and then when we get to 2:1 it switches over to the feminine, almost as if to indicate that the whale was pregnant with Jonah, that Jonah was in the whale and was about to be reborn into the world in a new way And that brings us to our passage here today.  [00:10:21] Sequence Debate [00:10:21] Tony Arsenal: I'm gonna read, uh, 1:17 even though that's a little bit outside of our scope. I'm gonna read it along with 2:1 to, to make the point here. It says, "The Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the whale, of the fish three days and three nights. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish." When you look at the Hebrew text, 1:17 is actually verse 2:1 and 2:1 is then 2:2 and so on and so forth. In the original Hebrew mindset of how this book goes together, these two things were linked together, him being swallowed by the whale and being in the belly of the fish and then him praying was linked together in this sequence. There's a feature in the Hebrew that's called a vav consecutive. You don't need to remember that. Nobody is gonna care about that. But it's, it's a little grammatical feature where it adds this little character to the front of the verb and it indicates a sequence. It's the narrative storytelling. When you look at Genesis 1 it's, "And then God said, 'Let there be light,' and then there was light." It tells you the sequence of events. Sometimes it indicates that it is a strict sequence of events. This happened and then that finished and then the next thing happened and then that finished. And many of the commentators use this passage to justify a perspective of Jonah where Jonah is this rebellious, stubborn prophet who holds out his stubbornness until the very last minute. He's swallowed by the whale, he's getting digested by stomach acid and he sort of finally relents to the Lord and cries out for deliverance and the Lord acquiesces in response to his prayer. That's certainly a possible interpretation. There's lots of good reasons in the, the text here to think Jonah was kind of a chucklehead and was not paying too much attention to what the Lord had for him The other option is to see this as a way for the author of the text to situate this prayer in contrast to other prayers that are not necessarily talked about directly in this text. And I'm gonna take that later view here, and I think it's important. This makes good sense of the text, and we'll explain exactly why that is when we get to the next little section here. But it also protects us theologically if we understand it this way. Jonah is already a book, uh, as I've alluded to, that tends towards a sort of crass moralism or fabulism. We tend to read it as sort of an allegory of if you do the wrong thing, God punishes you, and when you finally do the right thing, He blesses you. And there's a certain level of common grace wisdom to that approach, right? The whole book of Proverbs is-- are these proverbial sayings that if you do this, then the God-- then God will do this. If you raise up your children in the way they will go, they will not depart when they are older. But we also learn in the Book of Job and the Book of Ecclesiastes that those proverbial sayings, although generally true, it's not a magic formula. And so we have this tendency to read Old Testament literature as though it was this sort of like equation, that God punishes us when we're bad. He, uh, He relents from His punishment when we say we're sorry, and we have to be careful about that. If we understand what I'm about to teach from the next section here, that this is not a strict sequence of events, that Jonah began praying before he was swallowed by the whale, and this is simply recording the prayer that was actually within the whale. It helps protect us from seeing Jonah in this sort of quid pro quo, this for that kind of thing. I think we should simply understand this as saying Jonah was in the water, he got swallowed by the whale, and then when he was in the whale, he prayed. It doesn't say anything about whether he was overly stubborn or whether his stubbornness held out. It simply tells us that he was in the pray-- in the whale when this prayer occurred [00:14:23] Sheol and Descent [00:14:23] Tony Arsenal: He says in verse two, he calls out to the Lord out of his distress. He, and God answers him. Out of the belly of Sheol, Jonah cries, and God hears his voice This here tells us that he began praying, right? He was in the water, he was in the deep. All of this descriptive language we're gonna see later on about how deep he was, how quickly the current took him. He was wrapped up in seaweed, his life was fading from him. It was in the midst of all of that that he cries out in his distress. It's a pretty distressing situation. And Jonah, like all of us would, like even most atheists would, cries out to the Lord, even just out of instinct. I think it's kind of crazy for us to think that this man who's now been cast overboard and is being swept to the bottom of the ocean is sure he's gonna die. Somehow, he overrides all of his instinct and his entire life teaching and refuses to pray to the Lord. It just doesn't make sense, and it doesn't make sense of what the text presents here Jonah was in the belly of Sheol. He was in the very, the very womb of Sheol. And there is this interesting contrast that he goes from the belly of Sheol into the belly of the whale. This phrase, the belly of Sheol, is probably roughly equivalent to our phrase about being at death's door, right? It, it may or may not come from some sort of Mesopotamian, um, mythology. It may be a phrase of sort of co-opted into Hebrew, kinda like our phrase at death's door is actually co-opted in from Greek mythology, where there were actually literal doors to the underworld, and people would go there and when they were about to die. Jonah's point is that this was not a small thing. When we watch VeggieTales, he gets thrown in the water, and, like, 13 seconds later, the, the whale comes up and takes him. Jonah was swept down into the water almost supernaturally quick. He was drawn down to the very bottom of the ocean. We talk about the miracle of him surviving in the whale, and it was miraculous for sure, but the miracle of him being swept to the bottom of the ocean and not being crushed by the weight of the water, by the pressure, is equally miraculous. It's no more difficult for God to do that than it is for Him to preserve him in the whale or to raise Jesus from the dead or to create everything from nothing He finally starts to catch up with the pagan sailors. A theme in Jonah is that everyone around Jonah who shouldn't know any better somehow gets to the right conclusion before he does, right? The sailors begin to worship the Lord. They recognize this is divine wrath while Jonah is still asleep in the hold. Later, we'll see that, uh, the, the Ninevites recognize God's mercy and grace and thank Him for it, and Jonah is still mad because the plant he was sitting on d- uh, dies, right? Jonah is constantly behind the curve, but for this little moment, for this glimpse in the very center of the book, the pinnacle of the book is Jonah finally catching up to the sailors. [00:17:34] Sovereignty Explained [00:17:34] Tony Arsenal: He recognizes that it was God who cast him into the depths. This teaches us something about the doctrine of sovereignty and how it relates to human freedom, right? We, we often ask the question, what, what causes rain? Well, you can answer that by saying tiny particles of dust collect water in the air, and once they have enough weight, they fall out of the sky 'cause the air can't hold them up anymore. That's true, and it's good, and that's what nature teaches us. It's also equally true that God causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust alike, and those two things are not contradictory. So when Jonah says, "You cast me into the sea," he's recognizing, like Joseph does in the Book of Genesis, that what the sailors in this case meant for good but what the brothers meant for evil, God purposed and caused for good. What the sailors did by their own volition, their own free will, they exercised their own, uh, autonomy in the, the horizontal sense to cast Jonah into the sea, God also cast him into the sea As I said, the text here uses language that we may not catch in our English translations to indicate that it's not just the sea here that's the problem. God's sovereignty continues to affect and act on Jonah. The word that we read here as the, the water or the flood, other places refers to the current of a river. The, um, the Euphrates itself is sometimes referred to this, the large- sort of the largest river apart from the Nile that the Egyptian or the, um, Israelite mind would have is the Euphrates, right? This underwater river, this underwater current, the undertow sucks him to the bottom of the ocean. It's like if you're swimming at the beach at the ocean and you get caught in the undercurrent. There's not a lot you can do about it. Y- sometimes even the strongest swimmers can't overcome this, and Jonah in all of his Middle Eastern robes, all of this stuff, probably with all of his baggage, his, his own equipment, things he had on him, is caught in this undercurrent that sucks him to the bottom of the ocean. And it's not just below the surface of the water. He's dropped down into the heart of the sea, the very core. We're seeing this language of him being pulled to the depths. In, in chapter one he goes down, down, down, and now he's being drawn into the belly of the ocean, into the pit of Sheol, into the heart of the waters The picture here is that Jonah doesn't just get thrown in the water and sink. He is actively pulled down to the bottom. This is not just a judgment where perhaps he can swim to the top. Just as the mariners hopelessly tried to reach land, Jonah would've been hopelessly trying to swim against this. We don't actually have any indication he tried, but had he tried, there would've been no chance He goes on to say that the God's breakers and his waves roll him. This is the picture we see if you ever watch surfing competitions on the ocean, where a surfer will get hit by the wave and he just gets rolled over and rolled over and rolled over, and it can be incredibly dangerous. That's why they have like the little lifeguards on the jet skis that zip out there to get them. Because when you get caught in that breaker, you just get rolled over and rolled over and rolled over, and soon you lose track of which direction is up, and even if you did, you couldn't get out This process is not just the forces of nature doing what they do. This is, again, the Lord weaponizing the forces of nature to execute judgment on Jonah This tumultuous and supernatural rapid descent showed Jonah that this is not only the moment in which God wanted to take his life, but was actively casting him away from the g- from the presence of the Lord [00:21:47] Yet I Will See [00:21:47] Tony Arsenal: It says here, um, in verse four, Jonah says, "I am driven away from your sight If you do a word study on this, you start to see that Jonah is pulling language from the creation account. He's pulling language from the fall. He's pulling a lot of language from Genesis itself. He's also pulling from the Psalms, which are pulling from the Genesis account. This word driven away could also be tran- translated as banished. He's cast out of the presence of the Lord. Just as in Genesis 3, we read, "God drove the man out at the east of the Garden of Eden. He placed cherubim and flaming swords." He drove the man out. Genesis 4:14, Cain says, "You have driven me away from the ground." And in Jonah 1:3, we see that Jonah was trying to get away from the presence of the Lord. And I wonder if there was this moment where he goes, "Ooh, I guess I got what I was looking for." Now, the second half of Jonah f- 2:4 here does something a little bit weird, and it's hard to translate. I think we should be honest at times. Hebrew is a language that in some senses is mysterious to us at times. There are still parts of the Hebrew Bible that we're not always 100% sure of. This verse here could be translated... In, in Hebrew it's just a statement. It's, "I, um, I shall again see the holy temple, or your holy temple." How that fits into the text itself is tricky. Some read it as, uh, as a question. "How shall I see your holy temple?" It's actually a statement kind of reaffirming the doubt and the fear and the idea that God was banishing him Most translations translate it as sort of a contrast. He says, "I was driven away from your sight, yet I shall again look on your holy temple." The force of this is even though you're driving me away, even though you're casting me out of your presence, I have faith, I have confidence that I will again see your holy temple The question here, and this is where I think Jonah becomes our example It's certainly possible that Jonah was asserting his belief that he would be rescued from this calamity and he would make his way back to Jerusalem and he would return to the holy temple. I think that what he says in the rest of this, he's recounting what he was praying. What he was praying in this context is not that he would return to the temple. He was confident God was taking his life. He says in verse five, "The waters closed in over me to take my life. The deep surrounded me. Weeds were wrapped around my head." The other way that the phrase holy temple is used in the Old Testament is to refer to the place that God lives in heaven. Jonah was asserting faith that even though he was being cast out of the presence of the Lord in this life, even though he was being justly punished for his sin, even though he was about to enter the belly of Sheol and to enter the pit, the very abyss, that he would see God again in His holy temple. This is a statement of Jonah's belief in his own destiny as one of God's people, destined to be saved by faith in God. In this moment, Jonah trusts the Lord despite all of the appearances that God was out to get him It's not all that different than when we read in Mark chapter 9, where this father brings his, uh, demon-possessed child to Jesus, and Jesus says, "I can heal him." And he says, "If you can do anything, Lord," I'm paraphrasing here. He says, "If you can do it, please, Lord." And he says, "If? All things are possible for me." And the father desperately cries out, "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief." It's this raw, unfiltered statement of just the human condition on this side of glory, right? I believe in the Lord, but there's always that little part in the back of my head that isn't sure, because we're never going to be perfect. Now, I've said before, and, and this is becoming my new catchphrase, I think, I'm not here to rob you of your assurance of faith. Our, our confession, the Bible, this church, our Reform, broader Reform tradition, the assurance of faith of the Christian is the rightful possession inheritance of every person in this room who trusts the Lord. But it is a reality that at times that assurance is shaken. And if there's ever a time for your assurance to be shaken, it's when you're being dragged to the bottom of the ocean, right? One of the words in here, I don't have it-- I don't actually have it in my notes for some reason, but one of the note, words here, uh, s- about the roots of the mountain, I believe, in the next verse. It's not just that he was dragged to the bottom of the ocean. This word root of the mountain is like the word that's used to cut. He's not just being dragged to the bottom of the sea, he's being dragged to the bottom of a deep sea crevasse. He's literally being pulled into the pit, right? Many, uh, in the ancient Semitic world would have seen these underwater pits. They would have theorized or thought about these underwater crevasses as the actual entry into Sheol. And Jonah sees himself being drawn down into these things. Yet, he believes he will see the good presence of the Lord We read a similar statement, I won't, uh, I won't make us go there for time. We read a similar statement in Job. Job goes through this long speech about all the things that God has done to him, and at the very end of it, he says, "Yet I will see the Lord with my eyes, and he will stand up next to me on, on the earth." Right? Even though Job was going through this unimaginable grief, and we know that Job didn't deserve it in the strict sense, he still was saying, "I'm gonna be destroyed. God is shooting arrows at me," right? "His sword is in my side. He's targeting me. He's sending hornets after me." All of these terrible, vibrant images that he's using to show what God is doing to him, and yet he still trusts. I would say that he trusts that he would see the Lord in the flesh. This is not only Jonah's faith, it's a-- or Job's faith, it's a prophecy of Christ This is alien to our modern mindset. We've been talking about this in the Psalms. Weston's been leading us through the, the lament Psalms We often think that suffering and trials and difficulties are the opposite of blessing and favor. And we might recognize that in some sort of way that in God's economy, one thing leads to another. And again, there's an element of truth to that. James says, "Count it all joy when you face trials of every kind." He's not saying that the trials you're facing are in themselves joyful. You don't have to love when you get sick. You don't have to, you don't have to man up and put a smile on or s- pull yourself up by your bootstraps or whatever analogy you wanna use. It's okay to be sad when bad things happen. It's actually good, right? If we're to weep with those who weep, there's an element of sadness that must come with that, not to mention the one who's weeping is not chastised. But the idea that that only leads to this, that that's just one step in the chain, that's not really the mindset the Bible has. All across the Psalms, in the lament Psalms, all across the prophetic literature, the Book of Lamentations, Habakkuk has this long prayer at the end that's very similar, the entire Book of Job, suffering and sanctification, trials and joy and restoration, they're all sandwiched right there, and there is usually this statement in the middle of it that God will do what is right This is Jonah's example for us, and what an example it is. We'll talk in a little bit about all the ways that this whole scenario is typological of Christ. We'll, we'll get to that. But just for a minute in the middle of this