Simple Gifts
Simple Gifts is the gift of time and freedom. It is the simple presentation of the written word spoken without commentary. Join us in ruminating on great stories, poems, history, philosophy, theology, art and science. Amidst chaos, find the “valley of love and delight,” a true simplicity, where “to bow and to bend we will not be ashamed,” where we can ponder the greatest words ever written, turning them over and over, “till by turning, turning, we come round right.” If you enjoy our content, consider donating through PayPal via https://ko-fi.com/thechristianatheist
Listen on:
Episodes
14 hours ago
14 hours ago
We continue our project of reading ALL of God's word for our listeners.
The book of Daniel is a favorite because of its amazing stories and prophetic visions, but it is also rich in detail and historical context.
It opens circa 605 BC, timestamped as "the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah."
Jehoiakim, born as Eliakim, was the second-born son of the great reformer Josiah, who died in a rash attempt to prevent Pharoah Neco from passing through his kingdom to attack the Assyrians. The people of Judah (apparently) bypassed Jehoiakim for his younger brother, Jehoahaz (Jehovah his sustainer), who reigned only three months, and then Pharaoh Neco took Jehoahaz captive to Egypt and placed Josiah's older brother, Eliakim (God will establish), on the throne, but renaming him Jehoiakim (Jehovah will establish). Jehoiakim would reign for eleven years.
Confused?
It only gets worse. But ... it is extremely important to "get" the historical details here if you want to understand the Bible as the historical book it claims to be. Life in this vale of tears is not neat, but it does follow interesting patterns at all levels of resolution. Two more kings of Judah will follow, Jehoiachin (son of Jehoiakim) and Zedekiah (born Mattaniah, the youngest son of Josiah, renamed by Nebuchadnezzar).
Length of reigns?
3 months (Jehoiachin) and 11 years (Zedekiah).
See the pattern?
What does it mean?
If you have ideas, please let us know! Jenny and I have learned that there are no mistakes or haphazard elements in God's word.
Another interesting element of the timestamp is that the third year of Jehoiakim is the first year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign over Bablyon. He was apparently attacking Egypt when his father, Nabopolassar, died. He probably stopped - on his way back to Babylon to be crowned king - to ravage Jerusalem and take Daniel and the other members of the royal family and nobility of Judah captive to Babylon.
This means that Daniel and his friends were only in the second year of their three year course of studies to be "wise men" of the Chaldeans when they interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter two! When we recognize this, these verses in chapter one takes on new meaning and significance:
As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. Daniel 1:17–20 (ESV)
God is indeed faithful to bless His people when they remain faithful to Him. "Return unto me, and I will return unto you, says YHWH of hosts."
As usual, here is a good summary of the Book of Daniel that we highly recommend:
https://youtu.be/9cSC9uobtPM?si=7DfciDVCCpbmkb62
May the Lord add richly to your knowledge of Him as you study!
2 days ago
2 days ago
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be eaten by the sword;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
Isaiah 1:18–20 (ESV)
If you want to know that "the LORD He is God! the LORD, He is God!" (1 Kings 18:39) your search for confirmation finds its best resolution in the book of Isaiah. I would argue that Isaiah, more even than Elisha, "wore the prophetic mantle" of Elijah. Only John the Baptist was a greater merely human incarnation of the role of prophet (Matthew 11:11).
Isaiah 42:9 tells us: "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Below find two articles that discuss fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. By any objective measure, only God could do this.
As with other books of the Bible, we suggest this brief overview of Isaiah. May your listening to this great OT prophet be as blessed by God as was our reading of it!
https://youtu.be/d0A6Uchb1F8?si=Nhsvg2DCZgWRZq_7
Check out these two articles on calculations of the probability of one first-century man, Jesus, fulfilling so many OT prophecies!
https://nickcady.org/2020/02/18/the-statistical-probability-of-jesus-fulfilling-the-messianic-prophecies/
https://firmisrael.org/learn/how-many-messianic-prophecies-did-jesus-fulfill/#:~:text=After%20all%2C%20Jesus%20(Yeshua%20in,that%20related%20to%20the%20Messiah!
3 days ago
3 days ago
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be eaten by the sword;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
Isaiah 1:18–20 (ESV)
If you want to know that "the LORD He is God! the LORD, He is God!" (1 Kings 18:39) your search for confirmation finds its best resolution in the book of Isaiah. I would argue that Isaiah, more even than Elisha, "wore the prophetic mantle" of Elijah. Only John the Baptist was a greater merely human incarnation of the role of prophet (Matthew 11:11).
Isaiah 42:9 tells us: "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Below find two articles that discuss fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. By any objective measure, only God could do this.
As with other books of the Bible, we suggest this brief overview of Isaiah. May your listening to this great OT prophet be as blessed by God as was our reading of it!
https://youtu.be/d0A6Uchb1F8?si=Nhsvg2DCZgWRZq_7
Check out these two articles on calculations of the probability of one first-century man, Jesus, fulfilling so many OT prophecies!
https://nickcady.org/2020/02/18/the-statistical-probability-of-jesus-fulfilling-the-messianic-prophecies/
https://firmisrael.org/learn/how-many-messianic-prophecies-did-jesus-fulfill/#:~:text=After%20all%2C%20Jesus%20(Yeshua%20in,that%20related%20to%20the%20Messiah!
6 days ago
6 days ago
In keeping with our intensive study of Israel's history this year, Jenny and I have concentrated our attention on the Exilic and Post-exilic prophets. We've included Jeremiah in this list, even though he spans the immediate pre-exilic period, leading up to the Babylonian exile.
The most enigmatic exilic prophet, most certainly, is Ezekiel. His name means "God's strength." We encourage our listeners to struggle with Ezekiel's difficulty, as we believe God has a great deal of undiscovered meaning in this text. Some of the most exciting references, for me, are those to his contemporary prophet-in-exile, Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and 28:3).
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
7 days ago
7 days ago
The book of Job is wisdom literature, like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.
What can we add to what has already been written on the Book of Job?
Is it the oldest book in the canon as its historical milieu would place it, or was it written (down) much later?
Is it merely a literary story meant to illuminate the relation between God and man-in-the-created-order, or is it historical?
We are not so foolish as to claim that we know any of these answers, or how God has in fact put His word together, but we have learned not to put the plausible stories of man in the place of what He says in His word. We will never go far wrong if we simply trust what God says, being careful readers of scripture.
What we do know is that Job is a masterpiece of literature by any metric, and one of (if not) THE greatest works of wisdom literature ever crafted. I cannot help but end with a quote from another such brilliant work:
Ecclesiastes 7:23–29
All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.... Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things — which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found.... See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. (ESV)
Ecclesiastes 12:10–13
The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (ESV)
Wednesday Mar 26, 2025
Wednesday Mar 26, 2025
We continue our project of reading ALL of God's word for our listeners.
The book of Daniel is a favorite because of its amazing stories and prophetic visions, but it is also rich in detail and historical context.
It opens circa 605 BC, timestamped as "the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah."
Jehoiakim, born as Eliakim, was the second-born son of the great reformer Josiah, who died in a rash attempt to prevent Pharoah Neco from passing through his kingdom to attack the Assyrians. The people of Judah (apparently) bypassed Jehoiakim for his younger brother, Jehoahaz (Jehovah his sustainer), who reigned only three months, and then Pharaoh Neco took Jehoahaz captive to Egypt and placed Josiah's older brother, Eliakim (God will establish), on the throne, but renaming him Jehoiakim (Jehovah will establish). Jehoiakim would reign for eleven years.
Confused?
It only gets worse. But ... it is extremely important to "get" the historical details here if you want to understand the Bible as the historical book it claims to be. Life in this vale of tears is not neat, but it does follow interesting patterns at all levels of resolution. Two more kings of Judah will follow, Jehoiachin (son of Jehoiakim) and Zedekiah (born Mattaniah, the youngest son of Josiah, renamed by Nebuchadnezzar).
Length of reigns?
3 months (Jehoiachin) and 11 years (Zedekiah).
