Podcasts about intertestamental

In today's episode with the Rev. Dr. George Athas, we pick up the historic overview of what is incorrectly called the 400 years of silence. We dive into the significant historical influence of Greek culture and thought on Jewish society, especially during the Hellenistic period. In the Hasmonean period, we find the rise of anti-Dividic position of silencing the prophetic voice. What does that mean for the way we understand who Jesus is? Find out more about Dr. Athas HERERead more about his book HERESee his many other writings HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

We casually talk about 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments, but why do we say that? Who was the first to coin that phrase? What if that is an anti-Messianic statement? Then shouldn't we be more aware of the history and the development of Jewish thought to develop better vocabulary to talk about this time period? The short answer is, "Yes!", and the Rev. Dr. George Athas can help. His excellent new book Bridging the Testaments is a treasure trove of historic details. Today he joins us to talk about vocabulary. What is the difference between "Intertestamental" and "Second Temple"? What are the big picture historical periods included in this time that we need to be aware of? Find out more about Dr. Athas HERERead more about his book HERESee his many other writings HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

Jeff's Full Nehemiah Song Thanks to everyone who supports TMBH at patreon.com/thetmbhpodcast You're the reason we can all do this together! Discuss the episode here Music by Jeff Foote

Hey fam! As a Christian, I know you'd like to learn at a godly institution, but sometimes they are just so expensive! Today I have details about Anchor Bible College, a new school with extremely low-priced classes that include ongoing discipleship on top of top-notch Biblical training.   Of course, it's important to make sure they have the programs you are looking for and wisely consider all options. I'm here to help you get started! So stop what you're doing, and grab your cold brew and TI-89, because class is now in session!   Anchor Bible College YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4F6bGUQ9PDfcHst4N_iIGw Anchor Bible College Website: https://anchorbiblecollege.org/ Anchor Classes For Next Semester: https://anchorbiblecollege.org/winter-2024-course-catalog/ Anchor Tidings Newsletter Sign-Up: https://anchorbiblecollege.org/anchor-tidings-newsletter/   Related Episodes:  2 - How I Earned a Degree for $1200! Colleges Don't Want You to Know This Best-Kept Secret 256 - Dual Enrollment 101: Save $7000+ for College! 146 - This New Year's Resolution Has Me on Track to Become a Millionaire! Only Takes 20 Mins a Week 218 - Earn Money While You Study: 3 College Jobs That Pay To Do Homework   Also find me at… ~ Facebook: Christian College Girl Community - Scholarships & Graduate Debt-Free | Facebook at tinyurl.com/karacommunity  Instagram --＞ @moneyandmentalpeace) Email --＞ info@moneyandmentalpeace.com   **Get scholarships and pay for college without student loans!** Are you worried about how to pay for college? Stressed because it's so expensive? Are you having trouble finding scholarships, or all you find don't apply to you? Overwhelmed with all things school and money? Welcome fam! This podcast will help you find and get scholarships, avoid student loans and maybe even graduate college debt-free! Hey! I'm Kara, a Christian entrepreneur, amateur snowboarder, and scholarship BEAST! I figured out how to not only finish college debt-free, but I even had $10k left over in the bank after graduation. (& btw, my parents weren't able to help me financially either!) During school, I was worried about paying for next semester. I couldn't find scholarships that worked specifically for me, and didn't know how to get started while juggling homework and keeping up with ALL.THE.THINGS. But dude, I learned there was a better way! With God's direction, I tested out of classes, and found the perfect scholarships, grants, internships, and weird budget hacks that helped me go from overwhelmed to debt-free with $10k in the bank–all with God on my side. ... and I'm here to walk you through this, too. If you are ready to find scholarships specific to you, learn to manage your money well, and have enough money to kill it at college, this pod is for you! So grab your cold brew and TI-89, and listen in on the most stress-free and debt-free class you've ever attended: this is Money and Mental Peace.  Topics included in this podcast: logos, state certified, state authorized, Bible college degree, transfer agreements, Michigan Transfer Agreement, ministry school, ministry training, Christian theology, Christian family, Old Testament survey, Intertestamental history, New Testament, practical math, practical mathematics, preaching and teaching methods, hermeneutics, Hebrews, Christian counseling, math class, critical thinking, finance, logic, probability, Job, Christian university, Christian colleges, Christian colleges near me, private colleges, private colleges near me, Christian colleges Michigan, private colleges Michigan, Christian university Michigan, private university

Dr. Mariam Kovalishyn is Associate Professor of New Testament Studies at Regent College (Vancouver, BC). She has an M.A. from Denver Seminary and a Ph.D. from the University of St. Andrews (Scotland). The majority of Mariam's research has centered on the epistle of James, Jewish literature of the Intertestamental period, and classical Graeco-Roman literature. Additionally, since coming to Regent, she has expanded to researching and writing across the epistles, Pauline and General. Mariam has co-authored a commentary on James (Zondervan), has published a number of articles in books and journals, and is currently working on another commentary on James for the Story of God series and a biblical theology of social justice for Zondervan, as well as a commentary on 1 and 2 Peter. In this podcast conversation, Mariam leads us through the book of James in a raw study of this interesting book. Register for the Austin conference on sexualtiy (Sept 17-18) here: https://www.centerforfaith.com/programs/leadership-forums/faith-sexuality-and-gender-conference-live-in-austin-or-stream-online Register for the Exiles 2 day conference in Denver (Oct 4-5) here: https://theologyintheraw.com/exiles-denver/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we're getting into some helpful history surrounding the “Intertestamental period,” which was the 400-year gap between the Old Testament and the New Testament. As we learn about the cultural influences and the various ways they affected groups of the Israelite people, it becomes all the more profound that God chose to tell a common group of shepherds in a field first about the arrival of the Messiah. And even now, thousands of years later, the most important question we will ever answer revolves around this very name of Jesus. Who do you say Jesus is?  WHAT IS NEUE THING?Neue Thing is a non-profit ministry, founded by Cherie Wagner, that exists to equip women with the Word of God. Cherie's life-long passion is two-fold: knowing Jesus Christ and making Him known. Author of Found On My Knees, Awake O Sleeper, Rest, Hope, Psalms for Life, and Knowing Your Name, Cherie writes Bible studies for women that will encourage them to know and believe God's Word, equip them to live it, and empower them to take it and transform this generation for Jesus Christ.CONNECT WITH NEUE THINGWebsite: https://neuething.org/Email Subscription link:https://neuething.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neuethinginc/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neuethingGive to Neue Thing: https://neuething.org/give/RESOURCESKnowing Your NameFound On My Knees: The Journey from Brokenness to BlessingAwake O Sleeper: EphesiansRest: 30 Days of Exploring God's Invitation to RestHope: Tethered to an Unwavering GodPsalms for Life

God has a plan for the future of the land of Israel, when He will reunite the people of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.  But we must also understand the history that shaped Judaism from the time of the exile to the fall of Jerusalem.  God is not done with the Jewish people. VF-2424 Watch, Listen and Learn 24x7 at PastorMelissaScott.com Pastor Melissa Scott teaches from Faith Center in Glendale. Call 1-800-338-3030 24x7 to leave a message for Pastor Scott. You may make reservations to attend a live service, leave a prayer request or make a commitment. Pastor Scott appreciates messages and reads them often during live broadcasts. Follow @Pastor_Scott on Twitter and visit her official Facebook page @Pastor.M.Scott. Download Pastor Scott's "Understand the Bible" app for iPhone, iPad and iPod at the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Store. Pastor Scott can also be seen 24x7 on Roku and Amazon Fire on the "Understand the Bible?" channel. ©2024 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D., All Rights Reserved

Syalom Keluarga Damai! Sapaan Damai Sejahtera atau disingkat SAMAS merupakan sebuah renungan singkat yang tayang setiap hari Senin-Sabtu. SAMAS tidak hanya dibawakan oleh pendeta/hamba Tuhan, tetapi juga akan dibawakan oleh siapapun yang ingin berbagi sapaan Tuhan kepada dirinya. Semoga kita dapat menemukan damai sejahtera yang datangnya dari sapaan Tuhan kepada setiap kita melalui SAMAS ini. Tuhan Yesus memberkati!

