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You Can Read the Bible Guided Podcast
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Read Through the Bible
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Day 22 Guided Podcast
2d agoTap to summarizeYesterday, we read how memory was forged through feast and festival, through sacrifice, and even through the marking of time. Today, we begin with memory recounted through song. Listen to how the poetry sways between elevating God’s strength and remembering God’s deeds. But soon this hopeful journey comes up against the realities of life, as the crises hit one after another. The first crisis is finding water. The LORD provides a solution, but also warns the Israelites to diligently listen to Him. The author relates this story as being a test from the LORD. God’s rescue now demands Israel’s obedience, lest they suffer as the Egyptians – whose own troubles began with bitter water. The next crisis is food. Read chapter 16 with as much care as the author took to convey it. The way in which the LORD provides food, and the instructions surrounding it, seem to be important. Read this remembering that the subject of the Bible is God, so consider how these details convey something about him. Later, they head to a new camp, another water crisis emerges. Now food and water are essential, and let’s not disregard the crisis. You could keep a page in your journal to tally each new insult the Israelites hurl Moses’ way. The author shines a bright light on their forgetfulness of all the LORD has done, and on how Moses absorbs their wrath. Stash this away for when we get nearer to the promised land. Our reading ends with an encounter with the Amalekites, and introduces a new character, whom you will hear much more about later. Our verse for this week is Hebrews 11:22: “By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.” Exodus 15 through 17. Now let’s read it!
Transcribe →Day 64 Guided Podcast
2d agoTap to summarizeIn today’s reading we’re still working through specific laws for Israel that fall under the general command to be set apart as God’s holy people. The theme that runs through chapter 21 is assuring that sin is not allowed to set up camp in the land. A ritual is assigned to dealing with unsolved murders, and instructions are given for properly dealing with captives, rebellious children, and hangings. And you’ll even hear a law that sounds like it came straight from the story of Jacob. Chapter 22 and the beginning of 23 present a series of cases where mixing together of certain things is prohibited. Some of these will sound peculiar while others, such as disallowing the Ammonites and Moabites into the assembly, are derived from history. Many mark a distinction from the nations around them, remembering the LORD’s charge that Israel be set apart. Listen in chapter 23, however, that not all nations are treated the same: Egypt and Edom are different, based on Israel’s history with them. At the end of today’s reading is again a curious mixture of laws about economic justice intermixed with laws about idolatry. We saw this same pattern in chapters 16 and 17, as though there might be some connection between the two. These laws might be difficult to read through both because of their variety and their content. I’ll remind you again that we’re tourists in this land, visiting a different time and culture. It’s important to hear what they would have heard 3,400 years ago. It’s also important to recognize that there are certain social constructs that God chose to address and others He didn’t. I encourage you to ask hard questions of the text while accepting that all of God’s purposes might not be discovered in this life. Our verse for this week is Matthew 22:39: And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Deuteronomy 21 to 23. Now let’s read it!
Transcribe →Day 161 Guided Podcast
2d agoTap to summarize“Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us…” Luke uses his introduction to inform the reader of his purpose and method in writing this gospel. Luke seeks to write an orderly account of the things that have been taught, based on the testimony of eyewitnesses. His motive: so that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. In other words, there are a lot of stories out there about Jesus, and Luke has set out to establish their credibility, and bring order to the narrative. The “you” in the above sentence is Theophilus. The name means “Friend of God” or “One who loves God,” and its owner is impossible to pin down. Some ancient traditions assign it to a prominent Jew in Alexandria; others to a Roman official; still others to a priest or a group of priests. Perhaps Theophilus is a metaphor for a group of believers to whom Luke provides a definitive record of Jesus’ life. The opening chapters go further than other gospels into the life of Mary’s family and into the birth and childhood of Jesus. The story begins not with Mary or Joseph, but with Elizabeth, a cousin of Mary and wife of a priest, who were both righteous before God…but they had no child. The miraculous surrounds the birth stories of both Elizabeth and Mary, causing observers to witness that the hand of the Lord was with them. Pay close attention, in chapter 2, to the visits to the Temple. Whereas Matthew rooted Jesus’ advent in the prophecies of the past, Luke introduces Simeon, who peers into the future when he holds the infant Jesus: “My eyes have seen your salvation, that you prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel… Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed… so that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Our verse for this week is Micah 6:8: He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Luke chapters 1 and 2. Now let’s read it!
