Podcasts about Jerusalem

SHOWNOTES Have you ever stood at a crossroads where you knew what God was calling you to, but everything in you wanted to retreat to the safer, more comfortable path? Candace and Jason Jackson Jr. open the episode answering a listener question from Ashley, a newer Christian working her way through the Bible. Jason describes how he started reading from the perspective of the sinner rather than the savior, putting himself in the shoes of the people Jesus is speaking to instead of in Jesus' shoes. That way, he says, the message comes through and not just the miracle. The episode picks up Jason's story where last week left off. From being woken up at 9 years old to provide a clean drug test for family members, to choosing at 11 to move in with friends so his mom would have one less mouth to feed, to walking away from an NFL career at 21 years old, Jason traces a path shaped by one conviction: a job is what you get paid to do, and work is what you were created to do. Ministry, he says, is work. Jason then talks about the Kidron Valley, the Valley of Decisions, the space between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. He talks through what it means to be caught between peace and pressure, and why he believes the response in that valley is prayer. The episode also includes a second listener question from Gracie, who just turned 18 and asks for one piece of advice as a new adult. Jason tells her to serve as many people as she can, and Candace encourages her to stay honest, with herself, with others, and with God. Sign up for updates and get access to Jason's exclusive video series, Unfiltered Faith, at candace.com/together. Find Candace's email list and more at candace.com. Life is like a rollercoaster, but it's better when we go through it together. Connect with Candace Bure and Jason Jackson Jr. Candace on Instagram @candacecbure  Follow the Podcast on Instagram @candacecameronburepodcast  Follow the Podcast on TikTok @ccbpodcast Jason on IG/ TIKTOK: @thejasonjacksonjr Jason on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@JasonJacksonJr. Sponsors For This Episode Candace.com/tour  Crowdhealth joincrowdhealth.com code CANDACE IFCJ ifcj.com  GCU gcu.edu 316 Financial https://bank316.com/candace-cameron-bure PHD myphdweightloss.com and call #864-644-1900 and mention CANDACE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“What makes Isaiah’s prophecies unique?” Isaiah’s writings from the 700s B.C. present some of the first clear and explicit predictions of the Messiah, including titles like “Wonderful Counselor” and “Prince of Peace.” Additionally, the discussion touches on how Daniel 7 influenced Jewish expectations of the Messiah and addresses objections regarding Jesus’ fulfillment of these prophecies. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 00:30 – You point to Isaiah, writing in the 700s B.C., as providing the first clear and explicit prophecies of the Messiah: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” What makes these passages different from what came before? 20:15 – Some Jews read Daniel 7 and concluded that the Messiah would be a heavenly “Son of Man,” hidden with God before creation. That later became Jesus' favorite title for himself. What would that title have communicated to his original audience? 34:00 – One major Jewish objection is that Jesus did not establish universal peace, restore the Davidic throne in Jerusalem, or complete everything associated with the messianic age. How can Christians say he fulfilled the prophecies? 42:45 – A skeptic might respond that Jesus intentionally acted out certain prophecies or that the Gospel writers shaped their narratives to make him appear to fulfill them. How much of the evidence can those explanations account for?

Has the Great Tribulation already happened… or is it still to come? In this study through Matthew 24, Pastor Brian Gunter examines one of the most debated questions in biblical prophecy: what did Jesus mean when He warned about the coming “Great Tribulation”? Focusing on the Olivet Discourse, Brian walks carefully through Christ’s words concerning the abomination of desolation, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the possibility of a future fulfillment beyond A.D. 70. Along the way, he challenges common assumptions about end-times theology while comparing Scripture with Scripture. Whether you hold to preterism, historic premillennialism, amillennialism, or are simply trying to understand Matthew 24 more clearly, this episode offers a serious and thoughtful look at one of the Bible’s most important prophetic passages. Subscribe for more studies on eschatology, biblical theology, and the kingdom of Christ

Welcome to Day 2892 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2892 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 138:1-8 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2892 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2892 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for Wisdom-Trek is: Praise in the Face of the Council – Uncompromising Worship Before the Gods In our previous stop along this ancient, winding trail, we sat in the mud and wept. We explored the devastating, emotionally raw territory of Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Seven, where we found the broken exiles of Israel sitting beside the literal irrigation canals of Babylon. We witnessed them hanging their heavy, silent harps upon the branches of the poplar trees, absolutely refusing to perform the sacred, liturgical songs of Zion for the amusement of their cruel, mocking captors. We felt the intense, dark pressure of cosmic geography, realizing that they were trapped inside the very womb of the ancient serpent's rebellion—the territory of Babel—where the rebel spiritual principalities gloated over the apparent defeat of Yahweh's people. It was a season of deep, suffocating shadows, and raw, agonizing cries for ultimate courtroom justice. But today, my friends, as we step forward onto a brand-new path, the atmosphere completely transforms. We are stepping out of the Babylonian mud, and climbing onto a soaring, sunlit ridge of faith. We are beginning a collection of eight consecutive psalms explicitly attributed to King David, starting today with Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Eight, verses one through eight, in the New Living Translation. David provides the ultimate, defiant antidote to the silence of the exile. Instead of hanging his harp on a tree out of fear or sorrow, David grabs his instrument, stands tall in the celestial courtroom, and uses his music as an aggressive weapon of cosmic warfare. Let us step onto the trail, adjust our spiritual focus, and learn how to sing our songs of victory directly into the teeth of the enemy. The first segment is: Cosmic Defiance and the Architecture of Grace Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Eight: verses one, two, and three. I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods. I bow before your holy Temple as I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength. The psalm explodes into reality with a breathtaking, uncompromised pledge of personal devotion. “I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods.” To fully appreciate the radical, counter-cultural nature of this opening stanza, we must look at it through the profound lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. In our modern, Western world, we frequently skim past the word “gods,” assuming it refers to empty, psychological idols—like wealth or ego—or that it simply means imaginary figments of human superstition. But in the ancient Near Eastern context, the Hebrew word used here is elohim. David is not singing to thin air; he is standing in the middle of a heavily populated spiritual landscape. He is consciously addressing the lower, rebellious members of the heavenly host—the territorial, fallen principalities who held the disinherited nations under their dark, oppressive jurisdiction. Think about the sheer, holy audacity of King David! He doesn't wait until he is safely insulated inside a private prayer closet to express his gratitude. He walks directly into the cosmic courtroom, looks the rebel elohim straight in the eyes, and opens his mouth to boast in Yahweh. This is the ultimate act of spiritual polemics. By singing praises before the gods, David is declaring that the rival powers are completely illegitimate. He is mocking their false claims of sovereignty, and demonstrating that his allegiance belongs exclusively to the one true Most High God. His worship is a direct, mocking challenge to the principalities of darkness. He reinforces this allegiance in verse two, mapping out his physical and spiritual alignment: “I bow before your holy Temple as I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.” Even if David is physically distant from Jerusalem—perhaps running for his life in the wilderness, or fighting battles on foreign soil—he turns his body and bows toward the holy Temple. In cosmic geography, the Temple on Mount Zion was the unique, earthly footprint of Yahweh's heavenly throne room. It was the place where heaven and earth intersected. By bowing toward that specific center, David is rejecting the sacred high places of the pagan gods, and locking his spiritual compass onto the true capital of the universe. And why is he praising Him? For two specific attributes: Hesed and Emet—His unfailing love, and His unshakeable faithfulness. David notes that Yahweh's promises are backed by all the honor of His Name. In the ancient world, a king's reputation was bound to his word. If a king failed to keep a promise, his name became a laughingstock among the rival nations. But Yahweh's character is flawless. He has staked the entire weight of His eternal reputation on His covenant promises, ensuring that the dark powers cannot find a single legal loophole to defeat His redemptive plans. This cosmic security leads to the intimate, practical reality of verse three: “As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.” The rebel gods were distant, capricious, and demanded frantic, exhaustive rituals before they would ever notice their followers. But Yahweh is immediately accessible. The moment the king calls out from the battlefield, the response from the heavenly throne room is instantaneous. The Creator doesn't necessarily remove the physical trouble immediately, but He floods the internal soul of His servant with a supernatural, muscular encouragement, giving him the precise strength required to stand firm against the onslaught. The second segment is: The Reclaiming of the Disinherited Kings Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Eight: verses four, five, and six. Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord, for all of them will hear your words. Yes, they will sing about the Lord's ways, for the glory of the Lord is very great. Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud. David transitions his song from his personal, defiant testimony, to a grand, prophetic vision of global transformation. “Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord, for all of them will hear your words. Yes, they will sing about the Lord's ways, for the glory of the Lord is very great.” To understand the immense scale of this prophecy, we must recall the foundational tragedy of Deuteronomy, chapter thirty-two, verses eight and nine. At the Tower of Babel, because of humanity's persistent rebellion, Yahweh disinherited the nations of the earth. He gave them over to the rule of lesser spiritual beings, choosing the family of Abraham—Jacob—as His own personal, prized allotment. Ever since that moment, the kings of the earth had been operating under the corrupt, dark inspiration of their territorial, pagan deities. They built empires based on tyranny, slavery, and the worship of the rebel council. But David looks down the timeline of history, and he foresees a total, spectacular global reclamation. He declares that every king in all the earth will eventually turn, and thank Yahweh! Why? Because “all of them will hear your words.” The voice of the true Creator will penetrate the dark, spiritual borders of the disinherited nations. The Gospel of the Kingdom will shatter the monopoly of the false gods. The earthly rulers will abandon their localized, mute idols, and they will actually begin to sing about the ways of Yahweh, acknowledging that His glory is completely unmatched in any dimension of reality. This is the prophecy of the Great Commission, the final, beautiful restoration where the nations are bought back, and integrated into the true family of God. David then highlights the unique, stunning character of the true Sovereign in verse six, drawing a sharp contrast with the nature of the false gods: “Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.” In the ancient Near East,...