Syalom Keluarga Damai! Sapaan Damai Sejahtera atau disingkat SAMAS merupakan sebuah renungan singkat yang tayang setiap hari Senin-Sabtu. SAMAS tidak hanya dibawakan oleh pendeta/hamba Tuhan, tetapi juga akan dibawakan oleh siapapun yang ingin berbagi sapaan Tuhan kepada dirinya. Semoga kita dapat menemukan damai sejahtera yang datangnya dari sapaan Tuhan kepada setiap kita melalui SAMAS ini. Tuhan Yesus memberkati!

Intertestamental literature goes wild describing something they call the “Akeda Isa'ac.” What is it? Let's find out together as we read Genesis 22-24.

We continue our series with a look at the Silence of the Intertestamental years and how, even when it seems like God is quiet, He is still present.

John 10:22-23 The Intertestamental period dated from the prophet Malachi's time (about 400 BC) to the preaching of John the Baptist (about AD 25) has been called the silent years. God is never silent! A lot happened in these 400 years.  In this teaching, we are going to explore one amazing event – The Feast of Dedication – in which we will discover who the Shammash of God is and where you and I fit in.

Hey fam! As a Christian, I know you'd like to learn at a godly institution, but sometimes they are just so expensive! Today I have details about Anchor Bible College, a new school with extremely low-priced classes that include ongoing discipleship on top of top-notch Biblical training.   Of course, it's important to make sure they have the programs you are looking for and wisely consider all options. I'm here to help you get started! So stop what you're doing, and grab your cold brew and TI-89, because class is now in session!   Anchor Bible College YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4F6bGUQ9PDfcHst4N_iIGw Anchor Bible College Website: https://anchorbiblecollege.org/ Anchor Classes For Next Semester: https://anchorbiblecollege.org/winter-2024-course-catalog/ Anchor Tidings Newsletter Sign-Up: https://anchorbiblecollege.org/anchor-tidings-newsletter/   Related Episodes:  2 - How I Earned a Degree for $1200! Colleges Don't Want You to Know This Best-Kept Secret 256 - Dual Enrollment 101: Save $7000+ for College! 146 - This New Year's Resolution Has Me on Track to Become a Millionaire! Only Takes 20 Mins a Week 218 - Earn Money While You Study: 3 College Jobs That Pay To Do Homework   Also find me at… ~ Facebook: Christian College Girl Community - Scholarships & Graduate Debt-Free | Facebook at tinyurl.com/karacommunity  Instagram --＞ @moneyandmentalpeace) Email --＞ info@moneyandmentalpeace.com   **Get scholarships and pay for college without student loans!** Are you worried about how to pay for college? Stressed because it's so expensive? Are you having trouble finding scholarships, or all you find don't apply to you? Overwhelmed with all things school and money? Welcome fam! This podcast will help you find and get scholarships, avoid student loans and maybe even graduate college debt-free! Hey! I'm Kara, a Christian entrepreneur, amateur snowboarder, and scholarship BEAST! I figured out how to not only finish college debt-free, but I even had $10k left over in the bank after graduation. (& btw, my parents weren't able to help me financially either!) During school, I was worried about paying for next semester. I couldn't find scholarships that worked specifically for me, and didn't know how to get started while juggling homework and keeping up with ALL.THE.THINGS. But dude, I learned there was a better way! With God's direction, I tested out of classes, and found the perfect scholarships, grants, internships, and weird budget hacks that helped me go from overwhelmed to debt-free with $10k in the bank–all with God on my side. ... and I'm here to walk you through this, too. If you are ready to find scholarships specific to you, learn to manage your money well, and have enough money to kill it at college, this pod is for you! So grab your cold brew and TI-89, and listen in on the most stress-free and debt-free class you've ever attended: this is Money and Mental Peace.  Topics included in this podcast: logos, state certified, state authorized, Bible college degree, transfer agreements, Michigan Transfer Agreement, ministry school, ministry training, Christian theology, Christian family, Old Testament survey, Intertestamental history, New Testament, practical math, practical mathematics, preaching and teaching methods, hermeneutics, Hebrews, Christian counseling, math class, critical thinking, finance, logic, probability, Job, Christian university, Christian colleges, Christian colleges near me, private colleges, private colleges near me, Christian colleges Michigan, private colleges Michigan, Christian university Michigan, private university

Who was Matthew? What is the Book of Matthew all about? In Part 1 of our new study, we will introduce this Gospel and talk about the audience that it was originally written to - the Israelites. While Matthew contains truth and wisdom for all people, it was intended to explain the person and work of Jesus to Matthew's Jewish contemporaries. In addition to introducing the Book of Matthew, we'll also talk about the 'intertestamental age' that preceded its writing. Questions That We'll Answer: A) Why was God 'silent' for over 400 years? B) What differentiates Matthew from the other Gospel accounts? C) Why are there two different genealogies (in Matthew and Luke)?  Speaker: Rev. Dr. Toby B. Holt Church Website: www.fpcgulfport.org 

Who was Matthew-- What is the Book of Matthew all about----In Part 1 of our new study, we will introduce this Gospel and talk about the audience that it was originally written to - the Israelites. While Matthew contains truth and wisdom for all people, it was first intended to explain the person and work of Jesus to Matthew's Jewish contemporaries.--In addition to introducing the Book of Matthew, we'll also talk about the 'intertestamental age' that preceded its writing.--Questions That We'll Answer--A- Why was God 'silent' for over 400 years---B- What differentiates Matthew from the other Gospel accounts---C- Why are there two different genealogies -in Matthew and Luke-----Speaker- Rev. Dr. Toby B. Holt-Church Website- www.fpcgulfport.org

Who was Matthew-- What is the Book of Matthew all about----In Part 1 of our new study, we will introduce this Gospel and talk about the audience that it was originally written to - the Israelites. While Matthew contains truth and wisdom for all people, it was first intended to explain the person and work of Jesus to Matthew's Jewish contemporaries.--In addition to introducing the Book of Matthew, we'll also talk about the 'intertestamental age' that preceded its writing.--Questions That We'll Answer--A- Why was God 'silent' for over 400 years---B- What differentiates Matthew from the other Gospel accounts---C- Why are there two different genealogies -in Matthew and Luke-----Speaker- Rev. Dr. Toby B. Holt-Church Website- www.fpcgulfport.org

Who was Matthew? What is the Book of Matthew all about? In Part 1 of our new study, we will introduce this Gospel and talk about the audience that it was originally written to – the Israelites. While Matthew contains truth and wisdom for all people, it was intended to explain the person and work … Continue reading Matthew: Introduction And Intertestamental Age →

Who was Matthew? What is the Book of Matthew all about? In Part 1 of our new study, we will introduce this Gospel and talk about the audience that it was originally written to – the Israelites. While Matthew contains truth and wisdom for all people, it was intended to explain the person and work … Continue reading Matthew: Introduction And Intertestamental Age →

Who was Matthew? What is the Book of Matthew all about? In Part 1 of our new study, we will introduce this Gospel and talk about the audience that it was originally written to – the Israelites. While Matthew contains truth and wisdom for all people, it was intended to explain the person and work … Continue reading Matthew: Introduction And Intertestamental Age →

Who was Matthew? What is the Book of Matthew all about? In Part 1 of our new study, we will introduce this Gospel and talk about the audience that it was originally written to – the Israelites. While Matthew contains truth and wisdom for all people, it was intended to explain the person and work … Continue reading Matthew: Introduction And Intertestamental Age →

Who was Matthew? What is the Book of Matthew all about? In Part 1 of our new study, we will introduce this Gospel and talk about the audience that it was originally written to – the Israelites. While Matthew contains truth and wisdom for all people, it was intended to explain the person and work … Continue reading Matthew: Introduction And Intertestamental Age →

Who was Matthew? What is the Book of Matthew all about?In Part 1 of our new study, we will introduce this Gospel and talk about the audience that it was originally written to - the Israelites. While Matthew contains truth and wisdom for all people, it was first intended to explain the person and work of Jesus to Matthew's Jewish contemporaries.In addition to introducing the Book of Matthew, we'll also talk about the 'intertestamental age' that preceded its writing.Questions That We'll Answer:A) Why was God 'silent' for over 400 years?B) What differentiates Matthew from the other Gospel accounts?C) Why are there two different genealogies (in Matthew and Luke)?Speaker: Rev. Dr. Toby B. HoltChurch Website: www.fpcgulfport.org

Pastor Michael Rausch preaches a message from Psalm 10 titled "The God Who Hides From Us."