Transcribe →Day 138 Guided Podcast
2d agoTap to summarizeWhen Solomon’s reign was still young, the author of Kings evoked the promise the LORD had made to Abram, noting that Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. Furthermore, …They ate and drank and were happy. Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life. But that was over eighty years ago. The LORD has kept His promises to Abraham, but Abraham’s children have not reciprocated. Judah and Israel are now two kingdoms; Judah’s kings have wavered between fidelity and idolatry; Israel’s have followed in the way of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. That sin destroys Ahaziah in 2 Kings chapter 1, who takes over the northern kingdom after Ahab’s death in the battle for Ramoth-gilead. As his father’s death was random except for the hand of the LORD, so is Ahaziah’s: he is killed not by an accidental fall, but by soliciting the prophets of Baal-zebub, rather than the LORD. And as Ahab’s death was prophesied by Elijah, so is Ahaziah’s. This completes the work of Elijah. His was a fitful ministry marked by intense faith that the LORD is God: often on the run for his life, courageously returning when the LORD compelled him to. Yet he never bowed in deference to a king, but proclaimed the word of the LORD, before whom I stand. Through Elijah we see a depth of faith, and a glimpse at the emotional and physical life of a prophet, that we haven’t been privy to since Moses. The final episode of Elijah’s story, at the start chapter 2, begins with the climax: Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind… Marvel and delight that the Biblical author doesn’t explain the mechanics of this: as Elijah and his protégé Elisha walk along the Jordan – that great boundary line of the Promised Land – chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them….and [Elisha] saw him no more. Elijah’s cloak falls to Elisha’s feet, and through the rest of chapter 2 we discover that a double portion of Elijah’s spirit has indeed fallen on him as well. Listen throughout chapters 2 and 3 as the LORD shows not only His power, but also His hand on, and words in, Elijah’s successor. In chapter 3 the kings of Israel head out to fight against Moab, which has rebelled against the king of Israel. Remember that Moab has been subject to Israel and Judah since the days of David, and was also the home of David’s ancestress, Ruth. Elisha’s power has been revealed to prophets, to Jericho, and to a pack of boys. Here, on the plains of Moab, the LORD’s spirit in Elisha, fidelity to His people, and contempt for the king of Israel will intersect. Our verse for this week is 2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Kings 1 through 3. Now let’s read it!
Transcribe →Day 108 Guided Podcast
2d agoTap to summarizeLet’s begin by travelling back to Numbers chapter 20. Moses had been leading Israel for decades, suffering their insults and rebellions, and, more significantly, standing before the LORD on behalf of the LORD’s people – and sometimes between them. Yet a momentary lapse, a failure “to believe in [the LORD], to uphold [Him] as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel,” causes Moses lose the Promised Land. I remind you of this because chapter 13 tells a peculiar episode that will begin the unraveling of Saul’s kingdom. It might not immediately be clear what Saul’s big failure is, but an important peculiarity about the Israelite nation is affirmed: the LORD’s king may have command over the people, but the prophet and the priest operate independently of him, as do their agencies. Contrary to the cultures around them, Israel’s kingship was political only; he was not a religious leader, except to know and enforce the LORD’s law. Keep that in your back pocket in the future – really, throughout the remainder of the Old Testament. In chapter 14 we’re introduced to Jonathan, Saul’s son, who leads an assault against the Philistines. A phrase keeps recurring in the dialogue of this chapter: “Do what seems good to you…” It’s aimed at either Jonathan or Saul, and may serve a purpose. Saul’s descent continues in this chapter, as he proclaims a rash curse – presumably meant to rally his troops – that almost costs Jonathan his life. However, it’s an almost, as in almost as bad as the Jephthah story, because Saul’s army stands in the way of Saul fulfilling the vow. But the good outcome for Jonathan (and, presumably, Israel), further degrades Saul. The king could proclaim a curse, but had no power to enforce it. Not only is Saul weak in the LORD; he’s also weak before his men: ineffective both in the spiritual and the secular sense. Finally, don’t check out before the very end of chapter 14, and consider whether a prophecy is beginning to be fulfilled. Our verse for this week is Matthew 11:28: Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 1 Samuel 13 and 14. Now let’s read it!
Transcribe →Day 162 Guided Podcast
2d agoTap to summarizeIn all four gospels, the authors launch the story of Jesus’ ministry by introducing John, the Baptist, son of Zechariah. Like the others, Luke recalls John’s message, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. But Luke doesn’t just stop there. In answer to the crowd’s question, “What then shall we do?” John provides an answer: “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none…” to the tax collectors, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do…” and to the soldiers, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusations…” John then answers his listeners’ expectation: Could he be the Christ? No, he replies, “I baptize you with water but He who is mightier than I is coming… He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand. These early emphases of Luke’s – of the conduct that reflects repentance, of Jesus’ separating wheat from chaff – can be tucked away for future reference. Introductions have a way of setting the stage for themes that are important to the author. It’s fitting to read Luke’s gospel in sequence with Matthew’s, because some of their emphases are quite distinct from each other. For example, Matthew routinely cites prophecy; Luke’s focus is the signs and wonders associated with Jesus’ birth and life. In the birth narratives, Matthew’s spotlight favors Joseph, while Luke’s attention is almost exclusively on Mary. Even their genealogies of Jesus take different tracks: Matthew follows Joseph’s line back through David to Abraham. Luke traces Mary’s line through David, but through Abraham all the way to Adam. Again, there could be themes established here as well. Chapter 4 opens as Jesus is led from the Jordan into the wilderness, being tempted by the devil for forty days. Three specific temptations are recounted, and in the first two Jesus responds with Scripture. In the third, the devil himself teases Jesus with Scripture, but Jesus again rises above. He then returns to Galilee, again, in Luke’s observation, in the power of the Spirit, and taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. The next story, which begins when Jesus came to Nazareth, is pivotal. Read it slowly, placing yourself in the room as Jesus takes the Isaiah scroll, reads the words “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me...because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, liberty to the captives, recovering of sight, liberty to those who are oppressed…to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor” then sits back down, and explains, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Our verse for this week is Micah 6:8: He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Luke chapters 3 and 4. Now let’s read it!
Transcribe →Day 251 Guided Podcast
2d agoTap to summarizeUnknown date, possibly after the Fall of Samaria, or even of Jerusalem. What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten. – Joel 1:4 The book of Joel’s prophecies breaks neatly into three parts. In chapter 1 he acknowledges the devastation of a recent locust plague – described as a nation powerful and beyond number – but keeps a cool distance from it. Joel’s concern is that his hearers will understand the power behind the locusts: For the day of the LORD is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes. The book pivots in the middle of chapter 2: “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and He relents over disaster. Joel plants his call in a logical consideration: Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God? In other words, what does Israel have to lose? Perhaps the LORD won’t relent; but if He might, doesn’t it make sense to return? In the final act Joel looks forward – beyond the present plague, to a new beginning for his nation and for the earth. A day when not only will the LORD restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, and when He will restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, and when the LORD brings Judah’s enemies together in the Valley of Decision, but when it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. Our verse for this week is Psalm 37:4-5: Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act. Joel 1 through 3. Now let’s read it!