book, Jonah is not such a bad guy. And it's because he still has all his faults that he can be this example for us [00:30:26] Genesis Deep Imagery [00:30:26] Tony Arsenal: As though it wasn't clear enough, Jonah in verse five says that the purpose of the waters closing over him was explicitly to take his life. He's now in the belly of the sea. He's being dragged down to the very roots of the mountain, to the very core of the earth in his mind. He, he thinks he's going to hell in the, the Hebrew mind. There's both this idea that God is dragging him to hell in a very real sense. The Hebrew mind, Sheol was a physical place that people went to, and we learn more about it and that becomes clarified as revelation is progressive, not contradictory, but as, as it's clarified But he uses this word deep, and this is where he's drawing again from Genesis. Genesis 1:2, he says, "The earth was without form and void. The darkness was over the face of the deep." The deep is this sort of like unformed chaotic water. It's what exists before God makes everything orderly and good. And in the fall, and especially in the flood in chapter seven, uh, chapter seven verse 11, the f- the flood itself is a sort of undoing of the order. God opens the floods from beneath, from the bottom of the earth, from the wellspring of the deep, as well as the chaotic waters from outside the firmament, and it all pours back in together and the entire world becomes again this deep, primordial, chaotic water And just as in Genesis God separates the land, in, in Genesis 7 or in Genesis 8, he separates out the land by drying it up, drying up the water. We also see that Jonah has this trust that he will return to the dry land. Again, he's the God of heaven and sea and dry earth. We could even read this phrase, depending on the context, as the abyss, which is this, a- again, is some borrowed language from Greek here that the Hebrews use. But it's this deep, watery, murky place th- full of shadows and darkness. Sounds familiar, I think, right? Christ says that those who are apart from him who refuse to obey will be cast into the outer darkness. This is the imagery that Jonah is seeing. All outside visible indicators was that he was gonna die and he was going to hell. Yet he trusted in the Lord that he would see his holy temple again Apart from God's gracious intervention, Jonah was right. So although God is the one that's bringing him to the depth, bringing him to the pit, dragging him down, using the very currents of the sea, weaponizing these underwater currents that only thousands of years later do we understand, and even then only this much, he also graciously rescues him from this by miraculously appointing a whale or a great fish who comes and swallows Jonah, takes him whole, and keeps him there in his own belly, keeps him there in her own womb when we get to chapter 2. In chapter six, or in verse six, Jonah makes this pivot. Again, he says he's brought to the very bottom of the sea, to the roots of the mountain, which is these deep underwater trenches. He conceptualizes himself now in this locked city behind bars. Again, this jail imagery, this pit imagery, it's all meant to evoke this idea of the final punishment of the wicked. This place of murky, gross water, this place of darkness and, uh, limitations of freedom, he's being taken there. This is the section here where people would actually argue that Jonah dies. He actually dies and is resurrected when he's swallowed by the whale. This comes from language where it says God does not prevent him from going to the pit. God actually draws him to the pit and then raises his life up from the pit. Now, I'm not convinced, um, that we should think that Jonah actually died. I don't, I don't think that the text fully supports that. But it certainly is using this imagery [00:34:45] Christ Typology [00:34:45] Tony Arsenal: This is where we get to some typology about Christ. This is where Jonah really shines as a prophet. Sometimes people wonder why the Book of Jonah is considered a prophetic book, and this along with it is part of that. Jonah, although the sign of Jonah in Matthew and in the other Gospels refers to the belly of the whale, that just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so also Christ will be in the heart of the earth, the pit, for three days and three nights. When we're talking about typology, we can't get too tripped up on the details. We're not talking about strict allegory where this figure is that person and this signpost represents that thing. This isn't Pilgrim's Progress or Chronicles of Narnia, which is not allegory, but it's similar. Topology functions often on sort of these big picture concepts, right? Although there are some typological references that are super detailed, there are also some that are just sort of evocative The idea that Jonah died and was raised to life and sort of incubated in the earth, in- incubated in the whale and sort of reborn into the world, that certainly sounds a lot like a picture of the resurrection And I think we should see it that way. When Christ says that the sign of Jonah is roughly His resurrection, He is tying it to the three days and three nights, but He's not limiting to that Jonah comes to this pivot, and now he starts to reflect on the context of his deliverance. This whole s- this whole prayer should be seen sort of in the light of the thanksgiving psalms. There's a situation in which Jonah is in, and then God rescues him, and he begins to praise him for it. There's elements of lament, but it's really a thanksgiving psalm that he's drawing on here or that he's, he's writing In 2:7, Jonah is either dead or he's actively dying. I don't know about you, but if you've ever, uh, dove into a pool and got a little deeper than you thought you were, and you-- there's that, like, two seconds before you get to the top where you're sure the lights are going out and you've really only been underwater for, like, 45 seconds, but everything in you tells you if you don't get there, you're gonna die. Every instinct you have is to scramble for the surface. Think about how long it took Jonah to be dragged to the bottom of the ocean. Even at this accelerated pace, we're talking about a long time. And we have no reason to believe, and lots of reasons to think otherwise, Jonah was not preserved from the pain and the terror and the difficulty of feeling like you're drowning because he was drowning. He was without oxygen. His life was fading away. And it is in this context of him being on the brink of death, at death's door, in the belly of Sheol, being drawn into the very pit itself, that his prayer reaches the Lord in His holy temple. Right? This gives further evidence to the thought that Jonah is not talking about the temple in Jerusalem. There was, there was theology, and I, I think it's fine theology, that God lived in the temple in a special way. This is the reason that Daniel faces Jerusalem when he prays. There is a sense in the Old Testament that God's special place of presence is the temple in Jerusalem, and that the prayers of the people physically go to that place to be received by God. But Jonah doesn't know which direction the temple is. He's underwater. He's been tossed around by breakers. He has no sense of geography at this point He knows that his prayers are reaching the Lord in his heavenly temple. And they reach him in his heavenly temple just as his life is being lost in the pit. And it is from this moment that God raises him to life, or preserves his life, depending how you read it, and appoints the well to come reach him And some read this next verse as a little bit of a step back for Jonah, and it may be.  [00:39:02] Vows and Idols [00:39:02] Tony Arsenal: He reads, "Those who pay vain regard to i- regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I, with the voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. And what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord." Jonah didn't see the sailors on the ship vow their vows and offer their sacrifices. That happened after they threw him into the pit and the current sucked him under So we may read this with a little bit of a, "Thank God I'm not like that tax collector," kind of a lens. And there's probably some wisdom for us in that, to recognize that Jonah still hasn't quite gotten there. But it's also very common in the Old Testament to recognize that God treats His people differently because they are different. God brings people to a place of sanctification, and through that process of sanctification, they cease to worship vain idols. And it is absolutely true that those who worship vain idols forfeit their hope of steadfast love from the Lord. That's straight out of the Ten Commandments, right? He visits the iniquity of, specifically of idolatry. He visits the iniquity unto the children to the third and fourth generation. But for those who love the Lord, He loves them with a steadfast love unto thousands We can recognize in Jonah that although he had made great progress in faith, that he still wasn't there yet. And we can recognize that in him because we can recognize that in ourselves. Jonah is the example in this because he is not perfect, because he has not arrived, 'cause he doesn't do a 180 about-face and get everything right going forward We can read this in light of Jonah in chapter four, where he takes big steps back Or we can read this as the regular up and down progress of sanctification in the life of all believers everywhere It is also ironic again, we're back now to Jonah being a little bit behind the curve. He was sent to Nineveh to evangelize the heathens, some of the worst enemies that Israel was going to face, and he ignores that call. And he, instead of going to Nineveh, he goes to Tarshish. He goes the opposite direction, and he does something that would be unthinkable to most Israelites. He goes out on the open ocean. That's just insanity to someone living in the ancient world He should have recognized that the sailors were fearing the Lord when they refused to throw him overboard. I think we all have a sort of innate sense when someone's behavior suddenly changes, and I think most of us, and not in some sort of strange, kooky, charismatic sense, but I think most of us can sort of go, "I think I know why that is." Right, when you, when you see someone at work that suddenly stops lying about everything and stops backbiting and stops taking credit for other people's work, and then you find out a little while linger- longer that they've come to faith in Christ, if we're being honest, we're not all that surprised. But Jonah doesn't get it. Jonah here promises the same things that the sailors already did, so now we're again back behind the curve [00:42:37] Sanctification Confession [00:42:37] Tony Arsenal: To wrap this out, I, I wanna, um, I wanna ground this in something that I think is really vital for us to understand. As I said, Jonah is an example to us because he demonstrates the limited nature of sanctification, but he also demonstrates in a certain sense the fact that sanctification is real and has real effects. So this is a little out of the ordinary, but grab your Trinity Hymnal from the pew in front of you. If you happen to have a copy of the Confession, you could use that if you'd prefer. But open with me to page 927 I have, um, I've been, uh, broadly Reformed most of my Christian life and didn't realize it until I got to seminary. And since I discovered the Westminster Confession of Faith a decade ago, it's not new, uh, not new to me, um, I realized how valuable this resource was. This is essentially a search engine without the internet. And so I wanna just read a little bit out of chapter 13 here, which is our Confessions chapter on sanctification. I'm not gonna read the whole thing, but the, the first, uh, the first section here essentially says that sanctification is real, and it happens throughout the whole person. We talk about total depravity, and there is a sense in which the Christian remains totally depraved after regeneration, in that there still is, there still is corruption within our entire being, uh, that is depraved. There's also an equal sense in which we can say we are totally sanctified in Christ because sanctification is throughout the whole man in which we are renewed after the image of God. So that's section one. And then section two says, "This sanctification is throughout," again, throughout the whole man, "in the whole man, yet imperfect in this life. There abiding still some remnant of corruption in every part, whence ariseth a continual and irre- irreconcilable war, the flesh left lusting after the spirit, and the spirit lusting after the flesh." Now, that may feel like just a crushing burden if you stop reading there, but it lines up with our experience, right? This is Paul in Romans 7, "The good things I wanna do, I do not, and the bad things that I, I kn- I do not want to do, I somehow do. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." We shouldn't read that as though somehow our spirits are purified entirely and our bodies are what's really causing us to sin. This is a picture of the spirit being, uh, our, our spiritual part of us. The part of us that's regenerated is willing, but the part of us that remains corrupt is our flesh And our confession goes on to say, "In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail, yet through the continual supply of strength from the sanctification- sanctifying spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome." And so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. This is revolutionary in our broader evangelical world. The storybook Bible, Jonah did a bad thing and he gets punished, and he did a good thing and so he gets better, cannot understand this concept. This is why I think we have to be so careful when we choose what books to give to our little ones, right? I, I make jokes about VeggieTales. I loved VeggieTales when I was in VeggieTales age range. I probably would sit down and watch VeggieTales with Augie when he gets old enough. But we have to be so careful not to let those messages come to our children, or to ourselves for that matter, uninterpreted by the scriptures first and foremost, and our Reformed tradition that we all believe. Amen.  [00:46:49] Assurance in the Pit [00:46:49] Tony Arsenal: This is vital for us When all is said and done, salvation, whether we're talking about justification, sanctification, glorification, resurrection, all of the different stages and phases of our salvation, it is entirely of the Lord. And it's for this reason that Jonah says, "I, with a voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will pay." Salvation belongs to the Lord So this is the application of the sermon, loved ones. No matter how close to or actually into the pit itself we have fallen The, the chapter on assurance of faith, I won't go there, but the chapter in our confession on assurance of faith is very honest with us that our assurance will be shaken, and at times we may not feel as though we have any assurance at all But even when we have fallen that deep into the pit of despair, even when we feel as though we are in the very depths of hell No matter how much our spiritual or physical life is fainting away as we starve for spiritual breath, as we feel that impulse in us that recognizes we're moments away from losing the faith entirely. No matter how much the remnants of corruption in every part swirl around our heads like seaweed, how often do we feel wrapped up in sin? Whatever it is, I don't need to get specific 'cause I'm sure all of you are thinking of something in your head right now that has been swirling around you for years. Maybe it's months, maybe it's years. Maybe you've never felt, since coming to Christ, you've never felt like it wasn't wrapped up around you like seaweed. Besetting sin is something that we need to be serious about, and it's a good cause for us to think hard and deep about our status as Christians, and to go to our pastor and seek the elders' assistance in this. But besetting sin is not, is not a mark that excludes you from, from Christianity. Right? We're justified by faith alone, in Christ alone, by His grace alone. Not because we've overcome our besetting sin alone, right? That's not one of the five solas God redeems our life from the pit. From the very depths of hell itself, he snatched us like brands from the fire And though it is the case that we often are shaken, and at times God, just as he let Jonah, he let Jonah go to Tarshish. God had every ability to stop him from doing a stupid thing, and sometimes he does that, right? I'm sure there's plenty of times we can think about in our lives where we were heading towards sin and God just pulled a U-turn on us, and we are thankful for that. But there are times that he does not, and he lets us, he lets us do that. He lets us suffer the consequences, and he does that to chastise us and bring us back to him And even in the context of that, it is through this continual supply of the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, right?  [00:50:19] God Beautifies His Bride [00:50:19] Tony Arsenal: Christ was anointed by the Holy Spirit from the womb beyond measure. That's in the Book of John. There was never a time where Christ did not have the totality of the infinite sanctifying Spirit of the God, of God. We do not have the totality of the sanctifying Spirit of God. Now, we can get into a discussion after the service about divine simplicity and all the complexity of that, but the reality is that God sanctifies us more and more and more, and He does it by giving us the Spirit more and more. Might be more accurate to say He gives more of us to the Spirit. He gives us to the Spirit more and more. He gives us to Jesus more and more. We are Christ's inheritance. We are His bride. And just as the bride, as they're approaching the wedding, is made more and more beautiful, they start their, their beauty treatments weeks and months ahead of time, right? They're already making their hair appointments. They're already doing what they need to do to feel as beautiful as they can and to be as beautiful as they can on their wedding day. If that's the way we treat human weddings; guys do it too, just not as much. If that's the way we treat human weddings, how much more does God treat the heavenly wedding of His Son to His beloved bride? He's beautifying us, Church. Doesn't always feel like it. Doesn't always look like it, but He is. 