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. 

It is incumbent upon observant Jews to always appear well-kempt and dignified. Nowadays, this applies to all observant Jews. As representatives of the Torah, we all bear the obligation to look respectable in order to reflect positively on the Torah. An observant Jew must not walk about with stained clothing, scuffed shoes, or a foul odor. People who encounter a religious Jew who appears this way lose respect for the Torah, and reach the conclusion that the Torah does not encourage self-dignity. In fact, the Sages teach (Shabbat 114a) that if a Torah scholar has "Rabab" – dirt – on his garment, then he is deserving of death, because he misrepresents the Torah. I had the privilege of knowing Rav Chaim Kreiswirth (1918-2001), the Chief Rabbi of Antwerp who frequently visited Israel. He was a towering spiritual giant, who mastered the entire Talmud. I saw him once take out a pocket mirror and comb before getting out of a car, to groom himself. He explained that the windows were open during the trip, and his hair and beard became disheveled. He therefore made sure to groom himself so he looked presentable before getting out of the car. Another example that I personally witnessed was the time when I went with a group of students to the home of Rav Chaim Brim (1922-2002) in Jerusalem, for a Torah class, after which we wanted to take a group picture with him. He did not allow the picture to be taken until he first straightened up the room and made sure he looked presentable. He wanted to ensure that people who looked at this picture would not see him unkempt or his home untidy. Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in Yehaveh Da'at, addressed the question of whether or not it is acceptable for a man to use a mirror. The Gemara teaches that a man should not use a mirror, as this is something that women do, and is considered vanity for men. Nevertheless, Hacham Ovadia ruled that nowadays it is specifically a Misva for men to use a mirror to ensure that they look presentable and thereby make a Kiddush Hashem (glorification of G-d's Name). Rav Yissachar Frand (contemporary) shared that when he traveled with his Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Yaakov Ruderman (1900-1987), to fundraise, and they would pass through the train station, Rav Ruderman would have his shoes shined in order that he would look presentable when meeting with the donors. Just as an observant Jew must dress in a dignified manner, he must conduct himself in a dignified manner. This includes eating neatly and patiently. Needless to say, this applies to both men and women. Women must dress not only modestly, but also respectably so they appear dignified. Earlier, we noted the Gemara's teaching that a Torah scholar with a "Rabab" – stain – on his clothing is deserving of death. An alternate reading of this teaching has been suggested, based on the Gematria of the word "Rebab" (204), which is the same Gematria as the word "Sadik." The Gemara thus perhaps refers to a scholar who "wears" piety on his clothing, who shows himself to be more righteous than he really is. Just as it is wrong to appear unkempt and undignified, so it is wrong to appear greater and holier than one actually is. One who projects a false impression of piety is also deserving of death, as he deceives people in an effort to earn their respect and admiration. Finally, a Torah scholar should wear neither very expensive clothing, nor very cheap clothing. He must appear respectable, but should not appear as though he wastes large amounts of money on costly attire.

A gladiator named Diodorus defeated his opponent Demetrius in the arena, accepted his submission, discarded his own helmet and shield, and reached for the palm branch that marked his victory. Then the referee refused to honor the submission and ordered the fight to continue. Diodorus was killed. His tombstone, which survives, reads: "Murderous Fate and the cunning treachery of the referee killed me, and leaving the light, I have gone to Hades." Another gladiator named Urbicus, who had once spared a defeated opponent and was later killed by that same man in a rematch, left behind the most chilling last words in Roman history: "I advise that he who defeats a man should kill him." Today's guest is Harry Sidebottom, author of *Those Who Are About to Die: A Day in the Life of a Roman Gladiator*. Structured as a single twenty-four-hour cycle from the gladiators' last supper through the morning beast hunts, midday executions, and afternoon combat, Sidebottom's book dismantles almost everything Hollywood has taught us about the arena. We discuss why gladiators were deliberately fattened on barley stew so their subcutaneous fat would produce spectacular bleeding from non-fatal wounds, how Roman senators kept illegally sneaking into gladiatorial schools despite repeated bans stretching across two centuries, why the Colosseum was built on top of Nero's artificial lake using plunder from the sack of Jerusalem, and how Galen pioneered human surgery by first vivisecting a live monkey and then treating wounded gladiators at Pergamum. We also look at why epileptics drank gladiator blood as medicine (and why Roman doctors reluctantly admitted it might work), how twenty-nine Saxon prisoners strangled each other without a rope rather than fight, and why Constantine did not actually abolish gladiatorial combat despite what every Christian source claims.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

→ Watch on YouTube → Detailed Show Notes(00:00) An overview of these chapters. The kingdom of Israel divides when Solomon's son Rehoboam refuses to reduce the burden on the northern tribes.(06:55) A brief history of the Lost Ten Tribes in the north and Judah in the south.(10:48) Jeroboam, worried that his people will turn their hearts towards the leaders in the south when they go to the temple in Jerusalem, decides to build rival sanctuaries in Dan and Bethel.(13:25) Do not take counsel from your fears or be fooled by an imitation.(19:18) A man of God warns Jeroboam against false worship, prophesying of a future day when Josiah will destroy it.(22:17) What happened to the Ark of the Covenant? Could Shishak of Egypt have taken this treasure from the Jerusalem temple?(29:13) Elijah, an embodiment of great power, is a type of many prophets. All prophets are types of Christ. (31:49) Elijah seals the heavens and is fed by a raven. He goes to Zarephath and asks a widow woman for her barrel flour and jar of oil, promising they will never become empty during the famine.(40:30) Elijah raises the widow's son from the dead. Jesus duplicates the miracles of Elijah.(43:28) Obadiah, part of Ahab's court, saves 100 prophets from Queen Jezebel and also helps Elijah.(47:29) Obadiah and Elijah's “50” can be seen as part of a bigger picture, as members of a choral arrangement that were connected to the temple and the sacred drama in many ancient cultures.(52:37) Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to call down fire from heaven. They fail.(57:14) At times the Lord will manifest miracles to show his might and prove that he is God. The Book of Mormon is that proof for us today.(1:03:40) The famine ends and Queen Jezebel seeks the life of Elijah. In his loneliness, Elijah experiences deep sadness, believing that the prophets are dead. At times, we may feel as Elijah did. Being with the Saints and remembering the truth of the gospel message can bolster our resilience.(1:11:44) Elijah's experience with the still small voice of the Lord.(1:18:17) Ahab, king of Israel, is attacked by the Syrian army. A prophet tells Ahab that Israel will win. Ahab later desires the vineyard of Naboth, who refuses to sell his land. Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, orchestrates a conspiracy to frame Naboth for blasphemy, and Ahab acquires the land through deceit. Elijah comes to inform Ahab that Ahab’s line will cease, that Jezebel will be eaten by dogs, and that Ahab’s blood will be licked up by dogs in the very spot where Naboth was killed. Time vindicates the prophets. → For more of Bryce Dunford’s podcast classes, click here. → Enroll in Institute → YouTube → Apple Podcasts → Spotify → Amazon Music → Facebook The post Ep 378 | 1 Kings 12-22, Come Follow Me 2026 (June 29-July 5) appeared first on LDS Scripture Teachings.

Started off with some comments about the childishness of many on line today, but spent most of our time on Eastern Orthodoxy and specifically thinking about a conversation Gavin Ortlund had with Jonathan Pageau, focusing on the Synod of Jerusalem. Then we began reading the Confession of Dositheus and we will continue that on the next program. Remember, I have been telling you the EO stuff was coming! But as we saw today, much of this conversation has tremendous meaning in other areas of theology and apologetics.

Can Israel stop Iran if America decides to move on? As Washington pursues negotiations with Tehran, many Israelis are wondering what their country can still do to shape the outcome. Dan Senor is joined by Ark Media contributor and Channel 12 senior political analyst Amit Segal to discuss the state of the U.S.-Iran talks, why Israel is showing restraint in Lebanon, and what leverage Jerusalem still has as Washington pursues negotiations with Tehran. They also examine the growing debate inside Israel over President Trump and J.D. Vance, and whether Netanyahu can navigate a moment when many Israelis feel the military achievements against Iran have yet to translate into a lasting strategic gain. ____ Call Me Back is made possible by our subscribers. If these conversations are where you turn to understand Israel and the Jewish world, consider joining them. It's what keeps this show going. Become a Subscriber - Inside Call me Back ____ In this episode: - Why the U.S.-Iran talks may be headed for failure - Does Israel have any leverage left? - Why Israel is showing restraint in Lebanon - Why “no deal, no war” could still hurt Tehran - Netanyahu, Trump, and the Vance problem - Israel's options if America steps back - Could Trump shape Israel's next election? - Will Netanyahu really run for a seventh term? More Ark Media: Want to join Ark Media? Check out our careers page for new openings. Explore Israel Votes Listen to Ark News Daily Listen to For Heaven's Sake Listen to What's Your Number? Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal Instagram | Ark Media | Dan X | Dan Dan Senor & Saul Singer's book, The Genius of Israel Get in touch Credits: Ilan Benatar, Beth Pearlman, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo

This week's double Parsha is chock-full of fascinating narratives, story lines, and mitzvos. We begin with the great mystery of the red heifer. We then read about the passing of Miriam, sister of Moshe and Aaron, and its repercussions. There are wars against foes, water coming out of rocks, talking donkeys, and two plagues, including one from venomous serpents. It is a story rich with drama and intrigue, of great heroes and heinous villains. In this special edition of the Parsha Podcast, we explore the twists and turns of our parsha and share a profound insight, an insight can radically reshape our pursuit of greatness.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –This Parsha Podcast is dedicated in honor of and in the merit of the success for Noam Yitzhak ben Shlomi. May he be blessed with an outpouring of success.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –NEW TORCH Mailing Address POBox:TORCHPO BOX 310246HOUSTON, TX 77231-0246– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe's PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

The apostles are arrested, freed by an angel during the night, and found the next morning right back in the temple, preaching, which is the last thing their jailers expected. As the authorities scramble, a respected teacher named Gamaliel cools the room with a shrewd warning: if this movement is merely human, it will collapse on its own, but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop it, and you may find yourselves fighting against God. The apostles are flogged and released, and they leave rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name. This chapter puts a hard question to all of us: are we willing and worthy to suffer for the faith?  The Rev. Dr. William Knippa, pastor emeritus in Austin, Texas, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 5:12-42. The book of Acts picks up where the Gospels leave off. Jesus has risen. He has ascended. And now what? Acts answers that question. Luke tells the story of how the Holy Spirit built the Church from a handful of frightened disciples in Jerusalem into a movement that reached Rome itself. Along the way, you get Pentecost, the first sermons, the first martyrs, the conversion of Paul, the first church councils, shipwrecks, riots, and the persistent, stubborn work of God through Word and Sacrament even when His people didn't have a plan. If you've ever wondered how we got from Easter morning to the Church you sit in today, this is the book. Tune in for this new series on Thy Strong Word with Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors as we open up the Book of Acts.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum break down the growing divide between Washington, Jerusalem and Tehran as nuclear negotiations take another dramatic turn. You'll learn why both hosts believe the stakes extend far beyond Iran's nuclear program, how President Trump's shifting messaging is fueling concern among many of his strongest supporters, and what it could all mean for Israel's security, Hezbollah, Lebanon and the future of the U.S.-Israel alliance. Whether you agree or disagree, this is a fascinating deep dive into one of the most consequential geopolitical debates unfolding today.

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus  (NOT a Morning Mindset resource)   ⇒ TODAY'S DAILY SPONSOR: An anonymous listener is sponsoring this episode of the Morning Mindset, grateful for the podcast.   You can sponsor a daily episode of the Morning Mindset too, by going to https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/DailySponsor ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Matthew 21:1–5 -  Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, [2] saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. [3] If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” [4] This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, [5] “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Underwrite one daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: Subscribe to the SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish Subscribe to the CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com   

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Elana Moskowitz, an educator at Michlelet Mevasseret Yerushalayim, about how her American Jewish upbringing shaped her life and worldview.Moskowitz grew up Orthodox in America in the 1990s—alongside her brother David Bashevkin—before moving to Israel and joining a Haredi community in Jerusalem. In this episode we discuss: —What is the unique new contribution of American Judaism to the Jewish story? —What have been the successes and failures of Judaism on American shores? —How do familial and institutional influences shape the lives we believe we ought to lead?Tune in to hear an inside conversation about the Bashevkin family and what it means to live in a medina shel chesed.Interview begins at 19:40. Mrs. Elana Moskowitz grew up in New York and earned her B.Ed in English from Michlalah Jerusalem College. She is a passionate and energetic educator who has been teaching and mentoring in various seminaries in Eretz Yisrael for the past 25 years. She currently teaches at Michlelet Mevasseret Yerushalayim (MMY) where she heads their second-year program. In addition to guest lecturing for both Anglo and Israeli-American women, Elana is a writer for Mishpacha magazine where she develops and contributes Torah content. She lives with her husband and children in Yerushalayim.References:“An apology from your American Jewish parents” by David Magerman“A Kosher Home” by Elana Moskowitz“​​The Grandfather I Thought I Knew” by Elana Moskowitz"Sounds of My Childhood” by Elana MoskowitzReb Mendel and His Wisdom by Yisroel Greenwald“When life is like weaving a quilt” with Frieda Vizel“Yiddishkeit Without Ideology: A Letter To My Son” by Moshe KoppelFor more 18Forty:NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/joinCALL: (212) 582-1840EMAIL: info@18forty.orgWEBSITE: 18forty.orgIG: @18fortyX: @18_fortyWhatsApp: join hereBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

Welcome to Day 2890 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2890 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 137:1-9 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2890 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2890 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today's Wisdom-Trek is: Tears by the Rivers of Babylon – The Exile's Anthem of Defiant Remembrance In our previous episode on this grand, historical expedition, we stood on the absolute summit of Hebrew liturgy, exploring the magnificent, rhythmic crescendos of the Great Hallel, Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six. Our voices joined the thunderous, ancient procession as we chanted the eternal, unyielding refrain: “His faithful love endures forever.” We celebrated the supreme Sovereign of the cosmic council, who skillfully forged the heavens, pinned down the chaotic primordial waters, and systematically slaughtered the giant rebel kings, Sihon and Og, to hand over the Promised Land as a permanent inheritance to His treasured people. We rested deeply in the comforting assurance that the God of heaven remembers us in our weakness, and fiercely pours out His fatherly compassion upon His servants. But today, my friends, as we step forward onto Day two thousand eight hundred ninety of our journey, we experience a sudden, violent, and deeply jarring shift in the landscape. We are entering into what is arguably the most heartbreaking, emotionally raw, and controversial poem in the entire Psalter: Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Seven, verses one through nine, in the New Living Translation. The triumphant, sunlit courts of Jerusalem have vanished. The glorious chords of the temple orchestra have fallen completely silent. Instead, we find ourselves sitting in the mud, weeping in the suffocating shadows of a hostile, foreign empire. The inheritance appears to be entirely lost, the holy city has been burned to ash, and the people of God are trapped inside the geographic epicenter of the cosmic rebellion. Let let us step onto this agonizing section of the trail, adjust our lenses to navigate the dark waters of sorrow, and listen to the defiant song of the exile. The first segment is: The Heavy Harps and the Cruel Taunts of Babel Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Seven: verses one, two, and three . Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem. We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of the poplar trees. For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors demanded a joyful hymn: “Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!” The poem opens with an incredibly vivid, melancholic scene that captures the profound trauma of displacement. “Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem. We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of the poplar trees.” To fully comprehend the immense spiritual and psychological warfare embedded in these opening lines, we must view this geography through the profound lens of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. In the cosmic geography of the ancient world, Babylon was not just a powerful human political empire; it was the historical, and spiritual, womb of the cosmic rebellion. This was the territory of Babel, the exact site where humanity originally attempted to build an autonomous empire to make a name for themselves, resulting in Yahweh disinheriting the nations and placing them under the jurisdiction of lesser, rebel spiritual principalities—the fallen sons of God. To be violently dragged away from Judah, and forced to sit "beside the rivers of Babylon," meant that the Israelites were physically sitting within the occupied territory of hostile, rival elohim. The rivers of Babylon—the complex network of irrigation canals fed by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers—were symbols of the empire's economic might, and the apparent supremacy of their gods. The captives sat by these waters, completely crushed, and they wept. They were not just homesick; they were experiencing a profound theological crisis. Their temple was destroyed, the Ark of the Covenant was gone, and it appeared to the watching world that the rebel gods of Babylon had successfully triumphed over Yahweh. In their deep grief, they performed a symbolic act of architectural silence: they hung their beautiful, stringed harps upon the branches of the weeping poplar trees lining the canals. The music that had once filled the cosmic center of Mount Zion was intentionally shut down. The harps became dead weights, swaying in the foreign wind. The pain of this silence is violently exacerbated by the psychological cruelty of their captors in verse three: “For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors demanded a joyful hymn: ‘Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!'” This was not a polite request for cultural exchange or musical entertainment. This was an act of aggressive, mocking spiritual intimidation. The Babylonian soldiers, acting under the dark inspiration of their territorial deities, wanted to humiliate the broken exiles. They wanted the Israelites to perform their sacred, liturgical temple hymns—the grand songs of Zion that celebrated Yahweh's absolute supremacy over the nations—as a circus act for the amusement of the conquerors. It was a cruel taunt, designed to force the captives to admit defeat, to mock the apparent helplessness of their God, and to pressure them into assimilating into the pagan culture of the empire. The enemy wanted to weaponize their own sacred music against their souls. The second segment is: The Oath of the Unbending Tongue Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Seven: verses four, five, and six. But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a pagan land? If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget how to play the harp. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember you, if I don't make Jerusalem my greatest joy. The text responds to the cruel mockery of the captors with a fierce, defiant, and completely unyielding refusal. “But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a pagan land?” To the ancient Israelite, singing the shir Yahweh—the song of the Lord—was an act of high, localized covenant sanctuary. The sacred songs were designed exclusively for the cosmic mountain, the holy space where the presence of the Creator uniquely dwelt. To perform these holy liturgies for the amusement of a pagan audience, within the defiled, demonically supervised territory of Babylon, would be an act of supreme spiritual treason. It would be an acknowledgment that Yahweh could be domesticated, transformed into a minor, defeated deity who exists merely to entertain the proxies of the rebel council. The exiles draw a hard, non-negotiable line in the mud. They choose silence over sacrilege. The psalmist then seals this refusal by swearing a terrifying, double-sided personal oath of absolute, multi-generational remembrance in verses five and six. “If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget how to play the harp. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember you, if I don't make Jerusalem my greatest joy.” The writer is a temple musician, an artist whose entire livelihood, status, and identity depend on his right hand's ability to skillfully pluck the strings of the harp, and his tongue's ability to articulate the beautiful melodies of the liturgy. He deliberately invokes a self-malediction, a curse upon his own biological tools of expression. He says, “If I ever allow the comfort, the wealth, and the seductive luxury of Babylon to make me complacent, if I ever forget the cosmic center of Mount Zion, if I ever assimilate into this pagan empire and lose my distinct identity, then let my right hand instantly wither, and lose its muscle memory! Let my tongue become paralyzed, permanently sticking to the roof of my mouth, so that I can never sing another note of any song for the rest of my life!” This is a magnificent display of spiritual resilience. The psalmist realizes that the ultimate danger of the exile is not physical death, but cultural and spiritual amnesia. Babylon wants the exiles to forget who they are, to forget the covenant, and to forget the cosmic blueprint of the Creator. By making Jerusalem his “greatest joy”—even while it sits in smoldering ruins—the exile is performing an act of fierce, defiant loyalty. He anchors his mind to the unshakeable reality of God's future restoration, refusing to let the temporary success of the rebel principalities redefine the true focus of his...

