Tara-Leigh Cobble
Appearances
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Yesterday, we saw Jacob preparing for his death at the age of 147 by asking his son Joseph to make sure he was buried in Canaan, not Egypt. Today, we pick up with Jacob blessing Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh before he dies.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
Joseph brought the boys to him and positioned Manasseh, the oldest, in front of Jacob's right hand, because that was considered to be the hand of blessing and power. And he positions Ephraim, the youngest, in front of Jacob's left hand. But then Jacob crosses his hands, putting his right hand on Ephraim's head.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
Jacob is going blind, just like his dad Isaac was near the end of his days, so Joseph thought maybe he couldn't see what he was doing. But he totally could. He blessed both boys, but he intentionally passed the ruling power of the two boys to the younger brother, Ephraim. We've seen this theme elsewhere, and it continues here. Manasseh will become a people, but Ephraim will become a multitude.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
By the way, the angel that Jacob refers to in verse 16 of his blessing, the one who redeemed him from all evil and whom he asked to bless the boys, the original language here gives us lots of clues that he's referring to the angel of the Lord, i.e. God himself. After Jacob has blessed Joseph's sons, he continues his final blessing by gathering his own sons. And boy, does he get precise with them.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
His words reflect a lot of the things we've seen happen, as well as some of the things yet to come, some prophecies. You probably remember Reuben, the oldest, who slept with his father's concubine. Jacob retracts his preeminence. The oldest loses his birthright here, just like we saw happen with Ishmael and Esau.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
And maybe you remember Simeon and Levi, the second and third sons, who slaughtered all the men of Shechem in retaliation for the rape of their sister Dinah. So because of their actions, the birthright status and preeminence pass over them as well. Instead, this blessing lands on the fourth son, Judah. But make no mistake, it was not because Judah was perfect.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
After all, he's the one who slept with his daughter-in-law Tamar. But that was a different kind of offense in the eyes of their culture. It didn't threaten the family unit like the actions of the other three did. Judah fathered Perez, who is listed in the lineage of Jesus. And by the way, Perez isn't the firstborn either.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
This law of primogeniture keeps getting violated, and anytime God repeats himself or creates a theme, it's worth taking notice. All of this, as I've mentioned before, is painting the picture of Christ, our older brother, laying down his rights and privileges to share his inheritance with us.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
Jacob continues blessing the other brothers, and when he gets to Joseph, there's a distinct blessing for Joseph as well that seems to set him and his descendants apart. More on that in the days to come. At the end of Jacob's blessing, he reiterates his desire to be buried in Canaan. And then we encounter a phrase you may be familiar with, the twelve tribes of Israel.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
We know that Jacob is Israel, and these are his twelve sons. they will all go on to have many offspring and each man's offspring belong to his tribe. Did you catch all that? So when you see the reference to the 12 tribes of Israel, remember that it's a reference to these 12 sons of Jacob Israel and their corresponding offspring.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
Jacob recounts God's promises to him to give him many offspring and to give them the land of Canaan, and he refers to God by a name we've seen a few times, God Almighty. This is translated from the Hebrew El Shaddai, which loosely means God of the mountains. One of the things we haven't talked about much, but that's really important is that God's names represent his character.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
After Jacob dies, Pharaoh granted them the opportunity to travel to Canaan to go bury their father in the tomb he requested. But when they get back to Egypt, Joseph's brothers begin to fear him. They think maybe he was faking forgiveness, that he's been holding back until their dad dies and now he'll retaliate. They tell him a story about how their father wanted him to forgive them.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
And maybe it's true, who knows? Either way, Joseph has already forgiven them, and his heart is already free of bitterness. So he takes the opportunity to remind them not of what they did, or even of how he has forgiven them, but of who God is.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
God is the one who went before all of them and made a way, a very difficult way, no doubt, but a way nonetheless for them all to be alive and who provided for them through all these circumstances. Then we close the book with Joseph's death. In his final days, he echoes the same desires of his father. He does not want to be buried in Egypt.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
He knew God's promise to give them the land of Canaan would be fulfilled, and he tells them, Joseph dies trusting in God's promises. Where did you see your God shot today? Mine was in Jacob's blessing to Judah. If you read it closely, you'll see some real Lion of Judah prophecies about Jesus here, like we talked about a few days ago.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
Micah 5, 2 gives us a detailed prophecy about the coming ruler of Israel who is from the tribe of Judah, who would be born in Bethlehem. Does any of that ring a bell? And verse 11 of Jacob's prophetic blessing says, "...he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes." Wine is the appointed symbol of Christ's blood.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
And maybe I'm reaching here, but when I read that verse, I can't help but think of Revelation 19.13. It describes the second coming of Christ, and it says, "...he is clothed in a robe dipped in blood." Images and prophecies of Christ are abundant in the Old Testament. He's all over the place, so much so that no one could invent it.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
Some say there are more than 400 prophecies of Christ in the Old Testament. But this picture today of Jacob blessing Judah, receive that for yourself because through Judah, you have been blessed. Through Judah, you have received the promise of the coming Messiah who reigns forever and the scepter shall not depart from him. He's our King Jesus and he's where the joy is.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
Congratulations on finishing Genesis, Bible readers. I know it may feel like we're just at the beginning, but remember that because we covered Job this month, we've now finished two of the longest books of the Bible. We're nearly 10% of the way through. Before we move to Exodus tomorrow, remember that we're continuing in the same story we've been reading. It all fits together seamlessly.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
So take a few minutes and think of how you might summarize what you've learned in Genesis before we move forward into the next part of the story tomorrow. Tomorrow we'll be starting the book of Exodus. It's 40 chapters long. We've linked to a short video overview in the show notes. So check that out if you've got six minutes to spare.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
And as always, if you're using our plan in the Bible app, this video will also be linked at the start of tomorrow's reading. On the last day of every month, we send out a free monthly email called the News Cap. We aren't here to waste your time or crowd your inbox, so we only send you content that will be a good use of your time.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
The News Cap includes a note from me, Tara Lee, plus TBR updates, cool merch drops, and free monthly bonus content with tools to help you dig deeper or sharpen your spiritual disciplines. Like everything else we do, the News Cap is just another tool to help you read, understand, and love God's Word. Sign up at the bottom of our homepage at thebiblerecap.com or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
They tell us who he is and what he does. We've got a list of God's names and attributes that we would love to share with you because we really believe they'll help you as you're reading through scripture and looking for your God shot each day. Stay tuned at the end of this episode to find out where to grab that free PDF. Jacob continues his speech to Joseph, and in it, he does a peculiar thing.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
He formally adopts Joseph's children as his own, possibly because he was robbed of having Joseph in his life as a young boy, but he'd gotten to spend many years with these children. He compares Joseph's two oldest children to his two oldest children, Reuben and Simeon.
The Bible Recap
Day 029 (Genesis 48-50) - Year 7
And while this feels a little weird to me, it's actually probably a generous move, a way of establishing that these two boys will receive an inheritance from him along with Joseph's brothers. They will be heirs to the land and the promise. This will continue to come into play in our reading, so make a mental note of it.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Yesterday, the Israelites won a lot of wars and took a lot of land, so today we open with a summary of what land they've acquired, with lots of boundaries that are probably unfamiliar to you and that seem unimportant.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
And he succeeds under Joshua's blessing and God's direction. Chapter 15 tells us all about Judah's inheritance. They were the largest tribe by far, so they get the largest plot of land. Almost everything Judah got was desert, but it does edge in on Jerusalem, so that's a plus. And they also got all that mineral-rich soil of the Dead Sea, so I guess that means they had free facials and floating.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
We've included a general map of the tribal allotments in today's show notes for those of you who are visual. Having been to almost all of these places, I personally think Benjamin, Naftali, and Dan got the best allotments. Their land is represented by the current areas of Jerusalem, the Sea of Galilee, and Tel Aviv. The land I would be least interested in is Simeon's land.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
It's straight up desert with nothing awesome in it, unless you like desert. By the way, anytime you see the word Negeb, that's a reference to the desert. Because Caleb was a part of the tribe of Judah, his inheritance falls within their allotment.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
There's one plot of land promised to him that he asks for help with, and he promises that whatever man conquers that city will get to marry his daughter. I know how I would feel about this today if it happened, but if I lived back then, I probably would have considered it an honor to be the grand prize for the warrior who conquered the most difficult city in my father's land.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
His daughter's cousin, Othniel, happened to be the one who conquered it, which is not awesome in today's culture, but was pretty great back then. And she had one request. Since her portion included the Negeb, the desert, she also wanted two springs of water. Smart woman. And her dad gave it to her.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
We ended today's reading with a sentence that is in contrast to everything else we read today, which is also where my God shot came in. 1563 says, So the Jebusites dwell with the people of Judah at Jerusalem to this day. Earlier in 1313, we read about how the Transjordan tribes did not drive out the people of the land, which suggests that they didn't even try.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
Rest assured that these boundaries were very important to the people at the time, and not only that, but these lists have also served our faith historically and archaeologically. So hang in there when we're in these dry patches. Know that they serve a purpose greater than you.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
But this text about Judah's land says that the people of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites from Jerusalem, as in they tried and they failed. Why? If God was with them, why couldn't they just believe in themselves and make it happen? Why couldn't they recall God's promises to them and hold them to His words? God will not be manipulated by our mantras.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
He made a very specific agreement with them about how the land would be taken, and it involved obedience. They can't just show up with their entitlement and expect God to give them what they want, even when it's what He promised them personally and directly. This unique relationship their nation state has with God means that they have to walk in accordance with the covenant they made.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
And something was off here. There was some sin. So they don't acquire the land. Does that mean God has failed them? No, the story isn't over yet. So resist the urge to have all the answers just yet. God is at work, even in these so-called delays, to shape their hearts, to do them good, to defeat the enemies in their lives despite their present failure. He's with them when they sin and fall short.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
He's with you when you fail. So even in failure, trust can grow, faith can be strengthened, and joy can be found because He's where the joy is. If you've picked up a copy of the Bible recap book in any of its versions, thank you.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
Whether you've grabbed Big Blue, our original hardback, or one of our deluxe versions like Sage or Brown Vegan Leather, or one of the personal size options like Baby Blue or Black Stallion, or our large print version, Bigger Blue, it makes me so happy that I get to read the Bible with you.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
the same great content you're hearing on The Daily Podcast, but instead of listening to the recap for eight minutes a day, you read the recap for two pages a day. And high five to those of you who do both simultaneously. You can find the Bible Recap book wherever books are sold, including in our store. Just visit thebiblerecap.com forward slash store or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
We started out with the land they conquered when Moses was still alive, all the stuff east of the Jordan River where the 2.5 Transjordan tribes live, Gad, Reuben, and East Manasseh. Then we cross the Jordan River heading west into the Promised Land and read about the areas conquered by Joshua. After all this conquering, Joshua is pretty old, but God says he's not done with him.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
There's still more land to take, so he's not allowed to die yet. But God will do the heavy lifting for them and drive out the inhabitants himself. Then Joshua will give the land to the remaining 9.5 tribes. And the Levites, of course, have God himself as their inheritance, and they're divvied up to live among each of the tribes.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
One of the problems with the 2.5 Transjordan tribes to the east is that they didn't drive out all the people who live there, which is not okay, according to God. We'll continue to see how this act of disobedience causes them trouble through the years. Then we have an encounter with Caleb.
The Bible Recap
Day 085 (Joshua 12-15) - Year 7
He was the other spy who, along with Joshua, believed God 45 years earlier when they spied out this very land. He's talking to Joshua about what they endured then and what God promised to them. He recalls following God in the face of fear, and he's ready to do it again. Even at the age of 85, he wants to go personally fight against the Anakim, the giants in the land.
The Bible Recap
Day 057 (Numbers 7) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Tomorrow, we wrap up two months of reading the Bible together. So far, you've spent an estimated 12 hours reading the Bible and approximately eight hours listening to this podcast. If you're already two months in with us, I'm assuming you're in this for the long haul.
The Bible Recap
Day 057 (Numbers 7) - Year 7
This was what it was all for. Animals and ceremony and silver basins. None of it would mean anything if this moment at the end weren't happening. A holy God drawing near to speak to sinful humans.
The Bible Recap
Day 057 (Numbers 7) - Year 7
All these offerings amounted to 12 plates with a total weight of over 1,500 shekels, 12 basins with a total weight of 800 shekels, 12 golden dishes weighing 120 shekels, oil and flour and incense, 6 carts and 264 animals.
The Bible Recap
Day 057 (Numbers 7) - Year 7
These offerings served a purpose not only to bless the Levites, but also to bless all the people and to connect the hearts of the tribes to the Levites and what they were doing, ultimately connecting them back to God. Jesus taught us that heart follows treasure.
The Bible Recap
Day 057 (Numbers 7) - Year 7
So by all the tribes giving these things to the one tribe who was serving them, it helped connect them to the reality of what the Levites were doing on their behalf. God is efficient. He uses the gift of one to bless the whole. And he also uses our giving as a two-way highway where we receive blessing in return.
The Bible Recap
Day 057 (Numbers 7) - Year 7
And I'm not talking about financial blessing or getting all your prayers answered with a yes. I'm talking about the real and lasting treasure of His nearness and the beauty of mirroring Him to the world around us. And every single day, I see it more clearly, and I hope you do too, that He's where the joy is. You recap, but do you kneecap?
The Bible Recap
Day 057 (Numbers 7) - Year 7
In case you're not in the know, The Bible Kneecap is our second daily prayer podcast that corresponds to the same reading plan that you're listening to right now with The Bible Recap. The Bible Kneecap, like Kneeling in Prayer, focuses specifically on praying through the Word, addressing what we've seen and read that day, and what we learned about God and His character.
The Bible Recap
Day 057 (Numbers 7) - Year 7
The episodes are shorter than this podcast, and we found that they help not only round out that day's time in the Word beautifully, but they also help train us in praying more like Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord's Prayer. So if you want some prayer training or you want to just find more encouragement each day, join the Recaptains at the Bible Kneecap tier or higher.
The Bible Recap
Day 057 (Numbers 7) - Year 7
Sign up by visiting thebiblerecap.com forward slash recaptains or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 057 (Numbers 7) - Year 7
You're not the person who started in hopes of making it happen, but faded out two weeks in. You're still here. That's huge. And I'm so grateful God keeps drawing you in to read His Word. Today, we opened up our longest and most repetitive chapter yet with some offerings for the Levites initiated by the heads of other tribes.
The Bible Recap
Day 057 (Numbers 7) - Year 7
They gave the Gershonites and the Merarites ox carts to use as their tabernacle luggage, but the Kohathites didn't get any ox carts because they have to carry things on their shoulders, according to the text. This is a reference to the poles we've already read and talked about, which went over their shoulders.
The Bible Recap
Day 057 (Numbers 7) - Year 7
By the way, I keep mentioning these poles because I'm setting us up to understand something that happens in the future. After they gave the ox carts and the oxen, they set up a dedication ceremony, and God established the offerings that would come from each tribe during that process.
The Bible Recap
Day 057 (Numbers 7) - Year 7
Each tribe was assigned one day out of the 12-day ceremony, where the leaders of each tribe would bring the offerings to the tabernacle. Starting with Judah taking the lead on day one, they worked their way around the encampment clockwise. Each of the tribes, regardless of size, gave the Levites the same contribution to show that they each fully supported them.
The Bible Recap
Day 057 (Numbers 7) - Year 7
The Levites couldn't do this on their own. They needed help from the people. At the end of this 12-day dedication period, Moses went into the tabernacle to hear the Lord speaking to him, and that's where my God shot came in. Kind of obvious for today, I know. But it was the culmination of the previous 88 verses that were building up to all this that made it so beautiful.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Yesterday when we left off, Jacob had just married two sisters, Leah and Rachel, due in part to some deception from his father-in-law, and Jacob's wife Leah had just had four sons. Today we open with Rachel being envious of Leah's ability to bear children.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
This isn't love for God. It isn't love for Jacob. It doesn't even seem like love for their children. It looks a lot more like fear and idolatry and self-promotion. Leah got pregnant for the fifth time and thought it was God's reward for generously sharing her servant with Jacob. But verse 17 tells us what actually happened. God just heard her cries.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
Leah didn't earn pregnancy through holy actions and good behavior, especially since coercing your husband into infidelity isn't exactly good behavior. She controlled and manipulated. She misunderstands God's ways. And still, God heard her desires and responded with a yes. Then Leah had two more kids, a sixth son and a daughter named Dinah.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
So now we're up to 11 children between one wife and two maidservants. But then Rachel had a son, Joseph, bringing the total to 12. You can imagine which of these children might have been Jacob's favorite and why. Around the time Rachel gives birth to Joseph, Jacob also wraps up his 14 years of service to his father-in-law Laban, so he asks for permission to leave.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
Remember, he needs to go back to Canaan because that's the land God promised to him. But Laban doesn't want him to leave because he finds out that he's being blessed by God through Jacob's presence there. Laban got that information from a wicked source, but it was accurate. By the way, we don't really have any indication that Laban worshipped Yahweh, even though he's related to Abraham.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
So it's not surprising that he would seek out divination. We don't have time to unpack divination today, but we'll cover it a bit more in the days ahead. Jacob and Laban try to act like they're making a deal for Jacob to stay and keep tending his flocks, but they're both still up to their old tricks, not to mention some weird livestock breeding techniques that Jacob borrowed from local magicians.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
Despite his sin, God does make him animal rich, which was pretty rich back then. But the problem was, God didn't want him to stay there and just keep getting wealthier. He wanted Jacob back in the land he promised to give him. Jacob is eventually prompted in that direction via some rumors among Laban's sons, the disrespect of Laban, and a command from God.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
Jacob tells his wives why he's taking them away from their family of origin, and they quickly see his point. They realize what a trickster their dad is. Honestly, everybody in this story is kind of a manipulator of sorts. And in one of the rare times when both sisters agree, they say to Jacob, whatever God has said to you, do, which is the best advice ever.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
In Jacob's explanation of why they're leaving, he plays dumb about his own trickery, and he credits God for accomplishing it. Honestly, it feels wrong to me that he conflated his theft and God's blessing, but I just wanted to highlight it because we'll come back to that in a bit.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
She puts some weight on Jacob to get her pregnant, but Jacob gets defensive and points out that only God can give life. We'll see that repeatedly in this chapter. Rachel decided to follow the ways of her grandmother-in-law slash great-great-aunt Sarah by offering her maidservant Bilhah to her husband. If you recall, this did not go well for Sarah.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
It's been 20-ish years since Jacob left Canaan after the trick he pulled on his dad, but now he packs up his wives and kids and sneaks off to Canaan, the land God promised to him through his dad Isaac and his grandfather Abraham. But as they're on the way out, Rachel steals some of Laban's household gods, which is most likely a reference to idols of some sort.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
And it's just more evidence for us that Laban doesn't worship Yahweh. We don't know why Rachel wants these household gods. Maybe she worships them too. Maybe she wants to sell them. Maybe she wants her dad to stop worshiping them. It took Laban three days to realize that roughly 20 people were missing from his territory, but then he pursued them.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
While he was on his way after them, God appeared to him in a dream and warned him to basically keep his mouth shut. Don't say anything good or bad. But when he finally caught up with him, he acts all nice at first, like, you guys, I didn't even get to say goodbye. But then he cuts to the chase by pointing out that his household gods are missing.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
Thus begins the search for the household gods, which Rachel hides under the camel's saddle and a ruse about her period. Laban tries to save face by setting up an agreement between the two of them at a place called Mizpah. And here we have a passage of scripture that is often taken out of context.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
In fact, I gave this verse to a college boyfriend when he was leaving for the summer, having zero idea what it implied. It says, "...the Lord watched between you and me when we were out of each other's sight." Sounds sweet, right? Except knowing the history between Jacob and Laban, it's actually more like Laban was saying, I don't trust you.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
So remember that even when I can't see you, God sees you. So you better not do anything sketchy. Needless to say, I did not marry that college boyfriend. I blame it on the passage. Jacob and Laban set up two separate witnesses for this treaty, a stone pillar and a heap of stones. Again, these tend to be pagan practices even though they're both invoking God's name.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
But one interesting thing here, some theologians believe that Jacob's singular pillar is intended to represent his worship of a monotheistic God, the one true God, Yahweh, whereas Laban's pile of rocks is supposed to represent that he is polytheistic, which means he worships many gods, like the ones he used to have in his home before his daughter stole them.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
After they make the agreement, Laban starts his journey back home. What was your God shot today? I hinted at mine earlier. It's something that showed up at least twice in our reading today. Remember when Leah manipulated both Rachel and Jacob so she could sleep with Jacob and then praised God for her pregnancy?
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
And remember how Jacob manipulated the breeding processes and praised God for his abundance, even while playing dumb about his actions when he recounted the story to his wives? If you're like me, your sense of right and wrong might be kicking in, your love of justice and your desire for the truth. But let's look past ourselves to see what we can see about God here. He is kind to sinners.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
That's good news because that's all of us. Luke 6.35 says, He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. You guys, that's me 10 times a day. Does God hate sin and injustice and ingratitude? Of course, absolutely. But today we see his mercy. Today we see his kindness and his provision to the flawed kids he has adopted into his family.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
Stick around to see if it solves all Rachel's problems. Bilhah had two children for Jacob and Rachel. But then Leah follows suit and gives her maidservant Zilpah to Jacob, and she has two more sons. So now the tally is Leah, four, Leah by Zilpah, two, and Rachel by Bilhah, two. But this sibling rivalry is far from over. Bitterness and jealousy have been growing in their hearts.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
I'm so glad I've been adopted by a kind father because he's where the joy is. Reading the Bible every day is hard sometimes, but here you are. If you want to make this process easier for yourself and help increase your chances of not dropping this new habit on the days when things are tough, the best way to do that is to subscribe. That way you don't have to go find us. We come to you.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
Free delivery. All you have to do is go to our main page wherever you're listening right now and click subscribe. We'll see you tomorrow and every day after that.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
And left unattended, a bitter heart will often resort to manipulation and retaliation, which is what Leah does next. Since Jacob probably spent most nights with Rachel, the wife he loved, Leah trades Rachel some plants in exchange for a night with Jacob.
The Bible Recap
Day 022 (Genesis 30-31) - Year 7
Interestingly, this particular plant, the mandrake, was believed to promote fertility, but it's also used to treat stomach ulcers, which I'm guessing they both had a lot of by this point. Do you see all the striving on both parts? Do you see how it's never enough for either of them? Do you see how the spirit of greed and comparison and their scarcity mentality is driving all their actions?
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today, as we continue Moses' final speech, we encountered a wide variety of laws, and the first thing we encountered was a law about divorce. In fact, it's the only law about divorce in the Old Testament, and it's very specific.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
And he commands the Israelites to remember those who are landless, and to remember that they were once landless people in Egypt. Those who don't own land are the most vulnerable and usually the poorest. We talked recently about how the rabbis would aim to protect against breaking a law by building a fence around it.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
There's a law in 25.3 that provides a great example of what fence building looks like and how it evolved over time. This verse limits punishment of a guilty man to 40 lashes, but later the Jews reduced it to 39 lashes just in case someone miscounted. This helped make sure they didn't accidentally give a man 41 lashes and break the law.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
So the law given by God is 40 lashes, but the law as amended by the rabbis was 39 lashes. By the way, in 2 Corinthians 11 24, Paul says he endured this beating of 39 lashes five times. The law mentioned in 25 5-10 may have reminded you of a woman named Tamar. We read about her in Genesis 38. When Tamar's husband died, she married his brother.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
Then when he died, she was supposed to marry his other brother, but Judah, her father-in-law, held out on her. The law we read about today pertains to something called leveret marriage. The word leveret looks like the word Levite, but it's actually from the Hebrew word levir, which means brother-in-law, since it refers to marrying into the same family.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
This law has a lot of moving parts to consider. Keeping the allotment of land and inheritance, protection from marrying outsiders, and it aims to provide for women like Tamar while also protecting them from marrying an unwilling man who would likely mistreat them. By the way, this is also a lot like what happens in the kinsman-redeemer situation between Boaz and Ruth in the Book of Ruth.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
And this is actually our second nod to Ruth and Boaz today. The first was in 24, 19 through 22, which includes the law where they're commanded to leave some of their harvest behind so the poor can go in and reap. That's what Ruth was doing in Boaz's field when they met. If you're not familiar with the story of Ruth and Boaz, don't worry, we'll be there soon.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
And reading all these details in advance will have you really well prepped when we do get there. While leveret marriage served to protect a woman and her potential offspring, the very specific law immediately after it in 2511-12 served to protect a man and his potential offspring.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
One part of today's reading that intrigues me is 2519, where God tells the Israelites to never forget what happened between them and the Amalekites. This is not a forgive and forget situation, in part because Amalek was unrepentant.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
We have to look at the cultural practices of the day to see what this law is about, and even still, it's not entirely clear. Some believe that this practice protects the first husband from an adulterous wife, while others believe it protects the wife from a greedy husband. The first husband is the one who gets the bride's dowry.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
If Amalek had turned and been like, no, you're right, Yahweh is the one true God and we were wrong to go against his people, then things likely would have been different. but they didn't repent. They're bent on destroying Israel. And God gives Israel two interesting, seemingly contrasting commands in response to this. He says, never forget.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
And then he says, blot out the memory of them from under heaven. And from what we see eventually unfolding in scripture, both of these oddly juxtaposed things happen. First, we haven't forgotten them. We're still talking about them today. But second, they no longer exist. So in that way, they've been blotted out.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
Finally, remember how it was standard to have a blessings and cursings section with a covenant agreement? Blessings for keeping the covenant and curses for breaking it? We hit a section like this on day 53 when we wrapped up the book of Leviticus, and we've got another one here today. Moses describes how, when they entered into the Promised Land, the twelve tribes will divide in half.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
Six will climb Mount Gerizim, and the other six will climb Mount Ebal, while the Levite priests declare the curses. We touched on this on Day 74 a bit, and I told you we'd revisit it. They're still not in the land yet, so they still haven't done what God is commanding, but we're getting more instructions about what will happen when they do get there.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
One of the curses we read in 2725 reminds me of Judas Iscariot. It says, Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood. While this pertains to someone who's innocent of a particular crime, Christ was innocent of all sin, and Judas betrayed him for 30 pieces of silver. By the way, there's something interesting about the position of these mountains.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
Bear with me on this if you're visual. Hopefully, you'll be able to picture it. In Scripture, the direction east is considered the direction of holiness, and it holds a lot of spiritual significance. These two mountains face each other.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
Mount Gerizim is on the south side, and Mount Ebal is on the north side, which means when you're in the Promised Land facing east, the direction of holiness, Mount Gerizim would be on your right, and Mount Ebal would be on your left. The right hand was considered the hand of blessing, and the left hand was considered the hand of cursing.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
So there's significance even in the positions of these mountains. Nothing is arbitrary. What was your God shot today? Mine was in 26, 18 through 19. It says, You are a people for his treasured possession. He will set you in praise and in fame and in honor high above all the nations that he has made. He calls Israel his treasured possession above all the nations he's made.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
He treasures Israel and he possesses Israel. He's put his name on them. In personality tests, I rank high on independence, and it's one of the words my friends use most often to describe me. But nothing in me balks at this idea of being owned by God. I want Him to be possessive of me.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
Then she would have inherited her second husband's property when he died. So this law prevents the first husband from exploiting her for his own financial gain. Either way, this law serves as a means of protection. In 24-7, we see again that God is protective of all human life and that he disapproves of slavery as we know it. Kidnapping is forbidden and is punished by the death penalty.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
It sets my heart at rest to know that my adoption into His family is complete and final, that there is zero chance I'll be betrayed or disowned. Instead, I'm treasured, possessed, loved infinitely by an infinitely lovable God. And He's where the joy is. If you've been around long enough, you've heard me talk about Big Blue, our original version of the TBR book.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
On April 8th, we'll release a brand new version we're calling Bigger Blue, a large print version of TBR. Lots of you have asked for this and we listened and now your dreams are coming true. So pre-order now to get Bigger Blue in April, just in time for Easter. Visit bakerbookhouse.com or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
It's considered theft, but it's punished by a greater consequence than theft of anything else, for obvious reasons. We also saw lots of measures to protect the poor. These were laws instructing people to give back the coat of a poor person if they'd offered it as collateral, because that's how they stayed warm at night.
The Bible Recap
Day 078 (Deuteronomy 24-27) - Year 7
It also instructs them to not take a poor person's millstone as collateral because millstones are used to grind food, so that would mean they wouldn't have any way to eat. God also commanded that they pay their poor servants when they needed it, which usually means the same day they do their work, because they don't have any savings stored up to live on.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. For most of this book, and in fact, for all of the rest of it, God is the only person who speaks. He's talking a lot about holiness, which includes but isn't limited to cleanliness.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
It's at the root of everything we do. Then God moves on to other specific laws about how to honor Him. If this whole section is confusing to you, I can commiserate. This is a really confusing section to know how to parse today. We can't throw it all out.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
We can't assume that since Jesus came and fulfilled the law that God is okay with you making your daughter a prostitute now or to sacrifice your children to Molech. Even back then, this required a bit of discernment. For instance, could you make your son a prostitute? Could you sacrifice your children to a different false god besides Molech?
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
Even back then, they had to dig to the heart of these commands to see how to apply them. So how do we discern what still applies today? The easiest way I've heard it explained is there are three basic types of laws. Civil laws, which deal with society's behaviors and punishments. Ceremonial laws, which deal with being clean, making sacrifices, etc.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
And moral laws, where God declares what is right and wrong, like in the Ten Commandments. First, let's talk about why all three of these types of laws applied to Israel. Israel was in a unique situation. They were a religious group that functioned as a nation, so all their laws overlapped. There was no separation of church and state in Leviticus.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
Today, God's people are from many nations, so the civil laws God set out for Israel as a nation-state no longer apply. However, some of the principles of the law still apply, but the actual breakdown of how they're walked out will vary widely. The ceremonial laws were all fulfilled in Christ, so we no longer need those.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
There are no more sacrifices because He was the final and complete sacrifice covering our sins, past, present, and future. And while the moral laws were also fulfilled in Christ, the moral laws reflect God's character, so they're not going anywhere. We're stuck with those because God's character toward His people applies to people of all nations, and it never changes.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
We even see Jesus not only emphasizing moral laws, but digging even deeper on them. He pointed out that the heart behind our actions matters too, not just the action itself. If you want to read more about these laws and their distinctions, we'll link to a short article about this in today's show notes. It's really helpful. Definitely check that out.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
He gives laws about how people should live in community together in a way that is both civil toward each other—horizontal laws or man-to-man laws— and laws about how to live honorably toward God, vertical laws or God-to-man laws. He starts out by restating a few of the Ten Commandments.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
And as always, if you don't know how to find the show notes, try googling the name of the app or the platform where you're listening, along with the word show notes. All that to say, since rules like not wearing blended garments and not getting tattoos were about staying ceremonially clean and about being set apart from the nations around them, those laws no longer apply.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
Jesus fulfilled all those ceremonial and civil requirements. If you don't know what kind of law you're dealing with and whether or not it still applies, try boiling it down to the reason behind it. What was God's motive and heart behind this law? Let's look at an example.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
2010 says, If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. So what kind of law is this? On the surface, it's definitely a civil law because it doles out a specific punishment to be enacted. However, we know from the moral law that God hates adultery. So what do we do here?
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
We keep the heart of it, the moral aspect, to not commit adultery because it's clear how much God hates it. But we lose the civil punishments attached to it, meaning we don't kill the adulterers. God commanded killing in that instance because he was preserving these people for the birth of the Messiah in the midst of a strong pagan culture.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
In chapter 21, we saw some regulations for the priests and how they're supposed to be set apart. Levites with birth defects could receive the bread, but not offer it. This wasn't meant to point out the flaws of these priests. It was meant to point out God's perfection. Remember, there were even rules like this for the priests who didn't have birth defects.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
They had to wear certain things, enter at certain times. Everything had to be very specific. No priest got a pass on honoring God's perfection and holiness. So what did you see about God today? My God shot is from 2115, where God says, "'I am the Lord who sanctifies him.'"
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
We first saw this phrase in Exodus 31, 13, where it's actually one of God's names, Jehovah Mekadishkim, the Lord who sanctifies you. The Hebrew used here is a bit different than the proper name of God in Exodus 31, but it carries the same meaning. God is the one who cleans us up.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
Honestly, after reading a bunch of civil and ceremonial and moral laws, that's exactly what my heart needed to be reminded of. He is the one who sanctifies me, who cleans me up. His spirit lives within me and is conforming me to the image of Christ. I'm not left here to pull myself up by my spiritual bootstraps. That is not the gospel.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
If you ever wonder why God repeats himself so frequently, just stop for a second and think about how quickly the Israelites forget. Or honestly, it's probably just blatant rebellion. Then God dives into application of the horizontal laws, loving your neighbor as yourself.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
If you're feeling the distance between His holiness and your uncleanness, take heart. He is at work in you. It's good that you see how far you are from His perfection. That will make you all the more grateful when you fix your eyes on the finished work of Christ on the cross and on the continuing work of His Spirit within you.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
Praise God He cleans us up, because I can't do it myself, and I want to be near Him. He's where the joy is. The Bible Recap is hitting the road again in 2025. That's right, TBR Live is back for even more stops this year. What is TBR Live? It's our chance to see and hang out with you in person. The TBR family has a big night of fun and Bible.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
We play games, give out prizes, host a Q&R, and dig into God's Word together. So get out your calendars. In June, you can find us in Houston and Dallas. In August, we're planning to be in Oklahoma City and Little Rock. Then in October, I hope you'll meet me in Atlanta and upstate South Carolina. Get the details at thebiblerecap.com forward slash live or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
I'm just going to do a quick overview of some of the things he touches on because I think they really serve to reveal God's heart. In 19.9-10, we see that God provides for the poor via the surplus of the rich, ordering the rich not to fully harvest their fields. He'll reiterate this again tomorrow. And by the way, this law is one of the ways God brought Ruth and Boaz together.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
We'll read that story in a few weeks. In 1914, God speaks specifically against injuring people in the area of their weakness. The deaf can't hear your curses, and the blind can't see your stumbling blocks, so don't use people's wounds or vulnerabilities to your own advantage. In 1917, God encourages His people not to be ruled by selfish emotions.
The Bible Recap
Day 050 (Leviticus 19-21) - Year 7
Instead, be reasonable and communicate openly to avoid a rift. On dGroup staff, the way we seek to operate by this principle is, if someone says something negative about another person, they have 24 hours to bring it to that person. It helps us honor each other while also honoring God and not let these things fester in our hearts. God also emphasizes the importance of heart here.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. As we get ready to launch into Genesis, I thought it might be helpful to walk you through some really practical steps for how to read the Bible. I'll give you a bit of a sneak peek into my process in case any of the things I do might be helpful for you.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. If you and I are going to spend a year, and hopefully the rest of our lives, reading through the Bible, let's aim to do it well. Today I'm going to talk about the three primary mistakes I made during my first trip through Scripture and tell you how to avoid them.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
As you ask yourself questions that point your eyes toward God, I believe your heart will be drawn in by the beauty of the divine all the more. You'll be motivated by love more than by work. You'll be moved by desire more than by duty. I'm such a task-driven, list-making, box-checking perfectionist that it's hard not to treat this as a task or a goal.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
But if there is any way at all that your time can be within the first hour or so of waking up, all the better. And I also feel like I need to say this. Some of the people I know who don't read their Bible are some of the most compassionate people I know.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
It's hard to remember that it's a relationship and I'm here to learn about a person. It's hard to look for who he is and stop searching for my application points. Those things are important for sure. I never just want to read the Word of God and be unmoved or unchanged by it. It will have effects on my life.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
They feel like they can't make time for God because there are so many pressing needs around them, and they want to enter in and help the people in all those spaces. So they give themselves away all the time. And while that's a beautiful way to live, it's also mostly foolish. You will hit a wall. You will come to the end of yourself. You cannot pour out of something that is empty.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
But the point here is to let those effects be the result of beholding Him and wanting to honor Him and our relationship, not trying to do those things out of an obligation or in hopes of having a better life. This is not self-help. This is not even an attempt to earn God's favor. This is an effort to behold the beauty of God and be drawn in by Him.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
You can't serve others well if you don't recognize your own frailty and need for God first. Get filled before you pour out. You were meant to serve people out of an overflow, not out of a vacuum. So please, for your own spiritual and emotional and relational health, come to Scripture and get your own needs for God met first.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
One sign that you might be viewing scripture as a to-do list is if you wonder how it's applicable to modern day life. That's like asking how your mom is applicable to modern day life, or your wife, or your husband, or your child. This is a relationship. This book reveals a person, not a task. So tip number one is read it as a story about God, not about you or your to-do list.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
Then you'll have something more life-giving to offer others, and you won't feel as depleted on the other side of it. I know it feels unnatural to you, but I'm asking you to give this a try. Trust God when He says you need Him. Okay, now let's talk about location. Try to find a spot that is just for you and God, even if it's the floor of your closet underneath the winter coats.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
One beautiful side effect of this is that it actually sets us free to love God. My second major mistake was disregarding context. That's especially easy to do when you're reading things out of context, which is how most of us have spent our lives. We flip open to a random chapter or we read the little snippets in a devotional without ever seeing how the story works together.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
Maybe it's in your car in your driveway before you leave for work or in the parking lot at work. Maybe it's when the kids are down for a nap right before you crash too. If at all possible, find a place where you can get alone with him. For some of you, this won't be possible. I realize that. You're never alone because you have two kids under three and they need you constantly.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
This may be the first time you're reading through in a way that you can actually see the storyline unfolding. That's so exciting. This time through, it won't be like you're dropping down in the middle of a movie for five minutes with no real idea of the storyline or the characters and trying to understand it. This will be like seeing the whole movie from beginning to end.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
Listen, I do not get it. I don't understand what your life is like. But he does. And since I know for a fact that he wants time with you, I'm asking him to carve out time for himself in your schedule and to help you make the most of the space he's put you in. I'm asking him to help you focus on himself beyond the distractions that might call for your attention in this season of your life.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
And to continue with that analogy a bit, let's imagine the movie you're watching covers a true story, and you've got your hand on the director's cut with bonus interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. You could actually find out about the lives of the people involved, find out more about where they came from, and even learn why the director was interested in telling this story.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
We're all in different spots, so there's no shame in this either. You just do the best you can and know that it's huge that you're prioritizing this in your life. What really matters here is that you're setting your heart to learn more about God, to pursue time with Him. Don't expect it to look like anyone else's time with God.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
But that's not to say that what works for me is what will work for you. I want you to find what works best for you. And it may be trial and error for a while. Be patient with yourself. When you start something new, it rarely goes perfectly right out of the gate. Give yourself a chance to adjust and adapt. First, let's talk about time. When are you going to read the Bible? Set a time for it.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
Wouldn't that information help you watch the movie through a whole new lens? This same idea is helpful as we read scripture. So ask yourself a few questions here as well to help you get the inside scoop. Number one, who wrote this book? Number two, who did they write it to? Number three, when did they write it? Number four, what's the style of the writing?
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
Now that we've got our time and our location, let's talk about our process. Here's what I do. I have the Bible app on the home screen of my phone. It's in the top right corner. I don't want it to get lost on my screen. I've also set up a notification in the app itself that reminds me every morning to read my Bible.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
Hopefully you'll be able to get the hang of this much quicker than I did and with fewer pitfalls. My first major mistake, and the one I think we're all naturally inclined to make, is that I was looking for myself in Scripture. Maybe it was the result of my church upbringing, but I'd come to view the Bible as a big to-do list, even though I knew that wasn't the primary message.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
For instance, the narrative history books are intended to tell us history, not science. We have to read them as though they were written to be read and not ask them to tell us something they never intended to tell us.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
I've set that notification to arrive in the middle of the night so that it's on my screen when I wake up. And since I use my phone as my alarm, that reminder is the first thing I see when I wake up. All I have to do is click on the notification and it takes me to the day's reading. At that point, I'm still in bed.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
And the wisdom books, like Psalms and Proverbs, they have a lot of guidance on how to live and reveal a lot to us about God's character, but we're often tempted to take the wisdoms of the Proverbs, for example, and treat them as promises or prophecy. For example, Proverbs 22, 6 says, "'Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old, he will not depart from it.'"
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
I might be tempted to check my emails or the weather or Instagram, but I resist the urge. Those things will all still be there after my priority time, which is, by the way, what I call my time with God in the morning. Lots of people call it by other names, quiet time, Jesus time, Bible time, but I had to call it something that reminded me of its position in my life.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
This is wisdom on how to raise a child, not a promise of God that your child will always follow Christ if you take them to church when they're young. You know that's not true. You've seen that not be true. That's because these aren't promises of God. They're words God inspired Solomon to write with the purpose of helping people know how to walk in wisdom.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
Above and beyond anything else in this world, this is my priority. God is my first and foremost. He gets the first fruits of my life and my day. When I open that day's reading plan, I push the play button to have the app read that day's chapters to me aloud. I do this before my feet hit the ground. That's my rule. I want God's words in my ears before my feet are on the floor.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
There's a whole section of scripture that is prophecy, and that is what we should treat like prophecy. If you don't know what kind of book you're reading, you can do a quick web search to find information on some of the questions I've recommended asking. Or maybe you want to get a study Bible to help with this. We've linked to some of our favorite Bibles and study Bibles in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
As I make my coffee and wash my face, I've got scripture rolling through my ears. At this point, I'm still waking up, so I'm not necessarily catching everything I've heard. But overall, I'm trying to listen well and wake my mind up to the word. I'm primarily an auditory learner, so doing this helps me engage with themes and repeated phrases that I might not notice when I read with my eyes.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
By the way, we'll be releasing an exclusive episode for our Recaptains in January with more info on how to actually study the Bible instead of just read it, and we'll even link to lots of free tools to use in your research. If you want access to that episode, just go to thebiblerecap.com and click the Recaptains link or click the link in the show notes. So tip number two is get the inside scoop.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
I'm taking mental notes as I listen through it all. On most days, you'll find that our chronological reading plan takes about 12 minutes to listen through. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but that's a solid average. The app automatically moves through each of the chapters assigned to that day. It's usually around three chapters.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
This will really help you engage all the more with what's happening, as well as read it in the way it was intended to be read. My other biggest mistake, and the final one we'll talk about here, is that I was tempted to draw conclusions before I'd read it all, which meant I didn't have all the information. Let's continue with the movie analogy here, because I think it's helpful.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
After it plays through all of them for that day, I turn my phone on silent, once again resisting the urge to check my text messages, and I leave it in my kitchen. That's when I go out to my balcony, which is my priority time spot. I only take my Bible, my journal, and my pen. And my coffee.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
If you want to get fancy with highlighters, you totally can, but you don't need anything other than the basics. As I mentioned in episode one, I used the ESV translation, and I walked you through my reasons for choosing that particular translation. If you don't have any idea which translation you want to read, you can use the Bible app to compare and contrast readability.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
Have you seen the movie The Sixth Sense? It came out in 1999, so I hope I'm not spoiling this for anyone, but the first time you watched it before you knew Bruce Willis' character was dead, you saw the movie one way. Then at the end, when you had some brand new information, you probably wanted to go back and watch it again all the way through so you could watch it with that new lens. I know I did.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
Then, once you've decided on a translation, I strongly encourage you to get a print Bible. It's easy to forget the Bible exists if you don't see it. We've linked to some of our favorite Bibles and study Bibles in the show notes. So I'm on my balcony with my coffee, and I open up my Bible to the chapters for the day.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
To see how this applies to scripture, I want to talk about a term you may not be familiar with. The term is hermeneutics, and it pertains to the way we interpret scripture. There are a few rules of hermeneutics, and they help us make sure we see things the right way, as the author intended. I'm going to briefly cover the three rules of hermeneutics that I think are most helpful to our discussion.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
If you're using the printable plan from our website or our customized journal, each day's chapters will be listed for you. If you're not using either of those, you may want to take note of the chapters before you set your phone aside. When I sit down with my Bible, I read those same chapters with my eyes that I just finished reading with my ears.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
You can do a web search for hermeneutics if you want to find out the other rules. One of the primary rules is this, Scripture interprets Scripture. That may sound confusing and circular, but it's important to understand how it applies to what we're doing here. Maybe you've seen places where Scripture seems to contradict itself and you're confused about it.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
Even though I'm mostly an auditory learner, this gives me the opportunity to take it in at my own pace, to re-read, to ask God questions about what I'm reading. And despite preferring audio in almost every other area of my life, reading with my eyes is always my best trip through those chapters.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
On the surface, that absolutely seems true. If you pull one verse out of context and another verse out of context and put them side by side, they may seem to say entirely different things. For example, in some instances, Jesus says not to judge, and in other instances, he seems to command it. The same thing is true in the world today.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
Sometimes, not always, I'll make a third trip through, where I listen to the Bible app while I read the chapters to make sure I'm seeing everything clearly. I'm probably not going to do this on a genealogy day, but if I feel especially confused or even especially in awe, I'll do that. Okay, so we've covered time, location, and process.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
You probably hear scientists rave about the powerful health benefits of coffee. Then a week later, they tell you it causes cancer. If you're a coffee drinker, you may want to scream, which is it I need to know? But scientists will point out that those two things aren't mutually exclusive. You just have to tease out how they fit together. The same is true of scripture. So how do we do that?