Send us a text or leave a voice message!email us! twroadpodcast@gmail.comhttps://buymeacoffee.com/twrpodIn Part 1 of this special two-part conversation, The Wandering Road Podcast and Southern Demonology Podcast sit down with horror legend Doug Bradley for a wide-ranging discussion that goes far beyond Hellraiser.Doug reflects on his lifelong fascination with ghosts, horror, mythology, and the paranormal, and explains why he describes himself as a “religious atheist.” From there, the conversation moves into religion, the problem of evil, the Hebrew Bible, demonology, and the strange tension between skepticism and wonder. Doug also shares how horror first entered his life through Hammer films, Poe, Lovecraft, and Tolkien, before looking back on his early creative relationship with Clive Barker and the path that eventually led to Pinhead.This first half also includes Doug's reflections on becoming part of horror history, the legacy of Pinhead, and what it means to leave an indelible mark on the genre decades after the role first appeared on screen. If you want Doug Bradley at his most thoughtful, reflective, and fascinating, this is the place to begin.Support the showSOCIAL MEDIATwitter: @TWRoadpodcastIG: twroadpodcastWant to be a guest or share your paranormal experiences?  Email us!twroadpodcast@gmail.com

What were synagogues actually like in the time of Jesus? Were they places of worship, centers of local government, or something entirely different? In this episode, archaeologist and New Testament scholar Dr. Jordan Ryan joins Dru Johnson to challenge common assumptions about ancient synagogues. Drawing on archaeological discoveries, ancient texts, and the writings of Josephus, Philo, and the New Testament, Ryan explains why synagogues in the first century looked and functioned very differently from both modern churches and modern synagogues. The conversation explores the origins of synagogues, their possible connection to city gates in the Hebrew Bible, and their role as “town halls with Torah” in Judea and Galilee. Ryan discusses ritual purity, mikva'ot (ritual baths), Torah and prophetic readings, public debate, and the surprising evidence that synagogue gatherings were highly interactive communal events rather than passive worship services. Listeners will also hear fresh insights into the ministry of Jesus, including what happened when he taught in synagogues, whether men and women sat separately, why rabbis were not yet a formal office, and why Jesus seems to have avoided major cities like Tiberias and Sepphoris. This episode offers a fascinating glimpse into Jewish life, worship, and community in the world of Jesus and the early church. We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles: https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought Threads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthought X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org Chapters: 00:00 Understanding Synagogues: Misconceptions and Functions 05:00 Origins of Synagogues: Historical Perspectives 07:48 The Role of Synagogues in Ancient Jewish Society 11:39 Worship Practices in Ancient Synagogues 14:21 Ritual Purity and Preparation for Synagogue 20:37 The Experience of Attending Synagogue on Shabbat 25:21 Scriptural Readings and Teachings in Synagogues 28:12 The Role of Discussion in Torah Readings 33:44 Understanding the Origins of Rabbis 39:08 The Structure and Function of Ancient Synagogues 44:15 Jesus in the Synagogue: A Cultural Perspective

