Bible in Context

Revelation 20. Satan is chained, a 1000 year reign, and a great white throne of judgment. What’s it all about? When does it take place. Part 1 of a look at a chapter that sets the tone for all kinds of end-time scenarios.

Revelation 19. Jesus returns and with it comes the fairy-tale ending God’s people are yearning for. The dragon is slain. The conquering hero triumphs. The long-awaited wedding comes to pass. It’s about the hope and perspective God wants for all people.

Zach Schmidt steps in to guest teach the class. He focuses on doing a review of what the class has covered so far.

Part 2 of Christians and culture. In light of the worldviews we face, today explores how to recognize their patterns, and live and witness in the midst of them.

Revelation 17-18 talks about a prostitute, beast, and Babylon. It’s really about Christians in their culture. Culture and society are gifts, but with them come temptations and seductions. The seven churches of Revelation were no exception. Today traces ways of thinking that undergird various cultures that have the power to seduce or confuse. Part 1 of cultural worldviews.

Today is Revelation 17. Its message? Don’t sleep with the prostitute. It’s certainly good advice in any day and age, but John prepares the church for the seduction of a pagan culture with a call to come out of any way they might be adulterating themselves with it.

Part 2 of Revelation 16. Armageddon, worldviews, and how to interpret the Bible.

Just about everyone has heard of Armageddon, even if they’ve never read the Bible. Revelation 16 introduces it. Part 1 of a look at what Armageddon is and why the Bible talks about it.

Revelation 15-16 is frightening. God’s wrath is poured out, but heaven keeps reminding us: “Good and just are your judgments.” How do we reconcile this and come to terms with a good and gracious God who punishes?

Suffering and persecution are real. Revelation doesn’t soft-pedal it. But it does give a vision of hope. The lamb and his army are prepared and the fury of God’s wrath is building. Revelation 14 brings a hope of vindication to those suffering at the hand of the dragon and the beasts.

Dave gives an amplified reading that unpacks the symbols of Revelation 13 to make sense of its message. This passage of warning and hope shows every generation that there’s a reason behind the persecutions and temptations we face and that faithfulness to Jesus matters in not just what we think, but in what we do and say.

Today starts Revelation 13. Beasts, marks, signs, and numbers. It all has to do with a cosmic war between a dragon and a woman’s offspring. A cosmic perspective on the challenge those first Christians faced before the Roman Empire and that Christians face in every day and age.

A woman clothed with the sun vs. a seven-headed dragon leading to a cosmic war and a male child ruling with an iron scepter in the middle.  What to make of it, and what this sweet & sour “little scroll” message has to do with the struggles of Christians both then and today.

In Revelation 11 John smashes together image after image from the prophets. By tapping those stories that define God’s people, he tries to show that it is our story too. We are part of God’s witness to the world. Like a long line of prophets before us, our witness will be marked with the power of God and with suffering. Take heart. God has overcome the world.

Big angel, little scroll, and a tasty-looking message that can turn your stomach. Revelation 10 starts part 2 of the book. Paralleling The Lion of the Tribe of Judah holding the scroll of destiny, Revelation 10 zooms in on a lion-speaking angel holding a smaller message about God’s prophetic voice in history. Leaning into Revelation 11, God will make clear the power of his message and the suffering his prophets will endure carrying forth his word to many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.

How does God judge the world? Revelation 9 gives a glimpse into God’s hands in everyday events and how to interpret what we’re experiencing.

Revelation 8-9 give a picture of God answering prayers and going to war.

What is Revelation about? Centering on that is more important than every detail. Using chapter 7 as a model, we look at how the genre functions and the perspective on life Revelation brings.

Revelation 7 witnesses God marking “144,000” with a special seal. Who are they? To what end? What message does this bring to seven churches in the 1stcentury AD?

Today is Revelation 6. The lion opens the seals and God’s justice and judgment unfolds. It’s a message of justice and judgement, hope and warning, with a promise to God’s oppressed of a vindication to come.

*Due to some technical difficulties, the last few minutes of the session were not recorded.