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
Put it in your calendar so you treat it with respect. For most of my life, I read my Bible at the end of the day because I'm a night owl and it's when I feel most alert. I also would tell myself a convenient lie that it's better for me to read at night because unlike in the morning, I have nowhere to be in the middle of the night so I can stay up as long as I want reading the Bible.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
But I don't want to forget about one of the most important things of all. Let's talk about your mindset. This may sound weird, but at the very least, let's aim to treat this with the same level of importance as we would any other relationship in our lives. Even though he's God and he's more important than our other relationships, our temptation is to treat him as though he's not even a person.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
That's where another rule of hermeneutics comes in. Interpret unclear passages in light of the clear passages. For instance, if there are ten passages on one topic and nine of those passages seem to say one thing and there's one passage that's at odds with the rest, we try to discern how that one passage might fit in with the others. Is there something we don't understand about it?
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
So when I say treat it like other relationships, for most of us, this is not a downgrade, but an upgrade from the way we've been treating him. We don't always honor him well because he's so available to us and probably because he's so invisible. That's one reason we fail to schedule time with him. We just do it whenever it's convenient for us, which often turns out to be never.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
Who is saying it and who are they saying it to? And why? That might help us figure out why it seems to go off message a bit. I once heard a pastor say it this way, don't scream where scripture whispers and don't whisper where scripture screams. As we read through the Bible, you'll start to notice some themes cropping up. It will gradually become clear what things are important or scream worthy.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
I once heard John Piper say that he treats his time with God like he'd treat a meeting with any other person. If he's reading the Bible and someone rings his doorbell, he asks God for permission to be excused. What? Listen, when you meet with God, you're engaging with a real person who has a real personality and real desires and takes real action.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
One last rule of hermeneutics that I think is important to mention, when you're reading a passage, notice whether it's descriptive or prescriptive. What I mean by that is, is this passage telling us what's actually happening, or is this passage telling us what we should do? You might notice, for instance, that Solomon married a lot of women.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
If you have a hard time remembering this, maybe you need to sit across from an empty chair and let that be the place you imagine Him coming to meet with you when you read your Bible and pray. Begin by recognizing that he is real and you are in a real relationship with him. As with any real relationship, it needs time to grow.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
These passages are describing what Solomon did, not prescribing how we should live or even telling us what God thinks about what Solomon did. Descriptions don't always line up with prescriptions because people are sinful. And case in point, things never went well for him with women. So if we follow that storyline, we might come away with a conclusion that this was not a good idea.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
It may be a little awkward at first, when you're moving through the small talk, getting to know each other. You may jump to some conclusions that you later find out are wrong when you have more information. That's okay. And just like in any relationship, it's important to ask good questions and pay attention to what the other person is saying.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
And that conclusion is consistent with the prescriptive things God tells us about marriage elsewhere in Scripture. You can probably see how these rules of hermeneutics fit together. Maybe the thing you thought was contradictory is actually just the juxtaposition between descriptive and prescriptive verses, and it's not actually contradictory at all.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
When something stands out to you as really awesome or encouraging, take note about it in your journal. Put a star by it and circle the star. I love looking back through my journals and seeing what jumped out at me, being able to identify what day I learned it and what passage of scripture it came from. When you're confused about something you read, write down a question about it in your journal.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
You will continue to discover things like this as you aim to read Scripture as it was written. Which is tip number three, by the way. Read it as it was written to be read. The rules of hermeneutics will help you with this. That's one reason why it's important, especially if you're brand new at reading scripture, not to draw your final conclusions until you've read the whole thing.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
I like to put a question mark beside it and circle the question mark because that helps me remember to research it later so that hopefully I don't still have the same questions again next year or even next week. If I have time, I'll do my research right away, but other times I save all my research for one day each week, usually my Sabbath.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
We talked about this a bit in our interview with Pastor Lee McDermott on Prep episode number three. Go back and listen to that episode if you haven't yet. Lee has been one of the most influential people in my life, and I know you will benefit from his words and his wisdom.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
By the way, if you're interested in knowing more about how and where to look for answers, we'll be releasing an exclusive episode for our Recaptains in January with more info on how to actually study the Bible instead of just read it, and we'll even link to lots of free tools to use in your research.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
As you're reading the Bible, hold your questions and conclusions with an open hand and continue to ask God to guide you in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding as you read each day. I've had to mark through notes I made in the margins of my Bible because as I continued to read, I found out the things I'd written were wrong.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
If you want access to that episode, just go to thebiblerecap.com and click the Recaptains link or click the link in the show notes. My journal is filled with stars and question marks, and it serves as evidence that my time with God is not boring. I've now made 10-plus trips through the Bible, and I still expect to learn new things about God that I've never seen before every single day.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
For type A people, the thought of scratching out something in your Bible may drive you crazy, and I feel you on that. But now, every time I see it, it reminds me of the fact that God is teaching me about Himself. It humbles me. It encourages me in my relationship with Him. No one expects you to understand everything perfectly the first time. We're all still learning.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
That sounds nice, but that never happened. I just rushed through it, half-focused, while my mind went back to whatever had happened that day. Then I'd go right back to checking social media and replying to emails. And no matter how much I learned during my time in the Word that night, I never remembered it the next day. It would serve me for about 20 minutes until I fell asleep.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
I love that God's Word is living and active because I'm going to be reading it every day for the rest of my life, and I never want it to get boring. I want to keep learning new things about Him. Bible readers, I'm so excited to be on this journey with you.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
And my Bible definitely reveals that. In the same way, aim to be open-handed with the way you have historically viewed God by hearing about Him secondhand in sermons and devotionals or even in your own original thoughts of Him. Ask Him to show you who He is in this firsthand encounter with Himself. Let him tell you who he is. Okay, let's sum up what we've talked about in this episode.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
If you haven't subscribed to the Bible Recap on your podcast app of choice, and you haven't subscribed to the Bible Recap's reading plan on the YouVersion slash Bible app, do that now. I also want to invite you to join the Recaptains. It's a win-win for everyone.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
Tip number one, read it as a story about God, not about you. You are secondary. Fix your eyes on him. Number two, get the inside scoop. Context is key. Number three, read it as it was written to be read. Start with a clean slate and take your time. Bible readers, I'm so excited to be on this journey with you.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
The Recaptains are the members of our TBR family who are financially supporting the Bible Recap and partnering with us to help more people around the globe read, understand, and love Scripture. Through their support, they also get access to more TBR content based on their support tier.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
Things like being a part of our exclusive Facebook discussion group, getting monthly bonus content, or having access to our other daily podcast, The Bible Kneecap, which is a daily prayer podcast that corresponds to our reading plan. To learn more about joining the Recaptains, go to our website, thebiblerecap.com, or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
5.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
If you haven't subscribed to the Bible Recap on the Bible app and on your podcast app of choice, I want to encourage you to do that now. I recently learned that the most successful Bible reading plans on the Bible app only have a 3% success rate.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
6.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
My prayer is that this year, you're going to be one of those successful people that we're going to blow that number out of the water and be the highest percentage the Bible app has ever seen. Because I believe as you take these tips to heart, as you read the Bible as a story about God and not about you, as you get to know what he's saying to you in his word, you're gonna fall in love with him.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
I'm not kidding when I say I believe this is going to be the best year of your life. I believe you're going to learn things about God that you'll be shocked you never knew. I believe you're going to find yourself starting to want to read his word instead of just wanting to want to read his word.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
What did I learn about who God is? If you can't find God in the passage, look harder. Ask yourself, what's happening in these pages that could be attributed to God? There's only one book of the Bible that doesn't mention the name of God, Esther. But even in the absence of his name, the pages are saturated with his actions.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
I believe you're going to trust him in a way you never have because your intimacy with him and your relationship with him is going to be so deep and rich. And I can't wait to jump in because he's where the joy is. We've partnered with the Dwell Audio Bible app to bring my daily recaps right into their app.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
You're gonna be drawn in all the more day by day. You're gonna look forward to your time in his word because you're gonna start seeing him in a whole new way. And when that happens, you will be transformed by joy because he's where the joy is.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
I'm a big fan of the Dwell audio Bible app, not just because I'm an auditory learner, but because for thousands of years, people have engaged with scripture by hearing it. And listening is still one of the best ways to connect with God's word. We've partnered with Dwell to bring my daily recaps right into their app.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
Not only can you listen to each day's reading, but you can also hear my recaps right inside the app. Look for it in the App Store or Google Play and get a free seven-day trial. Or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
Not only can you listen to each day's reading, but you can also hear my recaps right inside the app. If you're reading along with TBR in 2025, check out the Dwell audio Bible app. Look for it in the App Store or Google Play and get a free seven-day trial. Or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
It wasn't impacting my thoughts or the way I lived. And I can't speak for anybody else who prefers to read their Bible at night, but personally, I never ever meditated on God's Word in my dreams, if only I were that holy. So I decided to move my Bible reading to the first part of my day just for a week to see if it made a difference.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 5: Avoiding Common Mistakes: What to Look for When You Read the Bible
So when you're in a section like that, try asking yourself, what is he doing behind the scenes? What's he doing in the hearts of the people we're reading about? Why did he put this section in his book? He's always at work, so look for it. The questions we ask of the Bible impact the wisdom we glean from it. So let's ask the right questions.
The Bible Recap
Prep Episode 4: Preparing to Read the Bible
It wasn't an easy shift since I'd made a pretty solid habit of doing it at night, but I kept at it. I started to see how fruitful it was. And since I'm a results-driven person, that was enough to make me want to build my schedule around that change. So find the time that works best for you. If it's been no time, then any time will be better. There's no shame in the nighttime quiet time game.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Hey, Bible readers! Whether you've been with us since the Bible Recap launched in 2019, or you're just getting started, I'm so grateful you're here. I've been super encouraged by all God's doing to transform people's entire lives as we read, understand, and love God's Word together.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
Or you can watch every recap on YouTube. By the way, these videos are also available right inside the Bible app if you're doing the TBR plan from your phone or tablet. So whether you like to listen, read, or watch, we've got you covered. Number three, TBR for kids. We've got some great options for our younger Bible readers, and they follow the same 365 plan as the regular version.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
The Bible Recap Kids Devotional includes short daily teachings and activities for ages 6 to 8, and the Bible Recap for Kids is a daily recap designed for ages 8 to 12. We know how much you want the kids you love to catch on to the joy you've found in God's Word, and these resources are designed with that in mind. They're perfect for helping kids read, understand, and love the Bible.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
You can find out more at thebiblerecap.com forward slash kids. And by the way, in case your kids are a bit older, we've found that most kids 12 and up prefer to do the regular version of TBR. Number four, TBR in other languages. We're so thankful to have TBR in more languages than just English. We currently offer it in both Spanish and American Sign Language.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
Thanks to the help of our friends at Sunshine Interpreting, our daily recap videos are available in American Sign Language on our TBR YouTube channel. For our Spanish readers, the Bible Recap, or La Sinopsis de la Biblia, is available as a Spanish podcast, a Spanish reading plan on the Bible app, a Spanish book, and Spanish YouTube audio episodes.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
If you're looking for it, be sure to search for La Sinopsis de la Biblia, and you may have to change your language settings in some apps before searching for it. Please let all your Spanish-speaking and deaf friends and family know that TBR is available for them. Check out the Languages tab on our website for more info or at the link in the show notes. Number five, TBR newsletters.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
We have two newsletters for you, one that comes every month and one that comes every day. These two emails have really improved people's TBR experience all year long. First, the pre-cap email is our daily email for those of you who want a daily reminder sent straight to your inbox with links to that day's reading and recaps.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
We include links to the audio podcast and the YouTube so you can just click on those and get straight to the good stuff. Second, our monthly newsletter is called The News Cap. We send it to you on the last day of each month. It includes a note from me, TLC, updates, new merch drops, and bonus content.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
You can sign up for one or both of these emails on our homepage at thebiblerecap.com or click the link in the show notes. Number six, TBR resources. We have three things to help you connect and go deeper in your study. The daily journal, the daily study guide, and the weekly discussion guide.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
The daily journal is designed with our 365 plan in mind, and it gives you a place to record what you're learning and any questions you might have. This is for you to do at home on your own. The daily study guide helps you dig deeper into each day's reading and and helps you learn how to study the Bible. This is also for you to do at home by yourself.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
And I'm here to tell you, you can do this. You can do this. They say the best way to finish well is to prep well. So this special episode is going to help you do that. I have nine important things to tell you, and these things are going to set you up for success as you recap with us this coming year. Let's go. Number one, prepping for the new year.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
And the last tool is the weekly discussion guide. It has a totally different set of questions, and it's a helpful guide for group discussions each week. As you work through Scripture with friends and family, this tool will help you build rich relationships and get more out of your recap. Win-win!
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
You can see inside all three of these tools and pick up your own copies in our TBR store at thebiblerecap.com forward slash store. Number seven, dGroup. dGroup International, more Discipleship Group International, is another ministry I started that's different from the Bible Recap, but they work really well together.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
Here at TBR, we read through the Bible in a year, and in dGroup, we study through the Bible in a decade. One by one, we zoom in on specific books for deeper study, 12 weeks at a time. We do four studies per year, and we launch new sessions every six weeks. DGroup is an international network of small groups that meet in homes and churches around the world, and we even have online DGroups too.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
We have them for women and for men. We even have some co-ed married DGroups as a part of our church partnerships. Our website has everything you need to know about DGroup, what DGroups currently exist, how to join or start a DGroup, the schedule of future studies, and info on how your church can partner with us. You can find out more at mydgroup.org or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
Number eight, follow us on socials. Listen, this is especially helpful if you're doing the book or the videos for TBR. Those don't get updated as frequently with new information or fun things like new resources, dates for our live tour, or cool merchandise drops. We've got all the links for our socials in the show notes of this episode and on our website. We're The Bible Recap everywhere.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
And in my opinion, the best place to stay up to date is via Instagram specifically. Number nine, join the recaptains. Last but not least, I would love for you to consider joining the recaptains. That's what we call our friends who partner with the ministry and mission of TBR through financial support. We're only able to do what we do because of the recaptains.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
They help us get God's word to more people and more places in a way that helps them read, understand, and love the Bible. They also have access to exclusive recaptains perks like bonus content, Access to our official Facebook discussion group. I'm a member and a big fan. And are you ready for this? Another daily podcast. That's right.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
We have a special 90-second prayer podcast called The Bible Kneecap. Get it? Knee, like kneeling in prayer. The Bible Kneecap is designed to help you respond to God based on what we've read and recapped that day. So if you want to partner with us and get some cool perks, visit thebiblerecap.com forward slash recaptains.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
Okay, so to wrap it all up, here's a quick overview of those nine things one more time. Number one, check out the prep episodes again or for the first time. And don't worry if you're not on track with the timing of the 365 plan. We're not pulling down our current episodes. Number two, choose your own adventure. You can listen, watch, or read the Bible recap. Whatever works best for you.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
Number three, check out the TBR Kids resources for any kids in your life. Number four, we're here for you in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language. Number five, sign up for our emails, the monthly news cap, and the daily pre-cap. Sign-ups are on the homepage of our website.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
We're loading our six prep episodes again today for all our newcomers and for all of you who need a refresher. This info is going to set you up for a great year in TBR. It includes some of the best practices to help you read, understand, and love the Bible. By the way, I know a lot of you are finishing up your reading plan and you might not be exactly on track, but don't worry.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
Number six, pick up the daily journal, the daily study guide, and the weekly discussion guide to help with your personal study and your group study. Number seven, join or start a dGroup. Number eight, follow us on social media, specifically Instagram. Number nine, become a Recaptain to support our work here at TBR and to get more out of your recapping.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
All right, if you have other questions or want to learn more about some of the specifics I talked about, be sure to check out the show notes for all the links or go to thebiblerecap.com. Honestly, you guys, we're blown away by all God has done in your lives and your hearts this year and in ours. And we cannot wait to see what God has in store for you next year.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
I really, truly believe it's going to be our best year yet. The Word is living and active, and there's always more to learn about God. I cannot wait to come alongside you again as we read, understand, and love God's Word together, because He's where the joy is.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
Not only are you not behind, like I always tell you, but also this year's episodes aren't going anywhere. They'll still be here so you can keep reading and recapping at your own pace. We don't have any plans to pull those down. Number two, there are many ways to recap.
The Bible Recap
Prep for 2025
Everybody has a different style of learning, and we want to help you learn in a way that makes sure the information sticks best for you. Our auditory learners can listen to the podcast from any podcast platform. If you're a visual learner, we recommend the Bible Recap book. which is basically the most distilled version of the podcast in book form. It comes in lots of sizes, colors, and bindings.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today we wrapped up the story of Job. For several chapters, we've been reading about how Job wants to have a conversation with God, and yesterday God gave Job a lengthy response. Today we get to see Job's very brief reply, where he basically just says, I think I'm going to keep my mouth shut.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
In chapter 42, Job repents. Your version of the Bible may have shown him saying, "'I despise myself.'" The Hebrew word used for despise here, which I won't try to pronounce because it actually sounds like a curse word, is used elsewhere to mean to withdraw or to reject. Like, I withdraw from myself. The tone it carries is more about humility than shame. There's a huge difference.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
Shame feels like an accusation about who you are as a person, someone who's undeserving of love. Whereas humility is rightly viewing who you are as a person who is loved despite being undeserving. Humility is the narrow zone where you're not building yourself up or beating yourself up because you realize it's not about you.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
It's immediately clear that Job is humbled by reflecting on all the things God points out to him. After Job repents, God finally addresses Job's friends. In fact, he rebukes them. So we finally get an official confirmation on how wrong these guys are. We already knew it from what God said in the first chapter, but it's good to hear God say it to them.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
I really wish Elihu had been here for this part of the conversation, but most of the commentaries I read suggest he wasn't there, which could potentially be why God only rebuked the original three friends. We can only hope God had a word with him one-on-one at some point. In 42 verse 8, God says that those three friends haven't spoken of him what is right.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
We've been talking all along about how a lot of what they say about God is true, but not all of it, obviously. Do you remember how they kept saying they were delivering the very words of God to Job, and how they were visited by a spirit that told them these things? It takes me all the way back to the first chapter of this book, where God is addressing the sons of God.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
Remember how we learned that term, sons of God, on day two? Remember that it's often a way to refer to angels, and in this specific instance, fallen angels who are enemies of God? If Job's friends are telling the truth about being visited by spirits who spoke these things, Doesn't it seem to make sense that those spirits would be evil spirits? Fallen angels masquerading as angels of light?
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
Whether Job's friends are lying intentionally or whether they are deceived by these spirits and are just passing those deceptions along to Job, their statements aren't from God. And what they miss the mark on primarily here is God's heart. Because if they imagine those are God's words they're speaking, it's clear they view his heart wrongly.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
In the midst of all the true things they're saying about God, their speech is peppered with lies about him. That's one reason why it's important for us to look for the full view of God, like we're doing in our daily reading here, instead of just plucking one or two attributes that we want to home in on to the exclusion of the others.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
That's how we end up painting a two-dimensional picture of God, where we don't even put him in a box, we put him in a square. In 42.10, God tells Job's friends to apologize. And then, God tells Job to pray for them. Maybe this is the final test for Job. Has he really been humbled? Has his heart really changed? And while the text doesn't tell us Job forgave them, it's somewhat implied.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
So Job is humbled and doesn't want to speak. But God has asked Job to answer him, and he didn't. So God pushes a little more. In chapter 40, verse 8, God says, Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right? How often do we get so frustrated by our circumstances that we carry a subtle undercurrent of belief that God is cruel for letting that thing happen to us?
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
It's hard to humbly pray for someone if you haven't at least moved toward forgiving them. And forgiveness doesn't come from a heart that holds on to bitterness and entitlement. So this act of repentance on their part and prayer on Job's part is one way that we see that Job and his friends have grown here. We see God's work to purify and humble them all.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
And we see God working to restore not just relationships, but everything in Job's life. Job gets it all back in a double portion. Now, regardless of your gender, I hope you didn't gloss over the numbers and genealogies at the end of this book. Because women, we have a moment here. Men, there are lots of moments for you in the whole rest of the Bible.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
But for women, this is a rare moment where the females are named in the lineage, but not the males. That is the exact opposite of what most ancient genealogies did. So enjoy it, women. There will be plenty of moments where the ancient cultures ignore you. So hold on to this when you feel like scripture overlooks you.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
And not only do the women get named instead of the males, but they also get an inheritance along with the males, which is relatively unheard of in those days. This is a gesture of extreme generosity on Job's part, which also reveals a lot of humility. What was your God shot for the day? Where did you see God's character on display? I saw his heart for restoration.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
He not only restores Job's fortunes and his family, but he also restores Job's relationship with his friends, and most importantly, God restores Job's view of God and himself. He sets things right. If you've ever felt distant or alienated from God, you know how disorienting it is, how paralyzing it can be.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
And here's the God who draws near to the very people who view him wrongly, misunderstand him, tell lies about him, and accuse him of being cruel, and he restores them in relationship with each other and himself. I think Job probably valued that a lot more than 6,000 camels, because I think Job finally figured out that he's where the joy is. Tomorrow, we'll be starting the second half of Genesis.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
We're linking to a short video overview in the show notes or in the devotional tab on the Bible app. So check that out if you have eight minutes to spare. Groceries? Check. Toiletries in bulk? Check. Pizza pretzel? Check. TBR Deluxe and TBR for Kids? Check and check. You can find these TBR books at Sam's Club. Did you know? This is a huge deal, you guys.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
Our prayer is that the Bible Recap will help more people read, understand, and love God's Word. And Sam's Club is helping us reach people who might not even be looking for God. The best thing you can do to help us keep our books at general retailers like this is to purchase a copy at Sam's Club. The more you buy, the more they restock.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
So on your next visit to Sam's, grab a copy of TBR Deluxe or TBR Kids and also a pizza pretzel for me.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
If we really boil it down, that's the same thing as calling God a bad, unjust God. It's basically the belief that I would make a better God, because if I were God, I would never have done that, and He's wrong and unjust for choosing to do things that way. God points out Job's heart attitude that only became evident through his suffering. In 41.11, God also points out Job's entitlement.
The Bible Recap
Day 015 (Job 40-42) - Year 7
Job glorifies God, he makes sacrifices, he honors God with his life and his actions, but it seems like maybe he values his own righteous acts just a little too highly, perhaps believing that they put God in his debt. The sins of pride and entitlement are disgusting, even when they are attached to our so-called good deeds. And God is kind to purge those things from His kids.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today, Moses continues revisiting the history of the Israelites to the younger generation, making sure they remember where they came from. He's giving Cliff's notes of things we've read about at length.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
We don't know why, but it probably has something to do with the leaders being held to a higher standard. We've also seen Moses reframing this incident in a way that paints himself as innocent and passes the blame off on the people. We saw it yesterday in 127, and we see it again today in 326 and 421 when he says, The Lord was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
So maybe that's why God doesn't relent. God tells Moses to appoint, encourage, and strengthen Joshua for the task ahead of him, because Joshua, not Moses, will be the one who takes the people into the promised land. This has to feel a bit like being the best man for a groom who's marrying the woman you're in love with. I can't imagine how hard it was for Moses to encourage and strengthen Joshua.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
Appointing him is a pretty straightforward job, but encouraging and strengthening him has some emotion involved in it. Moses has to die to self yet again, and it's one of his final roles as a leader. Then Moses turns from focusing on their past to focusing on their future.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
He calls them to obey God's laws, to be set apart in the midst of the wicked nation so that they see their distinctness and that it points to God. He tells them to practice remembering what the Lord has done. Keep your soul diligently, is how he puts it. Moses also points out that their habitation in the land is contingent on worshiping the one true God alone.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
He repeatedly warns them not to create idols, repeating it at length and giving lots of different examples of what forms the idols might take in their lives. Men, women, animals, fish, sun, moon, stars. Then he follows it with a warning about what will happen if they do fall into idolatry of any kind.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
They will die or be scattered out of the land into exile, where they will worship the gods they sought out, but who will be impotent to help them. But even if this worst-case scenario happens, even if they sin by way of idolatry, even if they're driven into exile, God still won't cast them off as his people. And in fact, he promises to turn their hearts back to himself. In 4.30-31, Moses says,
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
Yesterday, he mostly touched on things this generation hadn't personally experienced, but today he's touching on more recent history, stuff they've lived through. Since it's not our first trip through these stories, try to look for something new about God's character than what you learned the first time we read them.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
When you are in tribulation and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and obey his voice. For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them. Chapter 4, verses 32-40 are a pep rally-like call to remember all God has done and praise Him for it.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
I got so happy reading it that I had to stand up. Today we ended our reading with Moses establishing three cities of refuge in the Transjordan areas that are already set aside for Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, followed by a short introduction to what we'll be reading tomorrow. What was your God shot today?
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
I love seeing how he is patient with our tiny faith, growing it to be stronger over time as we see his character proven over and over again. As he's telling the Israelites about the giants and the battles they'll face, he reminds them that he's already given them victory in other battles and over at least one other giant so far.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
He doesn't force them to go from zero to 100 without getting to know Him first. He gives us training wheels. Deuteronomy 3.21 says it like this, Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings. So will the Lord your God do to all the kingdoms into which you are crossing. You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
He's patient with us while we learn His character. And as we learn it, we find out more and more that trusting Him is where the joy is because He's where the joy is. The Bible Recap is hitting the road again in 2025. That's right, TBR Live is back for even more stops this year. What is TBR Live? It's our chance to see and hang out with you in person.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
The TBR family has a big night of fun and Bible. We play games, give out prizes, host a Q&R, and dig into God's Word together. So get out your calendars. In June, you can find us in Houston and Dallas. In August, we're planning to be in Oklahoma City and Little Rock. Then in October, I hope you'll meet me in Atlanta and upstate South Carolina.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
Get the details at thebiblerecap.com forward slash live or click the link in the show notes. See you on the road.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
Moses begins by recounting their victories over King Og of Bashan and King Sihon of the Amorites. The cities of Bashan were fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, but God granted them victory. God is bigger than what keeps us from what he has called us to. And here we also learn that King Og was a Rephiat, a giant, perhaps of demonic origin, and Israel defeated him.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
He had a bed that was 13 and a half feet long and six feet wide, and it was made of iron because apparently that was the only thing strong enough to hold him up. If this guy was as tall as his bed was long, he would dwarf Shaquille O'Neal. He would be almost twice his height. That's bonkers.
The Bible Recap
Day 071 (Deuteronomy 3-4) - Year 7
After Israel defeated Kings Og and Sihon, they acquired the Transjordan land that God gave to the 2.5 tribes, Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Remember how Moses repeatedly appealed to God to retract punishment for the Israelites, and God did? Moses also appeals to God to retract the punishment for striking the rock twice when God told him to speak to it, but God doesn't.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today, we read more about Israel's obedience in following God's commands for the tabernacle, specifically as it pertains to the priestly garments. As we've talked about before, these aren't just fancy clothes. They serve a function in the service of the tabernacle.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
It's stuff God created that had been owned by the wicked Egyptians, plundered by the Israelites, had a near miss with being part of the golden calf, and then it's now in this holy place. There's nothing special about these things, but they're in God's sanctuary, and he said to make them holy, to set them apart for sacred use. So how is Moses supposed to do that? By putting oil on them.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
It sounds weird, right? How does putting oil on something make it holy? Is your car engine holy? Is your cast iron skillet holy? The point of the oil is not the oil itself, even though this was a special oil defined by God. The purpose of the oil is in establishing that this thing it's being put on is set apart for sacred use to establish its purpose in this ceremony.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
When I joined my church, the pastor brought out a little bottle of oil and put a drop on my forehead as he prayed for me. Is the oil special? Probably not. It's probably not even non-comedogenic. But that moment served as a reminder to me and to everyone in the room that day that my life is to be set apart for use by God. Yours too, by the way. So go grab the canola if you want.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
Although, to be fair, this particular oil was unique because remember, this oil is the blend that could only be used in service of the tabernacle and nowhere else, just like the incense. So definitely not canola. But I hope you understand the point of what I'm saying regardless.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
So after Moses consecrates the furniture, he brings in Aaron and his sons, washes them, puts the priestly garments on them, and anoints them. Then something important happens. God establishes the line of Aaron as the family of priests to serve before him throughout their generations.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
If you're only familiar with Catholic priests, for instance, you may think, well, that's a nice promise from God, Terrilee, but doesn't that mean this family line of priests will only last two generations since Aaron and his sons obviously can't marry? But that's not what we see in the priesthood here. This line will continue on.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
Aaron and Moses are from the tribe of Levi, so they're called Levites, and we'll continue to see that the Levites are priests unto the Lord. There's no requirement of celibacy or singleness here. In fact, Abraham and his descendants, including the Levites and the other tribes of Israel, have been encouraged to multiply. That's how we eventually get to the birth of Jesus.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
By the way, all this happens year one after they've left Egypt. They're a little more than a week away from celebrating their first Passover in the wilderness, which is actually the second Passover since the first one was in Egypt. This tabernacle is a great anniversary present, and it'll be a great reminder when they celebrate Passover for the first time as free people.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
We'll get to that celebration in Numbers 9, but we've got a lot to talk about between now and then. And before we talk about our God shots for today, I want to point out that we just finished our third book of the Bible together. That's incredible. Think back to what you've learned in this book and to what you've learned since we started. How would you summarize it all?
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
The priest is acting as a mediator between God and man, bringing the names of the tribes into the holy place and making sacrifices for the people unto God. After everything has been created according to God's plan, they bring all the stuff to Moses. And then we see another parallel of creation, just like we did yesterday.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
I also want to give you a heads up in case you don't know that the next couple of books aren't going to be as story-driven as the first three have been. We do continue in the same storyline with the same family, so that's still happening, but it's less of a narrative for a bit. Don't give up. There's good stuff for us in the days ahead. I promise. Ask God for wisdom.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
Ask him to open your eyes, and you'll get something out of it you've never seen before. And hopefully you've grown close enough to some of these characters to care about what their lives are like in the next few books, even in the dry spots. When we started this book two weeks ago, they were slaves in Egypt. Put yourself in their shoes.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
You're a freed slave living in the wilderness with 3 million other freed slaves. An old guy with a shiny face who wears a veil is in charge of everything. And you're being led by a God who lives in a cloud. Wherever the cloud goes, you pack up your tent and your family and you follow the cloud. because you've come to realize it contains the presence and glory of the God who loves you.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
You complain about his plan, but he drowns an army to save you. You doubt him, but he's still giving you manna six days a week. You've sinned against him, but he didn't kill you. And still he's there in your midst. What's this going to be like? When is God going to lead you to the land he promised to give you? He seems to be good, but how do you draw near to his goodness? Can you?
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
We're going to look into that in the days ahead. But what was your God shot today? My curiosity about God was piqued when we hit 4035. It says, Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the clouds settled on it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. What? I don't know about you, but I've never encountered fog I couldn't walk through.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
I've never been in a plane that had to route around a cloud because it couldn't get through. There is a density to the presence of God here. This cloud fills the tabernacle. Every square inch, it seems. His glory is dense. His presence is undeniable. And He's where the joy is. Stay tuned as we dive into Leviticus tomorrow.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
And if you want to do a little advanced prep, we put a short Leviticus overview video in the show notes. I know some of you don't want to get ahead because you want to discover it as we go, and that's fine too. But if you think this video might help you make sense of it all, check it out. It's just eight minutes long. I'll see you back here tomorrow for the start of Leviticus.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
The Bible is not just for adults and neither is the Bible Recap. We have two options for your younger Bible readers, the Bible Recap Kids Devotional and the Bible Recap for Kids. If you've already jumped into these reading plans with your kids, we'd love for you to leave us a review on Amazon and tell others how much you love it.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
This helps us get the word out about these resources and it encourages others to pick up a copy and invest in their future Bible readers. Click the link in the show notes to leave a review and help others read, understand, and love God's word.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
After God finished his work at creation, he saw all that he had made and that it was good and he blessed it. Today, when Moses saw that all the work of making the tabernacle pieces was finished, It says he saw that all the work was done as the Lord had commanded, and he blessed them. These parallels are intentional.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
Remember, the tabernacle is a step in the direction of God restoring what was broken by sin in the Garden of Eden, where he dwelled with Adam and Eve in peace. Then everything fell apart. Now here he is approximately 2,700 years later, setting up camp, literally, with a bunch of sinners. God just can't stay away from his people.
The Bible Recap
Day 043 (Exodus 39-40) - Year 7
So now Moses has all these tabernacle parts and it's his job to assemble it all. I don't know how he pulls it off without those helpful Ikea cartoon instructions, but he does. Fortunately, God gave him detailed instructions on Mount Sinai. Then God tells him to anoint all the furniture with oil and consecrate it to make it holy. Remember, all this stuff is just wood and metal.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. If you're doing our New Testament plan, today we finished our 11th book. And if you're doing the whole Bible, we finished book number 50. Yesterday, we finished up with Paul telling us what it looks like to love each other well. And today he opens by continuing that line of thought.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
It says, Given what we read earlier in this letter from Paul about sharing the gospel, and given what we've read from Jesus and what we've seen both of them do with their days and their lives, do you think for a second that this verse means, your faith is private, don't talk about it? Of course not. The word keep here means hold firmly, not be quiet about.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
Paul is telling them to hold firmly to their convictions from God, to live them out. It means let it show up in everything. It's the exact opposite of keeping things private. In chapter 15, Paul tells us why the Old Testament exists. He says, The Hebrew Scriptures exist to instruct us, to encourage us, and to give us hope. Hope!
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
Many of you who were with us during the Old Testament have testified to the fact that it did that very thing for you. You found hope in unexpected places, hope in the laws of Leviticus, hope in the slaughter of judges, hope even in the weird visions of Ezekiel. Who knew? It is stacked, Genesis to Malachi, with instruction, encouragement, and hope.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
He reiterates this in verse 13, which says, The Holy Spirit brings us hope too. And that all checks out because guess who wrote scripture? The hope giver, the Holy Spirit. He points out places in the Old Testament where God promises to save the Gentiles. This diversity in God's family has been his plan all along.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
Along with these reminders, Paul encourages them again to live in harmony with each other. Harmony means people are singing different notes, not the same note. A symphony is beautiful because people are playing different instruments and different parts, but in a way that works together to reveal the beauty of the song. He says this harmony should be with each other and also with Christ.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
It's not good if we're unified with each other, but we're singing a different song than Jesus. He wants us to sing one song that points to the glory of God. And in order to do that, we have to welcome our fellow choir members, not try to lock them in the robe closet or pray they get laryngitis. He even wants them to get to the place where they can peaceably learn to instruct each other.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
It's that mutual upbuilding again. That's what happens when we all aim to grow in wisdom and we surround ourselves with wise people. We can learn not only from what God is teaching us, but from what he's teaching other people as well. If you're doing the Bible recap with someone else, you're probably learning from what they're learning.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
He reminds us that there's room for a lot of different personal opinions and preferences in the body of Christ, and that we shouldn't give each other grief over those differences. Quarreling can provoke feelings of superiority and inferiority. It incites our flesh and promotes pride. It brings more division than unity.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
I've heard lots of you say that even your children, 6, 7, 10, 12 years old, have pointed things out from that day's reading that astonished you. And not just because, wow, they figured that out so young, but because, hey, I didn't even notice that myself. Surround yourself with people who are seeking God, who are singing the same song. This is what mutual upbuilding looks like.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
Paul begins to close out his letter to the church at Rome by letting them know he loves them and that he's heading to Jerusalem to deliver the financial support he's been collecting from the churches. But later, he hopes to come back and visit them on his way to Spain. In chapter 16, we get some clues that Paul's letter is probably being delivered to the Roman church by a woman named Phoebe.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
He tells them to welcome her because she's a servant of the church. The word used for servant here is diakonos, the word used for deacon, so Phoebe was quite possibly a deacon in one of the churches near Athens. We've linked to an article with more info in case you want to read more about what this might have meant in the first century church.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
By the way, first century travel was especially dangerous. Think of all Paul encountered in his travels. And then imagine a woman doing that in that day and culture. So Paul tells the church, give that woman whatever she needs. Yes, sir. He goes on to list other men and women he wants them to greet, including A&P, whom he says risked their lives for him. This is almost certainly not hyperbole.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
They probably nearly died to help Paul advance the gospel, probably during the riots in Ephesus. Then, just as his pen is about to run out of ink, he's like, here are some people I do not want you to greet. the people who deceive the hearts of the naive. This is just a quick line, but it points out that what we know informs our hearts. Knowledge can protect us from deception.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
That's huge, especially if we don't want to be misled about who God is. I'm so excited about my God shot. It's in 1620, which says, "'The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.'" First of all, it's interesting that the God of peace is doing some crushing. In order to bring peace into any situation, you can't ignore the chaos. You have to address it.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
So God addresses the chaos of Satan and evil, and he crushes it. Second, this verse shows us that we are participants in the battle God has won. God crushes Satan under our feet. He does the crushing under our feet. And if that's terrifying for you, the good news is that verse 25 says God is the one who strengthens us. He makes us strong, He moves our feet, and He crushes the enemy under them.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
Wow! He's where the joy is. A new year often equals new beginnings. And maybe for you, this means wanting to study the Bible in a new or deeper way. And if you're looking for a group of people to do that with, we'd love for you to join us in DGroup. The D stands for discipleship. DGroup International is a partner ministry I started that's different from TBR, even though both are about the Bible.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
When it comes to your own convictions, walk according to how the Spirit directs you. But trust the Spirit to guide other people in their convictions as well. They may be at a different part of the journey than you are, and that's okay. God is sovereign over their steps too. Verse 4 reminds us that God is the one who upholds us and sustains our obedience.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
Here in TBR, we read through scripture and do broad stroke recaps of what we've read. In T Group, we do in-depth studies of different parts of scripture in six-week increments. We've built out a structure and format that's going to encourage you personally while preventing some of the chronic problems lots of you have experienced in Bible study groups before.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
Some of our dGroups are connected to a local church and others are made up of people from different churches. We even have dGroups that meet online. And yes, we also have men's dGroups. We start new studies every six weeks and would love to have you join us when we launch our next session in the new year. Click the link in today's show notes for more info or visit mydgroup.org.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
Ultimately, when it comes to the non-essentials in life, even the religious aspects of life, Paul says it's better to agree to disagree than to argue and try to prove your point. The time when we should be concerned with another believer's actions is when our actions are tripping them up. Serve your brothers and sisters well by your actions.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
If you have to lay down some rights and preferences for them, that's okay. Love is a good reason to pivot. We don't just expect peace to happen naturally. We have to actively pursue it, to disengage from the flesh and engage with the spirit. And he says to not only pursue peace, but mutual up-building.
The Bible Recap
Day 345 (Romans 14-16) - Year 6
If this were a sliding scale, we could put division and quarreling as a negative number, and peace would be a zero or neutral. then mutual up-building would be on the positive end of the scale. This isn't just peace, this is progress. Verse 22 is often taken out of context by people who prefer to keep their faith on the DL.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Today, Israel goes to war with one of their most well-known enemies, the Philistines. Israel loses and they attribute the loss to God. But instead of consulting him to find out where they went wrong, they decide that what they need is the Ark of the Covenant.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
The Philistines set Dagon back up again, and then the next day, not only is Dagon prostrate in front of the ark again, but the hands and head of the statue of Dagon have been severed and are set in the entryway, which makes it clear that they didn't just break off during the fall. Yahweh continues to afflict the Philistines.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
There are five main Philistine cities, and they keep moving the ark around from city to city, but no matter where they take it, the people of that city are afflicted with tumors, and some die. Commentators can't agree on what the tumors were about. Ideas range from the bubonic plague to some kind of STD to hemorrhoids. For seven months, this continues.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
The Philistines are so distraught that they want to send the Ark back to Israel. So they consult with their own priests and diviners to find out how to go about this. The priests tell them to send a guilt offering along with the Ark to appease the Israelite God.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
The guilt offering should be five golden tumors, one for every city in Philistia, and five golden mice, because God maybe also struck the five cities with a mouse infestation that ravaged their land and crops. The text isn't really clear on that. The priest also gave instructions to build a cart for the ark and have that cart pulled by two milk cows. Why milk cows?