See the pattern?
What does it mean?
If you have ideas, please let us know! Jenny and I have learned that there are no mistakes or haphazard elements in God's word.
Another interesting element of the timestamp is that the third year of Jehoiakim is the first year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign over Bablyon. He was apparently attacking Egypt when his father, Nabopolassar, died. He probably stopped - on his way back to Babylon to be crowned king - to ravage Jerusalem and take Daniel and the other members of the royal family and nobility of Judah captive to Babylon.
This means that Daniel and his friends were only in the second year of their three year course of studies to be "wise men" of the Chaldeans when they interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter two! When we recognize this, these verses in chapter one takes on new meaning and significance:
As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. Daniel 1:17–20 (ESV)
God is indeed faithful to bless His people when they remain faithful to Him. "Return unto me, and I will return unto you, says YHWH of hosts."
As usual, here is a good summary of the Book of Daniel that we highly recommend:
https://youtu.be/9cSC9uobtPM?si=7DfciDVCCpbmkb62
May the Lord add richly to your knowledge of Him as you study!
Tuesday Mar 25, 2025
Tuesday Mar 25, 2025
The prophetic books of Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel mark a radical change in the life of God's people, Israel. Starting with Jeremiah, the Babylonian exile is predicted, and then experienced. Daniel is taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar during Jeremiah's ministry, and after the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is called by God to minister to Israel in exile. Indeed, these prophets were aware of each others' ministries, and God's voice in them. Twice Ezekiel refers to Daniel (14:14 and 28:3), and Daniel mentions Jeremiah's prophecies (Daniel 9) as a source of his own prophetic ministry.
Reading Jeremiah should be a learning experience par excellence, as getting clear on all its details and references - seeking to understand the discoveries of biblical archaeology that relate to it, and all the history of Israel, including the two kingdoms, their kings and their successes and failures, their faithfulness and their apostasy - sets one up to understand both the whole progression of scripture from Genesis to Revelation, and God's plan of salvation set in place "before the foundation of the world."
Listen and read with a mind open to God's voice. Search the scriptures to answer the questions you encounter, search the archaeology to display the truth of God's word verified, search the language to understand better the nuances of God's meaning. Read/listen carefully, reverently and inquisitively, and God will show you amazing things! You have HIS promise of that!
We suggest, as usual, starting here:
https://youtu.be/RSK36cHbrk0?si=KaJSPPn7n6z7x_Pl
Monday Mar 24, 2025
Monday Mar 24, 2025
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be eaten by the sword;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
Isaiah 1:18–20 (ESV)
If you want to know that "the LORD He is God! the LORD, He is God!" (1 Kings 18:39) your search for confirmation finds its best resolution in the book of Isaiah. I would argue that Isaiah, more even than Elisha, "wore the prophetic mantle" of Elijah. Only John the Baptist was a greater merely human incarnation of the role of prophet (Matthew 11:11).
Isaiah 42:9 tells us: "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Below find two articles that discuss fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. By any objective measure, only God could do this.
As with other books of the Bible, we suggest this brief overview of Isaiah. May your listening to this great OT prophet be as blessed by God as was our reading of it!
https://youtu.be/d0A6Uchb1F8?si=Nhsvg2DCZgWRZq_7
Check out these two articles on calculations of the probability of one first-century man, Jesus, fulfilling so many OT prophecies!
https://nickcady.org/2020/02/18/the-statistical-probability-of-jesus-fulfilling-the-messianic-prophecies/
https://firmisrael.org/learn/how-many-messianic-prophecies-did-jesus-fulfill/#:~:text=After%20all%2C%20Jesus%20(Yeshua%20in,that%20related%20to%20the%20Messiah!
Friday Mar 21, 2025
Friday Mar 21, 2025
In keeping with our intensive study of Israel's history this year, Jenny and I have concentrated our attention on the Exilic and Post-exilic prophets. We've included Jeremiah in this list, even though he spans the immediate pre-exilic period, leading up to the Babylonian exile.
The most enigmatic exilic prophet, most certainly, is Ezekiel. His name means "God's strength." We encourage our listeners to struggle with Ezekiel's difficulty, as we believe God has a great deal of undiscovered meaning in this text. Some of the most exciting references, for me, are those to his contemporary prophet-in-exile, Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and 28:3).
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Thursday Mar 20, 2025
Thursday Mar 20, 2025
The book of Job is wisdom literature, like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.
What can we add to what has already been written on the Book of Job?
Is it the oldest book in the canon as its historical milieu would place it, or was it written (down) much later?
Is it merely a literary story meant to illuminate the relation between God and man-in-the-created-order, or is it historical?
We are not so foolish as to claim that we know any of these answers, or how God has in fact put His word together, but we have learned not to put the plausible stories of man in the place of what He says in His word. We will never go far wrong if we simply trust what God says, being careful readers of scripture.
What we do know is that Job is a masterpiece of literature by any metric, and one of (if not) THE greatest works of wisdom literature ever crafted. I cannot help but end with a quote from another such brilliant work:
Ecclesiastes 7:23–29
All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.... Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things — which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found.... See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. (ESV)
Ecclesiastes 12:10–13
The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (ESV)
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
We continue our project of reading ALL of God's word for our listeners.
The book of Daniel is a favorite because of its amazing stories and prophetic visions, but it is also rich in detail and historical context.
It opens circa 605 BC, timestamped as "the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah."
Jehoiakim, born as Eliakim, was the second-born son of the great reformer Josiah, who died in a rash attempt to prevent Pharoah Neco from passing through his kingdom to attack the Assyrians. The people of Judah (apparently) bypassed Jehoiakim for his younger brother, Jehoahaz (Jehovah his sustainer), who reigned only three months, and then Pharaoh Neco took Jehoahaz captive to Egypt and placed Josiah's older brother, Eliakim (God will establish), on the throne, but renaming him Jehoiakim (Jehovah will establish). Jehoiakim would reign for eleven years.
Confused?
It only gets worse. But ... it is extremely important to "get" the historical details here if you want to understand the Bible as the historical book it claims to be. Life in this vale of tears is not neat, but it does follow interesting patterns at all levels of resolution. Two more kings of Judah will follow, Jehoiachin (son of Jehoiakim) and Zedekiah (born Mattaniah, the youngest son of Josiah, renamed by Nebuchadnezzar).
Length of reigns?
3 months (Jehoiachin) and 11 years (Zedekiah).
See the pattern?
What does it mean?
If you have ideas, please let us know! Jenny and I have learned that there are no mistakes or haphazard elements in God's word.
Another interesting element of the timestamp is that the third year of Jehoiakim is the first year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign over Bablyon. He was apparently attacking Egypt when his father, Nabopolassar, died. He probably stopped - on his way back to Babylon to be crowned king - to ravage Jerusalem and take Daniel and the other members of the royal family and nobility of Judah captive to Babylon.
This means that Daniel and his friends were only in the second year of their three year course of studies to be "wise men" of the Chaldeans when they interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter two! When we recognize this, these verses in chapter one takes on new meaning and significance:
As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. Daniel 1:17–20 (ESV)
God is indeed faithful to bless His people when they remain faithful to Him. "Return unto me, and I will return unto you, says YHWH of hosts."
As usual, here is a good summary of the Book of Daniel that we highly recommend:
https://youtu.be/9cSC9uobtPM?si=7DfciDVCCpbmkb62
May the Lord add richly to your knowledge of Him as you study!
Tuesday Mar 18, 2025
Tuesday Mar 18, 2025
The prophetic books of Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel mark a radical change in the life of God's people, Israel. Starting with Jeremiah, the Babylonian exile is predicted, and then experienced. Daniel is taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar during Jeremiah's ministry, and after the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is called by God to minister to Israel in exile. Indeed, these prophets were aware of each others' ministries, and God's voice in them. Twice Ezekiel refers to Daniel (14:14 and 28:3), and Daniel mentions Jeremiah's prophecies (Daniel 9) as a source of his own prophetic ministry.
