Podcasts about Jews

Ezra is an important book to understanding the history, context and place of Israel, God's chosen people, in the Bible. The Lord stirred Cyrus King of Persia's heart to release the Jews from Babylon, just as Isaiah had prophesied over a hundred years before. This is the story of those Exiles from Babylon returning, the difficulties they faced and how the Lord led them, corrected them and nurtured them through triumphs and hardship.  I encourage you to read through Ezra once a week for ten weeks to get the most out of this study. -----------LINKS---------- Support 10WB on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/10weekbible The 10 Week Bible - http://www.10WeekBible.com Twitter: @DarrenHibbs - https://twitter.com/DarrenHibbs Sign up for my newsletter - http://www.darrenhibbs.com Get a copy of the 10 Week Bible Study today - https://www.amazon.com/Darren-Hibbs/e/B00B4I47CE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl2&tag=darrenhcom0a-20&linkId=401f3d79974c70929517936977e32df9 My other YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChUU0XHSHuhSyN8qk-7efYg

Ezra is an important book to understanding the history, context and place of Israel, God's chosen people, in the Bible. The Lord stirred Cyrus King of Persia's heart to release the Jews from Babylon, just as Isaiah had prophesied over a hundred years before. This is the story of those Exiles from Babylon returning, the difficulties they faced and how the Lord led them, corrected them and nurtured them through triumphs and hardship.  I encourage you to read through Ezra once a week for ten weeks to get the most out of this study. -----------LINKS---------- Support 10WB on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/10weekbible The 10 Week Bible - http://www.10WeekBible.com Twitter: @DarrenHibbs - https://twitter.com/DarrenHibbs Sign up for my newsletter - http://www.darrenhibbs.com Get a copy of the 10 Week Bible Study today - https://www.amazon.com/Darren-Hibbs/e/B00B4I47CE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl2&tag=darrenhcom0a-20&linkId=401f3d79974c70929517936977e32df9 My other YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChUU0XHSHuhSyN8qk-7efYg

Dr. Jimmy DeYoung Jr. joined Jim in studio for this edition of Crosstalk. He is a speaker, teacher, Mideast guide, videographer and speaker on Prophecy Today.--Today's world is in turmoil. There's been a new wave of violence in Jerusalem. Iran is advancing in their nuclear capabilities. There's still fallout from the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Today, a military takeover has taken place in Sudan as the military has just arrested the prime minister and dissolved the government.--With these issues in mind, Jim had Dr. DeYoung comment on the following- --What he's observed in Israel during the first four months under their new prime minister. --The current situation on the Temple Mount due to a decision made by a judge that allows religious Jews to go there to pray. --Israel is designating 6 Palestinian rights organizations -NGO's- as terrorist organizations under the leadership of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. --Is Israel preparing to handle the problem of Iran's nuclear program on their own---What does the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan mean for the U.S. and the Middle East---The latest news concerning Turkey, Russia, China, and Sudan.---More Information--prophecytoday.com

Today is the anniversary of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks's passing. To commemorate his life and legacy, Rabbi Lamm spoke with one of the last people to ever be in public conversation with him: Professor Amy Chua of Yale Law School, and author of the runaway international bestseller Battle Hymn Of The Tiger Mother. They spoke about what's going wrong on elite college campuses, why the educational system is so slow to adapt, both the dangers and potential opportunities facing minority groups like Asians and Jews today, how to talk about sins in the American past, and why Succession is the best show on TV right now!

Episode 822 | Adriel Sanchez and Bill Maier answer caller questions. Show Notes CoreChristianity.com Questions in this Episode 1. Is baptism of the Holy Spirit biblical? Is it different from being baptized? I am getting mixed messages from different people and am not sure what to believe. 2. Should my local church sponsor my Bible study? 3. Is it possible to seek reconciliation with my daughter even after I have done 19 years of damage? 4. Did Jesus die for my physical and spiritual healing? 5. Are the Jews today still God's chosen people? Today's Offer Can the Devil Read My Mind? Request our latest special offers here or call 1-833-THE-CORE (833-843-2673) to request them by phone. Want to partner with us in our work here at Core Christianity? Consider becoming a member of the Inner Core. Resources Core Question – How Does Jesus Work Today? Core Question – Why Are There So Many Denominations?

In this episode Michele discusses the reasons for and against Jews celebrating Halloween. She discusses why she chooses to celebrate Samhain and how it helps her to embrace her ancestors. Parshah for the week: Chayei Sara Key Takeaways: Samhain and Sukkot have many similarities (Purim, too!) Some Jews embrace the secular aspects of Halloween. Other Jews want to keep Judaism separate from the mainstream. Judaism (and witchcraft) embrace choosing your own path. Let's Be Social: Jewitch Torah Study: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jewitchtorahstudy Instagram: www.instagram.com/livingmoonmeditation Facebook: www.facebook.com/livingmoonmeditation Bad Witch Society: My Free Online Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/badwitch Support the Podcast: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jewishmagicpodcast Communing With Your Ancestors Visualization: https://livingmoonmeditation.gumroad.com/l/dXHWy 5782 Planner: https://livingmoonmeditation.gumroad.com/l/goMLT Other Shop Items: https://livingmoonmeditation.gumroad.com Complete Jewitch Wheel of the Year: https://bit.ly/CompleteJewitchWheel My Other Courses: https://livingmoonmeditation.mn.co Other ways to work with me: https://livingmoonmeditation.com/services/ Theme Music Credits: Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/danijel-zambo/sunshine License code: B7MNECYULL2NZY89 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/michele-lefler/message

Author Dara Horn urges us to examine the reasons behind our fascination with Jewish deaths as representative of the worst of humanity's ills, and our lack of regard for Jewish lives as they unfold in the present. In her book, “People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present,” Dara draws on her own family's experiences — trying to explain Shakespeare's Shylock to a curious 10-year-old, her outrage when swastikas are drawn on desks at her children's New Jersey school, the profound and essential perspective offered by traditional religious practice, prayer, and study — to assert the vitality, complexity, and depth of this life in the face of anti-Semitism, which, far from being deterred by the mantra "Never forget," is on the rise. Dara studied Yiddish and Hebrew for her doctorate in comparative literature at Harvard University. She has taught these subjects at Sarah Lawrence College and Yeshiva University, as well as at Harvard, where she held the Gerald Weinstock Visiting Professorship in Jewish Studies. She has given hundreds of talks to audiences across North America, Israel, and Australia.   Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 3:30 Dara's origins and early upbringing 5:38 Talking about Judaism from early childhood to college 11:39 Discussing some modern Hebrew writers and literature 24:55 Dara's story of becoming a writer and her first published works 39:53 How Dara turned to fiction after college and wrote her first novel 42:54 Brief synopsis of Dara's novels 49:03 Talking about “People Love Dead Jews,” and how it came to be 56:16 Problems with representations of Judaism and museum exhibitions about the Holocaust 1:10:00 How the book has been received and how it changed Dara 1:19:50 Introducing Dara's podcast, "Adventures with Dead Jews"   Connect with Dara Horn: Website: https://www.darahorn.com/ Podcast: Adventures with Dead Jews – search on any podcast platform Connect with Ari: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jewsyoushouldknow Twitter: https://twitter.com/JewsUShouldKnow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rabbi.K Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ari-koretzky-18b12217/

Dr. Steven Paulson is back on Scripture First to talk about Jesus' sermon where he promises, "I will set you free," in John chapter 8 for this Reformation Sunday. In this week's text, we hear Jesus say to Jews who no longer believed in him that listening to his word will let them know the truth and the truth will make you free. As you'll hear Dr. Paulson teach us: the Jews in this text, and people today, are surprised and upset to be told they aren't free. In fact, they're slaves to their sin. But Jesus doesn't leave them there. He promises us that he will make us free. Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First? Email Sarah: sstenson@augie.eduSupport the show (https://www.lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate)

Pati Jinich has always had to move between worlds — as a Jew growing up in Mexico, and as a Mexican immigrant to the US, where she first worked as a policy analyst. “It wasn't until I switched to cooking,” she tells us this week, “that I was finally able to make sense of all the pieces of myself.” Since that transition she's spent a decade documenting Mexico's vast and varied food cultures in her cookbooks, and on her PBS show Pati's Mexican Table, which is watched by more than 65 million people around the world. Her new docu-series, La Frontera, is more political, examining the US-Mexico border, and the people who navigate the two worlds between it. It's also her most personal work yet. She talks with Dan about why this show is so important to her. Plus she peers into his fridge over Zoom, and tells us about a deep fried quesadilla in Jalisco that she'll never forget. // Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Man's problem is sin. Redemption through Jesus is the solution. But is there a problem with the solution? Christ didn't just come to die for our sins, and rise again - He came, He died, He rose according to the Scriptures. But those same Scriptures make promises to Israel that can't be fulfilled if they reject Him. That's the challenge Paul is so masterfully addressing in Romans 9. The questions are: Who is a Jew, really? and, What did God promise, really? Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10252021_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 9:6-16

On COI #179, Kyle Anzalone refutes Max Boot's recent Washington Post op-ed arguing against boycotting Israel. In the article, Boot admits that the reason we must reject BDS is that the movement calls for a “right of return” for Palestinian refugees. He admits that Palestinians cannot live in their homeland because that would make Israel a majority Palestinian state. Boot concludes his article by cowardly suggesting that people who oppose Israel only do so because they harbor a hatred for Jews.  Kyle breaks down Joe Biden's gaffe at his town hall with Anderson Cooper. Biden said the US was committed to militarily defending Taiwan. However, the decades-long US policy - and US law - says that the US takes a position of “strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan's defense. The White House then walked back Biden's blunder saying US policy towards Taiwan remains unchanged. While the Biden statement was undiplomatic, it is representative of the increasing US aggression towards China. Odysee Rumble  Donate LBRY Credits bTTEiLoteVdMbLS7YqDVSZyjEY1eMgW7CP Donate Bitcoin 36PP4kT28jjUZcL44dXDonFwrVVDHntsrk Donate Bitcoin Cash Qp6gznu4xm97cj7j9vqepqxcfuctq2exvvqu7aamz6 Patreon Subscribe Star YouTube Facebook  Twitter  MeWe Apple Podcast  Amazon Music Google Podcasts Spotify iHeart Radio Support Our Sponsor Visit Paloma Verde and use code PEACE for 25% off our CBD

On COI #179, Kyle Anzalone refutes Max Boot's recent Washington Post op-ed arguing against boycotting Israel. In the article, Boot admits that the reason we must reject BDS is that the movement calls for a “right of return” for Palestinian refugees. He admits that Palestinians cannot live in their homeland because that would make Israel a majority Palestinian state. Boot concludes his article by cowardly suggesting that people who oppose Israel only do so because they harbor a hatred for Jews.  Kyle breaks down Joe Biden's gaffe at his town hall with Anderson Cooper. Biden said the US was committed to militarily defending Taiwan. However, the decades-long US policy - and US law - says that the US takes a position of “strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan's defense. The White House then walked back Biden's blunder saying US policy towards Taiwan remains unchanged. While the Biden statement was undiplomatic, it is representative of the increasing US aggression towards China. Odysee Rumble  Donate LBRY Credits bTTEiLoteVdMbLS7YqDVSZyjEY1eMgW7CP Donate Bitcoin 36PP4kT28jjUZcL44dXDonFwrVVDHntsrk Donate Bitcoin Cash Qp6gznu4xm97cj7j9vqepqxcfuctq2exvvqu7aamz6 Patreon Subscribe Star YouTube Facebook  Twitter  MeWe Apple Podcast  Amazon Music Google Podcasts Spotify iHeart Radio Support Our Sponsor Visit Paloma Verde and use code PEACE for 25% off our CBD  

We often think about the Apostle Paul as Jew, but he was also a Roman. What was Rome to the ancient world?  Mary Beard History of Rome https://www.amazon.com/SPQR-History-Ancient-Mary-Beard-ebook/dp/B0108U7IHO/  Roman Imperial Texts Source Book https://www.amazon.com/Roman-Imperial-Texts-Mark-Reasoner-ebook/dp/B00FW7XAJY  CS Lewis Miracles https://www.amazon.com/Miracles-C-S-Lewis-audiobook/dp/B0009P426E/  Discord link. Good for just a few days. Check with more recent videos for a fresh link. https://discord.gg/XF4w6deK Paul Vander Klay clips channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX0jIcadtoxELSwehCh5QTg My Substack https://paulvanderklay.substack.com/ Estuary Hub Link https://www.estuaryhub.com If you want to schedule a one-on-one conversation check here. https://paulvanderklay.me/2019/08/06/converzations-with-pvk/ There is a video version of this podcast on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/paulvanderklay To listen to this on ITunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/paul-vanderklays-podcast/id1394314333  If you need the RSS feed for your podcast player https://paulvanderklay.podbean.com/feed/  All Amazon links here are part of the Amazon Affiliate Program. Amazon pays me a small commission at no additional cost to you if you buy through one of the product links here. This is is one (free to you) way to support my videos.  https://paypal.me/paulvanderklay To support this channel/podcast with Bitcoin (BTC): 37TSN79RXewX8Js7CDMDRzvgMrFftutbPo  To support this channel/podcast with Bitcoin Cash (BCH) qr3amdmj3n2u83eqefsdft9vatnj9na0dqlzhnx80h  To support this channel/podcast with Ethereum (ETH): 0xd3F649C3403a4789466c246F32430036DADf6c62 Blockchain backup on Lbry https://odysee.com/@paulvanderklay https://www.patreon.com/paulvanderklay Paul's Church Content at Living Stones Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh7bdktIALZ9Nq41oVCvW-A To support Paul's work by supporting his church give here. https://tithe.ly/give?c=2160640    

The latest book from legendary Catholic author and activist Sister Joan Chittister, titled The Monastic Life: 50 Simple Practices for a Contemplative and Fulfilling Life. Also, a Secular celebration of the Day of the Dead. We'll hear from Vitoria de la Torre. And a coalition of Jews and Muslims appeals to the United Nations for greater emphasis on religious freedom and the protection of houses of worship.