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
Because they're untrained and they have calves to feed, and their natural instincts mean they're going to go home to their calves. But if these milk cows go against their natural instincts, then something supernatural is taking place. And the God of Israel must be in charge of all that's happening in Philistia. And wouldn't you know it, the cows go straight off into the distance.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
When the cows in the ark arrive at Beth Shemesh, which is in Judah, the Israelites who see it offer the milk cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. This sounds awesome, except that Leviticus 1 specifies that only male animals are supposed to be used for offerings. On top of that, there are 70 people who look at the ark, which also violates God's law to shield the ark from view in Numbers 4.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
So God strikes them down. The Levites who were there should have known these things. Either they know and they're ignoring it, or they're ignorant of God's laws altogether. But as we've learned, even unintentional sin is still sin. If you think God's being too harsh about the punishment He doles out here, most governments operate that way too.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
For instance, just because I'm not intentionally speeding or don't know what the speed limit is, doesn't mean I don't get a speeding ticket. All this terrifies the people of Beth Shemesh, and they ask their neighbors in Kiriath-Jerim to come take the Ark away. The people of Kiriath-Jerim keep the Ark for 20 years.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
The fact that it doesn't get returned to the tabernacle in Shiloh suggests that Shiloh has probably been destroyed by the Philistines, who are likely ruling over Israel at this point. As they often do when they're being oppressed, the people of Israel begin to repent. Then we hear from Samuel for the first time in a long time, and by now he is viewed as the chief leader of all of Israel.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
They think it'll act like a lucky charm for them, so they go to Shiloh to retrieve it. Hothni and Phinehas, Eli's wicked sons, help carry it off to battle. Then Israel loses this battle too, along with 30,000 men. Eli's back home at Shiloh when a messenger comes to tell him everything. We lost the battle, your sons are dead, and the ark has been captured.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
He is their prophet, priest, and judge. He encourages the Israelites to make their repentance complete and faithfully worship God alone. He says the result will be that God will deliver them from the Philistines, who are still a thorn in their side, which, as you may recall, was exactly what God said would happen if they didn't drive them out of the land.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
They all meet up at Mizpah to fast and pray, to make sacrifices and demonstrate their repentance. In the middle of their worship service, the Philistines draw near to attack, and Israel is afraid. The enemy loves to attack when we're moving toward obedience. Despite Israel's shaky faith, God gives them victory over the Philistines.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
Samuel sets up a stone memorial there and calls it Ebenezer, which means, Thus far the Lord has helped me. If you've ever heard the song Come Thou Fount, you may have wondered what the line means that says, Here I raise my Ebenezer, here by thy great help I've come. If so, now you know. And not only does Israel defeat the Philistines, but they have internal and external peace for years to come.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
Samuel makes regular trips to the local cities to make sure everything is running according to God's commands. But two people who aren't obeying God are his sons Joel and Abijah, whom he has set up as judges in the land. And they're actual judges, like we think of them, who preside over cases. And they take bribes and disregard justice.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
The people go to Samuel to let him know that things are about to go off the rails if he doesn't do something. He's old and will probably die soon, and his sons are not fit to lead Israel. So the people request a king instead, like all the other nations have. God has made provision for a king, but he hadn't called for it, and Samuel knows this.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
When the people request a king, it may feel like a personal rejection of Samuel's family as leaders, but God says it's really a rejection of him. Still, God says to give the people what they want. This reminds me of when they asked for quail in the wilderness, because God says this is not going to go well.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
That king is going to go against God's commands in Deuteronomy 17, and the people are going to cry out to God for help, and he won't send it. But Israel doesn't heed Samuel's warning. What was your God shot in the midst of these five chapters? How did you see more of who God is today?
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
I spent a lot of time thinking about how God has set this nation apart to be different so that the other nations would recognize God's glory and how in the very moments when that starts to happen, Israel doesn't want to honor him. They want a different plan. The Philistines recognized his power, but the people of Beth Shemesh disobey God, and instead of repenting, they send the Ark away. The Ark.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
I was so mad at them. Then there's peace in the land, but they have two corrupt judges, so instead of replacing them with godly judges, they ask for a king so they can be like all the other nations. They keep rejecting the very thing that makes them unique. And God says that's a rejection of Him. He is their identity. Seeing this about God gives me pause.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
Where do I reject what He has called me to be for His glory because I want to fit in or be respected? Where does fear of man drive me more than love of God? I know this truth and I want it to inform all my motives. He's where the joy is. You've probably heard us talk about Big Blue, our first ever version of the Bible Recap book.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
Eli knew his sons were going to die on the same day because this was prophesied to him in what we read yesterday. So while that's heartbreaking, it comes as no surprise. However, having the ark stolen was an unexpected tragedy for the entire nation of Israel. This was, by far, the most significant loss of all. When Eli heard that bit of news, he fell over, broke his neck, and died.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
And today we're releasing a new version into the world, a large print version of TBR affectionately called Bigger Blue. It's got all the same great content you know and love, but with larger font. We want to knock down any barriers you might have as you aim to read, understand, and love the Bible.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
So if you or someone you know might like Bigger Blue, check it out in the TBR store at thebiblerecap.com forward slash store or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
Meanwhile, Eli's grandson Ichabod is about to be born. His father has just died in battle, and then his mother dies in childbirth. Back at the battlefield, the Philistines believe they've defeated Yahweh since they've captured what they think is Him. They've conflated God with the golden box that serves as His earthly throne.
The Bible Recap
Day 099 (1 Samuel 4-8) - Year 7
They put the Ark in their pagan temple alongside the god they worship, Dagon. So Yahweh does something that is both humorous and weighty. He knocks the statue of Dagon face down in front of the Ark in a posture of worship.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Yesterday, Balaam and his donkey arrived on their journey to meet with Balak, king of Moab. It was an ancient belief in the Canaanite culture that you could speak things into existence. So Balak hired Balaam to curse the Israelites because he was afraid they would defeat him and take the land of Moab.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
But Balaam reminds him that he can only say what God tells him to say. And in fact, his third blessing closes with the words spoken to Abraham by God roughly 700 years earlier. Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you. Which ultimately means God is pronouncing a curse on Balak himself as well. The thing he was aiming for turned back on him.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
Balak is furious, but also helpless. Striving is cumbersome, exhausting work. During this whole scenario, Balak tries bargaining, manipulation, stalling, and threatening. These three instances in the wilderness between Balaam and Balak remind me of the three times Satan tempts Jesus in the wilderness, and nothing budges either time.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
For all Balak's fear, control, manipulation, bargaining, negotiating, stalling, and threatening, for all his mountain climbing and altar building and animal sacrificing, Balak did not budge the will of God. For all it cost in frustration and effort, striving still only results in the preordained will of God.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
After getting stiffed for his work, Balaam closes out with a final oracle about Israel, highlighting some military victories that will take place. Then we cut back to the Israelites at the bottom of the mountain where Balaam had been prophesying. And what are they up to? Idolatry, naturally.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
This is reminiscent of when Moses was up on Mount Sinai with God and the people were in the valley worshiping their jewelry. Here, though, the men are led astray by the pagan ladies, not gold, and they end up worshipping their false gods, specifically the god Baal.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
We'll find out later in chapter 31 that Balaam was behind all of this, scheming and using the women to entice the Israelites into idolatry, probably in an effort to reverse the blessing on Israel. Maybe there was money involved. The enemy is tricky, you guys. He knows what we want and uses it against us and our own hearts.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
Even though Balaam was behind this, Israel is still responsible for the fact that they gave in to the temptation. And God's response to Israel's idolatry is to have the chiefs of the people killed first. Then God orders the judges to kill those among their people who have broken their covenant with him.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
They're about to enter the promised land soon, and God doesn't want them to bring this impurity into the land with them. One guy in particular, the son of a chief, brings a woman, the daughter of a Midianite chief, into his tent in front of everyone. And I immediately thought of that phrase we learned recently, sinning with a high hand. That's what this felt like.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
Belligerent, arrogant, shameless sinning. As a result of all this, God sent another plague as well. People are dying left and right. And maybe Phineas, Aaron's grandson, remembered what his grandpa did the last time this happened? How he intervened by bringing out the incense and it stopped the plague. So Phineas takes a spear and stabs them both through and the plague stops.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
But at their first stop, God gives Balaam a word to speak about Israel, and much to Balak's dismay, it's a blessing. In 23.9, Balaam references Israel's set-apartness, calling them a people dwelling alone and not counting itself among the nations. Balak doesn't like the sound of this, so he says, let's take a look at them from a different angle. Maybe you'll see something worth cursing then.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
But not before 24,000 people died as a result of all this idolatry. God honors Phineas for his righteous anger, for his high view of God's holiness. And we end today with God commanding Israel to strike down the Midianites. Israel can't be left alone for a minute or their hearts turn aside to false gods, and God knows it. He wants more for them. What was your God shot today?
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
Where did you see God's character on display? I was dumbstruck by some of the things he said about Israel through the words of Balaam, specifically in his second oracle in 2321. Tell me if you recognize the people God's describing here because I sure don't. He said, The word translated misfortune here is almost always translated as iniquity, unrighteousness, or wickedness elsewhere in Scripture.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
And the word trouble has similar possible translations. So in Hebrew, this verse could quite possibly read, He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob, nor has he seen wickedness in Israel. I don't know what kind of rose-colored glasses God is wearing, but I want some, right? The thing is, God has seen these things in them. He's not blind. Remember all those times He wanted to kill them?
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
And He's not stupid. It's not that He forgot about all that stuff. And He's not a liar, so He's not just making it sound nice. So what on earth is He talking about? This is what love sees. Love has eyes that see beyond our actions and beyond even our hearts, and especially God's love. Because even 1,000 plus years prior to Christ's death, His future blood paid for their present sins.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
His death covered them. God is not constrained by time. He invented it. He's both outside time and inside it. So He's already in the future where His stiff-necked children have been perfected and restored. He can pronounce these things as true because to Him, they already are.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
wicked, rebellious, whoring after false gods, and still His love seeks us out and draws us in to the deeper joys, not the fleeting ones, as His Spirit remakes us. Because just like our God who sees more to us than meets the eye, we can access that same kind of truth too—
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
I believe if you dig deep past the surface of all your unmet longings and your temporary fixes and your open wounds and your wild frustrations, you will find it. Underneath all our fleeting desires, our hearts know He's where the joy is. We know lots of you are fans of The Chosen, so if that's you, we have great news. We have a sneak peek of Season 5, which premieres in theaters on March 28th.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
This scene depicts a tense moment among the religious leaders of Jesus' day. We'll link to the full clip in our show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
Who do you know who would enjoy the Bible recap? Invite them to read and listen along with you. If they missed our January launch, encourage them to start with day one today. There's nothing special about January 1st. I started my first trip through the Bible on a day in August. No matter what day it is, that's always the best day to start reading the Bible.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
But the same thing happens. Balaam can only pronounce blessing. In 2320, he says his words don't have power to undo what God has done. Our words may have an impact, but they can't overrule the plan of God. Nothing is weightier than His will.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
And not only does Balaam know that now, but in 24-1 we also see that through this experience, he abandons the sorcery he has relied on and learns to seek God's face instead. But it's only temporary. But for now, the Spirit of God was empowering his words, not evil spirits. But Balak is still not satisfied, of course, and he's like, third time's a charm.
The Bible Recap
Day 064 (Numbers 23-25) - Year 7
Let's go do this again, but how about this time you don't say anything good or bad? He's really grasping at straws here. But again, Balaam has nothing but good words, and in fact, words that are terrifying to Balak, because they go against everything he was hoping to hear. He says, "'He shall eat up the nations, his adversaries, and break their bones in pieces.'" Yikes!
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. About seven weeks after leaving Egypt, the Israelites finally make it to the wilderness of Sinai, at the base of Mount Sinai. We've seen this mountain referred to earlier in Scripture as the Mountain of God, and it's probably also the same place as Mount Horeb. It seems to be one of God's favorite places.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
This is interesting here because it shows us that God regards killing as a different thing than murder. We see this again in 21.12 when he says, "'Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death.'" I'm not making any kind of political statements about the death penalty here.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
I'm just pointing out that Scripture makes a distinction between murdering someone and killing someone as a penalty, or even as an accident. The reason I'm pointing this out is because some people say God contradicts Himself here by telling them to kill someone, then issuing the Ten Commandments only a few verses later.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
But the Hebrew phrase in the Ten Commandments is best translated as, you shall not murder. Murder specifically is different than killing in general. The Hebrew word for murder is never used in the Old Testament when referring to war or capital punishment. So here they are at the mountain of God, and on the third day, there's a big storm and a loud trumpet blast.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
God descended on the mountain in fire and it was covered in smoke. Oh, there's also an earthquake. Then in the midst of the storm, a fire, smoke, an earthquake, and an ever increasing ear piercing trumpet noise, God tells Moses, come closer, climb the mountain, the mountain that no one else is allowed to touch. And Moses does. God has a few things to tell him.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
Then we hit a section lots of you are familiar with, the Ten Commandments. So I'm only going to hover on a few points. In this section, it appears God is talking to Moses and the people are overhearing the whole thing. God opens by using his personal name with them. I am Yahweh, your God. He reminds them who he is to them and how he demonstrated his commitment to them.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
He says, I brought you out of slavery. By the way, we address slavery later and repeatedly when we can give it more time and attention, so stick with us. This is important. If you want more info now, scroll back in your feed to where we posted the February Reflections and Corrections episode from last year. We'll also link to that in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
But if you can wait, we'll be posting that episode again this year at the end of the month. Okay, back to today's text. Here, in his words to Moses and the people, God starts by talking about who he is and who they are to him before telling them his laws. He opens with relationship. Then he gives these 10 words. That's what they're called in Hebrew.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
But just because they're called words and not commandments doesn't give them any less weight. They're still the words of God, which is why the translators often call them commandments instead. The first five words are vertical. They show us how to honor God. The second five words are horizontal. They show us how to honor others.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
The fifth word, which is about how to honor parents, acts as a kind of hinge which swings in both of these directions. The second word, the one about idols and graven images, it points out our natural inclination to worship things. Everyone worships something. Mostly we worship what we see regularly. The challenge for our idolatrous hearts is that Yahweh has no physical form.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
So in order to worship Him, we have to set aside our human nature, which means setting aside the created things we can see with our eyes. You may wonder about theophanies here. Even though God has no physical form, He does appropriate one from time to time, but He shouldn't be thought of as attached to or confined to that form.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
Here, God calls to Moses from out of the mountain, and Moses passes his words along to the people. These people who, as far as we can tell, seem to complain more than they praise, promise to do everything God commands of them. We'll see. God says he's going to meet the people at Mount Sinai, so they need to consecrate themselves.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
Some people even believe this commandment prohibits having images of Jesus or crosses. And it's definitely true that those things can be worshipped or idolized or treated as though they have magical powers. I've seen it. Honestly, I'm all for getting rid of pictures of Jesus, especially because most of them are Renaissance Jesus, all blonde-haired and blue-eyed and European.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
Anyway, the Israelites would not make any images of humans or animals because of this word. They know the human heart's propensity to worship things. So the only kind of art allowed in Jewish homes or synagogues is geometric art. It's a far cry from the cathedrals we see today.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
Not long ago, when an artist erected a statue of David in Jerusalem, some of the locals who love David broke its nose off because they take the second commandment seriously. I want to say a bit about the word jealous here because in this passage, God says, "'I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.'" God's jealousy here is not like our jealousy, not at all.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
The Hebrew word used to describe God's jealousy here is only used in reference to God. The meaning it carries is more like protective or zealous. God is protective of and zealous for His relationship with us. God's jealousy is entirely different than the kind of jealousy you and I feel.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
The word used to describe that kind of jealousy carries more of a connotation of envy, like Joseph's brothers felt toward him. In the third word, we see how seriously God takes his name. There are lots of layers to this word, but I want to point out three in particular. The original use of the phrase, "'Take the Lord's name,' hints at carrying his name."
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
Like, we take his name with us wherever we go. We're marked by it. So he calls us to live lives that align with his name. Second, this word prohibits any kind of insincere or frivolous use of his name because it suggests we're not taking it seriously. Personally, I don't even like to use the acronym OMG because of what it represents.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
God takes personal offense to anything that diminishes His character or personhood, which is the next thing I want to point to. As we've talked about before, God's names represent His character and His actions. So taking the name of God in vain could also correspond to doubting that He is who He says He is, disbelieving His character.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
Many of us may have never misused God's name in our speech, but if we've doubted God's character in our hearts, this verse calls us out. After God finished these 10 words, 2018 tells us the people saw the storm and the trumpet and the smoke and they were afraid. Then Moses responds with something that sounds completely contradictory. He says, So which is it, Moses? Should we be afraid or not?
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
You're sending mixed messages. The first use of fear in Moses' statement, do not fear, carries the meaning of dread. It's the same word used in Genesis 3.10, where Adam sinned and he was afraid, so he hid from God. That kind of fear drives us away from God. In scripture, this kind of fear is sin adjacent. It's either a response to sin or it leads to sin or both.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
This is the same thing he called them to do for the firstborns, and it basically means set them apart and prepare them to encounter God. It usually involves a bath and some clean clothes. And Moses also tells them to abstain from sex during this time, not because women are evil, but because things like seminal fluids and blood are symbols of life and death.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
That is the kind of fear Moses is telling them not to do. Then he says, This is a different word for fear in Hebrew. It carries the meaning of reverence and awe, and it's joy-adjacent. It has the effect of drawing us to God. The fear of God is comprised primarily of delight and awe. It moves us toward Him. It's the way we feel about the Grand Canyon.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
We take long trips to get to it, to stand on the edge of it with our eyes and mouths open wide, taking it all in while simultaneously being fully aware that it has the power to kill us. That's the kind of fear we're supposed to have toward God. And as Moses said, that kind of fear keeps us from sinning against Him. It produces righteousness in us.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
We have to reframe the way we think of the fear of the Lord because most of us picture it as him throwing out lightning bolts on any sinners who dare to darken the door of a church. That's not what it is. And when we think of it in that way, we malign his character, which is, as we just talked about, a kind of taking his name in vain.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
We hit a section in chapter 21 that is just a general outline of how to live in society with civility and respect for each other. It's aiming to establish ideas of justice and morality that will promote a culture that thrives. In general, it seems to be less about how to treat people and more about how to handle those who mistreat people.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
It reveals God's desire to protect and respect life, including life in the womb, because all life points to the giver of life, and especially humans who are made in God's image. Speaking of which, what was your God shot today? I loved in 19.5-6 where he called Israel his treasured possession, and he told them they were a kingdom of priests. Priests are mediators.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
So if the Hebrew nation is a kingdom of priests— That means there has to be someone else on the other side of them that needs to be connected with God through them. This is all a part of God's plan to use the Israelites and Jesus specifically as a way to connect himself to the other nations of the world who are not Israelites.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
God chose the Israelites as his people in order to make a way for the people of the disinherited nations to be adopted into his family. He's not exclusive. He's just specific. He's drawing people from all nations to him through Christ. And he's where the joy is. One of the best ways to keep the Bible Recap conversation going throughout the day is to follow us on social media.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
As far as their laws for cleanliness are concerned, to be depleted of either of those things points to the depletion of life, which wasn't considered an appropriate way to honor the presence of the giver of life. When the people come to meet God, they cannot touch the mountain or they'll die. And if someone does touch it, no one is allowed to touch that person.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
Look for The Bible Recap on your favorite social media platforms. We post pro tips and FAQs, and we celebrate our milestones as we move through Scripture. Plus, we love when you tag us in your posts and your stories so we can see how God's Word is making an impact on your life. Search for The Bible Recap, don't forget the the, or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 036 (Exodus 19-21) - Year 7
That would mean the transfer of both the death sentence that person was carrying and the transfer of the power of God. It's kind of like grabbing somebody who's being electrocuted. God's power is not hypothetical. Being in contact with it has verifiable dramatic effects. You may have noticed that he says they have to kill anyone who touches the mountain. It doesn't say they'll die from touching it.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Yesterday we met Israel's fifth judge, Gideon. He was full of self-doubt, but God used him to win the war against the Midianites. Today we open with the tribe of Ephraim having the strangest complaint of all. They're mad they weren't invited to the war. They seem to pride themselves on being warriors.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
You may have noticed that there's no mention of God here. This seems to be something he was doing of his own volition. There's more that's happening in his heart, and it's revealed as we continue reading. When Israel tries to make him king, he says, No, no, not me. God is your king.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
But then he immediately asks for all their gold jewelry, about 40 pounds of it, and things start to feel a little too familiar. He now has at least two sets of royal garments and ornaments from the Midianite kings, and he's making a golden ephod for himself.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
You may remember that the ephod was something only the high priest was allowed to wear, so to make his own ephod was in direct violation of God's commands and an extreme act of arrogance. Insecurity and arrogance are just different sides of the same pride coin. Yesterday, the coin was tails up and we saw Gideon fearful and full of self-doubt.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
But today the coin has flipped, heads up, and he's puffed up and full of himself. The entire time Gideon has been the judge of Israel, it has never been about God. It hasn't even been about Israel. It's always been about Gideon. During his position as judge, Israel has peace from war, but they do not have peace with God. They're whoring after Gideon and his ephod.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
Sure, they aren't worshiping the Canaanite gods, but they're worshiping something else, something that feels less sinful because it's Yahweh adjacent. It's an ephod, after all, made by the very judge God had appointed, who wins their military battles. What's so wrong with that? This is a great example of how we can lie to ourselves in subtle ways that distract our hearts from worshiping God alone.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
Gideon has a lot of wives and concubines and a lot of kids, including 70 sons, and he names one of those sons Abimelech, which means, guess what? My father is king. So all that talk about God being their king was just lip service. Gideon wants to be king, and in fact, they seem to view him as king, but it's never ordained by God.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
Gideon keeps the peace for a while, but he doesn't point people to Yahweh. Their hearts are turned away from God by subtle lies. And we continue to see Israel's cycle of rebellion and apostasy. And every time they round the track one more time, the rut gets deeper. In chapter 9, we follow the story of Gideon's son Abimelech.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
He's divisive and scheming, trying to take over his father's position after he dies, even though, as the son of a concubine, there are probably many other sons in line before him. But the people buy it. They like a confident leader. They give Abimelech 70 pieces of silver from one of the pagan temples, and he uses the money to hire his sketchy entourage.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
Then he kills all of Gideon's other sons on one stone. It's possible that one stone is an altar, which likely means he's offering them as sacrifices to Baal. In the midst of this mass murder, one brother manages to hide and escape, Jotham, the youngest. Except you have to think of that word king in quotes because it isn't real. It feels real, but it isn't.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
Then Jotham runs up to the top of Mount Gerizim, which you may recall is the Mountain of Blessing, and he tells them a parable. The point of the parable is that Abimelech is not worthy to be king and that he'll be a destructive force. Ultimately, this is a curse, a prophetic one, uttered from the Mount of Blessing. After he warns them, he flees. The people don't listen to him, though.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
It's part of their identity, so they feel insulted that Gideon only had them come in as backup yesterday in chapter 7. But they calm down a bit when Gideon praises their previous military victories. Then Gideon and his crew head across the Jordan River into the area of the Transjordan tribes. They're trying to capture two of the Midianite kings so they can finish off the war.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
They continue with Abimelech as their quote-unquote king. Jotham did his part, and he leaves the consequences up to God. It takes time, but his prophecy is ultimately fulfilled. First, God sends an evil spirit that causes division between Abimelech and the people of Shechem. And we're reminded here that even evil bends to God's will.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
Meanwhile, the people of Shechem start to eye a man named Gal as a potential replacement for Abimelech. This leads to a fight and Gal has to flee. Gal and Jotham both believe Abimelech is an unfit leader, but they handle it in very different ways. One more honorable than the other.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
The next day, the people of Shechem set up an ambush against Abimelech, but he kills them and destroys the city altogether. Not a brilliant move. You live there, buddy. Some of the leaders flee to a military stronghold, but he goes after them and burns it to the ground, killing a thousand more people. And remember, Jotham prophesied this very thing.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
Fire came out from Abimelech and devoured the same leaders who had positioned him. Then Abimelech heads out of town because he needs a new city since he destroyed his old one, so he has to conquer the town of Thebes. All the people run to hide in the tower and he goes to burn it too, but then a woman throws a stone and mortally wounds him.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
He has his armor bearer finish the job so that people wouldn't say a woman killed him. But guess what? People say a woman killed him. Abimelech's manipulation never ceased. He died trying to manipulate his legacy. His men abandoned the mission, and we end the chapter with the final lines of Jotham's prophecy being fulfilled in Abimelech's death. We covered a lot of wickedness today.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
What was your God shot? I saw his justice on display. Particularly, I found it fitting that Abimelech, who killed all his brothers on a stone, also died by a stone. We've talked about this before, but God's wrath and God's justice are adjacent to his love, not in contrast to it. When we love something, we have wrath toward anything that threatens it. We want to defend and protect it.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
We want it to be treated justly, rightly. And when it comes to His name and His people, Yahweh is vigilantly protective. Even in the midst of all their wickedness and waywardness, He's still enacting justice to purify them and protect them from evil. In love and in justice, He's where the joy is. I'm so excited to hit the road for the Bible Recap live tour this year.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
We'll be in six cities for a night of games, teaching, Q&R, and tons of other cool stuff. We had a blast at our first ever TBR live tour last year. And trust me, you want to be there. For tickets and more info, go to thebiblerecap.com forward slash live or click the link in the show notes. See you soon.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
Gideon asks some of the people in East Manasseh to feed his army, and they deny him. He's from West Manasseh, so these guys technically are from the same tribe, but they offer no support, and he promises to destroy their town of Succoth. Then he moves on to Penuel, a city in Gad, which is the neighboring tribe to the south, and they deny him food too, so he promises to destroy their local tower.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
His anger is warranted because these are fellow Israelites and they're supposed to help each other out, especially in war efforts, but Gideon's response does seem a bit extreme, like he's still operating out of insecurity and has something to prove. Even though he'd just had a military victory, he never wielded a sword. He just smashed a jar and blew a trumpet.
The Bible Recap
Day 092 (Judges 8-9) - Year 7
And now he's been twice rejected by his own people in front of his army. But Gideon persists. Even hungry, he chases down the two Midianite kings, Ziba and Zalmunna. He captures them, kills them, and steals their crescent ornaments. Then he goes back and fulfills his threats to Succoth and Penuel. Today's reading about Gideon's conquest has a really different feel than yesterday's, doesn't it?
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Welcome to our December Reflections and Corrections episode. Let's start with the Reflections. We just finished our 66th book of the Bible and the 27th book of the New Testament, which means you've either finished reading the whole Bible or the whole New Testament. Congratulations!
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
Forty years after he rescues them from Egypt, their new leader Joshua leads them into the Promised Land and commands them to eradicate their enemies who live there, the Canaanites. God has warned them repeatedly that if they don't drive out the Canaanites, they'll become a snare and lead them away into apostasy. And that's exactly what happens.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
So God raises up military leaders or judges to drive out the enemies who are leading his people astray. But this doesn't deal with the problem of their hearts leading them astray. The Israelites do whatever they want, leading to near anarchy. Despite this, there are pockets of faithfulness among the Israelites and even among the foreigners whose hearts have turned toward Yahweh.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
Pagans like Rahab and Ruth who turn to follow God and his people. God has been telling us all along that he's going to build his people from among every nation, and this is evidence of that. Next, God raises up Samuel the prophet to lead the people, but what they really want is a king. God tells Samuel to give the people what they want, but it's not going to go well for them.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
Their first king is Saul, a fearful man who makes rash decisions without consulting God. Then a shepherd named David is positioned as Israel's second king. He's a man after God's own heart, but he's still deeply flawed. He makes a few decisions that mark him for life, but they don't mark him for eternity. God shows him astonishing amounts of mercy and grace.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
David is succeeded on the throne by his son Solomon. Despite being the wisest man who ever lived, he has a problem with womanizing and worshiping other gods. Yahweh is generous to him nonetheless and gives him the distinguished assignment of building Israel's first temple, the place where God came to dwell among the people in the midst of the promised land.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
After Solomon dies, the nation-state of Israel is divided into two separate kingdoms. Over the 350-ish years of the divided kingdom, God sends several prophets to warn both northern Israel and southern Judah about what's going to happen. They'll be overcome by other nations. First, the Assyrians defeat northern Israel and take them into captivity.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
Southern Judah eventually falls under siege by the Babylonians. When southern Judah falls, many of God's people in Jerusalem are carried off into exile. But God promises them that there's a timeline on this exile. He'll bring them back to the land in 70 years. Not only that, but he'll punish the enemies who are oppressing them. And he doesn't leave them alone during their exile in Babylon.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
He sends prophets to remind them of his promises and the fact that his character has remained the same through all the generations, through all their sins. He's always been working out his plan for restoration.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
When the 70 years are up, he brings in Persia to defeat Babylon, and God causes the Persian kings to show favor to the exiles, not only letting them return to Jerusalem, but paying the bill for them to rebuild the city the Babylonians destroyed.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
They finish the temple and begin to offer sacrifices and celebrate feasts again, but they quickly fall back into their old sin patterns, oppressing the poor, marrying people who don't love Yahweh, dishonoring God and his Sabbath and his laws. God sends more prophets to rebuke them. The people are turning away because God's promises don't seem to be coming true.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
So here's a brief summary of what we've seen in the Bible's overall meta-narrative. The Bible is one unified story. In Genesis, God sets out to build a relationship with one particular family, but things go terribly wrong when they fracture the relationship through sin. But their sin doesn't surprise God.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
But he reminds them that he has been fulfilling the promises. He brought them back to the land on his exact timeline and rebuilt their city. The end of the Old Testament marks the beginning of a period known as the 400 years of silence.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
During that time period, we have no written records of God's engagement with mankind, but we know he's there, working out his plan in the meantime, in and through his people. During this time, the Roman Empire starts to rise up and takes control of Israel in 63 BC. The Jews are tired and they're ready for rescue.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
They've been driven from their land, had their cities destroyed, have lived as exiles and as slaves, had to rebuild their cities, and are now living back in their homeland under the oppression of one of the cruelest empires in the history of mankind.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
They remember God's promise to send them a new king who would conquer all their enemies and bring peace on earth, but they have no idea yet what that means or how or when that promise will be fulfilled. Around 7 BC, the New Testament picks up, and once again we see God actively working out his plan for redemption.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
He sets apart a man named John the Baptist, we call him JTB, as the forerunner who will prepare the way for the Messiah. JTB's cousin is a man named Jesus. And scripture tells us repeatedly that Jesus is God the Son who has come to earth to live as human. He's fully God and fully man, and he serves as another manifestation of the temple of God, where God comes to dwell in the midst of his people.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
Even before his birth, it's evident that he is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. Jesus begins his ministry around the age of 30, after JTB baptizes him. Then he calls some disciples to follow him. They're from all walks of life, from the lowly fisherman to the wealthy tax collector.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
They travel all around the Galilee region as Jesus preaches the message of repentance and the hope of the kingdom of God. The disciples see him perform all kinds of miracles, from simple things like making lunch for thousands at the drop of a hat, to casting out demons, to healing the sick and raising the dead.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
Jesus seems to show special attention to those who are the outcasts and the overlooked, and he even ventures out into the non-Jewish areas to spread the gospel to the Gentiles, which is all non-Jews. While Jesus is generous and loving, he also has harsh words. He speaks with passion against people who oppress the poor or who are self-righteous, like the Pharisees and Sadducees.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
They've added to God's basic laws with their burdensome rules, and they look down on others who don't live up to their standards. Jesus calls them whitewashed tombs. The outside is shiny, but they're dead inside.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
Jesus takes the good news of God's rescue everywhere he goes and promises his disciples that even though he will go away from them someday, they will continue to carry that good news with them and preach it everywhere to everyone who hasn't heard. They're part of an unstoppable kingdom, one that will push back the darkness with the light of the gospel of Jesus.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
He already had a plan in place to restore this relationship even before it was broken, and He continues working out that plan immediately, undeterred and unhindered by their rebellion. He sets apart Abraham to be the patriarch of the family he calls the Israelites. They're a bunch of sinners, just like us. God blesses them despite their sin, but sin still has its consequences.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
He begins to speak more frequently and clearly about his death and even tells his followers that one of them will have a role in making that happen, Judas Iscariot. When the week of his death comes, he's in Jerusalem, preaching in the temple, prophesying, having dinner with his apostles, and then, just like he said, Judas hands him over to the religious leaders.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
He's tried by both the Jewish religious leaders and the Romans too. And even though Rome declares him innocent, the people want him killed anyway. They crucify him and bury him. But even death is not the end for him because he's been telling them all along that he will raise from the dead and that his kingdom is eternal and unstoppable.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
He lives on earth in his resurrection body for 40 days before ascending to heaven, leaving them with a promise to return and to send his spirit to be with them in the meantime. About a week later, his spirit comes to dwell in believers. Through his spirit and his followers, the message of the gospel is spread to the Gentiles.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
Churches spring up in other countries, and the apostles go as missionaries to help support and train those churches, even in the face of oppression, imprisonment, and beatings. Through all of this, they seek the Spirit for guidance as they encourage the churches, direct them, and even rebuke them.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
The main problems the churches are having relate to two different types of cultural issues and questions. A. Does a Gentile have to convert to Judaism before converting to Christianity? Do they have to follow Jewish laws? And B. Do Christ followers have to follow any laws, or are they free to do whatever they want?
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
Just like the problem Jesus encountered with the Pharisees and Sadducees, the law is still the big problem, especially as it relates to different cultures and nationalities. The early church fathers respond to both questions with reminders that they're bound only to love, not to Jewish laws and traditions, and not to selfish actions either.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
They must love God and love others, which is exactly what Jesus told them was the summary of the law. As the church continues to grow in number and spread in nations, false teachers start to emerge. They lie about who Jesus is, about the resurrection, and about the apostles and the early church leaders. So the apostles have a lot to manage.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
On one hand, they have to work toward being united across different cultures and nationalities in the church. And on the other hand, they also have to work toward separating themselves from false teachers. The ultimate goal is truth and love. Love without truth is foolish. Truth without love is arrogant. But truth and love strikes the balance Christ aimed for, to love God and love others.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
Even as persecution and oppression are on the rise, Jesus calls his followers to imitate him and display his character to the world around them. He promises to return, to recreate heaven and earth, and to live with us forever as we reign and rule with him in his eternal kingdom. Okay, that's all for the reflections part of this episode.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
And by God's grace, we don't have any corrections to report for December. I hope we'll see you back here again tomorrow to start it all over again. Because if you're still here, it's clear that you know and believe deep in your bones that He's where the joy is. The Bible Recap offers tools that equip millions around the world to read, understand and love the Bible.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
One of the long storylines of consequences of the 400 years they spent enslaved in Egypt. God sends Moses to set the Israelites free from slavery. They flee to the desert where, little by little, God gives them the basic rules of how to have a stable society. They're uncivilized people who have only just met God and Moses and they're not keen on obeying either of them.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
We want to help people encounter God in a way that transforms their entire lives. To find out more, visit thebiblerecap.com.
The Bible Recap
December Reflections and Corrections - Year 6
In the midst of their sin and stubbornness, God knows that what their hearts need is Him. So He sets up camp among them in the desert. More than anything, He wants them to remember who He is to them. The God who rescued them out of slavery. But they keep forgetting. And every time they forget, they either get fearful and disobey, or they get prideful and disobey.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Here we are. Can you believe it? Congratulations on crossing this milestone. Whether this is your first trip through the whole Bible or the New Testament, or if you've done this many times before, it's still worth celebrating. I hope you have something planned. What have you learned this year?
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
His word, which comes out of his mouth, brings justice and is victorious over his enemies. And all those armies of heaven behind him, us, it appears we do nothing. He wins on his own and pretty quickly. In chapter 20, we hit a section referred to as the millennium or the millennial reign. There are lots of perspectives on whether this is a literal, precise number or if it's more symbolic.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
There are also lots of opinions on when this is set, past, present, or future. In conjunction with the millennium, Satan is bound in the bottomless pit temporarily. Your view on the millennium also determines how you view Satan's binding and the resurrections that are described here.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
In case you missed the resources we linked to when we started Revelation, we'll drop those in the show notes again today. There's a PDF, a quick guide, and a database with lots of info. Satan will eventually suffer defeat in eternal torment, along with the two other members of his counterfeit trinity, the beast and the false prophet.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
And while it appears everyone will be judged by their works, those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life will be pardoned because their sins are covered by Christ the Lamb. He has recorded our name in the pages of life. Jesus referenced this in Luke 10 20 when his disciples were thrilled that they had power over demons.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
He said, Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Given everything we're reading about eternity, you can see why having your name written in the book of life is a much bigger deal, because the lake of fire is reserved for anyone whose name isn't in the book.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
Paul also referenced this book in Philippians 4.3 when he talked about his co-laborers in the gospel. He said their names are written in the book. After all of this, heaven and earth pass away. So wait, aren't we supposed to go to heaven? How do we go there if it passes away? God's kids who die before Christ returns do go to heaven, but heaven is just a temporary holding tank, apparently.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
Our disembodied spirits that go to heaven will be re-embodied and we will live in the new dwelling place of God and his people, just like John told us in 1 John 3. Here he fleshes that out a little bit more for us. He calls our new home the New Jerusalem. From what I understand, here's how this goes. Old heaven and old earth are destroyed.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
They've both been tarnished by sin, whether by humans or by angels, so they have to be renewed. Then, when he renews them into the new heaven and the new earth, the new heaven descends and merges with the new earth. It's literally when God comes down to dwell with his people on the new earth in perfection and completion and the restoration of all things.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
Scholars disagree on whether heaven and earth will be entirely new material, or if the old versions will be purged, like with fire, and restored. Either way, the New Jerusalem is astonishing. John is blown away by the vision. It's roughly a 1,400-mile gold cube, 1,400 miles by 1,400 miles by 1,400 miles, decorated with precious jewels.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
I don't know if this is literal or if it just symbolizes perfection, but I tried to do some quick math on this, and if my math is close, then in volume, the New Jerusalem is slightly larger than the moon. But again, this might not be literal. What does seem to be literal is that there's no temple here, because God himself is our temple. He is the dwelling place of him with us.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
At the time I'm recording this, I've read through the Bible over 15 times, and I'm still learning something new pretty much every day. Let's talk about what we saw in today's reading of Book 27 of the New Testament and Book 66 of the whole Bible. We're in the final chapters of John's vision of the revelation of Jesus. After God's massive victory yesterday, heaven erupts in a party today.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
The gates of the New Jerusalem are never shut, and it's always daytime there because you can't put God on dim, which also means there's no such thing as turning back the clocks, no seasonal affective disorder, and no sun damage. He says there is water for the thirsty that they can come drink for free.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
And this has Old Testament echoes of Jesus, who was the rock that brought water in the wilderness, like we read in 1 Corinthians 10. This reminds us of the prophecies of Isaiah 55, as well as Jesus offering himself as eternal water in John 4. It is free to all who will receive it.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
But those who reject the eternal living water of Jesus will get an eternity of what they long for, complete waterlessness. In chapter 22, the river of life flows from the throne and through the city, and on both sides of the river the tree of life grows. What Adam and Eve broke everything to get is right there for the taking, year-round.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
It's not forbidden, and there are no curses attached to it, and it seems to have some kind of rotating menu of fruit, a new special flavor each month. The angel tells John to write all this down, but don't seal the envelope because people need to read this.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
People need to know that Jesus is really coming back, that judgment is really happening, and that the free blessing of knowing God and living with him for eternity really awaits. Spread the word, the angel says, because by the time this actually happens, the end will be here and the judgment will be upon us and it'll be too late.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
In verse 14, we see the last of the seven Beatitudes of Revelation, the blessed are statements in this book. We'll link to a resource that shows you all of them in case you missed a few. This one says, Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and that they may enter the city by the gates.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
Our robes made pure by the blood of the Lamb, our needs met, our unity restored. My God shot is in the words of Jesus three times in this chapter. He says three times, he's coming back soon. I feel like he's got one foot on the gas and one on the brake, and I'm so ready for him to come back soon.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
Knowing the incredible, glorious future that awaits us, John says God's kids will join with the Spirit and beg Christ to return. When John quotes the words of Jesus and says, surely I am coming soon, he leads the response so that we'll all follow him when he says, amen, come Lord Jesus. So say it with John and say it with me. Amen, come Lord Jesus. You're where the joy is. We did it. You did it.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
And we'll be starting all over again with day one tomorrow. I hope I'll see you back here tomorrow because reading through the Bible, it's not just something to check off your bucket list. This is a lifelong relationship where we get to engage with the God of the universe every day for the rest of our lives. Reading the Bible isn't a box to check. It's air to breathe.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
But if you do decide to step away, I will still be praying for you. And I'll also be praying that you realize how much you miss my corny jokes and you end up coming back. But if you're sticking around and doing the same plan and recapping with us, I'm here to cheer you on. Listen, I've done this plan more than 15 times, and I plan to keep doing it until I'm in the ground. It never gets old to me.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
I keep learning new things about him. So if you're sticking around, but you want to step things up a bit next year, we've got a lot of great options to help you. So you can choose your own adventure. For instance, you could join us for our daily prayer podcast that corresponds to our daily reading and recapping. It's called The Bible Kneecap.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
The multitudes in heaven praise God for His justice and truth and salvation and glory and power. And suddenly, it's time for the marriage of the Lamb and His bride, Christ and the Church, clothed in purity, in fine white linen. The angel who has been guiding John through these visions tells him to write down that those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb will be blessed.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
That second daily podcast is available to our Recaptains at the Kneecap tier, but we're going to post a free sample for you to hear tomorrow. If you like what you hear, click the Recaptains link at thebiblerecap.com for more info. Or you could check out the Daily Journal, the Daily Study Guide, the Weekly Discussion Guide.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
Those three tools are things you can use on their own, or they also work together beautifully. To see samples of these three books or order your own copies, check out the store link at thebiblerecap.com or click the link in the show notes. Let's keep going, Bible readers. Think of all the things God still wants to teach you through His living, active, beautiful, joy-inducing Word.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
Let's keep looking for Him. I'll see you back here tomorrow, because He's where the joy is.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
And guess why this is such a blessing? Because those invited are the bride. Then John falls down at the angel's feet, but the angel says, John pulls this again in chapter 22 and gets shut down again because God's angels refuse to be worshipped. So just a heads up, if you ever find an angel that receives worship, run. Jesus comes out on a white horse and he's wearing a robe dipped in blood.
The Bible Recap
Day 365 (Revelation 19-22) - Year 6
He's followed by the armies of heaven, which usually refers to angels, but here it's likely referring to the people of God because it clarifies that they're wearing the same outfits as before. A sword is coming out of Jesus' mouth. And this has echoes of Ephesians 6 and the armor of God, where the word of God is our sword. His word is his weapon.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Yesterday was an emotional rollercoaster. Mystery, intrigue, theft, reunions, and all in three chapters. We wrapped up with Jacob agreeing to move his family to Egypt on the king's tab to ride out the last five years of the famine.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
But when God promises to be with Jacob in Egypt, that's a nod to his manifest presence. Here's how I like to think of it. Have you ever used the filters on Instagram where you can increase the saturation? You didn't invent the red in your picture. It was already there. But when you dial up that saturation, it sure does make that red pop. It's far more noticeable, more manifest.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
That's one way we can think of God's promise to be with Jacob, just like he was with Joseph in prison. And it was obvious to Joseph. And also, its effects were obvious to everyone around him. He seemed to have a wisdom and a peace that indicated he knew something they didn't know.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
Skip ahead a few thousand years, and we now have access to God the Spirit, who dwells in all believers, and we carry him with us wherever we go. But this was not the case back then. God's special presence was a unique thing. That's why in the Psalms, David could pray a prayer saying, "'Do not take your Holy Spirit from me,' and have that be a real thing he was actually concerned about."
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
But today, for those of us who have His Spirit, which is all of God's adopted children, that prayer is a moot point. He has filled and sealed us with His Spirit and promises to stay with us for good. So God promises that His presence will go with Jacob, and He promises to make him into a great nation while they're in Egypt, the land of their enemies.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
They start out as 70 people, but it won't stay that way for long. When they arrive, we have this beautiful father-son reunion, and Joseph instructs them what to say when they meet with Pharaoh later. He wants to make sure they have access to the land of Goshen, which was the good, fertile land they would need for feeding their animals.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
Joseph knows the best way to do that is to let Pharaoh know that they're shepherds, especially because Egyptians had a unique disdain for shepherds, and Goshen, which was a little further out, would be a good place to keep those Hebrew shepherds at arm's length. When five of the brothers meet with Pharaoh, things go perfectly according to plan. He agrees to let them live in Goshen.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
When Jacob goes before Pharaoh, he blesses him. Then they chit-chat a bit. And in this conversation, we see how much humility God has developed in Jacob. Remember how Jacob manipulated things to get what he wanted from both his father and his father-in-law? Remember the scarcity mentality that drove him to half-truths and self-protection? He recognizes it.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
He says, few and evil have been the days of the years of my life. He's humbled. Jacob's family thrives in Egypt over the next few years, even as the famine gets worse. Joseph makes a few more business arrangements to provide for the people.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
First he buys their livestock, then he buys their land, then he buys even themselves in service in exchange for seeds, provided they give 20% of what they grow back to Pharaoh. Some people say he was exploiting the people, but the people themselves seem to be grateful. At the very least, that goes to show the magnitude of the famine."