Reading Jeremiah should be a learning experience par excellence, as getting clear on all its details and references - seeking to understand the discoveries of biblical archaeology that relate to it, and all the history of Israel, including the two kingdoms, their kings and their successes and failures, their faithfulness and their apostasy - sets one up to understand both the whole progression of scripture from Genesis to Revelation, and God's plan of salvation set in place "before the foundation of the world."
Listen and read with a mind open to God's voice. Search the scriptures to answer the questions you encounter, search the archaeology to display the truth of God's word verified, search the language to understand better the nuances of God's meaning. Read/listen carefully, reverently and inquisitively, and God will show you amazing things! You have HIS promise of that!
We suggest, as usual, starting here:
https://youtu.be/RSK36cHbrk0?si=KaJSPPn7n6z7x_Pl
Monday Mar 17, 2025
Monday Mar 17, 2025
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be eaten by the sword;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
Isaiah 1:18–20 (ESV)
If you want to know that "the LORD He is God! the LORD, He is God!" (1 Kings 18:39) your search for confirmation finds its best resolution in the book of Isaiah. I would argue that Isaiah, more even than Elisha, "wore the prophetic mantle" of Elijah. Only John the Baptist was a greater merely human incarnation of the role of prophet (Matthew 11:11).
Isaiah 42:9 tells us: "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Below find two articles that discuss fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. By any objective measure, only God could do this.
As with other books of the Bible, we suggest this brief overview of Isaiah. May your listening to this great OT prophet be as blessed by God as was our reading of it!
https://youtu.be/d0A6Uchb1F8?si=Nhsvg2DCZgWRZq_7
Check out these two articles on calculations of the probability of one first-century man, Jesus, fulfilling so many OT prophecies!
https://nickcady.org/2020/02/18/the-statistical-probability-of-jesus-fulfilling-the-messianic-prophecies/
https://firmisrael.org/learn/how-many-messianic-prophecies-did-jesus-fulfill/#:~:text=After%20all%2C%20Jesus%20(Yeshua%20in,that%20related%20to%20the%20Messiah!
Friday Mar 14, 2025
Friday Mar 14, 2025
In keeping with our intensive study of Israel's history this year, Jenny and I have concentrated our attention on the Exilic and Post-exilic prophets. We've included Jeremiah in this list, even though he spans the immediate pre-exilic period, leading up to the Babylonian exile.
The most enigmatic exilic prophet, most certainly, is Ezekiel. His name means "God's strength." We encourage our listeners to struggle with Ezekiel's difficulty, as we believe God has a great deal of undiscovered meaning in this text. Some of the most exciting references, for me, are those to his contemporary prophet-in-exile, Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and 28:3).
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Thursday Mar 13, 2025
Thursday Mar 13, 2025
The book of Job is wisdom literature, like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.
What can we add to what has already been written on the Book of Job?
Is it the oldest book in the canon as its historical milieu would place it, or was it written (down) much later?
Is it merely a literary story meant to illuminate the relation between God and man-in-the-created-order, or is it historical?
We are not so foolish as to claim that we know any of these answers, or how God has in fact put His word together, but we have learned not to put the plausible stories of man in the place of what He says in His word. We will never go far wrong if we simply trust what God says, being careful readers of scripture.
What we do know is that Job is a masterpiece of literature by any metric, and one of (if not) THE greatest works of wisdom literature ever crafted. I cannot help but end with a quote from another such brilliant work:
Ecclesiastes 7:23–29
All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.... Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things — which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found.... See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. (ESV)
Ecclesiastes 12:10–13
The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (ESV)
Wednesday Mar 12, 2025
Wednesday Mar 12, 2025
We continue our project of reading ALL of God's word for our listeners.
The book of Daniel is a favorite because of its amazing stories and prophetic visions, but it is also rich in detail and historical context.
It opens circa 605 BC, timestamped as "the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah."
Jehoiakim, born as Eliakim, was the second-born son of the great reformer Josiah, who died in a rash attempt to prevent Pharoah Neco from passing through his kingdom to attack the Assyrians. The people of Judah (apparently) bypassed Jehoiakim for his younger brother, Jehoahaz (Jehovah his sustainer), who reigned only three months, and then Pharaoh Neco took Jehoahaz captive to Egypt and placed Josiah's older brother, Eliakim (God will establish), on the throne, but renaming him Jehoiakim (Jehovah will establish). Jehoiakim would reign for eleven years.
Confused?
It only gets worse. But ... it is extremely important to "get" the historical details here if you want to understand the Bible as the historical book it claims to be. Life in this vale of tears is not neat, but it does follow interesting patterns at all levels of resolution. Two more kings of Judah will follow, Jehoiachin (son of Jehoiakim) and Zedekiah (born Mattaniah, the youngest son of Josiah, renamed by Nebuchadnezzar).
Length of reigns?
3 months (Jehoiachin) and 11 years (Zedekiah).
See the pattern?
What does it mean?
If you have ideas, please let us know! Jenny and I have learned that there are no mistakes or haphazard elements in God's word.
Another interesting element of the timestamp is that the third year of Jehoiakim is the first year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign over Bablyon. He was apparently attacking Egypt when his father, Nabopolassar, died. He probably stopped - on his way back to Babylon to be crowned king - to ravage Jerusalem and take Daniel and the other members of the royal family and nobility of Judah captive to Babylon.
This means that Daniel and his friends were only in the second year of their three year course of studies to be "wise men" of the Chaldeans when they interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter two! When we recognize this, these verses in chapter one takes on new meaning and significance:
As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. Daniel 1:17–20 (ESV)
God is indeed faithful to bless His people when they remain faithful to Him. "Return unto me, and I will return unto you, says YHWH of hosts."
As usual, here is a good summary of the Book of Daniel that we highly recommend:
https://youtu.be/9cSC9uobtPM?si=7DfciDVCCpbmkb62
May the Lord add richly to your knowledge of Him as you study!
Tuesday Mar 11, 2025
Tuesday Mar 11, 2025
The prophetic books of Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel mark a radical change in the life of God's people, Israel. Starting with Jeremiah, the Babylonian exile is predicted, and then experienced. Daniel is taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar during Jeremiah's ministry, and after the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is called by God to minister to Israel in exile. Indeed, these prophets were aware of each others' ministries, and God's voice in them. Twice Ezekiel refers to Daniel (14:14 and 28:3), and Daniel mentions Jeremiah's prophecies (Daniel 9) as a source of his own prophetic ministry.
Reading Jeremiah should be a learning experience par excellence, as getting clear on all its details and references - seeking to understand the discoveries of biblical archaeology that relate to it, and all the history of Israel, including the two kingdoms, their kings and their successes and failures, their faithfulness and their apostasy - sets one up to understand both the whole progression of scripture from Genesis to Revelation, and God's plan of salvation set in place "before the foundation of the world."
Listen and read with a mind open to God's voice. Search the scriptures to answer the questions you encounter, search the archaeology to display the truth of God's word verified, search the language to understand better the nuances of God's meaning. Read/listen carefully, reverently and inquisitively, and God will show you amazing things! You have HIS promise of that!
We suggest, as usual, starting here:
https://youtu.be/RSK36cHbrk0?si=KaJSPPn7n6z7x_Pl
Monday Mar 10, 2025
Monday Mar 10, 2025
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be eaten by the sword;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
Isaiah 1:18–20 (ESV)
If you want to know that "the LORD He is God! the LORD, He is God!" (1 Kings 18:39) your search for confirmation finds its best resolution in the book of Isaiah. I would argue that Isaiah, more even than Elisha, "wore the prophetic mantle" of Elijah. Only John the Baptist was a greater merely human incarnation of the role of prophet (Matthew 11:11).
Isaiah 42:9 tells us: "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Below find two articles that discuss fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. By any objective measure, only God could do this.