Greg loses yardage. The topics include: Last Week Lookback Waiver Waves Power Rankings Week 7 Preview

Proper 25 First Psalm: Psalm 63; Psalm 98 Psalm 63 (Listen) My Soul Thirsts for You A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. 63   O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;    my soul thirsts for you;  my flesh faints for you,    as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.2   So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,    beholding your power and glory.3   Because your steadfast love is better than life,    my lips will praise you.4   So I will bless you as long as I live;    in your name I will lift up my hands. 5   My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,    and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,6   when I remember you upon my bed,    and meditate on you in the watches of the night;7   for you have been my help,    and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.8   My soul clings to you;    your right hand upholds me. 9   But those who seek to destroy my life    shall go down into the depths of the earth;10   they shall be given over to the power of the sword;    they shall be a portion for jackals.11   But the king shall rejoice in God;    all who swear by him shall exult,    for the mouths of liars will be stopped. (ESV) Psalm 98 (Listen) Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord A Psalm. 98   Oh sing to the LORD a new song,    for he has done marvelous things!  His right hand and his holy arm    have worked salvation for him.2   The LORD has made known his salvation;    he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.3   He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness    to the house of Israel.  All the ends of the earth have seen    the salvation of our God. 4   Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;    break forth into joyous song and sing praises!5   Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,    with the lyre and the sound of melody!6   With trumpets and the sound of the horn    make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD! 7   Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;    the world and those who dwell in it!8   Let the rivers clap their hands;    let the hills sing for joy together9   before the LORD, for he comes    to judge the earth.  He will judge the world with righteousness,    and the peoples with equity. (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 103 Psalm 103 (Listen) Bless the Lord, O My Soul Of David. 103   Bless the LORD, O my soul,    and all that is within me,    bless his holy name!2   Bless the LORD, O my soul,    and forget not all his benefits,3   who forgives all your iniquity,    who heals all your diseases,4   who redeems your life from the pit,    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,5   who satisfies you with good    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6   The LORD works righteousness    and justice for all who are oppressed.7   He made known his ways to Moses,    his acts to the people of Israel.8   The LORD is merciful and gracious,    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.9   He will not always chide,    nor will he keep his anger forever.10   He does not deal with us according to our sins,    nor repay us according to our iniquities.11   For as high as the heavens are above the earth,    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;12   as far as the east is from the west,    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.13   As a father shows compassion to his children,    so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.14   For he knows our frame;1    he remembers that we are dust. 15   As for man, his days are like grass;    he flourishes like a flower of the field;16   for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,    and its place knows it no more.17   But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,    and his righteousness to children's children,18   to those who keep his covenant    and remember to do his commandments.19   The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,    and his kingdom rules over all. 20   Bless the LORD, O you his angels,    you mighty ones who do his word,    obeying the voice of his word!21   Bless the LORD, all his hosts,    his ministers, who do his will!22   Bless the LORD, all his works,    in all places of his dominion.  Bless the LORD, O my soul! Footnotes [1] 103:14 Or knows how we are formed (ESV) Old Testament: Haggai 1–2:9 Haggai 1–2:9 (Listen) The Command to Rebuild the Temple 1 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest: 2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.” 3 Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. 6 You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. 7 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD. 9 You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.” The People Obey the Lord 12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD. 13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke to the people with the LORD's message, “I am with you, declares the LORD.” 14 And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king. The Coming Glory of the Temple 2 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet: 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? 4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts, 5 according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. 6 For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. 7 And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.'” (ESV) New Testament: Acts 18:24–19:7 Acts 18:24–19:7 (Listen) Apollos Speaks Boldly in Ephesus 24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit,1 he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. Paul in Ephesus 19 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland2 country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in3 the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all. Footnotes [1] 18:25 Or in the Spirit [2] 19:1 Greek upper (that is, highland) [3] 19:5 Or into (ESV) Gospel: Luke 10:25–37 Luke 10:25–37 (Listen) The Parable of the Good Samaritan 25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii1 and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” Footnotes [1] 10:35 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer (ESV)

John 3–4 John 3–4 (Listen) You Must Be Born Again 3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus1 by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again2 he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.3 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You4 must be born again.' 8 The wind5 blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you6 do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.7 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.8 For God So Loved the World 16 “For God so loved the world,9 that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” John the Baptist Exalts Christ 22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison). 25 Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.' 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”10 31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. Jesus and the Woman of Samaria 4 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.11 7 A woman from 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 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.12 The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband'; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” 27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him. 31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.' 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” 39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.” 43 After the two days he departed for Galilee. 44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast. Jesus Heals an Official's Son 46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you13 see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants14 met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour15 the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee. Footnotes [1] 3:2 Greek him [2] 3:3 Or from above; the Greek is purposely ambiguous and can mean both again and from above; also verse 7 [3] 3:6 The same Greek word means both wind and spirit [4] 3:7 The Greek for you is plural here [5] 3:8 The same Greek word means both wind and spirit [6] 3:11 The Greek for you is plural here; also four times in verse 12 [7] 3:13 Some manuscripts add who is in heaven [8] 3:15 Some interpreters hold that the quotation ends at verse 15 [9] 3:16 Or For this is how God loved the world [10] 3:30 Some interpreters hold that the quotation continues through verse 36 [11] 4:6 That is, about noon [12] 4:14 Greek forever [13] 4:48 The Greek for you is plural; twice in this verse [14] 4:51 Or bondservants [15] 4:52 That is, at 1 p.m. (ESV)

Part 1 of 2. Dennis Prager & Eric Metaxas at Calvary Chapel The Eric Metaxas Show Dennis Prager joins Eric at Calvary Chapel in Chattanooga for an utterly no holds barred discussion about where America is headed -- and, yes, there's some good news!  Oct 15 2021   The Eric Metaxas Show- https://metaxastalk.com/podcasts/ --------------------------------------------------------------------  Visit Pragertopia  https://pragertopia.com/member/signup.php  The first month is 99 cents. After the first month the cost is $7.50 per month. If you can afford to pay for only one podcast, this is the one we recommend. It is the best conservative radio show out there, period. ACU strongly recommends ALL ACU students and alumni subscribe to Pragertopia. Do it today!  You can listen to Dennis from 9 a.m. to Noon (Pacific) Monday thru Friday, live on the Internet  http://www.dennisprager.com/pages/listen  ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For a great archive of Prager University videos visit- https://www.youtube.com/user/PragerUniversity/featured   Donate today to PragerU! http://l.prageru.com/2eB2p0h Get PragerU bonus content for free! https://www.prageru.com/bonus-content Download Pragerpedia on your iPhone or Android! Thousands of sources and facts at your fingertips. iPhone: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsnbG Android: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsS5e Join Prager United to get new swag every quarter, exclusive early access to our videos, and an annual TownHall phone call with Dennis Prager! http://l.prageru.com/2c9n6ys Join PragerU's text list to have these videos, free merchandise giveaways and breaking announcements sent directly to your phone! https://optin.mobiniti.com/prageru Do you shop on Amazon? Click https://smile.amazon.com and a percentage of every Amazon purchase will be donated to PragerU. Same great products. Same low price. Shopping made meaningful. VISIT PragerU! https://www.prageru.com FOLLOW us! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prageru Twitter: https://twitter.com/prageru Instagram: https://instagram.com/prageru/ PragerU is on Snapchat! JOIN PragerFORCE! For Students: http://l.prageru.com/2aozfkP JOIN our Educators Network! http://l.prageru.com/2aoz2y9 -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Rational Bible: Exodus by Dennis Prager   NATIONAL BESTSELLER "Dennis Prager has put together one of the most stunning commentaries in modern times on the most profound document in human history. It's a must-read that every person, religious and non-religious, should buy and peruse every night before bed. It'll make you think harder, pray more ardently, and understand your civilization better." — Ben Shapiro, host of "The Ben Shapiro Show" "Dennis Prager's commentary on Exodus will rank among the greatest modern Torah commentaries. That is how important I think it is. And I am clearly not alone... It might well be on its way to becoming the most widely read Torah commentary of our time—and by non-Jews as well as by Jews." — Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, bestselling author of Jewish Literacy Why do so many people think the Bible, the most influential book in world history, is outdated? Why do our friends and neighbors – and sometimes we ourselves – dismiss the Bible as irrelevant, irrational, immoral, or all of these things? This explanation of the Book of Exodus, the second book of the Bible, will demonstrate that the Bible is not only powerfully relevant to today's issues, but completely consistent with rational thought. Do you think the Bible permitted the trans-Atlantic slave trade? You won't after reading this book. Do you struggle to love your parents? If you do, you need this book. Do you doubt the existence of God because belief in God is “irrational?” This book will give you reason after reason to rethink your doubts. The title of this commentary is, “The Rational Bible” because its approach is entirely reason-based. The reader is never asked to accept anything on faith alone. As Prager says, “If something I write does not make rational sense, I have not done my job.” The Rational Bible is the fruit of Dennis Prager's forty years of teaching the Bible to people of every faith, and no faith. On virtually every page, you will discover how the text relates to the contemporary world and to your life. His goal: to change your mind – and then change your life.   Highly Recommended by ACU. Purchase his book at- https://www.amazon.com/Rational-Bible-Exodus-Dennis-Prager/dp/1621577724     The Rational Bible: Genesis by Dennis Prager  USA Today bestseller Publishers Weekly bestseller Wall Street Journal bestseller Many people today think the Bible, the most influential book in world history, is not only outdated but irrelevant, irrational, and even immoral. This explanation of the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, demonstrates clearly and powerfully that the opposite is true. The Bible remains profoundly relevant—both to the great issues of our day and to each individual life. It is the greatest moral guide and source of wisdom ever written. Do you doubt the existence of God because you think believing in God is irrational? This book will give you many reasons to rethink your doubts. Do you think faith and science are in conflict? You won't after reading this commentary on Genesis. Do you come from a dysfunctional family? It may comfort you to know that every family discussed in Genesis was highly dysfunctional! The title of this commentary is “The Rational Bible” because its approach is entirely reason-based. The reader is never asked to accept anything on faith alone. In Dennis Prager's words, “If something I write is not rational, I have not done my job.” The Rational Bible is the fruit of Dennis Prager's forty years of teaching the Bible—whose Hebrew grammar and vocabulary he has mastered—to people of every faith and no faith at all. On virtually every page, you will discover how the text relates to the contemporary world in general and to you personally. His goal: to change your mind—and, as a result, to change your life.   Highly Recommended by ACU. Purchase his book at- https://www.amazon.com/Rational-Bible-Genesis-Dennis-Prager/dp/1621578984

Part 1 of 2. Dennis Prager & Eric Metaxas at Calvary Chapel The Eric Metaxas Show Dennis Prager joins Eric at Calvary Chapel in Chattanooga for an utterly no holds barred discussion about where America is headed -- and, yes, there's some good news!  Oct 15 2021   The Eric Metaxas Show- https://metaxastalk.com/podcasts/ --------------------------------------------------------------------  Visit Pragertopia  https://pragertopia.com/member/signup.php  The first month is 99 cents. After the first month the cost is $7.50 per month. If you can afford to pay for only one podcast, this is the one we recommend. It is the best conservative radio show out there, period. ACU strongly recommends ALL ACU students and alumni subscribe to Pragertopia. Do it today!  You can listen to Dennis from 9 a.m. to Noon (Pacific) Monday thru Friday, live on the Internet  http://www.dennisprager.com/pages/listen  ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For a great archive of Prager University videos visit- https://www.youtube.com/user/PragerUniversity/featured   Donate today to PragerU! http://l.prageru.com/2eB2p0h Get PragerU bonus content for free! https://www.prageru.com/bonus-content Download Pragerpedia on your iPhone or Android! Thousands of sources and facts at your fingertips. iPhone: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsnbG Android: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsS5e Join Prager United to get new swag every quarter, exclusive early access to our videos, and an annual TownHall phone call with Dennis Prager! http://l.prageru.com/2c9n6ys Join PragerU's text list to have these videos, free merchandise giveaways and breaking announcements sent directly to your phone! https://optin.mobiniti.com/prageru Do you shop on Amazon? Click https://smile.amazon.com and a percentage of every Amazon purchase will be donated to PragerU. Same great products. Same low price. Shopping made meaningful. VISIT PragerU! https://www.prageru.com FOLLOW us! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prageru Twitter: https://twitter.com/prageru Instagram: https://instagram.com/prageru/ PragerU is on Snapchat! JOIN PragerFORCE! For Students: http://l.prageru.com/2aozfkP JOIN our Educators Network! http://l.prageru.com/2aoz2y9 -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Rational Bible: Exodus by Dennis Prager   NATIONAL BESTSELLER "Dennis Prager has put together one of the most stunning commentaries in modern times on the most profound document in human history. It's a must-read that every person, religious and non-religious, should buy and peruse every night before bed. It'll make you think harder, pray more ardently, and understand your civilization better." — Ben Shapiro, host of "The Ben Shapiro Show" "Dennis Prager's commentary on Exodus will rank among the greatest modern Torah commentaries. That is how important I think it is. And I am clearly not alone... It might well be on its way to becoming the most widely read Torah commentary of our time—and by non-Jews as well as by Jews." — Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, bestselling author of Jewish Literacy Why do so many people think the Bible, the most influential book in world history, is outdated? Why do our friends and neighbors – and sometimes we ourselves – dismiss the Bible as irrelevant, irrational, immoral, or all of these things? This explanation of the Book of Exodus, the second book of the Bible, will demonstrate that the Bible is not only powerfully relevant to today's issues, but completely consistent with rational thought. Do you think the Bible permitted the trans-Atlantic slave trade? You won't after reading this book. Do you struggle to love your parents? If you do, you need this book. Do you doubt the existence of God because belief in God is “irrational?” This book will give you reason after reason to rethink your doubts. The title of this commentary is, “The Rational Bible” because its approach is entirely reason-based. The reader is never asked to accept anything on faith alone. As Prager says, “If something I write does not make rational sense, I have not done my job.” The Rational Bible is the fruit of Dennis Prager's forty years of teaching the Bible to people of every faith, and no faith. On virtually every page, you will discover how the text relates to the contemporary world and to your life. His goal: to change your mind – and then change your life.   Highly Recommended by ACU. Purchase his book at- https://www.amazon.com/Rational-Bible-Exodus-Dennis-Prager/dp/1621577724     The Rational Bible: Genesis by Dennis Prager  USA Today bestseller Publishers Weekly bestseller Wall Street Journal bestseller Many people today think the Bible, the most influential book in world history, is not only outdated but irrelevant, irrational, and even immoral. This explanation of the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, demonstrates clearly and powerfully that the opposite is true. The Bible remains profoundly relevant—both to the great issues of our day and to each individual life. It is the greatest moral guide and source of wisdom ever written. Do you doubt the existence of God because you think believing in God is irrational? This book will give you many reasons to rethink your doubts. Do you think faith and science are in conflict? You won't after reading this commentary on Genesis. Do you come from a dysfunctional family? It may comfort you to know that every family discussed in Genesis was highly dysfunctional! The title of this commentary is “The Rational Bible” because its approach is entirely reason-based. The reader is never asked to accept anything on faith alone. In Dennis Prager's words, “If something I write is not rational, I have not done my job.” The Rational Bible is the fruit of Dennis Prager's forty years of teaching the Bible—whose Hebrew grammar and vocabulary he has mastered—to people of every faith and no faith at all. On virtually every page, you will discover how the text relates to the contemporary world in general and to you personally. His goal: to change your mind—and, as a result, to change your life.   Highly Recommended by ACU. Purchase his book at- https://www.amazon.com/Rational-Bible-Genesis-Dennis-Prager/dp/1621578984

We believe there were four distinct early Christian communities: the gentile clubs of Paul, the Jewish clubs of Peter and James, the clubs who followed the writings of Thomas, and clubs attached to the disciple John. In this episode I tackle the first three. The letter to the Hebrews is the most vigorous exposition of Paul's views and denigration of his own people, the Jews. But the letter never claims Paul as its author. And its not even a letter. Various books try to harmonise Paul and Peter. In Acts, Peter sounds like Paul of the letters, and Paul sounds like Peter of the gospels. Acts may conceal a hostility to Paul in its depiction of Simon Magus. The pastoral letters move Paul closer to Peter's views. The two letters of Peter move Peter closer to Paul. The gospel of Thomas and Acts of Thomas show that some communities were attracted to early Gnostic views. Theme music "Inspiring Teaser" by Rafael Krux, https://filmmusic.io/song/5672-inspiring-teaser, license https://filmmusic.io/standard-license.

Part 2 of 2. Dennis Prager & Eric Metaxas at Calvary Chapel The Eric Metaxas Show Dennis Prager and Eric at Calvary Chapel continue their discussion of cultural life in America today in a fun and spirited interview that will ultimately encourage you  Oct 15 2021   The Eric Metaxas Show- https://metaxastalk.com/podcasts/ --------------------------------------------------------------------  Visit Pragertopia  https://pragertopia.com/member/signup.php  The first month is 99 cents. After the first month the cost is $7.50 per month. If you can afford to pay for only one podcast, this is the one we recommend. It is the best conservative radio show out there, period. ACU strongly recommends ALL ACU students and alumni subscribe to Pragertopia. Do it today!  You can listen to Dennis from 9 a.m. to Noon (Pacific) Monday thru Friday, live on the Internet  http://www.dennisprager.com/pages/listen  ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For a great archive of Prager University videos visit- https://www.youtube.com/user/PragerUniversity/featured   Donate today to PragerU! http://l.prageru.com/2eB2p0h Get PragerU bonus content for free! https://www.prageru.com/bonus-content Download Pragerpedia on your iPhone or Android! Thousands of sources and facts at your fingertips. iPhone: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsnbG Android: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsS5e Join Prager United to get new swag every quarter, exclusive early access to our videos, and an annual TownHall phone call with Dennis Prager! http://l.prageru.com/2c9n6ys Join PragerU's text list to have these videos, free merchandise giveaways and breaking announcements sent directly to your phone! https://optin.mobiniti.com/prageru Do you shop on Amazon? Click https://smile.amazon.com and a percentage of every Amazon purchase will be donated to PragerU. Same great products. Same low price. Shopping made meaningful. VISIT PragerU! https://www.prageru.com FOLLOW us! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prageru Twitter: https://twitter.com/prageru Instagram: https://instagram.com/prageru/ PragerU is on Snapchat! JOIN PragerFORCE! For Students: http://l.prageru.com/2aozfkP JOIN our Educators Network! http://l.prageru.com/2aoz2y9 -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Rational Bible: Exodus by Dennis Prager   NATIONAL BESTSELLER "Dennis Prager has put together one of the most stunning commentaries in modern times on the most profound document in human history. It's a must-read that every person, religious and non-religious, should buy and peruse every night before bed. It'll make you think harder, pray more ardently, and understand your civilization better." — Ben Shapiro, host of "The Ben Shapiro Show" "Dennis Prager's commentary on Exodus will rank among the greatest modern Torah commentaries. That is how important I think it is. And I am clearly not alone... It might well be on its way to becoming the most widely read Torah commentary of our time—and by non-Jews as well as by Jews." — Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, bestselling author of Jewish Literacy Why do so many people think the Bible, the most influential book in world history, is outdated? Why do our friends and neighbors – and sometimes we ourselves – dismiss the Bible as irrelevant, irrational, immoral, or all of these things? This explanation of the Book of Exodus, the second book of the Bible, will demonstrate that the Bible is not only powerfully relevant to today's issues, but completely consistent with rational thought. Do you think the Bible permitted the trans-Atlantic slave trade? You won't after reading this book. Do you struggle to love your parents? If you do, you need this book. Do you doubt the existence of God because belief in God is “irrational?” This book will give you reason after reason to rethink your doubts. The title of this commentary is, “The Rational Bible” because its approach is entirely reason-based. The reader is never asked to accept anything on faith alone. As Prager says, “If something I write does not make rational sense, I have not done my job.” The Rational Bible is the fruit of Dennis Prager's forty years of teaching the Bible to people of every faith, and no faith. On virtually every page, you will discover how the text relates to the contemporary world and to your life. His goal: to change your mind – and then change your life.   Highly Recommended by ACU. Purchase his book at- https://www.amazon.com/Rational-Bible-Exodus-Dennis-Prager/dp/1621577724     The Rational Bible: Genesis by Dennis Prager  USA Today bestseller Publishers Weekly bestseller Wall Street Journal bestseller Many people today think the Bible, the most influential book in world history, is not only outdated but irrelevant, irrational, and even immoral. This explanation of the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, demonstrates clearly and powerfully that the opposite is true. The Bible remains profoundly relevant—both to the great issues of our day and to each individual life. It is the greatest moral guide and source of wisdom ever written. Do you doubt the existence of God because you think believing in God is irrational? This book will give you many reasons to rethink your doubts. Do you think faith and science are in conflict? You won't after reading this commentary on Genesis. Do you come from a dysfunctional family? It may comfort you to know that every family discussed in Genesis was highly dysfunctional! The title of this commentary is “The Rational Bible” because its approach is entirely reason-based. The reader is never asked to accept anything on faith alone. In Dennis Prager's words, “If something I write is not rational, I have not done my job.” The Rational Bible is the fruit of Dennis Prager's forty years of teaching the Bible—whose Hebrew grammar and vocabulary he has mastered—to people of every faith and no faith at all. On virtually every page, you will discover how the text relates to the contemporary world in general and to you personally. His goal: to change your mind—and, as a result, to change your life.   Highly Recommended by ACU. Purchase his book at- https://www.amazon.com/Rational-Bible-Genesis-Dennis-Prager/dp/1621578984

Part 2 of 2. Dennis Prager & Eric Metaxas at Calvary Chapel The Eric Metaxas Show Dennis Prager and Eric at Calvary Chapel continue their discussion of cultural life in America today in a fun and spirited interview that will ultimately encourage you  Oct 15 2021   The Eric Metaxas Show- https://metaxastalk.com/podcasts/ --------------------------------------------------------------------  Visit Pragertopia  https://pragertopia.com/member/signup.php  The first month is 99 cents. After the first month the cost is $7.50 per month. If you can afford to pay for only one podcast, this is the one we recommend. It is the best conservative radio show out there, period. ACU strongly recommends ALL ACU students and alumni subscribe to Pragertopia. Do it today!  You can listen to Dennis from 9 a.m. to Noon (Pacific) Monday thru Friday, live on the Internet  http://www.dennisprager.com/pages/listen  ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For a great archive of Prager University videos visit- https://www.youtube.com/user/PragerUniversity/featured   Donate today to PragerU! http://l.prageru.com/2eB2p0h Get PragerU bonus content for free! https://www.prageru.com/bonus-content Download Pragerpedia on your iPhone or Android! Thousands of sources and facts at your fingertips. iPhone: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsnbG Android: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsS5e Join Prager United to get new swag every quarter, exclusive early access to our videos, and an annual TownHall phone call with Dennis Prager! http://l.prageru.com/2c9n6ys Join PragerU's text list to have these videos, free merchandise giveaways and breaking announcements sent directly to your phone! https://optin.mobiniti.com/prageru Do you shop on Amazon? Click https://smile.amazon.com and a percentage of every Amazon purchase will be donated to PragerU. Same great products. Same low price. Shopping made meaningful. VISIT PragerU! https://www.prageru.com FOLLOW us! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prageru Twitter: https://twitter.com/prageru Instagram: https://instagram.com/prageru/ PragerU is on Snapchat! JOIN PragerFORCE! For Students: http://l.prageru.com/2aozfkP JOIN our Educators Network! http://l.prageru.com/2aoz2y9 -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Rational Bible: Exodus by Dennis Prager   NATIONAL BESTSELLER "Dennis Prager has put together one of the most stunning commentaries in modern times on the most profound document in human history. It's a must-read that every person, religious and non-religious, should buy and peruse every night before bed. It'll make you think harder, pray more ardently, and understand your civilization better." — Ben Shapiro, host of "The Ben Shapiro Show" "Dennis Prager's commentary on Exodus will rank among the greatest modern Torah commentaries. That is how important I think it is. And I am clearly not alone... It might well be on its way to becoming the most widely read Torah commentary of our time—and by non-Jews as well as by Jews." — Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, bestselling author of Jewish Literacy Why do so many people think the Bible, the most influential book in world history, is outdated? Why do our friends and neighbors – and sometimes we ourselves – dismiss the Bible as irrelevant, irrational, immoral, or all of these things? This explanation of the Book of Exodus, the second book of the Bible, will demonstrate that the Bible is not only powerfully relevant to today's issues, but completely consistent with rational thought. Do you think the Bible permitted the trans-Atlantic slave trade? You won't after reading this book. Do you struggle to love your parents? If you do, you need this book. Do you doubt the existence of God because belief in God is “irrational?” This book will give you reason after reason to rethink your doubts. The title of this commentary is, “The Rational Bible” because its approach is entirely reason-based. The reader is never asked to accept anything on faith alone. As Prager says, “If something I write does not make rational sense, I have not done my job.” The Rational Bible is the fruit of Dennis Prager's forty years of teaching the Bible to people of every faith, and no faith. On virtually every page, you will discover how the text relates to the contemporary world and to your life. His goal: to change your mind – and then change your life.   Highly Recommended by ACU. Purchase his book at- https://www.amazon.com/Rational-Bible-Exodus-Dennis-Prager/dp/1621577724     The Rational Bible: Genesis by Dennis Prager  USA Today bestseller Publishers Weekly bestseller Wall Street Journal bestseller Many people today think the Bible, the most influential book in world history, is not only outdated but irrelevant, irrational, and even immoral. This explanation of the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, demonstrates clearly and powerfully that the opposite is true. The Bible remains profoundly relevant—both to the great issues of our day and to each individual life. It is the greatest moral guide and source of wisdom ever written. Do you doubt the existence of God because you think believing in God is irrational? This book will give you many reasons to rethink your doubts. Do you think faith and science are in conflict? You won't after reading this commentary on Genesis. Do you come from a dysfunctional family? It may comfort you to know that every family discussed in Genesis was highly dysfunctional! The title of this commentary is “The Rational Bible” because its approach is entirely reason-based. The reader is never asked to accept anything on faith alone. In Dennis Prager's words, “If something I write is not rational, I have not done my job.” The Rational Bible is the fruit of Dennis Prager's forty years of teaching the Bible—whose Hebrew grammar and vocabulary he has mastered—to people of every faith and no faith at all. On virtually every page, you will discover how the text relates to the contemporary world in general and to you personally. His goal: to change your mind—and, as a result, to change your life.   Highly Recommended by ACU. Purchase his book at- https://www.amazon.com/Rational-Bible-Genesis-Dennis-Prager/dp/1621578984

Study Guide Rosh Hashanah 15 Today's daf is sponsored by Beth Kissileff ,on the 18 of Heshvan, in memory of the eleven Jews killed at Dor Hadash, New Light and Tree of Life synagogues in Pittsburgh in 2018. "They were all people who came early to shul and were concerned about creating community, in their individual ways and within their own limits and abilities. Hashem yikom damam." Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil Rosenthal, David Rosenthal, Bernice Simon, Sylvan Simon, Daniel Stein, Melvin Wax, and Irving Younge.  This week's learning is dedicated by Martin Gaynor in memory of Jerry Rabinowitz, Yehuda ben Yekhezkel v'Selma, z"l, a kind, caring, and giving individual, who loved Yiddishkeit and loved learning. There are four tannaitic opinions for how to treat etrogs regarding tithing and regarding shemita. According to Rabban Gamliel's approach, that in the matter of tithes, they go after the time of picking, like vegetables, is their Rosh Hashanah on Tishrei also like vegetables? No! The Rosh Hashanah for the tithes of etrogs is Tu B'Shvat. The Gemara brings the opinion of two amoraim and also then other tannatic opinions regarding produce that budded in one year and was picked in the next. One of the factors in the practical law here is that if fruits are declared ownerless (as happens with shmita produce), it is no longer obligated in tithes. The Gemara quotes a braita in the matter of fruit trees in general. Rabbi Nechemia’s position is brought who says that fruit trees follow budding only in trees whose fruits ripen at different times during the year. Rabbi Yochanan brings the custom of those who followed Rabbi Nechemia when it came to carob trees and Reish Lakish questioned him from a braita. Rabbi Yochanan was silent and didn’t respond. How can his silence be understood? After all, he had arguments he could have made against Reish Lakish!

Galatians 4:3-20 From the elementary principles (or spirits) of the world to son or daughter of God From ESV Study Bible: “Gal. 4:3 elementary principles. Both here and in v. 9 the expression refers to the elementary principles the Galatians previously followed, which for Jews would be the Mosaic law and for Gentiles the basic concepts of their pagan religions. But the additional overtones of demonic bondage in this phrase should not be ignored; they were, in terms of their mind-set and life situation, under a legalistic system and enslaved, and Paul explains in v. 8 that this enslavement was “to those that by nature are not gods.” Legalistic superstition and demonic domination are closely linked.” From slave to son or daughter to heir … destiny “But now that you have come to know God, or rather be known by God” you want to turn back to the “weak and worthless elementary principles (or spirits) of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more”? (People of Israel on shore of Red Sea) They make much of you, but for no good purpose … (being manipulated in a culture war … isn't that a version of what is happening here?) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/roguetabletalks/message

The title of the Old Testament book, Deuteronomy, means “second law” or “repetition of the law.” It is the final of the five books of the Pentateuch, probably written about 1406 B.C. when the nation was camped in Moab, just across the border from Canaan, and shortly before Moses’ death (Deut. 1:5; 31:9, 24). Interestingly, all three Scriptures quoted by Jesus during His temptation in the wilderness were taken from this Old Testament book. In Deuteronomy, we find three sermons, or farewell messages, given by Moses to the Israelites. One key theme in the 40 years of Moses’ leadership was the covenant responsibility of obedience (vv. 1–3; see Deut. 10:12–13). The Israelites could not truly fear the Lord without doing what He said. Words must be accompanied by actions. They could not claim knowledge of the Lord unless they were also obedient to His commands. The consequences of this responsibility were life and death (see Deut. 30:11–20). Disobedience would lead to judgment; obedience would lead to blessings. At the heart of Moses’ teaching was the “Shema” (meaning “hear”), a confession of faith recited by Jews up to this present day (Deut. 6:4–9). It affirms that “the LORD is one.” He is the supreme Creator, the most high God. The pagan world in that time had many “gods” competing for their attention. The God of Israel is not one of these. He is the great “I Am,” period. Therefore, the greatest commandment is to love Him with our whole beings—all our heart, soul, and strength. God’s Word helps us remember the Lord in the good times (vv. 10–12). It helps us avoid idolatry (vv. 13–19). And it helps us pass on these truths to the next generation (vv. 20–25)! >> The “Shema” emphasizes the importance of Scripture (or, to the Israelites, the Law and Torah). In today’s chapter, how many times does it say that the Word should be central in our lives?

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 83 Psalm 83 (Listen) O God, Do Not Keep Silence A Song. A Psalm of Asaph. 83   O God, do not keep silence;    do not hold your peace or be still, O God!2   For behold, your enemies make an uproar;    those who hate you have raised their heads.3   They lay crafty plans against your people;    they consult together against your treasured ones.4   They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;    let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”5   For they conspire with one accord;    against you they make a covenant—6   the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,    Moab and the Hagrites,7   Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,    Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;8   Asshur also has joined them;    they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah 9   Do to them as you did to Midian,    as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,10   who were destroyed at En-dor,    who became dung for the ground.11   Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,    all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,12   who said, “Let us take possession for ourselves    of the pastures of God.” 13   O my God, make them like whirling dust,1    like chaff before the wind.14   As fire consumes the forest,    as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,15   so may you pursue them with your tempest    and terrify them with your hurricane!16   Fill their faces with shame,    that they may seek your name, O LORD.17   Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever;    let them perish in disgrace,18   that they may know that you alone,    whose name is the LORD,    are the Most High over all the earth. Footnotes [1] 83:13 Or like a tumbleweed (ESV) Pentateuch and History: 1 Kings 15:25–16:34 1 Kings 15:25–16:34 (Listen) Nadab Reigns in Israel 25 Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin which he made Israel to sin. 27 Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him. And Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon. 28 So Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place. 29 And as soon as he was king, he killed all the house of Jeroboam. He left to the house of Jeroboam not one that breathed, until he had destroyed it, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 30 It was for the sins of Jeroboam that he sinned and that he made Israel to sin, and because of the anger to which he provoked the LORD, the God of Israel. 31 Now the rest of the acts of Nadab and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. Baasha Reigns in Israel 33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel at Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years. 34 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel to sin. 16 And the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, 2 “Since I exalted you out of the dust and made you leader over my people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made my people Israel to sin, provoking me to anger with their sins, 3 behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 4 Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat.” 5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 6 And Baasha slept with his fathers and was buried at Tirzah, and Elah his son reigned in his place. 7 Moreover, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha and his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and also because he destroyed it. Elah Reigns in Israel 8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years. 9 But his servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. When he was at Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah, 10 Zimri came in and struck him down and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place. 11 When he began to reign, as soon as he had seated himself on his throne, he struck down all the house of Baasha. He did not leave him a single male of his relatives or his friends. 12 Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, 13 for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned and which they made Israel to sin, provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their idols. 14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Zimri Reigns in Israel 15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, 16 and the troops who were encamped heard it said, “Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king.” Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17 So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 18 And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire and died, 19 because of his sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for his sin which he committed, making Israel to sin. 20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and the conspiracy that he made, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Omri Reigns in Israel 21 Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts. Half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. 22 But the people who followed Omri overcame the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri became king. 23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah. 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents1 of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill. 25 Omri did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did more evil than all who were before him. 26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols. 27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 28 And Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in his place. Ahab Reigns in Israel 29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him. 31 And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34 In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun. Footnotes [1] 16:24 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Ezekiel 46 Ezekiel 46 (Listen) The Prince and the Feasts 46 “Thus says the Lord GOD: The gate of the inner court that faces east shall be shut on the six working days, but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened. 2 The prince shall enter by the vestibule of the gate from outside, and shall take his stand by the post of the gate. The priests shall offer his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening. 3 The people of the land shall bow down at the entrance of that gate before the LORD on the Sabbaths and on the new moons. 4 The burnt offering that the prince offers to the LORD on the Sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish. 5 And the grain offering with the ram shall be an ephah,1 and the grain offering with the lambs shall be as much as he is able, together with a hin2 of oil to each ephah. 6 On the day of the new moon he shall offer a bull from the herd without blemish, and six lambs and a ram, which shall be without blemish. 7 As a grain offering he shall provide an ephah with the bull and an ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as he is able, together with a hin of oil to each ephah. 8 When the prince enters, he shall enter by the vestibule of the gate, and he shall go out by the same way. 9 “When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed feasts, he who enters by the north gate to worship shall go out by the south gate, and he who enters by the south gate shall go out by the north gate: no one shall return by way of the gate by which he entered, but each shall go out straight ahead. 10 When they enter, the prince shall enter with them, and when they go out, he shall go out. 11 “At the feasts and the appointed festivals, the grain offering with a young bull shall be an ephah, and with a ram an ephah, and with the lambs as much as one is able to give, together with a hin of oil to an ephah. 12 When the prince provides a freewill offering, either a burnt offering or peace offerings as a freewill offering to the LORD, the gate facing east shall be opened for him. And he shall offer his burnt offering or his peace offerings as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he has gone out the gate shall be shut. 13 “You shall provide a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering to the LORD daily; morning by morning you shall provide it. 14 And you shall provide a grain offering with it morning by morning, one sixth of an ephah, and one third of a hin of oil to moisten the flour, as a grain offering to the LORD. This is a perpetual statute. 15 Thus the lamb and the meal offering and the oil shall be provided, morning by morning, for a regular burnt offering. 16 “Thus says the Lord GOD: If the prince makes a gift to any of his sons as his inheritance, it shall belong to his sons. It is their property by inheritance. 17 But if he makes a gift out of his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his to the year of liberty. Then it shall revert to the prince; surely it is his inheritance—it shall belong to his sons. 18 The prince shall not take any of the inheritance of the people, thrusting them out of their property. He shall give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people shall be scattered from his property.” Boiling Places for Offerings 19 Then he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, to the north row of the holy chambers for the priests, and behold, a place was there at the extreme western end of them. 20 And he said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the grain offering, in order not to bring them out into the outer court and so transmit holiness to the people.” 21 Then he brought me out to the outer court and led me around to the four corners of the court. And behold, in each corner of the court there was another court—22 in the four corners of the court were small3 courts, forty cubits4 long and thirty broad; the four were of the same size. 23 On the inside, around each of the four courts was a row of masonry, with hearths made at the bottom of the rows all around. 24 Then he said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple shall boil the sacrifices of the people.” Footnotes [1] 46:5 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters [2] 46:5 A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters [3] 46:22 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain [4] 46:22 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Romans 15:1–13 Romans 15:1–13 (Listen) The Example of Christ 15 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Christ the Hope of Jews and Gentiles 8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,   “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,    and sing to your name.” 10 And again it is said,   “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again,   “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,    and let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again Isaiah says,   “The root of Jesse will come,    even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;  in him will the Gentiles hope.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (ESV)

Proper 24 First Psalm: Psalm 30; Psalm 32 Psalm 30 (Listen) Joy Comes with the Morning A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple. 30   I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up    and have not let my foes rejoice over me.2   O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,    and you have healed me.3   O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;    you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.1 4   Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints,    and give thanks to his holy name.25   For his anger is but for a moment,    and his favor is for a lifetime.3  Weeping may tarry for the night,    but joy comes with the morning. 6   As for me, I said in my prosperity,    “I shall never be moved.”7   By your favor, O LORD,    you made my mountain stand strong;  you hid your face;    I was dismayed. 8   To you, O LORD, I cry,    and to the Lord I plead for mercy:9   “What profit is there in my death,4    if I go down to the pit?5  Will the dust praise you?    Will it tell of your faithfulness?10   Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me!    O LORD, be my helper!” 11   You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;    you have loosed my sackcloth    and clothed me with gladness,12   that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.    O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever! Footnotes [1] 30:3 Or to life, that I should not go down to the pit [2] 30:4 Hebrew to the memorial of his holiness (see Exodus 3:15) [3] 30:5 Or and in his favor is life [4] 30:9 Hebrew in my blood [5] 30:9 Or to corruption (ESV) Psalm 32 (Listen) Blessed Are the Forgiven A Maskil1 of David. 32   Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,    whose sin is covered.2   Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity,    and in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3   For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away    through my groaning all day long.4   For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;    my strength was dried up2 as by the heat of summer. Selah 5   I acknowledged my sin to you,    and I did not cover my iniquity;  I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”    and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah 6   Therefore let everyone who is godly    offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;  surely in the rush of great waters,    they shall not reach him.7   You are a hiding place for me;    you preserve me from trouble;    you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah 8   I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;    I will counsel you with my eye upon you.9   Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,    which must be curbed with bit and bridle,    or it will not stay near you. 10   Many are the sorrows of the wicked,    but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.11   Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous,    and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! Footnotes [1] 32:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 32:4 Hebrew my vitality was changed (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalms 42–43 Psalms 42–43 (Listen) Book Two Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul? To the choirmaster. A Maskil1 of the Sons of Korah. 42   As a deer pants for flowing streams,    so pants my soul for you, O God.2   My soul thirsts for God,    for the living God.  When shall I come and appear before God?23   My tears have been my food    day and night,  while they say to me all the day long,    “Where is your God?”4   These things I remember,    as I pour out my soul:  how I would go with the throng    and lead them in procession to the house of God  with glad shouts and songs of praise,    a multitude keeping festival. 5   Why are you cast down, O my soul,    and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,    my salvation3 6 and my God.   My soul is cast down within me;    therefore I remember you  from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,    from Mount Mizar.7   Deep calls to deep    at the roar of your waterfalls;  all your breakers and your waves    have gone over me.8   By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,    and at night his song is with me,    a prayer to the God of my life.9   I say to God, my rock:    “Why have you forgotten me?  Why do I go mourning    because of the oppression of the enemy?”10   As with a deadly wound in my bones,    my adversaries taunt me,  while they say to me all the day long,    “Where is your God?” 11   Why are you cast down, O my soul,    and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,    my salvation and my God. Send Out Your Light and Your Truth 43   Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause    against an ungodly people,  from the deceitful and unjust man    deliver me!2   For you are the God in whom I take refuge;    why have you rejected me?  Why do I go about mourning    because of the oppression of the enemy? 3   Send out your light and your truth;    let them lead me;  let them bring me to your holy hill    and to your dwelling!4   Then I will go to the altar of God,    to God my exceeding joy,  and I will praise you with the lyre,    O God, my God. 5   Why are you cast down, O my soul,    and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,    my salvation and my God. Footnotes [1] 42:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 42:2 Revocalization yields and see the face of God [3] 42:5 Hebrew the salvation of my face; also verse 11 and 43:5 (ESV) Old Testament: Ezra 4:7; Ezra 4:11–24 Ezra 4:7 (Listen) The Letter to King Artaxerxes 7 In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their associates wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated.1 Footnotes [1] 4:7 Hebrew written in Aramaic and translated in Aramaic, indicating that 4:8–6:18 is in Aramaic; another interpretation is The letter was written in the Aramaic script and set forth in the Aramaic language (ESV) Ezra 4:11–24 (Listen) 11 (This is a copy of the letter that they sent.) “To Artaxerxes the king: Your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And now 12 be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. 13 Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired. 14 Now because we eat the salt of the palace1 and it is not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king, 15 in order that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste. 16 We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River.” The King Orders the Work to Cease 17 The king sent an answer: “To Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River, greeting. And now 18 the letter that you sent to us has been plainly read before me. 19 And I made a decree, and search has been made, and it has been found that this city from of old has risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it. 20 And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid. 21 Therefore make a decree that these men be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until a decree is made by me. 22 And take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?” 23 Then, when the copy of King Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease. 24 Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. Footnotes [1] 4:14 Aramaic because the salt of the palace is our salt (ESV) New Testament: Philemon Philemon (Listen) Greeting 1 Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker 2 and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philemon's Love and Faith 4 I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.1 7 For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. Paul's Plea for Onesimus 8 Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9 yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus—10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus,2 whose father I became in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. 15 For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a bondservant3 but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you. Final Greetings 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. 25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Footnotes [1] 1:6 Or for Christ's service [2] 1:10 Onesimus means useful (see verse 11) or beneficial (see verse 20) [3] 1:16 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; twice in this verse (ESV) Gospel: Matthew 12:33–42 Matthew 12:33–42 (Listen) A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” The Sign of Jonah 38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. (ESV)

Old Testament: Jeremiah 6–7 Jeremiah 6–7 (Listen) Impending Disaster for Jerusalem 6   Flee for safety, O people of Benjamin,    from the midst of Jerusalem!  Blow the trumpet in Tekoa,    and raise a signal on Beth-haccherem,  for disaster looms out of the north,    and great destruction.2   The lovely and delicately bred I will destroy,    the daughter of Zion.13   Shepherds with their flocks shall come against her;    they shall pitch their tents around her;    they shall pasture, each in his place.4   “Prepare war against her;    arise, and let us attack at noon!  Woe to us, for the day declines,    for the shadows of evening lengthen!5   Arise, and let us attack by night    and destroy her palaces!” 6   For thus says the LORD of hosts:  “Cut down her trees;    cast up a siege mound against Jerusalem.  This is the city that must be punished;    there is nothing but oppression within her.7   As a well keeps its water fresh,    so she keeps fresh her evil;  violence and destruction are heard within her;    sickness and wounds are ever before me.8   Be warned, O Jerusalem,    lest I turn from you in disgust,  lest I make you a desolation,    an uninhabited land.” 9   Thus says the LORD of hosts:  “They shall glean thoroughly as a vine    the remnant of Israel;  like a grape gatherer pass your hand again    over its branches.”10   To whom shall I speak and give warning,    that they may hear?  Behold, their ears are uncircumcised,    they cannot listen;  behold, the word of the LORD is to them an object of scorn;    they take no pleasure in it.11   Therefore I am full of the wrath of the LORD;    I am weary of holding it in.  “Pour it out upon the children in the street,    and upon the gatherings of young men, also;  both husband and wife shall be taken,    the elderly and the very aged.12   Their houses shall be turned over to others,    their fields and wives together,  for I will stretch out my hand    against the inhabitants of the land,”      declares the LORD.13   “For from the least to the greatest of them,    everyone is greedy for unjust gain;  and from prophet to priest,    everyone deals falsely.14   They have healed the wound of my people lightly,    saying, ‘Peace, peace,'    when there is no peace.15   Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?    No, they were not at all ashamed;    they did not know how to blush.  Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;    at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,”      says the LORD. 16   Thus says the LORD:  “Stand by the roads, and look,    and ask for the ancient paths,  where the good way is; and walk in it,    and find rest for your souls.  But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.'17   I set watchmen over you, saying,    ‘Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!'  But they said, ‘We will not pay attention.'18   Therefore hear, O nations,    and know, O congregation, what will happen to them.19   Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people,    the fruit of their devices,  because they have not paid attention to my words;    and as for my law, they have rejected it.20   What use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba,    or sweet cane from a distant land?  Your burnt offerings are not acceptable,    nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.21   Therefore thus says the LORD:  ‘Behold, I will lay before this people    stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble;  fathers and sons together,    neighbor and friend shall perish.'” 22   Thus says the LORD:  “Behold, a people is coming from the north country,    a great nation is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth.23   They lay hold on bow and javelin;    they are cruel and have no mercy;    the sound of them is like the roaring sea;  they ride on horses,    set in array as a man for battle,    against you, O daughter of Zion!”24   We have heard the report of it;    our hands fall helpless;  anguish has taken hold of us,    pain as of a woman in labor.25   Go not out into the field,    nor walk on the road,  for the enemy has a sword;    terror is on every side.26   O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth,    and roll in ashes;  make mourning as for an only son,    most bitter lamentation,  for suddenly the destroyer    will come upon us. 27   “I have made you a tester of metals among my people,    that you may know and test their ways.28   They are all stubbornly rebellious,    going about with slanders;  they are bronze and iron;    all of them act corruptly.29   The bellows blow fiercely;    the lead is consumed by the fire;  in vain the refining goes on,    for the wicked are not removed.30   Rejected silver they are called,    for the LORD has rejected them.” Evil in the Land 7 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the LORD. 3 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. 4 Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.' 5 “For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, 6 if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, 7 then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever. 8 “Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. 9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!'—only to go on doing all these abominations? 11 Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD. 12 Go now to my place that was in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it because of the evil of my people Israel. 13 And now, because you have done all these things, declares the LORD, and when I spoke to you persistently you did not listen, and when I called you, you did not answer, 14 therefore I will do to the house that is called by my name, and in which you trust, and to the place that I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. 15 And I will cast you out of my sight, as I cast out all your kinsmen, all the offspring of Ephraim. 16 “As for you, do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with me, for I will not hear you. 17 Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven. And they pour out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger. 19 Is it I whom they provoke? declares the LORD. Is it not themselves, to their own shame? 20 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, my anger and my wrath will be poured out on this place, upon man and beast, upon the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground; it will burn and not be quenched.” 21 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. 22 For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. 23 But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.' 24 But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. 25 From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day. 26 Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. 27 “So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you. 28 And you shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the LORD their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips. 29   “‘Cut off your hair and cast it away;    raise a lamentation on the bare heights,  for the LORD has rejected and forsaken    the generation of his wrath.' The Valley of Slaughter 30 “For the sons of Judah have done evil in my sight, declares the LORD. They have set their detestable things in the house that is called by my name, to defile it. 31 And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind. 32 Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when it will no more be called Topheth, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter; for they will bury in Topheth, because there is no room elsewhere. 33 And the dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the air, and for the beasts of the earth, and none will frighten them away. 34 And I will silence in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, for the land shall become a waste. Footnotes [1] 6:2 Or I have likened the daughter of Zion to the loveliest pasture (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 105:26–45 Psalm 105:26–45 (Listen) 26   He sent Moses, his servant,    and Aaron, whom he had chosen.27   They performed his signs among them    and miracles in the land of Ham.28   He sent darkness, and made the land dark;    they did not rebel1 against his words.29   He turned their waters into blood    and caused their fish to die.30   Their land swarmed with frogs,    even in the chambers of their kings.31   He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,    and gnats throughout their country.32   He gave them hail for rain,    and fiery lightning bolts through their land.33   He struck down their vines and fig trees,    and shattered the trees of their country.34   He spoke, and the locusts came,    young locusts without number,35   which devoured all the vegetation in their land    and ate up the fruit of their ground.36   He struck down all the firstborn in their land,    the firstfruits of all their strength. 37   Then he brought out Israel with silver and gold,    and there was none among his tribes who stumbled.38   Egypt was glad when they departed,    for dread of them had fallen upon it. 39   He spread a cloud for a covering,    and fire to give light by night.40   They asked, and he brought quail,    and gave them bread from heaven in abundance.41   He opened the rock, and water gushed out;    it flowed through the desert like a river.42   For he remembered his holy promise,    and Abraham, his servant. 43   So he brought his people out with joy,    his chosen ones with singing.44   And he gave them the lands of the nations,    and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples' toil,45   that they might keep his statutes    and observe his laws.  Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 105:28 Septuagint, Syriac omit not (ESV) New Testament: Romans 3–4 Romans 3–4 (Listen) God's Righteousness Upheld 3 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,   “That you may be justified in your words,    and prevail when you are judged.” 5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just. No One Is Righteous 9 What then? Are we Jews1 any better off?2 No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:   “None is righteous, no, not one;11     no one understands;    no one seeks for God.12   All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;    no one does good,    not even one.”13   “Their throat is an open grave;    they use their tongues to deceive.”  “The venom of asps is under their lips.”14     “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”15   “Their feet are swift to shed blood;16     in their paths are ruin and misery,17   and the way of peace they have not known.”18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being3 will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. The Righteousness of God Through Faith 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. Abraham Justified by Faith 4 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in4 him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7   “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,    and whose sins are covered;8   blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” 9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righ

John 1–2 John 1–2 (Listen) The Word Became Flesh 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life,1 and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own,2 and his own people3 did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son4 from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.5 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God,6 who is at the Father's side,7 he has made him known. The Testimony of John the Baptist 19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight8 the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said.” 24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. Behold, the Lamb of God 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son9 of God.” Jesus Calls the First Disciples 35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.10 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus11 was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter12). Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you,13 you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” The Wedding at Cana 2 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.14 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers15 and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days. Jesus Cleanses the Temple 13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple,16 and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. Jesus Knows What Is in Man 23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. Footnotes [1] 1:4 Or was not any thing made. That which has been made was life in him [2] 1:11 Greek to his own things; that is, to his own domain, or to his own people [3] 1:11 People is implied in Greek [4] 1:14 Or only One, or unique One [5] 1:16 Or grace in place of grace [6] 1:18 Or the only One, who is God; some manuscripts the only Son [7] 1:18 Greek in the bosom of the Father [8] 1:23 Or crying out, ‘In the wilderness make straight [9] 1:34 Some manuscripts the Chosen One [10] 1:39 That is, about 4 p.m. [11] 1:40 Greek him [12] 1:42 Cephas and Peter are from the word for rock in Aramaic and Greek, respectively [13] 1:51 The Greek for you is plural; twice in this verse [14] 2:6 Greek two or three measures (metrētas); a metrētēs was about 10 gallons or 35 liters [15] 2:12 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters [16] 2:20 Or This temple was built forty-six years ago (ESV)

Welcome to The Israel United In Christ Podcast! This is the 4th episode in our new series secrets in the lords prayer !!! The post Podcast secrets in the lords prayer episode 4 appeared first on I.U.I.C. Podcast.

Shirley Jackson - The Haunting Of Hill House - Episode 1 - MeetThe Author And The Personal Issues That Created One Of The Best Horror Genre Books Of All Time!   `Hi, I'm Christy Shriver and we're here to discuss books that have changed the world and have changed us.    And I'm Garry Shriver and this is the How to Love Lit Podcast.  If you are listening to this in real time, we are well into the month of October and in the United States, the month of October means Halloween.  Halloween, as we've discussed before, is not Christy's favorite holiday.  Christy, why is that?    Because it's horrifying.  It's about death.  It's about being scared.  It's about demons.  I don't understand why we're celebrating these things.      And yet, I have seen you dress up as Wilma Flintstone; answer a door bell to a slew of terrifyingly dressed children, hand out candy and enjoy every minute of it.  For those of you who live in other parts of the world- that is what we do here in the United States on October 31st.  My son, Ben, and his wife Rachel live in a part of Memphis which is particularly serious about Halloween, so we, if we can, love to go down there on Halloween and get in on the party.      That's true- and it is wild. They have a neighbor whose yard literally looks like the set of a horror movie with graves, and ghosts and witches and everything.  It spooks me, but on the other hand,  I do love dressing up, and I love seeing all the kids dress up.  That part I'm cool with.    And yet, here we are reading a classic work described as Female Gothic or horror fiction- the work of the celebrated Shirley Jackson, perhaps her most famous novel The Haunting of Hill House.      True.  But I will say that Literary Horror is slightly different than Nightmare on Elm street.  Here's a little story about myself, so I had never watched a horror movie growing up.  My mother didn't allow it in our home, and back then these movies were rated R and the people at movie theaters really policed that sort of thing- so if you were a young child, obviously you could watch a rated R movie, but they didn't make it easy for you.  Well, anyway, when I was a sophomore in high school, this little school that I attended at the time took an overnight trip out of town to hike up this mountain, Pico da Bandeira.   After the hike, somebody pulled out the VHS of this move and we were going to watch it (I'm pretty sure it was a bootleg).  Anyway, I was so excited- most everyone in Brazil loves horror movies and Nightmare on Elmstreet was one of the most populat at the time.       Well, how did that go for you?    Not well, I'm not sure I got through 15 minutes.  I spent the rest of the night under the covers and with my hands in my ears.  I didn't even want to hear it.      HA!!  Well, what I find fascinating about Literary fiction is that it's scary for all kinds of different reasons, not the idea of someone jumping out and stabbing an unsuspecting girl.      Exactly. It's not some obvious caricature of a gore covered mummy walking around with a hatchet that defines it.  It's metaphorical; it's about the cost of seduction; it's about psychological disorders and it's very much about anxiety.      Well, you know I love it when we get psychological.  One thing I found interesting, and this is coming from the perspective that we just did an entire series kind of around women's issue with A Doll's House, but I expected Shirley Jackson's work to be more feminist than it is.  Also, the book has all this mother/daughter stuff in it.  I wasn't expecting that.    Yes- it very much has everything to do with mother/daughter relationships.  That motif starts on the first page and never lets up.  I got tired of counting mother references, and I never found an article that did the math, but there are reference to mothers endlessly- and something that drew my immediate attention- especially the first time Eleanor wakes up terrified in the middle the night yelling for her mother.  But that is just one way of looking at the book- although that's a great place to start and where we will start our discussion today as we attempt to make it all the way through chapter 1 of the book.    But in a more general sense, what Jackson was looking at was this imbalance of power that can exist in relationships between any two people.  She wants to express the seduction and betrayal of the powerless by the powerful. She expresses how one person uses the power in the relationship basically to crush another person.  And unfortunately, she understood this problem so well because it was her entire life story.  She had that experience with her mother, and then she turned around and had it again with her husband, and really she had it within the community at large of the 1950s.      And, of course, being written in the 1950s, many women of her generation quickly related to it.  In fact, in some ways, it reminds me a little bit of that very famous work by Betty Friedan, The Feminine Mystique, that became so important in American history but wasn't even going to be written for another ten years.    Yeah, I've heard of that book, but honestly, I don't know much about it.  What is the premise and why does it connect, in your mind to Shirley Jackson.    Well, I'll be upfront and tell you I have never read the book, so I'm speaking from second hand knowledge.  But, what I know about it from teaching and studying history is the impact it had on American culture because of the power of the argument Friedan makes in the book.     First of all I would like to point out she's interviewing women that attended Smith College, which is a very well to do private school in Massachusetts.  survey sample was not very scientific     Friedan, at her 15th college reunion, took a survey from her fellow colleagues, about how they felt about their lives.  The basic premise of her book is that society had created a myth that women were most fulfilled if they were taking care of children, staying at home,  supporting their husbands, and staying away from politics and business.  In the book, she claims that entire worldview for women is a myth- at least for many women.  I will never assume to speak for women and I certainly won't speak for all women.  But Friedan will, and she went after the 1950s stereotypical Leave it To Beaver kind of mom that had been the socially accepted lifestyle.  She said many women were absolutely miserable.  She claimed that society's pressure on women for women to succumb to what amounted to in many cases mindnumbing non-stimulating existences was causing depression.  She famously said it was a “problem that has no name”.   And whether you want to challenge her or agree with her, you have to respect that her idea absolutely resonated across America and really the entire world.  Her book was a best seller, selling over 3 million in her lifetime and has been translated into at least a dozen major languages around the world.  Many textbooks credit Friedan for sparking the second wave of feminism that was a key feature of the 60s, the kind of thing we see portrayed in movies like Forrest Gump in the character of Jenny.  This women's rights movement was not interested in voting rights; it was moving forward to the next level.  It was pushing for workplace equality, birth control, abortion rights, breaking the glass ceiling in academia and business.  Where I see it aligning with Jackson, who came much earlier, is that this book, The Haunting of Hill House is a metaphorical expression of everything Friedan wanted to say about women in the 1960s- the house is haunted, so to speak.  The house was crushing women.  It was making women crazy.     Well, you're starting to steal a little bit of my thunder –next week we are going to spend almost the entire episode discussing the house itself, but you are dead on about what Jackson is doing in her work…pardon the pun.  But, I want to say before all the men moan and groan and say, I'm turning this off if this is going to be another one of those feminist books- the book really is much more than a political commentary- in fact that's just one way of relating to it.  The metaphor most definitely can be read exactly as you have connected to the femininist movement of the 1960s, and many many people have read it just that way, but I'm not sure Jackson herself really did, although there's no doubt she was an advocate for many of the things you just enumerated. She, like Ibsen, would say her work is art and not a piece of political propaganda.  She would also likely claim, and I know I'm being presumptuous to speak for her, but I do think she would claim, that would be a very small way to understand her body of work, if that's all you thought it was. She was writing the emotions and then the reader found themselves in them.     I was also interested to see that Jackson, very much like Elizabeth Barrett Browning struggled fighting critics over the years.  Stanley Hyman, her husband and literary critic during their lives, in the preface for a book he published of her yet unpublished work after her death famously wrote, “For all her popularity, Shirley Jackson won surprisingly little recognition.  She received no awards or prizes, grants or fellowships; her name was often omitted from lists on which it clearly belonged, or which it should have led.  She saw these honors go to inferior writers.”    True, and Hyman, although I have trouble giving him credit for anything because of his and Shirley's relationship which we'll talk about in a different episode, but he predicted that Jackson's “powerful visions of suffering and inhumanity” and would be found “increasingly significant and meaningful.”  He truly always understood that her long form or serious work was more than pop fiction, or gory horror, and yet that was not the majority view of that time.    And part of that is somewhat understandable.  One thing I didn't know about her until we started reading up on her for this podcast series was that her acclaim during her day really came from two places- one was for the short story, “The Lottery”, but the other and this is what I didn't know- was her best-selling essay collection on domestic life titled Life Among the Savages.  I haven't read much of that, to be honest, but what I did read is really truly funny stuff stuff.  She was Erma Bombeck before Erma Bombeck.    Yes- and she was funny, and she was writing about her kids, house cleaning, being a mom, a member of a local community and all the craziness of middle-class life.  It was the stuff that people were living in their world, and she made it funny.  People didn't take seriously the psychological insights into issues of emotional isolation, rage, paranoia, and the fragmentation of the human mind- from a person who was a regular contributor to magazines like Good Housekeeping, Mademoiselle, McCall's and Ladies Home Journal.    No, it was just too different, and of course, you can't discount the condescension from the serious art community- I mean here was a woman writing in a genre that nobody took seriously about female protagonists- which was often not taken seriously- and was famous for cute anecdotes about the comedy of errors which is life as a house-mom raising four children in a small town.We must remember also, as a general rule, the 1950s are not that far removed from the time period where women didn't read literature at all- there was a thing called “ladies reading material” That's what women read.  Men read literature, but women writing for women was not elevated enough to actually be called “literature”- it was simply reading material for women.       Oh- well – I guess we shall make that distinction- although I will say, as a woman writing “ladies reading material” for money she did fairly well for herself.  Shirley Jackson made serious cash off of these stories- in fact, she outearned her husband- and it was the essays that were funding their lifestyles, not her novels. Her biographer Ruth Franklin, commented in an interview that she could make  over $2000 per essay which at the time was enough to fun to fund her Morris Minor collection.    Nice- well British Sports cars are always a fun thing to keep around the house.     I'll say.  But back to her legacy for a second, Jackson is like Elizabeth Barrett Browning in that her work, well after her death, found it's way into the canon and today is very much taken seriously.  In fact, we're teaching her right now to all the 11th graders at Bartlett High School, and almost all American students will at some point read  her short story “The Lottery”, the  famous short story that triggered more public outrage  in 1948 than anything published before or since by the magazine the New Yorker.  Hundreds of people cancelled their subscriptions and even more wrote the magazine totally exasperated.      Well, it's political and psychological and really even religious as well.  But back to the 11th graders at Bartlett, do you think your kids will be able to appreciate or enjoy the depth of the psychological analysis in her novel that today is the central hallmark of her work?    Yeah, I think many of them will get it.  I look forward to how they understand what she's talking about.  You know, students today live in such a different world and the ghosts and houses that haunt them look so differently than the ghosts and houses that haunted our generation or much less Shirley Jackson's.     I look forward to discussing some of these issues with them and see what fascinates them the most.      One of the things that fascinates me the most and I'm expecting to come out is Jackson's multiple direct and indirect references to the relationship between mothers and daughters.  It's clear in this book that whatever is going wrong in Eleanor's mind has something to do with her dead mother.  I have two daughters, and I really pray, I am not the kind of mother Shirley Jackson had or that my daughters ever express any of the feelings she expresses about mother/daughter relationships- nothing that would haunt and torment my children after I'm dead.      No, I'm sure none of us want to have that kind of legacy with our children.      And yet, there are women like Geraldine Jackson, Shirley's mother.  Geraldine was truly relentless in her cruelty towards her daughter.  She was cruel to her as a child and her passive aggressive disapproval was something she perpetuated all throughout Shirley's life right to her untimely death at age 48.      Yes and I think understanding Geraldine' cruelty really helps me see some of the things in Jackson's writing that I may have overlooked before.  And I know that an author's life cannot be used uncritically to explain an artist's work; obviously art speaks for itself, but maybe more than any other writer we've read together, Jackson uses her writings to express pain in artistic ways that were personal to her, but universal to many of us.  Geraldine's ruthless subtle and sometimes not so subtle demoralizing was something Jackson could not get out of her mind.  .  Geraldine's own personality disorder took a heavy toll on Shirley.    And it was always expressed with all the best of intentions- she was always so concerned.    Let's tell a little about their story and then people will know what you're talking about.     Okay, well the story starts when  Jackson was born in 1916 (although she lied about her age and claimed to have been born in 1919- which I think is funny), but anyway, she was born into an affluent family and up until she was 16 they lived in Burlingame, California.     Let me interrupt, just for context, Burlingame, to this day is one of the most expensive cities in the United States.  The median house in Burlingame costs over 2 million dollars- and I'm not talking mansions- this is the price range for what would be an average home that would cost a tenth of that in other parts of the US.  Every review on bestplaces.com talks about how unaffordable it is for most people to live in this Burlingame.     Yep, and Geraldine, Shirley's mom and her father Leslie, cultivated that cliché'd vision of the upper class  country club lifestyle.  They were into the production of this very sophisticated appearance of success and wealth, what was important was the appearance of things.   They were into competitive living, and that,  of course, still includes having perfect children.  Shirley's brother, I might add, was beautiful and competitive and made them proud, but unfortunately for Shirley, she was not- and this was just a huge disappointment for Geraldine.  She could not nor did she want to fit the mold.  Shirley was heavier than the other girls.  She didn't enjoy the same kinds of things as the other girls.  She didn't have that “All-American” barbie doll look like the other girls.  She wasn't into the deputante thing, and if she had been wasn't cute enough.    Yes, I read a couple of articles that called Jackson morbidly obese, so I googled images of her, it was true that she was heavier , but, in my mind, she falls way short of the criteria for morbidly obese by today's definition, especially in her youth. And I want to say something else about this 1950's lifestyle we've been discussing. After WW 2 there was a huge economic boom that doubled family incomes in the decade. It was the first decade of widespread middle class wealth. And one sign of that new middle class wealth was the ability to live on one income. Wives staying at home were a sign of wealth and prestige.     Maybe not, but she certainly wasn't the daughter Geraldine wanted nor could be proud of at a deputant ball.  In fact, truth be told, Geraldine was actually disappointed when she found out she was pregnant because she didn't want a child at that time.  But Geraldine's largest problem and obsession was with Shirley's weight- and her obsession with Shirley's weight never ended.  She made comments about her weight- all of the time.  They were gratuitous, just dropped in to remind her that she was fat.   Here are some quotes from a couple of Geraldine's letters to her daughter just to show you what I'm talking about. “Glad you're dieting.” “Excess weight is hard on the heart.” “You should get down to normal weight. Try non-fat milk.”  Even after the publication of what would be Jackson's final novel, Geraldine could be relied on to bring up her weight, “Why oh why do you allow the magazines to print such awful pictures of you?...I have been so sad all morning about what you have allowed yourself to look like.”      Yes, let me read the full quote for context.     If you don't care what you look like or care about your appearance why don't you do something about it for your children's sake— and your husband's. . . . I have been so sad all morning about what you have allowed yourself to look like. . . . You were and I guess still are a very wilful child and one who insisted on her own way in everything— good or bad.    This is a straight up narcissistic rant.     There was always the subtext that was no matter what Shirley did with her life, she could never live up to her mother's expectations- even if she was famous- Jackson wanted acceptance of who she was- but she wanted it on her terms, and she and wanted to prove to her mom that the way she was was a good way, and she could be good at life just by being herself- but that was never going to happen.  In fact, at one low moment, Geraldine actually told her daughter that she was a failed abortion.      Wow.  That is just hateful.  Geraldine wanted a girl in the image of what she wanted, and she was never going to compromise.  This is classically what people call today a “toxic mother”,  And this plays a terrible toll on girls who have toxic mothers.  These behaviors can destroy women's images of themselves.   And this is what seems to have happened with Jackson and her mother.        Let me just back  up and say, it's absolutely natural and healthy for a girl to look up to her mother; a mom is the original ideal of what a woman should be.  That's how we all learn to navigate in this world, and likely a mom and a daughter will have a lot in common for obvious reasons.  There is a lot of joy in that.  There is a special bond in that.  Over the years, though, as a little girl develops into a teenager, although at first she wants to be exactly like her mom, that desire kind of separates out.  In a normal relationship, as a girl transitions into a woman, she individuates.   She becomes her own person.  Some things of her mother she will keep; others she'll discard.  And healthy moms respect and encourage their daughters individuality.  A normal mom will do whatever she can to equip her daughter, make her bolder and stronger.  But as painful as it may be from a mom's perspective, healthy mom's accept daughter's choices- even the ones they think are mistakes.  That's just what they do, and if they end up being mistakes, it's okay.  We all get to live our own lives.  But in Geraldine's life, what Shirley did was a reflection on her, so she couldn't let the fact that her daughter was overweight go.      Well, how do you think she took it when Shirley told her mom she was marrying a Jew in 1940- or I should say that she had already married a Jew, she didn't even tell them she got married until several months later because they were anti-Semitic people,  I can imagine that didn't go well?        No, I'd say it probably didn't, but I really don't know.   I do want to say one other thing, Christy, don't get me wrong, I think it's pretty well-established that motherhood is by definition a lose/lose proposition- moms just can't win.  It's impossible to raise a perfect child, just like it's impossible to be a perfect person, so of course we can't raise a person in the most perfect of emotional environments.      Mom's will unrealistically be blamed for things that may or may not be their fault- the reality is no one can be perfect, we will hurt each other and there will insecurities that spring up because of the way we are raised, and that's kind of normal too- it's normal for dads; it's normal for moms.  But, that is not the same as being a toxic mom.  Geraldine was toxic.  Nothing was ever going to be good enough for Geraldine.  She was perpetually disapproving, and Shirley was never going to meet her standards.  Geraldine was also always very controlling- I read somewhere she made Shirley wear garters and high heels as a little girl.  She was constantly guilt-tripping Shirley.  She constantly made negative comments; she manipulated her emotions, and most of the time she did it passive-aggressively.  She did it under the guise of love.      And that seems to be in one sense what Jackson expresses in her writing- it's at least what lots of people have identified with in Hill House.   There is this sense that Shirley could never get her mom out of her head, and of course, she's not the only one who struggles with these kinds of things.  In Hill House,  the main character is a 32 year old young woman named Eleanor Vance. I want to add that 32 is not a young age.  She's not telling the story of a child and the abuses of a mother on a small child.  Eleanor is a fully grown adult who should be living her own independent life for quite some time.  But she hasn't.  She hasn't even had an opportunity to do so.  Eleanor has no friends and is alone. That's what we're told at the beginning and we will see all the way through to the end of the book when she tells Theo she has never been wanted, it's been how she's felt always.  We're also told Eleanor's mother is dead right here at the beginning, and that Eleanor has been taking care of her relentlessly since she was twenty years old.   Eleanor's mom is a constant presence in Eleanor's psyche, even beyond the grave.  She even buys clothes that she knows her mother hates- pants- just because her mom is dead and can't do anything about it.   Eleanor is being haunted before she ever gets to Hill House.    True, and this lack of self-esteem and then loneliness is what has resonated with so many women and men who read Jackson's stories.  It also is what directly led to a lot of the suffering Jackson experienced in her marriage to Stanley.      Stanley Hyman, there's a character.  Before I smear him, I guess I will say right off that bat that he, in many ways, was very supportive of Shirley professionally and admired her intellectually.  My problem with him is that he degraded her sexually- and that is the cruelest and most intimate and demeaning forms of degradation that there is.    For one thing he absolutely did not respect the sexual boundaries Shirley wanted in their marriage.  Besides having so many affairs with students at the school he taught but also really just anyone—he seemed to enjoy telling Jackson all about these trysts.  I've read a few of the letters he wrote about women he was sleeping with on various business trips, and I got the feeling it's almost like he was bragging a little bit.  I'd read a few quotes, but they're vulgar.  He talked about groping girls- giving details about what he had done. It's gross never mind hurtful.  And Shirley would get upset.  Although she was a free spirit and Bohemian in some ways, this was not okay with her.  She didn't want a open marriage where everyone just slept with whoever they wanted.  There are letters where she writes him and expresses how this behavior made her feel, but she never mailed these letters.  I don't even know why.  Maybe she didn't have the nerve.  Maybe she knew it made no difference.  Maybe she wanted her family and that was a price she was willing to pay.  I'm speculating.  We only know that  she just took it.  She wouldn't confront him, at least that there isa record of.  She just forced herself to accept it and moved on with her life.      And that is an indication of low self-esteem, obviously.  Jackson wouldn't have put up with that sort of thing like she did, if she didn't think, at some level, it was her fault or that she didn't deserve to be treated any better than that.  This is the legacy of a toxic parent.  Allowing people to treat you in a way that is lesser and that is not how you treat them is a direct result of low self-esteem, but I want to add that future abusive relationships is not the only symptom of low self-esteem and it isn't the only symptom of low-esteem we see in Jackson's life.   Behaviors that provoke self-harm  like over-eating, over-drinking, and pill-popping- all things Jackson did- are also a result of low esteem and indicate high levels of anxiety.  Feelings of sadness, depression, anxiety, anger, shame and guilt- are also things we see in Jackson's life.  She seems to have truly struggled emotionally.     True, but before we get too dark, Shirley was all of that, but she wasn't ONLY that.  She had a happy side too- an apparently tremendously happy side.  I say that from interviews I read that people did with her children.  When her kids write or talk about their homelife, the reports are glowing.  Her home was a happy place.  It was chaotic and topsy turvey at times, the kind of crazy that people love.  They didn't even see any tension between their parents.  For one thing, Stanley didn't have a whole lot to do with the family- lots of men didn't in the 50s, that was the mother's domain, but from the perspective of her children, her marriage to Stanley was a happy one, as was their home.  So, we see all of that going on.  Back to her biographer, Ruth Franklin, Franklin titled her biography about Jackson, “A Rather Haunted Life” kind of to reflect that idea- that she was haunted, but not entirely, just rather haunted.      Yes, and it was that dichotomy that leads to all kinds of cognitive dissonance.  I read in another article by a different biographer that Shirley, as a mother was deeply involved but also emotionally erratic.  “Her moods and anxieties colored her children's days.  No one could be more loving; no one could be meaner.”      Which brings me back to her as a writer.  One critic observed that out of over 110 different stories that Jackson wrote in her lifetime, most of them are about imperiled, divided or anxious women- and that is including both her scary and her funny stories.  And when we get to her final three novels- they are gothic completely about anxiety, entrapment and in the case of Hill House, a deeply troubled female with an inability to differentiate well between illusion and reality.      Understanding that really makes the famous first paragraph of The Haunting of Hill House  meaningful in a deeper way, at least it does to me. And I do want to emphasize this first paragraph is one of the most famous paragraphs in all of Jackson's writings:    No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream.  Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for 80 years and might stand for eighty more.  Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.”    And what do you always say, when we start these books, that great writers will give their story away in the first sentence or two.    They almost always do.  This one in particular invites us to think about so much.  First of all, it starts with a negation- “no” but there are a lot of negative words here.  It's hard to understand, but something is telling us no- and when we get to the end of the book, that prophecy is fulfilled, although I won't spoil that just yet and tell you how.  But there's so much more.      Listen to the ideas she introduces-  there is the idea of being alive- of being sane- or not sane- another negative word- of standing in the darkness-in the silence- of being alone.  Of being in a house, but yet…being alone.   The alliteration highlights and brings together her key ideas- within walls- drawing attention to the idea of claustrophobia- sensibly shut; silence lay steadily I might add brings the silence and the claustrophobia together.  Then of course- whatever walked- walked alone- the w sound kind of swoshes in her head and haunts the end of that sentence.      All of her personal demons in one sentence.    Yes- and all of her personal demons getting ready to flesh themselves out metaphorically for all of us to understand and experience with her.      This assertion that she makes about absolute reality, of course is a religious or philosophical statement.  This idea that we absolutely just cannot know what is real, and if we did know what is real we would go crazy.  She's going to say that even little bird or crickets (a katydid is a cricket if you haven't heard that word yet, it's not very common)- Not even the simpliest organisms can handle a world without illusions.  We need them to protect our own sanity.    Yes- and the subtext here suggests because reality is dark; and the reality is you are alone in this world.  You can live – but perhaps you must accept a dream, perhaps an illusion that people have your back, people love you and will support you, but in reality- you are alone.  Perhaps you have to even create an entire fairyland- something to give you an escape from what you know to be true- the betrayal which is coming.  I'm speculating, obviously because I'm fleshing out what is implied with the subtext, at least implied to me-  but there is a sense that that is the direction she's leading us, and it certainly seems to be something we find in her personal story.     It's also kind of a religious statement because it speaks to the nature of reality and that is the essence of faith and walking through life not-alone.  Christy, what was her religious background.      Well, that's a very interesting question.  She was raised by members of the the Christian Science church, but later on she developed a real fascination with the occult and was even accused of being a witch.  Garry, what makes Christian scientists different from main stream Christianity?    Christian scientists, for those who are not familiar with Christianity, adopt many tenents of traditional Christianity but they break from it in a couple of ways that are obvious.  For one,  they do not accept the diety of Jesus Christ in the way traditional versions of Christianity do.  But the second is What most people know and that is the tension is the between The teachings of the Christian science church and their complicated relationship with the medical community.  They  encourage their members to pray for divine healings often perhaps instead of going to doctors.  And this has been controversial in some cases especially for family members outside of the faith.     That was certainly true for Jackson.  One time she and her brother were horsing around and her brother broke his arm, instead of going to the doctor Geraldine and her mother stayed up all night and prayed for his broken arm.  Her grandmother was a faith healer in the church and Jackson did not approve of this. So, she had this side of her, that would seem more secular- but then Jackson had her own sense of the spiritual.  She carried around tarot cards, tried to communicate with spirits later in her life, and flirted with all kinds of spiritual practices, like I said before, many accusing her of actually practicing witchcraft, ahtough I never found anything that really verified how serious she was about that.      So I can see why she might say something about absolute reality being somewhat unknowable or even a dark and lonely thing.      True, and at least in this book what we see in the the relationships that populate the lives  of the characters is that they are contrived.  In chapter 1 of The Haunting of Hill House, Dr. Montague, a title that is somewhat meant to mislead since he's really a ghost hunter, assembles a very select group of people to live with him for three months in a house that he thinks is probably haunted.  There are only four people that will be in this house- Dr. Montague himself, Luke, who is a member of the family who will own the house, Theodora who is selected because she may have extra-sensesory perspection abilities and Eleanor who as a child appeared to bring down a shower of rocks.      We will follow what happens to them from the point of view of Eleanor.  This story is written in the third person omniscient style, but it's way more akin to the free indirect discourse we saw Jane Austen create in Emma.  Laura Miller in the introduction to the book put it this way, readers "experience the novel from within Eleanor's consciousness, and however unreliable we know her to be, we are wedded to her".  And of course the farther into the novel you get, the more you understand how true this statement really is.  Most of the first chapter is really kind of a way to introduce us to Eleanor, and what we find out about her first is that she is 32, she genuinely and for good reason hated her mother until she died and now genuinely hates her sister.  Let's read this part…    Page 3    She's clearly alone and exploited by people who are supposed to be protect her.  This is further developed through the anecdote about her sister and their car.  Apparently they bought a car together but her sister never lets her drive it.  So, when Dr. Montague invites her to come to Hill House, she just takes the car and goes.  And while she's driving to Hill House, she imagines all sorts of things.  She imagines things that could never be real, like the road being an intimate friend or living in a house with a pair of stone lions and people bowing to her on the street because of these lions.  It's gives you kind of this crazy feeling- like how you would feel if you finally had escaped.    Yes, and that crazy feeling is going to intensify as the book progresses.  She's escaped her mother only to land sleeping on a cot in the nursery of a terrible sister.  She's not escaped her sister, but to go where.  At one point on her drive to Hill House she stops to admire a quarter of a mile of Oleanders.  Oleanders are beautiful flowers but they are also poisonous flowers.  She fantasizes about them about a castle with oleanders …then she gets back in her car and drives to a diner where she's going to watch a mother try to coax her daughter into drinking a cup of milk- and let me tell you know- these very same images that she sees on her drive in come back towards the end of the book as we, as readers, feel we are losing our grasp of reality.      But here in chapter 1, when she finally gets to the mansion, the care taker, Mr. Dudley flat out tells her, “You won't like it.  You'll be sorry I ever opened that gate.”    She looks at him and asks him to get away from her car…then she proceeds forward.  At the end of the chapter, we see her looking at this house and this is what she says, “The house was vile.  She shivered and thought, the words coming freely into her mind, Hill House is vile, it is diseases, get away from here at once.”      But of course she doesn't.    No, she doesn't.  That's the thing about haunting houses- they are dangerously tantalizing.  She was invited here by Mr. Montague and for better or for worse, she wants to be here.   I don't know if the Haunting of Hill House is the best example of this, but Jackson was absolutely fascinated with this- Jackson was fascinated with man's obsession with what Poe called the “imp of the perverse.”    Oh yes,  the urge to do something awful to someone and have pleasure in it.  I've seen this in kids, a kid just trips a stranger in the hall just because he can.  Paul Salkovskis, a psychology professor, suggests that it's evolutionary to have these kinds of intrusive thoughts as part of our way of problem solving for future problems.  But this idea that people have impulses to do mean things  or at least things we know we shouldn't and get joy from them.  Jackson was very interested in this idea.  So, are you saying that Dr. Montague is deliberately doing something mean.  Or that Dudley is?  Or Eleanor is?    Not really, in other stories she really demonstrates this much more poignantly, but the reason it comes to mind, besides the fact that I've been told to look for it in her writings, is that we are setting up relationships where we really can't trust each other to be there for each other.  Hill House looks like a place where you are really going to feel alone and exposed and that's where the terror comes from, but we will also see that it's soft and motherly and the people here at the beginning seem kind of exciting- it's seductive.      And I guess it does and has for many readers.  Let me just add one thing I didn't know until we started studying this book.  Horrornovelreviews.com claims that The Haunting of Hill House is the 8th scariest novel of all time.  And Paste magazine puts it into the unsorted top 30.      And so we open the gates to this terrifying place- Hill House- next episode we will look at the house itself, we'll look at the places where biographers think she got her inspiration for the house, we'll meet the other residents, explore the history of the house and begin to experience the ghosts- if that's what they are- as they manifest themselves to us through the eyes of Eleanor.                        

A virtual event presentation by Professor Paul Franks ABOUT THE EVENT: What is the legacy of German Judaism, and what can it still offer us today? German Judaism began with Moses Mendelssohn's controversial German translation of the Humash in 1783, and ended with the Nazi pogrom of November 1938. The best known slogan of the Torah-true wing of German Judaism is “Torah im derekh erets” (“Torah with the way of the land”). But this slogan is often misunderstood as nothing more than an educational philosophy that came in one flavor. In fact, it is an ideal of humanity articulated, in several competing versions, in the context of the quest for Jewish civil rights. The German-Jewish tradition raises vital questions that remain relevant today: What is the mission of Jews within civil society? What makes a Jewish community Jewish? What role should Jews play within the ongoing struggle for social justice and civil rights? ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Paul Franks is the Robert F. and Patricia Ross Weis Professor of Philosophy and Judaic Studies at Yale University. He was educated at Gateshead Yeshiva; Balliol College, Oxford; and Harvard University. Before arriving at Yale in 2011, he was the inaugural holder of the Jerahmiel S. and Carole S. Grafstein Chair in Jewish Philosophy at the University of Toronto. He has also taught at University of Michigan, Indiana University Bloomington, University of Notre Dame, and University of Chicago, and he has given shiurim at synagogues and Jewish community centers throughout Britain, Israel, and North America. Paul works at the intersection of the Jewish and German philosophical traditions, specializing in Kantian and post-Kantian metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophy of the humanities and social sciences. He is the translator and annotator, with Michael L. Morgan, of Franz Rosenzweig, Philosophical and Theological Writings (Hackett, 2000); and he is the author of All or Nothing: Systematicity, Transcendental Arguments, and Skepticism in German Idealism (Harvard, 2005), as well as over fifty academic articles. He is currently writing, with his collaborator Morgan, an ambitious survey that will reveal the dynamic interaction between Jewish philosophy and modern European philosophy from Luria to Levinas, and he is also working on a monograph on Kant's metaphysical and epistemological legacy. -- DONATE: www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/

Brad is in for Doug through Tuesday A passion to make disciples Faith is more than Spiritual The fig leaves of today Creating connections that last Caller Don about the discussion between Brad and Taylor ------------------ Acts 9:19-31 (ESV) Saul Proclaims Jesus in Synagogues For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. Saul Escapes from Damascus 23 When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. Saul in Jerusalem 26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. ------------------ 5 Core Values of SWAT 1. God's Word 2. Prayer 3. Evangelism 4. Discipleship 5. Community ------------------ https://swatradio.com/ SWAT - Spiritual Warriors Advancing Truth Call us Toll-Free at: +1-844-777-7928 Email Us a Question: ask@swatradio.com FIND A SWAT MEETING Woody's Bar-B-Que 226 Solano Rd Ponte Vedra, FL 10611 Wed. 6:30-7:30 am IHOP 3250 Hodges Blvd Jacksonville, FL 32224 Wed. Night 7-8 pm Salem Centre 7235 Bonneval Rd Jacksonville, FL Wed. 12:00-1:00 pm Jumping Jax House of Food 10131 San Jose Blvd #12 Jacksonville, FL Thursday 6:30-7:30 am The Village Inn 900 Ponce De Leon Blvd St. Augustine, FL Friday 9:00-10:30 am Woodmen Valley Chapel - Woodmen Heights Campus 8292 Woodman Valley View Colorado Springs CO 80908 Thursdays 8-9:15 pm

Rabbi Amy Bernstein's weekly Torah study class at Kehillat Israel and via Zoom - Genesis 21:1-22:24 - October 22, 2021

The EU and Germany have recently plotted to divide Jerusalem between the Jews and Palestinians. However, the Bible says it will remain under the control of Israel up until the Battle of Armageddon. We'll talk about this and more as we dedicate today's entire show to answering your questions pertaining to Bible prophecy. Do you have a question or comment? Join us by calling 1.877.363.8463. We are going to discuss the two things you're not supposed to talk about: Politics and Religion!

The Halacha discusses three scenarios in which a Jew and a non-Jew establish a partnership in which the business will be open on Shabbat. The ideal arrangement is one in which they sign a contract before entering the partnership, stipulating that all of the profit earned on Shabbat belong to the non-Jew and the Jew will receive the profit earned on a specific other day.The second scenario is a case in which they did not write a contract and entered the partnership "stam", without stipulations with regard to Shabbat. However, it was tacitly understood that the non-Jew would be the one to work on Shabbat and the Jew would work a different day instead. In such a case, the Rama is lenient and permits splitting even the profit of Shabbat evenly, in the event of severe loss. Maran, however, did not bring this Halacha down, which indicates that he is machmir, and rules that it is forbidden. The third scenario is also a case where they did not make a contract before establishing the partnership. However, the non-Jew works every day of the week and the Jew only takes off on Shabbat. In such a case the Rama, based on the Ran, is lenient in the event of severe loss. The rationale is that the non-Jew is working on Shabbat on his own initiative. He is not considered the agent of the Jew to work on Shabbat, because he is not requesting a different vacation day in exchange. However, Maran did not bring this case down, which indicates that he prohibits splitting the profit.SUMMARYIf a Jew and non-Jew established a partnership to run a business on Shabbat without a contract, Sepharadim are prohibited to split the profit and Ashkenazim are permitted in the event of severe loss in a case in which:a. The non-Jew works on Shabbat in exchange for the Jew working a different dayb. The non-Jew works all the days of the week

Old Testament: Jeremiah 4–5 Jeremiah 4–5 (Listen) 4   “If you return, O Israel,      declares the LORD,    to me you should return.  If you remove your detestable things from my presence,    and do not waver,2   and if you swear, ‘As the LORD lives,'    in truth, in justice, and in righteousness,  then nations shall bless themselves in him,    and in him shall they glory.” 3 For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem:   “Break up your fallow ground,    and sow not among thorns.4   Circumcise yourselves to the LORD;    remove the foreskin of your hearts,    O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem;  lest my wrath go forth like fire,    and burn with none to quench it,    because of the evil of your deeds.” Disaster from the North 5 Declare in Judah, and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say,   “Blow the trumpet through the land;    cry aloud and say,  ‘Assemble, and let us go    into the fortified cities!'6   Raise a standard toward Zion,    flee for safety, stay not,  for I bring disaster from the north,    and great destruction.7   A lion has gone up from his thicket,    a destroyer of nations has set out;    he has gone out from his place  to make your land a waste;    your cities will be ruins    without inhabitant.8   For this put on sackcloth,    lament and wail,  for the fierce anger of the LORD    has not turned back from us.” 9 “In that day, declares the LORD, courage shall fail both king and officials. The priests shall be appalled and the prophets astounded.” 10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, surely you have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘It shall be well with you,' whereas the sword has reached their very life.” 11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind from the bare heights in the desert toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse, 12 a wind too full for this comes for me. Now it is I who speak in judgment upon them.” 13   Behold, he comes up like clouds;    his chariots like the whirlwind;  his horses are swifter than eagles—    woe to us, for we are ruined!14   O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil,    that you may be saved.  How long shall your wicked thoughts    lodge within you?15   For a voice declares from Dan    and proclaims trouble from Mount Ephraim.16   Warn the nations that he is coming;    announce to Jerusalem,  “Besiegers come from a distant land;    they shout against the cities of Judah.17   Like keepers of a field are they against her all around,    because she has rebelled against me,      declares the LORD.18   Your ways and your deeds    have brought this upon you.  This is your doom, and it is bitter;    it has reached your very heart.” Anguish over Judah's Desolation 19   My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain!    Oh the walls of my heart!  My heart is beating wildly;    I cannot keep silent,  for I hear the sound of the trumpet,    the alarm of war.20   Crash follows hard on crash;    the whole land is laid waste.  Suddenly my tents are laid waste,    my curtains in a moment.21   How long must I see the standard    and hear the sound of the trumpet? 22   “For my people are foolish;    they know me not;  they are stupid children;    they have no understanding.  They are ‘wise'—in doing evil!    But how to do good they know not.” 23   I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void;    and to the heavens, and they had no light.24   I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking,    and all the hills moved to and fro.25   I looked, and behold, there was no man,    and all the birds of the air had fled.26   I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert,    and all its cities were laid in ruins    before the LORD, before his fierce anger. 27 For thus says the LORD, “The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end. 28   “For this the earth shall mourn,    and the heavens above be dark;  for I have spoken; I have purposed;    I have not relented, nor will I turn back.” 29   At the noise of horseman and archer    every city takes to flight;  they enter thickets; they climb among rocks;    all the cities are forsaken,    and no man dwells in them.30   And you, O desolate one,  what do you mean that you dress in scarlet,    that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold,    that you enlarge your eyes with paint?  In vain you beautify yourself.    Your lovers despise you;    they seek your life.31   For I heard a cry as of a woman in labor,    anguish as of one giving birth to her first child,  the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath,    stretching out her hands,  “Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers.” Jerusalem Refused to Repent 5   Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem,    look and take note!  Search her squares to see    if you can find a man,  one who does justice    and seeks truth,  that I may pardon her.2   Though they say, “As the LORD lives,”    yet they swear falsely.3   O LORD, do not your eyes look for truth?  You have struck them down,    but they felt no anguish;  you have consumed them,    but they refused to take correction.  They have made their faces harder than rock;    they have refused to repent. 4   Then I said, “These are only the poor;    they have no sense;  for they do not know the way of the LORD,    the justice of their God.5   I will go to the great    and will speak to them,  for they know the way of the LORD,    the justice of their God.”  But they all alike had broken the yoke;    they had burst the bonds. 6   Therefore a lion from the forest shall strike them down;    a wolf from the desert shall devastate them.  A leopard is watching their cities;    everyone who goes out of them shall be torn in pieces,  because their transgressions are many,    their apostasies are great. 7   “How can I pardon you?    Your children have forsaken me    and have sworn by those who are no gods.  When I fed them to the full,    they committed adultery    and trooped to the houses of whores.8   They were well-fed, lusty stallions,    each neighing for his neighbor's wife.9   Shall I not punish them for these things?      declares the LORD;    and shall I not avenge myself    on a nation such as this? 10   “Go up through her vine rows and destroy,    but make not a full end;  strip away her branches,    for they are not the LORD's.11   For the house of Israel and the house of Judah    have been utterly treacherous to me,      declares the LORD.12   They have spoken falsely of the LORD    and have said, ‘He will do nothing;  no disaster will come upon us,    nor shall we see sword or famine.13   The prophets will become wind;    the word is not in them.  Thus shall it be done to them!'” The Lord Proclaims Judgment 14   Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts:  “Because you have spoken this word,  behold, I am making my words in your mouth a fire,    and this people wood, and the fire shall consume them.15   Behold, I am bringing against you    a nation from afar, O house of Israel,      declares the LORD.  It is an enduring nation;    it is an ancient nation,  a nation whose language you do not know,    nor can you understand what they say.16   Their quiver is like an open tomb;    they are all mighty warriors.17   They shall eat up your harvest and your food;    they shall eat up your sons and your daughters;  they shall eat up your flocks and your herds;    they shall eat up your vines and your fig trees;  your fortified cities in which you trust    they shall beat down with the sword.” 18 “But even in those days, declares the LORD, I will not make a full end of you. 19 And when your people say, ‘Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?' you shall say to them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve foreigners in a land that is not yours.'” 20   Declare this in the house of Jacob;    proclaim it in Judah:21   “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people,    who have eyes, but see not,    who have ears, but hear not.22   Do you not fear me? declares the LORD.    Do you not tremble before me?  I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea,    a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass;  though the waves toss, they cannot prevail;    though they roar, they cannot pass over it.23   But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart;    they have turned aside and gone away.24   They do not say in their hearts,    ‘Let us fear the LORD our God,  who gives the rain in its season,    the autumn rain and the spring rain,  and keeps for us    the weeks appointed for the harvest.'25   Your iniquities have turned these away,    and your sins have kept good from you.26   For wicked men are found among my people;    they lurk like fowlers lying in wait.1  They set a trap;    they catch men.27   Like a cage full of birds,    their houses are full of deceit;  therefore they have become great and rich;28     they have grown fat and sleek.  They know no bounds in deeds of evil;    they judge not with justice  the cause of the fatherless, to make it prosper,    and they do not defend the rights of the needy.29   Shall I not punish them for these things?      declares the LORD,    and shall I not avenge myself    on a nation such as this?” 30   An appalling and horrible thing    has happened in the land:31   the prophets prophesy falsely,    and the priests rule at their direction;  my people love to have it so,    but what will you do when the end comes? Footnotes [1] 5:26 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 105:1–25 Psalm 105:1–25 (Listen) Tell of All His Wondrous Works 105   Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;    make known his deeds among the peoples!2   Sing to him, sing praises to him;    tell of all his wondrous works!3   Glory in his holy name;    let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!4   Seek the LORD and his strength;    seek his presence continually!5   Remember the wondrous works that he has done,    his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,6   O offspring of Abraham, his servant,    children of Jacob, his chosen ones! 7   He is the LORD our God;    his judgments are in all the earth.8   He remembers his covenant forever,    the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,9   the covenant that he made with Abraham,    his sworn promise to Isaac,10   which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,    to Israel as an everlasting covenant,11   saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan    as your portion for an inheritance.” 12   When they were few in number,    of little account, and sojourners in it,13   wandering from nation to nation,    from one kingdom to another people,14   he allowed no one to oppress them;    he rebuked kings on their account,15   saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,    do my prophets no harm!” 16   When he summoned a famine on the land    and broke all supply1 of bread,17   he had sent a man ahead of them,    Joseph, who was sold as a slave.18   His feet were hurt with fetters;    his neck was put in a collar of iron;19   until what he had said came to pass,    the word of the LORD tested him.20   The king

Mark 15–16 Mark 15–16 (Listen) Jesus Delivered to Pilate 15 And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” 5 But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified 6 Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7 And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. 9 And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. 12 And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged1 Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Jesus Is Mocked 16 And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters),2 and they called together the whole battalion.3 17 And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. 18 And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him. The Crucifixion 21 And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. 22 And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). 23 And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25 And it was the third hour4 when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.5 29 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him. The Death of Jesus 33 And when the sixth hour6 had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.7 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he8 breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son9 of God!” 40 There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem. Jesus Is Buried 42 And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died.10 And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. 45 And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. 46 And Joseph11 bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid. The Resurrection 16 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” 8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. [Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9–20.]12 Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene 9 [[Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. Jesus Appears to Two Disciples 12 After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. The Great Commission 14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.]] Footnotes [1] 15:15 A Roman judicial penalty, consisting of a severe beating with a multi-lashed whip containing embedded pieces of bone and metal [2] 15:16 Greek the praetorium [3] 15:16 Greek cohort; a tenth of a Roman legion, usually about 600 men [4] 15:25 That is, 9 a.m. [5] 15:27 Some manuscripts insert verse 28: And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “He was numbered with the transgressors” [6] 15:33 That is, noon [7] 15:33 That is, 3 p.m. [8] 15:39 Some manuscripts insert cried out and [9] 15:39 Or a son [10] 15:44 Or Pilate wondered whether he had already died [11] 15:46 Greek he [12] 16:9 Some manuscripts end the book with 16:8; others include verses 9–20 immediately after verse 8. At least one manuscript inserts additional material after verse 14; some manuscripts include after verse 8 the following: But they reported briefly to Peter and those with him all that they had been told. And after this, Jesus himself sent out by means of them, from east to west, the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation. These manuscripts then continue with verses 9–20 (ESV)

Ezra is an important book to understanding the history, context and place of Israel, God's chosen people, in the Bible. The Lord stirred Cyrus King of Persia's heart to release the Jews from Babylon, just as Isaiah had prophesied over a hundred years before. This is the story of those Exiles from Babylon returning, the difficulties they faced and how the Lord led them, corrected them and nurtured them through triumphs and hardship.  I encourage you to read through Ezra once a week for ten weeks to get the most out of this study. -----------LINKS---------- Support 10WB on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/10weekbible The 10 Week Bible - http://www.10WeekBible.com Twitter: @DarrenHibbs - https://twitter.com/DarrenHibbs Sign up for my newsletter - http://www.darrenhibbs.com Get a copy of the 10 Week Bible Study today - https://www.amazon.com/Darren-Hibbs/e/B00B4I47CE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl2&tag=darrenhcom0a-20&linkId=401f3d79974c70929517936977e32df9 My other YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChUU0XHSHuhSyN8qk-7efYg

Dara gets us in the Halloween spirit with a reading of “The Dead Town” by Yiddish writer I.L. Peretz. (Translated by Helen Frank and Hillel Halkin, abridged and adapted by Dara Horn.)