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Following the first of three days of talks between Jerusalem and Beirut, Magid discusses the sharp critique first issued by Israel's US Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, regarding the connection being made between the Lebanon talks and the US-Iran deal, and the notion that Iran is being allowed to demand a ceasefire in a separate country. There is a battle of narratives in US President Donald Trump's administration over the US-Iran deal, notes Magid, extending into the Israel-Lebanon talks. US Vice President JD Vance is leading the Israel-Lebanon talks and supports some degree of Iranian influence over Hezbollah in Lebanon, reports Magid, viewing it as the only way forward for the embattled country. It appears that Secretary of State Marc Rubio, currently on a regional tour in the United Arab Emirates, isn't as supportive of the terms of the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, says Magid, or of Iranian influence in Lebanon, and is keeping some distance, perhaps to protect his place as a possible Republican Party candidate for the 2028 presidential election. Finally, Magid discusses Gaza's Board of Peace, as various members head to Cyprus for a retreat to continue figuring out how to move forward, while insisting that it will take time to make headway on Hamas disarmament and Gaza reconstruction. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: ‘A train wreck’: As Jerusalem and Beirut hold talks, Israeli envoy pans linkage to US-Iran deal Rubio: Iran will not be allowed to charge tolls in Strait of Hormuz under any final deal Board of Peace members to ‘recalibrate’ at Cyprus resort after rocky first six months Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht. IMAGE: US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's Daily Briefing podcast (ToI/Israeli Embassy)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eve Harow gets some hot off the dirt scoops from Dr. Scott Stripling as he wraps up this season's dig at Tel Shiloh. Scarabs, roasted olives, bones galore and literally very ‘impressive' finds at the site of the Tabernacle over 3000 years ago. They spoke at last week's conference on Judea and Samaria. More to come on those talks and this week's JNS summit. The world's hunters are out in force but in Jerusalem we're gathering. All good. Photo Caption: Dr. Scott Stripling presenting his finds at Tel Shiloh

Full Text of Readings Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 374 The Saint of the day is Blessed Jutta of Thuringia Blessed Jutta of Thuringia's Story Today's patroness of Prussia began her life amidst luxury and power but died the death of a simple servant of the poor. In truth, virtue and piety were always of prime importance to Jutta of Thuringia and her husband, both of noble rank. The two were set to make a pilgrimage together to the holy places in Jerusalem, but her husband died on the way. The newly widowed Jutta, after taking care to provide for her children, resolved to live in a manner she felt was utterly pleasing to God. She disposed of the costly clothes, jewels, and furniture befitting one of her rank, and became a Secular Franciscan, taking on the simple garment of a religious. From that point her life was utterly devoted to others: caring for the sick, particularly lepers; tending to the poor, whom she visited in their hovels; helping the crippled and blind with whom she shared her own home. Many of the townspeople of Thuringia laughed at how the once-distinguished lady now spent all her time. But Jutta saw the face of God in the poor and felt honored to render whatever services she could. About the year 1260, not long before her death, Jutta of Thuringia lived near the non-Christians in eastern Germany. There she built a small hermitage and prayed unceasingly for their conversion. She has been venerated for centuries as the special patron of Prussia. Reflection Jesus once said that a camel can pass through a needle's eye more easily than a rich person can enter God's realm. That's pretty scary news for us. We may not have great fortunes, but we who live in the West enjoy a share of the world's goods that people in the rest of the world cannot imagine. Much to the amusement of her neighbors, Jutta disposed of her wealth after her husband's death and devoted her life to caring for those who had no means. Should we follow her example, people will probably laugh at us, too. But God will smile.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

In every generation there are malevolent forces seeking to destroy the Jewish people. They have never been successful, nor will they ever be. The Almighty always protects our people and ensures our continuity. Most of the time we are completely unaware of the mortal dangers that the Almighty thwarted on our behalf. The canonical example of this phenomenon is the story of our Parsha , when the greatest sorcerer of all time was hired to curse the Jewish Nation. In this special edition of the Parsha podcast, we share three deep ideas on the very unusual story of Bilaam's unsuccessful attempts to curse the Jewish Nation.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –NEW TORCH Mailing Address POBox:TORCHPO BOX 310246HOUSTON, TX 77231-0246– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe's PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

A community so generous that no one claimed anything as their own sounds like a dream until the next scene turns deadly serious. Ananias and Sapphira sell some property, keep part of the money, and lie about it to look more sacrificial than they were, and what condemned them was the pretending. The early church needed to learn that the God who fills his people with grace is not mocked by play-acting. This episode is a sober word for every Christian tempted to manage an image instead of living honestly before God.  The Rev. David Boisclair, senior pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Overland, MO, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 4:32-5:11. To learn more about Our Redeemer, visit ourredeemerstl.org. The book of Acts picks up where the Gospels leave off. Jesus has risen. He has ascended. And now what? Acts answers that question. Luke tells the story of how the Holy Spirit built the Church from a handful of frightened disciples in Jerusalem into a movement that reached Rome itself. Along the way, you get Pentecost, the first sermons, the first martyrs, the conversion of Paul, the first church councils, shipwrecks, riots, and the persistent, stubborn work of God through Word and Sacrament even when His people didn't have a plan. If you've ever wondered how we got from Easter morning to the Church you sit in today, this is the book. Tune in for this new series on Thy Strong Word with Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors as we open up the Book of Acts.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

In this lesson from the Gate of Repentance (Shaar HaTeshuvah), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the 12th, 13th, and 14th components of authentic teshuvah: understanding the consequences of sin, treating even seemingly small transgressions seriously, and the essential role of confession (vidui). The author teaches that part of sincere repentance is recognizing that actions have consequences. Not because Hashem seeks to punish, but because every sin creates distance between a person and their Creator. Understanding the spiritual cost of our choices helps awaken a deeper commitment to growth and a greater appreciation for the relationship Hashem desires to have with each of us. A central theme of the episode is the danger of minimizing "small" sins. Rabbi Wolbe explains that we often convince ourselves that certain behaviors are insignificant, yet the Torah warns us not to measure mitzvos and prohibitions according to our own standards. First, every commandment is significant because it comes from Hashem. Second, small actions accumulate over time. Third, repeated sins become normalized until they no longer feel wrong. Finally, the Yetzer Hara often begins with tiny compromises that eventually lead to far more serious transgressions. What appears insignificant today can become spiritually destructive tomorrow. The lesson concludes with the power of vidui—verbal confession. Rabbi Wolbe explains that repentance is not complete until a person articulates their mistakes before Hashem and commits to change. Confession is not merely an admission of guilt; it is an act of spiritual purification. Using the Talmud's famous analogy, he teaches that confessing without abandoning the sin is like immersing in a mikvah while still holding a source of impurity. True teshuvah requires both honest acknowledgment of the past and a sincere commitment to a different future. _____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on October 27, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on June 24, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #Repentance, #Teshuva, #Vidui, #Confession, #BreakingBadHabits, #EveryActionMatters,  ★ Support this podcast ★

When you are doing something for God, the way you do it is more important than getting the job done. You do it His way because the instruction of the Lord is holy. When David first tried to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, it was not according to God's instruction and resulted in the death of Uzza for touching the Ark. When David put God first and followed His instructions and preparations and offered sacrifices, fear was replaced by joy, and the Ark was brought into Jerusalem. VF-2201 1Chronicles 13 1Chronicles 15 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. ©2026 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved

Join us as we dig deeper into last Sunday's sermon from Pastor Gabe Kasper "The Gospel Tested" and hear from Amy Duncan and Nate Zuellig on his original song "Only One". Digging Deeper Questions: Ananias and Sapphira lie about being more generous than they are. As humans we all tend to wear masks from time to time. Why do you think that is?   Ananias and Sapphira's deaths certainly seem harsh, why do you think the punishment for their hypocrisy was so strong?   Where in your life are tempted to put a mask up and not come honest to others, yourself, or God?   This text closes with the apostle doing ministry just outside the temple. Why do you think they chose to do ministry there? What does that teach us about how we do ministry?   Scripture Reading: Acts 5:1-16 1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet.3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God." 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.   7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much." And she said, "Yes, for so much." 9 But Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.   12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico.13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. Intro/Outro Song: "Only One" Nate Zuellig ULC Artist In Residence     CCLI License # 11254293