Elizabeth Woodson is joined by Kat Armstrong to finish up the journey through the Old Testament by talking about The Intertestamental Period and the themes of waiting on God. Questions Covered in This Episode:What happens during The Intertestamental Period? Why is this a significant time in the life of Israel?What makes waiting difficult for us?What does The Intertestamental Period teach us about what it means to wait on God?What does it look like for you to wait on God in your own life?How does The Intertestamental Period and the theme of waiting on God point us toward the gospel?Helpful Definitions:The Intertestamental Period: A 400-year period of silence between the Old Testament and the New Testament.Guest Bio:Kat Armstrong loves encouraging curious Christians to explore Bible stories and has also recently released a 6-Study Series called The Storyline Bible Series that will guide you through your study of the Bible. She is the co-founder of the Polished Network, an organization emboldening women in their faith and work. Kat is the author of No More Holding Back and The In-Between Place. She received her master's degree from Dallas Theological Seminary and is pursuing a doctorate of ministry in New Testament context at Northern Seminary. Reflection Question:What would it look like for you to be faithful in your waiting season? Continue Learning:If you want to learn more about the entire story of the Bible check out Elizabeth's new study, From Beginning To Forever.Scripture Passage: Malachi 4:5-6, Jeremiah 29:1-11Article: What happened in the Intertestamental Period? Book: The Time Between The Old and New Testament by Henry HalleyArticle: What happened between the Old and New TestamentBooks: Kat Armstrong's Storyline SeriesAmazon affiliate links are used where appropriate. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, thank you for supporting Training the Church.Follow Us:Twitter | Instagram | TikTokOur Sister Podcasts:Knowing Faith | The Family Discipleship Podcast | Confronting ChristianityStarting Place with Elizabeth Woodson is a podcast of Training the Church. For ad-free episodes and more content check out our Patreon. Sponsors:To learn more about our sponsors please visit our website.Follow Us:Twitter | Instagram | TikTokOur Sister Podcasts:Knowing Faith | The Family Discipleship Podcast | Confronting Christianity | Tiny TheologiansStarting Place with Elizabeth Woodson is a podcast of Training the Church. For ad-free episodes and more content check out our Patreon.

Here it is, Season 3, kicking off a new series on Between the Testaments! Have you ever paused and asked: what happened during the time between the end of Old Testament writings, but before the Gospels? During this era known as the Intertestamental period, many fascinating and important events transpired. Part of this story begins with the Hasmonean Dynasty, which finds its eventual culmination in the rule and reign of Herod (and the "other" Herods that come later). In this episode Heather introduces this new series with a brief historical overview of the time of the Hasmoneans, and what led into the time of the Hellenization of the ancient world, and how much pressure the Jewish people were under to conform to the Greek way of life. Join us at www.firstcenturyyouthministry.comBecome part of our growing Facebook community Join our "closed" group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/firstcenturyouthministryLike our fan page! https://www.facebook.com/FirstCenturyYouthMin

What Happened in the Old Testament and How It Leads to Jesus

The Journal of Black Religious Thought advances critical scholarship in the fields of Religious Studies – with special attention to Black religious studies, which includes and intersects, but not limited to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, New Testament, Intertestamental, Quran, theology, history, ethics, practical theology, religion-science, philosophy of religion, Black hermeneutics, philosophy of religion, womanist, intersectionality, cultural studies, among others – offering African American, African, and/or African Diaspora points of view. Dr. John Ahn is Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible at Howard University School of Divinity. He is trained in ancient Near Eastern and Religious Studies. He specializes in the historical and social reconstructions of the sixth and fifth centuries BCE with interests to the first century CE. Dr. Ahn is the editor-in-chief of The Journal of Black Religious Thought (Brill). Caleb Zakarin is the Assistant Editor of the New Books Network (Twitter: @caleb_zakarin). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

The Journal of Black Religious Thought advances critical scholarship in the fields of Religious Studies – with special attention to Black religious studies, which includes and intersects, but not limited to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, New Testament, Intertestamental, Quran, theology, history, ethics, practical theology, religion-science, philosophy of religion, Black hermeneutics, philosophy of religion, womanist, intersectionality, cultural studies, among others – offering African American, African, and/or African Diaspora points of view. Dr. John Ahn is Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible at Howard University School of Divinity. He is trained in ancient Near Eastern and Religious Studies. He specializes in the historical and social reconstructions of the sixth and fifth centuries BCE with interests to the first century CE. Dr. Ahn is the editor-in-chief of The Journal of Black Religious Thought (Brill). Caleb Zakarin is the Assistant Editor of the New Books Network (Twitter: @caleb_zakarin). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

The Journal of Black Religious Thought advances critical scholarship in the fields of Religious Studies – with special attention to Black religious studies, which includes and intersects, but not limited to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, New Testament, Intertestamental, Quran, theology, history, ethics, practical theology, religion-science, philosophy of religion, Black hermeneutics, philosophy of religion, womanist, intersectionality, cultural studies, among others – offering African American, African, and/or African Diaspora points of view. Dr. John Ahn is Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible at Howard University School of Divinity. He is trained in ancient Near Eastern and Religious Studies. He specializes in the historical and social reconstructions of the sixth and fifth centuries BCE with interests to the first century CE. Dr. Ahn is the editor-in-chief of The Journal of Black Religious Thought (Brill). Caleb Zakarin is the Assistant Editor of the New Books Network (Twitter: @caleb_zakarin). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

The Journal of Black Religious Thought advances critical scholarship in the fields of Religious Studies – with special attention to Black religious studies, which includes and intersects, but not limited to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, New Testament, Intertestamental, Quran, theology, history, ethics, practical theology, religion-science, philosophy of religion, Black hermeneutics, philosophy of religion, womanist, intersectionality, cultural studies, among others – offering African American, African, and/or African Diaspora points of view. Dr. John Ahn is Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible at Howard University School of Divinity. He is trained in ancient Near Eastern and Religious Studies. He specializes in the historical and social reconstructions of the sixth and fifth centuries BCE with interests to the first century CE. Dr. Ahn is the editor-in-chief of The Journal of Black Religious Thought (Brill). Caleb Zakarin is the Assistant Editor of the New Books Network (Twitter: @caleb_zakarin). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Journal of Black Religious Thought advances critical scholarship in the fields of Religious Studies – with special attention to Black religious studies, which includes and intersects, but not limited to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, New Testament, Intertestamental, Quran, theology, history, ethics, practical theology, religion-science, philosophy of religion, Black hermeneutics, philosophy of religion, womanist, intersectionality, cultural studies, among others – offering African American, African, and/or African Diaspora points of view. Dr. John Ahn is Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible at Howard University School of Divinity. He is trained in ancient Near Eastern and Religious Studies. He specializes in the historical and social reconstructions of the sixth and fifth centuries BCE with interests to the first century CE. Dr. Ahn is the editor-in-chief of The Journal of Black Religious Thought (Brill). Caleb Zakarin is the Assistant Editor of the New Books Network (Twitter: @caleb_zakarin). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/christian-studies

