Podcast Summary: The Bible Recap

Host: Tara-Leigh Cobble
Episode: Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 8
Date: February 20, 2026

Episode Overview

Tara-Leigh Cobble explores Leviticus chapters 22 and 23, delving into the significance behind God’s laws and feasts for Israel, and reflecting on deeper truths about God’s character. She shares personal struggles with some texts and draws gospel connections, emphasizing how the weight of the law points to grace through Jesus. The episode fosters encouragement for listeners who may feel overwhelmed or confused by certain scriptures.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Purpose behind God’s Laws

• Sanctification & Holiness:
  Tara-Leigh opens by reminding listeners that the core of Leviticus’ laws is not legalism, but “God wants His people to be clean. And he keeps reminding them that he is the one who makes them clean.” (01:15)
• Personal Encouragement:
  She reassures listeners that emotional responses to scripture (“the way you feel about the text doesn't decrease its value in your life”) don’t diminish its significance. (01:00)

2. Overview and Significance of the Feasts (Leviticus 23)

• Sabbath:
  The weekly day of rest is recapped as the foundational feast.

• Annual Feasts & Their Confusing Names:
  Tara-Leigh clarifies that many feasts have multiple names, which often confuses readers. For example, Passover is also the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of First Fruits is also the Feast of Harvest (02:20), and so forth.

  • Quote: "I used to be under the impression that there were like 30 feasts based on the names I'd read—turns out they're just the same six feasts with nicknames." (03:00)

• The Day of Atonement:
  Marked as a ‘feast’ but it’s actually a fast, “the holiest and most solemn day of the year… Instead of eating, they offer their food to God.” (04:15)

  • No regular work is done; only the priest performs sacrifices.

• New-to-the-Reading Feasts:

  • Feast of Weeks (Pentecost):
    • “Pentecost means 50th, and this feast occurs on the 50th day after Passover… It’s a week of weeks, seven weeks after Passover is why it’s called the Feast of Weeks.” (05:00)
    • Only this feast allows leavened bread, which "is foreshadowing of the day when the Gentiles, non Jews, will be brought into his family." (05:45)
  • Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah):
    • Originally marked ten days before the Day of Atonement, it "signaled 10 days notice... known as the ‘days of awe’." (06:30)

3. The Deeper Struggle with ‘Perfection’ and Sacrifice (Leviticus 22)

• God Demands the Best Sacrifice:
  Tara-Leigh shares personal discomfort with the text’s insistence on an unblemished offering:

  • “It bothered me that God only accepted the best sacrifice. It felt unloving, maybe because I've seen this idea used in God's name to treat people poorly.” (07:20)
  • She reflects on how this standard can be misused by people, but asserts, “That's not on God. That's on fallen humanity misappropriating his words.” (08:00)

• Personal Reflection:
  She admits, “the real reason these passages bothered me is because I knew deep down that I'm not a good sacrifice. I'm blemished...” (08:15)

4. Gospel Connection: The Law Points to Grace

• Why the Law Feels Heavy:
  “It's true, he does only accept a perfect sacrifice. And that's where my God shot comes in. Since even the best version of me is still unacceptable to God, there's a temptation to fix my eyes on myself.” (08:45)
  • The ‘weight’ is intentional—to show God’s perfection and humanity’s need for grace.
• Romans 5:20-21 Cited:
  • “Romans 5:20 says, the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” (09:20)
  • “For every one of my sins, grace abounds. For every one of my imperfections, grace abounds.” (09:45)
• Ultimate Provision in Christ:
  • “Praise God for providing the perfect sacrifice. Jesus Christ our Lord. He's where the joy is.” (10:05)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Encouragement for Difficult Readings:
  “The way you feel about the text doesn't decrease its value in your life. It's adding value to your life to fix your eyes on these pages, whether you feel it right now or not.” (01:00)

• On Confusing Feast Names:
  “Aren't you glad there isn't a quiz on this? Me too.” (03:22)

• On the Feast of Weeks’ Symbolism:
  “Just know that if you're not of Jewish heritage, you still show up on these pages foreshadowing Christ's provision.” (05:55)

• Personal Vulnerability:
  “I'm blemished and blind and scabbed and crushed, and it felt like God would reject me.” (08:20)

• Romans 5:20 Recap:
  “For every one of my sins, grace abounds. For every one of my imperfections, grace abounds.” (09:45)

• Celebration of God’s Work through TBR:
  “In the last year we passed half a billion with a B downloads. And we also celebrated crossing 1 million copies sold of the Bible recap book.” (10:28)

Important Timestamps

• 00:01-01:15 – Opening encouragement & focus on seeing God beneath the laws
• 02:00-04:30 – Explanation and clarification of feasts and their significance
• 06:30-07:20 – Discussion of new feasts, days of awe, and repentance
• 07:20-08:45 – Tara-Leigh’s struggle with God’s demand for perfect sacrifice
• 08:45-10:05 – Gospel connection: the law’s weight, grace through Christ, and assurance in His sacrifice
• 10:28-11:10 – Celebration of TBR’s community and God’s abundant work

Tone & Style

Tara-Leigh’s delivery is conversational, warm, and candid. She regularly normalizes confusion and emotional struggle with biblical texts, models vulnerability, and consistently redirects focus to God’s character and redemptive plan.

Takeaways

• God’s laws and feasts are ultimately about showing His holiness and gracious provision.
• The feasts, especially the inclusion of leavened bread in the Feast of Weeks, foreshadow the inclusion of Gentiles in God’s family.
• The law’s impossible standard exposes our need for Jesus, the perfect sacrifice.
• Grace abounds all the more, even as our imperfections are exposed.
• The journey through scripture may feel difficult or confusing, but it is always valuable.

Tara-Leigh's God Shot:
“Jesus Christ is where the joy is.” (10:05)