Of the millions of victims of the Black Death, one was a teenager named Joseph ben Meir Abulafia, who died of the plague in Toledo in 1349 alongside his new wife. His tombstone was inscribed as a conversation with the dead: "I am the man who has seen desolation and destruction, blood and pestilence. The days of my youth were cut short suddenly, in the prime of my life." His unnamed mother survived, left alone and childless, her days filled with "bitter weeping." That inscription is one of seventy-six medieval tombstones from Toledo's Jewish cemetery that preserve the most personal voices of history's deadliest pandemic, a catastrophe that killed an estimated 100 million people in six years and whose aftershocks lasted for centuries. Today's guest is Thomas Asbridge, author of The Black Death: A Global History of Humanity's Most Devastating Pandemic. We discuss how a minor Venetian merchant's business papers, preserved by his widow in a convent, reveal that the medieval trade networks which kept cities fed were also purpose-built to spread epidemic disease across thousands of miles. We look at why the Byzantine emperor wrote about his fourteen-year-old son's death with clinical detachment, how a Franciscan intellectual who had questioned whether other worlds existed died carrying holy water through plague-ravaged Messina, and why the only European king killed by the Black Death was besieging Gibraltar with dreams of marching to Jerusalem when the plague found his camp. The pandemic's most devastating long-term consequences were felt not in Europe but in the Muslim world, where the once-invincible Mamluk Empire was broken by recurrent outbreaks and eventually conquered by the Ottomans, and that this forgotten collapse may have been the true hinge point that set the West on its path to global dominance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In June 1967, Israeli paratroopers fought one of the Six Day War's bloodiest battles to reunify Jerusalem. Ammunition Hill, a fortified Jordanian stronghold carved into the limestone hills of East Jerusalem, became the key to the Old City. What followed was four hours of chaos, courage, and carnage in a maze of narrow trenches. This episode unpacks the battle, its heroes, and the complicated legacy of a city reunified. Here are the sources used in this epsidoe. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WIB04rolWgTnfCW-puSaNhXkQzBzS1LxABMU1pEFUKo/edit?usp=sharing Here are links to the Unpacking Israeli History's 3-Part series on the '67 War. 6 days that Changed Israel Forever: Lead-up to the 1967 War (Part 1) 6 days that Changed Israel Forever: The Middle East at War (Part 2) 6 days that Changed Israel Forever: The Aftermath (Part 3) This episode is generously sponsored in honor of Dr. Andrew and Marci Spitzer. It is also sponsored by, and made in partnership with, Jewish National Fund-USA. Since 1901, Jewish National Fund-USA has strengthened the land and people of Israel through bold initiatives that secure the country's North and South. By preserving heritage sites like Ammunition Hill, Jewish National Fund-USA invests in Israel's future, driving tourism, generating jobs, and helping communities thrive.Find more information about visiting Ammunition Hill and other parts of Israel below. You belong in Israel. Find your Jewish National Fund-USA tour or mission: https://www.jnf.org/travel/  Educators can explore Israel on Jewish National Fund-USA's special mission: https://www.jnf.org/travel/tour/index/educators-mission-to-israel-2026  Jewish National Fund-USA's Alexander Muss High School in Israel offers semester, summer, and mini-mester academic experiences for North American teens. Find out more: https://www.amhsi.org/   Learn more about the Jewish National Fund-USA's work preserving heritage sites in Israel: https://www.jnf.org/our-work/heritage-site-preservation  Check out our episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jewish History Nerds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soulful Jewish Living⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wondering Jews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Two giants passed away in this week's Parsha: Moshe two elder siblings, his sister Miriam and his brother Aaron - two of the great leaders and benefactors of the nation - both die in Parshas Chukas. In this special Parsha podcast we share two profound insights relating to the death, mourning, and aftermath of these two deaths. We discuss the extraction of water from a rock and how it differs from the another instance where water was desired and a rock played a very different role. We conclude with a sharp analysis of the difference between the nation's mourning of Aaron and how the people mourned Moshe. All in all, I highly recommend that you listen to this podcast. It will bring you joy and maybe even some insight.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –NEW TORCH Mailing Address POBox:TORCHPO BOX 310246HOUSTON, TX 77231-0246– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe's PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

Peter and John heal a man crippled from birth, and their reward is arrest. By the time the guards haul them in, the number of believers has grown to about five thousand, and the temple authorities have seen enough. The next day the two apostles stand before the same council that had condemned Jesus, with Annas and Caiaphas presiding. The order is blunt: stop speaking in this name. Peter and John refuse, because they cannot keep silent about what they have seen and heard.  The Rev. Jacob Hercamp, pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Noblesville, IN joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 4:1-31. To learn more about Christ Lutheran, visit clc-in.org. The book of Acts picks up where the Gospels leave off. Jesus has risen. He has ascended. And now what? Acts answers that question. Luke tells the story of how the Holy Spirit built the Church from a handful of frightened disciples in Jerusalem into a movement that reached Rome itself. Along the way, you get Pentecost, the first sermons, the first martyrs, the conversion of Paul, the first church councils, shipwrecks, riots, and the persistent, stubborn work of God through Word and Sacrament even when His people didn't have a plan. If you've ever wondered how we got from Easter morning to the Church you sit in today, this is the book. Tune in for this new series on Thy Strong Word with Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors as we open up the Book of Acts.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Today on the show: Jordana Miller in Jerusalem with the latest on Iran. Scott Slade remembers Martha Zoller. Alex Bolton from The Hill on the Save America Act. Mike Dobuski from ABC News with news on smartglasses. Plus, Grocery and Gas Giveaway from Reliable Heating & Air, Plumbing & Electrical! 9am-noon on 95.5 WSB.

Today on the show: Jordana Miller in Jerusalem with the latest on Iran. Scott Slade remembers Martha Zoller. Alex Bolton from The Hill on the Save America Act. Mike Dobuski from ABC News with news on smartglasses. Plus, Grocery and Gas Giveaway from Reliable Heating & Air, Plumbing & Electrical! 9am-noon on 95.5 WSB.

Today on the show: Jordana Miller in Jerusalem with the latest on Iran. Scott Slade remembers Martha Zoller. Alex Bolton from The Hill on the Save America Act. Mike Dobuski from ABC News with news on smartglasses. Plus, Grocery and Gas Giveaway from Reliable Heating & Air, Plumbing & Electrical! 9am-noon on 95.5 WSB.

The religious leaders seriously try to trap Jesus with impossible riddles and questions during the Jesus' last trip to Jerusalem. Jesus' answers are astonishing, and fully applicable to us today. Series: The Gospel of Mark Speaker: Steve Treichler Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Downtown, visit hopecc.com/downtown.

Investigating (final?) details about what makes an animal a treyfa - in terms of injuries. Is there a rule of thumb, or is the list of what makes an animal a treyfa complete, in terms of listing all the possibilities? But then the Gemara walks back the question... Also, a new mishnah! On how much damage can be done to the trachea (and other body parts), and the animal remains kosher. Plus, a comparison between two mishnayot that seem to contradict each other in methodology. Also, more on the perforation of a trachea -- and how the measure that keeps the animal kosher is less than an Italian issar - but that wasn't helpful in Babylonia, where they weren't familiar with the coin. Plus, the job of the money-changer who tried to stand up in honor of Rabbi Yochanan, who declined the honor because of the job at hand. Plus, the time the tradesmen stood up to honor those bringing their first fruits (bikkurim) to Jerusalem.

Amy King hosts your Tuesday Wake Up Call. ABC News correspondent Jordana Miller joins the show live from Jerusalem to discuss the latest out of the Middle East. Amy shares why we should NEVER believe social media. ABC News investigative reporter speaks on the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie where a second ransom note said she died shortly after her abduction. Amy closes the show with her finch family update.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Have you ever been interrogated by someone really pressing you to explain something you did or said or even something you strongly believe? That can be a deeply troubling experience, especially if your interrogator is relentless in their pressure and arousing doubt in the minds of all who hear you.  Let’s rejoin what is sometimes called “the Jerusalem Council” as recorded by Dr. Luke in Acts 15. Paul and Barnabas had come from Syrian Antioch, accompanied by some Gentiles from the Antioch church who were followers of Jesus in that great, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural city. You’ll recall it was there, in Syrian Antioch, not Jerusalem that the followers of Jesus were first called “Christians”, (Acts 11:27) In this historic meeting it didn’t take long for the gauntlet to be laid down by those disputing the Gospel as presented by the apostle Paul and Barnabas: “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.” They said. (Acts 15:5) (Click here to see full text, images and links)    Pastor Doug Anderson    “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)Have a comment or question about today's chapter? I'm ready to hear from you, contact me here. Interested in helping "Walking with Jesus" financially? Click here

What if I told you that the Creator of the Universe wrote a letter to comfort you during these challenging times since October 7th?In this episode, we're joined by Jake Turx, senior White House correspondent and chief political correspondent for Ami magazine, and a political contributor at Newsmax. Jake analyzes Sefer Ovadia, the shortest book in the Prophets section of the Tanach, with just one chapter and 21 verses. Despite its brevity, it delivers a powerful message of divine justice and the fate of Edom.This is a message dictated by the Almighty to His prophet, Ovadia, 2,800 years ago, specifically for you today.