400 Silent Years

With the vast majority of what would call the "Old Testament" composed and edited, and with Judea under continual military and political threats from outside, the Jewish theological literature did not simply freeze in place.  In these last few centuries leading into the 1st c. CE, scrolls such as 1 Enoch, Jubilees, and Tobit demonstrate that the views of angels, demons, and the roles of these beings in everyday life are very much continuing to be developed. Books: John J. Collins.  Daniel.  Hermeneia.  Minneapolis:  Fortress Press, 1993. Michael Heiser.  Demons:  What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness.  Lexham Press:  Bellingham, WA, 2020. Michael Heiser.  Angels:  What the Bible Really Says About God's Heavenly Host.  Lexham Press:  Bellingham, WA, 2018. John Walton, "Demons in Mesopotamia and Israel."  In Windows to the Ancient World of the Hebrew Bible.  Bill Arnold, Nancy Erickson, and John Walton, eds.  Eisenbrauns:  Winona Lake, 2014.  229-45. George Nickelsburg.  1 Enoch.  Hermeneia.  Minneapolis:  Fortress Press, 2001.  2 vols. James VanderKam.  Jubilees.  Hermeneia.  Minneapolis:  Fortress Press, 2018.  2 vols. James VanderKam.  "Demons."  In Demons:  The Demonology of the Israelite-Jewish and Early Christian Literature in the Context of their Environment.  Tübingen:  Mohr Siebeck, 2003.  339-64. James VanderKam.  "Mastema in the Qumran Literature and the Book of Jubilees."  In Sibyls, Scriptures, and Scrolls:  John Collins at Seventy.  Joel Baden, Hindy Najman, Eileen Schuller, eds.  JSJSup 175; Leiden:  Brill, 2017.  1346-60. Karel Van der Toorn.  "The Theology of Demons in Mesopotamia and Israel – Popular Belief and Scholarly Speculation."  In Demons:  The Demonology of the Israelite-Jewish and Early Christian Literature in the Context of their Environment.  Tübingen:  Mohr Siebeck, 2003.  61-83. Géza Xeravits.  "The Angel's Self-Revelation in Tobit 12."  In Sibyls, Scriptures, and Scrolls:  John Collins at Seventy.  Joel Baden, Hindy Najman, Eileen Schuller, eds.  JSJSup 175; Leiden:  Brill, 2017.  1399-1417. Artwork: "Norandino and Lucina Discovered by the Ogre," Giovanni Lanfranco (1582-1647).

Dr. Doug Penney, Associate Professor of Classical Languages at Wheaton College, calls attention to Mark 5:9 (Luke 8:30) in which a group of demons declare their name to be Λεγιών, translated as Legion. The naming of various demons and angels in ancient Jewish traditions is a fascinating topic in its own right. Intertestamental angelology often derived such names from creative readings of Hebrew scripture passages. Dr. Penney traces out the linguistic path from Ps. 91:7, through these complex traditions, to Mark 5.

Brother Shaffer addresses some of the hard questions about Intertestamental books and their uses Matthew Shaffer – Survey of Intertestamental Literature Q&A MP3 Link

Today we begin with the first of the presentations from the March 2022 Mid-Missouri Bible Study. Have you ever heard about all those books that are “missing” from the Bible? Brother Matthew Shaffer presents a survey of this literature and some of the historical events which predicated their writing. Matthew Shaffer – Survey of Intertestamental […]