What were synagogues actually like in the time of Jesus? Were they places of worship, centers of local government, or something entirely different?In this episode, archaeologist and New Testament scholar Dr. Jordan Ryan joins Dru Johnson to challenge common assumptions about ancient synagogues. Drawing on archaeological discoveries, ancient texts, and the writings of Josephus, Philo, and the New Testament, Ryan explains why synagogues in the first century looked and functioned very differently from both modern churches and modern synagogues.The conversation explores the origins of synagogues, their possible connection to city gates in the Hebrew Bible, and their role as “town halls with Torah” in Judea and Galilee. Ryan discusses ritual purity, mikva'ot (ritual baths), Torah and prophetic readings, public debate, and the surprising evidence that synagogue gatherings were highly interactive communal events rather than passive worship services.Listeners will also hear fresh insights into the ministry of Jesus, including what happened when he taught in synagogues, whether men and women sat separately, why rabbis were not yet a formal office, and why Jesus seems to have avoided major cities like Tiberias and Sepphoris.This episode offers a fascinating glimpse into Jewish life, worship, and community in the world of Jesus and the early church.We are listener supported. Give to the cause here:https://hebraicthought.org/giveFor more articles:https://thebiblicalmind.org/Social Links:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThoughtInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthoughtThreads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthoughtX: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThoughtBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.orgChapters:00:00 Understanding Synagogues: Misconceptions and Functions05:00 Origins of Synagogues: Historical Perspectives07:48 The Role of Synagogues in Ancient Jewish Society11:39 Worship Practices in Ancient Synagogues14:21 Ritual Purity and Preparation for Synagogue20:37 The Experience of Attending Synagogue on Shabbat25:21 Scriptural Readings and Teachings in Synagogues28:12 The Role of Discussion in Torah Readings33:44 Understanding the Origins of Rabbis39:08 The Structure and Function of Ancient Synagogues44:15 Jesus in the Synagogue: A Cultural PerspectiveSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There are some strange stories in the Old Testament. This summer we dig into them. Join us for B-Sides: Deeper Cuts from the Hebrew Bible.

The 10 Commandments E14 — We've come to the end of our series on the 10 Commandments, which are known in the Bible as the 10 Words. All throughout this series, we've returned to the idea that these commands are not rules to check off a list, but rather God's wisdom that leads to true life and flourishing. In this episode, Jon and Tim reflect on some final insights about how to approach the 10 Words (and all of biblical law) as wisdom literature, just as Jesus did. FULL SHOW NOTES For chapter-by-chapter summaries, biblical words, referenced Scriptures, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode. CHAPTERS Building a Moral Universe (0:00-11:39) Wisdom Leading to Life (11:39-23:40) Biblical Laws as Wisdom, Justice, Mercy, and Love (23:40-40:18) Jesus as the Embodiment of Wisdom (40:18-53:42) OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT View this episode's official transcript. THE 10 COMMANDMENTS BIBLEPROJECT TRANSLATION View our full translation of the 10 Commandments. REFERENCED RESOURCES In chapter 3, Tim references episodes on biblical law from our How to Read the Bible series. Find those episodes here: The Purpose of the Law The Law as a Covenantal Partnership God's Wisdom in the Law The Law as a Revolution Jesus Fulfills the Law Law Q+R Find the 10 Commandments full collection of video, podcast, and written resources here. Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books here. SHOW MUSIC “Nice Day ft. Marc Vanparla, John Lee” by Lofi Sunday “That Gospel ft. Bobcat” by Lofi Sunday “Blissful Thoughts ft. TBabz” by Lofi Sunday BibleProject theme song by TENTS  SHOW CREDITS Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey is our supervising engineer, who also edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty writes the show notes. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Senator Mike Lee keeps accusing his opponents of sacrificing children to Moloch, so this week we ask who — or what — Moloch actually was, why abortion and child sacrifice are not the same thing, and the uncomfortable places child sacrifice really does turn up in the Hebrew Bible. Then, after the Pentagon quietly declined to list the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Christian, we dig into the bigger question underneath the fight: who actually gets to decide what counts as "Christian"? Turns out the answer is nobody — which makes the whole boundary-policing exercise a lot more about identity and power than about theology. Support Data Over Dogma and get every episode early and ad-free, plus exclusive bonus content — become a patron:https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma Watch every episode on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@dataoverdogma Follow us: Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/dataoverdogmapod TikTok — https://www.tiktok.com/@data.over.dogma.pod Threads — https://www.threads.com/@dataoverdogmapod X — https://x.com/data_over_dogma Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod Get Dan McClellan's New York Times bestselling book, The Bible Says So:https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/bible-says-so-9781250347466/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if many of us have been taught to read the Bible in a way it was never meant to be read? In this special live event recorded by Upper House, BibleProject co-founder Tim Mackie returns to Madison — the city where he earned his PhD in Hebrew Bible and Jewish Studies at UW–Madison and pastored at Blackhawk Church — to share the story behind one of the most widely used Bible-teaching resources in the world.Tim traces the origins of BibleProject to a coffee-shop conversation with his old college friend Jon Collins, a successful maker of animated explainer videos who had quietly become a “post-Bible Christian.” Their shared question — how do you engage Scripture well? — became the heartbeat of the project. Tim contrasts the “reference book” Bible many of us inherited (turn to the right verse, find the answer) with a richer vision of Scripture as ancient Jewish literary art designed to form wise, mature human beings over a lifetime.Along the way, he unpacks seven core convictions that have guided BibleProject from the beginning — three about where the Bible comes from, and four about what it is for — closing with the practice of meditation (the Hebrew hagah) and an invitation to try again with Scripture, whatever your history with it.Whether you've loved the Bible, struggled with it, or aren't sure what to make of it, this conversation offers a fresh invitation to see Scripture as a unified, beautiful, and transformative story that leads to Jesus.The Seven Convictions (At a Glance)Where the Bible is from:Collaborative literature — human authors and God's Spirit meeting, not passive dictation.Unified literature — one interconnected story leading to Jesus.Ancient literature — written for us, but not to us; context matters.What the Bible is for:Messianic literature — every theme sets up and finds fulfillment in Jesus.Communal literature — designed to be read aloud together over a lifetime.Wisdom literature — forming us to discern good from bad, not just memorize answers.Meditation literature — hagah: slow, repeated reading that rewards a lifetime of return.About the GuestTim Mackie is co-founder and lead scholar of BibleProject. He holds a PhD in Hebrew Bible and Jewish Studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a degree in theology from Western Seminary in Portland. His research focused on the manuscript history of the Bible and the formation of the biblical canon — including his dissertation on the book of Ezekiel, with particular attention to the Septuagint and Dead Sea Scrolls. After years of ministry as a local-church pastor (including at Madison's Blackhawk Church and later Door of Hope in Portland) and as a professor at Western Seminary, Tim now serves as lead scholar and creative director at BibleProject. He lives in Portland with his wife, Jessica, and their two sons.https://bibleproject.com/ Send us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

Bible StudyDon't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: .Sermon NotesFatherhood Revealed: The Biblical Story1. Old Testament FoundationsIsrael as God's “son” (Exodus 4:22–23)Covenant identity: treasured possession (Deuteronomy 14:1–2)Metaphor of formation: God as potter, Father (Isaiah 64:8)Yet: limited use, reverence and distance remainRare usage suggests something still unfolding:  "there remains throughout the Old Testament a certain reserve about the father metaphor for God. There are nearly half a million words in the Hebrew Bible, yet God is only portrayed as a father some 15 times. It is almost as if these rare instances of the God of Israel being called (or calling Himself) 'father' are placeholders, awaiting some unforeseen future revelation that will cause them to take on a new resonance." Wesley Hill, The Lord's Prayer: A Guide to Praying to Our Father (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2019), 11.Jewish hesitation to speak of God as “Father”2. Jesus brings greater revelationJesus in the Gospel of John: “my Father” → then extends to “your Father”In Matthew alone: “your Father” repeated constantlyFatherhood is not metaphorical projection—it is revealed truth made accessible in Christ.Three Blessings of Knowing God as Father1. It teaches us the GospelPost-resurrection clarity: John 20:17 — “My Father and your Father”Galatians 4:4–7We are not naturally children of God in relational sense, but enemiesWe are adopted through Christ's redemption - God's grace makes former enemies into beloved children“No longer slaves, but sons” = full inheritance rightsIdentity is secured by grace, not performanceEven on bad days, we are not disownedSpirit enables “Abba, Father” prayer“Abba” = intimate, real relational address, even used by adult children for their dadsJesus himself uses this in GethsemaneEvery “Our Father” prayer is a gospel confession2. We come to him boldlyIllustration: child (son) bringing soldier to Abraham LincolnHebrews 10:19–22 — confidence to enter the holy placeLord's Prayer assumes boldness (imperative-like petitions):Hallowed be Your nameYour kingdom comeYour will be doneWe are not interrupting God—we are invited children3. We come to him calmlyContrast: pagan prayer = anxious repetitionJesus: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask” (Matthew 6:8)Children of a good father are not frantic for provisionAnxiety often reveals relational distrustKnowing the Father produces calm dependenceDiscussion Questions1. When you pray, how do you typically address God? Dear God, Lord, Jesus? Do you think it matters? Is there any advantage of directing our prayers specifically to "our Father?"2. Recap how relating to God as Father shows us the gospel.3. If someone has experienced a difficult relationship with an earthly father, would it be better to relate to God in some other way besides "Father?"4. If the Father already knows our needs, why come to him in prayer?Questions?Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email Randy Forrester ().