The symbols in Revelation draw on Jewish and Roman imagery that John weaves together in a double-helix of meaning. Today we dig into the images we see in Revelation 4-5, along with faith, and the pax Romana v the pax Christi.

Today is about the ethos of Rome manifest in the Caesar cult. We dive into the headspace, culture, and worldview those seven churches were immersed in. It’s key to understanding the symbols John uses in Revelation 4-5, and through the rest of the letter.

Revelation 4-5 brings us into the throne room of God. All kinds of creatures, images and symbols - everything finds its purpose in relation to God’s throne. A high altitude look at the role these two chapters play in the life of everyone.

Symbols can be confusing. Today we look at how to interpret them.

Further into Revelation 2-3. Patterns and points in Jesus’s edicts to the 7 churches.

A satellite view of Revelation 2-3 and how John subverts Imperial Edicts for Christ.

Revelation 1 begins today with visions of Jesus in a whole new way and hints of themes to come.

Is the world getting better or worse? This week tackles to bit Revelation concepts: The Tribulation and Millennium. What are they? And when do they take place on Revelation’s timeline?

Revelation is not a blueprint of future events. So what is it? Catch the cycle John keeps retelling of life between Christ’s first and second comings.

Revelation is a letter. A subversive letter like literary guerrilla warfare. Knowing that is key to understanding what it’s all about.

It’s crazy, confusing, and misunderstood. And it may be one of the most powerful pictures of Jesus and the life of a Christian. Today begins our journey through the book called Revelation.

Week 3 takes us into the Jewish roots of John. We look at how John’s Gospel shows Jesus as the hope and fulfillment of OT hope and the Jewish feasts, symbols, and institutions.

Week 2 of tracing the flow of the Gospel according to John. This week dives into signs and how John uses them to lead people to Jesus.

Today starts three weeks of looking at the themes and structure of the Gospel according to John. How is it written? What point does John want to make? How does he weave his story? By seeing the flow, we can see how the pieces fit together.

Gary Peterson dives further into the topic of prayer, specifically looking at the Lord's Prayer.

Zach Schmidt leads us in a practical study on praying using the ACTS model. Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication.

The final week of exploring the context of Acts 2 and the trajectory it sets. Today we talk about how God uses tongues, the apostolic mandate, and a brief blueprint for bringing the good news of his kingdom.

Week 3 of the story of God behind Acts 2. Babel is reversed as God reaches out to the disinteherited prodigals of Genesis 11.

Week 2 of the worldview behind Acts 2. Theophanies and the Christ Event dominate the scene.

Acts 2 is the story of God pouring out his Spirit on the disciples. It’s pivotal to the New Testament and God’s work in the work. Today begins a closer look at the context of this Jewish holiday.

Week 5 rounds out the cruciform way of life along with some filling out on Bible translations.

Week 3 is all about over-realized eschatology. More than a mouthful, it plagued this early church, and sometimes us too.

Week 2 takes us into the land and culture of 1 Corinthians, and Paul’s strategy for bringing divided Christians together.

Life in the early church was far from ideal, and the Corinthians were Paul’s problem child. Today starts a 6-week journey into the context, culture, and history behind these amazing letters.

A life of discipleship means re-giving the gifts God has given us. This week explores a life of faith in action and gratitude marked by generosity and sacrifice.

A life of discipleship is marked by a desire for obedience. Jesus calls us to obey his commands. Far from perfect, today’s faith check explores a life of repentance and faith vs perfection.

This week’s “faith check” tackles beliefs. What we believe effects how we feel and how we live. Reaffirming our faith in Christ as the governing source of our life and worldview is key to a deepening relationship with God.

The Acts 2 church devoted themselves to fellowship. It doesn’t happen spontaneously and is too important to leave to chance. A spiritual examination of connecting to the body of Christ.

Living like Jesus is central to the Christian experience. Lent is a way to focus on living like Jesus through suffering, struggle, testing, and temptation. Today begins a 5-week journey of testing our faith and inviting Christ to form us.

Our last prophet is Malachi. Writing in the context of a rebuilt temple, it’s a powerful reminder to seek God with fervency because of the coming Day of the Lord.