Episode 142 – Truth and Proof – Part 2 – The Starting Point Welcome to Anchored by Truth brought to you by Crystal Sea Books. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The goal of Anchored by Truth is to encourage everyone to grow in the Christian faith by anchoring themselves to the secure truth found in the inspired, inerrant, and infallible word of God. Script: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Second Timothy, Chapter 3, verses 16 and 17, New International Version ******** VK: Hello! I’m Victoria K. Welcome to Anchored by Truth brought to you by Crystal Sea Books. We’re excited to be with you as we continue with our recently started series on Anchored by Truth that we’re calling “Truth and Proof.” As we mentioned last time this series was inspired by a teaching series that Dr. Gregg Alexander did for his Sunday school class and a few years ago. As just about everyone knows, the Christian faith in America has been subjected to more challenges in the last decade than probably in the first two centuries of the country’s existence. So, we wanted to follow Dr. Alexander’s lead and do a series on what is often called “apologetics” – in essence the defense of the Christian faith. Apologetics helps us demonstrate that the Christian faith has a firm basis in reason and evidence. To help us explore this very important topic today in the studio we have RD Fierro, author and founder of Crystal Sea Books, in the studio today. RD, would you like to remind everyone why you felt that it was so important for us to do this series? RD: Well, as we mentioned last time on Anchored by Truth, we live in an age where our historical cultural consensus has shifted. Some commentators have said that we are now living in a “post-Christian” world. For people who are not believers this means that they live in a world that has gone “beyond” the constraints and “narrowness” of Christianity. Mainline churches are experiencing declines not only in membership, but in influence on society, government, education, family, and the culture as a whole. And as we look around us we see that young people are far more consumed by what’s happening with popular celebrities than what happened with Jesus when He ministered on this earth. We also see that more people are more concerned about temporary pleasures than their eternal destiny. It seems that everywhere our societies are all about money, entertainment, free expression, anything goes – everywhere it’s Babylon: the city of Satan, where it’s “all about me.” This is obviously is dangerous to individual destinies but it is also dangerous to the destiny of our communities and nation. That’s why it’s so important for the church to remind everyone around us that this kind of cultural calculus is not only dangerous, it’s unsustainable. But we in the church need to remember that our primary mission is one of reconciliation – reconciliation between men and God. So we don’t want to lose sight of the need to marry our intellectual defense of Christianity with our intentional concern for the welfare of our neighbors. VK: That’s a great point. At the close of our last episode we mentioned that we cannot help people understand the basis for our faith without reminding ourselves of the importance of both head knowledge and heart concerns. There’s an old saying that “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Or, as Dr. Alexander put it in one of his lessons, knowing what is in our heads is not as important as the One Who is in our hearts. We will never assist the Holy Spirit in drawing anyone to Christ if we rely only on the objective and academic facts of Christianity. Christians called to the ministry of reconciliation, i.e., bridging the gap between Christ and those in need of knowing Him, and pulling the one who is unwilling toward the One who is always willing. And we must do these things as the apostles taught us – with patience, diligence, and love. RD: I think that’s always an important reminder. The primary reason apologetics is an important area of study is because of its relevance to salvation. And, unfortunately, that’s never been truer than in this day and time. We live in an age where our historical cultural consensus has shifted. In this “post-Christian” world many people who are not believers don’t see the relevance of Christianity to their daily lives. They think that they make whatever choices they make and their will never be a day of reckoning. Unfortunately, they are completely unaware of Jesus’ warning in Matthew, chapter 7, verses 13 and 14 which says we need to “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” VK: But it doesn’t have to be this way, does it? The power of the gospel is to change the destiny of individuals and the trajectory of societies. Now, I know that Dr. Alexander is quite of a fan of Norman Geisler who was one of the premier apologists of the last 50 years and you share much of his admiration for Geisler don’t you? And both of you particularly like Geisler’s views on why apologetics is important to the church. Why don’t you share a little of that with our audience? RD: According to Geisler we study apologetics for three reasons: First, God commands it in the Bible. 1st Peter 3:15 is probably the most frequently cited verse on why we need to arm ourselves with why, as the verse puts it, “we have a hope that lies within us.” But another verse is 2nd Corinthians 10:5 – “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” There’s also Philippians 1:16 – “. . . I am put here for the defense of the gospel.” And Jude 3 – “I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” And these are just a sample of verses that command us to be prepared to give reasons our faith in the gospel. VK: And not only does God command us to be able to defend our faith – because that’s the basic purpose of apologetics – but Geisler says our human ability to reason also make apologetics necessary. RD: That’s correct. Geisler says, that the second purpose for apologetics is that reason demands that we do it and this is demonstrated in scripture. Isaiah 1:18 – “‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord.” We must discern right from wrong, as we see in 1st John 4:6 – “We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” Again from Geisler: “Socrates said, ‘The unexamined life is not worth living.’ He surely would have been willing to add that the unexamined belief is not worth believing. Therefore, it is incumbent upon Christians to give a reason for their hope. This is part of the great command to love God with all our mind, as well as our heart and soul (Matt. 22:36–37).” VK: So, the first reason we pursue apologetics is because the Bible commands it. And the second reason is because reason, really nothing more than good common sense, compels us to do so. It’s hard for human beings to place their trust in something that goes against that common sense. The human facility for logic and reason means that if something doesn’t make good sense most people are far more likely to reject it than accept it. RD: That’s also correct. And, that feeds directly into the third reason Geisler says we do apologetics: “the world needs it.” People rightly refuse to believe without evidence. Since God created humans as rational beings, he expects them to live rationally, to look before they leap. This does not mean there is no room for faith. But God wants us to take a step of faith in the light of evidence, rather than to leap in the dark. VK: And we often point out on Anchored by Truth that the belief that there is a “great divide” between faith and reason is a myth. And you agree with that don’t you? RD: Absolutely. As Dr. Alexander noted, reason can be defined as “all the subjective and personal acts of our mind by which we discover, understand, or seek to demonstrate truth.” If faith is in that which is true, and if reason is the product of the human mind to discover truth, shouldn’t they agree? Aren’t they both ending at the same place? The answer is “Yes,” even for things that the human mind cannot discover, e.g., the Trinity. In that case, faith is not contradictory to reason, but is over and above reason. And in many cases it is reason that precedes faith, for Christianity is based on the actual historic Christ being the actual Christ of the Bible, and, therefore, we do not have “blind faith,” but faith which is supported by reasoning and reasons. We study the Bible in order to understand (reason) what we believe (faith). Reason doesn’t necessarily cause faith, but faith is not opposed to reason. VK: I think that’s such an important point. The world, meaning the secular world, does not have a monopoly on reason. In fact some of the greatest thinkers and scientists of all time were devout Christians. So where do you want to start for today? RD: Well, with a seemingly simple point: truth is knowable. Now, I know that seems simplistic but in our time not only is Christianity frequently under attack but so is the basic concept that truth is absolute and knowable. But, if our ultimate goal is to establish the truth of Christianity, we better start by talking about what truth is, and what we can know about it. VK: And the fact that truth is absolute and knowable is not just exclusive to Christianity, is it? Even non-Christian philosophers have recognized the importance of truth in securing knowledge, haven’t they? RD: Absolutely. One of those philosophers was Aristotle who was born in that Intertestamental Period in the year 384 BC. I mention him because he taught us how to think properly about reality, and, therefore, about the question of God’s existence. Aristotle discovered principles that are the undeniable principles of reality – principles that are referred to as the first principles of knowledge. Using these principles he formalized a system of correct thinking that we call logic. Logic is an instrument of human knowledge; it is a skillful use of the principles that govern how the mind works – and how God’s mind works. Logic imitates God’s mind, and from it we can not only learn about what we are, but what we should be. Aristotle tells us “Wisdom is knowledge about certain principles and causes,” and “Truth is what is, and is not what is not.” This is the starting point for the correspondence theory of truth, i.e., truth is absolute and corresponds to what is real. VK: And you have said that Aristotle’s influence on Christian apologetics is immensely important. He entered Plato’s academy in about 367 BC and stayed there until Plato’s death in 347 BC. He was the personal teacher of Alexander the Great beginning in about 342 BC. And because Aristotle was so influential on Alexander the Great as Alexander’s influence spread so did Aristotle’s, Aristotle’s teaching on the physical sciences, psychology, philosophy, and logic spread along with the Greek language and culture throughout the known world. In Anchored by Truth’s series on the Intertestamental period we pointed out how God used the spread of the Greek language and culture as part of His preparation for Jesus’ arrival into the world. RD: I agree. And one way in which Aristotle’s influence was felt on apologetics was Aristotle’s influence on Thomas Aquinas. But let’s back up for just a second. Aristotle’s view of God came from his view of the nature of reality, called metaphysics, but his view of “god(s)” certainly was not that of the Creator as understood by the Jews. Aristotle didn’t have at his disposal the personal revelation of God as it had been given to the Jews. Therefore, he understood God in the Romans 1:19-20 sense as being a logical necessity in order to explain the cosmos. Aristotle did not understand the God of love and concern for creation – he simply saw “God” as necessary, and he felt very comfortable proving it. And, for Aristotle, “god” was Pure Thought, Pure Intelligence. VK: So, how does Aristotle tie into Aquinas? RD: Because Aristotle’s work – much of which was lost for centuries – ended up being the launching pad for the philosophy – not the theology – of Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas (1225-1274) considered himself indebted to Aristotle for the principles of his philosophy, but Aquinas was not a “Christianized Aristotle.” He did not hesitate to criticize Aristotle when the revealed Truth of Christianity required it. Aristotle was concerned with what the world is and how it functions. Aquinas was more concerned to explain why it exists. And one advantage Aquinas had that Aristotle did not was access to the Old Testament. Aquinas undoubtedly refuted Aristotelianism for at least one reason: the proclamation by God of His Name in Exodus 3:14 – “I AM WHO I AM.” VK: As a reminder to our audience, God’s proclamation “I am who I am” was a direct response to Moses asking God for His name. Moses was concerned that if went down into Egypt to say to the Israelites that God had told him to bring freedom to them they would want to know who exactly had sent him to them. So, God answered Moses with what is one of the most famous verses in the Bible: “I am who I am.” In Hebrew this conveyed by the word “Yahweh” and in Greek it’s “Jehovah.” But in addition to Yahweh being God’s name, the term actually tells us something very important. “I am who I am” is a way of God identifying Himself by His unique quality of self-existence. God is the only Being anywhere who is self-existent. All other Beings are dependent on God for their lives and existence including the angels, Satan and his minions, and mankind. But God is not dependent on anyone or anything for His existence. God made that point forcefully to Moses and the Israelites by His declaration at the burning bush. And what you’re saying is that Aquinas knew about that declaration and it’s quite likely that Aristotle did not? RD: Exactly. Aristotle was not in any way influenced by the writings of some old dead Jew, and he died 322 years before Christ was born. But that didn’t stop Aristotle from being able to arrive at a correct understanding of the nature of truth. Just by using logic and reason Aristotle was able to develop an understanding of truth – that truth is that it is what really is, and it isn’t what really is not. Or said differently, truth is that which corresponds to reality. Truth is not defined by individual opinion – it is what is even if we can’t accept it, or understand it, or don’t have enough evidence to prove it. VK: But we can know truth can’t we? And a simple way know that we can know the truth is to begin by following the line of reasoning developed by the French mathematician, Rene’ Descartes [DAY-CART]. Descartes wanted an absolutely rock-solid starting place to begin his understanding of the universe around him. So, simply put Descartes said that he could be sure that he at least existed because if he didn’t he couldn’t be asking the question or answering it. Now, someone might ask, “But what if this thing we call ‘existence’ is just an illusion?” We could reply in the same way that Ravi Zacharias did when he was asked that question. Ravi answered the question with his own question. “And just who is it that is experiencing this illusion?” Descartes put it this way, “I am thinking, therefore I am.” Descartes’ reasoning was that there must be something in existence before that something can do anything. Thinking is doing something. So, Descartes said if I can think then I can be sure that I exist. And that was his starting point to begin establishing a wider understanding of the universe, creation, and existence. RD: Yes. Descartes was able to find an irrefutable truth to being his reasoning process. And so, like Descartes, by knowing that at least one thing is true we can begin our search for other truths. Geisler puts it this way. “The nature of truth is crucial to the Christian faith. Not only does Christianity claim there is absolute truth (truth for everyone, everywhere, at all times), but it insists that truth about the world (reality) is that which corresponds to the way things really are. For example, the statement “God exists” means that there really is a God . . . Likewise, the claim that “God raised Christ from the dead” means that the dead corpse of Jesus of Nazareth supernaturally vacated its tomb alive a few days after its burial. . . Christian truth claims really correspond to the state of affairs about which they claim . . . Truth can be understood both from what it is and from what it is not. VK: So, we can know that truth exists but that’s not enough, is it. Geisler also noted that there are many inadequate views of the nature of truth. For instance, truth is not ‘what works.’ That was a popular theory advocated by a well-known pragmatist, William James. James and his followers said that truth is what works. According to James, “Truth is the expedient in the way of knowing. A statement is known to be true if it brings the right results. It is the expedient as confirmed by future experience and effect.” Of course, this doesn’t seem to be how truth is understood in court where an expedient testimony may be perjury. It’s possible to still wonder whether a statement corresponded to the facts. In a court, if a statement does not correspond to the facts, it was not true regardless of whether it’s expedient. RD: Exactly right. Geisler noted that truth is also not ‘that which coheres.’ Some scholars have suggested that truth is what is internally consistent, i.e., it is coherent. But this is also an inadequate definition. Empty statements hang together, even though they are devoid of truth content. ‘All wives are married women’ is internally consistent, but it is empty. It tells us nothing about reality. The statement would be true, even if there were no wives. It really means, ‘If there is a wife, then she must be married.’ But it does not inform us that there is a wife anywhere in the universe. A set of false statements also can be internally consistent. If several witnesses conspire to misrepresent the facts, their story may cohere better than if they were honestly trying to reconstruct the truth. But it still is a lie. At best, coherence is a negative test of truth. Statements are wrong if they are inconsistent, but not necessarily true if they are. VK: So, to sum up, “Truth about reality is what corresponds to the way things really are: ‘telling it like it is.’ This correspondence applies to abstract realities as well as actual ones. There are mathematical truths. There are also truths about ideas. In each case there is a reality, and truth accurately expresses it. Falsehood, then, is what does not correspond to the way things really are.” This means that if it lacks proper correspondence, it is false.” RD: Yes. And another important point about this correspondence view of truth is that it cannot be denied without using it. In other words, as we put it in our “Lord of Logic” series the correspondence view of truth is affirmed in dissent. In other words the premise must be true because an argument that attempts to rebut the premise must presume the truth of the premise in the attempted rebuttal. VK: I think we’re going to need an example of what you’re thinking about. RD: Here’s an example of a statement that cannot be rationally denied. “Human beings use language to communicate.” If someone were to try to deny that statement they would have to use some kind of language to present their denial. As soon as they did so they are proving the statement is true. So, there is literally no way the statement can be reasonably or rationally denied. The same thing is true of the correspondence view of truth. Anyone who tried to deny it assumes their view corresponds to reality, i.e., those who deny it in theory, use it in practice. One may say, “but that’s just your view of truth.” Your response could be, “does that statement correspond to reality?” VK: So, absolute truth means it is true for all people, all places, all the time. The term “relative truth” isn’t truth at all, for it claims that something is true for some people, but not all people; or true in some places, but not all places; or some time, but not all the time. Truth is not “what works;” what is cohesive, consistent, or coherent Truth must have these qualities, but these things do not make something true. Truth is not what is comprehensive; not what feels good; not what the majority think or want. Truth is not what is sincere, for it is possible to be sincerely wrong. RD: Yes. And one final important point is that there are biblical arguments for the correspondence view of truth. The ninth commandment is, “you shall not give false testimony about your neighbor” (Exodus 2:16), i.e., tell it like it is. Deuteronomy 18:21-22 – “You may say to yourselves, ‘How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?’ If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken.” So, the Bible clearly affirms that truth is not only corresponds to reality but that it is possible to know the truth. VK: Not only that but we rely on the fact that truth is what corresponds to reality every day of our lives. In our daily conversation, we might say “check out the facts.” And in courtrooms all over the country the existence and knowability of truth is affirmed every time someone swears to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. We use correspondence as the rule for truth in our daily lives and we use it all the time. RD: Right. Now at this point I’d like to note that anyone who would like to investigate this topic of truth and its role in apologetics might want to check out The Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics which was written by Norman Geisler. I have a copy in my library and I know Dr. Alexander does as well. And before we close I’d like to recognize that some of the material we’re discussing in this series can sound pretty esoteric but today Christians who want to have an impact on their families, much less the culture, need to be able to provide intelligent answers to skeptics because they’re all about us. VK: So, in essence, our goal is to help listeners understand how to contend for their faith with certainty and confidence. We’re making no assumptions whatsoever of what anyone may, or may not, already know. We want to show that any thinking person can prove the existence of God. This is the central truth of Romans, chapter 1, verse 18-20. “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” This sounds like a great time to pray. Today let’s listen to a prayer of praise of Adoration for the Creator God who set the cosmos into motion and established a home on the earth for His people as He prepares them for an eternity with Him in heaven. ---- PRAYER FOR THE SPIRITUALLY LOST VK: We’d like to remind our audience that a lot of our radio episodes are linked together in series of topics so if they missed any episodes or if they just want to hear one again, all of these episodes are available on your favorite podcast app. To find them just search on “Anchored by Truth by Crystal Sea Books.” If you’d like to hear more, try out crystalseabooks.com where “We’re not famous but our Boss is!” (Bible Quotes from the New International Version) Second Timothy, Chapter 3, verses 16 and 17, New International Version