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
When we open today, Jacob is packing up all his stuff, even though Pharaoh told him not to, to start out their 450-mile journey. But I suppose I wouldn't want to leave my goats to starve in the famine either, so whatever. Their first stop for his massive caravan is in Beersheba, where he offers a sacrifice to God.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
At the end of our reading, the famine has been over for more than a decade, and Jacob and his family are still living in Egypt for some reason. But they're flourishing and multiplying. In preparation for his death, Jacob asked Joseph to make him a promise. He has Joseph put his hand under his thigh. Now remember, we've talked about this type of agreement before and what this symbolizes.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
Jacob is asking his son Joseph to swear on Jacob's offspring, which includes Joseph himself, that Joseph won't leave his bones in Egypt. God promised to be with Jacob in Egypt and to bring him up out of Egypt as well. And this is how Jacob is ensuring that this happens. Jacob believes God's promises will happen for him, dead or alive. What was your God shot today? I loved seeing God's presence.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
In the land of their enemies, in the midst of a famine, God provided for his people. They flourished. He had a plan and a promise to bring the Messiah through their bloodline, so it was imperative that they flourish. And there's no true flourishing apart from the presence of God. There's accumulation of goods. There's happiness for sure. Wicked people can and do succeed. We learned that in Job.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
But they don't flourish, not in the deepest sense. They build temporary castles and seek fleeting pleasures, but their souls don't thrive like the people who draw near to God's presence, the people who know He's where the joy is. It's time for our weekly check-in. So how are you doing? If you're behind, that's okay. Keep at it. You're probably reading the Bible more than you would on your own.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
And you probably know God better every time you close your Bible. Like we saw today, God is with His people, which now includes you. He's always with you, providing for you, caring for you, and leading you. I'm asking him to help you see his presence in your life because it's such an unbelievable gift. We get to have a relationship with him.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
We get to know him more and more each day as we keep looking for him in these chapters. We're almost finished reading through two books of the Bible together. I know I've definitely grown in my knowledge of God and my love for him, and I'm hoping you have too. I'll see you back here tomorrow.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
Both his father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham lived in Beersheba at one point in their lives, so this may have been some kind of nostalgic final farewell to his homeland, especially since he expects to die in Egypt. While he's in Beersheba, he makes a sacrifice to God. And he has a vision where God tells him to go to Egypt.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
This is noteworthy because Egypt is generally regarded as a terrible place for Hebrews to go. The Egyptians were enemies of God's people. They were racist and they enslaved them. So it could be really terrifying. But God comforts Jacob and promises to be with him.
The Bible Recap
Day 028 (Genesis 46-47) - Year 7
This is a good place for me to mention the difference between God's general presence everywhere, which is called omnipresence, and his special presence, which is called manifest presence. Saying God is everywhere is different than saying God is here. Even if God hadn't made this promise to Jacob, since he's omnipresent, we could easily conclude that God is in Egypt regardless.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Before we launch into today's recap, we need to remember something we read in Deuteronomy 20 to help it all make sense. In that chapter, God gave very different instructions on how the Israelites were supposed to handle cities outside of the Promised Land versus cities inside the Promised Land.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
But the Israelite leaders tell them that they have to keep their covenant, and that they'll just have to sever the consequences of their sin in entering into the covenant. But they don't kill the Gibeonites slash Hivites, and instead just assign them to do manual labor in the service of the temple, which makes the Gibeonites pretty happy because they know they've avoided being destroyed.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
One thing I find interesting about this is that even God's enemies who have deceived God's people end up serving God's purposes and glory. Some other local kings get wind of what happened, and they gather together to go to war against the people of Gibeon because they had made peace with the Israelites. the Gibeonites panic and beg Israel to help them out. So Joshua talks to God about it.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
Good call. And God says, I love it when God speaks of the future in past tense. I have given them into your hands. It's almost like he wrote the story before it happened. In this battle, God uses some miraculous tactics, confusion and hailstones and cosmic events, and he wins the war for Israel. Joshua knows how to proceed because he listened to and believed God.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
He remembers what God said to him, and he quotes God's words to his people as they wrap up the battle. After this, they defeat six more cities in southern Canaan. As a result, the kings of the north get pretty nervous, as you can imagine. As Joshua talks to God about things, God tells him that the next day he'll give all of them to Israel in battle. And he does.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
Joshua is beginning to listen carefully to what God says. And because of God's unique covenant with this nation-state, they continue to see victory in battle when they obey. Joshua makes sure to do all that God commanded Moses, and he begins to display thorough obedience. And all this fighting takes about seven years, so he also displays persistent obedience.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
As we wrapped up today's reading, we saw that Joshua defeats the Anakim. And they're always a reminder that there's likely more going on here than meets the eye. It's possible that these people the Israelites are destroying are the enemy's attempt to wipe out the bloodline of the Messiah by interbreeding with humans. It's what the ancient Jews believed, and honestly, who knows?
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
But this has been a pretty consistent thread in the books we've read so far, so we don't want to dismiss it. And that final paragraph of our reading is what made the sentence before that a little easier to process.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
1120 says, "...for it was the Lord's doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the Lord commanded Moses." This phrase, harden their hearts, isn't an easy phrase anytime we encounter it, but we can't cut it out of scripture.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
For cities outside Canaan, they were supposed to greet the cities with peace and kill only the males, and only if they opposed them. But for those inside Canaan, they were supposed to operate by a principle called cherim, where everything is dedicated to Yahweh and devoted to destruction. As we've talked about before, God used this practice to serve multiple purposes.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
There's obviously something in it that God wants us to notice about himself. When God was talking to Moses in Exodus 33, 19, he said, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. This has a way of chafing against our sense of justice and equity. It makes us feel like God isn't fair.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
So it's always important to remember that all of us are sinners who only deserve death and eternal separation from God. For those of us who don't get that, we are the only ones for whom things aren't fair. We do not get what we deserve. There's a lot of mystery in this that none of us will understand on this side of eternity. It's okay to have a hard time with it, to wrestle and question.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
But keep holding it with an open hand and asking God to reveal Himself and His heart to you in this pursuit. The enemy of your soul wants nothing more than for you to mistrust God and His heart. But I hope you've seen enough of His heart by now to trust Him even when there are parts of Him that you don't yet understand.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
there's a 100% chance that you won't always like what God does, because he's God and you aren't. As Tim Keller says, if your God never disagrees with you, you might be worshiping an idealized version of yourself. Joshua learned that lesson the hard way, by losing battles and lives. Hopefully the lesson won't be as hard for us. What was your God shot today?
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
Mine was in that moment where the sun stood still. I found it so odd that Joshua would pray for the sun to stand still. Who would even think of that prayer? And not only that, but God listened to him and answered him with a yes. This story always reminds me of a quote that I think is attributed to Charles Spurgeon. It says, Wow. I wonder why Joshua didn't pray for a quicker victory instead.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
He had the direct line to Yahweh. He asked for something impossible and God granted it, but I wonder what would have happened if he'd prayed bigger. Our God has great things in store for His kids. He's merciful, He's big on the miraculous, and He loves us. I want to ask Him for big things today. And I want to trust Him and praise Him even when His answer is no.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
Because ultimately, His answers aren't what I'm after. I'm after Him. Because He's where the joy is. It's weekly check-in time, Bible readers. The good news is you are here today. You read your Bible today. What have you learned so far in this journey? If you're behind the schedule you've been aiming for, don't beat yourself up about it.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
And just like a delayed sunset, even your so-called delays in our reading plan still somehow end up serving God's purposes and His timing for what He wants to teach you. Plus, you're probably reading the Bible more than you would on your own. Think about how much joy there is to gain every day just by carving out 20 minutes to read and recap. We'll see you back here tomorrow.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
I believe God has great things in store for you, and they're right on time, even if you're not.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
Today we meet another group of people from Gibeon. They're called the Gibeonites or the Hivites, and they've apparently gotten word of God's instructions to the Israelites. They lived in Canaan, but decided to pretend like they didn't so they could get the more lenient treatment and not be entirely destroyed. Pretty sneaky. They ask Israel to enter into a protective covenant with them.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
Remember yesterday how Joshua won the battle against Jericho then failed to ask God for guidance when fighting against Ai and they lost? Then he won against Ai when he followed God's commands? It seems like he learned very little from that incident because here he is, failing to ask God for guidance again and just forging out on his own.
The Bible Recap
Day 084 (Joshua 9-11) - Year 7
So he gets duped into making a covenant with his enemies, which is in direct violation of God's commands to Israel in Deuteronomy 7. Pretty quickly, the Israelites find out they've been deceived, and they want to destroy the Gibeonites.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. We've been in the wilderness with the Israelites for a little over a year and so far we've made a covenant, established the laws of that covenant, built a tabernacle, arranged an encampment around that tabernacle, and assigned roles to the Levites in the service of the tabernacle.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
People are going to be more tight-lipped about this because of the fact that this sin gets the death penalty. So we have a scenario here where a man is suspicious that his wife has cheated with another man. And as for why the woman is the one held to account here, there are a few reasons this could be the case.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
First, the husband who is suspicious might have no idea who his wife allegedly cheated with, so that man can't be called into account, especially if there is no man. And second, of the two suspected adulterers, she's the one whose body might betray her if she actually did commit adultery.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
A man could lie about adultery forever and never get exposed, but if a woman lies about adultery, her body might not be able to hide it for long. So in this very odd ceremony they performed to test her for adultery, God himself volunteers to be a witness and testify, since there were no other witnesses. And honestly, the only person who could pull off this kind of thing is God.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
He's omniscient, which means he knows everything. And we've also established that his presence is everywhere and he sees everything, so he was definitely a witness if something happened, and also if something didn't. And not only that, but he's the only one who has the power to pull off the corresponding consequences.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
He's the giver of life, so he controls the outcome of any potential pregnancy here. As far as the meaning of these curses, it's unclear what they mean. As far as the womb swelling, some people think that means pregnancy or the appearance of pregnancy. And as far as her thigh falling away, some people think that means miscarriage or infertility.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
And in case there's any confusion, none of the commentaries I read thought 531 was referring to the male adulterer being free from iniquity. It seems to point to the husband, since he was the most recent man referred to in the text. And we already know from Deuteronomy 22 that God holds both adulterers responsible.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
You may have noticed that there's no equivalent test for a woman who suspects her husband of committing adultery. That's likely because the sad state of affairs in the ancient Near East was that women just accepted it for the most part. We've even seen at least three instances where a woman gave her husband to another woman.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
Men having multiple wives was so common that women may not have known to expect more from their husbands, despite God's high view of marriage. This process of addressing suspicion likely protected an innocent woman from the wrath of her husband and their community. And for the guilty woman, she bears the curse, but she still receives God's mercy.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
She doesn't get the death penalty she deserves under the law. In chapter six, we learned about Nazarite vows. The most famous Nazarites are John the Baptist, Samson, and Samuel. Those examples are all men, but women could also make this vow. The Nazarite vow made a person visibly and morally distinct from others, setting them apart in ways that pointed to God.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
Today, God addressed the rest of the tribes as well, making sure they were living the set-apart lives of purity and holiness that he called them to when he entered into his covenant with them. Today, when he's dealing with impurity, God starts with the most obvious kind, external impurity.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
Most of the rules for being a Nazarite overlapped with a lot of the requirements for a priest, but actually exceeded them. For example, you may recall that priests weren't allowed to drink on the job. Nazarites weren't allowed to drink at all. In fact, they weren't even allowed to eat grapes or anything containing grapes or grape seeds or grape skins.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
Most Nazarites took this vow for a specific, prearranged period of time. And if he or she happened to break the vow at any point, even accidentally, they had to start over. All three of our most famous Nazarites were unique in that they had a lifelong commitment, not a short-term one. We ended today with a blessing that God told Moses to tell Aaron to tell the people.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
It was like a holy version of that game telephone. And you may have recognized it. We still say this blessing today. This blessing was my God shot. He wants to bless us. He actually commanded his servants to bless his people. So if it's okay with you, I'd just like to read and pray that over you and ask God to fulfill these things in your life. The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. And may He also give you a deep, rich, abiding, fear-dispelling, chaos-calming, circumstance-defying joy, because He's where the joy is. Okay, Bible readers, it's time for our weekly check-in. How's it going?
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
As for me, I'm celebrating the fact that you were in God's Word today, regardless of how many days it took you to get to this point. Even if you're not, quote unquote, on track, you are right on time. And you know what else is worth celebrating today? The amazing blessing from God that was spoken over us in today's reading. It's worth repeating again and again. So here it goes.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Yes and amen. I'll see you back here tomorrow.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
He orders them to put the people with skin diseases outside of the camp, along with anyone who's come in contact with a dead body. As a reminder, this doesn't mean they're kicked out of his people or that they're homeless. They just have to be quarantined so they don't defile the tabernacle. Next, God moves on to addressing internal impurity. sins committed against God or others.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
God calls for confession and repentance, as well as legal restitution according to the laws he gave Moses. If the person someone was supposed to pay back was dead or had no family, the restitution went to the priest. Then we hit a really challenging part of this section, and it's challenging for a few reasons. The section on adultery or suspected adultery is ultimately a call for marital purity.
The Bible Recap
Day 056 (Numbers 5-6) - Year 7
If anyone defiles that, male or female, the penalty was death in their society, according to Deuteronomy 22. But what we encountered today was a different thing. It was how to handle the suspicion of adultery. They needed a way to address this because it's likely that people aren't going to just confess this outright like God commanded them to do with their sins.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Moses continues his farewell speech today, and he covers a wide variety of laws in these three chapters. We don't have time to touch on them all, so I'll just pull a few from the ones that might have been the most perplexing from our reading, most of which pertain to relationships between men and women.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
But if a man found a woman he wanted to marry, it's quite likely she wouldn't have objected. And this law God set out here honored the woman by giving her a 30-day period of time to mourn and grieve all she has lost before marrying the Israelite man.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
If for any reason things in the marriage went south, God protects the woman by requiring the man to treat her with honor, not like she's his property. Please don't miss God's heart in this. Even though so much of this seems archaic, we can still see God's plan to provide for the woman through the man and to protect her if the man fails to honor her well.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
We have a few more laws dealing with relationships between men and women, some of which pertain to a woman's virginity. There are a lot of ancient traditions, some of which are also cringeworthy, about how a couple should approach their first night of marriage. Most study Bibles and commentaries will have more info on this if you're curious.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
One of the many detrimental aspects of sexual infidelity was that it could potentially threaten the tribe's economy and land inheritance as God had distributed it. So it was important for them to have laws to protect against this. Moses also sets out a few standards for determining whether a woman has been raped or not.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
I know the portion saying if it happened in the country and if it happened in the city have the potential to be confusing, but here's the premise behind it. If the encounter happened in the country, even if she screamed, no one would be around to hear her, so she was given the benefit of the doubt. If it happened in the city, people would be around to hear her screams of objection.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
God's heart is for justice here, and he's setting up rules that can help people make determinations about what really happened on a case-by-case basis. There's one other potentially confusing thing I want to cover. First, there was the section where Moses gives laws about not mixing different things together, seeds in a field, animals for plowing, and fabrics in a garment.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
We don't really know the reasons behind these laws, but the commentaries I read suggested that it had something to do with reminding the Israelites of the importance of being set apart from other nations who don't follow Yahweh. These laws may have served as little daily reminders of how they were to be separate.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
It's also worth noting, this passage mentioned not yoking a donkey and an ox together, but they also wouldn't mix two of the same animal with varying degrees of strength. A yoke is a piece of wood that goes across the animal's necks to hold them together while they pull a plow.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
And if you have one strong animal and one weak animal, the strong one can move fast, but the weak one moves slower, and they end up going in circles. So if you've ever heard Paul's command from 2 Corinthians 6.14 that says, do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, that's what he's talking about.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
But before we get there, I want to remind us about a few things just so we have the proper framework for what we're encountering here. God is not setting up a utopian society where everything is ideal. God is meeting the people where they are and giving them a framework for a functional society where people are treated with at least the bare minimum level of respect.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
Paul doesn't want us to end up going in circles, following Christ while yoked to someone else who isn't. It makes it nearly impossible to move forward. What was your God shot today? There were two sections about curses that stood out to me.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
In 2123, in the laws about a man who is punished by being hung on a tree, the law says, His body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed. Paul referenced this law in Galatians 3.13 when he said, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
Christ took on the curse for us. And again in today's reading, in 23.5, Moses said, This was in reference to Balak's efforts to get Balaam to curse the Israelites in Numbers 22-24. And today's reading reminded me of all that, of how God reverses futures.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
He takes the thing we deserve, what we've truly, fully earned, which is the curse, and absorbs it himself through his death on the cross so that we might receive the blessing, just like the Israelites did. The God who turns my curse to a blessing is the God I want to worship forever. He's where the joy is. Okay, Bible readers, it's time for our weekly check-in. And guess what?
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
You are right on time. No matter how many days it took you to get to day 77, you're 77 days deeper in God's Word than you were before we started. What have you learned? What has stuck with you? Today was not a light day of reading. For many of us, it may have felt a little too heavy on the cursy and cringy parts. But when things seem dark in the reading and in our own lives, look for Jesus.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
He's where we'll find our hope. Ask Him to give you eyes to see Him as you read. Ask Him to give you wisdom. That's a prayer Scripture promises God will answer with a yes, according to James 1.5. So I'll see you back here tomorrow for more of Him and His wisdom.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
When God addresses something like multiple wives, it doesn't mean he's putting a seal of approval on it. It means he's acknowledging that it happens. and he's giving them honorable ways to respond to an imperfect, sinful situation. We'll hit some challenging passages today, and it's important for us to remember not to overlay our cultural experience onto theirs.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
Speaking of which, let's go over the first tough segment, marrying female captives. For anyone in Western society today, this idea is really cringe-inducing. We even balk at the idea of arranged marriage, and this feels like it fringes on our idea of love and marriage even more. One of the things we have to remember about this society is that marriage rarely fit our modern ideas of love.
The Bible Recap
Day 077 (Deuteronomy 21-23) - Year 7
Very rarely did a woman especially marry for love. They often married as a means of being provided for. So the situation we've got here is that the Israelites would have conquered a city and killed all the men, but taken the women and children alive. Some of these women would have been absorbed into the society.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today we hit a big day in our reading, the instructions for the Day of Atonement, the day of covering for sins and purging impurity from their midst. This annual event happens in the fall, about halfway through the Jewish year.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
He even had special ceremonial garments that he only wore on this day. In this ceremony, the sins of the priests are atoned for first. Then there's this really beautiful image set up for us in the way he atones for the sins of the people. For the people, there are two goats. One goat is appointed for the Lord, and one goat is appointed for Azazel. Azazel could mean one of two things.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
It could mean the goat that goes away, or it could be a proper noun referring to a goat demon who is associated with the angels that fell in Genesis 6. We will continue to see the connections between fallen angels and demonic spirits. By designating this goat for Azazel, they're symbolically sending the sins out of Israel's camp and into pagan territory.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
So the people confess their sins aloud, and their sins are symbolically transferred to the Azazel goat, and it escapes into the wilderness. At the risk of telling you something you already know, this is the scapegoat. And yes, that's where we got the term. This is a picture of Christ, who bore all our sins. He was our scapegoat.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
While all this is happening, the people are instructed to fast and to rest. A few of their high holy days are considered as bonus special Sabbaths. So no matter what day the holiday falls on, they honor it by keeping the same Sabbath rules on this special Sabbath. There's a one in seven chance that it happens on the actual Sabbath, which is sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
But on most years, when it doesn't overlap with the actual Sabbath, they'll have two Sabbaths in that particular week. Hold on to this information in your brain. It'll be a while, but we're coming back around to this in the months ahead. In chapter 17, God issues a command about sacrifices, specifically because the people were sacrificing to other gods.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
And did you catch what Yahweh called those other gods? Demons. That's noteworthy. There's an ongoing idolatry among the people, despite the fact that the one true God lives in their midst. God has graciously provided a means to atone for their sins, but they're not just ignoring it, they're despising it by relying on other gods. God also lays out what's so important about blood in 1711.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
There was a pagan belief that consuming blood made you stronger because you were absorbing the life force, but God makes it clear that the blood of animals has one function for them, to make atonement for their sins before Him. We finished today's reading with a lot of laws on sexual purity. God emphasizes cleanliness and purity here, but it's not just about hygiene. It's about morals as well.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
In our current reading, we're just at the start of the Jewish year, so the Day of Atonement is still a few months off for the Israelites. Here, God's telling them how it's all going to happen when the time comes. The Jewish name for this day is Yom Kippur, and it's the only day of the year when the high priest can enter into the Holy of Holies.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
God takes this so seriously that he devotes a whole chapter to it in this one section alone. Per usual, he starts out with relationship, reminding them who he is to them, then lets them know how to be pure when it comes to sex. He says if they abide by these rules, that's how to truly live and find freedom and flourishing. God doesn't necessarily describe ideal scenarios here, by the way.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
He just lays out the bare minimum for living ethically in society together. The first thing he does is put a restriction on incest. Finally, we've been waiting for this, right? Well, we've got 3 million people at this point, so there are plenty options to choose for a spouse that aren't your aunt. He lets them know that now is the time to think outside the tent.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
He also prohibits offering your children to Molech, a god the Canaanites sacrificed their children to. And he prohibits adultery, homosexuality, bestiality, and hence that bigamy as well. These actions ignore the order God established in his creation, so they are an affront to him as creator.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
God says all the nations around them are doing these kinds of things, and that's why he's driving them out of the land and giving it to the Israelites. They're his people, and they are to be set apart like he is. They're supposed to be marked by this kind of holiness and order in the midst of perversion. And just as he opened, he closes with relationship as a reminder of who he is to them.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
I am the Lord your God. What was your God shot today? As we were reading about Aaron entering the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement every year, I couldn't help but think forward to Christ's death. I want to read Hebrews 9, 11 through 14 to you. I'm sure you'll see how it ties in.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God? He paid the price to cover our sins, not just for a year, but forever.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
And He's where the joy is. Okay, Bible readers, it's time for our weekly check-in. How's it going? No matter when you're listening to this, even if you're quote unquote behind in the plan, you are right on time. And no matter where you are in the plan, even here in the Old Testament, I want to remind you of something super important. Always be looking for Jesus.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
As a refresher, the Holy of Holies is the section at the far back of the tabernacle, separated from the holy place by a curtain, and it's where the Ark of the Covenant sits with the mercy seat on top of it, serving as God's throne on earth. No one gets to enter, ever, except the high priest on this one day.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
In John 5, Jesus says the Old Testament is all about Him. For instance, today we read about the Day of Atonement and what that means for the Jewish people. But now we have the advantage of knowing the full story. We see how this points to Jesus Christ who came to pay the sin debt once and for all. Today's reading was a picture of Jesus. He doesn't just show up in a manger in Matthew.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
He's been here all along, even since Genesis 1. So keep looking for him, for prophecies of him, for pictures of him, and even for some surprise visits he makes to earth prior to his birth. So keep your eyes peeled when we jump back in tomorrow and every day after that.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
God gives instructions for how Aaron is supposed to enter, and his instructions present us with a new theory on what happened to his two oldest sons who were struck dead recently. Some commentators believe they possibly tried to enter the Holy of Holies, which was strictly forbidden for them.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
God has done so much to draw his people near, but there's still a set-apartness to him, a holiness that must be revered. Why does Aaron get to go in on this particular day? He's presenting the annual sacrifices that cover the sins of the priests and the sins of the people.
The Bible Recap
Day 049 (Leviticus 16-18) - Year 7
And because even the tabernacle itself was impacted by their sins, these sacrifices had to take place at the very heart of the tabernacle. But remember, God's presence and glory are there at the highest levels of intensity. So Aaron has to create smoke with the incense to cloud his eyes from seeing God's glory or he'll die. Wow.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today we started a new book and the last book of the law or the Torah as it's known in the Jewish world. Of all the Old Testament books quoted in the New Testament, Deuteronomy ranks third and it's the second most quoted by Jesus. So you may recognize a lot of what we read. The word Deuteronomy means second law.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
And while he trusts God to fulfill his promises to them, he also knows the Israelites really well and seems to be kind of nervous that they're going to screw things up again somehow. Stay tuned to see how that goes. So let's dig in. When the Sinai covenant between God and the Israelites was originally set in place, it was established with the parents of the people here today.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
Their parents didn't do a great job of keeping the covenant, so Moses is setting up a covenant renewal here, kind of like when married couples renew their vows. Moses will be reminding the people that God promised them this land and that there are things required of them by this covenant as well.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
Today, he starts by going over a few highlights of their time in the desert, and in the days to come, he'll revisit some of the laws with these new people to make sure they grasp what they're entering into. One thing that could be confusing in this conversation is that Moses refers to them as you, even though many of these people hadn't been born yet.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
He's referring to them as a people, not them specifically. He's walking through all the things he's experienced with the Israelites, dead or alive, since they left Egypt. He reminds them of all God has done for them. And he also reminds them of the things that have gone wrong because of their sin.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
For instance, Moses reminds them of the time they almost entered the Promised Land 38 years earlier when they were at Kadesh Barnea. But the spies were afraid and their fear was contagious. Fear always magnifies the enemy and diminishes God. In fact, in 127, we see that it results in them grumbling that God is doing this to them because he hated them.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
This is a great example of what we talked about with the Ten Commandments and taking God's name in vain. His name is inextricably linked to his character. And when we disbelieve his character, we take his name in vain. God spent 38 years killing off their unbelief. Moses also recalls how they tried to avoid those 38 years of consequences by taking the land without God's blessing and command.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
This is a timely reminder for them. They're about to encounter a lot of land that God is not giving to them. Many of them weren't alive when their parents tried to take the land without God's command, so they may not have personally learned this lesson through the consequences their parents experienced.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
God lets them know that if they decide to try and take the land God's allotted for Esau and Lot, just because they're God's kids and they think they're entitled to it, things will not go well. He didn't let them win at Kadesh, and he's telling them he's not giving them Esau's land or Lot's land either.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
He does not bless all our actions simply because we're His kids and we have a dream in our hearts. His plan still prevails, and we find our greatest joy in following Him instead of our own plans. We also get some hope about the Israelites' upcoming battles, because the people they're most afraid of are the giants in the land.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
And we find out that some of these giants have already been driven out by the people of Esau. These giants go by a lot of names. Emam, Rephaim, Anakim, Zamzumim. These all appear to also be related to the Nephilim we talked about in Genesis 6. Not only that, but the word Rephiam is also the Hebrew word used in Isaiah 26 to refer to the spirits of the dead.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
So it seems like there's some supernatural evil stuff happening with these giants, which is another reason, beyond just their size, why the Israelites might be terrified of them. And if these giants truly are related to fallen angels somehow, then of course the enemy would want to occupy the land God has promised to his people. Of course he would want to try to thwart and counterfeit God's plan.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
When we first discussed all this way back on day two, we linked to some bonus content to help explain these ideas for those of you who may want more information. We link to that again in today's show notes, as well as a second resource with even more information. What was your God shot today? I noticed his generosity, even to those who aren't his kids.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
We're going to revisit some old laws as well as see some practical application of them. In many ways, Deuteronomy serves to recap everything we've read so far. Moses never goes very deep into any of the stories, but he does skim the surface of a lot of things that will be familiar to you. And that's all perfectly timed for us.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
God blessed Esau, even though the blessing came through his brother Jacob. Esau was still a descendant of Abraham through Isaac. And God blessed Lot, even though he wasn't a descendant of Abraham at all. He was his nephew. God doles out promises and blessings as He will, and they aren't limited to those who are His children. As His adopted child, I can still rejoice when He blesses others.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
It displays His common grace and His abundant generosity when He blesses those outside His family. Maybe he's enticing them in. Who knows? And for those of us who have been adopted into his family, we find our greatest comfort in knowing we have an eternal relationship with him. Temporary blessings like land and possessions might bring some level of happiness, but we know he's where the joy is.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
Okay, Bible readers, it's time for our weekly check-in. How are you doing? In today's reading, Moses gave the Israelites a motivational speech that demonstrated God's character. So I'm here to pull a Moses and do that for you. What have you learned about God so far? If you're behind, don't get frustrated with yourself, don't give up.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
You're probably reading the Bible more than you would on your own. And guess what? He's not gonna stop pursuing you, so you might as well show up and meet him in this space. When it feels tough to get in the Word each day, ask Him to grant you an increasing desire to know Him more. He can change your heart.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
Because after we wrap up Deuteronomy, we're about to move into a more narrative story with lots of new characters, so it'll be great to have a quick refresher on everything we just learned. Plus, they say you have to hear something eight times before you retain it, so this is all serving to embed it into our hearts and minds.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
And anytime we do come across something familiar, I have two challenges for us. First, resist the potential frustration that might come from this. Be grateful you're recalling the things you've already read. That means you really learned it. That's worth celebrating. Second, even in the familiar stories, try to learn something new about God than you learned the first time we covered these things.
The Bible Recap
Day 070 (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Year 7
Ask Him to give you wisdom to see something new that you've never seen before. Most of these 34 chapters are kind of a motivational sermon by Moses just before he dies. They're his final words to these people that he spent the past 40 years serving. He's loved them, sacrificed for them, fought for them, rebuked them, and now he realizes he won't be there to guide them anymore.
The Bible Recap
Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Yesterday we left off with Moses telling the people what was needed to build the tabernacle where God would dwell in their midst, and God said anyone who felt like could contribute. Today we open with God putting intelligence and skill into the craftsmen so they could build the sanctuary just like He wanted it.
The Bible Recap
Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 7
Each piece of furniture symbolizes some aspect of our relationship with God. The brazen altar, which is the first piece you encounter, represents the sacrifice of Christ. The bronze laver, which is the wash basin, represents being washed clean. The table of showbread represents feasting on the Word. The altar of incense represents prayer.
The Bible Recap
Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 7
The menorah or candlestick represents the light of the Holy Spirit constantly aflame in us. And of course, the Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat, where God dwells, represent His presence with us. And we don't have time to unpack this fully, but they also parallel the seven days of creation.
The Bible Recap
Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 7
You may have noticed that there are seven pieces of furniture, the seventh piece being the mercy seat on which God's presence rests, much like Him resting on the seventh day of creation. When you're reading about these pieces, don't forget what they represent. All of this construction was worth it to the Israelites.
The Bible Recap
Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 7
They donated their plunder, they melted down their shekels, they wove fabrics and crafted curtain rods, all so that God could dwell in the midst of them. Surely you already recognize yourself in these people a little bit. You've had moments of rebellion and golden calf parties, and you've had moments where you'd give away all your best possessions if it meant the nearness of God.
The Bible Recap
Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 7
I have a feeling you're in more of the second place right now. The fact that you're here listening after reading what many would consider a very dry passage of Scripture, it tells me a little bit about that lampstand in your heart, that continual fire of the Spirit burning even when you can't detect it. And that's where my God shot comes in for today. I see him here with us.
The Bible Recap
Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 7
Drawing us near, even on the days when there's nothing flashy about it, even in the spaces that feel routine or humdrum, he's in the ritual. He's in the ordinary. I bet there were days when these priests were mixing the incense and slaughtering the animals when they didn't feel any closer to God than they did beforehand. Was it really even doing anything?
The Bible Recap
Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 7
But they kept at it, trusting beyond their own understanding that doing these things over and over really did serve some kind of purpose, even when they couldn't see it. They trusted his word. They followed his commands. I hope you do too. Drawing near to God bit by bit will always be worth the slow days because he's where the joy is. Okay, Bible readers, it's time for our weekly check-in.
The Bible Recap
Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 7
How are you doing? What have you learned so far? Today, we saw God's presence in everyday life when nothing was new or exciting. Things were just routine and common. The same is true now. God is still here with us day in and day out. He's with you as you're reading through His Word. He's with you as you recap. He's with you as you talk with other people about what you're learning.
The Bible Recap
Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 7
And He's with you when you're washing dishes, when you're filling up your gas tank, when you're changing diapers, and when you're scrolling social media. I'm praying that we'll all be more aware of His presence, that we'll learn to trust Him and His Word as we draw near to Him. We're learning a habit of being in God's Word. It's not just for a year. It's for the rest of our lives.
The Bible Recap
Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 7
Then we see loads of people bringing stuff to donate. They're dropping things off every morning. They are KonMari-ing their tents like crazy. So much so that Moses has to tell them to stop. I love how God over-provided here. This really signals repentance on their parts. And it's fitting because Romans 2, 4 tells us God's kindness leads us to repentance.
The Bible Recap
Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 7
I don't want to stop drawing near to Him ever because He's where the joy is.
The Bible Recap
Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 7
And he has certainly been kind to them in sparing their lives after that golden calf debacle and renewing his covenant with them. We have some lengthy passages that may seem redundant to you since we just read this a few days ago when God gave these instructions.
The Bible Recap
Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 7
But the point of this repetition is to highlight that the people who just rebelled were actually following God's instructions to the letter. Don't miss that. We are going to have plenty of opportunities to be frustrated with their sins. So let's just take a moment to enjoy and appreciate this rare moment of obedience. It might be boring, but it's glorifying to God nonetheless.
The Bible Recap
Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 7
Not only that, but each of these pieces of furniture, and even the way they're arranged in the tabernacle in the shape of a cross, paint a divine picture for us. All of this, the tabernacle and its furnishings, and all the rituals associated with it, Hebrews 9-10 tells us that this is all just a shadow of the good things to come. This, right now, is foreshadowing Christ.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today we start our 10th book of the Bible, and this book contains some of the most beloved stories in the whole Old Testament. To backtrack a bit on how we got here, Israel started out as just Abraham. God promised him offspring and land.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
In ancient times, it was customary for each wife to have a separate tent, so these trips may have been a rare occasion of them having to interact with each other. Hannah's crushed by Peninnah's taunting, and Elkanah notices, and he makes a statement that goes against everything their culture values. This would have been better than a dozen roses and a diamond ring.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
He says, Am I not more to you than ten sons? Ten sons would have been super valuable and prestigious, especially for him. So to indicate that what he and Hannah have together is more valuable than that, that's pretty remarkable. Elkanah wins the award for best ancient pickup line. That is, until we get to Solomon. But his sentiments don't comfort Hannah, unfortunately.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
After dinner, she goes to the tabernacle to cry out to God. She makes a vow to God that if he'll give her a son, she'll set him apart as a lifelong Nazarite, just like Samson. This was such a passionate prayer that the priest Eli thought she was drunk. But she explains her situation and Eli leaves her with some words of encouragement that cheer her up.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
He blesses her and sort of maybe prophesies that God will answer her prayer with a yes. And not long after that, Hannah becomes pregnant. She names him Samuel. And true to her vow, she takes him back to the house of God, offers an extravagant sacrifice, then seeks out Eli the priest and basically says, Hey, remember me? I'm the one you thought was drunk when I was asking God for a child.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
Ring any bells? Well, God said yes, and here's the child. I'm passing him off to you because his life is dedicated to the service of God. Eli commits to raising Samuel in the house of God. Then Hannah worships God with a song. This song has three important themes that we'll see demonstrated as we keep reading. First, God values humility and opposes pride.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
Second, God is at work among his people even in the midst of all the chaos around them. And third, she prophesies about a king that God will anoint and strengthen. Cut to Eli and his family. He's raising Samuel, but he also has two of his own sons, Phineas and Hophni. And they're the worst. They're priests, but the text calls it like it is in 2.12 and says, they did not know the Lord.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
And that phrase where they're called worthless men, the Hebrew actually says men of Belial, which is often scripture's way of referring to someone as a child of the devil. They help themselves to more than the law allows and even sometimes take it by brute force. And they take for themselves first instead of offering to God first. And they're also sexually promiscuous.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
This isn't just casual disregard for God and His laws. It's contempt. They actually hate God's laws. Meanwhile, Samuel is serving humbly. Eli has the authority to remove his sons from power, and God has even given him Samuel as an alternative option. But all he does is rebuke his sons, and nothing changes. Since Eli won't do what's right and remove them, God sets out to remove them himself.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
God gave him the offspring little by little, but his descendants really multiplied during the 400 years they were enslaved in Egypt. God used Moses to lead them out of slavery and followed that with 40 years of testing in the wilderness to train their hearts to know that he is the one true God. Then God brought them into the land He promised Abraham all those years ago.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
He sends a prophet to rebuke Eli and to deliver the bad news that everyone in Eli's family is going to die young, including both of his sons, who will die on the same day. God says only one man will survive from among his family. It's important to note that God is not breaking His promise to the Levites here. The covenant He established with them has always been contingent upon obedience.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
They broke the covenant, so He isn't required to fulfill His end of the covenant either. One day as Samuel is serving in the tabernacle, God shows up and speaks to him audibly. But Samuel has no idea what's going on. This period in Israel's history wasn't like in Moses' day when the leaders walked closely with God.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
These people and their leaders are all walking in rebellion, so communication with God is rare. On top of that, Samuel hasn't even met God yet, so this is really confusing to him, and it's easy to see why he thinks it was Eli who was talking to him. But he keeps responding to Eli, and Eli eventually figures out that it's God, and he coaches Samuel on how to respond.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
What God says to Samuel echoes what he said to the prophet that spoke to Eli, and it's not good news for Eli and his family. They've sinned with a high hand, as we read about in Numbers 15. As a result, they'll be cut off from God. Naturally, Samuel is nervous to tell Eli the bad news, but Eli threatens him so he spills the beans. Then Eli surrenders to God's plan.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
It seems to be an acknowledgement that God's decision is right and just. He says, Wow, that's a tough response to offer when you've just gotten the worst news of your life. Samuel continues to serve God, and all his prophecies are fulfilled, and God continues to speak to him. Where did you see God's character on display today? My God shot was in Hannah's relationship with God.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
She's the only female scripture ever records as going to the tabernacle. It's the first time we see that God invited women into that space as well. I love her boldness. Not only that, but it seems evident that she has a real intimacy with God. She took her pain to God. This stands in stark contrast to Rachel when she yelled at Jacob, "'Give me children or I die' in Genesis 30."
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
Hannah took her problems to the One who could solve them, and she knew that He could be trusted to care for her heart in that moment, regardless of the future outcome. Hannah went to God because she knew that He's where the joy is. Okay, Bible readers, it's time for our weekly check-in.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
Whether you're quote-unquote on time or not, I want you to stop and think about what you've learned about God so far. Particularly for today's reading, how did you see God's character in the way He responded to Eli and Hannah? He's not one-dimensional. He's a generous God and a just God. He can exercise both wrath and tenderness.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
They spread out in that land, but it was so nice not to be in slavery or in the wilderness that this new life of luxury and ease made them forget God. They did whatever they wanted. God raised up judges as military leaders to drive out the enemies who were leading them astray, but this didn't deal with the problem of their hearts leading them astray.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
ask Him to grant you an increasing desire to know Him more and to see Him in these pages. I believe He stands ready to answer that prayer with a yes, because He wants to be known even more than we want to know Him. I'm excited to meet you back here tomorrow to keep knowing Him more.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
They did whatever they wanted and things grew continually worse in the promised land. The Israelites were sure their problem would be solved if only they had a king. And that's where we find ourselves today. It's approximately 1050 BC, and we open with a couple, Elkanah and Hannah. They're Levites, the tribe of priests living in Ephraim, the tribe who love to fight. And Hannah is barren.
The Bible Recap
Day 098 (1 Samuel 1-3) - Year 7
Elkanah has a second wife who is not barren, but the text seems to indicate that he loves Hannah more. That probably makes Peninnah, the second wife, jealous. Every year when they go to Shiloh and offer sacrifices, which you may recall they're required to do since that's where the tabernacle currently is, Peninnah would bully Hannah all the more.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. There are two things in today's reading that have perplexed me over the years, and I'm excited to talk about them with you. We're closing in on the Promised Land, but there are still a few people from the old generation that disbelieved God, so we know they can't enter yet.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
Eventually, we see that it does become an actual idol for the people, and they begin to worship it and make offerings to it, and it has to be destroyed in 2 Kings 18. As far as the second commandment goes, the creating an image part doesn't seem to be so much the issue as the bowing down to it part. That commandment was always about the heart toward the item. Did they worship it?
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
Did it take their eyes off God? In this instance, originally, no, but eventually, yes. Continuing on, Israel needs to pass through the lands of the Amorites and Bashan, but their kings refuse, just like with Moab. However, unlike Moab, these two kings attacked. So the Israelites fought back, and God gave them victory. And they got land, a lot of land, in what is now the country of Jordan.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
Word about their victory over the Amorites spread, and the Moabites were afraid. The Amorites had recently beaten the Moabites in a war, so if someone could beat the Amorites, that's a little bit terrifying for them. So Balak, king of Moab, gets an idea. He'll hire a guy to cast a spell on them, basically. Balak reminds me a lot of Pharaoh here.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
He saw that there were many Israelites and he feared their power because of it. His fear prompts control. Then when his efforts are thwarted, he begins even further striving and manipulation. Balak sends some of his people to hire a guy named Balaam, the guy he wanted to curse the Israelites. It's unclear who Balaam is, a prophet, a diviner, a pagan, someone who worships Yahweh.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
He's not an Israelite, but he could be a believing foreigner like some of the sojourners who lived among the Israelites. In 2218, he refers to Yahweh as Yahweh my God. Regardless what his relationship to God is, God speaks to Balaam directly and basically says, nope, you're not cursing the Israelites because I've blessed them. So Balaam turns him down.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
The men who tried to hire him come back again, and God gives Balaam permission to go this time with reminders to obey him. But then today's second perplexing thing happens. God gets angry when Balaam goes. Why? He just said he could go. In researching this, there was a common theme that showed up. It looks like Balaam's heart might have been set on money more than obedience.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
And of course, only God would know that for sure. So it seems God is angry not because of his actions so much as the heart behind his actions. Balaam sets out on his journey. Then the angel of the Lord shows up, which is likely a Christophany. But he's only visible to Balaam's donkey, not to Balaam himself. First of all, think about what this tells us about God's power over what we see.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
Today, the people continue toward Canaan, carefully routing around Edom since the king of Edom has denied them passage. Unfortunately, they run into another king who pounces on them and takes some of their people captive. Going on the defense, Israel asks God for help and promises to destroy the pagan cities of these Canaanites if God will help them win. And God did.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
There is a spirit realm that God can hide and reveal at will. And this is not the only time in scripture that we'll see this kind of thing. Second, imagine being a magician who can cast spells, but you're upstaged by your donkey who can see things you can't see. Not only that, but your donkey talks. Then God opens Balaam's eyes so he can see the angel too.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
Balaam falls down and repents and offers to turn back from this mission if it's evil in God's eyes. This gives us more reason to think that God's anger was about Balaam's heart, not his actions, because God actually seems to endorse the trip twice, before Balaam leaves and then again here after he repents.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
If Balaam continued on this trip with money as his motive, it's possible that the offer of more money could have swayed him and led him to curse Israel instead of bless them as God commanded. This experience was all part of God's plan to bless Israel. He didn't change the course of the journey. Balaam just needed rebuking along the way. He needed his heart to be aligned with God's mission.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
What was your God shot today? Mine was the serpent on the pole. This bizarre image actually points to something greater. It was symbolic of the way both Eden's serpent and Christ's cross affected us. This is the summary of the fall and the redemption in one symbol, foreshadowing the future redemption through Christ. Jesus even references this Himself in John 3, 14-15.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
He says, As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. That fiery serpent on a pole could only save people from the physical death, offering a temporary rescue. But Christ saves us from the spiritual death and gives us an eternal rescue. And He's where the joy is.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
Okay, Bible readers, it's time for our weekly check-in. How's it going? No matter when you're listening to this, even if you're quote-unquote behind in the plan, I believe you're right on time. You know how I'm always telling you to look for Jesus? Today we saw that so clearly in the story about the serpent on the pole.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
That's just one example of what Jesus said in John 5 when he told the Pharisees that the Old Testament is testifying about him. So keep looking for him in these Old Testament pages. He's here and he's where the joy is. So let's keep up this treasure hunt for joy again tomorrow.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
As they continue on, they hit another food and water shortage. So instead of asking God for help like they know they can, they complain about both Moses and God. They don't complain to Moses, just about him. They take their problems to everyone except the people who can solve them. But even though they're not talking to God, God hears.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
And he sends some snakes to kill them, which seems to fit with his plan to wipe out the older generation. When the people confess and repent, realizing their sin for what it is, Moses prays for them and God shows mercy. God tells Moses to make a fiery serpent on a pole, and if anyone is bitten, they can look at the fiery serpent and they'll live.