Another round of Israel-Lebanon talks in Washington is underway, but is US President Donald Trump himself sabotaging the talks by acting against both Jerusalem and Beirut? KAN's David Ze'ev spoke with Gil Murciano, CEO of the Mitvim Institute. (Photo: Reuters) Mitvim 2026 Israeli foreign policy index: mitvim.org.il/publication/israeli-foreign-policy-index-2026/ https://share.google/x342EXinVYH2Xgh6OSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exploring the Connection Between Matthew 20, the Book of Proverbs, and Isaiah 20 For Bible in Ten – By DH – 23rd June 2026 Yesterday we completed Matthew 20.    W. Bullinger associates the number 20 with expectancy. It is one short of 21, which is three times seven, a number suggestive of divine completion in spiritual perfection. Therefore, 20 carries the thought of waiting, looking forward, standing just short of completion, and expecting what God alone can bring to pass. As we will see, Matthew 20, Isaiah 20, and Proverbs, the twentieth book of the Bible, each harmonise around the same spiritual note of expectancy. Matthew 20 opens with workers waiting for their reward. Some have borne the burden and heat of the day. Others came at the eleventh hour. All are dependent upon the goodness of the master. The issue is not merely labor, but expectation. What will the master give? How will he judge? Will his goodness offend those who think reward should be measured by comparison? The answer is grace. The last receive what the master has freely determined to give. The first are not wronged, but their hearts are exposed. Thus, Matthew 20 begins with expectancy and turns it into a revelation of grace. Man expects according to merit. God gives according to His goodness. Isaiah 20 gives a darker companion witness. There, Isaiah becomes a sign against Egypt and Cush. The nations that seemed strong, useful, and dependable are exposed. Human refuge is stripped bare. The expectation placed in worldly strength is shown to be empty. This is the other side of expectancy. If man waits upon Egypt, he will be ashamed. If man waits upon Cush, he will be disappointed. Similarly if man waits upon his own wisdom, labor, greatness, or position. But if man waits upon the Lord, he will not be put to shame. This is where the pattern begins to shine. Isaiah has 66 chapters, and the Bible has 66 books. Isaiah, in broad outline, seems to stand as a remarkable miniature witness to the whole Bible. Within that larger 66-fold witness, Isaiah 20 fits with the twentieth book, Proverbs.  That is not random noise. It is the sort of pattern that causes us to marvel at God's wonderful word. It is ordered, layered, and spiritually alive. The same God who numbers the stars and calls them all by name has arranged His word, inspiring human authors with a wisdom that continually exceeds mere human ability and spanning vast distances of human history. Proverbs, as the twentieth book, is typically fitting. If 20 speaks of expectancy, Proverbs teaches us how to wait rightly. It teaches the fear of the Lord. It teaches humility before honor. It warns against pride, envy, haste, self-trust, and the evil eye. It teaches that the Lord weighs the heart and that man must not lean on his own understanding. This is exactly the wisdom needed in Matthew 20. The vineyard workers need Proverbs. They must learn not to grumble against goodness. The disciples need Proverbs. They must learn that greatness is not grasped through ambition. The mother of Zebedee's sons needs Proverbs. She must learn that honor is not seized by request, but prepared by the Father. The blind men heed what Proverbs points toward: the fear of the Lord, humble dependence, and a cry for mercy. The book of Proverbs gives immediate access to God's view of these things. It tells us plainly that pride blinds, envy corrodes, humility precedes honor, and wisdom begins with reverence for God. Matthew 20 then shows these truths embodied in living form. And at the centre stands Christ. He is the One for whom all true expectancy waits. He is the wisdom of God. He is the Servant who does not come to be served, but to serve. He is the ransom for many. He is the One going up to Jerusalem, where peace will be secured not through worldly power, but through His suffering, death, and resurrection. In Isaiah 20, false hope is stripped. In Proverbs, true wisdom is taught. In Matthew 20, true hope and true wisdom meet in Jesus Christ. So by considering the chapter through the lens of the number 20 and its Biblical meaning , we can see once again that man is waiting. Creation is waiting. Israel is waiting. The nations are waiting. The disciples are waiting. The blind are waiting. But the question is: what are they waiting for? Some wait for Egypt. Some wait for reward. Some wait for status. Some wait for human greatness. Some wait for their own works to justify them. But the faithful wait for the Lord. The two blind men at the end of Matthew 20 show the right response. They do not come boasting. They do not argue wages. They do not ask for thrones. They cry, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us.” That is expectancy purified. That is wisdom in action. That is the opposite of trusting Egypt. That is the heart looking to the only One who can open blind eyes. And He does. The Lord stops. The Lord calls. The Lord asks. The Lord touches. The Lord restores sight. Then they follow Him. This is the glory of the pattern. The number 20 brings us to expectancy, but Christ brings expectancy to fulfillment. Proverbs teaches us to fear the Lord. Isaiah warns us not to trust in man. Matthew reveals the Lord Himself, walking the road to Jerusalem to accomplish what no man, nation, ruler, disciple, worker, or wise man could ever accomplish. Life application: We are always waiting for something. We wait for reward, vindication, provision, healing, direction, peace, and completion. The question is whether our expectancy is placed in the Lord or in something that will be stripped away. Isaiah 20 warns us that false confidence will be exposed. Proverbs teaches us that wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. Matthew 20 shows us that the grace of God is found in Christ, the Servant-King, who gives His life as a ransom for many. Let us therefore wait rightly. Let us not grumble against grace. Let us not grasp after status. Let us not trust in Egypt. Let us not lean on our own understanding. Let us cry out with the blind men, “Lord, have mercy,” and follow the One who opens our eyes. Lord God, how wonderful is Your word. Its patterns are beyond us, its wisdom is pure, and its testimony always leads us to Christ. Thank You for showing us that our expectation must not be in man, merit, power, or position, but in You alone. Open our eyes, humble our hearts, and teach us to rejoice in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.  

CheckoutThe God Centered Concept Academy Training Community to learn what growth in Christ ishttps://api.tuvu.com/redirectGroup/6a2ac0e2c9f728027338244cCheck out this link to view Kingdom Cross Roads on TV.https://jesussaid.tv/?affiliate=tswright_gccTo get a copy of our new book "Embracing the Truth" or to have TS Wright speak at your event or conference or if you simply want spiritual or life coaching or just a consultation visit:www.tswrightspeaks.comVisit our website to learn more about The God Centered Concept. The God Centered Concept is designed to bring real discipleship and spreading the Gospel to help spark the Great Harvest, a revival in this generation.www.godcenteredconcept.comKingdom Cross Roads Podcast is a part of The God Centered Concept.In this episode of Kingdom Crossroads, TS Wright welcomes author and researcher John Zachary for a fascinating conversation about his book, The Science Behind the Story of Jesus. John shares his testimony, his call to ministry, and the spiritual experiences that led him to write and publish his research.The discussion centers on John's claim that scientific dating, biblical chronology, and historical events reveal repeating patterns of divine control throughout Scripture and world history. He explains how Daniel's 70 weeks, the movement of the Ark of the Covenant, the crossing of the Jordan River, the destruction of Herod's Temple, and Jesus' death and resurrection all point to the reality that God is sovereign over human events.John also shares how he uses this material for evangelism, especially with skeptics, atheists, agnostics, and those searching for evidence that the Bible is true.Topics CoveredJohn Zachary's testimony and call to ministryThe spiritual experiences that led him to write his bookScientific data and biblical prophecyDaniel's 70 weeks and the MessiahThe significance of 14,000-day patterns in biblical chronologyThe Ark of the Covenant, Moses, Joshua, and the crossing of the JordanThe destruction of Solomon's Temple and Herod's TempleEzekiel's Temple visionJesus as the fulfillment of the sacrificial systemWhy the Old Testament sacrifices pointed forward to ChristThe use of biblical research in evangelismIsrael, Jerusalem, and prophetic fulfillmentThe connection between Luke 21, Matthew 24, and end-time prophecyKey TakeawaysJohn Zachary argues that the Bible contains precise chronological markers that reveal God's hand in human history. He highlights a recurring 14,000-day control period that he says appears in multiple biblical and historical events.A central point of the episode is that Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection fulfilled what the Old Testament sacrificial system only symbolized. John connects this to the destruction of Herod's Temple, explaining that the old system was no longer needed after Christ's finished work.The conversation also emphasizes evangelism. John explains that his research is not meant to create arguments but to present evidence that can awaken people to the truth of Scripture and the reality of eternal life through Jesus Christ.Featured Quote“Human events are under divine control to reveal what is true of the spiritual realm.” — John ZacharyScripture References MentionedDaniel 9Daniel's 70 weeksNumbers 10:11Joshua 4:19Revelation 11Hebrews 10John 14:6Luke 21Matthew 24Mark 13Ezekiel 40:1Guest ResourceLearn more about John Zachary and his book: The Science Behind the Story of JesusWebsite mentioned in the episode: authorjohnzacary.comClosing Call to ActionGet your copy of The Science Behind the Story of Jesus by John Zachary and discover how biblical prophecy, historical events, and scientific dating point to the truth of Jesus Christ.KeywordsJohn Zachary, The Science Behind the Story of Jesus, biblical prophecy, Daniel 70 weeks, Christian apologetics, Bible science, NASA data Bible prophecy, Jesus Christ, biblical chronology, end times prophecy, Kingdom Crossroads, TS Wright, Israel prophecy, Herod's Temple, Ark of the Covenant, biblical history, Christian evangelism

Did the apostles expect prophecy to be fulfilled in their own generation? In Episode 10 of the Revelation Series, Jay Rogers brings together the major events of the first century—Nero's persecution, the ministries and deaths of Peter and Paul, the writing of Revelation, and the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Rather than treating these events as unrelated pieces of history, this episode examines how they may fit together as part of the prophetic framework Jesus described decades earlier. In this episode: Nero's persecution of the early church The martyrdom of Peter and Paul The dating and purpose of Revelation The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple The significance of AD 70 in biblical prophecy How the apostles understood the "last days" What if the apostles were not warning about events thousands of years in the future, but about a crisis rapidly approaching their own generation? This episode explores how prophecy, history, and the mission of the early church converged in the first century.