Message 39 in the series "The Lineage of Christ" Daniel receives a vision of the future. This vision speaks of the period in between the two testaments. these periods are going to cover the lineage of Christ for the next 8 generations. Don't forget to download our app for more from the Riverview Baptist Church. http://onelink.to/rbcapp Find more at https://riverviewbc.com/ Donate through Pushpay https://pushpay.com/pay/riverviewbc Download Uplift prayer app https://www.upliftprayer.com/getupapp

Message 39 in the series "The Lineage of Christ" Daniel receives a vision of the future. This vision speaks of the period in between the two testaments. these periods are going to cover the lineage of Christ for the next 8 generations. Don't forget to download our app for more from the Riverview Baptist Church. http://onelink.to/rbcapp Find more at https://riverviewbc.com/ Donate through Pushpay https://pushpay.com/pay/riverviewbc Download Uplift prayer app https://www.upliftprayer.com/getupapp

More persons from the Apocrypha identified in history and archaeology! God bless! Thank you for listening! Please join us again tomorrow! Invite your friends and share!

So many figures from the Apocrypha have been confirmed in history! God bless you! Thank you for listening! Please join us again tomorrow!

Several more Intertestamental figures mentioned in history and archaeology! God bless you! Thank you for listening! Please join us again tomorrow!

Figures found in the Apocrypha, which are also found in history and archaeology. God bless you and thank you for listening! See you tomorrow God willing!

This week we look at the Intertestamental period when the Jewish people were 'doing all of the things', but loosing sight of worshiping the One. You could say they were arguing over Audiaphora - practices that were neither commanded nor condemned... and how we tend to do the same thing even today.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas' website.Spiritual BeingsCherubim – guardians; winged, composite beings. See Gen 3:24; Exod 25:18; Ezek 9:3 (cp. Ezek 1)Seraphim – worshippers, winged; “burning ones” Only in Isa 6.Angels = messengers (ángelos, Gk; mal'akh, Heb.)Human: 1 Kgs 19:2; Hg 1:13; Mal 2:7, 3:1; Lk 7:24; Acts 12:15 (?); possibly the “messengers” of the 7 churches (Rev 2-3).Supernatural: more common use of the word.Note: We do not become angels when we die (Matt 22).Presented as genderless (or male).Some are named: Gabriel, Michael; also Raphael, Uriel, Jeremiel (OT Apocrypha)Can be good or evil (Matt 22:30, 25:41)Archangels (1 Thess 4:16, Jude 9) = chief angels. 7 in number, though not total agreement.Their mediating work is done, though they will accompany Christ at his returnMere servants (Heb 1:14)!Beware sensationalism.We mustn't worship them (Col 2:18, Rev 19:10).One day we will even judge them (1 Cor 6:3)!Powers, principalities (rulers), celestial beings (dignities, KJV)Eph 6:12 & Col 2:15. Through Christ God is showing his wisdom to the powers (Eph 3:10).Elaborate angelic hierarchies (choirs) in Middle Ages:First sphere:SeraphimCherubimThrones or OphanimSecond sphere:DominionsVirtuesPowers or AuthoritiesThird sphere:Principalities or RulersArchangelAngelsCould they be human beings who are political powers?Perhaps, but then why are they described as being in the heavenly realms (Eph 6:12)?Some reason that they are the interior spirits of earthly human authorities, like Walter Wink. This is a clever though (for me) not entirely convincing explanation.In the final analysis, the Bible does not tell us enough about the "powers" to answer our every question to our satisfaction.Demons (daimónion, 63x; daímon, only in Matt 8)One theory holds that these are fallen angels. That is, they were created as neutrally moral beings, but chose to rebel.Another theory hold that they are the offspring of humans and angels (Gen 6). See Jubilees 4:15-22; 1 Enoch 69:4, 106:13-17; 2 Baruch 56:12; CD 2:18.Some early Christians equated demons with the false gods  of idolatry. (See 1 Cor 10.) LXX sometimes translates “idols” as “demons.”Two are possibly alluded to in the O.T.: Lilith (“night hag,” Isa 34:14), and Azazel (Lev 16).Fall of demons thought to have happened before creation (1 Enoch 69:1-15).In Jubilees 10, Noah prays and God imprisons 9/10 of the demons plaguing mankind, but allows 1/10 to continue their evil work under their leader Satan (or Mastema).If evil powers are referred to in Gal 4 and Col 2, Christians should be totally free from their influence. The more we focus on them, the more we “give them power.” We are sternly warned to keep away from the occult (Gal 5:20, Acts 19:19, Exod 22:18, Rev 21:8).Superstition often ascribed disease to demons (as in the apocryphal book of Tobit). In N.T., only Luke 13:10-17 seems to make this association. Demon possession and disease, e.g. epilepsy, are distinguished (Matt 4:24).“Belief in demons and their effect upon mankind increased in Judaism from A.D. 150 to 450.” (ISBE I: 922).Satan = accuser (Hebrew); diabolos – slanderer, accuser (Greek NT and OT LXX)Concept vague in O.T., develops in Intertestamental times, developed in N.T. times.Satan is portrayed as an over-zealous figure, eager to uphold righteousness but excessive in his accusations. He does not appear especially wicked.In the N.T., however, we learn his true identity. He is the father of lies (John 8:44), and the "ancient serpent" (Rev 12).Most likely a fallen angel. Some earthly rulers' demises allude to fall of Satan (Isa 14, Ezek 28).Satan, as C. S. Lewis points out, is really not the opposite of God, but of the (good) archangel Michael.Mentioned only 3x in the OT (Job, Zechariah, and 1 Chronicles).Miscellaneous questionsSpiritual warfare? (Eph 6)Angelic / demonic territories? (Dan 10). The Bible never instructs us to delve into this realm.Prayer cover? (Idea advanced in Peretti's books.) Not substantiated.Are demons associated with specific sins in the N.T.?Undoubtedly Satan works through his minions, since he is never said to be omnipresent (or omniscient). James 1:13-15 allows the connection of the demonic with sin. However...There is no “demon of laziness," "demon of lust," "demon  of anger," etc.Such personifications are imaginative, and lack solid biblical foundation.This view also minimizes our personal responsibility for sin.Do we meet angels (Heb 13)? If we do, we (probably) wouldn't know we were meeting them, so we should be cautious about accepting claims of angelic encountersFurther studyFor a political interpretation of the “powers,” read Walter Wink's interesting series.Billy Graham's book Angels: God's Secret Agents is quite well done.Hear also the podcast on Demon Possession. Click here.For more detailed articles, check out the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 