As with other books of the Bible, we suggest this brief overview of Isaiah. May your listening to this great OT prophet be as blessed by God as was our reading of it!
https://youtu.be/d0A6Uchb1F8?si=Nhsvg2DCZgWRZq_7
Check out these two articles on calculations of the probability of one first-century man, Jesus, fulfilling so many OT prophecies!
https://nickcady.org/2020/02/18/the-statistical-probability-of-jesus-fulfilling-the-messianic-prophecies/
https://firmisrael.org/learn/how-many-messianic-prophecies-did-jesus-fulfill/#:~:text=After%20all%2C%20Jesus%20(Yeshua%20in,that%20related%20to%20the%20Messiah!
Friday Mar 07, 2025
Friday Mar 07, 2025
In keeping with our intensive study of Israel's history this year, Jenny and I have concentrated our attention on the Exilic and Post-exilic prophets. We've included Jeremiah in this list, even though he spans the immediate pre-exilic period, leading up to the Babylonian exile.
The most enigmatic exilic prophet, most certainly, is Ezekiel. His name means "God's strength." We encourage our listeners to struggle with Ezekiel's difficulty, as we believe God has a great deal of undiscovered meaning in this text. Some of the most exciting references, for me, are those to his contemporary prophet-in-exile, Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and 28:3).
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
The book of Job is wisdom literature, like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.
What can we add to what has already been written on the Book of Job?
Is it the oldest book in the canon as its historical milieu would place it, or was it written (down) much later?
Is it merely a literary story meant to illuminate the relation between God and man-in-the-created-order, or is it historical?
We are not so foolish as to claim that we know any of these answers, or how God has in fact put His word together, but we have learned not to put the plausible stories of man in the place of what He says in His word. We will never go far wrong if we simply trust what God says, being careful readers of scripture.
What we do know is that Job is a masterpiece of literature by any metric, and one of (if not) THE greatest works of wisdom literature ever crafted. I cannot help but end with a quote from another such brilliant work:
Ecclesiastes 7:23–29
All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.... Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things — which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found.... See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. (ESV)
Ecclesiastes 12:10–13
The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (ESV)
Wednesday Mar 05, 2025
Wednesday Mar 05, 2025
We continue our project of reading ALL of God's word for our listeners.
The book of Daniel is a favorite because of its amazing stories and prophetic visions, but it is also rich in detail and historical context.
It opens circa 605 BC, timestamped as "the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah."
Jehoiakim, born as Eliakim, was the second-born son of the great reformer Josiah, who died in a rash attempt to prevent Pharoah Neco from passing through his kingdom to attack the Assyrians. The people of Judah (apparently) bypassed Jehoiakim for his younger brother, Jehoahaz (Jehovah his sustainer), who reigned only three months, and then Pharaoh Neco took Jehoahaz captive to Egypt and placed Josiah's older brother, Eliakim (God will establish), on the throne, but renaming him Jehoiakim (Jehovah will establish). Jehoiakim would reign for eleven years.
Confused?
It only gets worse. But ... it is extremely important to "get" the historical details here if you want to understand the Bible as the historical book it claims to be. Life in this vale of tears is not neat, but it does follow interesting patterns at all levels of resolution. Two more kings of Judah will follow, Jehoiachin (son of Jehoiakim) and Zedekiah (born Mattaniah, the youngest son of Josiah, renamed by Nebuchadnezzar).
Length of reigns?
3 months (Jehoiachin) and 11 years (Zedekiah).
See the pattern?
What does it mean?
If you have ideas, please let us know! Jenny and I have learned that there are no mistakes or haphazard elements in God's word.
Another interesting element of the timestamp is that the third year of Jehoiakim is the first year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign over Bablyon. He was apparently attacking Egypt when his father, Nabopolassar, died. He probably stopped - on his way back to Babylon to be crowned king - to ravage Jerusalem and take Daniel and the other members of the royal family and nobility of Judah captive to Babylon.
This means that Daniel and his friends were only in the second year of their three year course of studies to be "wise men" of the Chaldeans when they interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter two! When we recognize this, these verses in chapter one takes on new meaning and significance:
As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. Daniel 1:17–20 (ESV)
God is indeed faithful to bless His people when they remain faithful to Him. "Return unto me, and I will return unto you, says YHWH of hosts."
As usual, here is a good summary of the Book of Daniel that we highly recommend:
https://youtu.be/9cSC9uobtPM?si=7DfciDVCCpbmkb62
May the Lord add richly to your knowledge of Him as you study!
Tuesday Mar 04, 2025
Tuesday Mar 04, 2025
The prophetic books of Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel mark a radical change in the life of God's people, Israel. Starting with Jeremiah, the Babylonian exile is predicted, and then experienced. Daniel is taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar during Jeremiah's ministry, and after the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is called by God to minister to Israel in exile. Indeed, these prophets were aware of each others' ministries, and God's voice in them. Twice Ezekiel refers to Daniel (14:14 and 28:3), and Daniel mentions Jeremiah's prophecies (Daniel 9) as a source of his own prophetic ministry.
Reading Jeremiah should be a learning experience par excellence, as getting clear on all its details and references - seeking to understand the discoveries of biblical archaeology that relate to it, and all the history of Israel, including the two kingdoms, their kings and their successes and failures, their faithfulness and their apostasy - sets one up to understand both the whole progression of scripture from Genesis to Revelation, and God's plan of salvation set in place "before the foundation of the world."
Listen and read with a mind open to God's voice. Search the scriptures to answer the questions you encounter, search the archaeology to display the truth of God's word verified, search the language to understand better the nuances of God's meaning. Read/listen carefully, reverently and inquisitively, and God will show you amazing things! You have HIS promise of that!
We suggest, as usual, starting here:
https://youtu.be/RSK36cHbrk0?si=KaJSPPn7n6z7x_Pl
Monday Mar 03, 2025
Monday Mar 03, 2025
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be eaten by the sword;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
Isaiah 1:18–20 (ESV)
If you want to know that "the LORD He is God! the LORD, He is God!" (1 Kings 18:39) your search for confirmation finds its best resolution in the book of Isaiah. I would argue that Isaiah, more even than Elisha, "wore the prophetic mantle" of Elijah. Only John the Baptist was a greater merely human incarnation of the role of prophet (Matthew 11:11).
Isaiah 42:9 tells us: "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Below find two articles that discuss fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. By any objective measure, only God could do this.
As with other books of the Bible, we suggest this brief overview of Isaiah. May your listening to this great OT prophet be as blessed by God as was our reading of it!
https://youtu.be/d0A6Uchb1F8?si=Nhsvg2DCZgWRZq_7
Check out these two articles on calculations of the probability of one first-century man, Jesus, fulfilling so many OT prophecies!
https://nickcady.org/2020/02/18/the-statistical-probability-of-jesus-fulfilling-the-messianic-prophecies/
https://firmisrael.org/learn/how-many-messianic-prophecies-did-jesus-fulfill/#:~:text=After%20all%2C%20Jesus%20(Yeshua%20in,that%20related%20to%20the%20Messiah!
Friday Feb 28, 2025
Friday Feb 28, 2025
In keeping with our intensive study of Israel's history this year, Jenny and I have concentrated our attention on the Exilic and Post-exilic prophets. We've included Jeremiah in this list, even though he spans the immediate pre-exilic period, leading up to the Babylonian exile.
The most enigmatic exilic prophet, most certainly, is Ezekiel. His name means "God's strength." We encourage our listeners to struggle with Ezekiel's difficulty, as we believe God has a great deal of undiscovered meaning in this text. Some of the most exciting references, for me, are those to his contemporary prophet-in-exile, Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and 28:3).
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Thursday Feb 27, 2025
Thursday Feb 27, 2025
The book of Job is wisdom literature, like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.
What can we add to what has already been written on the Book of Job?
Is it the oldest book in the canon as its historical milieu would place it, or was it written (down) much later?
Is it merely a literary story meant to illuminate the relation between God and man-in-the-created-order, or is it historical?
We are not so foolish as to claim that we know any of these answers, or how God has in fact put His word together, but we have learned not to put the plausible stories of man in the place of what He says in His word. We will never go far wrong if we simply trust what God says, being careful readers of scripture.