Welcome to Day 2888 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2888 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 136:17-26 Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2888 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2888 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today's Wisdom-Trek is: The Cosmic Land Transfer – Inheritance, Remembrance, and the God of Heaven In our previous episode on this grand, historical expedition, we marched through the dramatic midsection of the Great Hallel: Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six, verses ten through sixteen. We stood alongside the liberated community of Israel as they witnessed the devastating, courtroom judgment executed against the Egyptian pantheon. We watched the Divine Warrior split the primordial chaos waters of the Red Sea, carving a dry, safe highway right through the abyss, and effortlessly shaking off the arrogant, imperial army of Pharaoh like an annoying insect on His sleeve. We closed our trek by following our heavenly Shepherd into the terrifying, uncreated wilderness wasteland, discovering that His Hesed—His fierce, unyielding, and covenant-keeping faithful love—is uniquely durable enough to sustain us through our most parched, desperate chapters. Today, we have arrived at the magnificent, soaring crescendo of this ultimate liturgical masterpiece. We are completing our journey through Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six, by exploring verses seventeen through twenty-six, in the New Living Translation. The antiphonal chant of the temple choir continues to ring out across the stone courts of Jerusalem, with the massive congregation roaring back the rhythmic drumbeat of faith after every single line. The historical narrative now shifts from the survival of the wilderness, to the violent, supernatural conquest of the Promised Land. The psalmist pulls back the cosmic curtain to show us that our ultimate inheritance was secured by a God who systematically dismantles giant rebel kings, remembers us in our deepest human weakness, and universally sustains every living thing from His heavenly throne room. Let us step onto the final ridge of this specific trail, adjust our cosmic lenses, and listen to the final chords of the Great Hallel. The first segment is: Dismantling the Giant Proxies of the Underworld Stronghold Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, and twenty. Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings. His faithful love endures forever. He slaughtered powerful kings. His faithful love endures forever. Sihon king of the Amorites. His faithful love endures forever. Og king of Bashan. His faithful love endures forever. The final historical movement of the psalm opens with a thunderous, dual celebration of military and cosmic triumph. “Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings... He slaughtered powerful kings... Sihon king of the Amorites... Og king of Bashan.” To fully unlock the massive, explosive spiritual warfare embedded in these specific names, we must integrate the profound insights of the Ancient Israelite divine council worldview, as masterfully taught by Doctor Michael S. Heiser. To a modern reader, the mention of Sihon and Og can feel like a repetitive, boring footnote from an ancient Near Eastern border dispute. We might wonder why a psalm focused on the eternal love of God would spend so much time naming dead kings. But to the ancient Israelite pilgrim marching up Mount Zion, these names were filled with holy terror, and monumental cosmic victory. These were not ordinary human rulers; they were the terrifying, giant gatekeepers of the cosmic rebellion. We must look back to the foundational blueprint of cosmic geography recorded in Deuteronomy, chapter thirty-two. When the Most High disinherited the seventy nations at the Tower of Babel due to their rebellion, He placed them under the jurisdiction of lesser spiritual beings—the sons of God, the territorial elohim. These principalities subsequently mutinied, demanding worship for themselves, and establishing dark, spiritual strongholds across the earth. But the most concentrated, defiant center of this rebellion was located in the north, in the region of Bashan, at the foot of Mount Hermon—the exact geographic site where the rebel watchers originally descended to stage their coup against the Almighty. Sihon, the king of the Amorites, and Og, the king of Bashan, ruled over this demonic geography. According to the historical records of Moses, Og was a literal remnant of the giant Rephaim, possessing an iron bedstead that was over thirteen feet long! In the ancient mindset, the Rephaim were the physical, and spiritual, anomalies produced by the corruption of the Watchers—the Nephilim lineages designed by the rebel gods to contaminate humanity, and permanently block the chosen family of Yahweh from ever establishing the Kingdom of God on earth. Bashan was poetically recognized as the "place of the serpent," and the literal gate of the underworld. When the psalmist declares that Yahweh “struck down mighty kings” and “slaughtered powerful kings,” he is describing a spectacular, cosmic cleansing of the geography. The Divine Warrior marched directly into the teeth of the underworld stronghold, confronted the most monstrous, intimidating avatars of the rebel council, and completely obliterated them. He proved that giant physical stature, demonic lineages, and ancient spiritual fortresses are absolutely nothing but chaff before the wind when the High King of the cosmos extends His hand. And why did He slaughter these terrifying giants? The congregation roars the answer after every name: “His faithful love endures forever.” Love for the covenant family required the violent, total eradication of the supernatural forces that sought to destroy them. The second segment is: The Cosmic Land Transfer and the Realignment of Geography Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses twenty-one and twenty-two. He gave their land as an inheritance. His faithful love endures forever. A special possession to his servant Israel. His faithful love endures forever. Having executed the giant kings and cleared the spiritual contamination from the landscape, the True King performs a monumental, legal act of property reallocation. “He gave their land as an inheritance... a special possession to his servant Israel.” This section of the liturgy celebrates the glorious, geographic reversal of the Tower of Babel. The Hebrew word used for inheritance here is nachalah, which refers to a permanent, legally binding family allotment that can never be sold, or stolen. In the cosmic courtroom, the land of Bashan, and the territories of Canaan, had been illegally occupied by the rebel elohim and their corrupt proxies. They had turned the earth into a playground of idolatry, violence, and darkness, claiming that Yahweh had no authority within their boundaries. But Yahweh executed a magnificent, sovereign eviction notice. He took the very land that the giant kings had fortified, completely stripped the rebel gods of their titles, and transferred the property deeds over to His segullah—His private, prized, and treasured possession, the family of Israel. The text notes that He handed it over to His “servant Israel.” This language of servitude is beautiful; it implies that Israel does not own the land as an autonomous empire, but holds it as a sacred trust, acting as the loyal stewards of Yahweh's earthly estate. By turning the land of the giants into an inheritance for Israel, the Creator successfully reestablished a beachhead of Eden right in the middle of a disinherited world. Mount Zion became the centralized command center where heaven and earth intersected, a sacred space where the laws, the justice, and the true cosmic order of the Almighty could safely flourish. When the congregation chants, “His faithful love endures forever” after these verses, they are recognizing that their physical homes, their fields, and their security are the direct, tangible evidence of a love that can redefine the boundaries of the planet to protect the family of God. The third segment is: From Cosmic Warfare to Intimate Grace and Universal Provision Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Six: verses twenty-three, twenty-four, and twenty-five. He remembered us in our weakness. His faithful love endures forever. He saved us from our enemies. His faithful love endures forever....

What if the three most famous Psalms in the Bible are actually one story, and that story was pointing to Jesus all along?In this episode, we dive into a Bible study on Psalms 22, 23, and 24. These psalms were written by King David nearly a thousand years before the New Testament, and biblical scholars refer to them as the "Shepherd's Trilogy." Hidden within these psalms is a stunning prophetic timeline of the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. In our Psalms 22-24 Bible study, you'll learn:[06:26] Psalm 22 Crucifixion Prophecy: How David described Jesus on the cross in vivid detail, down to the pierced hands and divided garments, nearly 1000 years before the crucifixion[08:22] A Lesson from King David: How to feel the full weight of your pain and bring it to God the way David did to experience an unexpected peace and lightness[12:19] The "Bookend" Revelation: The jaw-dropping message Jesus sent to the Jewish crowd from the cross by quoting both the first and last lines of Psalm 22[19:25] The Real Meaning of Psalm 23: Why the rest, restoration, and “quiet waters” of this beloved passage only make sense through the lens of Christ's suffering[27:42] Psalm 24 and Palm Sunday: How this triumphant praise Psalm connects to the Ark of the Covenant, Handel's Messiah, and Jesus' final entry into Jerusalem on Palm SundayPsalms Show Notes:Psalms RoadmapPsalms Playlist on Apple MusicPsalms Playlist on SpotifyPsalm 8 (Hallé) by Phil WickhamACTS Prayer GuidePsalms Prayer List - Coming Soon!Group Discussion Questions for Psalms 22-24:[08:22] David vented his pain to God and then pivoted to praise, not because the suffering stopped, but because he transferred the burden. Is there something you are carrying right now that you haven't fully laid at God's feet?[20:27] God put David through “shepherd school,” Moses through the wilderness, and Esther through the royal court. In your life, what season or "school" has God put you through, and what do you think He was preparing you for?[23:16] People and sheep have a lot in common. What characteristics of a sheep can you most see in yourself: defenseless, needing constant care and to be led to (spiritual) food and water, resisting rest, or fearfulness.Contact Bible Book Club!Social: Instagram or FacebookWebsite: Bible Book ClubReview Us: Apple Podcast or SpotifyJoin the Fun: DONATE or Buy merchThis episode is part of our ongoing Bible Book Club series, starting with Genesis and journeying all the way through the Bible. Thanks for listening!

