March Roundup

Summary

The Bible Recap Kids: March Roundup (March 31, 2026)

Episode Overview

This March Roundup bonus episode of The Bible Recap Kids with “Miss Emily” and guest “Miss Terrilee” serves as a review of the past month's Bible readings for young listeners following the chronological TBR (The Bible Recap) reading plan. The hosts revisit major stories, highlight key spiritual themes (especially "redemption"), and tackle difficult questions about God’s instructions to the Israelites. The episode aims to encourage kids to keep reading the Bible, reminding them of God's love, holiness, and the unfolding story that ultimately points to Jesus.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Staying on Track & Encouragement

• Encouragement for Listeners: The hosts reassure kids that it’s okay to be at their own pace and each day spent in God’s word is valuable.
  • Notable quote:

    “No matter when you're listening to this episode, you are exactly where you need to be.” (Miss Emily, 00:13)
    “Every day that you're in God's word is a good day.” (Miss Terrilee, 00:21)

Reviewing the Big Story (00:26–03:30)

• Learning "Big Words":
  • Focus on "redemption"—described as salvation that comes by a redeemer who pays a price.
    • Notable quote:

      “Remember, redemption is salvation that comes because of a redeemer who paid a price.” (Miss Terrilee, 00:39)

• The Story So Far:
  • The Beginning:
    • God’s desire to build a relationship with humanity, disrupted by sin.
    • God’s sovereignty—He had a restoration plan even before people sinned.
      • Notable quote:

        “God is sovereign and not at all surprised by their sin...he had a plan in place to restore the relationship that they would hurt by their sin.” (Miss Emily, 01:10)

  • Abraham’s Covenant:
    • God promises to bless Abraham and all families on Earth through him.
    • Despite mercy and grace, the people’s repeated sin brings consequences—400 years of slavery in Egypt.
      • Notable quote:

        “Even though God gives his family so much mercy and grace, their sin still has consequences.” (Miss Terrilee, 01:46)

  • Moses & the Exodus:
    • God uses Moses to free Israel from Egypt, displaying His power to Pharaoh.
    • Israelites rescued, but continue to sin.
  • Desert Wanderings & Covenant Law:
    • God gives laws about cleanliness, sacrifices, etc. to set His people apart.
    • The rules are meant to help the Israelites remember God’s holiness and love, but they often forget, leading to disobedience.
      • Notable quote:

        “But instead of remembering, they keep on forgetting. They either get fearful and disobey or they get prideful and disobey.” (Miss Emily & Miss Terrilee, 02:42–02:51)

    • Result: The older generation spends 40 years in the wilderness; only their children enter the Promised Land.
  • Conquest Under Joshua:
    • Joshua leads the next generation into Canaan as a faithful and obedient leader.
    • Land is divided among tribes, but the Israelites fail to drive out all the people as God instructed, setting up future challenges.

Preparing for Tough Stories Ahead (03:30–03:49)

• The hosts foreshadow coming stories where disobedience leads to more trouble for Israel, reinforcing that “this whole story is pointing us toward Jesus, our Redeemer.”

The Big Question: Why Drive Out the Other People? (03:52–05:20)

• Listener Question Addressed:
  • Why did God want the Israelites to drive out people in the Promised Land instead of letting everyone live together?
    • Notable quote:

      “That's a big question. A very big question. We could study this big question for years and only begin to understand it.” (Miss Emily, 04:03)

• Explanation:
  • Reiteration of God’s holiness, sovereignty, goodness, and perfect knowledge.

    “God is holy and...He's set apart and he's perfect. He made everything. He sees everything and he knows everything. He has power and authority over everyone and everything.” (Miss Terrilee, 04:19)

  • God’s instruction was protective: He knew that leaving the Canaanites would influence Israel toward sin.

    “He knew that if their enemies stayed in the promised land, the Israelites would start acting less and less like God, and they'd start acting more and more like their enemies.” (Miss Emily, 04:33)

  • This is exactly what happens: Israelites begin to imitate Canaanite sins.

    “A lot of the Israelites lie and cheat and steal and take advantage of vulnerable people. It is a sad, sinful mess.” (Miss Emily & Miss Terrilee, 04:51–04:59)

  • Framing the conflict as “holiness versus sinfulness” rather than people versus people.

    “Something that helps me with this big question is to think about it less like the Israelites versus their enemies and more like holiness versus sinfulness. God wants his people to choose holiness over sinfulness always.” (Miss Emily & Miss Terrilee, 05:03–05:14)

  • The goal: All of God's people choosing holiness, because “He’s where the joy is.” (Miss Emily, 05:20)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Redemption:

  “Redemption is salvation that comes because of a redeemer who paid a price.” (Miss Terrilee, 00:39)

• On God’s Plan:

  “Before they even sinned at all, he had a plan in place to restore the relationship that they would hurt by their sin.” (Miss Emily, 01:10)

• On Human Nature:

  “They either get fearful and disobey or they get prideful and disobey.” (Miss Emily & Miss Terrilee, 02:42–02:51)

• On Holiness vs. Sinfulness:

  “Think about it less like the Israelites versus their enemies and more like holiness versus sinfulness.” (Miss Emily, 05:03)

• On God’s Desire for His People:

  “God wants his people to choose holiness over sinfulness always. He wants all of his kids to choose holiness because he’s holy and He. He's where the joy is.” (Miss Terrilee & Miss Emily, 05:14–05:20)

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Important Segment Timestamps

| Time | Segment | |------------|------------------------------------------------------| | 00:06 | Episode introduction and encouragement | | 00:26 | Big words: “Redemption” and its meaning | | 01:10 | Quick review of the Bible’s grand narrative so far | | 02:17 | Israelites’ time in the wilderness, disobedience | | 03:13 | Entry into the Promised Land with Joshua | | 03:30 | Foreshadowing upcoming, challenging Bible stories | | 03:52 | Listener “big question”—why drive out the Canaanites| | 04:03 | In-depth answer: God’s holiness and people’s influence| | 05:03 | Framing the issue as holiness vs. sinfulness | | 05:20 | Concluding with God’s ultimate desire and joy |

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Summary

The March Roundup episode delivers a thoughtful review of foundational Bible stories while making complex theology accessible for children. Through conversational teaching, the hosts highlight God’s patient, redemptive plan for His people despite their repeated failures, unpack the profound concept of holiness vs. sinfulness, and encourage young listeners to persist in reading and understanding Scripture. The episode concludes by reminding kids that God’s ways—though sometimes mysterious—are rooted in His love, goodness, and desire for His children’s joy.

Transcript

[A]

Hey, Bible readers. Welcome to March's bonus episode where we'll take some extra time to review what we've been reading together.

[B]

But first, a reminder. No matter when you're listening to this episode, you are exactly where you need to be. Right, Ms. Tierley?

[A]

That's right, Ms. Emily. Every day that you're in God's word is a good day.

[B]

So let's get going. In the last month of reading, we learned some big words followed along with a big story. And maybe you even wondered about a big question or two.

[A]

What are some of the big words the Bible readers learned this month?

[B]

Well, there were so many important words, but I think one of the biggest was redemption words. Remember, redemption is salvation that comes because of a redeemer who paid a price.

[A]

And we see God's beautiful story of redemption unfold as we read the big story of the Bible together.

[B]

That's right. It's the story about who God is, what he's doing, and how much he loves his kids.

[A]

Let's review where we are in that big story.

[B]

Well, in the very beginning, God sets out to build a relationship with his family. But their sin gets in the way. It hurts that relationship. But God is sovereign and not at all surprised by their sin. In fact, before they even sinned at all, he had a plan in place to restore the relationship that they would hurt by their sin.

[A]

That's right. And God keeps working out that plan even while they keep on sinning. God makes a covenant with Abraham where God promises to bless him and his family. And God promises to bless every family on earth through his family.

[B]

Even though God gives his family so much mercy and grace, their sin still has consequences. For 400 years, they're slaves in Egypt. But God does something big for his family through a man named Moses.

[A]

God shows his power to the Egyptian Pharaoh through Moses. And finally the the Pharaoh agrees to let the Israelites go free. They leave Egypt and make their home in the desert. Even though God rescues his family, they're still sinful.

[B]

But God is merciful and he gives them rules for holy set apart lives. There are a lot of rules about cleanliness and sacrifices and celebrations and so much more. But these rules are necessary because God is holy and the Israelites are sinful. God wants them to remember who he is and how much he loves them.

[A]

But instead of remembering, they keep on forgetting. They either get fearful and disobey or

[B]

they get prideful and disobey.

[A]

Because they disobey God, they spend 40 years in the wilderness of the desert. They don't get to go into the land God promised them, but their children do.

[B]

And God raises up a new leader, Joshua, who leads the Israelites into the promised land. And because Joshua listens to God and does what he says, they take the land. Hooray.

[A]

When they get there, they divide up the land and spread out by tribe. And they're supposed to drive out all their enemies. But as we just found out, they don't. And so we're about to find out what happens again when God's people disobey him again.

[B]

What we read together next is a hard part of the Bible. But stick with us, and we'll keep seeing how God's beautiful story of redemption unfolds. This whole story is pointing us toward Jesus, our Redeemer. So stay tuned.

[A]

Yes, let's keep reading the big story together tomorrow.

[B]

But before we go, I have a big question for you, Ms. Terrilee. Why did God tell the Israelites to drive out all the people in the Promised Land? Why couldn't they have all just lived there together?

[A]

That is a big question. A very big question. We could study this big question for years and only begin to understand it. But there are a few things we know now that will help us. First, let's remember that God is holy and that he's sovereign.

[B]

Yes. He's set apart and he's perfect. He made everything. He sees everything and he knows everything. He has power and authority over everyone and everything.

[A]

Yes. And he's good. He loves his kids. And he knew that if their enemies stayed in the promised land, the Israelites would start acting less and less like God, and they'd start acting more and more like their enemies.

[B]

And that's exactly what happens.

[A]

Right. Just like the Canaanites. A lot of the Israelites lie and cheat and steal and take advantage of vulnerable people.

[B]

It is a sad, sinful mess.

[A]

So something that helps me with this big question is to think about it less like the Israelites versus their enemies and more like holiness versus sinfulness.

[B]

God wants his people to choose holiness over sinfulness always.

[A]

He wants all of his kids to choose holiness because he's holy and He. He's where the joy is.