What we do know is that Job is a masterpiece of literature by any metric, and one of (if not) THE greatest works of wisdom literature ever crafted. I cannot help but end with a quote from another such brilliant work:
Ecclesiastes 7:23–29
All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.... Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things — which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found.... See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. (ESV)
Ecclesiastes 12:10–13
The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (ESV)
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
We continue our project of reading ALL of God's word for our listeners.
The book of Daniel is a favorite because of its amazing stories and prophetic visions, but it is also rich in detail and historical context.
It opens circa 605 BC, timestamped as "the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah."
Jehoiakim, born as Eliakim, was the second-born son of the great reformer Josiah, who died in a rash attempt to prevent Pharoah Neco from passing through his kingdom to attack the Assyrians. The people of Judah (apparently) bypassed Jehoiakim for his younger brother, Jehoahaz (Jehovah his sustainer), who reigned only three months, and then Pharaoh Neco took Jehoahaz captive to Egypt and placed Josiah's older brother, Eliakim (God will establish), on the throne, but renaming him Jehoiakim (Jehovah will establish). Jehoiakim would reign for eleven years.
Confused?
It only gets worse. But ... it is extremely important to "get" the historical details here if you want to understand the Bible as the historical book it claims to be. Life in this vale of tears is not neat, but it does follow interesting patterns at all levels of resolution. Two more kings of Judah will follow, Jehoiachin (son of Jehoiakim) and Zedekiah (born Mattaniah, the youngest son of Josiah, renamed by Nebuchadnezzar).
Length of reigns?
3 months (Jehoiachin) and 11 years (Zedekiah).
See the pattern?
What does it mean?
If you have ideas, please let us know! Jenny and I have learned that there are no mistakes or haphazard elements in God's word.
Another interesting element of the timestamp is that the third year of Jehoiakim is the first year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign over Bablyon. He was apparently attacking Egypt when his father, Nabopolassar, died. He probably stopped - on his way back to Babylon to be crowned king - to ravage Jerusalem and take Daniel and the other members of the royal family and nobility of Judah captive to Babylon.
This means that Daniel and his friends were only in the second year of their three year course of studies to be "wise men" of the Chaldeans when they interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter two! When we recognize this, these verses in chapter one takes on new meaning and significance:
As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. Daniel 1:17–20 (ESV)
God is indeed faithful to bless His people when they remain faithful to Him. "Return unto me, and I will return unto you, says YHWH of hosts."
As usual, here is a good summary of the Book of Daniel that we highly recommend:
https://youtu.be/9cSC9uobtPM?si=7DfciDVCCpbmkb62
May the Lord add richly to your knowledge of Him as you study!
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
The prophetic books of Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel mark a radical change in the life of God's people, Israel. Starting with Jeremiah, the Babylonian exile is predicted, and then experienced. Daniel is taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar during Jeremiah's ministry, and after the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is called by God to minister to Israel in exile. Indeed, these prophets were aware of each others' ministries, and God's voice in them. Twice Ezekiel refers to Daniel (14:14 and 28:3), and Daniel mentions Jeremiah's prophecies (Daniel 9) as a source of his own prophetic ministry.
Reading Jeremiah should be a learning experience par excellence, as getting clear on all its details and references - seeking to understand the discoveries of biblical archaeology that relate to it, and all the history of Israel, including the two kingdoms, their kings and their successes and failures, their faithfulness and their apostasy - sets one up to understand both the whole progression of scripture from Genesis to Revelation, and God's plan of salvation set in place "before the foundation of the world."
Listen and read with a mind open to God's voice. Search the scriptures to answer the questions you encounter, search the archaeology to display the truth of God's word verified, search the language to understand better the nuances of God's meaning. Read/listen carefully, reverently and inquisitively, and God will show you amazing things! You have HIS promise of that!
We suggest, as usual, starting here:
https://youtu.be/RSK36cHbrk0?si=KaJSPPn7n6z7x_Pl
Monday Feb 24, 2025
Monday Feb 24, 2025
If you want to know that "the LORD He is God! the LORD, He is God!" (1 Kings 18:39) your search for confirmation finds its best resolution in the book of Isaiah. I would argue that Isaiah, more even than Elisha, "wore the prophetic mantle" of Elijah. Only John the Baptist was a greater merely human incarnation of the role of prophet (Matthew 11:11).
Isaiah 42:9 tells us: "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Below find two articles that discuss fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. By any objective measure, only God could do this.
As with other books of the Bible, we suggest this brief overview of Isaiah. May your listening to this great OT prophet be as blessed by God as was our reading of it!
https://youtu.be/d0A6Uchb1F8?si=Nhsvg2DCZgWRZq_7
Check out these two articles on calculations of the probability of one first-century man, Jesus, fulfilling so many OT prophecies!
https://nickcady.org/2020/02/18/the-statistical-probability-of-jesus-fulfilling-the-messianic-prophecies/
https://firmisrael.org/learn/how-many-messianic-prophecies-did-jesus-fulfill/#:~:text=After%20all%2C%20Jesus%20(Yeshua%20in,that%20related%20to%20the%20Messiah!
Friday Feb 21, 2025
Friday Feb 21, 2025
In keeping with our intensive study of Israel's history this year, Jenny and I have concentrated our attention on the Exilic and Post-exilic prophets. We've included Jeremiah in this list, even though he spans the immediate pre-exilic period, leading up to the Babylonian exile.
The most enigmatic exilic prophet, most certainly, is Ezekiel. His name means "God's strength." We encourage our listeners to struggle with Ezekiel's difficulty, as we believe God has a great deal of undiscovered meaning in this text. Some of the most exciting references, for me, are those to his contemporary prophet-in-exile, Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and 28:3).
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Thursday Feb 20, 2025
Thursday Feb 20, 2025
The book of Job is wisdom literature, like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.
What can we add to what has already been written on the Book of Job?
Is it the oldest book in the canon as its historical milieu would place it, or was it written (down) much later?
Is it merely a literary story meant to illuminate the relation between God and man-in-the-created-order, or is it historical?
We are not so foolish as to claim that we know any of these answers, or how God has in fact put His word together, but we have learned not to put the plausible stories of man in the place of what He says in His word. We will never go far wrong if we simply trust what God says, being careful readers of scripture.
What we do know is that Job is a masterpiece of literature by any metric, and one of (if not) THE greatest works of wisdom literature ever crafted. I cannot help but end with a quote from another such brilliant work:
Ecclesiastes 7:23–29
All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.... Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things — which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found.... See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. (ESV)
Ecclesiastes 12:10–13
The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (ESV)
Wednesday Feb 19, 2025
Wednesday Feb 19, 2025
We continue our project of reading ALL of God's word for our listeners.
The book of Daniel is a favorite because of its amazing stories and prophetic visions, but it is also rich in detail and historical context.
It opens circa 605 BC, timestamped as "the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah."
Jehoiakim, born as Eliakim, was the second-born son of the great reformer Josiah, who died in a rash attempt to prevent Pharoah Neco from passing through his kingdom to attack the Assyrians. The people of Judah (apparently) bypassed Jehoiakim for his younger brother, Jehoahaz (Jehovah his sustainer), who reigned only three months, and then Pharaoh Neco took Jehoahaz captive to Egypt and placed Josiah's older brother, Eliakim (God will establish), on the throne, but renaming him Jehoiakim (Jehovah will establish). Jehoiakim would reign for eleven years.
Confused?
It only gets worse. But ... it is extremely important to "get" the historical details here if you want to understand the Bible as the historical book it claims to be. Life in this vale of tears is not neat, but it does follow interesting patterns at all levels of resolution. Two more kings of Judah will follow, Jehoiachin (son of Jehoiakim) and Zedekiah (born Mattaniah, the youngest son of Josiah, renamed by Nebuchadnezzar).
Length of reigns?
3 months (Jehoiachin) and 11 years (Zedekiah).
See the pattern?
What does it mean?
If you have ideas, please let us know! Jenny and I have learned that there are no mistakes or haphazard elements in God's word.