Today's conversation is about a publishing project: the Koren Tanakh of the Land of Israel. The concept of the series is that it takes the books of the Hebrew Bible and sets them back down in the world that produced them—in the Land of Israel, and in the economic, political, theological, and cultural setting of the ancient Near East. Around each verse it gathers what is known about that world: its archaeology and geography, the languages and the treaties and the pantheon of gods of the tribes and nations and empires among whom Israel was situated. In its modest form, the claim behind all this is one almost no one would dispute: to know the world a text came from can help you understand the text better. But a less modest claim is folded inside the modest one. For roughly two centuries, the academic study of the Bible used much of this same material—archaeology, comparisons with other sources from the ancient Near East—to take the text apart: to dissolve it into sources and redactors, to historicize revelation until what remained was an artifact of clumsy human pastiche. This series takes up the same tools and turns them to the opposite purpose. Here the history does not dissolve the text. It mediates the text, and more intimate knowledge of the ancient world carries the reader toward the integrity of the Tanakh, rather than away from it. The instruments that an earlier generation of scholars deployed to disenchant the Hebrew Bible are, in this series, put into the service of reading it with intellectual and religious integrity. And, now that Koren has published all five volumes of the Humash (the Five Books of Moses), as well as the books of Samuel, something else becomes clear. Proximity to the Land of Israel itself helps to open up the meaning of the text. If knowing how a field was watered, or how a city withstood a siege, brings the verse nearer, then the return to the Land of Israel is not only a political restoration. It is also a condition for reading our sacred scripture with greater fidelity. For most of our history, most Jews studied Torah in exile, praying and longing for, but at a great distance from, places in which the story of ancient Israel unfurls. Conversely, the ingathering of the Jews in the land of their fathers can change the way they read the text, so that Zionism itself enhances the learning of Torah. The Koren Tanakh of the Land of Israel is a marvelous accomplishment, and it has been captained by the series's editor, David Arnovitz. Arnovitz joins the Tikvah Podcast this week to discuss the book of Deuteronomy, the series as a whole, and the wager it makes about history, about the land, and about the rediscovery of the Hebrew Bible. This episode of The Tikvah Podcast is generously sponsored by Vicki Phillips in memory of Stanley Bordorf. If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Tikvah Podcast, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle. Visit tikvah.org/circle to learn more and join. 

What if the version of the Old Testament most commonly quoted by the New Testament writers is one that most Christians have never read? In this study, we explore the Septuagint (LXX)—the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures that was widely used throughout the world of Jesus, the Apostles, and the early Church.You'll discover how the Septuagint came to be, why it became so influential, and several places where Jesus appears to quote directly from it. We'll also discuss common objections, the relationship between the Septuagint and the Hebrew Bible, the Apocrypha, and practical ways you can begin reading the LXX for yourself.Whether you're interested in biblical history, textual studies, Bible translations, or the world of the New Testament, this video will help you better understand the Scriptures that shaped the language and thought of the Apostolic era.

How did wine transform biblical meals into symbols of the covenant in the ancient world? Why did overflowing vineyards and giant clusters of grapes become such powerful symbols of the Promised Land? Why did religious leaders label Jesus a glutton, a drunkard, and a friend of sinners? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Professor Mark Scarlata, author of Wine, Soil, and Salvation in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Highlights What makes the Bible's first meal with bread and wine so significant? Why does the "cup of salvation" become one of the Bible's most enduring images? How did wine become the ultimate symbol of communion in the Christian faith? Why did the spies return from the Promised Land carrying an enormous cluster of grapes? Why do biblical visions of salvation so often involve overflowing wine and lavish feasts? Why was abundant wine associated with the coming of the Messiah? What was Jesus communicating by turning water into wine at Cana? How did the prophets transform the "cup of salvation" into a symbol of judgment? Does Proverbs contain what may be the world's first hangover story? Why was Jesus accused of being a drunkard and a friend of sinners? What does Jesus really mean by new wine and old wineskins? What does the terrifying winepress imagery in Revelation actually symbolize? If Mark could share a bottle of wine with anyone in history, why would he choose Moses? What can wine teach us about humanity, community, and our connection to the world around us?   About Mark Scarlata Mark Scarlata is Senior Lecturer in Old Testament at St. Mellitus College, London. He is also the Vicar-Chaplain at St. Edward, King and Martyr, Cambridge, and the Director of the St. Edward's Institute for Christian Thought. He has spoken on wine and faith internationally and continues to write on the subject.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/394.

The 10 Commandments E13 — We've arrived at the 10th and final commandment, which feels very different from all the ones that came before it: “Do not desire … anything that belongs to your neighbor.” While most translations use the word “covet,” we simply find khamad, which is the general Hebrew word for desire. All the other commandments involve observable actions, but desire is entirely internal. So why does God warn us about desiring things that belong to our neighbor? In this episode, Jon and Tim finish the 10 Commandments by showing how this command works as an undercurrent beneath all the others. FULL SHOW NOTES For chapter-by-chapter summaries, biblical words, referenced Scriptures, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode. CHAPTERS The Meaning of “Desire” (0:00-21:13) How the Hebrew Bible Talks About Desire (21:13-37:21) What All Our Desires Point To (37:21-59:30) OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT View this episode's official transcript. THE 10 COMMANDMENTS BIBLEPROJECT TRANSLATION View our full translation of the 10 Commandments. REFERENCED RESOURCES Find the related animated video for this episode here. Find the 10 Commandments full collection of resources here. “The Twofold Center of Christian Ethics: Christian Freedom and God's Commandments” by Reinhard Hütter (essay in The Promise of Lutheran Ethics, edited by Karen L. Bloomquist and John R. Stumme) The Ten Commandments: Interpretation: Resources for the Use of Scripture in the Church by Patrick D. Miller Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books. SHOW MUSIC “Morning Light feat. Oly.Lo” by Lofi Sunday “Hilltops feat. JK Beatbrook” by Lofi Sunday BibleProject theme song by TENTS  SHOW CREDITS Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey and Aaron Olsen edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty writes the show notes. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There are some strange stories in the Old Testament. This summer we dig into them. Join us for B-Sides: Deeper Cuts from the Hebrew Bible.

Was monotheism passed down from Pharaoh Akhenaten of Ancient Egypt? Who was the ancient goddess Asherah? How did exposure to other empires shape the Hebrew Bible?  William is joined by Francesca Stavrakopoulou, author of God: An Anatomy, to explore the evolution of the deity Yahweh, and Freud's theory that Jewish monotheism was passed down from Ancient Egypt.  Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Editor:  Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Episode 584 of the Bible as Literature Podcast, Fr. Marc Boulos explores Luke 9:10 through the Semitic root ס־פ־ר / س־ف־ر (samek-fe-reš / sīn-fāʾ-rāʾ), uncovering a rich biblical ecology of sending, hearing, obeying, recounting, and carrying the word of God.Beginning with a sharp critique of Greek epistemology and the modern assumption that knowledge originates in the human mind, Fr. Marc argues that Scripture presents a radically different orientation. The fool who says "there is no God" is not merely the unbeliever, but the one who enthrones himself in the seat of judgment, making human reason the source of truth. In contrast, the biblical witness portrays humanity not as the author of knowledge but as its recipient, addressed and commanded by God.Tracing the root ס־פ־ר across the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Qurʾan, Fr. Marc shows how the apostles' "report" in Luke 9:10 is far more than a missionary debrief. Their recounting belongs to the same scriptural pattern found in Abraham's slave, Moses, Ezekiel, Joseph, and the prophets: the slave is sent, encounters God's action, and returns to recount what God has done. The true witness does not testify to his own experience but hands on the command and deed of the Lord.Along the way, Fr. Marc explores the connections between journey (safar), scroll (sefer), scribe (sofer), unveiling, dreams, hearing and obedience (ש־מ־ע / س־م־ع), and the contrast between faithful slaves who carry God's word and false prophets who recount only the dreams of their own hearts. The episode culminates in a powerful reading of Luke 9:10 in which the apostles appear not as religious entrepreneurs reporting their accomplishments, but as slaves who have been found, sent, instructed, and returned to hand back the word they received. The question is not what a person knows, but which way he is turned. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week we bring you a conversation between Eric Cohen, president and CEO of Tikvah, and the former vice-president of the United States, Mike Pence. The conversation was recorded before a live audience at the Fund for American Studies, and we are grateful to our friends at TFAS for the invitation and for the work they do: forming young leaders in the principles of individual liberty, free markets, and honorable leadership, and sending them out to advance the cause of a free society in their communities and around the world. The conversation opens where so much American reflection on these questions begins, with George Washington's letters to the Jews of Newport and Savannah—the promise of religious liberty on the one hand, and the vision of America as a providential, almost-chosen nation on the other. Those two ideas do not sit together easily, and Cohen and the vice-president think together about what they mean and how they relate: the biblical sources of the founding, the place of Scripture in American education, the case for school choice and the renewal of the universities, and the meaning of federalism in the conservative project. At the heart of this conversation is a fascinating discussion about American expressions of Christianity. Cohen, speaking as a religious Jew, believes that the strengthening of American Christianity is the surest hope for American renewal, and he also warns that a strain of anti-Semitism now gathering strength on the political right would turn that Christianity to perverse ends. To these comments Vice-President Pence adds his reflections about religious culture, and together, Cohen and Pence arrive at a description of a Hebraic Christianity and a Hebraic America—a country that understands the Hebrew Bible not as an atavistic relic, but as the foundation it has in fact always been. This episode of The Tikvah Podcast is generously sponsored by Jessica and PJ Heyer. If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Tikvah Podcast, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle. Visit tikvah.org/circle to learn more and join.