Lisa and I discuss the necessity of forgiveness, even when it's difficult, for the well-being of a marriage. Plus, a 5 minute overview of the period between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New.

The Book of Enoch was real and revered across the spectrum of Second-Temple Judaism-those forms of Judaism that thrived in the “Intertestamental” period (ca.500BC to AD 100). The book is more properly referred to as 1 Enoch to distinguish it from other books bearing the name “ Enoch” that were composed later than this period(e.g., 2Enoch, 3 Enoch). I invited Dr. Michael Heiser back to the show to talk about why it's important for Christians to familiarize themselves with the Book of Enoch. We get specifically into the parables of Enoch, which are covered in his new book A Companion to the Book of Enoch: A Reader's Commentary, Vol II: The Parables of Enoch (1 Enoch 37-71). Resources mentioned in this episode: Companion to the Book of Enoch Special Collection ($35) The Unseen Realm Connect with Michael Heiser: DRMSH.com AwakeningSchoolOfTheology.com FringePop321 The Shaun Tabatt Show is part of the Destiny Image Podcast Network.

Understanding the Old Testament Part 18 (Dan 2; Eph 2 & Rom 11) When we see how God’s promises and prophecies to Israel fit with the New Testament and beyond, like Paul we will not be able to help bursting out in praises to God.

We hear a lot about what the New Testament supposedly says about.. everything (including sex). But as we're reminded today by our guest, the New Testament is largely made up of letters that we're "eavesdropping" on. So if we want to know what these letters might mean for us, we'll need to get to know who wrote the letter and to whom. New Testament Christians. What was their cultural context? What ideas formed the people around them and how did this uniquely shape the way the gospel was communicated?  This episode is packed with insights from Professor Mariam Kamell Kovalishyn from Regent College, and the full conversation is available only for our partners for $3/month.  Full Show Notes Here Talk to us on Instagram and Twitter Mariam J. Kovalishyn joined the faculty at Regent College in 2010, and was appointed Assistant Professor of New Testament in 2013. The majority of Mariam’s research has centered on the epistle of James, Jewish literature of the Intertestamental period, and classical Graeco-Roman literature. Additionally, since coming to Regent, she has expanded to researching and writing across the epistles, Pauline and General. Mariam has co-authored a commentary on James (Zondervan), has published a number of articles in books and journals. She is currently working on another commentary on James for the Story of God series, and a biblical theology of social justice for Zondervan, as well as a commentary on 1 and 2 Peter. 

Part 4 of series

Sunday School class led online by Rev. W. Reid Hankins at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 06/28/2020 in Petaluma, CA. This week we continued our series on biblical history, discussing the period between the Old and New Testaments.

A new MP3 sermon from Christ the Redeemer Reformed Presbyt. is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Intertestamental History before Jesus Speaker: John Kistler Broadcaster: Christ the Redeemer Reformed Presbyt. Event: Sunday School Date: 12/29/2019 Length: 49 min.

A new MP3 sermon from Christ the Redeemer Reformed Presbyt. is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Intertestamental History before Jesus Speaker: John Kistler Broadcaster: Christ the Redeemer Reformed Presbyt. Event: Sunday School Date: 12/29/2019 Length: 49 min.

300 years from Malachi to Jesus

Sunday School class led online by Rev. W. Reid Hankins at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 06/21/2020 in Petaluma, CA. This week we continued our series on biblical history, discussing the period between the Old and New Testaments.

Intertestamental period

A new MP3 sermon from Central Bible Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Intertestamental History Subtitle: Survey of the Bible Speaker: Nicholas LeBlanc Broadcaster: Central Bible Church Event: Sunday School Date: 5/24/2020 Length: 56 min.

A new MP3 sermon from Central Bible Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Intertestamental History Subtitle: Survey of the Bible Speaker: Nicholas LeBlanc Broadcaster: Central Bible Church Event: Sunday School Date: 5/24/2020 Length: 56 min.

Pastor Todd continues The Story

In the first part of this study we conclude a historical walk-through of "king" and "kingdom" found in the Old Testament up to the coming of the true Davidic King, Jesus Christ. Each kingdom is distinguished based upon the subjects of the kingdom and the governance of the kingdom. In the second part of this study we examine the kingdom of power.  The subjects of the kingdom of power include all things: believers and unbelievers, good and evil angels, and irrational creature and the inanimate creation. The Triune God governs this kingdom of power by His omnipotence and omnipresence. At the incarnation, "all authority in heaven and earth" was given to the human nature of Jesus, while His divine nature always possessed it. Here is a summary of the history (in the first part): The Prophet Daniel (Chapters 2, 7 and 8) foretold of four world powers: Babylonia, Medo-Persia, Greece(including the Ptolemies and the Seleucids, Maccabees and Hasmoneans), and Rome. Last week we concluded with the Jewish return to Jerusalem under Cyrus the Persian.  When the Old Testament draws to a close (apx. 400 B.C.), Judea had been province of Persia for 138 years. Although the exiles were allowed to return to Canaan in order to rebuild the Temple, only a small number of Jews actually returned. The exiled Jews had set down roots and were scattered over 128 provinces. The religious practices of Judaism began to change, as they lived apart from the Jerusalem temple, and without the nation of Israel or a Davidic king. Scribes grew in importance, as the Jews retained their identity by clinging to the Word. Emphasis was placed on personal prayer, Sabbath observance, and justice(morality). As the people adopted Imperial Aramaic for their language instead of Hebrew, there was the need for a Methurgeman (interpreter) to paraphrase the readings for the people. Even those Jews who returned were not free.  They were a vassal state of one country and then another.  Sometimes they enjoyed a mild rule and were allowed to practice their faith.  Other times they were severely persecuted.  The Jewish reactions were varied, as seen by Pharisees, Sadducees, and zealots. Alexander the Great conquered the world and spread Greek language and culture wherever he went.  After the death of Alexander, the kingdom split into four parts and fighting for power ensued.  In 320 B.C. Ptolemy took over Egypt and Jerusalem without resistance.  The Hebrew Scriptures were translated into the Greek language in the 3rd century B.C. Although many rulers were kind to the Jews, Antiochus IV Epiphanes sought to make all people devotees of Greek culture.  The Jews objected to this Hellenization program on religious grounds and were severely persecuted.  This persecution caused the Hasmodian period of Independence with the Maccabean revolt by Mattathias and his five sons.  Though they had some success, the Jews always returned to a vassal state.  In 63 B.C. Pompey conquered the city of Jerusalem with the killing 12,000 Jews. When Jesus arrives, Herod The Great had been ruling since 37 B.C.  Although he ruled with an iron fist, it was during his reign that the Temple had been restored.  This concludes the history of "king" and "kingdom" until the coming of Jesus Christ. Handout: Kingdoms-Definitions.pdf Handout 2: King-Chart-Throughout-Time.pdf Overhead 1: Persian.pdf