The Bible Recap
Day 063 (Numbers 21-22) - Year 7
This is the first thing I find perplexing, especially because it seems like God is ordering Moses to break the second commandment. How is crafting a serpent any different than crafting a calf? The distinction is that they weren't worshiping the serpent. It was a sign of God's provision and rescue pointing back to Him.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Yesterday we learned about Israel's first four judges, and they were all pretty good by God's standards, especially the last one, Deborah. Forty years after Deborah, the Israelites fall into sin again and are oppressed by the Midianites, who are their distant relatives through Keturah.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
God tells Gideon that he's the man to deliver Israel from this oppression, but Gideon pushes back. He's from the weakest clan in his tribe, and he's the least important person in that clan. God promises to be with him, but Gideon still doesn't know it's God he's talking to at this point, and he's skeptical.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
Gideon obviously knows this man is someone important, possibly a prophet, because he offers to bake him some food. That's an especially big deal given the scarcity of food at this time. Gideon asks for a sign and offers the food. Then God the Son cooks it with his fire stick and disappears. Okay. Finally, Gideon recognizes who he's dealing with, and he panics.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
God the Father tells him not to be afraid, to receive his peace. Then, in an act of worship, Gideon builds an altar there and calls it, The Lord is Peace. Yahweh Shalom. God also tells him to tear down his father's altar of Baal and his Asherah and to build an altar to God there. Then he's supposed to use the wood from the Asherah to offer a sacrifice to God.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
As the least of his family, this is probably not going to earn him any brownie points with his dad. He obeys God, but he does it in the middle of the night so he doesn't get caught. But he does get caught, and the men of the town plan to kill him. But in an unexpected turn of events, his dad stands up for him.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
Maybe his dad really thinks Baal will act to defend himself, but it seems more like he's admitting that this pagan god he's been worshiping is powerless. In all of this, God is preparing them for war here by ridding them of idols and calling them to worship him. He's aligning their hearts with the truth before the battle. Meanwhile, the Israelites' enemies are stacking up against them.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
But God's spirit clothes Gideon, and his clan decides to follow him. They also rallied other people from their tribe and from other tribes to join them in pushing back the enemy. Gideon is still afraid, though. His fear is always with him. And he decides to test God's plan by asking him for a sign. Twice. He knows this is forbidden under Mosaic law.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
Plus, he's already received a direct call from God when he spoke with him face to face. So this is doubly disappointing. But God is patient with him because he knows the man he has appointed for this task is given to fear. He doesn't rebuke him or punish him for acting faithlessly. After God's double confirmation, Gideon and his men set out for war, all 32,000 of them.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
But God tells Gideon his army is too big, which is something no one ever says. He has Gideon send home anyone who is afraid and anyone who drinks water in a certain way that seems to indicate they might be easier to attack or something. After all that, Gideon is left with 300 men, less than 1% of his original army. God decreases their army so he can increase his glory.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
That's the woman Abraham married after Sarah died. The Israelites were so oppressed and afraid that they hid in caves to escape the Midianites. And the Midianites also ate all their food supply. Not cool. After seven years, as things went from bad to worse, the Israelites cried out to God. Maybe they expected him to send a judge again, a military leader to rescue them like he had in the past.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
In this instance, it seems that he wants to get glory from the miraculous, not the logical. Gideon, on the other hand, is not excited about the miraculous. In fact, he's probably extra afraid now, but God still doesn't rebuke him. Instead, he decides to give him even more confirmation.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
He tells him to go spy on the Midianites so he can hear what they say, because, of course, God knows what they'll say. God had given a Midianite soldier a dream, and God would prompt another Midianite soldier to interpret it. And God had arranged the timing of that conversation to happen at the very moment and in the very spot where Gideon approached the camp.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
And what God brought Gideon there to overhear is the dream's interpretation that Israel would prevail over Midian. So Gideon preps his soldiers with their weapons, right? Nope. He makes a trip to Hobby Lobby to pick up some jars, candles, and trumpets, then passes them out to his guys. At 10 p.m., they station themselves around the camp and make all kinds of noise.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
Some of the Midianites flee, but some get so confused that they accidentally start killing each other, which is a good thing because these 300 Israelites don't even have swords, remember? Gideon calls on the people from other tribes to capture and kill the Midianites who fled, and in tomorrow's reading we'll find out that 120,000 Midianites died in this battle.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
And that's the story of one of the strangest military victories in all of history, led by a craft-loving coward and a mighty god. What was your God shot today? I found it so compelling that Gideon doubts God a lot, and God never gets angry with him for it. God meets him in his questions. He's never impatient with Gideon's doubts and fears.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
He comes alongside him to embolden him, and he knows that what Gideon needs to hear most of all is who God is. God doesn't say, no, Gideon, you're awesome. You got this. Believe in yourself. You may be the least in your family, but it's just because they're all jealous of you. God doesn't counter Gideon's doubt by puffing him up with positive self-talk. He tells him, I am with you.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
And he's with you. And he's where the joy is, you guys. He's where the joy is. Okay, Bible readers, it's time for our weekly check-in. How are you doing? And by the way, if you're using our printout plan or if you got the official journal for the Bible Recap, you got to turn a page today on the schedule. That's huge. It's clear that God has granted you a desire to know Him more.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
So don't be discouraged if you're not on the exact schedule you'd hoped to keep. We will never do everything perfectly, even when we have good intentions and a growing desire. That's one reason why the cross of Christ is such a gift to God's kids. And if you have doubts, you can take those doubts to God too.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
As we saw today, God met Gideon where he was at, not in anger or impatience, but in love and truth. So keep coming back to the word, keep asking him to help you and to give you wisdom. I know he will. James 1.5 says that's a prayer he always answers with yes. We'll see you back here tomorrow. It's book release day. Today, TBR is releasing our 10-week Bible study on the book of Romans.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
It's called Romans, Dead to Sin and Alive in Christ. It's the latest release in our Knowing God series. In this series, we do a deep dive into individual books of the Bible through daily Bible reading, study questions, scripture memorization, and application. If you're looking for a small group Bible study, or you just want to better understand Paul's letter to the church in Rome,
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
But God doesn't owe them that, and he knows they need something different at this point. He sends a prophet, someone to speak truth and call out their sin. We have no idea how they responded to this when it happened because the text immediately takes us to the next scene. Cut to a man named Gideon, hard at work, beating out wheat in a wine press.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
Pick up your copy at thebiblerecap.com forward slash store or wherever books are sold or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
Which is an unusual place to do that kind of thing, by the way. It's kind of like when you put the Girl Scout cookies in your sock drawer so the kids can't find them. Much like you, Gideon was trying to hide the wheat from the Midianite food stealers. Meanwhile, the angel of the Lord shows up, and this appears to be God the Son. God the Father also seems to show up here, disembodied.
The Bible Recap
Day 091 (Judges 6-7) - Year 7
It's kind of a confusing text to navigate, but it seems likely that God the Father and God the Son are both on the scene. God the Son tells Gideon that God is with him. Gideon's response is something we've probably all thought before. He basically says, The great irony is that Gideon was questioning the presence of God to the very presence of God.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. We've been walking through land allotments for the 12 tribes, and today we start out with the land for the descendants of Joseph. If you recall, Joseph's dad Jacob formally adopted Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, so they essentially took over Joseph's place in the distribution of the inheritance.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
They approached Joshua and Eleazar about that land agreement, and maybe they're nervous because Moses was the one they had originally talked to, and he's dead and gone now, and this new guy Joshua is in charge. But just as God had said, they were given the land they originally requested.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
Again, we've included a general map of the tribal allotments in today's show notes if you want to see how all this lays out. In chapter 18, all the tribes gather together at a place called Shiloh, where they set up the tabernacle. This is the first place the tabernacle is erected in the Promised Land.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
There are still seven tribes waiting to hear about which land they're getting, and they're probably getting antsy. Joshua sends three men from each of those tribes on a mission to check out all the remaining territory and report back to him. When they return, he divvies up all the land accordingly. We end with a description of Benjamin's land allotment.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
It's far more detailed than the others in this list, with the exception of Judah's allotment. There's some special stuff going on with Judah, as you know, and there's also some special stuff going on with Benjamin. Benjamin gets the land that includes Jerusalem, and Judah borders it on the south as well.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
At the risk of ruining things for you, I'll tell you that Jerusalem ends up being the capital, the place where God will establish his tabernacle permanently. You may have already known this, but that's part of why it's a big deal that they haven't driven out the Jebusites who currently live there. But Jerusalem is a hard city to take.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
It's a hill surrounded by three deep valleys surrounded by more hills, so the people in the city always have the military advantage. The description of Benjamin's allotment is where I saw my God shot today, but it takes a bit of explaining if you've never seen the city with your own eyes. There are three valleys outside the city that converge to form an interesting shape.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
It looks like a sideways number three, or if you're a Trekkie, it kind of looks like the Vulcan salute. In Hebrew, it's clearly the letter Shin, which is regarded as a sacred letter among the Jews. Why would they show honor to a letter? Shin is the first letter of the word Shaddai, which means God Almighty. It's how God identifies himself to Abraham in Genesis 17.1.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
So the Hebrew people regard this letter as God's initial. They stamp it on all their mezuzahs, which you may recall are the boxes they put on the doorposts of their homes with scripture in them in accordance with the command in Deuteronomy 6.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
In Deuteronomy 12, God told the people three times, in verses 5, 11, and 21, that His chosen place of worship when they entered the Promised Land, where the tabernacle would be located, is a place where He will put His name. And later, in 2 Chronicles 6, 6, He says, Could He have only been speaking figuratively and spiritually? Sure, that's totally possible.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
But given the topography of Jerusalem, there's reason to believe he was also speaking literally. If you have a topographical view of the city of Jerusalem, it almost looks like God stamped his initial on it. He monogrammed it, if you will, with the letter Shin. You monogram things you own, things you want to be identified with.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
Then, at some point, the tribe of Manasseh split in half and became two half-tribes. One half of them wanted to live east of the Jordan River as part of the Transjordan tribes. We'll call them East Manasseh. And the other half inherited part of the original promised land across the Jordan. We'll call that West Manasseh. But during the division process for the land...
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
If you want to see this visual for yourself, we'll link to an image in the show notes. And if you want to take this idea a step further, some people have even pointed out that the same shape is part of the design of the human heart. We'll include a visual for that as well in case you're curious.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
Long before aerial photos existed, God chose a city marked with the letter His people would regard as His initial. He came down to dwell with them there, the people marked by His name in the city marked by His name. And here we are today, thousands of years later, marked by the same name, the people He has chosen to adopt into His family despite our sins and shortcomings.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
He's where the shin is, and He's where the joy is. If you've been watching The Chosen, you know Season 5 is coming to theaters on March 28th. And we've got a sneak peek for you where you can experience what it might have looked like as the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus. We've linked to the full clip in our show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
You've heard there's no I in team, and that couldn't be more true here at TBR. We have an amazing team that spends hours each week producing the Bible Recap just for you. Each episode is researched, written, and recorded by me, Tara Lee Cobble, and sound engineered by Allison King. Emily Piquel is our Recaptain Manager. Abby Dane manages our communications and oversees TBR church partnerships.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
And Sarah Billings handles our email account. Brooke Stewart manages the TBR store. Sarah Yochum, Sally Phillips, and Emily Anderson manage our social media accounts. Arlette Blackwell helps bring you La Synopsis de la Biblia. Laura Buchelt is our project specialist. Olivia Lee is my executive assistant and the director of my life. And Bonnie Hartwig is our TBR director.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
And I can say without question that your TBR team is the best.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
The people who will become West Manasseh get slumped in with Ephraim and they complain about it. They want to be split off from each other and get land that reflects the size of each tribe. I'm picturing one of those scenes in the movies where siblings share a bedroom and put tape down the middle so they can mark out their own spot. Joshua agrees to their request for division.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
He hands them the tape and tells them that they're responsible for clearing the land and driving out the people in it, even though they seem to be bigger and stronger than them. The land they get is west of the Jordan River in the Promised Land. And just like we learned about their brothers in East Manasseh yesterday, they don't drive out all the Canaanites from the land.
The Bible Recap
Day 086 (Joshua 16-18) - Year 7
Since the Canaanites refuse to leave, they make them do manual labor. We also encountered the five daughters of Zelophehad again today. The last time we saw them, they were marrying their cousins, which was part of the agreement in order for them to get their part of the land inheritance, so the land can stay in the tribe.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. I bet you're happy we're back in some narrative sections. We still have some bits of law sprinkled throughout the rest of Numbers, but today marks the place where we start to round the corner into some of my favorite spots in the book.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
God gives instructions about this requiring everyone to participate, but also requiring everyone to be clean in order to participate. A few guys were bummed because they weren't clean and they were frustrated with God that they couldn't celebrate the anniversary of his rescue. They talked to Moses about it. Moses talked to God about it. And God says, you can celebrate it.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
You just have to wait a month. It's maybe like if you have the flu on your spouse's birthday. You don't get a pass at celebrating them, you just have to take a rain check. And in fact, there were big consequences, possibly death or excommunication, if you opted out of the celebration altogether. Because you can imagine what that might reveal about your heart toward God.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
I also love that God opened up this celebration to the outsiders living among them, including the Egyptians who had fled with them. God is so welcoming and hospitable. I was once traveling through Asheville, North Carolina on the day my Jewish friend Esther had gone to visit her family there for Passover. It's a big family event. But they still invited me in and gave me a seat at the table.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
Just like God commanded approximately 3,500 years ago. So they celebrated their second Passover in the wilderness of Sinai. Then they begin a new season in their lives as God's people, moving through the wilderness. They're on their way to Canaan, the promised land. By most estimates, it's roughly an 11-day journey from Egypt to Canaan.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
So why have they already been out here a year and they still aren't there yet? This is like when people say they crammed four years of college into six years, right? Except this is much worse. Have you ever heard someone say, the Israelites were lost in the wilderness? We've talked about this before, but it bears repeating, especially given today's reading. They weren't lost at all.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
They were following God, guided by his pillar of fire and cloud. They camped where God camped, stayed as long as God stayed, and followed God wherever he led them next. This was an act of submission and trust and honestly, sometimes probably even desperation.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
To not break free and just escape to the hills when times get tough, you really have to know how absolutely dependent you are on him for everything. As they're preparing to leave, one of the things God sets up is two trumpeters with a series of different ringtones to communicate specific things to the people.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
God has been dealing with the cleanliness of the people of Israel for the past few days. We started with the external purity, then he moved to the internal purity, then yesterday felt like a bit of a deviation, but it fits into the storyline because internal purity and righteousness will result in expressing it externally.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
Some ringtones were to get people's attention or to celebrate, and some were used as a cry for help to God. Then, once all this was in place, they set out. After nearly a year in the wilderness of Sinai, they pack up the brand new, recently assembled and consecrated tabernacle. And you may remember, their marching formation was intentionally designed by God.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
Even the order that the clans of Levites arrived was executed with efficiency in mind. The Merarite Levites with the structural stuff, and the Gershonite Levites with the coverings, then finally the Kohathite Levites with the holy vessels. God put the Kohathites in the middle of the procession so there was as much protection as possible surrounding the vessels on each side.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
It appears that the one exception to this is that the ark is at the head of the whole procession as God led the way with the cloud. What was your God shot today? Where did you see something about his character or his heart? Mine was in the section where he was talking about consecrating the Levites for himself. Because that section gives us a fraction of visibility into the mind of God.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
He says he consecrated the Levites on the day he struck down all the firstborn of Egypt. Do you know what the Levites had done to catch his attention so they had bestowed this great honor on them? And remember, this was before the golden calf moment where they slayed 3,000 idolaters within their camp, so it wasn't that.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
According to Exodus 32, that was the day he ordained them, but not the day he consecrated them for ordination. When God struck down the firstborn of Egypt, the only thing the Levites or any of the Israelite slaves had done, as far as we know, was doubt God and his servants Moses and Aaron. So when I ask, what did they do to deserve this?
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
It seems like the answer is exactly nothing, or at least not anything scripture tells us about. This was just God's plan, and he's working it out all along. He says he consecrated them. He made them holy for himself. He takes a bunch of doubters and turns them into the people who live and serve in closest proximity to himself.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
If you're a doubter, if you're wrestling with some of this stuff, I believe God has great plans to bless you with more of his nearness. Stay in this. Bring your doubts to his word. Let your doubts see firsthand that he's where the joy is. Quick, what's the most confusing part about Christianity? Okay, besides Revelation. If you answered the Trinity, ding, ding, ding, we're on the same page.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
The Trinity is critical to the core of our faith, but it's so easy to misunderstand. Are they three? Are they one? Well, yes. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit are completely unified, yet unique. They each have specific roles in their relationship with us.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
Today, in God's conversation with Moses, he gives orders to purify the Levites. He's already addressed the people in general, and here he addressed the Levites specifically. As you would imagine, their position of leadership required them to undergo an even more thorough cleansing process.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
We've built out a PDF that talks more about the roles of the persons of the Trinity, and it includes lots of examples and, of course, scripture references. We would love to share that with you. If you want to get this PDF for free, all you have to do is go to thebiblerecap.com forward slash Trinity and submit your email address. That's thebiblerecap.com forward slash Trinity.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
God reiterates his plan for the Levites and their position as his firstborn among Israel, who is also his firstborn. So I guess they're kind of like the firstborn of the firstborn, which is maybe like winning the Super Bowl and also being named MVP or something. I don't know. The people put their hands on them, which is usually what was done to an animal before it was sacrificed.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
The people were symbolically offering the Levites up as something they were giving back to God. This symbol is repeated again, but in a different way when the Levites are given as a wave offering. Whatever item was waved in a wave offering always belonged to God afterward. I think of the Levites every time I see people doing the wave in a stadium.
The Bible Recap
Day 058 (Numbers 8-10) - Year 7
I don't know if that's what it looked like for them to be offered as a wave offering. Probably not. But that's the only thing I can picture. And that concludes today's sports references. As a reminder, we're still a little more than a year past Egyptian slavery, which means it's time to celebrate Passover for the second time ever.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. If you're doing our New Testament plan, we finished book number 24. And if you're doing the whole Bible, we finished book 63. This letter is anonymous, but the author's writing style and content is super similar to what we see in the Gospel of John and the books of 2nd and 3rd John.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
He granted us the freedom from sin that enables us to walk in truth. Obedience to God is a benchmark of knowing Christ. Loving others is a benchmark of knowing Christ. John reminds them of their identity. You are God's forgiven children. You know God, and His strength and His word abide in you, empowering you to overcome evil. John calls them to live out what they know.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
Loving Jesus pushes out our love for worldly things, because those two are at odds. Jesus is the clear winner anyway, because what the world offers is temporary, and life with Jesus is eternal. Missionary martyr Jim Elliott said it like this, He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. John reminds them that there will be false messiahs.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
Jesus has already warned his followers about this in Mark 13 and Matthew 24. People, possibly even from within the church, will show up and claim to be Jesus and deny that Jesus is who he says he was. In the midst of all this, there will be division in the church. In 2.19, John says, "...they went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us."
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. He says that those who walk away from the faith were never really in the faith to begin with. They were in the church visible, but not the church invisible. Now, God, who has known their hearts all along, has revealed their hearts to everyone through their walking away.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
On the other hand, those who are truly in the faith will persevere in the faith, even amidst these false teachers. He encourages them with this in the following verse. It says, "...but you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge." The presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives is evidence they know and follow the truth, so he calls them to abide in the truth.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
These warnings about falling away and the reminders to abide are almost always followed by encouragement that they are in the faith, so they will abide. In chapter 3, John reminds them that Jesus hasn't returned yet, which is one of the lies the false teachers have been spreading. He says, "'What we will be has not yet appeared, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him.'"
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
There's a new body coming for all of God's kids. And when Jesus shows back up on the scene, we will be transformed. We will be like him and our bodies will be like his resurrection body in some sense. When he returns to earth to reign here, we won't be disembodied spirits like the people who are currently in heaven.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
When it's all made new again, heaven and earth, we'll live there in our new bodies. We won't be floating on a cloud somewhere in the spirit realm. We'll talk more about this in Revelation. Because all of this awaits us, God's kids aim to walk in purity now. Because it's not just about getting a pass to live with him in eternity.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
So the general consensus is that they're all written by the same guy, though there is some debate. It doesn't really matter, though, least of all to him. He's less concerned with us knowing who he is and more concerned that we know who Jesus is. That's one of the major themes of this book, the identity of Jesus as both fully God and fully man, 100% and 100%, not 50-50.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
It's actually about living with him now, abiding with him now, walking in righteousness now. That's what God's kids do. Whereas Satan's kids are the ones who condone sin. Knowing God isn't about grabbing what you can get. Love is a major marker of God's kids. It's another way we demonstrate Jesus and his kingdom to the world around us. We share, we sacrifice, we show up when people need us.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
John knows that some of his readers will likely feel scared by what he's saying. Maybe they can think of a time when they've chosen sin over purity, when they've walked in darkness or condoned sin, when they haven't walked in love. He reassures them in 3, 19-20 when he says, "...by this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before Him.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything." He says they can still rest assured that they are God's kids even when they feel convicted about their sins. Because after all, God's Spirit is the very one who brings conviction to our hearts so that we can turn from our sins and walk with God in righteousness.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
Conviction that becomes repentance is evidence that He lives in us. As for others, it's hard to know if they're in the truth or not. So John gives them a litmus test in chapter 4. He says, If the Holy Spirit is at work in a person, they will claim that Jesus is fully God and fully man.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
But if a person doesn't claim that, it's a clear sign that the spirit of error, the spirit of lies, is at work in them. Then John drills down on what love is and does. In verses 15 through 18, he gives us a lot of information, and the connecting words are really important here. He says, So, we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in Him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment. Because, as he is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. That was a lot.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
So here's what this looks like when we walk through it. Confessing Jesus as God is a sign of our unity with Him. And our unity with Him is evidence that He loves us. He wouldn't unite Himself to someone He doesn't love, so He must love us because He's abiding with us. Him abiding with us is how love is made perfect. And Him abiding with us gives us confidence that we're His.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
And Him abiding with us starts to show up in how we live our lives. We can live fearlessly in the world because He abides in us in perfect love. What do we have to be afraid of anyway? Because he abides with us now and forever and has taken all our punishment already. In chapter 5, John says we have overcome the world. That sounds great, but what does that even mean? I can climb Mount Everest?
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
I can win the Olympics? No, even better. It means I can resist sin and temptation. It means I'm no longer in bondage. It means I can love like Jesus loves, even when treated with contempt like he was. Next, John offers up witnesses that Jesus is who he says he is. And even though Jewish law only calls for two witnesses, John offers three. The Spirit, the water, and the blood.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
The Spirit is the first witness. The second witness, the water, is almost certainly a reference to the baptism of Jesus. And you may remember that when he was baptized, God the Father spoke from heaven and declared that Jesus is his beloved Son, and the Spirit descended on him like a dove. We read about that in Matthew 3.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
You may recall that the Gospel of John had the same lens, Jesus as God. These people, like a lot of churches, have been exposed to false teachers. They're causing division and spreading lies about Jesus. John doesn't waste time with greetings. He just gets straight to the point. Jesus has always existed. He is truly God. Plus, we saw him and touched him. He was truly human.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
And the third witness, the blood, is almost certainly a reference to his death and resurrection. If you overcome the grave, that speaks for itself. And because he has overcome death, he holds the keys to eternal life. He alone stands as the line of demarcation between life and death. Verse 12 says it this way, Whoever has the Son has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
John writes this so plain and clear for one reason, according to the next verse. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. He wants believers to be assured of their faith, to know that it's real.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
All this talk about love and obedience and truth and light and life, it's all to help us gain confidence not just in what we believe, but in who He is and to know that we are His. My God shot was in 4.10 and 4.19, which both talk about the great pursuing love of God. Verse 10 says, The Father set all this in motion while we were still in rebellion against Him.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
Verse 19 says, we love because he first loved us. His love was the catalyst for our love. The only reason I can love him at all is because all of this was his idea. I never would have sought him out. I'm so glad he loved me and made a way for me to abide with him forever because he's where the joy is. Tomorrow, we continue with the second and third letters of John.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
We've included the same video summary from yesterday if you want to check it out. I hope you're planning to join us again or for the first time starting with Genesis 1 on January 1st. If you missed our episode called Prep for Next Year on December 18th, be sure to check that out. It will get you up to speed on what to expect, what's changing, and what's new and exciting. And here's a pro tip.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
If you post about it on social media and ask if anyone wants to join you in this, there's a good chance you'll find some accountability that'll help you both and make it even more fun. Check out all the details at thebiblerecap.com forward slash start or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
And this God-man told us that God is light, completely devoid of darkness. So to walk with this God means we walk in the light. And that makes it easy to build community with others who are walking in the light. We can even confess our sins in the light and it actually serves to enrich our unity. Whereas darkness and hiding and lying thwarts healthy community.
The Bible Recap
Day 360 (1 John 1-5) - Year 6
That's not to say sinning isn't a big deal. It is. But Christ advocates for us to the Father because He has already made atonement for our sins. He's already paid for them. Our relationship with Jesus changes our relationship with sin. He didn't just set us free from the penalty of our sins. He also set us free from the bondage to our sin.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Yesterday, Jacob and his family fled from Laban to head back toward Canaan, which is where his brother Esau lives, the one who wanted to kill him. Obviously, Jacob has no idea how things will go if and when he encounters Esau, which would make most people a little bit nervous.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
This instance is another theophany, an appearance of God on earth. And more specifically, since the Hebrew word here is Elohim, that implies creator and judge, I'm inclined to believe this is another encounter with God the Father, like the encounter Abraham had in chapter 18. They wrestled all night, and as the sun is rising, Jacob tells him that he won't let go until he blesses him.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
The man replies, Those are literally the only kinds of questions God can ask. That's one of the perks of being omniscient. Omniscient means he knows everything. Jacob tells him his name, and the man's response clues us into the fact that he's God. First, he affirms that Jacob had not only wrestled with men, but that he'd also wrestled with God.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
And second, he changes his name, which you may recall is a big God move. Sometimes when God is about to reveal a new assignment or direction in someone's life, he renames them. Here, he calls Jacob Israel. It's the first time we see this word in Scripture. The name will eventually come to refer not only to this one man, but also to all of his descendants as well. So Jacob left renamed and limping.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
This was Jacob's moment of transformation, encountering God face to face like this, like his father and grandfather had. Finally, his faith is starting to become his own. Then Jacob slash Israel continues on his journey. He stacks up his people in order from least loved to most loved, and they eventually run into Esau, who actually seems excited to see him.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
They have a nice little chat, and then it becomes hard to tell if they're actually being humble and kind or if they still don't trust each other. But then it becomes clear where Jacob stands, at least. He agrees to follow Esau, but after Esau leaves and heads south, Jacob goes west. He was heading toward the land of Canaan, where God had called him.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
He bought some land, and he erects something on it to commemorate the occasion, but for the first time, it isn't a pillar. For the first time, it's an altar. Not a Canaanite memorial, not a pagan ritual, but an altar. And he names it El Elohe Israel, which means God, the God of Israel. His name.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
He's honoring the God who drew near to him, who wrestled with him, who injured him and protected him all at once. An altar. I love it. I do not love what happens next in chapter 34. Here, Dinah, the one daughter among the dozen kids of Jacob, is the new girl in the new land that they've moved to, Shechem. In Shechem, there's a guy named Shechem, and his dad is a man of status in the land.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
By the way, Esau lives in an area called Edom, which is why the descendants of Esau are called Edomites. We'll see that term a lot in the future. Jacob sent some messengers ahead of him to smooth things over if they encountered Esau. And the messengers came back saying, he's coming and he's got 400 guys with him. Uh-oh.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
Shechem falls in love with Dinah, or at least Dinah's appearance, and he rapes her. After that, he wants to marry her, so he tries to get his dad to negotiate an arrangement with Jacob. Jacob and his sons are outraged, and rightly so. The text makes it clear that rape is taken seriously among their people. But Jacob sits passively by while his sons make the plan.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
They do it in much the same way Jacob always makes plans, which is to say, in a sneaky way. They plan to kill all the men of the land in retaliation for what Shechem did to Dinah. They tell them that they all have to be circumcised, a kind of forced false conversion. So Shechem and his dad agree on behalf of everyone in town. I can't imagine how the other men of the land felt about this.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
Shechem is a man of status and caliber in town, but his actions and attitude reveal that he has a grand sense of entitlement. He may have had power, but in my opinion, when it came down to it, he didn't have character.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
On the third day, after all the men in the town were circumcised, Simeon and Levi, who were two of Dinah's full brothers in their blended family, entered the town, killed all the males, and rescued Dinah. Then they captured and plundered everything. Jacob disapproved, but mostly because he was afraid of retaliation.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
This is also a good place to mention that God himself never endorsed their actions. The Bible is just describing what happened. And in fact, later in Scripture, we'll see more about God's response to their response to Shechem's sin. Sit tight. What was your God shot today? I loved seeing how God changes hearts.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
Even though difficult circumstances are often his tool of choice, but that's possibly because they seem to be the most effective. He used a scary situation to humble Jacob when he was about to see Esau. Then, when Jacob was humbled and alone, God drew near to him, wrestled with him, renamed him, changed him. Jacob went from being the man who erects pillars to the man who builds altars.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
But rest assured, Jacob is still a work in progress. He still lies and manipulates, and even his response to the slaughter of Shechem was still self-focused. But God never gives up on him, because God knows that he will complete the work he started in him.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
And I think Jacob is starting to feel the desire to grow in that direction of becoming the new man with the new name, the man whose actions reveal his trust in God, the man who knows that he's where the joy is. We don't want to just help you read the Bible. We want to help you study the Bible, and we want to help you engage with others about what you're reading.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
So we've built out two tools that we hope will help you, and they work together perfectly. The first tool is a daily study guide. This is designed for you to do on your own. There are roughly five questions a day to help you dig into the text and learn more on your own while you're reading.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
These questions tend to focus more on research and study, and we've left a space for you to write in the guide itself. The second tool is the weekly discussion guide. It has about 10 questions per week, and they're totally different questions from the daily study guide. But again, they work together perfectly.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
So Jacob divided every one and everything in half so that if Esau attacked, he couldn't take it all. He's strategic, he's maybe driven by fear, but there's also this really beautiful moment where he's humbled and he praises God for his provision. He acknowledges his reality. In 32.9, we see the first time Jacob addresses God by his name.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
The weekly discussion questions are more reflective, and they'll help guide your group through a conversation that will build relationships as you work through Scripture together. To get your copies of these or see sample pages of each, check out the store link at thebiblerecap.com or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
And in 32.10, he says, And in the midst of fearing the worst, Jacob remembered God's words and appealed to him with reminders of his specific promises to their family. Then he sent a present ahead to Esau to appease him. If someone sent me 550 farm animals in the mail, I would not view that as a gift, but these are different times.
The Bible Recap
Day 023 (Genesis 32-34) - Year 7
Then he sent his wives and kids ahead of him and spent the night alone. During the night, he wrestled with God. Doesn't most of your wrestling with God happen when you're alone and even at night? Jacob is literally wrestling, though. He doesn't appear to be having a vision. This doesn't appear to be a metaphor, mainly because he leaves with an injury.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today, we drop back in on Moses as he's reviewing the blessings and curses portion of the covenant. He reminds the Israelites of the blessings that await them if they obey God. He will give them victory in battle. And Moses even says God will command his blessing on them. Wow, blessings go where God tells them to go.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
For instance, 2863 says, As the Lord took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the Lord will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you. This is typical covenant language, and it's the opposite of what we've seen about God's character in how he regards his people. He doesn't delight in harming them.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
We heard some harsh words from Moses today, but first of all, this conversation isn't over yet. And second, we have to remember what we've learned about God so far from the other times Moses has discussed God's relationship with these people. Resist the urge to isolate this text and build theology around something taken out of the greater context.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
Remember day 53 where we learned in Leviticus 26 that God will be faithful even when his people are faithless? He will pursue them even when they go astray. In these other passages where Moses is covering the same thing he covered here, we've seen that God only sends the bad in order to bring about good in the end. And remember, we don't want a God who lets us rebel without consequence.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
We want a God who will call us back to him when we stray. And that's exactly the kind of God Yahweh is. Not a God of punishment, but of discipline and protection. His discipline protects us from the far greater harm we would bring on ourselves and others if we continued in rebellion unchecked. As I was reading through some of the curses, a lot of it reminded me of Job.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
One of the things we learned there is that you can't always look at someone's struggles and determine the reason for them. It's not always because of disobedience. In fact, for Job, those things happened to him because of his righteousness. And we know that because that's what God said before the whole thing started. And for the Israelites, God is telling them how things will work with them.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
But these curses will be a result of disobedience to the covenant he's made with them. We can't always look at our own circumstances and make a determination about what God is doing or why. It's an opportunity to trust Him and lean in, regardless of what's happening. Because if our struggles are the result of sin, then repentance is what our hearts need.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
And if our struggles aren't the result of sin, then His nearness will still be a comfort to us regardless. As Moses wraps up the blessings and curses, he urges all the Israelites to keep this covenant. It's not just a covenant with the leaders.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
It's with everyone from the greatest to the least, including the foreigners and sojourners living among them and even the Israelites who are yet to be born. He reminds them of all the things God has done for them. He rescued them from slavery, provided them with food and clothes, gave them victory over bigger and greater enemies.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
And he has even given them some land already where the 2.5 tribes live. Moses warns everyone against thinking they might be the exception to the rule. He warns against an unrepentant heart and against presuming upon God's grace. He encourages them to just do what God has shown them, the revealed things, and trust God with the rest, the secret things.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
But Moses knows these people well, and in 29.4, he says, To this day, the Lord has not given you a heart to understand, or eyes to see, or ears to hear. Moses knows they will rebel. Most commentators even say that's probably why he spends so much more time with all the cursors than with the blessings, because it's so heavy on his heart, so he's imploring them to obey.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
And he promises to give the things only he can give, life, growth, and reign. When that happens, the people around them will take notice that there seems to be a unique blessing on this nation state. Because of God's very evident protection and provision, these other nations will be afraid of the Israelites because nothing is more terrifying than when your enemy is thriving.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
But, spoiler alert, they don't. Moses knows this and God knows this, yet God still chose them to be his people, knowing all the ways their hearts would rebel against him. Where did you see your God shot today? I saw that our God reveals things to his people, but he also keeps some things hidden. 29.29 says, It's good that we don't know everything.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
It's good that we have to walk in step with him, trusting his goodness. If I possessed all knowledge, I might exalt myself against God. Who am I kidding? I already do that and I know almost zero. So by revealing some things to me, he's helping me obey and trust him. And by keeping some things hidden from me, he's helping me to trust and obey him.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
Regardless what I know or don't know, he's out for my good. And one thing I do know is that he's where the joy is. If you've been watching The Chosen, you know Season 5 is coming to theaters on March 28th. And we've got a sneak peek for you where you can experience what it might have looked like as the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus. We've linked to the full clip in our show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
I know that when I talk about church, it means something a little bit different for each of you. For some, it's a home church of just a few families meeting and worshiping God together. Others of you worship with thousands each week. And some of you are still in the process of looking for a church. So I wanted to share my top three things to look for in a church.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
Number one, the gospel of Jesus is at the center of it all. Number two, the Bible is preached in context. Number three, there are opportunities for authentic connection and community. We know that finding a church is hard, but it's worth it. We want you to find a great church and would also love it if your church found us.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
If you want your whole church to join us reading through the Bible, check out thebiblerecap.com forward slash church. Or send the link to one of your pastors or church staffers with an explanation of why you think the Bible Recap would be a great fit for your church.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
When Israel thrives, they'll lend to their neighbors in need. And remember, their neighbors here are their enemies. Neighbor isn't just some word to suggest friend. The surrounding nations oppose them and don't follow Yahweh. All of these blessings will follow them if they follow God. If they don't follow God, the curses will come. And wow, they sound terrible.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
Covenant curses were typically not just the absence of blessing, but the complete reversal of blessing. So you may have noticed those parallels. For example, the blessing would have them be victorious over their enemies who would scatter in seven directions, but the curse would have them losing to their enemies while they scattered in seven directions.
The Bible Recap
Day 079 (Deuteronomy 28-29) - Year 7
That's how covenants were typically written, a complete reversal of outcome for blessings and curses. That's one reason why some of these verses might seem extra harsh, but they're more of a demonstration of covenant language than of character.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. This is another day that unexpectedly brought me to tears, and I can't wait to tell you why. Today we continue with God's laws for the people, delivered to Moses, but remember that the point of what we're reading isn't the laws, it's what's underneath the laws. What do they point to?
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
You may also recognize the Feast of Firstfruits, although when we read about it in Exodus 34, it was called the Feast of Harvest. And on that same day, we read about the Feast of Endgathering, which is called the Feast of Booths here. And then there's the one we read about most recently in Leviticus 16, the Day of Atonement. Aren't you glad there isn't a quiz on this? Me too.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
I'm just telling you all of this because 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. One weird thing about the Day of Atonement, it's called a feast, but they're fasting on this day. That's part of what it means when you see the phrase, they afflicted themselves. That refers to fasting.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
This is the only feast day where they're fasting because this is the holiest and most solemn day of the year. Instead of eating, they offer their food to God. On all the other feast days, they're not allowed to do any regular work, but they're allowed to do the work of offering sacrifices and preparing meals. The Day of Atonement, however, calls for no work.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
They eat no food, and the priest does all the sacrificing. This is still a celebration of provision, but it's a very different kind of celebration and a very different kind of provision. There are only two feasts in this section that we haven't talked about before, so let me touch on those briefly.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
First, there's the Feast of Weeks, which you probably know of as Pentecost, although it didn't take on that name until much later. Here's some Bible trivia for you. The word Pentecost means 50th, and this feast occurs on the 50th day after Passover, so that's seven weeks and a day. The fact that it's a week of weeks, seven weeks after Passover, is why it's called the Feast of Weeks.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
At this feast, something unique happens. This is the only feast where leavened bread makes an appearance. There's some rich symbolism here throughout the six feasts. The unleavened loaf represents the Israelites, and the leavened loaf is foreshadowing of the day when the Gentiles, non-Jews, will be brought into his family.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
We'll touch on this more when we get to the book of Acts in the New Testament, but just know that if you're not of Jewish heritage, you still show up on these pages, foreshadowing Christ's provision. The Feast of Trumpets is what's now known as Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, but at this time it signaled 10 days notice for the Day of Atonement.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
The Israelites called that period of time 10 days of repentance, or the Days of Awe. This points us back to what we learned not long ago. The fear of God, which is comprised primarily of delight and awe, draws us nearer to Him and serves to produce righteousness in us. Their days of repentance and awe led up to the Day of Atonement, where they were purified.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
Speaking of which, can I tell you something about today's reading, specifically chapter 22, that used to really bother me? 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.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
I always want to be encouraging us to look for God when we read. Some days it'll be harder than others. Maybe today was one of those days. That's okay. 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. So what do we see about God and the laws he's setting out?
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
I've heard pastors tell people who aren't dressed nicely that they should be ashamed of what they wore to church because they needed to bring God their best. I've seen church members shamed for not volunteering more of their time when they're already overextended in serving because they should give God their best. I have to remind myself that first of all, that's not on God.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
That's on fallen humanity misappropriating his words. But if I dig a little deeper into my own heart, I think the real reason these passages bothered me is because I knew deep down that I'm not a good sacrifice. I'm blemished and blind and scabbed and crushed, and it felt like God would reject me. God is establishing something here in His requirements for sacrifices.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
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. If I do that, I'm too buried in my own failings to notice that He has provided the perfect sacrifice in my place because He still wants to be near me even though I'm imperfect.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
All these requirements of perfection are supposed to be weighty. The law is supposed to remind us how impossible all this is. That's the point of the law, to show us God's perfection and how far we are from it. Romans 5.20 says, For every one of my sins, grace abounds. For every one of my imperfections, grace abounds.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
Romans 5.21, the very next verse, continues saying, so that as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness, leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Praise God for providing the perfect sacrifice. Jesus Christ our Lord. He's where the joy is. Do you have a friend or family member who is deaf?
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
Did you know that the Bible Recap is available in American Sign Language? We would love for your deaf friends or family members to join us. Our friends at Sunshine Interpreters helped us make our recap videos, all of which are in the ASL playlist on our YouTube channel or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
One of the things underneath much of what we read today was that God wants His people to be clean, and He keeps reminding them that He is the one who makes them clean. I am the Lord who sanctifies you. We get repeated reminders of both God's holiness and His rescue in these passages. In chapter 23, we see a lot about feasts.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
Since I don't have time to go into this in depth, we'll include a short article in the show notes that explains these seven feasts and their significance. As always, when we include a resource, we can't vouch for everything on that site. We're just including that one particular resource. Though in general, we do try to be careful about what we're sending you. So back to the feasts.