Transcribe →Day 264 Guided Podcast
2d agoTap to summarizeAnd my holy name I will make known in the midst of my people Israel, and I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. Behold, it is coming and it will be brought about, declares the LORD GOD. That is the day of which I have spoken. – Ezekiel 39:7-8 The visions in the second half of Zechariah bear a certain timelessness that makes them difficult to apply. No longer are we dealing with temporal concerns of temple-building or fast-keeping. Instead, past, present and future are woven throughout each other in what, at times, can feel like a confusing pattern. Today’s opening is clear enough: the burden of the word of the LORD is against a variety of nations: Hadrach and Aram, Tyre and Sidon, and the tribes of the Philistines. For Jerusalem’s king is coming to her, who has bent Judah as His bow, and has made Ephraim His arrow, and His reign shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. This promise to restore and protect Judah and Israel carries through chapter 10, but in chapter 11 comes an interesting command: “Thus said the LORD my God, “Become shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter…” What follow might be difficult to trace: either Zechariah is speaking and living out a part, or someone else is doing the same, or the entire vision is a metaphor with no specific character attachments. It seems this could be a representation of Israel’s history to date, but this is inconclusive. My encouragement, as elsewhere, is to read for broader implications and allow details to settle in through repeating readings. You’re allowed to be discerning while humble, recognizing that the meaning of these oracles may have been evident to the original hearers, or may have been just as cryptic to them as it isb to us. Our verse for this week is Colossians 3:23: Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. Zechariah 9 through 11. Now let’s read it!
Transcribe →Day 333 Guided Podcast
2d agoTap to summarizeThere is a hopeful logic to the attention paid to the priestly order in today’s opening chapter. Accounts of Levi’s descendants being arranged and commissioned signal that Judah’s king had both a heart and the time for such work. After all, not only did David and Solomon possess hearts that were faithful to the LORD, but they also had a significant era of peace within which to build the religious infrastructure. And indeed, the first decade of Hezekiah’s reign was infinitely more peaceful than any moment during his father’s tenure. That peace is threatened, though, when Sennacherib – the son of Ahaz’s nemesis – drives the Assyrian army into Judah, with his sights set on her capital. After acknowledging Hezekiah’s acts of faithfulness, as well as his strategic efforts to protect Jerusalem, the author recounts the psychological warfare waged by Assyria’s king: “Like the gods of the nations of the lands who have not delivered their people from my hands, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver his people from my hand.” And they shouted it with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, in order that they might take the city. And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they spoke of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men's hands. Hezekiah’s response to this – with an assist from the prophet Isaiah – follows the pattern of faithfulness we’ve observed. However, the second half of our reading today inverts this ascendant hope: Hezekiah’s pride wins his heart; his son, Manasseh, was even worse than his grandfather, leading Judah to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the people of Israel, and his successor, Amon, barely deserves mention. Our reading ends today over 350 years since David was first installed as king, and with a sense that the end may be drawing nigh. Our verse for this week is Revelation 22:5: And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. 2 Chronicles 31 through 33. Now let’s read it!
Transcribe →Day 297 Guided Podcast
2d agoTap to summarizeYour name, O LORD, endures forever, Your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages. For the LORD will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants. – Psalm 135:13-14 Psalm 135 opened the subject of the LORD’s steadfastness, especially toward the children of Israel. This will be explored more thoroughly in our first three Psalms today. You will notice that Psalm 136 has a unique structure, as the steadfast love of the LORD is drilled home in a call and response pattern. This faith will be critical to the audience of Psalm 137, a lament from the exiles in Babylon who ask, “How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?” They pray to the LORD, hoping that His love is indeed steadfast, as they long for justice toward Edom and Babylon. This is followed by a Psalm “Of David” that rejoices that All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of Your mouth, and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD. For though the LORD is high, He regards the lowly, but the haughty He knows from afar. Did you notice what happened there? Three Psalms, which could have been written hundreds of years apart, have been compiled in such a way that they form a complete message. In the universe and in Israel’s experience, the LORD has shown His steadfast love. In the particular, personal life of King David, the LORD has shown His steadfast love. To the exile then, and to all who would cry out, “How shall we sing the LORD’s song?...” there is a hope-filled answer. The final two Psalms are again of David. Psalm 139 is notable as a contemplation on the all-present God from Whom there is no escape. Rather than despair on anger, the writer settles on grateful yielding: “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way of life everlasting!” Its successor, Psalm 140, Our verse for this week is James 5:16: Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Psalms 136 through 140. Now let’s read it!
Transcribe →