Kenny and Mike discuss and spot faith in the latest film by legendary filmmaker Steven Speilberg. Disclosure Day stars Emily Blunt as a Kansas City TV presenter Margaret Fairchild whose life is suddenly changed when she appears to have a neurological breakdown on air. Josh O'Connor co-stars as Cyber Security expert Daniel Kellner who is determined to disclose proof that Governments and other powers have been keeping proof of extra-terrestrial life away from the public. Government agencies race to capture Kellner before he can release the information.  Margaret Fairchild seeks to help Kellner succeed in releasing the information. One of the chief concers about releasing the information is how the public would accept the information that they are not alone as well as the truth that governments have kept this secret.  Faith Issues: Kellner's girlfriend, Jane (Eve Hewson) pushes Kellner if he and those supporting releasing the information have considered the impact on persons including, communities of faith, whether Aliens who may exist on a higher level than humans would impact the Judeo Christian faith in the existance of God, the place of humanity within creation, and if God is soverign over extra-terrestrials. The Hebrew Bible and New Testament teach that humanity is the top of the created order. Genesis 1 teaches God created all of the universe and that humans are created in the image and likeness of God, and Psalm 8 proclaims humans are described as just below the divine. Most theologians would accept that God is God of all the universe including extra-terrestrials. Even without the presence of extra-terrestrials, this conversation can serve to open the consideration of what responsibilities come with being the top of the created orderd, and as Genesis teaches, stewards of God's creation. Created in the image and likeness of God is that which separates humanity from the rest of creation. After considering what the impact of a disclosure of extra-terrestrials should be how should humanity live up to the honor and responsibility of being the highest order of creation  

How does biking through wine country help you better understand the wines? Why has wine held a unique place in the Bible and our culture when so many other foods like milk, olive oil, honey, dates, and pomegranates symbolize abundance and blessing? How do the aromas and complexity of wine create such deep connections to memory in the brain? Why do so many people feel disconnected in modern life despite being more connected than ever? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Professor Mark Scarlata, author of the new book Wine, Soil, and Salvation in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Highlights What did cycling through French wine country teach Mark about the connection between wine, land, and place? Why did a biblical scholar decide to write a book about wine? What surprised Mark most when he began researching wine in the Bible? Why are wine, soil, and salvation so closely connected in Mark's understanding of scripture? What does Noah's transformation into a "man of the soil" reveal? Why do some commentators criticize Noah's drunkenness when the biblical text itself seems far less concerned with it? What happens when wine is treated as a symbol of community and celebration rather than a source of status and exclusivity? How do wine's aromas connect with the brain and our memories? Why does Mark think modern life leaves people feeling increasingly disconnected from the places where they live? How did wine become such an ordinary yet essential part of daily life in the ancient world?   About Mark Scarlata Mark Scarlata is Senior Lecturer in Old Testament at St. Mellitus College, London. He is also the Vicar-Chaplain at St. Edward, King and Martyr, Cambridge, and the Director of the St. Edward's Institute for Christian Thought. He has spoken on wine and faith internationally and continues to write on the subject.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/393.

The 10 Commandments E12 — The common summary of the 9th Commandment is “Do not lie,” a generic prohibition against all kinds of fibs. But the commandment actually reads “Do not bear false witness,” drawing attention to a very specific kind of lying in a communal, legal setting. Many of the other commandments are more general. So why does the 9th Commandment zoom in on truth telling in public, legal settings? In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the 9th Commandment, discovering its underlying value of upholding truth and justice in defense of the most vulnerable in society. FULL SHOW NOTES For chapter-by-chapter summaries, biblical words, referenced Scriptures, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode. CHAPTERS Meanings of “Bearing Witness” and “False” (0:00-23:51) Case Studies in the 42 Commands (23:51-38:07) The Value Beneath the Command (38:07-49:02) OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT View this episode's official transcript. THE 10 COMMANDMENTS BIBLEPROJECT TRANSLATION View our full translation of the 10 Commandments. REFERENCED RESOURCES Find the related animated video for this episode here. Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books. SHOW MUSIC “Church Pews feat. Oly.Lo & wisdm” by Lofi Sunday “Yo” by Lofi Sunday, Just Derrick BibleProject theme song by TENTS SHOW CREDITS Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey and Aaron Olsen edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty writes the show notes. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Many of us think of the Bible as a book written in Hebrew and Greek, overlooking the important role of Aramaic—the lingua franca of much of the ancient Near East. In this episode, Helen and Lloyd climb into the Time Machine with Tawny Holm, one of the world's leading experts on Aramaic, to explore the language's history, literature, and cultural significance. Who spoke and wrote Aramaic? What kinds of texts were composed in it? And how can Aramaic literature beyond the Bible help us better understand the Aramaic passages within it?Tawny M. Holm is Professor of Hebrew and Aramaic Studies at Penn State University. Her main research areas are the Hebrew Bible in its Ancient Near Eastern context, early Judaism and Aramaic studies. She is the author of Of Courtiers and Kings: The Biblical Daniel Narratives and Ancient-Story Collections (Eisenbrauns, 2013), and, most recently, Aramaic Literature from Egypt and the Levant, published in May 2026 in SBL's series, Writings from the Ancient World (Volume 30). Support the showTheme music written and performed by Dave Roos, creator of Biblical Time Machine. Season 4 produced by John Nelson. 

The Old Testament was not written in a vacuum. It was written inside a world. A world of clay tablets and cuneiform, flood epics and creation myths, law codes carved into stone centuries before Moses climbed the mountain. Dr. Joshua Bowen has spent his career decoding that world. And what he found does not diminish Scripture. It puts it in focus.Dr. Bowen holds a Ph.D. in Assyriology from Johns Hopkins University and is the founder of Digital Hammurabi. He reads Sumerian, Akkadian, and Biblical Hebrew, and has spent years working the primary cuneiform sources that form the ancient backdrop of the Hebrew Bible. In this conversation, we cover the Mesopotamian parallels to Genesis, the flood traditions that predate Noah, the law codes that share striking overlap with the Torah, and the theological genius behind how Israel reworked those traditions to say something no surrounding culture was saying about God.In this episode you will learn:- Why the ancient Near East is essential background for anyone who takes the Bible seriously- How the Enuma Elish and Genesis 1 interact and what that interaction actually means- What the Gilgamesh Epic reveals about the biblical flood narrative and why borrowing an earlier story does not undercut the theology- How the Laws of Hammurabi, Ur-Namma, and Eshnunna relate to the legal material in the Torah- Why the goring ox law appears in nearly identical form across multiple ancient law collections- How Israel used surrounding mythology as a polemic, arguing theologically through the very stories the surrounding nations told- What Genesis 1 is doing in response to the Enuma Elish and why Yahweh does not even have to fight- How the Babylonian exile shaped Israelite identity and the final form of the Hebrew Bible- Why understanding these ancient texts deepens rather than destroys a serious reading of ScriptureGet Dr. Bowen's book:Did the Old Testament Endorse Slavery?: https://www.amazon.com/Did-Old-Testament-Endorse-Slavery/dp/1734358629Explore Digital Hammurabi:https://www.digitalhammurabi.comStay Connected with Johnny Ova:Website: https://johnnyova.comSubscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thejohnnyovaGet Johnny's latest book: The Revelation Reset: https://www.amazon.com/Revelation-Reset-Johnny-Ova/dp/B0C9SFQX4J

There are some strange stories in the Old Testament. This summer we dig into them. Join us for B-Sides: Deeper Cuts from the Hebrew Bible.