The Bible Recap
Day 051 (Leviticus 22-23) - Year 7
First, God reminds them again about a weekly feast called the Sabbath. Then there are six annual feasts covered here, and you should recognize a few of them from our reading so far. It can get really confusing, though, since a lot of these feasts have multiple names. You probably recognize Passover, which is also called the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. We finished the 18th book in our New Testament plan and the 57th book in our whole Bible plan. Paul wrote this letter today to his friend and co-worker who had been assigned to do ministry on a Greek island. Tough job. But for real, it wasn't exactly a cakewalk.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
So Paul tells Titus to rebuke the people in the church who act like that, because if and when a person actually receives a rebuke, their faith increases and their doctrine is refined. Then Paul spends all of chapter 2 unpacking what it looks like to demonstrate godliness and good doctrine in a culture that doesn't get it at all.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
He gives some broad counsel to different groups of people in the church, primarily addressing the areas where they might struggle. Even though he sections people off by age and gender, he's not making a division so much as a distinction. What I mean by that is, he tells the younger women to love their husbands and children, but this doesn't mean older women are free to hate their families.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
And he tells young men to be self-controlled, but this doesn't give the older guys a free pass at doing whatever they want. His counsel here is general in nature, because the greater purpose is to point them all toward what it looks like to honor God in the most basic institute, the family.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
He wants them to live lives that are set apart in the eyes of outsiders, kind of like he did himself when he took the Nazarite vow in Corinth. He tells them to adorn the doctrine of Christ, to present their faith as beautiful to the world. Why? Because God has poured out grace on them and grace changes everything. Grace is a change agent.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
God's grace brought them salvation, trained them to renounce sin and worldly passion, trained them to be upright and godly even in the midst of a wicked culture. God's grace reminds them to wait for the hope of Christ's return because Christ is in the process of purifying them for himself.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
In chapter 3, Paul takes his message outside the home and the immediate culture and into the larger realm of politics and leaders. He says this is another area where the church needs to stand out. We should demonstrate humble submission. Our humility has its greatest opportunity to show up when we disagree with someone. It doesn't have much of a landing pad if everyone is on the same page.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
But when we disagree with someone, that's where it has the opportunity to show up in the gaps. And in those circumstances, Paul says we should aim to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. Whew. Then he goes on to say how we can do that.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
By remembering, like verse 3 says, that we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. Humility is remembering that we haven't always known it all like we currently do. Right.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
And Paul enriches our humility by reminding us that we weren't the ones who got ourselves to where we are today anyway. We didn't bootstrap this one. It was entirely 100% all the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior. Paul says if you believe that, then be careful to live what you believe. Aim for humility. Aim for peace. And rebuke those who don't aim for peace.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
The people on the island of Crete have a challenging culture that goes against the grain of Christ's teachings. And all of this is being reinforced by some local leaders who are apparently on a power trip. So it's not all sunsets and souvlaki for our friend Titus. Let's see how Paul encourages him to handle things.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
He ends by reminding them to help others and be generous like God has been generous to them. My God shot was in Paul's introduction today. It's one of those phrases that's so easy to pass over that I'm sure I've missed it every other time I've read this book.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
It's in verses two through three where Paul is talking about eternal life and says God who never lies promised eternal life before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word. The gospel of our salvation has been on the lips of an eternal God before the ages began. Nothing has thrown his plan off or set it back. And at the right time, he set it all in motion.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
He catalyzed his plan, created the world, carried us through the fall, sent his son to earth to live as a divine human who would die for the sins of a fallen humanity so that we could be rescued and resurrected into a perfection and a position we never would have had on our own. We could be not just his creation, but his children, his heirs.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
There is one thing I know, and I will plant my flag in it for all eternity. He's where the joy is. Tomorrow, we'll be reading the short book of 1 Peter. We've linked to a video overview in the show notes, and it's a great way to spend the next seven minutes.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
If you're one of our digital Bible readers, you have access to each of our YouTube videos right there in the Bible app as part of your daily Bible reading. This was a new feature this year in the app, and the response has been awesome.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
So if you prefer watching the recaps instead of listening to them, you can follow along with the Bible recap reading plan on the Bible app or check us out on YouTube in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language. And finally, if you haven't listened to that New Year prep episode from yesterday, be sure to check it out. You can find all the links in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
In chapter 1, Paul reminds Titus that he's positioned him over the church in Crete so that he can get things running in ship shape. But when you're dropped down at a relatively new church in the middle of a bunch of bad leaders and false teachers, it's not exactly an easy task. This is a lot like the problems Timothy was facing yesterday, so we'll see some overlap in Paul's advice.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
It's interesting to note what advice makes both books, because that gives us an idea of what things are situational and what things are universal. First, Paul gives Titus guidelines for how to choose elders, the people who will be the governing board of leaders over the church and its decisions.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
It's vital that they reflect Christ not just in their doctrine but in their lives as well, because people are going to be looking to them for guidance and truth. In addition to that, an elder not only has to know the truth and teach it, but he has to be willing to correct those in the church who teach it wrongly. This is a big problem in the church at Crete.
The Bible Recap
Day 353 (Titus 1-3) - Year 6
There are lots of false teachers, especially among the Jews who are in the church, the circumcision party, as Paul calls them. And some of the local Cretans, and yes, that's where we got the slang term, are acting like, well, Cretans. They're debaucherous and foolish and vulgar. Their lives prove that they don't actually love God.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Yesterday, Moses transitioned out of telling the new generation of Israelites about their history and segued into telling them about their future. He'll do a little back and forth like this throughout this conversation.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
Shema means here, and here is the first word of the prayer. And it's also what we're being called to do in the text. Religious Jews usually pray this prayer twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, and they often cover their eyes with their right hand when they pray to increase their focus during the prayer.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
The Shema includes two other paragraphs from elsewhere in Scripture, but it opens here in 6, 4-6 with these words, "'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.'" First of all, you may recognize part of this as a quote from Jesus in the New Testament. Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
In fact, there are at least three verses in today's reading that Jesus quoted. Second, while we believe that God is one, most commentaries point out that this statement, the Lord our God, the Lord is one, is not a reference to God's internal unity, but to his superiority and exclusivity. It's like saying, Yahweh is our God. He's the only God for us.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
Third, you may notice that there is no, with all your mind, like when Jesus said it. That's because the ancient Hebrew language conflates the words for heart and mind, so it is included in this text, even if not directly stated. In Aramaic, which Jesus spoke, and in English, the ideas for heart and mind are different.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
Which is why Jesus adds that word to his quote, even though he's not adding the meaning to his quote. The Shema goes on to say that God's words should fill our hearts and our mouths and our minds and our lives. When we're sitting, walking, lying down, or waking, we should be mindful of God. His words should be on our hands and eyes.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
Some religious Jews do this via the phylacteries we've talked about before. But if you're taking this more figuratively than literally, it could mean that God's work should be the framework through which you do all your actions and through which you see the world. and it should be on your homes and on your gates.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
When we left off, he was giving an introduction to the laws, and today he continues that conversation, starting with the Ten Commandments. And here's an interesting thing about these two tablets mentioned in 522. We often see them as having five commandments on each tablet— But the way treaties were written back then usually involved making two copies of the treaty, one for each party.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
And some religious Jews obey this literally by putting scripture on their doorposts in a small scroll box called a mezuzah. But you might also keep the spirit of this law by having reminders of God in your home, by building your home around God and His Word.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
We not only want to have reminders of God around us, but we also want to be a reminder of God to those around us, because we carry His Spirit with us everywhere we go. When the ESV Study Bible is talking about the importance of remembering God, it puts it this way. To forget is less a memory problem than a moral one, a parallel to disobedience. Remembering is vital.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
Because of the covenant Israel has with God, there are consequences if they fail to keep it. If they don't keep this covenant, they don't keep the land. This is a situation unique to Israel. What I mean is, I am not personally guaranteed any land because of my obedience to God. I can't take these verses out of context and make them my own.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
But I can still learn something about God's character from them. What I learn is that Yahweh wants our allegiance. And this is the primary theme of Deuteronomy. He wants allegiance in action and in thought. In fact, today and tomorrow, we will see three specific thoughts Moses warns them against thinking.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
The one we see today is in 7, 17-18, where he warns them not to be afraid of God's plan or think of it as impossible. Each time he warns them against a specific thought, he reminds them that the way to avoid letting that thought take over is to remember who God is, to recall what He has done for them.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
Moses also anticipates a day when this new generation has children of their own who approach them with the eternal question, "'Why? Why do we have to do all these things?'
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
And he prepares them to answer this way, "'Because God rescued us out of slavery, and He cared for us and provided for us in miraculous ways, and that God who loves us is the one who commanded these things, and they're for our good always.'" I love that part of 624, that we're called to fear the Lord our God for our good always.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
Obedience brings joy and gives life and is the right and good response to God for our good. Moses reiterates that they must completely drive out and destroy all the people of the land and not intermarry with them. And in 716, he also says they shouldn't even pity these people.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
If some or all of the people they'll be dealing with do happen to be the crossbreed between humans and fallen angels, you can see all the more why this would be important. But even if they aren't, this is still God's way of accomplishing many aspects of his plan. First, he's punishing the wicked nations for their rebellion, and he's using Israel as the tool to accomplish that justice.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
Second, he's ensuring that the line of the Messiah stays intact. And third, that the hearts of his people stay intact as well and aren't led astray to lesser gods. Moses reminds them to destroy all signs of idolatry in the land as well. And he promises that things will not go well if they don't.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
God even tells them that his plan is to drive out the enemy little by little and that there is purpose and intention in that. When they grow impatient, he wants them to remember that he still has a process in mind. He's in this for the long haul. Moses reminds them, God chose us before we were even a thing. He invented the Israelites.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
He didn't choose us because we were a massive, powerful nation and would make him look really awesome if he picked us for his team. There were literally zero of us, and all zero of us had extra zero to offer him, but he still set his love on us and grew us into the nation we are today. I don't know about you, but that sentence terrifies me. Fortunately, Moses doesn't hover over it for too long.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
So we can't know for sure unless one of you has access to the Ark of the Covenant and just didn't tell me, but all Ten Commandments were probably on both tablets. Before Moses goes over the Ten Commandments, he starts out by telling them that God's covenant is not with their fathers. It's with them. And yes, of course, it was also with their fathers.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
He moves on to all the abundant blessing God has in store for the Israelites. In 7.14, he says, What was your God shot today? I have a special affection for 6, 10 through 11, where God references giving them cities they did not build, houses they did not fill, cisterns they did not dig, vineyards they did not plant.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
He's so incredibly generous, but he also wants them to remember who gave all this to them. He doesn't want their hearts to turn away to other gods when they get these blessings from him, when they're no longer living in tents in the desert with a fire cloud to guide them. If you're a parent, imagine being really excited about the gift you're giving your kid for Christmas.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
Then having him go lock himself in his room to play with it alone, fixing all his attention on it. Do you want him to enjoy the thing you generously gave him? Yes. But to the exclusion of a healthy relationship with you? No, of course not. You're after their joy and you're after their hearts. And that's how God feels about us as well. He's after our hearts. He wants our joy.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
And He's where the joy is. If you've been watching The Chosen, you know Season 5 is coming to theaters on March 28th. And we've got a sneak peek for you where you can experience what it might have looked like as the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus. We've linked to the full clip in our show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
Uh-oh, did your podcast not load today? Of course not, you're listening to it right now. But if that ever happens, here are some things you should try. Just remember the three R's, refresh, reopen, restart. First, just try refreshing the page. Your podcast platform may just need a reminder that new content is available. If that doesn't work, try completely closing and reopening the app.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
Finally, you may need to restart your phone. Hey, sometimes we all just need a reboot. If those three things don't work, try finding us on Podbean or YouTube. You can always find our episodes there.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
But Moses is emphasizing here that they have their own relationship with God. This is not a thing to be received secondhand. God is also making the covenant with their generation directly. And even though for many of these people, God didn't technically rescue them out of Egyptian slavery, still, he did. Because if he hadn't rescued their parents, they would have been in slavery as well.
The Bible Recap
Day 072 (Deuteronomy 5-7) - Year 7
Moses reiterates the Ten Commandments to this new generation and tells them how their parents had received these words with joy and gratitude. They had a proper awe and fear of God in that moment, even though, as we know, it was temporary. In chapter 6, we encounter the beginning of a prayer that has become the chief prayer of the Jewish people. It's called the Shema.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Leviticus is a book about a perfect, holy God who wants to draw near to his people who are, unfortunately, completely depraved and sinful. It walks us through the very messy and detailed process of how that can be possible.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
We'll link to that article in our show notes today. We open with Moses speaking with God at the tent of meeting, a phrase that now represents the tabernacle. It's very confusing that they use these same terms to refer to different things, but just know that once the tabernacle exists, that's what the phrase tent of meeting refers to.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
Everything we read today was God talking to Moses at the tent of meeting. And the first thing God does is establish a lot of ritual offerings. You may wonder, first of all, why this barbaric stuff has to happen at all. Remember back in the Garden of Eden when God told Adam and Eve about the connection between sin and death?
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
By sparing their lives, God saves them, but something else has to die in their place. In that instance, God killed an animal to clothe them. And here we see lots of animals are going to have to die because we've got three million sinners living in the desert together for 40 years. So God sets up this sacrificial system so that animals can die instead of people to make atonement for their sins.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
Atonement means to cover. So the animal's death is a temporary covering for their sin. And not to give too much away here, but God knows all along that this plan is temporary. It's just a band-aid, not a permanent fix. This is a placeholder, a foreshadowing of the real solution that will come in the form of Jesus and his death on the cross. But for now, we've got this system.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
And learning a little bit about it should really increase gratitude in all of us that we live approximately 3,300 years later. Another thing we'll see taking place here is not just God's provision of a blood sacrifice, but also God's provision of food for the priests. they get to keep some of the things that are sacrificed.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
Since their job requires them to be working to help mediate this relationship between God and his people, they can't be out raising food and farming. If they're going to obey God's calling on their lives, they'll have to trust him to feed them. Fortunately, he has a plan for this, and it involves other people bringing them food all the time via an offering. And God calls that offering Most Holy.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
God also says that no offerings can be made without salt, and he calls it the salt of your covenant with God. Salt implies preservation, so bringing salt with these offerings is a way of remembering and preserving the covenant with God. In these offerings, the fat represents the very best part of the animal, so God keeps all that for himself. 3.16 says, All the fat is the Lord's. Amen.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
By the way, lots of you asked us to put this verse on a shirt, so we made one for you, and it's in the TBR store. Apparently, it's a great conversation starter at the gym. In chapter four, we see that even unintentional sin requires a sacrifice. That's because sin is still sin regardless of motive, and it still has to be paid for. This is true even for the priests and leaders among them.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
There are a lot of components involved, so set your mind to press through on the days when it's not easy. You'll be grateful you did, just like you tell your kids when you take them to piano and swim lessons. Those things are good, but your kids' ability to see that it's good just hasn't developed yet. So put on your swim cap. Here we go. First things first, who are the Levites?
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
And the higher your position, the more valuable the sacrifice required of you. Leadership, especially spiritual leadership, comes with added weight and responsibility. To heighten understanding of this, God also required that anytime a priest sinned against the congregation or led the congregation in sin, that the blood of the offering be sprinkled in front of the veil of the sanctuary.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
Let's talk for a second about what that is just to make sure we don't miss the significance here. Remember how the tabernacle is laid out in the shape of a cross? And the things that are the furthest out of the tabernacle are made of less valuable metals like bronze, then they increase in value to silver, then gold-plated, then pure gold?
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
The first area outside with the bronze stuff is called the outer court. Then we move into the holy place, and at the far end of the holy place is a big curtain that separated the holy place from the most holy place, which is also called the Holy of Holies. This is the section where the pure gold item is kept, the mercy seat, which is the lid for the Ark of the Covenant and is where God dwells.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
No one was allowed to enter that area except the high priest, and he was only allowed in there one day of the year, which we'll talk about soon. But for now, what you need to know is that when the priests sinned or when the whole congregation sinned, the blood of their offering was brought from the bronze altar in the outer court into the holy place and sprinkled in front of the veil.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
With regular people, the blood was just thrown on the sides of the bronze altar. But with the priests or the sin of the whole congregation, those sins defiled the whole tabernacle. What was your God shot today? Mine was in the moment I just described where the priest is carrying the blood inside the tabernacle on account of his own sin.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
This has to feel pretty weighty, to have to carry blood up to God's door and sprinkle it there. But I wonder if it reminded the priest that God spared them when they as a people sprinkled blood on their own doorways. The people it happened to were still alive. This was just a year ago that he brought them out of Egypt. They remember the screams of the Egyptian families in the night.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
They remember fleeing because God had rescued them. And now they stand in front of his earthly throne, deeply aware of their own sins and his goodness. I'm in awe of the fact that a holy God has made a way for our sins to be atoned for. He's merciful, He provides a sacrifice, and He's where the joy is.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
Through the years of TBR, we found that people who read the Bible together, finish the Bible together. And there's a great community of other Bible readers in our official TBR Recaptains Facebook group. Recaptains are our monthly supporters who keep TBR going. And no matter which support level you sign up for, you get access to this exclusive Facebook group.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
People post questions, share their God shots, and encourage each other to keep reading. It's my favorite little corner of Facebook because we're all on the same team doing the same thing. And just by being a ReCaptain, you help us reach more people with God's Word. Find out more at thebiblerecap.com forward slash ReCaptains or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
They're the descendants of Levi, one of the 12 tribes of Israel slash sons of Jacob. And just yesterday, we saw that God appointed this particular tribe or line to be the priests in the tabernacle. So we'll be dealing with a lot of things pertaining to priests. They are the mediators between the holy God and the sinful people.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
God is going to show them what steps are necessary to make this relationship functional. There are three primary ways of being that are laid out in this book. Unclean, clean, and holy. In general, the people are unclean. Always, God is holy. And the purpose of these rituals and laws set out in this book is to get the people from the state of being unclean to the state of being clean or even holy.
The Bible Recap
Day 044 (Leviticus 1-4) - Year 7
There are various ways this has to be approached. First, we'll look at a lot of offerings. While we're in these more challenging parts about sacrifices and offerings, I wanna point you to a short article that explains these five major offerings in brief. The burn offering, the grain offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. We've made it 100 days. Congratulations. I hope you're doing something to celebrate this milestone. All right, let's dive into today's reading. Have you ever heard of a Rube Goldberg machine? Let me describe one and see if this rings a bell.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
As for his height, Jewish historians say the average Israelite male in those days was around 5'6". So if Saul was a head taller than everyone, that would make him about 6'3". So he was tall and handsome and probably dark because this is the Middle East after all. When he shows up on the scene, God tells Samuel, this is him.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
So Samuel invites him to the feast and gives him the most desirable piece of meat, which was reserved for the priest. Then he invites Samuel to sleep on the roof, which was the most desirable sleeping spot because of the breeze. He's also careful to reveal a few details that confirm for Saul that he's a prophet of Yahweh. For instance, he's like, Oh, those donkeys you've been looking for?
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
They're home already. Then the next day as he's walking Saul and his servant out of the city, he pulls Saul aside and casually anoints him in the street by pouring oil on his head. And he basically says, you're the prince of Israel now, and God has a plan for you to rescue his people.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
In case you don't believe me, let me tell you three separate things that are about to happen on your way home, in case you might be tempted to write off the first two as a coincidence. Then Samuel tells Saul to go to Gilgal and wait for him for seven days, and then he'll give him some instructions on what to do next. Put a pin in this thought.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
We'll be coming back to it tomorrow, and it's important. All of Samuel's prophecies came true on Saul's trip home that day, including the prophecy that God the Spirit would rush upon him and that Saul himself would prophesy as well. In the Old Testament, when God the Spirit works this way, it's always to empower someone for a specific task or calling.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
So God is with Saul to enable him to accomplish this task. And there was a noticeable change to those who knew him before him that could only be attributed to God's presence in his life. Not long after that, Samuel has everyone gather at Mizpah, which is the general meeting place when all the tribes are called together for a big announcement.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
Even though he's already privately anointed Saul, Samuel knows it'll be helpful for the people to see that this is God's choice, not just Samuel's, especially given that Saul is a Benjamite. So Samuel proceeds with the typical lot casting, and of course, Saul is drawn, but they can't find him.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
Fortunately, Samuel has a direct line to God, who points out that Saul is hiding over by the luggage carousel. This presents some problems right off the bat. Their new king Saul is fearful and reluctant. He's not off to a great start. But when Samuel brings him out to the people, most, but not all, of them approve of the choice.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
Then Samuel writes down all the details of kingship for him before he goes back home. Between 1027 and 1101, there's a passage that appears in some ancient versions of this text, like the Dead Sea Scrolls, but not in the primary text most translators use, so it may or may not appear in the version you read today. In case it didn't and you find it helpful, here's a summary of what it says.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
Imagine dominoes falling over row by row until they hit a golf ball, knocking it into a paper cup, which is attached to a pulley system that drops the cup down and tips it over and spills the golf ball and you get the picture. All the things in a Rube Goldberg machine have to line up perfectly to accomplish each detail so that the next detail connects and the end goes off as planned.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, had been oppressing two of the Transjordan tribes, Gad and Reuben, and had gouged out their right eyes. But 7,000 of them had escaped him and fled north to hide in a part of East Manasseh called Jabesh-Gilead. Okay, now back to 11-1.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
King Nahash finds the people who are hiding, and they try to make a treaty with him, but he'll only do it if he can gouge out their right eyes too, like he did with their brothers. But they stall for time to try to find someone who will rescue them. Word about all this gets back to Saul, and God the Spirit rushes on him to equip him for what's ahead.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
He's filled with righteous anger, and he cuts up some oxen and sends the pieces to all the tribes with a message that says they're required to come fight. Over 300,000 people show up. The next day, they attack and save their people. Saul has an incredible first victory, and it's really his one shining moment in his whole kingship.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
He even shows grace to the people who initially opposed his reign when other people volunteered to kill them. Saul wins the people over, and they have a ceremony renewing his kingship. The ceremony is at Gilgal, which is the religious center at this time, so it's possible that this may have been more of a religious coronation separate from his previous political appointment.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
Meanwhile, Samuel has retired as a judge, since Saul is Israel's leader now, but he's still active in his role as a prophet. He gives the people an opportunity to point out any errors he has made as a leader, but this seems to be mostly rhetorical because Scripture regards him as honorable and upright, and the people confirm that.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
Then he reflects on everything that has happened to Israel since Moses and Aaron showed up on the scene. Like all the good leaders before him, he reminds them of all God has done for them, and he implores them to obey God. If they do, things will go well for Israel. If they rebel, things won't. Then he basically says, when you ask for a king, you sinned.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
If I'm right in saying this, God will make it rain right now, on a clear day when you'd normally be harvesting your crops. And it rains. This puts the fear of God in them. They begged Samuel to pray for them, and he promises to. And he lets them know it's not too late for them. Even though they've sinned, they can still turn to God. He hasn't cast them off.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
And that's where my God shot came from today. In 1222, Samuel says, It has? That's unbelievable. I keep being blown away every time I realize how much he actually delights in them, in me, in us. According to God, these people have rejected him as king. After everything he's done for them, they've rejected him, and still, he's so pleased that he chose them.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
He knew what he was getting into, adopting a bunch of sinners into his family and giving him a seat at his table. He knew they'd spill the food and stain the carpet and steal the wine goblet. But he knows he's sending the Redeemer to pay for all of it soon. He knows every wrong thing you've ever done and ever will do. And still, he's pleased to call you his child.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
It's very complicated. And that's why God is the best at Rube Goldberg machines. We see that in today's reading. Today, God lets Samuel know that he's the one in charge of appointing Israel's first king, and he gives him a heads-up that the man he has in mind is on his way to meet him. God arranged the circumstances of their meeting perfectly.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
No matter what regrets are in your past, no matter what sins you have yet to commit, Christ has paid the price for all of the sins of God's children. And it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for Himself. He's where the joy is. As you already know, we're 100 days into reading through the Bible this year.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
And I'm so proud of you for sticking through it with all the highs and the lows, like the long lobes of the liver in Leviticus, and the Israelites finally entering the promised land in Joshua. At this point, we're nearly a quarter of the way through the whole Bible. So what have you learned about God in the last 100 days? What has he been teaching you about himself and his character?
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
Has your love for God and his word grown since you started on day one? Imagine what's still ahead. We've made it this far, so let's keep going. I'm cheering you on today and tomorrow and every day after that. Let's go.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
It involves getting some donkeys lost, putting an idea in the servant's head and a silver coin in his pocket, stationing some girls at the well at what was probably an unusual time of day to go to the well, and having it all line up not only with the arrival of Samuel back in town— but also with the feast and the timing God gave Samuel for when the new king would arrive.
The Bible Recap
Day 100 (1 Samuel 9-12) - Year 7
Saul is a Benjamite, the tribe that was almost wiped out completely not long ago. Remember how only 600 men survived? And those survivors weren't viewed too highly among Israel because they caused Israel's first civil war. So apart from his appearance, Saul is an unlikely candidate to be king of Israel. But his appearance is the first thing noted about him in scripture.
The Bible Recap
Day 065 (Numbers 26-27) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Yesterday closed with a plague, and today opened with God talking to Moses and Eliezer, the new high priest now that his father Aaron has died. God tells them to take a census. Why do we need another one of these?
The Bible Recap
Day 065 (Numbers 26-27) - Year 7
Not only that, but God makes this a new law. The request of these five women and their persistence about it all showed they truly believed God when He said He was giving the Israelites the land, and they didn't want to be left out. Then God pulls Moses aside and lets him know the news. He's about to die, just as God promised him.
The Bible Recap
Day 065 (Numbers 26-27) - Year 7
God tells him he'll get to see the promised land from the top of the mountain where he'll die. God will reveal the promise fulfilled, but Moses won't get to enter it. Don't feel too sorry for him, though. I'm pretty sure he won't be missing it where he's headed.
The Bible Recap
Day 065 (Numbers 26-27) - Year 7
Then, despite how horrible these people have been to Moses over the past 40 years, he pleads with God to appoint a new leader for them so they won't be like sheep without a shepherd. God commands Moses to commission Joshua, his assistant, for this role. And in front of Eliezer, the new high priest, Moses lays his hands on Joshua and establishes him as his successor.
The Bible Recap
Day 065 (Numbers 26-27) - Year 7
Where did you see God's character in what we read today? What was your God shot? For me, it was in God's response to the five daughters of Zelophehad. We've seen a lot of compassion and generosity on his part, but I also think there's something very reasonable about this. Was this compassionate and generous? Absolutely. But it was also reasonable.
The Bible Recap
Day 065 (Numbers 26-27) - Year 7
I'm occasionally accused of being too rational, of subtracting emotions from decision-making processes. And while I'm learning to move more toward the middle where I can incorporate both logic and emotion, I find it really comforting that our God strikes the perfect balance of both. I want to get to that place, and the Spirit serves as a good guide for me.
The Bible Recap
Day 065 (Numbers 26-27) - Year 7
Yes, of course, He's where the truth is, Tara Lee, but also, He's where the joy is. One of the recurring themes we see in Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, is the theme of idolatry. When we think of idols, we might imagine statues or things other religions worship or use for good luck, but idols can be anything that distracts our heart from engaging with God at a deeper level.
The Bible Recap
Day 065 (Numbers 26-27) - Year 7
Anything that has our heart's attention over God. Yikes. So we've built out a resource with more info on how to identify idolatry in your own heart. If you want to get this free TBR resource, all you have to do is go to thebiblerecap.com forward slash idols and submit your email address. That's thebiblerecap.com forward slash idols or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 065 (Numbers 26-27) - Year 7
Because it's been 38 years since the last census, and there have been a lot of new deaths and a lot of new births in the meantime. They needed the updated numbers since they were about to enter the Promised Land, and the leaders also verified that there were no people remaining from the first census other than Caleb and Joshua and their families.
The Bible Recap
Day 065 (Numbers 26-27) - Year 7
If you remember from Numbers 14, that was one of the prerequisites for entering the Promised Land. All the old generation had to die off. At the end of the census, they confirmed this. God tells Moses and Eleazar how to divide the land He's giving them, and He says to give larger plots of land to larger tribes and smaller plots of land to smaller tribes.
The Bible Recap
Day 065 (Numbers 26-27) - Year 7
And again, He reiterates that the Levites will be given no inheritance of the land because God Himself was their inheritance. In chapter 27, we hit a unique situation. Zelophehad had no sons to give his inheritance to before he died, so his five daughters approached Moses and Eleazar for consideration. But before they approached them, they had to argue their case to four other judges first.
The Bible Recap
Day 065 (Numbers 26-27) - Year 7
Remember how Moses' father-in-law Jethro told him to appoint judges over the people to handle things and only the biggest problems that the judges couldn't solve would be brought to Moses? That's how these five women got there. They make their case and ask for land. Moses takes this request to God, and God says they're right. He orders Moses to give them what would have belonged to their father.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. We continued reading about the laws for restitution today, seeing more of how God directs His people toward a civil and just society that treats others with respect and honors life. He fleshes out some specific implications of the Ten Commandments, or the Ten Words, and we see how those apply.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
They have a lot to unlearn about behavior. They've been oppressed. They've lived with a scarcity mentality. And he reminds them to be compassionate because he is compassionate. to be open-handed because He is their provider. In 22.18, He addresses sorcery. This includes divination, which we've talked about briefly. God takes this stuff seriously.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
For those who practice it, it is punishable by death. What's the big deal with sorcery, you might wonder? These practices are rooted in contacting spirits for guidance and power. You can imagine that if God is forbidding it, then those spirits being contacted are not on his team. They'd be a part of the enemy's camp.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
When people seek answers from the enemy instead of from God, it's not only idolatry, but it's treason against the kingdom of light. So God orders death for anyone who practices this and lures people into their web of wickedness. It's how he aims to protect his people from the enemy's subtle, deceptive ways.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
He's also super attentive about the enemy's tactics when it comes to the land he's giving his kids. He tells them to break the stone pillars the pagans have set up there. He wants them to drive out anyone who worships other gods. And in fact, he says he'll even do some of the driving out through direct intervention as well.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
By the way, this distinction God's making between people groups has nothing to do with race. It has everything to do with idolatry. How do we know this? Sojourners are welcomed among the Israelites, but not those who worship other gods. God is preserving this family for the birth of the Messiah.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
There were also lots of people in that day who would say they worship God, but who also acknowledged the power and validity of other gods. This is called monolatry, like the blending of the words monotheism, one God, and idolatry, the worship of false gods.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
While God never denies that other gods exist, and in fact he seems to indicate that they do exist, he continues to point out that Israel's loyalty must be to him. He is their God. He is the one true God. I realize I may have just dropped a bombshell on some of you, and it may seem to fly in the face of monotheism, but don't worry, it doesn't. We're definitely monotheists.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
We'll link to a document in today's show notes that has lots more info on this, so I'd love for you to check that out if you have a chance. we also see that God ordained three feasts, and all of them point to reminders of who He is, testifying to His provision.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
The first is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which you may remember is the seven-day feast they have annually commemorating their deliverance from Egypt, right after they celebrate the Passover, commemorating that God preserved their lives. The second feast is the Feast of Harvest, which is also called Pentecost.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
And the third feast is the Feast of Ingathering, which happens after the last harvest of the year. These last two feasts are an act of both thanks and trust. They celebrate God's provision at the beginning and end of the harvest season. And their feasting also signifies that they trust God to continue providing for them in the future.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
When it comes to the laws against theft, you may have noticed that for a lot of the scenarios listed, the amount the thief has to pay back exceeds what he stole. In many ways, these consequences may have served as a deterrent against sinning.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
They don't have to hoard their food out of fear of not having enough. They can feast on it. A few important notes here. There are lots of reasons to believe the angel God described here is a reference to himself. God even says, As we've talked about, name indicates presence and essence and nature and character.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
In chapter 24, we see the people enter into this covenant with God at Mount Sinai, agreeing to do all God says. Then Moses offers a sacrifice and throws blood on the people. While this may seem weird, this is likely a symbol that they are tied to the covenant. much like when God had Abraham split the animals in half and then God walked between them.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
And being sprinkled with blood symbolizes being purified and atoned for. It's a foreshadowing of Christ's death covering us. We finished today with Moses going up the mountain for 40 days. Tomorrow, we'll see what God said to him while they were up there. What was your God shot today?
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
I loved seeing not only how God is protective of his people, but also in 23, four through five, we see how he commands them to show kindness and love to those he considered enemies or who hated them. We see his heart here. And if you think about it, this is the whole reason we're in relationship with him to begin with. We all started out as God's enemies.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
And this is how he has treated all of us, being merciful and compassionate, stepping into our need, despite the fact that we have waged war against him with our sin and rebellion. I love seeing this about God. I love that he's a God who pursues his enemies because I was his enemy and I want to be near to him because he's where the joy is. TLC here with some show notes pro tips.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
Number one, you might not be able to find the show notes. If that's you, do a quick web search to see if your podcatcher offers them and how to find them. Number two, if your podcatcher doesn't offer show notes, get a new podcatcher. Just kidding. We've got you covered. You can find all the show notes for the whole year at thebiblerecap.com forward slash show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
Number three, show notes are not transcripts. We have those, but show notes are different. Show notes are usually things like links to pictures, videos, or articles to help you dig into what we've covered that day. And by the way, this is important. When we link to something in the show notes, we are only recommending that particular link.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
These laws may feel kind of intimidating if you're imagining yourself as the one who's committing the sin, but if you put yourself in the place of the one who sinned against, you'll be grateful God established those laws. We also see how God protects the female virgins by threatening men who take advantage of them with the penalty of several years worth of wages.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
Not anything else on that site, anything else written by that author, anything else preached by that pastor, or anything else believed by that resource. We aren't aligning ourselves with the things we link to. We just think that particular link might be helpful with the specific thing we've talked about on that particular day.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
To find all the show notes for the whole year, go to thebiblerecap.com forward slash show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
By the way, this isn't referring to rape. It's referring to a seduction that leads to consensual sex. Later, when we get to the book of Deuteronomy, we'll see that the penalty for rape is death. God also forbids charging interest on loans. Most interest rates in those days started out at about 25%. But guess who borrows money? The needy.
The Bible Recap
Day 037 (Exodus 22-24) - Year 7
So to add to the burden of one of his needy children was considered cruel. Instead, he emphasizes compassion toward the poor and the needy. God also has instructions for caring for the sojourners and the widows and the orphans. He shows special attention to those who are the most vulnerable in their society. He shows his people how to love each other and not exploit each other.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. We're continuing our downward spiral of Israel's judges after yesterday's tragedy with Gideon's son Abimelech, and today we encounter six bad judges. The first two barely get a mention. There was Tola from the tribe of Issachar, who lived among the tribe of Ephraim for some reason. Then there was Jer the Gileadite.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
But instead of asking God for direction, they ask each other. And they hastily appoint a man named Jephthah, who bears a lot of resemblance to what we saw from Abimelech yesterday. For being an outlaw and an outcast, Jephthah is pretty reasonable when he tries to negotiate with the Ammonite king. The king is angry because he says Israel took some land from him at some point.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
But Jephthah explains that's not what happened. Yes, we took this land, but from someone else, not you, because you didn't own it at the time we conquered it, which, by the way, was about 300 years ago. And besides, Yahweh is the one who gave it to us anyway, so you can't have it. But the Ammonite king isn't interested in being reasoned with, and Jephthah knows he has a war on his hands.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
God's spirit travels with Jephthah as he passes through the land, protecting him. This is interesting because even though he wasn't appointed by God as judge over his people, he is the judge over God's people nonetheless, and God comes to help him. But Jephthah makes a really terrible wartime decision. He's probably nervous and desperate, so he makes a hasty vow to God in an effort to win the war.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
He promises that if God gives them victory, he will sacrifice whatever comes out of his house first when he returns. Granted, he was probably thinking it would be an animal, but there were loads of things wrong with this vow regardless. First, God has promised Israel victory if they keep his laws. That's the way to victory, not hasty vows.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
God has already given him the game plan, but Jephthah disregards it. Second, when the Israelites win and Jephthah comes home and the first thing through the door is his daughter, that's the moment when he can cancel the vow and go offer a sin offering to God instead. Leviticus 5 gives the option of revoking a vow that would result in sin.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
but it seems like Jephthah may not fully know the law he is called to uphold and lead others by. Third, and then I'll add a caveat to this third point as well, human sacrifice is strictly forbidden in at least four different places in the books of the law, including Deuteronomy 18.10.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
Jephthah hastily makes a grand gesture in vowing to sacrifice anything, but when he says he can't take back his vow, he's wrong. This is just another example of why we have to weigh scripture against scripture. What Jephthah says here is inconsistent with what God has said directly.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
My caveat to the third point is that many people believe Jephthah didn't actually sacrifice his daughter, but that he just consigned her to live as a single woman for the rest of her life. This would have saved him the agony of murdering his daughter. But either way, there's one consequence that would have stuck with him regardless.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
Whether she lives as a single woman or whether she dies, his name dies out with him because she's his only child. And I also want to take a moment to point out a hard truth that we see in this passage here. Not everyone who wants to get married ends up getting married. Regardless whether she died young and alone or old and alone, Jephthah's daughter laments her lot in life, and lament is okay.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
She even carves out time for it, and she does it in community. As a single woman, I'm inspired by Jephthah's response. When we open Chapter 12, we see that Ephraim's got FOMO again. They're the scrappy little tribe always looking for a reason to break out their weapons, just like in Chapter 8 yesterday.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
Today, they're mad that Jephthah didn't call them to fight with him, but he says he did call them and they must have just forgotten to check their voicemail. They threaten to burn his house down, so he fights them, and they get the fight they're looking for. Real nice, guys. You're on the same team, remember? but they don't remember apparently.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
Gilead is a region in the Transjordan, so this is our first judge from across the Jordan River. When you read the term Gileadite, just know that's a reference to an Israelite from the Transjordan, not one of their many enemies. Then we see that the people of Israel are falling into apostasy again. In fact, we get seven groupings of other gods that they're beginning to worship.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
They're hurling insults and trying to trick each other. The men of Ephraim, for example, are trying to pose as Gileadites, those people who live east of the Jordan River, but they have different accents than the Gileadites and it gives them away. This would be like if I were posing as a Canadian and someone from Vancouver asked me to say the word about or the word aluminum.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
My citizenship would be evident right away. As a result of all the infighting, Ephraim loses 42,000 men. This is the first internal battle between the tribes of Israel, and it's a sign that things are going downhill quickly. We wrapped up today with a quick shot on the three judges that came immediately after Jephthah, Ibsen, Elon, and Abdon.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
Tomorrow we pick up with possibly the worst judge in the whole book, Samson. What was your God shot today? Mine was just a short little sentence about God in 1016. It says, He became impatient over the misery of Israel. What a tender-hearted God. If you ever wonder if God likes seeing you suffer or is trying to punish you, know that He aches alongside you.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
He wants what is best for you even more than you do. He certainly felt that way about the Israelites. They kept choosing sin, and he was doing the tough love thing at the time, letting them hit rock bottom. But all the while, his heart was aching over their rebellion. He grieves when his kids are in misery, and he draws near. I love how Psalm 34, 18 puts it.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. If you feel like the Israelites, miserable from your own rebellion, or if you feel like Jephthah's daughter, mourning your life circumstances— I'm praying today that you will feel the nearness of the Lord in your brokenhearted state and that your spirit will somehow feel less crushed as you remember his great salvation.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
He's with you and he's where the joy is. Ever since we launched our TBR content for kids, we've been loving seeing your posts about it. It's fun to see you doing the Bible Recap alongside your kids. Reading and understanding and loving the Bible is hard, even for adults. So we created the Bible Recap Kids Devotional. It's an activity book for kids ages 6 to 8.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
And we've also created the Bible Recap for Kids, which is for kids ages 8 to 12. These books follow the same reading plan you're on. And our prayer is that you and the kids in your life will read, understand, and love the Bible together. And by the way, we found that most teens prefer the standard version of TBR.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
But for the kids in your life, check out thebiblerecap.com forward slash kids or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
It looks like they'll worship anything. They don't discriminate at all. God grows angry with them and sells them into the hands of two other people groups, the Philistines and the Ammonites. They oppressed them for 18 years on the east side of the Jordan River, and they also fight against them on the west side of the Jordan River. Finally, Israel sees the error of their ways and they repent.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
But this time, God tells them that things are going to happen differently. He's not just going to raise up a judge to save them like he's done in the past. He tells them to cry out to those other gods for help instead. Their response to him suggests that maybe they really do get it this time.
The Bible Recap
Day 093 (Judges 10-12) - Year 7
They agree that they don't deserve saving, and they accept his words while still begging him for mercy and help. They know he's their only hope. Then they forsake their idols and worship Yahweh. Hooray! Then we cut to the Ammonites in the Transjordan, ready to go to war with Israel. The Israelites try to rally a sergeant for their army so they can fight them.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Judges is a book full of bloody and wicked stories. I tell you that not only so you can prepare your own heart for it, but in case you're concerned about little ears listening in. Depending on who's counting, this book covers anywhere from 160 to 410 years in its 21 chapters.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
This was the result of Israel's sin and failure to obey God's covenant and commands. And God warned them repeatedly about the consequences, which are the Canaanites will become a snare and lead them away into apostasy, and then they will become oppressed and dragged away. So today we set out for a long ride on the apostasy express.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
For the Israelites, this train runs in a loop, and it looks something like this. Israel sins, they fall into oppression, then they cry out to God who delivers them, then they repent and enjoy peace for a while before deciding again that they like sin more than peace. You'll see the pattern pretty often in this book. The Israelites were enticed by the sophistication of the Canaanites.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
Think about it. Their parents had lived in Egypt as slaves, so they came from nothing, and they'd spent their entire lives in tents in the desert. Now here they are in cities with art and architecture and literature and ports of trade. This was an aspirational lifestyle for them.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
Not only that, but it seemed like the way the Canaanites acquired this lifestyle was by worshiping their god through having sex with the so-called sacred prostitutes of the Temple of Baal. So according to Canaanite culture, all you have to do is sleep around and you become rich and powerful. Oh, and worship a god besides Yahweh and also sacrifice your children.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
The Israelites made concession after concession until their hearts had fully turned away from God. Here's an interesting question to ponder as we read through this book. Does Israel fall away because they have no strong leadership or because they're among the Canaanites? Moses' concern was always about them being among the Canaanites because he knew their hearts.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
But they rebelled even against him, and he was considered one of Israel's three strongest leaders of all time. No matter which way you slice it, whether it's sinful neighbors or poor leadership, it's still a heart issue. We follow what we love. We're about to find out what the Israelites love.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
In Judges 1-1, Israel starts out strong after Joshua's death by inquiring of God, and they want to eradicate the Canaanites, just like God commanded. Hooray, we're off to a great start. God tells them that the tribe of Judah, the largest tribe, should lead the charge to drive out the Canaanites.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
Judah calls on the tribe of Simeon for help, possibly because they were their closest relatives, or maybe because Simeon's land was in the middle of Judah's land, like a donut hole, so it made sense that they would fight together. They had some initial victory, even in Jerusalem. But as the chapter progresses, we see that it was short-lived.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
By the time we hit verse 21, they've lost the city again. And even though we mostly see victories in chapter 1, we see tiny hedges here and there where they allow the Canaanites to remain for one reason or another. It only takes them 19 verses to get off track.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
By the time we wrap up chapter 1, nine of the 9.5 tribes in the original promised land west of the Jordan River still have Canaanites living among them. The only exception is Issachar. We also see that they kept some of the Canaanites alive and made them into slaves, which was expressly forbidden by God.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
In chapter 2, God shows up in the form of the angel of the Lord to rebuke them for not driving out the Canaanites and tearing down their altars as they had agreed to do in response to his command and covenant with them. He tells them the consequences of their actions. The Canaanites will be a thorn in their flesh and they will fall into idolatry.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
Some people think some of the judges overlapped, so this is just a high-level account of what happened with each of the 12 judges in this time period. By the way, we have to reframe our understanding of the word judge in accordance with this book and time period. For the most part, these aren't courtroom judges.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
The people are devastated by this news and they weep and offer sacrifices to God, but their repentance is short-lived. There were two points in today's reading where we had flashbacks to previous readings in Joshua, the death of Joshua, and the allotment of springs to Caleb's daughter and her cousin Othniel when he won her hand in marriage. Don't let those flashbacks confuse you.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
The books of Joshua and Judges were written by different authors, so to them it didn't feel redundant or confusing. They were just giving important details that applied to what they were currently explaining. In chapter 2, when we flash back to Joshua's death, it's a reminder of a time when Israel was following God more closely.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
But even that great generation failed as leaders because they didn't appoint new leaders. And they didn't tell God's story to the following generation. They only led with the present in mind, and their legacy failed to continue. So the people begin to worship the gods of Baal and Ashtaroth, male and female gods of the Canaanites.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
God is furious, of course, and brings on the very thing he promised, discipline, in the form of being plundered and conquered. At the end of today's reading, we get an overview of the whole book. God raises up judges from among them to help lead them, but they reject the leaders and Yahweh himself and continue in wickedness.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
So God promises not to drive out their enemies since they've broken the covenant, and it will serve as a test to them. Will they repent? Will they turn back to him? Stay tuned to find out. Where did you see God's character on display today? What was your God shot? I saw so many things. His faithfulness to His covenant with them, which included both blessings for obedience and curses for rebellion.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
And I saw His patience with them, His willingness to forgive, His compassion toward them. But above all, I see how much He loves them. He's not just trying to force obedience without relationship. He's after their hearts. Nothing changes unless hearts change. Yesterday, we saw Joshua tell people to incline their hearts toward God. And today we see that his heart is inclined toward them as well.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
I'm so grateful. His love for me has prompted my heart to love him back because he's where the joy is. Israel is my second home and I want to help everyone see just how stunning it is. So a few years ago, I spent five weeks there alongside an incredible photographer, Richard Vandewater.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
We gathered an amazing collection of photos and we put them together for you in a stunning coffee table book called Israel, Beauty, Light and Luxury. It's a 256-page hardback, full-color, luxury copy table book. And it not only has all those beautiful photos, but I've also written 30 devotionals to go alongside some of my favorite biblical sites in the book.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
This book is different from anything I've ever made. The Holy Land is full of life and color and delicious food and incredible people, all stacked alongside some of the places where Jesus lived and died and rose again. You can find the book in our bookstore at thebiblerecap.com forward slash store. Now, hear me out. Seeing pictures of a place is great, but going there is even better.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
These are civil and military leaders, more like a very hands-on president who enacts laws and commands the army. Of all the judges in this book, the one who sticks the closest to what God has ordered is a woman named Deborah. But you're probably more familiar with the bad judges like Samson or the mediocre judges like Gideon. At this point in its history, Israel is still a theocratic nation-state.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
After a long wait, our team is returning to Israel, and we want to take you with us. Our partner ministry, Israelux, takes you on a teaching tour of Israel, where you can see the beauty of Israel alongside other Bible readers. If you want to learn more about these trips, visit israelux.com. That's I S R A E L U X.com or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
Being a theocracy means God rules the country, not a king or a president. There is no separation of church and state. This kind of system may sound like a great idea, but having God as your leader doesn't mean you follow him. The problem is the human heart. It doesn't respond to laws. It responds to what it loves.