After Solomon's death both the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel fell.  The Prophet Amos (apx. 760-750 B.C.) foretold that God would rebuild the fallen tabernacle of David and bring back the captives (Amos 9:11-15). The Assyrian Empire conquers Israel in 721 B.C. The great tree of God's people was cut down (Isaiah 11:1,10) because the people had sinned. Though they had not kept the Word of God, the Prophet Isaiah (apx. 701 - 681 B.C.) announces that the merciful God was still keeping His promise to King David.  God said, "And I will make an everlasting covenant with you--the sure mercies of David" (Isaiah 55:3-5).  Jesus is that shoot or branch that will come from the stump of Jesse.  The southern kingdom was taken into Babylonian exile in 586 B.C and Solomon's Temple was destroyed. The Prophet Jeremiah prophesied about their 70 year exile (apx. 605 B.C. - 537 B.C.) and God's promise to raise up a Davidic King, a Priest, and a new Temple. After the exile, the priest Ezra returns to lay the foundation and begin the work of rebuilding, what would later be called Zerubbabel's Temple (539 B.C. to Mar 12, 516 B.C.).  The governor Nehemiah rebuilds the city wall around Jerusalem. The old men who saw this new temple foundation wept (Ezra 3:12-13), as it paled in comparison to Solomon's temple. The Prophets Haggai and Zechariah, who lived at the time of the rebuilding, spoke of that future coming day.  The return of God's people to Canaan was a wonderful thing, but it was not the promised day of the Messianic King!  Haggai 2:9, "'The glory of this later temple shall be greater than the former,' says the Lord of hosts. 'And in this place I will give peace.'"  When the Old Testament closes, the Prophet Malachi leaves the faithful longing for the hope of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ . Handout: Exile-to-Intertestamental.pdf Overhead 1: Divided-Kingdom-Overheads.pdf Overhead 2: Kings-Overheads.pdf

Your Questions and then the trek into the period between the Old and New Testaments. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intertestamental_period

After surveying the data from the OT and Intertestamental literature in previous episodes, the guys finally make it to the New Testament. In this episode they examine how the gospels portray Satan and determine if his function has changed significantly or remains similar to the OT. 

In this episode the guys continue their study of Satanology, focusing on the intertestamental literature (the stuff written between the testaments). Finally we begin to get a glimpse of this figure that many associate with Satan.

In this episode, Matthias Henze maps out how people approaching the biblical texts from the NT lens can hop into the world of Hellenistic Judaism to better understand the NT literature. The post Matthias Henze – Mind the Gap (Jewish Writings Between the OT & NT) first appeared on OnScript.

In this episode, Matthias Henze maps out how people approaching the biblical texts from the NT lens can hop into the world of Hellenistic Judaism to better understand the NT literature.

Explore a summary of D. Burnett's paper, "So shall Thy Seed Be (as the stars)": Genesis 15:5 in 2nd Temple Jewish Thought" In Genesis 15:5-6 we read, "And he brought him outside and said, 'Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.' Then he said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness." Burnett asked the question if this verse was not only about quantity. Could the promise to Abraham refer to quality also? Consider Genesis 17:5, Genesis 26:4, and Romans 4:13-18. The issue is that reading Paul's use of Genesis 15:5 in light of this qualitative interpretation would place him within the context of already well-established deification (or angelomorphic) traditions in Early Judaism that see the destiny of the seed of Abraham as replacing the stars as the gods (or angels) of the nations. There seems to be a close connection between being multiplied "as the stars of heaven" and the "inheritance" of "all these lands." This will result in "all the nations of the earth" being blessed. Consider Romans 4:23-25. The issue is that the ideas of becoming "heir of the cosmos," a "father of many nations," and the hope of the resurrection are not separate promises, but are understood by Paul as constituent parts of the one promise made to Abraham in Genesis 15:5 in becoming as the stars of heaven. Explore the Intertestamental thought including Philo of Alexandria and Sirach 44:21. Consider James 2:19, "You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!" The demons are afraid because God is one. The oneness of God and totality of God's rule suggests that at some point there will be trouble for the demons. Consider Exaltation/Theosis and resurrection and astral immortality in early Judaism. Consider Daniel 12:1-3 and Paul's citations of these various verses in Genesis. A complex of tradition ties a familiar Christian theological concept (glorification) back into the Divine Council family worldview and the Deuteronomy 32 worldview. Explore the angelic priesthood. Consider our church liturgy and Revelation 14: 1-5. Consider the lists of tribes in the Old Testament, of which there are more than twenty, and they differ from one another in several respects, notably in the position of the names of tribes and their number. Consider Revelation 7 and 14 and the exclusion of the tribe of Dan. Other general issues in Revelation 14 are why only men? (Revelation 14:4) Why virgins? (Revelation 14:4) Explore common interpretations such as the Literalist view and Figurative view. The redeemed virgins are an "anti-image" of the Watchers, who sinned sexually via cohabitation with women in Genesis 6:1-4. They are men because (a) they take the place on earth in war against the Beast of 144K good angels, and (b) they perform priestly roles. They represent the people of God - the opposing "bloodline" of the bloodlines produced by the Watchers. (Levitical "doctrine of substitution"). They are a representation beyond one tribe (Levi); all tribes (except Dan) or the whole people of God.

By Dub McClish

By Dub McClish

By Dub McClish

By Dub McClish

A continuation of Lesson 2, in Part 2 gives Mark Lanier a chance to dissect the differences found in over 5500 texts that have bearing on the accuracy of the New Testament as we have it today. How many of the estimated 300,000 differences make a difference? Check this lesson  to find out!

In Lesson 2 Part 1 Mark Lanier poses the question, how accurate is the New Testament? Critics like Bart Ehrman, the scholar and best selling author and a previously-faithful-turned-agnostic casts doubt on the legitmacy of the New Testament. Is he right? Where do the facts come down on the New Testament as not only the truth but the inspired word of God?

In a continuation from last week, Lesson 1 Part 2 examines the roots of the New Testament through the Jewish writings during the Intertestimental period. What are the Apolcrypha and the Pseuodopigrypha and what do they have to do with you, you ask? While not part of the Christian Bible, they provide important context for both the Old Testament and New.  

The Christian Bible contains the Old Testament (which contains texts writen prior to ~400 BC) and the New Testament (which contains texts that were written from ~100 AD forward). What was going on during this 'intertestimental period'?! In a multi part series on "Roots of the New Testament", in Lesson 1, Part 1, Mark Lanier begins the New Testament Survey summarizing the historical facts and contributing events during this period.

Today, I used Nebuchadnezzar's Dream in Daniel 2:31-45 as the jumping off point for talking about the Intertestamental times. I'm convinced that Jesus is a man of his times, as well as being the eternal man. As a result, the history of Palestine and the empires that ruled it would have affected his mindset and most particularly how people would have heard and interpreted what Jesus said about Kingdom. I also used some historical work by Dr. James D. Tabor called The Jewish World of Jesus to talk about the history of the time. Also for next week, I've asked people to read the Sermon on the Mount from the Message as a lead into the discussion of it next week. I chose the Message because I believe that we read Scriptures with certain expectations and mindsets and one of the things the Eugene Peterson does in the Message is put things into a different way that allows me to look at Scripture with some fresh eyes.