The prophet Zechariah is crazy and confusing, amazing and profound. Today we navigate his visions of the second temple and the messianic kingdom he anticipates.

The prophet Haggai takes us into a new era, the Second Temple era. It’s a period of hope and anxiety that marks the scene through the time of Jesus. This prophet speaks into the disappointment upon Israel’s return to the land, questions of God’s presence, and when the exile will be over.

Haggai is the first prophet after the exile. His message comes to Israel as they adjust to life in a new era.

Zephaniah is the last of the minor prophets before the before the fall of Jerusalem.  Explore his message of judgment and hope.

The message of Habakkuk is one of crying out to God in the face of evil and injustice. Hear how God answers and Habakkuk’s response to this age-old human struggle.

The prophet Nahum is filled with judgment on Israel’s enemy, Assyria, which simultaneously becomes a message of comfort to the afflicted.

Part 2 of the prophet Micah and the context surrounding his classic Christmas prophecy. Our apologies. Due to technical difficulties, only the first half of today’s podcast is available.

Is Jonah a work of literature, historic, or both? And what did he get swallowed by? We rap up Jonah and begin our foray into part 1 of Micah.

Jonah is a prophet about God’s love for the nations Israel hates, and the relentless pursuit of God after those who resist him.

Part 2 of Obadiah. Coming to terms with strange names, a simple Bible study technique, and how to read the prophets in light of each other.

Obadiah is the shortest of the prophets, but packs a big punch. Week 1 of this amazing little book.

Part two of the prophet Amos and God’s indictment on his people when the search for comfort and safety drowns justice, compassion, and mercy.

Is Israel more guilty than her oppressing neighbors of violence and apathy? Week 1 of the prophet Amos and his message of warning in a time of comfort and security.

Part 3 of the Day of the Lord. The New Testament shows one more way the prophetic hopes play out. Not just by Christ, but in Christ.

Part 2 of the Day of the Lord. See how the prophetic hopes gets played out in the Gospels.

The Day of the Lord is a central hope of the prophets, maybe the Bible. What were these prophets expecting? Part 1 of the promise and hope woven through the Bible.

Joel prophecies a day of Yahweh that anticipate a day of Yahweh that
anticipates a day of Yahweh. Joel dives into what this Day brings.

The people of God are facing locusts. The prophet Joel shows there's more
than meets the eye.

The worldview of the OT prophets includes pantheons of gods, especially Baal. And oh how Israel loved him. Part 2 of Hosea and the plea of Yahweh for his people to return to him.

God tells Hosea to marry a prostitute to break through to Israel before they get crushed. The first foray into the minor prophets.

What exactly is Daniel prophesying about? The second part of the prophet Daniel in light of Persians, Greeks, Seleucids, and Rome.

Daniel was a prophet taken into exile by the Babylonians. Part 1 of the events that shed light on this amazing, confusing book.

Isaiah 40-66 is confusing. You’d never know there was a 150+ year gap of time between the end of Isaiah 39 and this section. But by knowing the situation to which the prophet is writing, this last section takes on new life.

Ezekiel is weird. Really weird. This prophet writes from Exile with a Psalm 137 flare. A peek into visions of God and prophetic performances.

Today we sample some texts from Jeremiah and see just how hard this message and his call happened to be. Opening the door on whether God is for me or against me, and why it’s the wrong question to begin with.

Sometimes prophecy is treason. Follow the message and dilemma of a prophet named Jeremiah during one of the most catastrophic events in Israel's history.

We crawled through the window of Isaiah 7. God is giving signs – virgins, a child, and wait, Assyria? How the NT gives 3D views of 2D prophecies of 1D moments in history.

Opening the window on Isaiah 7. Aram, Rezin, Ephraim, and Remaliah’s son. Making sense of so many names and a bit on 2D vs 3D prophecy.

OT prophets are about current events. Their current events. You know the two key dates. Now learn the two key nations. This geo-political climate is like something out of a Tom Clancy novel!

If the OT prophets are your blind spot, that means 25% of the Bible is a blind spot. Context, culture, and history make these confusing books come to life!