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260622dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones.” Jeremiah 20:9 When They Won’t Listen Imagine seeing a friend driving toward a bridge that is out. You wave your arms. You shout. You call. You do everything you can to stop him. But instead of listening, he laughs at you. Then he tells others you are crazy. You would not keep warning him because you like being ignored. You would continue to warn him because you love him. The prophet Jeremiah knew what it was like to have people ignore his warning. God had given him a message for his people. Danger was coming. Their sin was not harmless. Their idolatry, unbelief, and refusal to listen to the Lord were leading them toward destruction. God sent Jeremiah to turn them from sin and turn them back to him. But they would not listen. They mocked Jeremiah. They hated his message. They beat him and put him in stocks. Jeremiah was exhausted and heartbroken. His grief was not just because people mistreated him. His grief came from love. He could see the danger clearly, but the people he loved were blind to it. At one point, Jeremiah wanted to stop speaking. But he could not. God's Word was like a fire in his bones. In Jeremiah’s suffering, we hear an echo of someone greater. Jesus came as the perfect Prophet, the very Word of God in human flesh. He warned sinners. He exposed hypocrisy. He called people to repentance. He wept over Jerusalem because they did not recognize the time of God’s coming. And they rejected him, too. They mocked him. They beat him. They nailed him to a cross. But Jesus did more than warn us about judgment. He stepped under the judgment our sins deserved. He died for our stubbornness, blindness, unbelief, and sin. Then he rose to give us forgiveness, life, and certain deliverance. God does not give up on sinners. Through his Word calls us to turn from sin and turn to him. He drives us to Christ, where mercy is full and free. He held on to Jeremiah. He holds on to you. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for warning me in love and saving me by grace. Keep your Word burning in my heart. Give me repentant faith, patient love for others, and confidence in your resurrection victory. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

It takes years to develop a taste for prayer. Prayer is described in our sources as "service of the heart." Service of any sort is difficult for us, and most of us are not attuned enough to our hearts to even understand what service of the heart means. Prayer is a foundational pillar of our religious life. When our sages identified the three things upon which the world stands, one of them is prayer. Prayer is built into the Jewish day. We pray multiple times a day, and we are encouraged to pray even outside the regularly scheduled prayer services. How do we approach this very lofty but distant subject? In this very interesting podcast, recorded with my friend Dan Kullman of the Shema podcast, we explore the system of prayer, the philosophy of prayer, and address many core elements of this service of the heart. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –NEW TORCH Mailing Address POBox:TORCHPO BOX 310246HOUSTON, TX 77231-0246– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe's PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

Luke gives us a snapshot of the first church that still makes congregations homesick: devoted to the apostles' teaching, to the breaking of bread, to prayer, and to one another. Then a man lame from birth, who has begged at the temple gate his whole life, asks Peter for money and gets something he never imagined instead, walking and leaping in the name of Jesus. This chapter holds together the ordinary rhythms of church life and the extraordinary power that runs through them. It speaks to anyone who has settled for begging at the gate when God meant to bring them inside.  The Rev. James Hopkins, pastor of First Lutheran Church in Boston, MA and a chaplain in the U.S. Navy Reserve joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 2:42-3:26. To learn more about First Lutheran in Boston, visit flc-boston.org. The book of Acts picks up where the Gospels leave off. Jesus has risen. He has ascended. And now what? Acts answers that question. Luke tells the story of how the Holy Spirit built the Church from a handful of frightened disciples in Jerusalem into a movement that reached Rome itself. Along the way, you get Pentecost, the first sermons, the first martyrs, the conversion of Paul, the first church councils, shipwrecks, riots, and the persistent, stubborn work of God through Word and Sacrament even when His people didn't have a plan. If you've ever wondered how we got from Easter morning to the Church you sit in today, this is the book. Tune in for this new series on Thy Strong Word with Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors as we open up the Book of Acts.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

It's 29 degrees outside, but the fire in the studio is still roaring, which can only mean one thing... It's Visualisation Monday: https://www.youtube.com/@OffAirWithJaneAndFYour centrist nans discuss hydration, making Jerusalem the national anthem, cooperative local farmers, Steven Spielberg's new film, and why the Bio Tapestry is underwhelming.You can buy tickets for Fringe by the Sea: https://www.fringebythesea.com/off-air-with-jane-fi-and-special-guest-jan-ravens/Our next book club pick will be a collection of short stories! 'Interpreter of Maladies' is by Jhumpa Lahiri. You can check out our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@OffAirWithJaneAndFOur new playlist 'Coiled Spring' is up and running: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4tmoCpbp42ae7R1UY8ofzaOur most asked about book is called 'The Later Years' by Peter Thornton.If you want to contact the show to ask a question and get involved in the conversation then please email us: janeandfi@times.radioFollow us on Instagram! @janeandfiPodcast Producer: Eve SalusburyExecutive Producer: Rosie Cutler Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cas McIntyre has visited France seven times and speaks French well enough to land in real trouble, and real fun. She joins Annie Sargent to swap stories that go beyond postcard moments: two and a half days lost in the theatrics of the Puy du Fou theme park, a village potato ball where 400 plates got filled, and a thermal cure in Sète that ended with Cas dancing the Jerusalem at midnight. Travel isn't always smooth. A pickpocket hits Cas at a Paris turnstile, her handbag goes missing on a train in Strasbourg, and Annie admits to losing a camera on a tour bus. Press play for stories you won't find in a guidebook, then subscribe for next week's episode. Table of Contents for this Episode Today on the podcast: Puy du Fou, Arles Bullfighting, and Getting Pickpocketed in Paris Support the podcast Magazine segment Welcome Cas McIntyre Why France Keeps Calling Speaking French on Trips Solo or With Friends Train Travel and Packing Traveling Heavy and Mailing Home Longer Stays and Corsica Where to Stay in France Puy du Fou Theme Park History Shows and Controversy Getting There and Language Tips Potato Ball Local Immersion Bring Your Own Cutlery Thermal Cure and Dancing Nights Meeting French Friends Reciprocal Hosting Friends Beachside Local Connections Pickpocketed in Paris Recovering Cards and Cash Phone Safety and Theft Tricks Travel Mistakes and Backup Plans French Food Favorites Favorite French Foods Finding Great Restaurants Things Not Enjoyed Power Banks and Phone Prep Arles Cocarde Festival Basque Village Spectacle Next Trip and Farewell Thank you Patrons The Louvre Heist 2025 Pollinarium in Paris Next week on the podcast Copyright More episodes about going off the beaten track in France #JoinUsInFrance, #FrancePodcast, #Francophile, #FranceTravelTips, #RealFrance, #VisitFrance, #ExploreFrance, #FrenchImmersion, #PuyDuFou, #FrenchCulture, #TravelStories, #SoloTravelFrance, #FrenchHistory, #TravelFrance, #FranceTrip, #LearnFrench, #TravelTales, #FranceVacation, #TravelMishaps, #AustraliansInFrance

870 A Samaritan Woman Came to Draw Water, A Guided Christian Meditation on John 4:5-9 with the Recenter With Christ app The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in  and connect with the true source of peace, Jesus Christ.  Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization.  You can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tense or unrelaxing.  If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.   Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:   Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate,  deflate. Scripture for Meditation John 4 NET 5 Now he came to a Samaritan town called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there, so Jesus, since he was tired from the journey, sat right down beside the well. It was about noon. 7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me some water to drink." 8 (For his disciples had gone off into the town to buy supplies.) 9 So the Samaritan woman said to him, "How can you—a Jew—ask me, a Samaritan woman, for water to drink?" (For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.) NKJV 5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Reflection on Scripture: I love this story. It is the moment Jesus reveals himself at Jacob's well, literally Israel's well and yet it is not in the country of the Jews. This leads to interesting questions like who were the Samaritans and why do they show up in the New Testament? I think it is meaningful to ponder these questions for a moment. The Samaritans had a meaningful history. Through the whole Bible we see God's interaction with people that he has called His. God called the people of Jacob as his people. Jacob's name was changed to Israel and he had sons that formed large tribes. After Solomon the tribes split into two parts. The Southern Kingdom which was mostly the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin and the Northern kingdoms representing the other tribes. The northern tribes fell to the Assyrians and interbred with the pagan nations that surrounded. As a result they adopted different habits and theology and for this they did not get along with the Jews well.  So this is why the well of Jacob is among the Samaritans and additionally why Jesus would be near the lands of the Samaritans. They had been Israelites in the past. Jesus chose to reveal that he was the Messiah at this well. He did not choose Jerusalem. He did not go to the Pharisees. He chose those who were rejected, not those who thought themselves very important. We will talk more about the choice of this woman in the future but for now it is important to reflect on God's choice of the Samaritans.  Each of us are, in a form, outsiders to God. We are His children, yet we have acted in a way inconsistent with His perfection. He is able ot use the imperfect to do His work. In fact, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. You are enough for God to love and for Him to accept. His grace is sufficient for you.   Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind?  FIND ME ON: Download my free app: Recenter with Christ Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: jared@christianmeditationpodcast.com Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod  

Join us in Jerusalem for Ohr Samayach's 3rd Yarchei Kallah event from July 6th to 8th, 2026! Featuring HaRav Yitzchak Breitowitz shlit"a & HaRav Asher Weiss shlit"a and more Click here for more information.   Dont miss this one of a kind experience! ---------------------------------------------------- Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at  https://ohr.edu/donate/qa   Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu   Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Q&A 0:00 What is source of the prohibition not to cause self harm and to what extent does this apply?  4:45 The Mishnah Berurah fowns upon the custom of not wearing a tallit gadol. What should a person do regarding this halacha?  8:55 Should we pronounce hebrew according to a different a minhag if believe that minhag is more authentic?  14:15 Can you rent out glass plates for venues with the intention of kashering them before each use?  15:10 Why can we make the bracha on shabbat candles today if the main pleasure of illumination come from electric lights?  19:14 Who are the Gedolim and what qualifies a Gadol? 22:45 Did Rashi's daughters wear tefillin?  33:25 What is the purpose of the resurrection of the dead if the dead are receiving their  reward now in olam haba?  37:45 If limud of Torah is the main way to connect to Hashem why are women not chiyav to learn Torah?  45:05 Is there an inyan to grow peyot and a beard?  51:15 Why is a secular education frowned upon by religious communities?  55:15 Rav Elchanan says emunah in Hashem should be so obvious because a person can clearly see that Hashem is evident everywhere. Is this a universally accept hashkafa?  1:05:15 How does the Ramban define olam haba and how does that differ from the Rambam? Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a   Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7   Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos   You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu  PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS