Jephthah is a Biblical character that is often trotted out as the epitome of the tragic hero. A man who gives his all, including those he loves, for the success that he so desperately craves. The tragedy of Jephthah is
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S3 E48 – The Hero’s Tragedy – Judges 11
S3 E47 – The Broken Pattern – Judges 10
Throughout the book of Judges we have seen a pattern that was spoken of clearly in chapter 2, and which has been repeated throughout the book. Well, this chapter we see the pattern begin again, but when we examine it
Read moreS3 E46 – The Hero’s Downfall – Judges 9
The story of Gideon is over, but for the first time in the course of Judges, we are told a story that does not include a single Judge. Instead, we are treated to a narrative that covers the lives of
Read moreS3 E45 – The Hero’s Homecoming – Judges 8
The initial battle for Israel is over, but there is more fighting to be done. Just like the heroes of legend and popular media, Gideon is on a journey, and as the war wraps up, he takes those final steps
Read moreS3 E44 – The Hero’s Weakness – Judges 7
The story of Gideon is one of the more famous stories in the book of Judges. It is the story of a commander who is forced by God, to whittle down his own forces before facing an enemy of massive
Read moreS3 E43 – Courage and Doubt – Judges 6
The next judge in the book of Judges is Gideon. A mighty man of valor who will fight the enemy before him with only a small band of unarmed combatants. A man who is called by many a coward when
Read moreS3 E42 – The Story of the Song – Judges 5
Judges 5 is a unique chapter in the book of Judges. While every other chapter is narrative and tells of the exploits of one judge or another, chapter 5 is a song that was sung by Barak and Deborah in
Read moreS3 E41 – Who’s the Judge? – Judges 4
In chapter 4 we are introduced to a new judge for Israel. And the identity of this judge is quite controversial. The common assertion that is made is that it is Deborah who is the judge of chapters 4 and
Read moreS3 E40 – Imperfect Saviors – Judges 3
There are 12 Judges spoken of in the book of Judges but we only read stories of 6 of them. And when we stop and examine the sort of men that we are told of in these longer narratives, we
Read moreS3 E39 – The Cycle of Sin – Judges 2
There is in the stories of Judges a cycle that repeats over and over and over again. It is a seven step cycle that starts and ends with Israel in a state of sin and seeking salvation. And this cycle
Read moreS3 E38 – The State of Sin – Judges 1
The book of Judges is a difficult read for many Christians. This book is violent and disturbing and often confusing. It is the most R rated book in the Bible and few of the stories contained in this book end
Read moreS3 E37 – The Unifying Universal – 1 Corinthians 16
Throughout the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul has been imploring the church at Corinth to seek unity over division in their dealings with each other. And each chapter of this book has been leveraged towards attempting to address areas of
Read moreS3 E36 – The Unifying Gospel – 1 Corinthians 15
If there is one place in scripture where a person can turn to read the contents of the good news of the Gospel, that is 1 Corinthians 15. But when people approach this chapter, they often stop after verse 9.
Read moreS3 E33 – A Gifted Body – 1 Corinthians 12
In chapter 10 of 1 Corinthians Paul introduced a metaphor for the church that is aptly descriptive and yet goes much deeper than most realize. Yeshua while on this earth walked in a body. When His body left the earth
Read moreS3 E32 – A Singular Solution – 1 Corinthians 11
For the past 3 chapters of 1 Corinthians, Paul has been addressing concerns that were raised in a letter that he received from them. In these chapters he has offered great insight into the role that the Christian should play
Read moreS3 E31 – Their Example – 1 Corinthians 10
The idea of sacrifice is all throughout scripture. From the very beginning when Cain and Abel offer the first recorded sacrifices, to the NT where sacrifice is something that becomes more personal. In the city of Corinth sacrifice was a
Read moreS3 E30 – The Limits of Liberty – 1 Corinthians 9
Paul has made the case in the previous chapters that there comes a point where a Christian should limit their actions when it comes to causing others to stumble. But in this chapter, Paul brings this topic home as he
Read moreS3 E29 – Knowledge that Destroys – 1 Corinthians 8
For many, the desire to be right is central to their belief. After all, truth is of vital importance and so defending what we see as true is a just cause. But there is a danger to the focused defense
Read moreS3 E28 – Zealous to be Right – 1 Corinthians 7
When coming to Christ is is all too easy to become zealous. Zealous for God, for His kingdom, and for truth. But all too often this zealousness confuses being right with righteousness. And this can be a problem, because when
Read moreS3 E23 – The Dividing Line – 1 Corinthians 2
The church of Corinth was divided and in disarray. Factions were forming and standing in opposition to each other. It is into this fray that Paul sends this letter to the Corinthian church. In the first few chapters, Paul makes
Read moreS3 E21 – A Final Warning – Joshua 23-24
As the book of Joshua closes, Joshua gathers the leaders of the people of Israel to Shechem for the last time before his death. While there, Joshua closes the book in the same way that it opened. He encourages Israel
Read moreS3 E20 – Dangerous Zeal – Joshua 22
As the war for Canaan draws to a close, the two and a half tribes that had chosen to settle beyond the Jordan River are released from their vow and are sent home. And all is at peace in the
Read moreS3 E19 – When Gifts Collide – Joshua 20-21
In these two chapters of Joshua we read of the cities that were given to the Levites as their inheritance in the land of Canaan. As we read through this list there is one city that stands out among the
Read moreS3 E18 – Fulfillment of Prophecy – Joshua 19
Prophecy is a very misunderstood spiritual gift. But using this chapter and its descriptions of the tribal allotments for the remaining tribes, and then looking at the prophecies spoken over the tribes by both Jacob in Genesis 49 and Moses
Read moreS3 E17 – Our Inheritance – Joshua 18
The next two chapters of the book of Joshua are among the most dry chapters in the Bible. There is not a lot that occurs in these chapters as they are simply an accounting of the tribal allotments for the
Read moreS3 E16 – To Whom Much is Given – Joshua 16 – 17
After the tribe of Judah has been given their inheritance the next in line are the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. The sons of Joseph who were adopted by Jacob. When these tribes are given their allotments thought there is
Read moreS3 E15 – Seeking More – Joshua 15
As we begin to read the chapters of Joshua that deal with the dividing of the land to the various tribes, it is easy to simply check out and seek to move on to more exciting texts. But if we
Read moreS3 E14 – The Faith to Claim Mountains – Joshua 14
In Numbers 13 and 14 we read of the faith of Joshua and Caleb when they reported on their scouting trip to Canaan. Despite their faith, Israel reacted in fear to the report of the spies and that generation was
Read moreS3 E13 – Settling for Less – Joshua 13
With the fighting over and Israel now firmly ensconced in the land of Canaan, we are introduced to a problem. Not all of the enemy was driven out of the land. And not all of the land was settled. This
Read moreS3 E12 – The Ultimate Conquest – Joshua 12
This short pivotal chapter that takes up the prime real estate of the middle of the book is perhaps one of the most boring of the book. This chapter features simply a list of names of the kings that Israel
Read moreS3 E11 – Justice and Love – Joshua 11
The book of Joshua is often derided as presenting a God who is unloving and vengeful. These remarks often come from people who want a God who is all love. One who would never judge them or anyone else for
Read moreS3 E10: Into the Fray – Joshua 10
Joshua is often considered a book of conquest, and yet when you read Joshua you discover that only two chapters of the book contain any sort of prolonged warfare, and the first of these is chapter 10. Now, it is
Read moreS3 E09: Unequally Yoked – Joshua 8:30-9:27
The idea of covenant is central recurring themes of Scripture. From the covenants with Noah, Abraham, and David, to the Old and New Covenants with Israel, covenants are found throughout. Every time that we find a covenant it is binding
Read moreS3 E08: Tactics and Strategies – Joshua 8:1-29
After the crushing defeat at Ai, and the removal of the offense from the camp of Israel, the army is now ready to attack this small fortress once a second time. But this time, rather than making the decision on
Read moreS3 E07: A Recipe for Defeat – Joshua 7
Just after the victory at Jericho, Israel presses on to their next target. A small fortress town called simply Ai. After what had happened in the first victory, this small town should pose no real threat. And yet, in their
Read moreS3 E06: The Battle of Matza – Joshua 6
The battle for Jericho is one of the more memorable stories in the Bible. The armies of God march around a city and in the end the wall fall down and Israel is able to defeat the first city of
Read moreS3 E05: Doing what was Left Undone – Joshua 5
The first thing that Israel does after crossing the Jordan is to engage in a practice that would leave them in physical pain and vulnerable to attack. This cutting of the flesh is then followed up by a memorial festival
Read moreS3 E04: A Miracle Memorial – Joshua 4
While Israel is still crossing the Jordan, God asks Joshua to build something. A memorial to the event that is currently happening in the narrative. Just one of many memorials that we find being commanded in the Bible. Why is
Read moreS3 E03: Drawing Closer – Joshua 3
The time has come for Israel to cross the Jordan river into the land of Canaan. Normally this would not be a great undertaking, until you consider the size of the Israeli army, and that it was flood season for
Read moreS3 E02: A Tale of Twos – Joshua 2
Before the conquest begins, Joshua sends two spies into Jericho. While in the city, these spies encounter a woman who engaged in an inherently sinful profession. And in this woman we find a microcosm of the larger story at play
Read moreS3 E01: A Call to Faith– Joshua 1
The book of Joshua is often seen as a book of history in the modern world. Simply a recounting of historical facts with little theological implications to be drawn from it. But in the Jewish tradition, Joshua is a book
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