Another interesting element of the timestamp is that the third year of Jehoiakim is the first year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign over Bablyon. He was apparently attacking Egypt when his father, Nabopolassar, died. He probably stopped - on his way back to Babylon to be crowned king - to ravage Jerusalem and take Daniel and the other members of the royal family and nobility of Judah captive to Babylon.
This means that Daniel and his friends were only in the second year of their three year course of studies to be "wise men" of the Chaldeans when they interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter two! When we recognize this, these verses in chapter one takes on new meaning and significance:
As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. Daniel 1:17–20 (ESV)
God is indeed faithful to bless His people when they remain faithful to Him. "Return unto me, and I will return unto you, says YHWH of hosts."
As usual, here is a good summary of the Book of Daniel that we highly recommend:
https://youtu.be/9cSC9uobtPM?si=7DfciDVCCpbmkb62
May the Lord add richly to your knowledge of Him as you study!
Tuesday Feb 18, 2025
Tuesday Feb 18, 2025
The prophetic books of Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel mark a radical change in the life of God's people, Israel. Starting with Jeremiah, the Babylonian exile is predicted, and then experienced. Daniel is taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar during Jeremiah's ministry, and after the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is called by God to minister to Israel in exile. Indeed, these prophets were aware of each others' ministries, and God's voice in them. Twice Ezekiel refers to Daniel (14:14 and 28:3), and Daniel mentions Jeremiah's prophecies (Daniel 9) as a source of his own prophetic ministry.
Reading Jeremiah should be a learning experience par excellence, as getting clear on all its details and references - seeking to understand the discoveries of biblical archaeology that relate to it, and all the history of Israel, including the two kingdoms, their kings and their successes and failures, their faithfulness and their apostasy - sets one up to understand both the whole progression of scripture from Genesis to Revelation, and God's plan of salvation set in place "before the foundation of the world."
Listen and read with a mind open to God's voice. Search the scriptures to answer the questions you encounter, search the archaeology to display the truth of God's word verified, search the language to understand better the nuances of God's meaning. Read/listen carefully, reverently and inquisitively, and God will show you amazing things! You have HIS promise of that!
We suggest, as usual, starting here:
https://youtu.be/RSK36cHbrk0?si=KaJSPPn7n6z7x_Pl
Monday Feb 17, 2025
Monday Feb 17, 2025
If you want to know that "the LORD He is God! the LORD, He is God!" (1 Kings 18:39) your search for confirmation finds its best resolution in the book of Isaiah. I would argue that Isaiah, more even than Elisha, "wore the prophetic mantle" of Elijah. Only John the Baptist was a greater merely human incarnation of the role of prophet (Matthew 11:11).
Isaiah 42:9 tells us: "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Below find two articles that discuss fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. By any objective measure, only God could do this.
As with other books of the Bible, we suggest this brief overview of Isaiah. May your listening to this great OT prophet be as blessed by God as was our reading of it!
https://youtu.be/d0A6Uchb1F8?si=Nhsvg2DCZgWRZq_7
Check out these two articles on calculations of the probability of one first-century man, Jesus, fulfilling so many OT prophecies!
https://nickcady.org/2020/02/18/the-statistical-probability-of-jesus-fulfilling-the-messianic-prophecies/
https://firmisrael.org/learn/how-many-messianic-prophecies-did-jesus-fulfill/#:~:text=After%20all%2C%20Jesus%20(Yeshua%20in,that%20related%20to%20the%20Messiah!
Friday Feb 14, 2025
Friday Feb 14, 2025
In keeping with our intensive study of Israel's history this year, Jenny and I have concentrated our attention on the Exilic and Post-exilic prophets. We've included Jeremiah in this list, even though he spans the immediate pre-exilic period, leading up to the Babylonian exile.
The most enigmatic exilic prophet, most certainly, is Ezekiel. His name means "God's strength." We encourage our listeners to struggle with Ezekiel's difficulty, as we believe God has a great deal of undiscovered meaning in this text. Some of the most exciting references, for me, are those to his contemporary prophet-in-exile, Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and 28:3).
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Friday Feb 14, 2025
Friday Feb 14, 2025
The book of Job is wisdom literature, like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.
What can we add to what has already been written on the Book of Job?
Is it the oldest book in the canon as its historical milieu would place it, or was it written (down) much later?
Is it merely a literary story meant to illuminate the relation between God and man-in-the-created-order, or is it historical?
We are not so foolish as to claim that we know any of these answers, or how God has in fact put His word together, but we have learned not to put the plausible stories of man in the place of what He says in His word. We will never go far wrong if we simply trust what God says, being careful readers of scripture.
What we do know is that Job is a masterpiece of literature by any metric, and one of (if not) THE greatest works of wisdom literature ever crafted. I cannot help but end with a quote from another such brilliant work:
Ecclesiastes 7:23–29
All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.... Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things — which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found.... See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. (ESV)
Ecclesiastes 12:10–13
The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (ESV)
Wednesday Feb 12, 2025
Wednesday Feb 12, 2025
We continue our project of reading ALL of God's word for our listeners.
The book of Daniel is a favorite because of its amazing stories and prophetic visions, but it is also rich in detail and historical context.
It opens circa 605 BC, timestamped as "the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah."
Jehoiakim, born as Eliakim, was the second-born son of the great reformer Josiah, who died in a rash attempt to prevent Pharoah Neco from passing through his kingdom to attack the Assyrians. The people of Judah (apparently) bypassed Jehoiakim for his younger brother, Jehoahaz (Jehovah his sustainer), who reigned only three months, and then Pharaoh Neco took Jehoahaz captive to Egypt and placed Josiah's older brother, Eliakim (God will establish), on the throne, but renaming him Jehoiakim (Jehovah will establish). Jehoiakim would reign for eleven years.
Confused?
It only gets worse. But ... it is extremely important to "get" the historical details here if you want to understand the Bible as the historical book it claims to be. Life in this vale of tears is not neat, but it does follow interesting patterns at all levels of resolution. Two more kings of Judah will follow, Jehoiachin (son of Jehoiakim) and Zedekiah (born Mattaniah, the youngest son of Josiah, renamed by Nebuchadnezzar).
Length of reigns?
3 months (Jehoiachin) and 11 years (Zedekiah).
See the pattern?
What does it mean?
If you have ideas, please let us know! Jenny and I have learned that there are no mistakes or haphazard elements in God's word.
Another interesting element of the timestamp is that the third year of Jehoiakim is the first year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign over Bablyon. He was apparently attacking Egypt when his father, Nabopolassar, died. He probably stopped - on his way back to Babylon to be crowned king - to ravage Jerusalem and take Daniel and the other members of the royal family and nobility of Judah captive to Babylon.
This means that Daniel and his friends were only in the second year of their three year course of studies to be "wise men" of the Chaldeans when they interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter two! When we recognize this, these verses in chapter one takes on new meaning and significance:
As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. Daniel 1:17–20 (ESV)
God is indeed faithful to bless His people when they remain faithful to Him. "Return unto me, and I will return unto you, says YHWH of hosts."
As usual, here is a good summary of the Book of Daniel that we highly recommend:
https://youtu.be/9cSC9uobtPM?si=7DfciDVCCpbmkb62
May the Lord add richly to your knowledge of Him as you study!
Tuesday Feb 11, 2025
Tuesday Feb 11, 2025
The prophetic books of Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel mark a radical change in the life of God's people, Israel. Starting with Jeremiah, the Babylonian exile is predicted, and then experienced. Daniel is taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar during Jeremiah's ministry, and after the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is called by God to minister to Israel in exile. Indeed, these prophets were aware of each others' ministries, and God's voice in them. Twice Ezekiel refers to Daniel (14:14 and 28:3), and Daniel mentions Jeremiah's prophecies (Daniel 9) as a source of his own prophetic ministry.
Reading Jeremiah should be a learning experience par excellence, as getting clear on all its details and references - seeking to understand the discoveries of biblical archaeology that relate to it, and all the history of Israel, including the two kingdoms, their kings and their successes and failures, their faithfulness and their apostasy - sets one up to understand both the whole progression of scripture from Genesis to Revelation, and God's plan of salvation set in place "before the foundation of the world."