The Bible Recap
Day 089 (Judges 1-2) - Year 7
And if you don't love God, you will find his rules repugnant and irrational, and you'll rebel against him. You may recall from yesterday that even though Israel is dwelling in the promised land, they still haven't conquered the land completely. There were pockets of Canaanites throughout the land and in major cities.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Yesterday when we left off, John was in a vision of God's throne room, and Jesus had just taken the seven-sealed scroll from the Father's right hand, because Jesus was the only one worthy to open it. Today he begins opening the seals, one by one.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
And just like with the seals, the first four trumpets the angels blow bring disaster on earth and in the skies. The fifth trumpet references a star falling from heaven, and this may be a reference to Satan's fall, like we've read about in Isaiah 14 and Luke 10. He seems to manage a locust attack, which is probably symbolic.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
Locusts in scripture sometimes refer to armies, but these locusts aren't allowed to kill any of God's kids. The sixth trumpet will bring about a plague and more death. But what's even sadder about all this death and destruction is that 920 tells us it doesn't yield repentance. The people continue in their idolatry. This is a lot like when God brought plagues in Egypt and Pharaoh didn't repent.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
Seeing God's power and knowing the truth doesn't change what a person believes in their heart. In fact, sometimes it can even harden their heart all the more because it's such an affront to their ego. Just when we think we'll hear the seventh trumpet, another angel shows up with another scroll.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
He plants one foot on earth, one foot on the sea, and reaches his fist to the heavens, then declares God's sovereignty over those three realms.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
Then he says the seventh trumpet will sound when the mystery of God is fulfilled, which some believe is the return of Jesus and the initiation of his kingdom, and others believe this is the gathering of the remnant of Israel after the inclusion of the Gentiles. God tells John to get the scroll from the angel and eat it, so he does. This isn't our first scroll-eating situation in Scripture.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
You may remember that from Ezekiel if you were with us in the Old Testament. This hurts his stomach, but it tastes sweet, which might mean its judgments are hard to stomach, but ultimately there's still goodness to it. Then someone, presumably God, tells John, you must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
And that's what John will begin doing in the last half of the book, which we'll read tomorrow. Before we jump into chapter 11, we have to talk about the actual timeline of John's visions. Some people think this book was written in the mid-60s, and others think it could have been written as late as the early 90s. All in the first century, of course.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
Something really important in Israel's history happened between those two time periods, and it impacts the way people read this book and this chapter in particular. In 70 AD, which is between the early potential date and the late potential date, Rome destroyed Jerusalem, including the second temple. And even though Jerusalem itself has been rebuilt, the temple hasn't.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
In fact, some Jews say it's impossible to rebuild it since they've lost the Ark of the Covenant and the temple furniture. And many Christians believe it doesn't need to be rebuilt because God's spirit dwells in his people now, not in a building. And there are probably 20 other opinions on top of these, but that's what you need to know as far as the background for chapter 11.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
As he opens the seal, it releases more of the scroll so more of the story can be read. It would be kind of like if a piece of paper were folded up seven times, and each time you unfold it, you see more of what's written. With the first four seals, we see four horses and four horsemen. These are commonly referred to as the four horsemen of the apocalypse.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
Because if this chapter was written in the 60s, the temple still stands. But if it was written in the 90s, the temple is gone. In his chapter 11 vision, John visits the temple to measure it. Most people who lean toward the early writing date believe that Rome's destruction of the temple and Jerusalem has fulfilled this prophecy already.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
Others believe the temple will be rebuilt and that this vision is literal. And still others believe it's symbolic and that this represents God's current dwelling place, his people. Then God says his holy city will be trampled for 3.5 years. And all those same theories apply to this as well. It already happened, it will literally happen, or it will symbolically happen to his people.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
There are two witnesses that show up here as well. God calls them lampstands and olive branches. Because of the way the churches were lampstands earlier in this vision, some believe these two lampstands represent the faithful witness of the church in the end times. Some compare them to Moses and Elijah because they bring blood and fire.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
Some compare them to Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel, the leader of the people. So while lots of people maybe know, who knows, who knows? Here's what we do know. God gives his people power in the midst of tragedy. When the enemy appears to be winning, God proves he can't be defeated. He sustains his anointed. When the seventh angel blows his trumpet, that was my God shot for today.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
Verse 15 says, "...the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." Scholars are quick to point out that this vision and revelation isn't necessarily happening in chronological order. So this sounds like things are getting tied up with a bow, but we aren't past all the death and destruction quite yet.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
But God lets us catch our breath here with this reminder. Jesus reigns supreme over all of this, and his reign will never end. There's a lot of dark stuff on these pages, it's true, and it all should be taken seriously. I don't skim over it because I'm dismissive of it. It's just that I know how fear and control can often get in the driver's seat when we read Revelation.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
Many people who talk about Christ's return end up fearing it more than looking forward to it. I don't want to dread it more than I long for it. Here's an analogy I'm not equipped to offer, but I'll give it a shot anyway.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
If you've given birth to a baby, did you spend more time being excited about it and buying clothes and decorating the nursery, or more time focused on what labor pains would be like? When it comes to Christ's return, I want to paint the nursery walls. I want to pick out booties. I want to get excited about it. Do I need to know the birth plan? Absolutely. But it's only a fraction of the story.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
It's only the beginning. And the reality is, it's probably not going to go exactly like I planned anyway. Right, parents? So I want to learn about this. I want to know it. But I want the driving force behind my thoughts to be love for Christ and eager anticipation of His return. Because the kingdom of God isn't for people who are afraid of hell and pain.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
The kingdom of God is for people who love God. And I believe you're here because you love him. I believe you know he's where the joy is. Our Recaptains are the best. They're the members of our TBR family who are financially supporting the Bible Recap and partnering with us to help more people around the globe read, understand, and love Scripture more.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
By the way, the word apocalypse in Greek is the English word revelation. So these could also be called the four horsemen of the revelation. They are all enemies of God. And even though one is on a white horse, don't let that fool you. He's a counterfeit of Jesus, who also rides a white horse later in this book. They bring death, disease, and destruction.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
Through their support, they also get to access more TBR content based on their support tier. Things like being a part of our exclusive Facebook discussion group, I love hanging out in there. They can also get monthly bonus content or have access to our other daily podcast, The Bible Kneecap, which is a daily prayer podcast that corresponds to our reading plan.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
So if you aren't a recaptain yet, this is a great time to join. And if you are a recaptain and you want to gift a subscription to someone else, you can do that too. And it's not too late to get this month's bonus content. This month, we're offering our Recaptains at the Bonus content here, a bonus episode on setting spiritual goals.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
It's great for anyone who is evaluating the year and praying through any goals you might have for the new year. To learn more about joining the Recaptains, go to our website, thebiblerecap.com, or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
But notice that these enemies of God still only operate under his jurisdiction. They come out when his seraphim give the command. They bring destruction, but any authority they have is tightly held by God and is only temporarily given to them for accomplishing his purposes of judgment on the earth. They are never in control, and God's reign is never in question.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
The three final seals pertain to God's people. Seal number five gives us a glimpse of the martyrs. Seal number six is the great day of the Lord we've been reading about throughout Scripture. Then, after this, we see the 144,000, which is probably a symbolic number that represents a much larger multitude.
The Bible Recap
Day 363 (Revelation 6-11) - Year 6
Some believe this represents specifically the promised remnant of the Jews, and others believe it represents all believers from all time. We'll link to two articles about this in the show notes. Then there's silence in heaven followed by the prayers of God's people. Then seven angels blow seven trumpets.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Yesterday ended with Joseph in prison in Egypt, forgotten by everyone but God, and probably his dad Jacob. Today we open with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, having a pair of weird dreams. They bothered him because, as we talked about yesterday, the ancient Near East cultures believed that dreams were messages from God.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
He basically says, because this is happening soon, you should put someone in charge of preparation. That person should store up 20% of all the harvest during the abundant years. Pharaoh asks around about who should fill this role and decides that this Hebrew guy, who is both discerning and wise, he should be the one in charge. So he puts Joseph in charge of everything in his house.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
Pharaoh gives him new clothes, which honestly just makes me nervous for Joseph at this point. This doesn't usually go well for him. Pharaoh gives him a new car, basically, and a gold chain and puts a signet ring on him. This is like the signet we talked about with Judah, the one Tamar got from him, except it was a ring.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
These rings were like signatures that you press into melted wax when you sign and seal a document. So it's a big deal that Joseph could sign documents for the king. By this time, Joseph was 30 years old. When he was sold into slavery by his brothers, he was 17, so he suffered for 13 years. But God has brought him to a place of abundance and power.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
Pharaoh also arranged a marriage between Joseph and a woman from a prominent local family. While Joseph is busy storing up immeasurable amounts of food during the seven years of abundance, he also fathers two children with his new wife and names them Manasseh and Ephraim. We'll be seeing those names a lot in our reading. Both of their names have meanings that signify Joseph's gratitude.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
By the time seven years of abundance end, Joseph is 37. It's now been 20 years since his brothers sold him into slavery. cut to Jacob, his father, back in Canaan with 11 sons in need of food. The famine has begun and they get word that there's grain for sale in Egypt.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
So the 10 oldest brothers make the journey about 450 miles, but dad keeps baby Benjamin, who is probably in his 20s, at home to protect him. Just a quick refresher, Jacob fathered children with two wives and two concubines. Of those four women, his wife Rachel was the only one he loved. They had two kids together, Joseph and Benjamin.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
Obviously, Jacob is going to be extra protective of Benjamin because he thinks Joseph is dead, so Benjamin is ostensibly his only child from his favorite wife. So Benjamin did not make the trip to Egypt with his brothers. Imagine being Joseph in Egypt, and one day your brothers who sold you into slavery appear before you and bow to you, fulfilling the prophetic dream you had 20 years earlier.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
Joseph recognizes them immediately, but he pretends not to. He even speaks to them through an interpreter to keep them from knowing that he can speak Hebrew. He's pretty mean to them at first, even accusing them of being spies. At first, it's hard to tell if he's being vindictive or if he has other motives at play here, but all that eventually becomes clear.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
They tell him they are 10 of 12 brothers from Canaan and that one is at home and one has died, but Joseph acts like he doesn't believe them. He says they have to prove that they aren't spies by bringing back the youngest brother. This could have been a test of their sincerity, but it was most likely a desire to see his full brother Benjamin.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
Then Joseph puts them all in custody for three days and says he'll keep one brother as a hostage while they make the round trip to get Benjamin and prove they aren't spies. The brothers panic. Their struggle and confinement seem to really produce some introspection on their lives.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
In conversation with each other, they confess their guilt and regret over what they'd done to Joseph, discussing all of this in front of him in a language they don't know he understands. Can you imagine? Joseph steps away and weeps when he overhears all this. The plan is for Simeon to stay behind in Egypt as a hostage while the others go back to Canaan.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
So Pharaoh called for his magicians to interpret these dreams. First of all, don't think David Blaine-type magicians. Think Hollywood medium-type magicians. They were more like spiritual mediums who would interpret signs and omens. But second of all, and in general, I should point out that consulting mediums and spiritists is ill-advised. We'll see that here, but also throughout Scripture.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
Joseph gives orders to give them free grain by sneaking their money back into their grain sacks after they pay. We don't know whether this is a test or an act of generosity or both, but the brothers receive it as neither. They think it's God's judgment. Now, I've never gotten free money and thought God was judging me, so I can't relate, but that's how they felt.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
They panic again, and then we end today's reading with a cliffhanger. The brothers break the news to Daddy Jacob that this guy in Egypt wants them to bring Benjamin to him in order for Simeon to be released, and Jacob refuses. Where did you see God today? What did he do or what did he reveal to you about himself in the passage?
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
Honestly, it was pretty hard for me to nail down just one God shot today, but here we go. I saw God's abundant generosity. Not only does it show up in Joseph's life, that's an easy one, but it also shows up in God's abundant generosity to His enemies. Think about this.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
In Egypt, a land that did not worship Him, a land that enslaved His people, a land whose very name serves to represent His enemies throughout Scripture— He sent one of his people to warn them about a famine and make a way to feed them. And then there's his generosity to Joseph's brothers through Joseph himself. They not only got grain, but they got their money back.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
What appeared to be tragic and prompted fear in them was actually a double portion that God generously provided. But maybe you are in the famine right now and there's no end in sight. You don't have the benefit of a seven-year timeline and it doesn't seem like God is being generous. Let me encourage you with Joseph's story.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
I'm sure being in power is great and having your own chariot is awesome, but even in the pit and the prison, Joseph knew that some very real sense of joy could be found there because God was with him and he's where the joy is. From time to time, some of you ask how you can reach us through the mail. We would love to hear from you.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
Our mailing address is on the contact page of our website, thebiblerecap.com, and we'll also post it for you in today's show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
Pharaoh's magician mediums were useless. It was all part of God's plan to help the cupbearer remember that Joseph exists and is really good at this dream interpretation thing. After all, Joseph had delivered God's interpretation of the cupbearer's dream and the chief baker's dream a couple of years earlier.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
So the cupbearer filled Pharaoh in on this, and Pharaoh had Joseph brought to him quickly, but not before a shave because those Egyptians loved a bald head. Pharaoh asks Joseph for an interpretation, and Joseph makes it clear that this is not some skill he possesses, but that it is, in fact, a gift from God.
The Bible Recap
Day 026 (Genesis 41-42) - Year 7
Pharaoh shares the dreams with Joseph, who then, without missing a beat, tells him what they mean. There will be seven years of agricultural abundance in Egypt, and then there will be seven years of famine in that part of the world. And it's about to happen real soon. Then, after his dream interpretation, Joseph drops some wisdom on Pharaoh.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. We wrapped up the five books of the law yesterday, and we've already hit one of the wisdom books when we read Job. Today we step into the first of the history books. As we read through these, remember that their goal isn't so much to reveal history as it is to reveal God, so keep looking for Him.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
Remember, he was a spy once, along with 11 others, and he probably knew what kind of man made a good spy versus what kind would come back terrified and unbelieving. He sends the spies to Jericho, a city that's just across the border in the Jordan River, because it will be a logical first step in taking the Promised Land.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
The first thing the spies encounter when they get to Jericho are the city walls. The wall was probably a double wall, and it was common for poor people, like Rahab the prostitute, to build their homes in the narrow space between those two walls. The spies had two primary goals on this trip—stay safe and get a good view of the city's layout.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
What better place to accomplish both of those goals than a rooftop on the edge of the city? You'll find lots of people who think the spies are staying at Rahab's house for reasons that are not so honorable, but to me, it seems more locationally strategic than anything.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
Plus, the text doesn't give us any reason to think they have ill intentions, and from what we've seen so far of the Bible, it doesn't hesitate to tell us the ugly truths. Other historical texts suggest Rahab also ran a hotel of sorts, so that could be the reason they stayed there. Plus, what we see about Rahab is that even though she's a Canaanite prostitute, she seems to fear Yahweh.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
She says the fear of the Israelites has fallen on her people, which is the fulfillment of something God promised in Exodus 15 and 23. She seems to have a real faith in the God of Israel and knows what He is capable of. She's heard stories of something God did hundreds of miles away, 40 years earlier, and this was all before the internet. I know word travels, but that is crazy to me.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
Think about it this way. If you live in America, can you tell me off the top of your head one thing that happened in Canada 40 years ago? Probably not. But Rahab has heard about how God led them across the Red Sea on dry land, which is a story they seem to often forget themselves. Rahab is praised twice in the New Testament, in Hebrews and James, for the way she lived out her faith.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
Not only that, but she's included in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1, which is kind of a big deal. Rahab's understanding and fear of Yahweh leads her to do something that you may struggle with if you're a rule keeper at all costs. She lies to the king's men and says the spies aren't at her house. Meanwhile, she's hiding them on the roof. Does this remind you of anything we've seen before?
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
It made me think of what we read in Exodus 1, 15-21, where the Egyptian midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, refused to kill the Hebrew babies and possibly lied to Pharaoh about it, and God blessed them. Rahab lied to the king's men and sent the spies to hide in the hills. The spies make a deal with her for saving their lives.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
When they come to take Jericho, she and her family should throw a red rope out her window so they can easily identify her home and make sure to spare her and her family. Remember this moment, because we're going to encounter a lot of wartime language in Joshua where God tells the Israelites to destroy all the people in the land of Canaan.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
Yesterday, Moses died after 40 years of leading the Israelites through the wilderness. This was probably around 1400 BC, which is roughly 2,500 years after we first met Adam and Eve. Before Moses dies, he passes the torch to his assistant Joshua, the man God appointed to lead the people into the Promised Land.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
And it's going to be important for us to remember that this is not genocide or ethnic cleansing that God is calling for. This has nothing to do with their ethnicity and everything to do with the fact that they were idolaters who did things like child sacrifice. And God was bringing judgment on their sins, but He was always willing to spare the repentant.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
Anytime someone repented, even a prostitute, they were kept alive and welcomed to live among the Israelites. God isn't calling for the wholesale slaughter of the Canaanites. There are obvious exceptions that we'll see in the text and Rahab and her family are among them. I also want to point out one thing about these two spies. They believe God's promise.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
That's another reason why I think they were honorable in their actions toward Rahab. In 2.14, they told Rahab, Not only do they believe God is going to bless them as He said, but they're already planning on paying that blessing forward. So the spies go back to Joshua and give him the good news, and Joshua rallies everyone to cross into the promised land. Finally! Okay, here we go.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
They put the Ark of the Covenant way out front, like half a mile ahead, carried by the Levite priests. Then they all follow behind. And guess what happens? They hit a river. But no big deal. This has happened to their parents, and they've heard stories about how God came through. I mean, even the Canaanite prostitutes have heard that story.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
Last time they had to cross a body of water, God stopped the water before they entered. But this time, the water doesn't stop until they step into it. Walking with God requires increasing amounts of obedience and trust. In 317, just as they're crossing over, God calls Israel a nation for the first time. This has been promised since way back in Genesis 12 too.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
Up until this point, they were just a people, but now they're a nation. God has fulfilled that promise to them. God tells them to set up 12 stones, one for each tribe, because even the Transjordan tribes came to help take the land like they promised. These stones would serve as a reminder for them and for their children so they won't forget what God did here.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
Not only that, but in 424, God says all of this is so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever. The miracle of God's provision for Israel was an invitation to all people groups to know and fear him.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
And speaking of provision, if you remember anything about the Hebrew calendar, you may have noticed what day they set foot in the promised land. It's the day that preparation for the Passover celebration begins. That means we've got some big stuff coming up in the days ahead, so stay tuned. What was your God shot today?
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
I noticed something that kept showing up in chapter one when God was telling Joshua to be strong and courageous. It does take strength and courage to be obedient, but every time God commanded that, he preceded it or followed it with the promise that he would be with Joshua. It's a reminder that strength and courage aren't just things we muster on our own.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
Joshua was from the tribe of Ephraim, which was the smallest non-Levite tribe at this point, so it's a pretty big deal that he gets this role. Both God and the Israelites tell Joshua to be strong and courageous. He hears that four times in one chapter alone, three times from God and once from the people. He heard it from above and from below, from his leader and from his followers.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
It's not just some mental pep rally or some mindset we meditate our way into. True strength and courage is established by being mindful of God's presence in our lives. He never asks us to do things on our own. His nearness is what equips us to obey. And He never asks us to be our own strength or provision. He provides all that He requires of us. He's where the strength is.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
He's where the courage is. And he's where the joy is. If you've been watching The Chosen, you know Season 5 is coming to theaters on March 28th. And we've got a sneak peek for you where you can experience what it might have looked like as the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus. We've linked to the full clip in our show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
Are you the person who hears me talk about writing a review and thinks, oh, I want to do that. Someday I'll do that. Guess what? Today is your day. Today is the day you remember. I've been that person before and I know that sometimes I just need a reminder. So if that's you, here it is.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
We'd love for you to drop a five-star review for us and write a sentence or two about the Bible recap so others can find us. Okay, I'll let you go now because I think I heard you mention there was something you wanted to do. Just kidding. Have a great day.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
It's already a big deal when God repeats himself, but when everyone around you is also telling you the same thing, you know it's something you need to hear. As they prepare to head into Canaan, Joshua reminds the 2.5 Transjordan tribes, Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, that they still have to cross the Jordan and fight for the land like all the other tribes.
The Bible Recap
Day 082 (Joshua 1-4) - Year 7
Then they can come back east and live in the pasture lands they requested from God back in Numbers 32. They agree to do all Joshua commands them, just like they did with Moses. Which, honestly, doesn't sound like a great promise. These people are pretty forgetful if they really thought they obeyed Moses, but whatever. Joshua sends two spies into the Promised Land.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Let me start out by saying this book has been poorly named in English. In Hebrew, it was called In the Wilderness. For those of you who don't love actual numbers, just know that even though this book does contain them, it also contains some highly underrated stories of Scripture, some of my favorites.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
Just 13 months ago, God rescued him out of Egyptian slavery through the hand of Moses and his older brother Aaron. Moses just spent 40 days on Mount Sinai for the second time, with God passing down laws for him to give to these 12 tribes of people who are the descendants of those 12 brothers we met almost five centuries ago.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
The last time we saw Moses, he was on Mount Sinai with God, getting instructions about the covenant God was entering into with these 12 tribes. Today, God and Moses are talking again, but this time they're meeting in the tabernacle, which is in the midst of their encampment in the wilderness of Sinai, not far from the mountain.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
In this conversation, God asked Moses to take a census of all the men aged 20 and up from these 12 tribes. This is the kind of thing someone might do in preparation for war, counter-soldiers. Given what you know so far, who do you think God might be preparing them to fight against? After they're all counted, we see that Judah's tribe is the largest of the twelve by far.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
They're more than twice the size of some of the other tribes. Do you remember back in Genesis 49 when Jacob Israel was dying and he prophesied a blessing over each of his sons, including the two sons of Joseph that he had formally adopted as his own, Ephraim and Manasseh?
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
What we learned in these two chapters today about the size and preeminence of the tribe of Judah aligns perfectly with what Jacob Israel said about Judah on that day over 400 years ago. God is fulfilling the words he spoke through Jacob Israel when he said, Did you notice that when it came to Joseph, the numbers diverged into the lines of his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh?
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
This is the result of his father Jacob Israel's adoption of Joseph's two sons as his own heirs. So given this addition, it seems like there are now 13 clans or tribes, not just 12. That could throw everything off, right? Not to worry. God has a plan for it all, and we'll see that unfold in the days ahead. Maybe you also noticed that he told Moses not to count the Levite tribe.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
They were the tribe of priests whose jobs and lives were centered around the tabernacle. To work around it, to live around the perimeter of it, to care for and protect it, to protect others from coming in contact with the holiness of it so they don't die, as well as disassembling it, carrying it through the desert anytime they moved, and reassembling it in the new location.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
So the Levites were the one tribe of the original twelve that were set apart in this way. In chapter 2, God gives orders on how all the tribes would be arranged in their camps around the tabernacle. This is a brand new structure for them, and it's supposed to be in their midst, in the very heart of the encampment.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
The inner rectangle would have been the Levites, and the outer rectangle had three tribes on each side, dividing them into four groups. If you're visual and you want to see how the camp may have looked, we've included a link to a diagram in the show notes. God also gave them their marching orders, group by group, tribe by tribe, for when they moved through the desert with the tabernacle.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
What was your God shot today? Where did you see God's character on display? For me, it was in the census. And surely that was one of the purposes God had in mind for them as well, helping them to see his work in all this, building their trust in him and in his promises. I think of all they've been through since God first promised Abraham that he would increase his offspring.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
Most people won't wade through the numbers to get there, but we're not afraid. We know we'll learn something even in the days of actual numbers. So let's go. Numbers is the fourth book in the Torah, also known as the Books of the Law, the Book of Moses, and the Pentateuch. Numbers is the continuation of the story of this family we've been following since day one back in Genesis 1.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
And here we are, numbering into the millions if you count women and children. Some believe this is not the actual number, but that it's a literary device that indicates a large army, but of much smaller size. But regardless which scenario is accurate, these 12 tribes of some great size are evidence of God fulfilling his promises. I've said it before and I'll say it again.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
What God initiates, he will sustain and he will fulfill. We've seen so much sin in this storyline so far. And it all goes to show that you can't manipulate your way out of his plan. You can't fear your way out of his plan. You can't murder your way out of his plan. You can't escape God's good plan for your good and his glory. We're in it, you guys. This is the plan.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
It's mountaintops some days and pits and prisons other days. But here we are on all kinds of days, trusting that he's where the joy is. Where do you recap? Where do you get your daily dose of joy? Show us a picture of yourself listening or just show us the spot where you spend time with God. We would love to see it. Does your dog join you, your baby, your coffee, your front porch?
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
Or do you recap in your cube at work or at the gym or while wearing your sheet mask at night? Snap a picture, post it to your socials and tag us. We're The Bible Recap Everywhere.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
According to the timeline laid out in Scripture, we've been following this family for almost 2,700 years of their lives. Adam eventually led to Noah, then God wiped out the earth's population except for eight people in Noah's family, and they started over with a clean slate.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
Through Noah's second son, Shem, we eventually get to Abraham, and God makes a promise to Abraham to be the father of many nations. His second son, Isaac, is the child through which this promise will be fulfilled, and that promise transfers through to Isaac's second son, Jacob. Jacob has 12 sons, and 10 of them sold one of them, Joseph, into slavery.
The Bible Recap
Day 054 (Numbers 1-2) - Year 7
But God loved those 12 brothers and promised to give them the land of Canaan to live in, where their enemies, the Canaanites, lived. This one brother's enslavement took a turn for the good, but then resulted in all of his family and their descendants being in slavery in Egypt for 400 years.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Today we drop back in on the book of Hebrews and its rich descriptions of Jesus and his supremacy over all things. Chapter 7 opens by continuing to compare him to the Old Testament priest Melchizedek.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
The old law that the priests upheld was great for when they were under the old priestly system, but we have a new system in place now because the priest has changed. It's kind of like how our laws change when we get new leaders in office. Now that Jesus is our high priest, we operate under a new covenant. And verse 27 points out why this is infinitely better.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
It says, He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. Jesus offered the final sacrifice for our sins. There's no need for a sacrificial system anymore. He finished it.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
Chapter 8 reminds us that after he finished paying for our sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Priests don't sit. There's too much work to do. So the fact that he's sitting, it's because the work is done, finished. The author references this again later in 10.12 when he says, When Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
Another reason why this new covenant is superior is because the old one had some major limitations. Namely, it couldn't change hearts. It could reveal sin, but it couldn't make a person not love sin. But the new covenant is written on our hearts. It reaches us on every level. The author says this new covenant makes the old one obsolete.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
You don't need to have laws telling you to do something if your heart wants to do it. You do it anyway because you're motivated by love, not by law. The author references this again in 10.9 when he says, he does away with the first in order to establish the second. You can see how this probably hits the Jewish Christians where they live.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
It has to be a real challenge to shift the frame of mind they've been living in for 2,000 years. For them, the law isn't just a preference or a habit or even a belief. It's their entire culture and identity. Chapter 9 describes the interior of the temple and how priests of the old covenant had to make mediation. Verse 15 says, Christ is the mediator, or the high priest, of the new covenant.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
But this new covenant doesn't do away with blood. It's still required. Sin still has to be atoned for. Verse 22 says that if blood isn't shed, sins aren't forgiven. But in this new covenant, we have the blood of a perfect sacrifice, the blood of Christ. And because he is the perfect sacrifice, he only has to be sacrificed once.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
Some scholars believe he was a Christ type, while others believe he was God the Son, making a special appearance on earth before he was born as Jesus. They certainly have a lot in common. For instance, Melchizedek's name means righteousness, and he was the king of a place called peace. And when he showed up in Genesis 14, he brought out bread and wine.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
That's why the author keeps driving home the phrase, "'Once for all time, the deal is done.'" Verse 28 says, "'So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.'" So yeah, he'll be back, but not to die again, not to be sacrificed again, but to be celebrated.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
Chapter 10 revisits some of the other limitations of the law. For instance, if sacrificing an animal could pay for sin, then why did they have to keep doing it year after year? The author tells us in verse 4, "...it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin." And several times in the Old Testament, God told his people this. He said, "...I don't want your sacrifices.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
That's not what I'm after. I'm after your hearts." The sacrificial system provided a temporary solution to a permanent problem. But Christ's death solved the problem once for all time. The author is like a broken record with this idea. He says it again in 1014, The Holy Spirit bears witness that our hearts have changed under this new covenant.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
And because our sins have been paid for, God is no longer accepting any payments. Verse 26 and 27 say, He uses this fact to urge them to hold fast to their faith and not try to turn to other solutions because other solutions don't exist. He says, If we disregard what we know of Christ and just do our own thing, then we try to look to anyone or anything but Christ to pay for our sins.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
We heap judgment on ourselves. We're disregarding the truth. There is salvation in no one else. He calls them to endure, despite persecution and despite things in life not being fair, because endurance is the test of our faith. It's what reveals the state of our hearts. Whether we really believe or whether we're just people who heard about Jesus and nodded in agreement then walked away.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
He encourages them to encourage each other because he knows they'll need it. He says, keep meeting together, prompt each other to walk in love and good works, remembering all the while that Jesus is coming back. My God shot today came from two different spots and how they fit together. The first was in the temple description in chapter 9.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
The author is describing a place where God dwelled before he took up residence in his people instead. While God's presence is in all places, his presence was especially concentrated in a room in the temple called the Holy of Holies, which was sectioned off by a curtain. But remember when Jesus died and there was an earthquake and the curtain in the temple was split from the top to the bottom?
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
We read about it in Matthew 27. Those concurrent events signaled a change in station. God's dwelling place wouldn't be in the temple anymore. And not long after that, God's Spirit came to dwell in His people. This is how our hearts can be changed, by the presence of His Spirit in us. Later, in chapter 10, we see another layer to this story. Verses 19-22 say, The curtain was his flesh.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
And the author of Hebrews makes a case for Melchizedek being greater than Abraham because he bestowed a blessing to Abraham. The idea of someone being greater than Abraham was probably shocking to Jewish readers. It's a pretty great story. Check it out if you have time.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
The curtain was torn from heaven to earth to open the way for us to be united to the Father. He lets us draw near, so let us draw near. He's where the joy is. DGroup International is the partner ministry of TBR. Here at TBR, we read the Bible, and in DGroup, that stands for discipleship group, we study the Bible. We meet in homes, in churches, and even online.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
If you want to see when and where DGroups meet near you, visit mydgroup.org forward slash map. And if there's nothing that works for you, check out mydgroup.org forward slash online to see if an online group might work instead. And if none of that works, you can always sign up to become a leader. We'll put you through all of our training online.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
For more info, visit mydgroup.org or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
And if you want more information on the mysterious Melchizedek, we've linked to a video and an article again in today's show notes. Another interesting thing about Melchizedek is that he wasn't a descendant of the line of Levi, and all the priests during the Old Covenant were supposed to be descended from Levi.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
But there's a good reason he wasn't a descendant of Levi, because he lived about 500 years before Levi was born. As a non-Levitical priest, one not descended from Levi, Melchizedek kind of sets a precedent for Jesus as priest, because Jesus was also not a descendant of Levi. But Jesus, who is from the line of Judah, gets his priestly authority based on the fact that he is eternal. That'll do it.
The Bible Recap
Day 356 (Hebrews 7-10) - Year 6
If you joined us in the New Testament, it's possible that some of this may be lost on you, but I hope you'll stick around and join us when we start in Genesis 1 again, because it will help you see some of the really rich textures in this story. One of the things it points to is this.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Yesterday, we saw God fulfilling his 25-year-old promise to Abraham by giving him a son, Isaac. Today, we hit a pretty important story in Abraham's life. There are some really unique language things happening here that we need to pay attention to.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
According to Hebrews 11, Abraham's faith is a huge faith. It's a faith that believes in something that has never yet been done. But it's not the size of our faith that makes things happen. It's the plan of God. And God's plan is for Isaac to live, but for Abraham to be tested. God knows our hearts, but the testing he puts us through reveals a lot to us about what we truly believe.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
And Abraham willingly faces the test. Now, here's where a lot of us may be shocked, because most of us have gotten our theology from Renaissance paintings, which I've previously mentioned as being terrible Bible teachers. Most of us picture Isaac as being a young boy when this happens, like five or six years old. But most Jewish historians say he's probably 25 to 30.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
And even logic would tell us that a small boy couldn't carry the large amount of wood required for an animal sacrifice up a mountain. At the very least, he would have been a teenager. This also points us to the fact that anyone who is strong enough to carry wood up a mountain is strong enough to resist their elderly dad when he tries to kill him.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
Abraham is well over 100 years old at this point, but Isaac doesn't resist being the sacrifice, just like Christ. And the wood that is laid on him that he carried up the mountain, does that sound familiar? This whole story is actually pointing us towards something greater than Isaac. Isaac is a Christ type, a foreshadowing.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
But then, as Isaac is on the altar, we see an appearance of the Angel of the Lord, capital L-O-R-D. In other words, God the Son before he is born on earth as Jesus. He shows up and puts a stop to things. God provides a substitute. God provides the sacrifice, just like Abraham says in 22.8. It reminds me that all my sacrifices to God and for God originate as gifts from God.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
Nothing I offer God—worship or faith or good works or time or money—none of it finds its origin in me. When all this happens, Abraham declares one of God's names. We see this a lot in Scripture, where people give names based on what you do. They're a function of your activity or your character. Even today, this is how a lot of us got our last names.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
Someone in our lineage was a Smith or a Taylor or a Miller. Probably somebody in my lineage made shoes or maybe pies. Anyway... Abraham calls God the Lord who provides, Jehovah Jireh. God's names tell us about God's character and his actions. Put a pin in that because we'll come back to it in the future. Verse 14 goes on to say, "...on the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
So first, we start out with God's call to Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. This is crazy, right? Human sacrifice? That's not the God we know, is it? No, you're right. It isn't. God does not delight in human sacrifice. This becomes obvious later, but it's even hinted at here. Abraham is called to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, not to sacrifice him. It's an offer God rejects, fortunately.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
One thing that's interesting here, this mountain in the land of Moriah where all this takes place, there's a lot of reason to believe that this is the exact same place where Solomon would build his temple and that it's also on this short stretch of mountains where Jesus would be crucified. On the mount of the Lord, it shall be provided. And it is.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
God again reiterates his promise to Abraham through Isaac. There would be many descendants and much land. And God says, Again, this is a prophecy of Jesus, who came to save people from among every nation. Interestingly, even people who aren't a part of Abraham's family. In chapter 23, Sarah dies and Abraham negotiates a burial spot for her.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
The reason this is a big deal is because here we have Abraham buying a plot of land in Canaan, the very land God promised him, the land currently inhabited by his enemies. You guys, this passage isn't just caves and fields and silver coins. It's significant. Then, in chapter 24, Abraham is old and tired, and he wants to make sure everything else is in order for his death.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
He makes an oath with his servant in a way that was customary at the time, but was kind of bizarre. The text describes him saying, "'Put your hand under my thigh,' but the generally accepted meaning is that it's more likely somewhere in the general thigh region where one might swear on their offspring if you get my drift." The reason is, this is a very big deal.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
At the time, Isaac is still single, and Abraham knows he would need to marry in order to make many nations from his bloodline. And Abraham and Isaac are living in the land of their enemies, the Canaanites, people who are not circumcised as God commanded, and people who do not live according to God's ways.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
But it's the land God promises to give them eventually, and Abraham knows he needs to stay put. But there are zero options of women for his son to marry there, which means he wouldn't be able to have grandchildren like God promises. So Abraham needs to make sure Isaac marries only someone who worships the same God they worship. But all those women live far away. You see the conundrum?
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
Abraham's servant makes the oath, then sets out on a 20-plus day journey to Abraham's homeland. He goes first to the well, which is a pretty smart move because that's where the young women go to draw water. He prays a prayer asking God for help and direction. And before he even finishes praying, the answer to his prayer appears. Rebecca.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
God has sent her to the well in His perfect timing in order to accomplish His plans. She's kind and generous. She has a servant's heart. And most importantly, she's from Abraham's clan. Her family doesn't want her to leave, but she finally cuts the apron strings and goes back with Abraham's servant. As she's leaving, her family prays the same blessing over her that God spoke over Isaac in 2217.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
And then there's this beautiful moment where 40-year-old Isaac, who is out meditating in the field, where he's likely also been working, meets Rebecca, who has been working at the well. They're both walking out their calling, and God crosses their paths through a weird oath, a servant's prayer, and a bunch of camels. What was your God shot today?
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
I'll tell you something beautiful that I noticed about the way God talks with Abraham. He has this way of talking to him that's specific yet vague. In 22.2, God says to go to one of the mountains of which I shall tell you. In 12.1, it's the land that I will show you. So many of us just want God to tell us the whole plan so we can do it.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
But the point is not doing what God wants us to do, so much as it is doing it with God and through His power. It's like this. Let's say you're going on a road trip to a friend's beach house, and you have two options.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
You can either ask your friend to tell you the destination address so you can type it into your GPS, then wave goodbye to them as you head out on your own, or you can ask that friend to get in the car with you and show you the way there. Some of you introverts may think the former sounds better, but hopefully you get my point. We're on a journey with God as He leads us step by step.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
We're not just taking assignments and orders from Him. It's way more beautiful to enjoy the intimacy that comes in the moment-to-moment interaction with Him. So many of you are already experiencing this through our daily Bible reading plan. I've seen it on your social media posts. You've sent it to me in emails.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
You already know Him so much better than you did just three weeks ago because of this daily interaction with Him. Because you're starting to see with your own eyes that He's where the joy is. Each month, we offer special bonus content to those of you who are Recaptains. For the month of January, we have a bonus episode on helpful tools for Bible study.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
And here's another interesting language detail. God also refers to Isaac as Abraham's only son, which we know isn't literally true because of Ishmael. But in terms of the uniqueness of God's covenant with Abraham, it certainly is true. You may remember that when God commanded Abraham to be circumcised, he immediately obeyed. And we see the same thing happening here.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
We'll be sending that out to Recaptains who have joined at the bonus content tier or higher. If that's you, just log into your Recaptain account to get your perks. Or if you've selected to have it emailed to you, you can look for it there. If you're a part of the Recaptains at a different tier and you want access to this perk, you can log into your account and adjust your membership accordingly.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
And if you're not a Recaptain yet, this is a great time to jump in. Check out today's show notes for a link to our Recaptains so you don't miss out. Or click the Recaptains link on the website, thebiblerecap.com.
The Bible Recap
Day 019 (Genesis 22-24) - Year 7
Abraham and Isaac set out on their journey early the next morning. Some of the toughest assignments in all of Scripture are given to Abraham— And he doesn't seem to hesitate with any of it. First of all, Abraham knows that God is not going to make him kill Isaac. Or that if he does, God will raise him from the dead. Which, by the way, is something we have no biblical record of prior to this.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Moses is still giving his final speech to the Israelites before he dies and they enter the promised land. He starts with some peculiar commands about haircuts. Back in the day, one of the way pagans grieved was by shaving their heads. And Moses was outlawing this because it was pagan adjacent.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
And the heart behind this could be good, but we'll see over time how these fences began to be treated like they were the law itself, instead of a man-made attempt to protect the law. In the laws for the sabbatical year, we see God's heart toward the poor on display again. Debts are forgiven and servants are released from their contracts.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
God promised that if they remain faithful to his command, there will always be enough to go around. And those who would be considered poor will be cared for by the surplus of the wealthy. If they're faithful to him, he will bless them so much that the other nations around them will borrow from them and they won't ever have to borrow.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
This keeps the Israelites free from the kind of financial attachments to pagan nations that might result in their being enslaved again. God also sets out some commands about how to feel and think, not just how to act. God's concern for things at a heart level doesn't just start in the New Testament. He's always been after our hearts, not just our obedience.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
In 15.9-10, He says things like, He cares about our motives. In February's RNC episode, we talked about how the arrangement for debtors is different than the Atlantic slave trade, even though the word slave is what's used in scripture. If you missed that conversation, check it out when you have a chance. I think it will be really helpful. We'll link to it in the show notes today.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
In the arrangement for the Sabbath year release of these servants, God commands that they not only be released, but be blessed and provided for. By the way, do you remember how Jacob agreed to serve his father-in-law Laban seven years in exchange for his daughter Rachel? That's exactly the kind of agreement we're talking about here. Arranging to work for someone for seven years to pay off debt.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
In Jacob's case, he was working off the bride price, and he had to do it twice since he accidentally got himself two wives. He voluntarily stayed with Laban for a few more years after his debt was paid. Then he asked Laban to bless him with some animals when he left. This gives us a good picture of what these slave relationships were like, even though that particular one was still far from ideal.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
If a slave really liked his boss, he would decide to stay with him forever and be absorbed into the family, which was always voluntary. They would mark this decision by piercing his ear. Moses also goes over some of the festal calendars again.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
He's reiterating a lot of these laws now because remember, they've been celebrating these things in the wilderness for 40 years, and now the way they're going to do things will shift since they'll be spread out in the promised land instead of gathered together as one large group.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
These festivals will require them to travel to the central location where the tabernacle will be established once they take the land. In 16.3, Moses says, And in 16.12, he says, You'd think that would be the kind of thing most people would want to forget, like, the past is behind you, don't look back or you'll never move forward. But that's not God's approach to this.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
This law had already been given to the priests back in Leviticus 21, but here Moses gives it to all the Israelites who were supposed to look and live differently than their neighbors. Pagans were also known to cut themselves as a part of their ritual mourning practices, and Moses forbids that too. He also covers some dietary laws, much of which we've seen before.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
He says, remembering where they came from and what He has done for them is what will keep them humble and grateful. The Exodus is for Jews what the resurrection is for Christians. It's the most important thing in their history. Moses tells them to always look back at that to remember who they are, just as we should always be looking back at the resurrection to remind us who we are.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
But we also get to look forward to the return of the resurrected Christ. We live in the time period theologians call the already but not yet, because we live between the first coming and the final coming of the Messiah. The best way for us to stay humble and worshipful is to remember these two things as well. And that's where my God shot came in.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
I saw that not only will remembering keep us humble and worshipful, but it will keep us joyful too. In 16, 14 through 15, when Moses is talking about the Feast of Booths, he says, you shall rejoice in your feast and the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands so that you will be altogether joyful. He's after our joy and he knows where joy is found.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
It's one reason he keeps drawing us near to himself. Not only does he want to be near us, but he wants us to be joyful. In Psalm 1611, David says it like this, In his presence there is fullness of joy. And David was right. He's where the joy is. We know lots of you are fans of The Chosen, so if that's you, we have great news.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
We have a sneak peek of Season 5, which premieres in theaters on March 28th. This scene depicts a tense moment among the religious leaders of Jesus' day. We'll link to the full clip in our show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
One of my favorite things to do is study the Bible with other people so we can share what God's teaching us in his word. And that's exactly what D Group is all about. If you've never heard of it, D Group International is one of our partner ministries and the D stands for discipleship.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
In D Group, you can join a small group where you're all learning together as you dig into the Bible, memorize scripture, share prayer requests and serve together. We meet in person or online. We start new studies every six weeks and we'd love to have you join us as we launch our next session. If there aren't any dGroups near you or if they're all full, consider starting one.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
Everything you need to know is at mydgroup.org or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
One of the interesting ones here that carries a lot of weight in keeping kosher comes from 1421, the command not to boil a goat in its mother's milk. Over the years, many rabbis have debated over what all the laws mean and how to apply them. They often extend the boundaries of what is unacceptable to make sure they don't get anywhere close to breaking the actual law.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
They call this building a fence around the law. One of the things the rabbis deduced about this law was that they should avoid mixing milk and meat. So today, if you go to Israel, you'll find that those two things aren't served at the same meal for any place that keeps kosher.