Paul administers a paternity test. Well, you say that Abraham is your father - and I know you believe that - but let's just find out for sure, shall we? In Romans, Paul makes the same argument that Jesus had made: that it's your nature, not your DNA, that tells us where you came from, and who you belong to. And the Apostle shows us how to read the test results; how to tell the true sons, from the false. Here's Jim with the finale of his sermon, Jews Who Are Not Israelites. And again we're in Romans 9. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS10222021_0.mp3Scripture References: Romans 9:3-8

Friday, 22 October 2021   When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. Acts 2:1    With the selection of Matthias noted at the end of Chapter 1, the account immediately turns to the fulfillment of the Feast of the Lord recorded in Leviticus 23:15-22. This is directly referenced by Luke, saying, “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come.”   The word translated as “fully come” signifies “to be completed.” The name Pentecost means “fiftieth.” It is the fiftieth day of a particular cycle that was celebrated every year during the time of the law. It is a typological anticipation of an event that occurs at a set time after the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord. Of this time, Vincent's Word Studies rightly states –   “The day, according to the Hebrew mode, is conceived as a measure to be filled up. So long as the day had not yet arrived, the measure was not full. The words denote in process of fulfilment.”   Arriving at this fiftieth day, one comes to the pilgrim feast known as Shavuoth in Hebrew and Pentecost in Greek. Each of the Leviticus 23 Feasts of the Lord anticipates the work of Jesus Christ during His first advent or the state/conduct of the believer's lives because of His completed work.   The word “feast” is, unfortunately, often used to translate two different Hebrew words. The first is moed, meaning and appointed time. The second is khagag, signifying a pilgrimage/pilgrim feast. There are eight of the “appointed times” listed in Leviticus 23, three of those are “pilgrim feasts.” Pentecost is the fifth of the recorded “appointed times,” and it is the second “pilgrim feast.”   The difference is important to understand because the “appointed times” point to something directly accomplished by the Lord in the redemptive process. The “pilgrim feasts” point to the life of believers in Christ as a result of the work of the Lord. The important point of these appointed times is that they all pertain to every believer in Christ – Jew and Gentile alike.   Because of what happens at Pentecost in Acts 2 is seemingly directed only to the Jews, the heretics who hold to hyperdispensationalism claim that what occurred only applies to them. This is incorrect. What occurred at Pentecost in the year of Christ's completed work happened to the Jew first, but it pertains to any person in Christ since then, even to this day. This is true with all of the appointed times seen in Leviticus 23.   The instruction for celebrating Shavuoth/Pentecost states –   “And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. 16 Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord. 17 You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to the Lord. 18 And you shall offer with the bread seven lambs of the first year, without blemish, one young bull, and two rams. They shall be as a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma to the Lord. 19 Then you shall sacrifice one kid of the goats as a sin offering, and two male lambs of the first year as a sacrifice of a peace offering. 20 The priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest. 21 And you shall proclaim on the same day that it is a holy convocation to you. You shall do no customary work on it. It shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. 22 ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 23:15-22   To understand what is being pictured and how it points to both the completed work of the Lord and believer's lives in Christ, the Feast of the Lord series from Leviticus 23 – as presented by the Superior Word – can be read or viewed online.   Though the New Covenant was established in Christ's blood almost two months prior to Pentecost, the true beginning of the church occurred at this time. That it pertains to both Jew and Gentile is typologically seen in the two loaves of bread baked with leaven that are presented to the Lord. That it encompasses the entire time of the church age, and even contains provision for those of the tribulation period is seen in not reaping the corners of the field.   The reason the account records only Jews at this time is because this was an annual pilgrim feast of the Jews. Of these pilgrim feasts, it is recorded –   “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.” Deuteronomy 16:16, 17 That the males are specifically noted does not mean women were not included. Elsewhere, it notes that all in the household were to attend. This means wives, children, and so on. The typology was given to Israel; the fulfillment of the typology pertains to all believers. To deny this fundamental truth of the “appointed times” is to deny that the process of salvation as accomplished by Jesus Christ pertains to all people – Jew and Gentile, male and female, slave and free.   For the time being, it is noted that the believers are together at Pentecost (Hebrew: Shavuoth) and “they were all with one accord in one place.” The believers were all together in Jerusalem as required by the law of the feast. This would have been at the temple area, in the presence of the Lord. This is stated in Deuteronomy 16:16 (above). It is at this place, amid all of the people of Israel, that the events to be described will take place.   Life application: As noted, there are eight “appointed times” of the Lord recorded in Leviticus 23. Three of them are “pilgrim feasts.” A very brief description of these is listed here –   1) Shabbath (Sabbath). This is fulfilled by the Lord as is recorded in Hebrews 4:3 (and elsewhere) saying, “For we who have believed do enter that rest.” 2) Pesach (Passover). 1 Corinthians 5:7, “Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” 3) Matsoth (Unleavened Bread; a pilgrim feast). 1 Corinthians 5:8, “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” 4) Bikurim (Firstfruits).1 Corinthians 15:20, “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” 5) Shavuoth (Pentecost/the Feast of Weeks; a pilgrim feast). Ephesians 1:13 (and elsewhere) “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” Weeks, or Pentecost, is shown to be fulfilled in Romans 16:5 and 1 Corinthians 16:15 –   “Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ.”   “I urge you, brethren—you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia...”   The presentation of the two loaves is what those verses are speaking of – one a Jew, one a Gentile, and thus one gospel message.   6) Yom Teruah (The Day of Acclamation). 1 Corinthians 15:47, “The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.”   7) Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) Romans 3:24, 25, “...being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood.”    8) Sukkoth (Tabernacles; a pilgrim feast). 2 Corinthians 5:7, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”   All eight appointed times of the Lord are fulfilled by the Lord Jesus and/or are being lived out by His people because of His accomplished work. Each pertains to both Jew and Gentile that is based on the one and only gospel. Note: They are not “Jewish” feasts, nor are they “Feasts of Israel.” They are Feasts of the Lord. They pertain to the one, and only one Church which is the Body of Christ – Jew and Gentile. One gospel.   In understanding the typology from the Old Testament, many heresies found in the church today can be avoided. Seventh Day Adventism (mandatory Sabbath observance); Hebrew Roots Movement (observance of the feasts of the Lord, dietary restrictions, and so on are mandatory); hyperdispensationalism (there are two gospels – one to the Jew and one to the Gentile); and so on. Each of these heresies comes about based on a failure to understand the typology from the Old Testament, its fulfillment in the New, and/or the scope of the fulfillment among the people who have come to Christ.   Another heresy which is constantly put forth within the church is that only the “Spring” feasts have been fulfilled and the “Fall” feasts picture something coming at the end of the church age. This is heresy because if these feasts are not fulfilled, then Christ did not fulfill the law (because these are a part of the Law of Moses). If He did not fulfill the law, then He is not the Messiah.   By understanding the typology and the scope of what occurs, the heresies stated here (and others as well) are clearly identified. Beware of these false teachings and those who espouse them. They will be held accountable for their failure to give God the glory through what Jesus Christ has accomplished for His people. There is one gospel based on the completed work of Jesus Christ our Lord. Hallelujah for JESUS!   Lord God, thank You for the surety we possess because of Christ's fulfillment of the types and shadows of the Old Covenant which only pointed to His more perfect work. Thank You that we can participate in what those things only anticipated. Thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.      

Let's not make it difficult. That's what James said, Let's not make it difficult for these people to walk with God. And yet religion wants to put things in the way and make things difficult. And yet, Paul, the apostles are convinced that there is nothing that stands in the way of you experiencing the love of God, and walking with Him. Religion wants to stand in the way, there's so much in this world that will get in the way. But what does it mean to be in? Who is in who's out? Does it require some kind of human effort or even a human procedure like circumcision? That was the question that was being asked. On the face of it, it seems like such a human and pedestrian question. Yet, if we aren't careful, things will quickly get complicated. God gave up his life for us, through His Son, he died on the cross for us, he defeated death and sin for us. And that life that he now gives, is free to everyone. Everyone is included in it. He's given it to all people, Jews and Gentiles, men and women, boys and girls. Acts 15:9 says, how simple it really is. He made no distinction between us and them. For He cleansed their hearts through faith. We believe that we are all saved the same way by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus. If we aren't careful. We'll make this life of simple faith, a complicated, heavy walk of works. We're all tempted here. But the truth is, even the things that we insist on to save us will fail us. Peter said so why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers, with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? Why do we burden our hearts and the hearts of others with things that we cannot carry? And yet that's what the human heart wants to do. Jesus asks us to put it all down, we are offered something so much more simple. grace through faith. Nothing stands in the way of you, fully experiencing the love of God. Come to God, simply by faith, trusting in the grace offered to you. It's so simple. It's not complicated. And it's yours. There's a letter sent to you today, coming all the way from Jerusalem, verified by a couple of witnesses. And the letter wants you to know the very simple, profound truth that you don't need to make it complicated. Put away all those things that you're wanting to add, and instead receive today. Here's the gift of love. Live in the simplicity of faith in Christ alone. He is enough. And that's a prayer that I have for my own soul. That's a prayer that I have for my family for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so

Have you ever wondered why we celebrate the Sabbath on Sunday? Have you asked yourself, what does Jesus mean when he says, “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them." (Mt 5:17) And why does this new covenant change the Sabbath? "...This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood." (Lk. 22:20) Today, Fr. Mike delves into the scriptural roots of the Sabbath and why we as Catholics celebrate it on Sunday and not Saturday as the Jewish people still do today.

Ezra is an important book to understanding the history, context and place of Israel, God's chosen people, in the Bible. The Lord stirred Cyrus King of Persia's heart to release the Jews from Babylon, just as Isaiah had prophesied over a hundred years before. This is the story of those Exiles from Babylon returning, the difficulties they faced and how the Lord led them, corrected them and nurtured them through triumphs and hardship.  I encourage you to read through Ezra once a week for ten weeks to get the most out of this study. -----------LINKS---------- Support 10WB on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/10weekbible The 10 Week Bible - http://www.10WeekBible.com Twitter: @DarrenHibbs - https://twitter.com/DarrenHibbs Sign up for my newsletter - http://www.darrenhibbs.com Get a copy of the 10 Week Bible Study today - https://www.amazon.com/Darren-Hibbs/e/B00B4I47CE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl2&tag=darrenhcom0a-20&linkId=401f3d79974c70929517936977e32df9 My other YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChUU0XHSHuhSyN8qk-7efYg

Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley continue in the book of Romans and discuss Romans 4:9-25.Questions Covered in This Episode:What role did circumcision play among Jews and Gentiles?Why would it matter when Abraham's faith was counted to him as righteousness?What were the signs and symbols of salvation in the OT?Not merely circumcised, but walk in the “footsteps of the faith…?”Abraham was counted righteous before circumcision, why is that significant?“Where there is no law there is no transgression,” what does that mean (V. 14)?Is Romans 4:20 a lie?“Raised for our justification” is an interesting phrase (V. 25)?Helpful Definitions:Hilastérion (ἱλαστήριον): Greek word for propitiation.Session: What Jesus is currently doing.Resources Mentioned in This Episode:Romans 4:9-25, Genesis 11-25, Romans 3:24-25, Hebrews 10:11-14Knowing Faith Romans EpisodesKnowing Faith Episode #117 – The Righteous Shall Live By FaithKnowing Faith Genesis Episodes“Ten Words to Live” by Jen Wilkin“Resurrection and Redemption” by Richard GaffinAmazon affiliate links are used where appropriate. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, thank you for supporting Knowing Faith.Sponsors:Reserve your spot now to attend Boyce College Preview Day on October 21-22. Use the promo code KNOWINGFAITH, and Boyce will waive the $25 fee for lodging and meals.To learn more about our sponsors please visit our website.Follow Us:Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteSupport Knowing Faith and Become a Patron:patreon.com/knowingfaith

This week on Unorthodox, former guest Gavriel Savit joins us for a spooktacular Halloween episode. We talk about the Jewishness of Dune, William Shatner's mission to the moon, why some religious Jews don't celebrate Halloween, and more. Our Jewish guest is actor, author, and substance abuse counselor Stacey Nelkin, who starred in the 1982 film Halloween III: Season of the Witch. She joins us to reminisce about the critically panned cult classic. Our Gentile of the week is Carrie Harris, a fiction writer whose work features monsters, mayhem, and murder. She tells us why horror writing flourishes in uncertain times, and reads a passage from her new young adult book, Elder God Dance Squad, which she describes as ‘Stranger Things meets Bring It On.' Dara Horn, author of the new book People Love Dead Jews, and host of the podcast “Adventures with Dead Jews,” gets us in the holiday spirit with a reading of “The Dead Town” by Yiddish writer I.L. Peretz. (Translated by Helen Frank and Hillel Halkin, abridged and adapted by Dara Horn.) Listen to Liel on a special crossover episode of “People of the Pod,” discussing “How the Jews Went Right in Britain.” It's the first installment of “21st Century Europe and the Jews,” a four-part collaboration between Tablet and American Jewish Committee. Listen to the episode here, and learn more about the series here. It's that time of the year! Please support Unorthodox and the other Tablet shows you know and love by visiting bit.ly/givetounorthodox. Send comments and questions to unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet's podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Rothy's shoes are stylish and sustainable, and now they're available for men too! Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/UNORTHODOX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Living in grace, in a grace resistant world, the beautiful message of Barnabas and Paul is God's grace through Christ. All people, Jew and Gentile alike, have been invited, included into the triune  life of God. This grace, in real life doesn't come through obedience to the law, personal piety, virtue, it simply comes through Christ. what he has done.  God's Messiah has offered himself on the cross as an answer to the problem of sin and death. And then he gives us His Spirit, that we might have his power to live this life now. The Holy Spirit living in you, this powerful message of grace, has real power to transform your life, my life, the life of every human being.  As powerful good and gracious as this message is it meets resistance, because  other powers and other messages that govern human life. But these are radically overturned by the message of Christ. In our own human sovereignty, if you will, we end up colluding with the world's lesser powers to survive in this broken world. But we survive as slaves when we do.    Once we are truly set free by the powerful message of grace and life in Christ, our inclusion into the life of Christ, we're set free, our eyes are opened to who he is, and who we are in him. and we are given power to live this life now in him. But make no mistake about it. This grace will be met with resistance. Acts 14:22 says, They encourage them to continue in faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. This is a grace resistant world, but it's only grace, the grace of Christ His life, that will change it. It's only grace that will transform you and me. It's only him. Are you meeting resistance. Don't be surprised. Draw courage from the fact that Grace has met you has found you has included you. He's offered his life for you. So rejoice now. Rejoice in the powerful message of Christ. Let the powerful message of God's grace meet and comfort you and confront all the resistant parts in your life. So that he can transform you through and through by his love. And that's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's a prayer that I have for my family for my wife, my daughter's my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. up so