Listen and read with a mind open to God's voice. Search the scriptures to answer the questions you encounter, search the archaeology to display the truth of God's word verified, search the language to understand better the nuances of God's meaning. Read/listen carefully, reverently and inquisitively, and God will show you amazing things! You have HIS promise of that!
We suggest, as usual, starting here:
https://youtu.be/RSK36cHbrk0?si=KaJSPPn7n6z7x_Pl
Monday Feb 10, 2025
Monday Feb 10, 2025
If you want to know that "the LORD He is God! the LORD, He is God!" (1 Kings 18:39) your search for confirmation finds its best resolution in the book of Isaiah. I would argue that Isaiah, more even than Elisha, "wore the prophetic mantle" of Elijah. Only John the Baptist was a greater merely human incarnation of the role of prophet (Matthew 11:11).
Isaiah 42:9 tells us: "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Below find two articles that discuss fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. By any objective measure, only God could do this.
As with other books of the Bible, we suggest this brief overview of Isaiah. May your listening to this great OT prophet be as blessed by God as was our reading of it!
https://youtu.be/d0A6Uchb1F8?si=Nhsvg2DCZgWRZq_7
Check out these two articles on calculations of the probability of one first-century man, Jesus, fulfilling so many OT prophecies!
https://nickcady.org/2020/02/18/the-statistical-probability-of-jesus-fulfilling-the-messianic-prophecies/
https://firmisrael.org/learn/how-many-messianic-prophecies-did-jesus-fulfill/#:~:text=After%20all%2C%20Jesus%20(Yeshua%20in,that%20related%20to%20the%20Messiah!
Friday Feb 07, 2025
Friday Feb 07, 2025
In keeping with our intensive study of Israel's history this year, Jenny and I have concentrated our attention on the Exilic and Post-exilic prophets. We've included Jeremiah in this list, even though he spans the immediate pre-exilic period, leading up to the Babylonian exile.
The most enigmatic exilic prophet, most certainly, is Ezekiel. His name means "God's strength." We encourage our listeners to struggle with Ezekiel's difficulty, as we believe God has a great deal of undiscovered meaning in this text. Some of the most exciting references, for me, are those to his contemporary prophet-in-exile, Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and 28:3).
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Friday Feb 07, 2025
Friday Feb 07, 2025
The book of Job is wisdom literature, like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.
What can we add to what has already been written on the Book of Job?
Is it the oldest book in the canon as its historical milieu would place it, or was it written (down) much later?
Is it merely a literary story meant to illuminate the relation between God and man-in-the-created-order, or is it historical?
We are not so foolish as to claim that we know any of these answers, or how God has in fact put His word together, but we have learned not to put the plausible stories of man in the place of what He says in His word. We will never go far wrong if we simply trust what God says, being careful readers of scripture.
What we do know is that Job is a masterpiece of literature by any metric, and one of (if not) THE greatest works of wisdom literature ever crafted. I cannot help but end with a quote from another such brilliant work:
Ecclesiastes 7:23–29
All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.... Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things — which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found.... See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. (ESV)
Ecclesiastes 12:10–13
The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (ESV)
Wednesday Feb 05, 2025
Wednesday Feb 05, 2025
We continue our project of reading ALL of God's word for our listeners.
The book of Daniel is a favorite because of its amazing stories and prophetic visions, but it is also rich in detail and historical context.
It opens circa 605 BC, timestamped as "the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah."
Jehoiakim, born as Eliakim, was the second-born son of the great reformer Josiah, who died in a rash attempt to prevent Pharoah Neco from passing through his kingdom to attack the Assyrians. The people of Judah (apparently) bypassed Jehoiakim for his younger brother, Jehoahaz (Jehovah his sustainer), who reigned only three months, and then Pharaoh Neco took Jehoahaz captive to Egypt and placed Josiah's older brother, Eliakim (God will establish), on the throne, but renaming him Jehoiakim (Jehovah will establish). Jehoiakim would reign for eleven years.
Confused?
It only gets worse. But ... it is extremely important to "get" the historical details here if you want to understand the Bible as the historical book it claims to be. Life in this vale of tears is not neat, but it does follow interesting patterns at all levels of resolution. Two more kings of Judah will follow, Jehoiachin (son of Jehoiakim) and Zedekiah (born Mattaniah, the youngest son of Josiah, renamed by Nebuchadnezzar).
Length of reigns?
3 months (Jehoiachin) and 11 years (Zedekiah).
See the pattern?
What does it mean?
If you have ideas, please let us know! Jenny and I have learned that there are no mistakes or haphazard elements in God's word.
Another interesting element of the timestamp is that the third year of Jehoiakim is the first year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign over Bablyon. He was apparently attacking Egypt when his father, Nabopolassar, died. He probably stopped - on his way back to Babylon to be crowned king - to ravage Jerusalem and take Daniel and the other members of the royal family and nobility of Judah captive to Babylon.
This means that Daniel and his friends were only in the second year of their three year course of studies to be "wise men" of the Chaldeans when they interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter two! When we recognize this, these verses in chapter one takes on new meaning and significance:
As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. Daniel 1:17–20 (ESV)
God is indeed faithful to bless His people when they remain faithful to Him. "Return unto me, and I will return unto you, says YHWH of hosts."
As usual, here is a good summary of the Book of Daniel that we highly recommend:
https://youtu.be/9cSC9uobtPM?si=7DfciDVCCpbmkb62
May the Lord add richly to your knowledge of Him as you study!
Tuesday Feb 04, 2025
Tuesday Feb 04, 2025
The prophetic books of Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel mark a radical change in the life of God's people, Israel. Starting with Jeremiah, the Babylonian exile is predicted, and then experienced. Daniel is taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar during Jeremiah's ministry, and after the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is called by God to minister to Israel in exile. Indeed, these prophets were aware of each others' ministries, and God's voice in them. Twice Ezekiel refers to Daniel (14:14 and 28:3), and Daniel mentions Jeremiah's prophecies (Daniel 9) as a source of his own prophetic ministry.
Reading Jeremiah should be a learning experience par excellence, as getting clear on all its details and references - seeking to understand the discoveries of biblical archaeology that relate to it, and all the history of Israel, including the two kingdoms, their kings and their successes and failures, their faithfulness and their apostasy - sets one up to understand both the whole progression of scripture from Genesis to Revelation, and God's plan of salvation set in place "before the foundation of the world."
Listen and read with a mind open to God's voice. Search the scriptures to answer the questions you encounter, search the archaeology to display the truth of God's word verified, search the language to understand better the nuances of God's meaning. Read/listen carefully, reverently and inquisitively, and God will show you amazing things! You have HIS promise of that!
We suggest, as usual, starting here:
https://youtu.be/RSK36cHbrk0?si=KaJSPPn7n6z7x_Pl
Tuesday Feb 04, 2025
Tuesday Feb 04, 2025
If you want to know that "the LORD He is God! the LORD, He is God!" (1 Kings 18:39) your search for confirmation finds its best resolution in the book of Isaiah. I would argue that Isaiah, more even than Elisha, "wore the prophetic mantle" of Elijah. Only John the Baptist was a greater merely human incarnation of the role of prophet (Matthew 11:11).
Isaiah 42:9 tells us: "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Below find two articles that discuss fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. By any objective measure, only God could do this.
As with other books of the Bible, we suggest this brief overview of Isaiah. May your listening to this great OT prophet be as blessed by God as was our reading of it!
https://youtu.be/d0A6Uchb1F8?si=Nhsvg2DCZgWRZq_7
Check out these two articles on calculations of the probability of one first-century man, Jesus, fulfilling so many OT prophecies!
https://nickcady.org/2020/02/18/the-statistical-probability-of-jesus-fulfilling-the-messianic-prophecies/
https://firmisrael.org/learn/how-many-messianic-prophecies-did-jesus-fulfill/#:~:text=After%20all%2C%20Jesus%20(Yeshua%20in,that%20related%20to%20the%20Messiah!