Send us Fan MailBefore we dive into the Psalms, we need to understand how the original audience viewed Scripture.The Bible was written in a different language, in a different land, during a different time period. Every time we open its pages, we are stepping into another culture. While God's Word speaks to us today, understanding its original context helps us hear it more clearly.In this episode, we explore what the Bible is: a historical theological narrative. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture tells one unified story about God working through real people, real places, and real events to reveal who He is and what He is doing in the world.We also examine how Jesus and the Jewish people organized and understood the Scriptures through the Tanakh—the Torah (Law), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). By looking at the structure of the Hebrew Bible, we discover how these three sections work together to tell one cohesive story and how that arrangement can deepen our understanding of books like Psalms.Finally, we take a fast-paced journey through the Old Testament story. From creation and covenant, to the Exodus, the kingdom, exile, and the promises of restoration, we trace the unfolding story of the God of Israel and His commitment to dwell among His people. Along the way, we see why Israel longed for the coming Messiah and how the Writings—including Psalms—help God's people wrestle with suffering, faithfulness, wisdom, worship, and hope while waiting for God's promises to be fulfilled.This episode lays the foundation for our Psalms series by helping us read Scripture as one unified story centered on God. Understanding that larger story will help us better understand where the Psalms fit, what questions they are addressing, and how they continue to shape the faith of God's people today.Parents: As you listen, consider asking your children, "What do you think the Bible is about?" Their answer may open the door to conversations about how all of Scripture points to God's faithfulness and His desire to dwell with His peopleJoin us for a summer of Psalms.  If you want the FREE hand outs that go along with this series, sign up for our newsletter at our website. Our website is The Context and Color of the BibleWe are on Facebook - The Context and Color of the Bible | FacebookWe are on Instagram - @contextandcolorofthebibleWe are on YouTube - The Context and Color of the Bible - YouTubeMusic: Tabuk by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4453-tabukLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode of The UpWords Podcast, host Jean Geran sits down with biblical scholar Seth Whitaker to explore a question at the heart of Christianity's origins: how do Jews and Christians read Scripture differently—and what holds their interpretive traditions together?Drawing on his doctoral research at the University of St Andrews on the use of the Psalms in the book of Hebrews, Seth argues that the earliest followers of Jesus were Jews wrestling with their own religious heritage in light of the Messiah. Rather than a clean break, he traces a story of deep continuity — one in which the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the same God who raised Jesus from the dead.Jean and Seth examine why the Old Testament can feel “more vengeful” than the New, and why that contrast is more caricature than reality. Seth offers a striking image: Scripture is not a flat plain where every verse carries equal weight, but a landscape of mountains and valleys, with high peaks of revelation — like God revealing himself as “abounding in steadfast love” at Sinai — that give us a vantage point on the harder passages.The conversation also draws on a previous UpWords episode with AJ Levine to consider what Christians might learn from Jewish interpretive practices: the “70 faces” of Scripture, a comfort with multiple readings, and the practice of reading sacred texts in community as a guard against going off the rails. Seth closes by tracing how rabbinic Judaism and early Christianity gradually defined themselves over and against one another — shaped by events like the expulsion of Jews from Rome, the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, and the Bar Kokhba revolt — and why he encourages readers to approach the Hebrew Bible less like a prophecy-fulfillment checklist and more like an ongoing dialogue.Whether you've wondered how Christianity emerged from Judaism, struggled with the difficult passages of the Old Testament, or simply want a richer way to read sacred texts, this conversation offers thoughtful insight and plenty to ponder.YOU WILL LEARNWhy every New Testament author was a Jew making sense of an inherited tradition — and why that changes how we read Christian originsEschatology as a central interpretive lens: how “the last things” reshaped the way early believers read their ScripturesThe same God, not two: pushing back on the ancient Marcionite split between the God of the Old and New TestamentsSinai as a “mountain peak” — God's mercy to the thousandth generation versus judgment to the third and fourthScripture as mountains and valleys, not a flat plain of equal-weight proof textsLove and judgment appear in both Testaments — including in the Psalms and in the teaching of JesusThe “70 faces” of Scripture and what Christians can learn from Jewish interpretation in communityHow the early church's patience, love, and care across class lines set it apart in Rome Three historical turning points that drove Judaism and Christianity apart: the expulsion of Jews from Rome (49 CE), the destruction of the Temple (70 CE), and the Bar Kokhba revolt (135 CE)The Septuagint, Isaiah 7:14, and how competing authoritative texts shaped competing interpretationsReading the Hebrew Bible as a dance and dialogue rather than a prophecy-fulfillment checklistABOUT THE GUESTSeth Whitaker is a New Testament scholar who completed his PhD at the University of St Andrews, where he worked with David Moffitt on the Epistle to the Hebrews. His research focuses on Christian origins and how the New Testament authors interpreted the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint. His book, Eschatology and the Use of Psalms in Hebrews: Songs for the Last Days, is published by Bloomsbury T&T Clark in the Library of Second Temple Studies.RESOURCES MENTIONEDEschatology and the Use of Psalms in Hebrews: Songs for the Last Days — Seth Whitaker (Bloomsbury T&T Clark)The Patient Ferment of the Early Church — Alan KreiderPrevious episode of The UpWords Podcast with AJ Levine on Jewish and Christian readings of ScriptureSend us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour

If you enjoy this episode, we're sure you will enjoy more content like this on The Occult Rejects.  In fact, we have curated playlists on occult topics like grimoires, esoteric concepts and phenomena, occult history, analyzing true crime and cults with an occult lens, Para politics, and occultism in music. Whether you enjoy consuming your content visually or via audio, we've got you covered - and it will always be provided free of charge.  So, if you enjoy what we do and want to support our work of providing accessible, free content on various platforms, please consider making a donation to the links provided below.  Thank you and enjoy the episode!Links For The Occult Rejectshttps://linktr.ee/theoccultrejectsOccult Research Institutehttps://www.occultresearchinstitute.org/Substackhttps://substack.com/@theoccultrejects?r=7auau0&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-pageCash Apphttps://cash.app/$theoccultrejectsVenmo@TheOccultRejectsBuy Me A Coffeebuymeacoffee.com/TheOccultRejectsPatreonhttps://www.patreon.com/TheOccultRejectsFull BibliographyAdler, Yonatan. The Archaeology of Purity: Archaeological Evidence for the Observance of Ritual Purity in Ereẓ-Israel from the Hasmonean Period until the End of the Talmudic Era. PhD diss., Bar-Ilan University, 2011.Adler, Yonatan. The Origins of Judaism: An Archaeological-Historical Reappraisal. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2022.Ambrose of Milan. On the Mysteries.Ambrose of Milan. On the Sacraments.Augustine of Hippo. On Baptism, Against the Donatists.Augustine of Hippo. On the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants.Bradshaw, Paul F. The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship: Sources and Methods for the Study of Early Liturgy. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.Bradshaw, Paul F., Maxwell E. Johnson, and L. Edward Phillips. The Apostolic Tradition: A Commentary. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2002.Cyril of Jerusalem. Catechetical Lectures.Davies, J. G. The Architectural Setting of Baptism. London: Barrie and Rockliff, 1962.Dölger, Franz Joseph. The Sun of Justice: The Christian Cult of the Sun and the Baptismal Orientation. Relevant for eastward prayer, solar symbolism, and baptismal orientation.Ferguson, Everett. Baptism in the Early Church: History, Theology, and Liturgy in the First Five Centuries. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009.Finn, Thomas M. Early Christian Baptism and the Catechumenate: Italy, North Africa, and Egypt. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1992.Finn, Thomas M. Early Christian Baptism and the Catechumenate: West and East Syria. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1992.Hippolytus. The Apostolic Tradition. Attribution debated, but still important for reconstructing early baptismal practice.Jensen, Robin M. Baptismal Imagery in Early Christianity: Ritual, Visual, and Theological Dimensions. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012.Johnson, Maxwell E. The Rites of Christian Initiation: Their Evolution and Interpretation. 2nd ed. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2007.Josephus. Jewish Antiquities, Book 18.Justin Martyr. First Apology.Kavanagh, Aidan. The Shape of Baptism: The Rite of Christian Initiation. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1978.Kazen, Thomas. Studies on John the Baptist, ritual immersion, and purity in early Judaism.Klawans, Jonathan. Impurity and Sin in Ancient Judaism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.Klawans, Jonathan. Purity, Sacrifice, and the Temple: Symbolism and Supersessionism in the Study of Ancient Judaism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.Lawrence, Jonathan David. Washing in Water: Trajectories of Ritual Bathing in the Hebrew Bible and Second Temple Literature. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2006.Lietzmann, Hans. Mass and Lord's Supper: A Study in the History of the Liturgy. Relevant for early worship, initiation, and Eucharistic entry.Meeks, Wayne A. The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1983.Regev, Eyal. Studies on Qumran, ritual purity, and Jewish sectarian practice.Riley, Hugh M. Christian Initiation: A Comparative Study of the Interpretation of the Baptismal Liturgy in the Mystagogical Writings of Cyril of Jerusalem, John Chrysostom, Theodore of Mopsuestia, and Ambrose of Milan. Catholic University of America Press, 1974.Schmemann, Alexander. Of Water and the Spirit: A Liturgical Study of Baptism. St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1974.Spinks, Bryan D. Early and Medieval Rituals and Theologies of Baptism: From the New Testament to the Council of Trent. Ashgate, 2006.Spinks, Bryan D. Reformation and Modern Rituals and Theologies of Baptism: From Luther to Contemporary Practices. Ashgate, 2006.Tertullian. On Baptism.The Didache.Turner, Victor. The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure. Useful for liminality and rites of passage, though not baptism-specific.Van Gennep, Arnold. The Rites of Passage. Useful for initiation structure, separation, liminality, and incorporation.Whitaker, E. C. Documents of the Baptismal Liturgy. SPCK, 1970.Yarnold, Edward. The Awe-Inspiring Rites of Initiation: Baptismal Homilies of the Fourth Century. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1994.Also want to remind people about the website, if you're into reading we have tons of information by multiple contributors, and we got t-shirts up on the site if you're interested. Fun fact, the art is all based on the eyeball. A

What if the Old Testament prophets weren't just messengers who received words from God, but participants in His heavenly court? That's the proposal Dr. Michael Heiser put forth in his works on the divine council. The Remnant Radio explores this perspective, walks through the texts, and works out what it means for how we think about prophecy today.ABOUT THE EPISODE:Dr. Michael Heiser put forth the interpretative framework that the Old Testament prophets participated in Yahweh's divine council, and access to that court is what distinguished the genuine prophet from the counterfeit. The claim from The Unseen Realm: "True prophets have stood and listened in Yahweh's divine council; false prophets have not." Heiser's proposal focuses on the word sōd, appearing in Jeremiah 23:18 as the sōd YHWH, "the council of Yahweh," and describes what the Hebrew Bible presents as Yahweh's heavenly assembly. Jeremiah deploys it as the credibility test for prophets: the genuine ones have stood in it. The false have not. If that reading is right, the prophetic calling in the Old Testament was more than hearing a message from God. Rather, it was about access to the divine council - admission into the throne room of God. The concept finds support across multiple texts. Amos 3:7 declares that God does nothing without first revealing his counsel to the prophets, and the council scenes throughout the Hebrew Bible show a relationship that is consistently dialogical. Isaiah is caught up into the council of YHWH so that he can give an answer. He doesn't passively receive a scroll. He's present in a scene (seraphim, a throne, a voice asking "Who will go?"), and he responds. This idea matters for the body of Christ right now. The continuationist world is navigating real questions about prophetic legitimacy, accountability, and what it actually means to carry a word from God. Heiser's framework gives us a biblical-theological foundation for those conversations that goes deeper than most of what's currently in circulation. If the sōd YHWH is the dividing line between true and false prophecy in Jeremiah 23, that has implications we haven't fully worked out yet.This episode walks through the key texts and what it means for how we think about the prophetic today.0:00 – Introduction3:05 – Divine Council Overview10:44 – Prophets in the Council14:26 – Adam, Enoch, Noah17:55 – Moses and Prophets20:51 – Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah23:41 – True vs. False Prophets32:46 – New Covenant Implications43:56 – Democratization of the Spirit45:33 – Warning: Heavenly TravelPLAYLIST OF DR. MICHAEL HEISER EPISODES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMsjeViSScFGvabVTMdkZJffia17pz7CvSubscribe to The Remnant Radio newsletter and receive our FREE introduction to spiritual gifts eBook. Plus, get access to: discounts, news about upcoming shows, courses and conferences - and more. Subscribe now at TheRemnantRadio.com. Support the showABOUT THE REMNANT RADIO: The Remnant Radio exists to equip believers who are hungry for the radical middle of both Word and Spirit. Subscribe for twice-weekly content on theology, church history and the gifts of the Spirit.

The 10 Commandments E11 — The 8th Commandment, “Do not steal,” seems straightforward enough. But why does God forbid theft in ancient Israel? What harm can come to a community where people's property is always vulnerable? And what lies beneath the surface of our desire to take from our neighbor what doesn't belong to us? In this episode, Jon and Tim unpack the eighth command, discovering its deeper invitations to contentment, generosity, and stewardship. FULL SHOW NOTES For chapter-by-chapter summaries, biblical words, referenced Scriptures, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode. CHAPTERS Consequences for Stealing in Ancient Israel (0:00-15:22) The Belief Beneath Stealing (15:22-28:38) Stewarding Our Neighbor's Stuff (28:38-45:27) Concluding Thoughts (45:27-52:49) OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT View this episode's official transcript. THE 10 COMMANDMENTS BIBLEPROJECT TRANSLATION View our full translation of the 10 Commandments. REFERENCED RESOURCES Find the related animated video for this episode here. Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books. SHOW MUSIC “Chillbop” by Lofi Sunday feat. Me & the Boys “Old Record” by Lofi Sunday feat. Marc Vanparla “Warm Hugs” by Lofi Sunday feat. Cassidy Godwin BibleProject theme song by TENTS SHOW CREDITS Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey and Aaron Olsen edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty writes the show notes. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Most parents think their kids are pretty great. That makes sense. But if your son is the messianic savior of the world, the bragging rights are kind of through the roof. And that's what we get in Hebrews 1. The claim here is that God told the prophets about Jesus, and now all those awesome prophesies have come true. And Hebrews 1 seems to be bringing receipts. It quotes from all over the Hebrew Bible to point to Jesus being the begotten son and to say that angels will worship him. The question is: is that what those passages actually meant? Were they really pointing to Jesus? Then, we're taking a look at one of the weirder ancient Christian texts. It's called The Shepherd of Hermas, and for quite a while in the ancient world, it was considered scripture. So what's going on with this text? Was it a real contender to be included in the canon, or did it never stand a chance? ---- For access to an early, ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠      Follow us on the various social media places: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Have you ordered Dan McClellan's New York Times bestselling book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bible Says So⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ yet??? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 10 Commandments E10 — The short commandment, “Do not commit adultery,” assumes that every marriage is vitally important and just as worth protecting as a human life. But why is a marriage covenant so important in the Bible? The biblical authors consider marriage to be a great mystery that points to something cosmic: God's faithful commitment to humanity. In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the meaning of marriage in the Bible, and how its deeper values are relevant to both married and unmarried people. FULL SHOW NOTES For chapter-by-chapter summaries, biblical words, referenced Scriptures, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode. CHAPTERS Defining Adultery and Reflecting on its Penalty (0:00-15:00) Israel's Unique Prohibitions Against Adultery (15:00-25:08) Genesis 1-2's Meditations on Man and Woman as One  (25:08-42:42) Marriage as a Reflection of God's Covenant with His People (42:42-53:54) Recap and Sacrificial Love as the Highest Value (53:54-1:07:04) OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT View this episode's official transcript. THE 10 COMMANDMENTS BIBLEPROJECT TRANSLATION View our full translation of the 10 Commandments. REFERENCED RESOURCES Find the related animated video for this episode here. Being God's Image: Why Creation Still Matters by Carmen Joy Imes “Grace – therefore, Holy” - sermon by Timothy Keller Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books. SHOW MUSIC “Purple Clouds” by Lofi Sunday feat. Marc Vanparla “Faithful” by Lofi Sunday feat. Marc Vanparla “Be Like Water” by Lofi Sunday feat. Zairis TéJion BibleProject theme song by TENTS  SHOW CREDITS Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey and Aaron Olsen edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty writes the show notes. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We all have a kingdom. Within it, our authority isn't limited to internal thoughts, emotions, and desires—but includes our external realm where what we say goes. The problem is, chaos often comes against our attempts to order our external reality. That's because while we live in a love story, it is set in a world at war. John, Blaine, and Allen explain what the Chaos Dragon is, why C. S. Lewis believed there is no neutral ground in this world, and how boundary lines affect the reach of our rule.Show Notes: The book referenced is Addiction and Grace by Gerald May. The Bible that was quoted from is The Hebrew Bible by Robert Alter. Send your questions about this series to questions@WildatHeart.org.Keywords: Christianity, Prayer, Spiritual Warfare_______________________________________________There is more.Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Ask us at Questions@WildatHeart.orgSupport the mission or find more on our website:WildAtHeart.org  or on our app.Apple: Wild At Heart AppAndroid: Wild At Heart AppWatch on YouTubeThe stock music used in the Wild at Heart podcast is titled “When Laid to Rest” by Patrick Rundblad and available here.More pauses available in the One Minute Pause app for Apple iOS and Android.Apple: One Minute Pause AppAndroid: One Minute Pause App

The 10 Commandments E9 — We're now entering the second half of the 10 Commandments, where God guides Israel in how to relate to one another. The 6th Commandment is often translated “Do not murder.” However, the Hebrew word translated as "murder" can also be translated as "kill," which refers to both the premeditated and the unintentional taking of human life. So is this command saying not to kill at all? In this episode, Jon and Tim unpack the sixth command, highlighting the Bible's ideal of valuing and protecting all life, even as things get increasingly complicated outside of Eden. FULL SHOW NOTES For chapter-by-chapter summaries, biblical words, referenced Scriptures, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode. CHAPTERS The 6th Commandment and the Broad Meaning of Ratsakh (0:00-25:52) The Cosmic Value of Life (25:52-36:29) Accountability for Taking Life (36:29-1:00:32) THE 10 COMMANDMENTS BIBLEPROJECT TRANSLATION View our full translation of the 10 Commandments. REFERENCED RESOURCES Find the related animated video for this episode here. The Ten Commandments: Interpretation: Resources for the Use of Scripture in the Church by Patrick D. Miller  Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books. SHOW MUSIC “Pure Joy ft. John Lee” by Lofi Sunday “Gentle Lamb” by Lofi Sunday, Yoni Charis BibleProject theme song by TENTS  SHOW CREDITS Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey and Aaron Olsen edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty writes the show notes. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The 10 Commandments E8 — The first four commandments focus on relating to God, and the last five focus on relating to other humans. Right in the middle, we find the 5th Commandment, which acts like a hinge between these two sections: “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be prolonged in the land which Yahweh your Elohim gives you.” It's the only commandment that comes with a promise and invokes both humans and God. So what is this special connection between parents and God? In this episode, Jon and Tim look at this unique command, exploring what it meant for ancient Israel and how followers of Jesus can practice it today. FULL SHOW NOTES For chapter-by-chapter summaries, biblical words, referenced Scriptures, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode. CHAPTERS Recap and Setup for the Fifth Command (0:00-8:33) The Unique Role of Parents Compared to Yahweh (8:33-21:26) The Meaning of “Honor” (21:26-39:45) An Expansive View of Honoring the Elderly (39:45-56:58) OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT View this episode's official transcript. THE 10 COMMANDMENTS BIBLEPROJECT TRANSLATION View our full translation of the 10 Commandments. REFERENCED RESOURCES Find the related animated video for this episode here. The Gospel of Matthew (New International Commentary on the New Testament) by R. T. France The Firstborn: The Last Will Be First podcast series The Last Will Be First video Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books. SHOW MUSIC “Forever Yours ft. Cassidy Godwin” by Lofi Sunday “Eden Dreaming ft. sxxnt” by Lofi Sunday “Sunrise ft. Jk Beatbook” by Lofi Sunday BibleProject theme song by TENTS  SHOW CREDITS Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey and Aaron Olsen edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty writes the show notes. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The 10 Commandments E7 — In the 4th Commandment, Yahweh tells Israel to remember the Sabbath and do no work, just as Yahweh does after creating the skies and the land. What's going on here? What did this commandment mean to ancient Israel, and what should it mean to Jesus' followers? In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the fourth command's connections to the seven-day creation narrative and Israel's liberation from Egyptian slavery, as well as its role in ancient Israel and the modern world. FULL SHOW NOTES For chapter-by-chapter summaries, biblical words, referenced Scriptures, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode. CHAPTERS Israel's Unique Covenant Partnership (0:00-9:12) The Cosmic, Creation Version of the Command in Exodus 20 (9:12-28:25) The Civil, Social Version of the Command in Deuteronomy 5 (28:25-39:55) Sabbath in the Early Jesus Movement and Today (39:55-52:43) OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT View this episode's official transcript. THE 10 COMMANDMENTS BIBLEPROJECT TRANSLATION View our full translation of the 10 Commandments. REFERENCED RESOURCES Find the related animated video for this episode here. “Seventh-Day Rest - Sabbath” podcast series “Sabbath” video Created Equal: How the Bible Broke with Ancient Political Thought by Joshua A. Berman Sabbath and Jubilee by Richard H. Lowery From Sabbath to Lord's Day: A Biblical, Historical and Theological Investigation, edited by D.A. Carson. Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books. SHOW MUSIC “I See You” by Lofi Sunday feat. Marc Vanparla “Cruise” by Lofi Sunday feat. Just Derrick “Break Bread” by Lofi Sunday feat. Oly.Lo BibleProject theme song by TENTS SHOW CREDITS Production of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey and Aaron Olsen edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty writes the show notes. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.