Friday Jan 31, 2025
Friday Jan 31, 2025
In keeping with our intensive study of Israel's history this year, Jenny and I have concentrated our attention on the Exilic and Post-exilic prophets. We've included Jeremiah in this list, even though he spans the immediate pre-exilic period, leading up to the Babylonian exile.
The most enigmatic exilic prophet, most certainly, is Ezekiel. His name means "God's strength." We encourage our listeners to struggle with Ezekiel's difficulty, as we believe God has a great deal of undiscovered meaning in this text. Some of the most exciting references, for me, are those to his contemporary prophet-in-exile, Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and 28:3).
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Thursday Jan 30, 2025
Thursday Jan 30, 2025
The book of Job is wisdom literature, like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.
What can we add to what has already been written on the Book of Job?
Is it the oldest book in the canon as its historical milieu would place it, or was it written (down) much later?
Is it merely a literary story meant to illuminate the relation between God and man-in-the-created-order, or is it historical?
We are not so foolish as to claim that we know any of these answers, or how God has in fact put His word together, but we have learned not to put the plausible stories of man in the place of what He says in His word. We will never go far wrong if we simply trust what God says, being careful readers of scripture.
What we do know is that Job is a masterpiece of literature by any metric, and one of (if not) THE greatest works of wisdom literature ever crafted. I cannot help but end with a quote from another such brilliant work:
Ecclesiastes 7:23–29
All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.... Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things — which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found.... See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. (ESV)
Ecclesiastes 12:10–13
The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (ESV)
Thursday Jan 30, 2025
Thursday Jan 30, 2025
We continue our project of reading ALL of God's word for our listeners.
The book of Daniel is a favorite because of its amazing stories and prophetic visions, but it is also rich in detail and historical context.
It opens circa 605 BC, timestamped as "the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah."
Jehoiakim, born as Eliakim, was the second-born son of the great reformer Josiah, who died in a rash attempt to prevent Pharoah Neco from passing through his kingdom to attack the Assyrians. The people of Judah (apparently) bypassed Jehoiakim for his younger brother, Jehoahaz (Jehovah his sustainer), who reigned only three months, and then Pharaoh Neco took Jehoahaz captive to Egypt and placed Josiah's older brother, Eliakim (God will establish), on the throne, but renaming him Jehoiakim (Jehovah will establish). Jehoiakim would reign for eleven years.
Confused?
It only gets worse. But ... it is extremely important to "get" the historical details here if you want to understand the Bible as the historical book it claims to be. Life in this vale of tears is not neat, but it does follow interesting patterns at all levels of resolution. Two more kings of Judah will follow, Jehoiachin (son of Jehoiakim) and Zedekiah (born Mattaniah, the youngest son of Josiah, renamed by Nebuchadnezzar).
Length of reigns?
3 months (Jehoiachin) and 11 years (Zedekiah).
See the pattern?
What does it mean?
If you have ideas, please let us know! Jenny and I have learned that there are no mistakes or haphazard elements in God's word.
Another interesting element of the timestamp is that the third year of Jehoiakim is the first year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign over Bablyon. He was apparently attacking Egypt when his father, Nabopolassar, died. He probably stopped - on his way back to Babylon to be crowned king - to ravage Jerusalem and take Daniel and the other members of the royal family and nobility of Judah captive to Babylon.
This means that Daniel and his friends were only in the second year of their three year course of studies to be "wise men" of the Chaldeans when they interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter two! When we recognize this, these verses in chapter one takes on new meaning and significance:
As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. Daniel 1:17–20 (ESV)
God is indeed faithful to bless His people when they remain faithful to Him. "Return unto me, and I will return unto you, says YHWH of hosts."
As usual, here is a good summary of the Book of Daniel that we highly recommend:
https://youtu.be/9cSC9uobtPM?si=7DfciDVCCpbmkb62
May the Lord add richly to your knowledge of Him as you study!
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
The prophetic books of Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel mark a radical change in the life of God's people, Israel. Starting with Jeremiah, the Babylonian exile is predicted, and then experienced. Daniel is taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar during Jeremiah's ministry, and after the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is called by God to minister to Israel in exile. Indeed, these prophets were aware of each others' ministries, and God's voice in them. Twice Ezekiel refers to Daniel (14:14 and 28:3), and Daniel mentions Jeremiah's prophecies (Daniel 9) as a source of his own prophetic ministry.
Reading Jeremiah should be a learning experience par excellence, as getting clear on all its details and references - seeking to understand the discoveries of biblical archaeology that relate to it, and all the history of Israel, including the two kingdoms, their kings and their successes and failures, their faithfulness and their apostasy - sets one up to understand both the whole progression of scripture from Genesis to Revelation, and God's plan of salvation set in place "before the foundation of the world."
Listen and read with a mind open to God's voice. Search the scriptures to answer the questions you encounter, search the archaeology to display the truth of God's word verified, search the language to understand better the nuances of God's meaning. Read/listen carefully, reverently and inquisitively, and God will show you amazing things! You have HIS promise of that!
We suggest, as usual, starting here:
https://youtu.be/RSK36cHbrk0?si=KaJSPPn7n6z7x_Pl
Monday Jan 27, 2025
Monday Jan 27, 2025
The Book of Lamentations was most likely written by the prophet Jeremiah, though there is no internal mark of authorship. It is the heartfelt "alas!" (its original title in Hebrew) from the soul of one who has witnessed his beloved people and their homeland ravished by a foreign invader, in this case Babylon. Its form is Hebrew-alphabet acrostic poetry, and its themes are those common to the OT prophetic tradition.
For Jenny and I this book is notable for its parallels at a different level of experience with the book of Malachi, which we have studied so carefully this year. The setting, of course, is different, as Lamentations follows on the destruction of the Jerusalem (586 BC) and the Solomonic Temple, and the Babylonian exile. However different the setting, however the thematic patterns are everywhere evident. For example:
"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)
"For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed." Malachi 3:6 (ESV)
There are many, many more pattern-repetitions throughout the Bible. We would encourage our listeners to become sensitive to these patterns, as God speaks very clearly through them to us.
As in so many other cases, this summary of the book of Lamentations is a helpful place to start in appreciating this great book:
https://youtu.be/p8GDFPdaQZQ?si=nJyo81hMQXyorNZL
Saturday Jan 25, 2025
Saturday Jan 25, 2025
In keeping with our intensive study of Israel's history this year, Jenny and I have concentrated our attention on the Exilic and Post-exilic prophets. We've included Jeremiah in this list, even though he spans the immediate pre-exilic period, leading up to the Babylonian exile.
The most enigmatic exilic prophet, most certainly, is Ezekiel. His name means "God's strength." We encourage our listeners to struggle with Ezekiel's difficulty, as we believe God has a great deal of undiscovered meaning in this text. Some of the most exciting references, for me, are those to his contemporary prophet-in-exile, Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and 28:3).
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Thursday Jan 23, 2025
Thursday Jan 23, 2025
The book of Job is wisdom literature, like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.
What can we add to what has already been written on the Book of Job?
Is it the oldest book in the canon as its historical milieu would place it, or was it written (down) much later?
Is it merely a literary story meant to illuminate the relation between God and man-in-the-created-order, or is it historical?
We are not so foolish as to claim that we know any of these answers, or how God has in fact put His word together, but we have learned not to put the plausible stories of man in the place of what He says in His word. We will never go far wrong if we simply trust what God says, being careful readers of scripture.
What we do know is that Job is a masterpiece of literature by any metric, and one of (if not) THE greatest works of wisdom literature ever crafted. I cannot help but end with a quote from another such brilliant work:
Ecclesiastes 7:23–29
All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.... Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things — which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found.... See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. (ESV)
Ecclesiastes 12:10–13
The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (ESV)
If you enjoy our content, consider donating through PayPal via https://ko-fi.com/thechristianatheist
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9AH1236qO_UWA6dSXWf2BLxJWJP48yZ
https://wisewordsforyouroccasion.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/JnJWiseWords