The Bible Recap
Day 075 (Deuteronomy 14-16) - Year 7
You can switch it up however you like schedule-wise, but typically, dairy is served at breakfast, loads of cheeses and milks and yogurts, and meat is served at the other meals. Kosher households won't even use the same plates for meat and dairy. And if you're a wealthy kosher family, you probably even have two whole separate kitchens. This is how far people would go to avoid breaking these laws.
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today we enter a section of laws that pertain to cleanness and uncleanness, which, if you recall, is one of the areas God told the priests to be mindful of. We'll be in this section today and a little bit of tomorrow. Today starts with God giving instructions on what to eat and what not to eat.
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
One thing of note in this chapter, maybe you caught it, is that God does that thing where he makes the sacrifice more affordable for the poor. And guess who was poor? Jesus' parents, Mary and Joseph. How do we know? Because in Luke 2, as they aimed to keep this law after Jesus was born, they didn't bring a lamb. They brought the bird offering for the poor. Two turtle doves and two pigeons.
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
Then we hit a section you did not love if you have a weak stomach. I'm right there with you. Leviticus 13 is probably my least favorite chapter to read every year, but I did it and I didn't even pass out. I hope you can say the same. As far as I'm concerned, the whole rest of the Bible is a breeze compared to this chapter, even the little bit of this that we have to touch on again tomorrow.
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
I both love and don't love how detailed God gets here. The reason I kind of love it is because Moses was a shepherd, not a doctor. So he needed God to share all these nuanced specifics with him in order to care for the people well. God helped him out with all the variables of skin disease and leprosy. By the way, leprosy as we know it today likely didn't exist back then.
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
The word leprosy in scripture is kind of used as a blanket term for a variety of skin conditions. When someone has any of these conditions, they're considered unclean. And again, that does not equate to sin. They go live outside the camp until they're clean so as to avoid spreading it and so that they don't defile the holiness of God's tabernacle.
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
This doesn't mean they're condemned or shamed or unloved. And all the while, God's mediator, the priest, is keeping an eye on them. In doing this, the priest is serving God by keeping things holy, he's serving the healthy people by protecting them, and he's serving the unclean people by keeping a watch on them and making sure they follow God's prescribed rules.
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
You know how patients love to disregard the doctor's orders? Side note, I'm glad baldness isn't considered unclean, or else we'd have a much smaller pool for action heroes in our movies. Have you ever noticed that most of them are bald? Meanwhile, back at the Bible and its boils, I'm looking for my God shot. What was yours?
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
Mine was when God tells them that all these laws are a part of what it means to obey Him. In 1144, He says, "'I am the Lord your God.'" He starts with relationship. Then He continues, "'Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.'" He repeats this almost verbatim in the following verse, and God's repetition should always catch our attention.
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
One interesting aspect of the word consecrate, which we've said means to set apart for sacred use, is that it's kind of the verb form of the adjective holy. In Hebrew, consecrate is kadash, and holy is kadosh. So God is basically repeating himself with this one statement, even before he repeats it again in the next verse. It's like He's saying, set yourselves apart for sacred use.
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
If you felt like this had echoes of Eden in it, you can eat this, but don't eat that, you're spot on. God is recreating all of this space. There are lots of theories on why specific animals are forbidden. Hygiene, deviation from the norm, affiliation with Canaanite culture, but we don't really know. Keeping these food laws is one part of what is referred to in Jewish culture as keeping kosher.
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
Be set apart as I am set apart. God tells them to imitate His character. He has initiated this process by showing us who He is. We don't have to become something He hasn't first shown us and been to us. If being set apart means being set apart with Him, then I want to get my consecration on because He's where the joy is. The Trinity is one of the most foundational truths of our faith.
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
It can be really confusing though, and if we aren't careful, we end up putting the three persons of the Trinity in a blender and mixing them all up together as though they're the same. While God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit are one, and they are unified in their will and purpose, They're also distinct in their roles.
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
We built out a PDF that talks more about the roles of the persons of the Trinity using examples and scriptures, and we'd love to share that with you. If you want to get this PDF for free, all you have to do is go to thebiblerecap.com forward slash Trinity and submit your email address. That's thebiblerecap.com forward slash Trinity.
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
There are lots of other aspects to this, but dietary law is a big one. And the saddest part of today's reading was here in 11.7. No bacon. In fact, one of the ways modern archaeologists can tell when and where ancient Jews lived in Israel is because there are no pig bones in that layer of soil. Pigs were wildly popular food among the Canaanites, whom I've never felt such a kinship with until now.
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
So there are pig bones all over pagan country, but not where God's people lived. They're also not allowed to eat anything that dies on its own. It has to be killed. Likely because if it dies on its own, it might have a disease. By the way, the word detestable that we see repeated here only appears twice outside of the book of Leviticus. And one of those times is in reference to idols.
The Bible Recap
Day 047 (Leviticus 11-13) - Year 7
So there seems to be a correlation here with turning away from God. In chapter 12, there are laws for women who give birth and how they go about being clean afterward. I can't give you a definitive answer as to why having a female child makes a woman unclean for twice as long as a male child, but it's probably because she was giving birth to someone else who would also bleed and give birth.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. If you're doing our New Testament plan, today we finished our 13th and 14th books. And if you're doing the whole Bible, we finished books 52 and 53. Paul wrote today's two letters while in prison, though we're not sure which prison. Maybe Rome. The first letter is to a church at Colossae in modern Turkey.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
In 2.2, Paul says something that should be an encouragement to us. He says he wants them to reach full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ. In other words, he wants them to know that they know that they know Christ. He goes on to say that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ. Wow.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
The more they dig in to know Christ, the less they'll be led astray by deception. There are two primary ways they're prone to deception. One is by the local philosophies and idol worship, and the other is by the Jewish laws and traditions, which don't apply to them as Gentiles. They're having the same problem with this that we've seen in other churches.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
They're contending with the lie that they have to convert to Judaism before they can convert to Christianity. Paul says, look, you don't need to be circumcised. Your hearts were circumcised in Christ. You were dead and God came to you and made you alive and forgave your sins. That's all the evidence you need.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
He warns them against participating in spiritual and religious practices that aren't connected to Jesus. There's a lot of language in this section where Paul seems to indicate a demonic connection. Like when he says Jesus disarmed the rulers and authorities. It's possible he's talking about in the spiritual realm.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
And when he talks about the elemental spirits of the world, that's likely a reference to the demonic realm. He says they've died to all of that, so they should separate from it entirely. Not only are those things evil, but they have no power to help them anyway. When they died to those things, they were raised to a new life in Christ. And in fact, their lives are hidden with Christ in God.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
We are hidden in Him, not attached to Him. He's not adjacent to our lives. He's the source and keeper of our lives. And as a result, everything in our lives should be filtered through His life. We should evaluate things to see if they increase our affections for him and connect us to him, or if they distract us and prompt us to engage with the flesh instead.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
He tells them to disconnect from those earthly things—sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness, idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk, lies. And instead, he reminds them that they are God's kids, and he calls them to engage with the things of God.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
Compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness, love, peace, thankfulness, and the words of Christ. And this won't just impact the way they live in the world, it will impact the way they live in their homes. In this culture, the man is the king of his domain and everyone else is treated as less than.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
But Paul tells the husbands to be loving and gentle, to take care not to be discouraging to their children. This would have been revolutionary in a day when children and women were often treated as property. He tells the bondservants to act with honor, and he tells their masters to treat them with honor.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
Often, being a bondservant was a mutually beneficial arrangement where someone could pay off debt and have their needs met, but there were obviously scenarios where the master abused his position. Paul wants to make sure that those who are followers of Christ treat everyone with dignity and honor, regardless of their position. We read about Onesimus in Paul's letter to Philemon.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
He didn't plant this church and he hadn't met them, but he's friends with one of their church leaders who filled him in on some problems they're having. He starts out by thanking God for their faith and hope and love and asks God to grow their knowledge and wisdom. He wants them to know and love God with their minds, and he wants to see it bearing fruit in the way they live their lives.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
In this book, Paul starts out by thanking God for Philemon's love and faith. Paul's humility is so evident in this letter. He doesn't use his position to issue a command, but to make a request. He shows that he's practicing what he preaches by treating everyone as equal. He says he's writing on behalf of Onesimus, who is like a son to him.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
At some point since Paul has been in prison, he met Onesimus, who was a former bondservant or slave to Philemon, but he stole from Philemon and escaped. Since then, he converted to Christianity and became one of Paul's assistants.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
Paul says he'd love to keep Onesimus around because he's such a huge help to him, but he knows the better thing to do is to send him back and aim for restoration between the two of them. By the way, Paul sends this letter to Philemon via Onesimus. Yikes. I bet Onesimus was shaking in his sandals on the way there.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
I imagine him standing there as Philemon reads the letter, waiting to see if there's a change in his face when he gets to the part where Paul begs him to welcome Onesimus back, not as a slave, but as a brother in Christ, as an equal. And Paul offers to pay any remaining debt Onesimus has with Philemon, just like Christ did with our debts. Wow.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
He tells Philemon to prepare a guest room for him because he's hopeful he'll get out of prison someday and can come for a visit. Paul is old now, but he's keeping his passport up to date just in case. My God shot was in Colossians 1, 15 through 20, the beautiful description of Christ. I want to walk through it verse by verse. Verse 15 says, "'He is the image of the invisible God.'"
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
If we want to see what the Father is like, if we want to see what the Spirit is like, we look to Christ. He reveals them. It goes on to say, "'He is the firstborn of all creation.'" This doesn't mean he was created. He wasn't. He has always existed. The word firstborn here is a declaration of his authority over all creation. And verse 16 tells us why.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through him and for him. He made everything and everything serves his purposes. Verse 17 says, And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Not only did he make everything, but he sustains it all.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
Verse 18 says, He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. Jesus rules over everything. He started everything. He has authority even over death. There isn't an Adam in all of creation over which He doesn't reign. Verse 19 says, "'For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. He is God, fully.'"
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
Verse 20 says, "'And through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.'" Jesus brings the fullness of his deity to the cross. And its impact echoes through all of his creation, bringing restoration to all things he made, not just things on earth, but things in heaven too.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
And for all those reasons and more, I say with certainty, he's where the joy is. Tomorrow, we'll be reading Paul's letter to the Ephesians. We'll link to a short video overview in the show notes to help set you up for success. So check that out if you've got eight minutes to spare. Lots of you want to be able to gift a Recaptain membership to someone you know and love. And guess what?
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
And he says they have what they need to do that because God is the one who empowers them. Then he goes on to remind them exactly who Jesus is. Colossians 1, 15-20 is one of the most succinct, beautiful descriptions of who Jesus is in all of Scripture. If you've been wanting to memorize Scripture but aren't sure where to start, this is a great spot. More on this in a minute.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
We can do that now. I'm so excited about it. So if you want to find out how to give a Recaptains membership to someone you love, go to the Recaptains link at thebiblerecap.com or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
He says Jesus has reconciled us to the Father and presents us holy and blameless to Him, provided there really has been a heart change. Perseverance will be the evidence of a new heart. Verse 24 is a challenging verse to understand, but given what Paul and Scripture say about Jesus' suffering elsewhere, we know he can't be saying there's something lacking in what Jesus did on the cross.
The Bible Recap
Day 349 (Colossians 1-4, Philemon 1) - Year 6
After all, Jesus said, Most scholars think verse 24 is saying something like this. Paul rejoices in his sufferings because he knows they're a necessary part of fulfilling his role in spreading the gospel of Christ. This is part of his assignment from God and God's assignment for the church at large, and God's power is at work in him to fulfill it.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today, Moses kind of did my job for me, recapping our journey since the Exodus. But don't worry, I always have plenty to say. Let's talk about a few things of note from today's reading. First, Moses recounts all the places they camped.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
It floats you whether you want to float or not. But you want to float. It's pretty cool. The salt concentration is also the reason nothing can live in the Dead Sea, which is where it got its modern name. But here's an interesting fact. Ezekiel 47 and Zechariah 14 prophesy about a day when there will be fresh water in the Dead Sea and it will be filled with fish. So get your float on while you can.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
The Great Sea in verse 6 is the Mediterranean Sea. And the Sea of Chenarith in verse 11 is the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus spent most of his three years of ministry. If it helps you out, you might want to write those names in your Bible or look at a map. We've included the map from yesterday's episode in today's show notes as well, so look for that link if you want a visual.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
But keep in mind that some of the boundaries are estimates or generalities. It's hard to tell where the lines fall sometimes. And in addition to that, add the fact that the Israelites did not occupy all the land they were promised, and they also occupied some extra land they weren't promised, where the Transjordanian tribes settled in yesterday's reading.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
So 9.5 tribes settled in what was originally known as the Promised Land, and 2.5 tribes settled in the above and beyond the Promised Land, the Bonus Land, the Transjordan. What was your God shot today? Mine was a superiority over all other gods.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
At the very beginning of all Moses recapping today, in 33, 3-4, we hit some verses that would sort of give you a hint of how things were going to go, even if you hadn't read it all before. It says, "...the people of Israel went out triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians, while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the Lord had struck down among them.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
On their gods also the Lord executed judgments." God defeats his enemies, including other gods. This points to a question that has come up repeatedly since we talked about it first on Day 37. God never denies that there are other gods. He just always indicates that He is superior to them. You may have heard Him called the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He's also the God of gods.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
In the Ten Commandments, He tells us, You shall have no other gods before Me. He doesn't say, You shall acknowledge that no other gods exist. He just says no other gods should get our affection and attention. There are two angles to this. First, anything we worship can be a god to us, an idol, a false god. And second, here's an interesting thing we've only touched on briefly.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
If you've ever had a doubt that scripture was real, this list should help settle that for you. No author would make up these kind of details in hopes of good book sales, and no one who was trying to sound impressive about his leadership skills would tell you every step of how this 11-day journey took him 40 years. At the end of chapter 33, we get some instructions from God.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
There are also other spirit beings, demonic enemy forces, that head up other world religions. They are demon gods. We've seen the demon god Baal in our reading. We've seen the demon god Molech. These are the demon gods of other religions, not equal to God and not in any way a threat to Him.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
We discussed all of this a bit in our February RNC episode, but if you missed that, we'll include a link in today's show notes for two helpful podcasts along these lines in case you want to check them out. We think they're really great resources. Yahweh is where it's at. He's the one true God. He sends other gods running. He shows them their limitations.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
He shows them His wrath, and He shows us His great protective love. He's where the joy is. We know lots of you are fans of The Chosen, so if that's you, we have great news. We have a sneak peek of Season 5, which premieres in theaters on March 28th. This scene depicts a tense moment among the religious leaders of Jesus' day. We'll link to the full clip in our show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
Sometimes people ask me, hey, TLC, do you listen to the Bible recap? And the answer is yes. Every year, I read through the Bible right alongside you guys, and I listen to myself give the recap. And here's what shocks and delights me. Sometimes what I say in the recap hits me again like I've never heard it before. I'm not kidding.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
It's amazing how God meets us again in spaces and places we think we've already been. So if this is your first or fifth time through the Bible Recap, I'm glad you're here. And I love leaning into a deeper and deeper desire to read, understand, and love Scripture and its author even more. See you tomorrow, because yes, I'll be here. I'm listening to myself give this announcement right now.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
He tells Moses to instruct the people about some very important business they need to attend to when they cross the Jordan. They need to drive out everyone who lives there. All of them, all, all, all of them, all of them. And all the things they worship too. Tear down their altars and their idols because if they don't get rid of everything, some of it is going to come back to haunt them.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
And on top of that, God will punish them too. Double whammy. This isn't necessarily a command to kill them, just drive them out. God knows how easily the hearts of his people are led astray when temptation is near. In chapter 34, God gives the boundaries of the promised land for the first time. Up until now, we've only known of it generically as Canaan or the promised land.
The Bible Recap
Day 068 (Numbers 33-34) - Year 7
There are a few places used as markers in this layout that you may know of, but probably not by the names used in the text. So let's walk through them. The salt sea, in verse 3, is the Dead Sea. Because while a normal ocean is 3.5% salt, the Dead Sea is 33.7% salt. It's 10 times as salty. That's why you float when you get into it. You don't have to try to float in it. You can't not float in it.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. You may have noticed that we're starting to get into some mentions of offerings and sacrifices, and it may be confusing. Don't worry about figuring everything out. Thank God we don't have to do these anymore because Jesus was the final sacrifice. However, what's important for us to do is think about what all this means.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
Every religion wants to be the fastest growing. McDonald's advertises their sales number on their signs. So God attaches a reminder to this tax. This census isn't about you or making your numbers larger. This is an offering to the Lord to remind themselves that they owe Yahweh their lives. And by the way, we see that all their lives are worth the same amount, whether rich or poor.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
He's pointing their eyes off themselves and onto his goodness in sparing their lives and pardoning their sins and providing them a place to meet with him. My God shot almost came from this section on the bronze basin, but I decided on something else. I'll share it with you, though.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
It occurred to me as I was reading this section that the priests have to go to great lengths to make sure they're clean. They have to wash their hands and feet in this basin to make sure they're presentable so they won't die. Cleanliness is about purity, and purity is a big deal when it comes to drawing near to a set-apart God.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
The phrase cleanliness is next to godliness is not in the Bible, but if it were, it would probably be in Exodus 30. Okay, so here's what I loved about the Bronze Basin and all their necessary hygiene rituals. It took me forward 1,500 years to a time when Jesus knelt down and washed the feet of his disciples, even his betrayer.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
There's a point when we realize, no matter how much cleaning up we try to do, we can't clean ourselves up. It'll never be enough. We still need him to wash us clean so that we won't die. No more bronze basins and fear of death. Jesus is enough. But also, wash your hands. Next, God points out two guys to Moses, Oholiab and Bezalel. God says he has filled Bezalel with his spirit.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
And we know that was a big deal back then because this was when God the Spirit did a lot of traveling around. God says he gave Bezalel ability, intelligence, knowledge, and craftsmanship. And he says those things are to be used for his glory, to build the things he wants in his tabernacle complex. Whatever God commands of us, He equips us to obey. He gives us whatever we need for the assignment.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
He initiates and sustains His plans for us and for His glory through the work of His Spirit. In addition to initiating work, God also initiates rest. He reminds Moses again how important the Sabbath is. He calls it a sign between them. And this statement about it being a sign elevates the Sabbath to the level of circumcision, like in God's covenant with Abraham.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
In fact, this conversation with Moses is called the Sinai covenant. God says the Sabbath is holy to the Lord and he calls them to honor it each week. This is a much higher bar than having your son circumcised when he's barely a week old. This is a regularly recurring reminder of who God is to them. There is a lot to say about the Sabbath, but we don't have time for it today.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
But at some point this year, I'll be covering it in a bonus episode for the Recaptains who are at our bonus content tier or higher. Next, we move on to a scene many of you are familiar with. Moses has been up on the mountain for almost six weeks. The people grow restless and impatient, maybe even wondering if he's died up there. He's old. They appeal to Aaron to make them a god.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
So if you come away from your reading going, I didn't get anything out of this today, try asking yourself some different questions. ask yourself, what does this reveal about God? So maybe you think, okay, God's ordering lots of very specific sacrifices. What does that tell me about God? It might tell you a few things. First, that he's talking to humans at all, which is kind of huge.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
In verse 1, we see that they perceive this to be a delay. They don't recognize it as God's timing. They were too steeped in their unbelief to acknowledge God's plan. They wanted their own. Then Aaron, who had just seen God eight chapters ago, complies. Not just building the calf, but building an altar in front of it too. Maybe he's jealous of Moses and wants to usurp his leadership.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
Maybe he wants the people to like him. Who knows? Then he ordains a feast unto the Lord. That's weird. This sounds like the monolatry we talked about on day 37, where people would mingle their worship of God with other things. And remember, this is Aaron, the guy who helped perform miracles in front of Pharaoh, the guy God appointed as high priest.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
And here he is melting down earrings to make a calf out of gold, the same material that was to be used for the holiest places where he would serve God in his tabernacle. And then the people attribute their deliverance from Egypt a few months ago to this thing that moments earlier was in their ears and on their fingers.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
I don't know what bothers me more, the fact that it's idolatrous or the fact that it's irrational, but I do know what should bother me more. Meanwhile, up on the mountain, God lets Moses in on what's happening down there. God is angry, and he says he wants to destroy the people and start over with just Moses.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
But Moses appealed to God based on God's promises, which are irrevocable, and based on God's character, which is unchangeable. And God relents. Do I think God really planned to kill them? No, I don't. I think this was a test for Moses, an opportunity for him to be reminded of God's promises and character, because he's going to need it in the days and weeks and years ahead.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
When Moses and Joshua go down the mountain with the two tablets, the ones God has carved and written the testimony on with his own hand, Moses sees what has happened and he throws the tablets and breaks them in a rage. These were the people he had just defended to God. He destroys the calf and rebukes the people. Meanwhile, Aaron acts dodgy.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
He shifts the blame and lies and evades responsibility, and this chapter does not end pretty. Moses asks the people where their hearts are. Are their hearts with God or not? This is their chance to repent of breaking at least the second commandment and possibly the first as well, a covenant they all agreed to abide by.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
The Levites are all in, but for the ones who aren't, Moses commanded their death. Only 3,000 died, which compared to the approximately 3 million who were all about the calf, that's a small number who were unrepentant and who died. Those who repented lived.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
This may seem harsh, but remember, these were to be a set-apart people, the people of the covenant, the people the Messiah would be born through, and now 3,000 of them were worshiping their jewelry instead of Yahweh. It was merciful of God that the other 2,997,000 lived. So what was your God shot today? I was struck by God's timing.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
I noticed that in 32.1, the people call his timing a delay, but that in verse 8, God says they have turned aside quickly. What they perceived as delay, he called quick. They're worshiping a golden calf. Meanwhile, he's making plans to be near them and agreeing to spare their lives.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
I wonder how many times I doubt his timing and feel like he's forgotten my agenda and decided to take matters into my own hands. How often do I find something else to worship when he seems to be holding out on me? I want to trust his timing, his so-called delays. Most of all, I want to trust his heart toward me.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
He wants a relationship. Second, it might reveal that our sins need to be atoned for, and God has a plan to accomplish that. So today when we start out, Moses and Joshua are still up on Mount Sinai, the mountain of God, where Moses is hearing from God for 40 days. They've been up there since chapter 24.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
He has spared my life since breath number one, and he made plans to wash me clean and to draw near to me. I cannot get enough of his nearness because he's where the joy is. Some experts say it takes 66 days to form a habit. If you're here with us today, that means you're nearly two-thirds of the way through that timeframe.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
While I don't know how accurate those stats are, I do believe it's important to be in God's Word every day. Doesn't your day go better when you started out with Him? One way to help maintain the habit of reading the Bible and recapping with us each day is to subscribe. Make things easier for yourself. Eliminate the obstacles. Subscribe to the podcast or to our YouTube channel playlist.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
That way, all the recaps come to you. All you have to do is go to our main page wherever you're listening right now and click subscribe or check for links in the show notes. We'll see you back here tomorrow and every day after that.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
God starts out talking about the incense altar, and we saw that even God's incense is holy and set apart. It can't be used for anything else. It's a special blend. Later, we'll see this about the anointing oil as well. This reminds me of a friend I had who refused to tell anyone what kind of perfume she wore so that no one else could buy it.
The Bible Recap
Day 040 (Exodus 30-32) - Year 7
Except God is God, she's a human, and her perfume is in mass production, so that's entirely different. God also requires a one-time census tax from the people, half a shekel, which in today's money is about $3 to $6, according to my research. One of the hard things about a census is that people sometimes get puffed up and arrogant about their numbers. Cities love to boast that they're the largest.
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. We continued to read Job's story today. He's just lost everything except his life. And today we had to listen to bad advice from the second of his three friends. Yesterday we heard from Eliphaz. Today we heard from Bildad. But first we heard Job's response to Eliphaz. He defends himself.
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
They really think they're helping him, and that if they can just convince him to repent, all his troubles will subside. Stay tuned to see how that plays out. Job replies to Bildad with a lot of truth about God. And in 9.15, Job mentions that he would appeal to mercy to his accuser. Personally, I'm inclined to think this accuser isn't necessarily a reference to God.
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
I think it's a reference to Satan, because like we talked about yesterday, the word Satan means accuser, adversary. But, interestingly, one of the other ways the Hebrew word that is used here can be translated is as the word judge. So he could be saying, I must appeal for mercy to my judge. And if that's what he's saying, then it seems it would be referring to God.
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
But, regardless of whether Job was referring to his accuser Satan or to his judge God, this is a good place to point out something about the word mercy. We often use the words mercy and grace interchangeably, but they actually mean very different things. They're like a pair of opposites that work together. Mercy is when you don't get what you deserve. For fallen humanity, we all deserve hell.
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
We've all sinned against a holy God and we try to elevate ourselves to his rank. We deserve nothing but punishment. The fact that we're breathing right now is God's mercy toward us. He has not given us the immediate death we deserve because of our rebellion, just like he showed mercy toward Adam and Eve when they sinned in the garden. How generous of him.
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
So mercy is when you don't get what you deserve, and grace is when you get what you don't deserve. It's basically everything over and above not being annihilated. It's the way food tastes delicious. It's the way music brings us joy. And mostly, it's the way we get to enter into a relationship with God despite our wickedness.
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
Job has done nothing wrong in this situation, but he is still a sinful, fallen human like the rest of us. He knows he deserves eternal punishment, but he also knows God might still show him mercy. What was your God shot for today? Was it something about His mercy? I was tempted to hone in on that, but since I touched on it a few days ago, I thought I'd point out something new that I saw here.
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
My God shot was how powerful He is. In Job 9, 1-10, Job waxes about God's power for several verses. He commands the sun, He does great things, He's wise in heart and mighty in strength. We also see how this enormous God, who's so mighty, steps down to be intimate with mankind. Like Job says in 7.17, What is man that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him?
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
The God of the universe is in charge of everything, but his heart isn't set on the mountains or on Orion or the Pleiades. It's set on you and me. I'm so grateful his heart is set on me because he's where the joy is. If Spanish is your language of choice, or if you'd like to invite a Spanish speaker to join you in doing TBR, check out La Sinopsis de la Biblia. It's TBR in Espanol.
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
He's despairing, but he doesn't curse God. He knows this pain isn't the result of sinful actions. He knows his friends were wrong. One of the questions counselors train you to ask yourself in relational difficulty is, where is my sin in this situation? What can I own from this situation?
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
It's available as a podcast, book, YouTube, and as a reading plan in the Bible app. When you search for it on an app, you may need to change your language settings to Spanish first. Get more info under the languages tab at thebiblerecap.com or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
I'm a big fan of the Dwell Audio Bible app, not just because I'm an auditory learner, but because for thousands of years, people have engaged with scripture by hearing it. And listening is still one of the best ways to connect with God's word. We've partnered with Dwell to bring my daily recaps right into their app.
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
Not only can you listen to each day's reading, but you can also hear my recaps right inside the app. If you're reading along with TBR in 2025, check out the Dwell Audio Bible app. Look for it in the App Store or Google Play and get a free seven-day trial. Or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
And that's an important question to ask, especially because we're often blind to our own sin and what we've contributed to the scenario. But there are times when life is just hard or when you've just been sinned against and your troubles are not the result of something you contributed.
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
We would never tell someone who has been raped or physically abused to think about what they did to deserve that or cause that. It's not always true that our circumstances and our problems are the result of our choices. Sometimes they're the result of a fallen world. Sometimes they're the result of other people's sinful choices. Much like with Eliphaz, Bildad gives bad counsel.
The Bible Recap
Day 005 (Job 6-9) - Year 7
He tells Job that he needs to repent. But again, chapter 1 told us that Job was blameless and upright, and that these problems actually occurred because of his uprightness, not as the result of sin. Job's friends are attacking him in the midst of his grief, and it seems like they really think they're on the right track.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Korah was a Kohathite, the clan of Levites assigned to guard the holy vessels. Today, he and three Reubenites, his next-door neighbors in the encampment, conspired against Moses and Aaron.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
Not only that, but they were among those who refused to enter the actual land of milk and honey when God gave the opportunity. And then they accused Moses of appointing himself as ruler over them, as if it weren't evident that God had made that appointment. Reading this section filled me with righteous indignation. I'm pretty sure my temperature rose.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
But by this point, Moses is used to being accused and he knows how to handle it. He doesn't throw his weight around and order these men to be stoned for their rebellion against God. Instead, he takes it to God and lets God sort it out. He trusts God. He's humble. But God himself has no reason to be humble because humility is a posture we adopt in response to God. So he's ready to kill them.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
And once again, Moses pleads for their lives. Then Moses, Aaron, the 70 elders, and God head over to the tents of Dathan and Abiram, who refuse to show their faces at the incense offering ceremony. And Moses basically says, "'We're about to see who God is. If you guys die by natural causes, then I was wrong, and I'll admit it.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
But if God opens up a big sinkhole and swallows you right now, then we'll all know you were wrong.'" And guess what? Sinkhole. They went down to Sheol, which is the Old Testament way of saying the grave or the realm of the dead. There's a lot more we could talk about with Sheol, but we don't have time to unpack all that today.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
Then God consumed by fire the 250 others who had unlawfully offered incense. After this, Aaron's oldest living son, Eliezer, gathered up all their bronze incense holders and beat them into a covering for the altar to serve as a reminder of God's holiness. These people needed lots of reminders. Don't we all? So surely all is well now, right? And everyone sees that Moses is following God's orders.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
Nope. They wake up the next morning with a brand new rebellion in their hearts. They accuse Moses of killing the people the day before. as if he had the power to command sinkholes and consuming fires apart from God. At this point, God's ready to kill everyone again. Like, seriously, let me at him. But Moses has a quick idea to appease God.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
He tells Aaron to take the incense out to the people and let its holy fragrance cover them in an act of making atonement for their sins. And it does appease God's anger, even though it's righteous anger. Some people had already died by this point, but the deaths and the plague stopped when Aaron offered the incense.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
Even with the incredible access he'd been given to the presence of God and the person of God, Korah was not satisfied with his calling. He wanted more power and more influence. He rallies 250 people to be on his side in a military coup, perhaps hoping that by raising up another leader, they could avoid the consequences God handed down yesterday. 38 more years in the wilderness.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
Remember in yesterday's reading of Numbers 14, how God promised they would all die off before he brought their children into Canaan? This is the beginning of this process. He's doing what he said he would do in response to their unbelief, idolatry, self-exaltation, and rebellion against the kingdom of light.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
In case the people still doubt, God sets up one more scenario to establish Aaron the high priest as unique among all the chiefs of the other 12 tribes. He orders them to write their names on their staffs. Then he has Moses put all 13 staffs into the Holy of Holies overnight.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
Despite not being the high priest, Moses is still allowed to enter the Holy of Holies because of his unique position as Israel's leader. He puts the 13 staffs inside, and in the morning, the one with Aaron's name on it has sprouted an almond flower. Those don't bloom overnight.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
Cut almond branches can bloom, but in order for that to happen, they have to be kept in water and humid air, which doesn't exist in the desert, for weeks. So the people had to acknowledge this was a miracle of God and that he had marked Aaron as unique among the chiefs of all the tribes. After all these signs, they repent. By the way, the almond flower symbolizes a lot of things.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
Life, holiness, the presence of God, and the keeping of God's promises. So it was fitting that this was the sign God chose to show them. God tells Moses to store Aaron's staff in the Ark of the Covenant as a reminder to future generations. Where were you reminded of who God is today? What was your God shot?
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
Mine was when Aaron took the incense out and stood between the living and the dead to make an appeal for God's mercy and atone for their sins. This was risky for Aaron because as the high priest, he wasn't supposed to be near dead bodies at all. He could have been struck dead. But he risked his life to stop the plague and save the people from death through this offering to God.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
This was a picture of Christ to me, our great high priest, who intervened, not just risking death, but facing it and defeating it on our behalf. In Jerusalem, there's a wall all the way around the Old City, and that wall has many gates. The Eastern Gate is the one Scripture says Jesus will return through when he comes back again.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
Knowing Scripture prophesies this of the Messiah, the Muslims who currently own that land sealed off that gate with concrete and built a Muslim cemetery in front of it. Because that would supposedly prevent the Messiah from coming back through it since dead bodies are there. But little do they know that he has defeated death in the grave. He has made the unclean clean.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
He has fulfilled the law and will fulfill his prophesied return as well to inaugurate his earthly kingdom and will be with him forever. No concrete and no graves can stop him. Thank God, because he's where the joy is. If the Bible Recap has helped you connect with God and His Word in new ways, we would love for you to become a Recaptain.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
This helps us help more and more people to read, understand, and love God's Word. You can sign up today at the Recaptains link at thebiblerecap.com or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
Korah argues that as God's chosen family, they all have been set apart, so they all should be able to do the things Moses and Aaron do. And while they all do have that specific kind of holiness or set-apartness, they don't have the priestly set-apartness. Korah and his people were disrespecting God's appointment of these priests.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
Moses accuses Korah of being entitled and ungrateful, and he proposes a challenge to Korah and his companions. Okay, rebels, come offer your incense and see how it goes. Two of the main rebels, Dathan and Abiram, refused to come at Moses' request. This isn't because they realize they've gone too far and are trying to backtrack. This is basically them saying, you're not the boss of me.
The Bible Recap
Day 061 (Numbers 16-17) - Year 7
They accuse Moses of bringing them out of a land flowing with milk and honey, which, in case it wasn't obvious, is not what Moses brought them out of. He brought them out of slavery. The land flowing with milk and honey has always been God's language in referring to Canaan. Once again, they've romanticized and idealized the past. They remember their bondage fondly.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Yesterday, we saw the first seven plagues God brought on the Egyptians because Pharaoh wouldn't listen to Moses and set the Israelite slaves free. Today, we dropped in on the rest of the plagues.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
The enemy of your soul wants you to view God's power through a lens that pushes you away from him instead of drawing you in. So instead, try to stop and acknowledge how comforting it is that we serve a God who is that powerful. For instance, think about the people that you know and love who are the furthest from God. People you've prayed for and cried for.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
People who have told you that they never want to hear you say another word about God again. God can soften their hearts and turn them on their heels, just like He did with the Apostle Paul, who, by the way, wasn't just not seeking God. He was actively at war against God and His people, much like Pharaoh.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
For God to be sovereign over sins and hearts means no one is beyond His reach, and it's never too late for anyone. And that is the greatest comfort I can imagine. Moving on, today we see the frustration mounting with Pharaoh's servants and Pharaoh starts to weaken his resolve. But instead of obeying, he asked for a compromise. God doesn't really go for that.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
So the locusts and the darkness come, but still no repentance. Then God sends what he knows will be the final plague. Moses has all the Israelites ask the Egyptians for their valuables, and they hand them over.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
He also tells every Israelite house to sacrifice a lamb and sprinkle its blood on the left sides, right sides, and tops of their doorways, marking their homes and their families by the blood of a sacrifice.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
Interestingly, if you were to use a hyssop branch like they did to wipe blood in those three spots, the placement on the left and the right, and then the dripping from the top down to the ground would leave the shape of a cross. God also tells them to eat their dinner, but finish it quickly. Don't even make bread that rises and stay fully dressed with your car keys in hand, basically.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
By the way, the description he gives of their attire is a little bit reminiscent of the armor of God described much later in Ephesians 6, 10 through 18. Then he tells them about an annual dinner party he's planned for them to celebrate what he's about to do that night. I love that God is already telling them how to commemorate his deliverance before he fulfilled it.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
The first few sentences we read today said, I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, that you may know that I am the Lord. This whole paragraph was a weighty paragraph. It almost sounds like part of God's plan was to harden Pharaoh's heart against his plan.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
Jewish people around the world still celebrate this event today. The Hebrew calendar is built around it. You'll see this one-day event referenced in scripture as Passover, and this is important to what we'll be learning in scripture, so make a mental note of it. It's called Passover because that's what the Lord did when he saw the blood on their doorways.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
He passed over that house and didn't kill the firstborn. So all the firstborn of Israel are spared, but not Egypt. By the way, in the references to the destroying angel in this passage, his identity is kind of blurred, but most signs point to this being a theophany, possibly a Christophany.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
After the angel, who is maybe God the Son, passes through, the Egyptians drive the Israelites out just like God promised, with fistfuls of jewelry and fine clothing that they willingly handed over, just like God promised. The Israelites plundered the Egyptians. In the middle of the night, 600,000 men and an estimated total of 2 to 3 million people left Egypt on foot.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
Some other non-Israelites went with them. We find out later that even some Egyptians went too. And God tells the Israelites to treat them like family as long as they're circumcised. Also, you may be a little concerned about the 430 years that it says they spent in Egypt. Like, God was 30 years late. I thought it was only supposed to be 400 years. There are two possible ways this could shake out.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
First, God could have just been giving a round number generality, not a down to the minute timeline. Or second, those first 30 years may have included the good times when Joseph had first moved his family there and all was still right with the old Pharaoh before they started enslaving them. So if you were worried that God got it wrong or broke his promise, hopefully that will help you breathe easy.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
What was your God shot today? What did you see about his character or his motives or his heart? I've kind of been paying attention to this theme he keeps touching on. Think back to day 31. We read two things in Exodus 4 that kind of foreshadowed this final plague and helped us see a little bit of what's happening here with God's motives.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
Remember how God was angry and sought to kill someone, maybe Gershom, Moses' firstborn son, because Moses had disobeyed God by not circumcising Gershom, which means he wasn't set apart as one of God's people? And remember how God said that if Egypt didn't relent and let his firstborn son Israel go free to be set apart, that he would kill their firstborn son?
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
That was all a bit of foreshadowing for today. This even has echoes of Abraham and his firstborn son Isaac. And then today, just like with circumcision, God tells Israel to set themselves apart with a specific marking, to mark the entryway of their homes with blood, in the shape of a cross, no less. That makes today's reading feel like foreshadowing for something yet to come in Scripture.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
God has been hinting all along at what he's initiating here. He's so protective of his people and his plan for their freedom and restoration, he goes to great lengths to secure it. And this is certainly not even the greatest length God goes to.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
God knows the pain the Egyptians felt because to secure your freedom and mine, he sacrificed his firstborn son so that the massive debt our sins accrued could be paid in full. We could never pay it, even with his help. We don't need him to help us. We need his utter and complete rescue.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
And the reason was that this process would help Israel really know and trust him as God. He uses the wicked as a tool to advance his plan and bless the children he's adopted into his family. We can't cut sentences like this out of the Bible. We have to wrestle with them and see what they mean and how they fit into the context of everything else in Scripture.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
And through the plan He initiated to sacrifice His Son, He also initiated a relationship with us and saved us from ourselves. We needed an initiator, God the Father. And we needed a mediator, God the Son. And we need someone to sustain and fulfill His work in us, God the Spirit. The plan that God has initiated, sustained, and fulfilled is the only way we can be united with Him.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
And thank God, because He's where the joy is. I wish I had time to sit down with you and tell you all the incredible things that God has done here at The Bible Recap over the past few years. We put out a bunch of books. We're on YouTube. We're in multiple languages. We hired additional staff. We have seen salvations and we have seen families restored. And so many of you helped make that possible.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
Our primary income for this podcast comes through the incredibly generous support of our recaptains. So if you've been encouraged to read, understand, and love scripture more, become a ReCaptain. If you want to help us further our reach, become a ReCaptain. If you want to help us to equip even more people around the world to know God in a way that transforms their lives, become a ReCaptain.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
Joining is simple. Just click on the ReCaptains link on our website, thebiblerecap.com. And by the way, your support also comes with some really cool perks.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
I'm not going to tie it up with a pretty bow and make it look simple. It's hard, it's mysterious, and it's okay to not have answers about it yet, or maybe ever. In yesterday's reading, we encountered several places where God hardened Pharaoh's heart, a few where it just says his heart was hardened, and a few that attribute the hardening to Pharaoh himself.
The Bible Recap
Day 033 (Exodus 10-12) - Year 7
But interestingly, Pharaoh's hardening of his own heart is almost always followed with the statement, "'As the Lord had said.'" It can feel threatening to recognize that God is bigger than your own heart, that he can shape it for his own purposes. If that's you and you're feeling that way right now, I would encourage you to not let fear drive that thought.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Today we wrapped up our seventh book of the Bible. Can you believe it? We're a quarter of the way through the Bible. I've learned so much in the past 88 days, and I can't wait to see what He teaches me about Himself in the next 277 days we have left.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
But as soon as the Transjordan tribes have a chance to talk, they clear things up pretty quickly. They aren't rebelling against God or setting up an altar for worship. They're doing this as a monument of the relationship between them and the Western tribes, connecting them. They're afraid that in the years to come, the Western tribes will disown them and their children.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
So they want something to serve as a witness for this relationship, a way to help them stay connected to something far away, establishing that they are worshipers of Yahweh too. The western tribes are reasonable, and they're satisfied with this explanation, so they head back home, very relieved, I'm sure. The last thing they want is to lose the land they finally just got settled into.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
After a lot of time passes, when Joshua is nearing 110 years old, he calls all the leaders of Israel and tells them he's about to die. He reminds them that God is the one who has accomplished these good things for them. And he also reminds them that there is still work to be done. They still need to drive out the lingering Canaanites in the land.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
Moses was very nervous about the Israelites turning away from God to worship pagan gods, and he spent a lot of time in the final chapters of Deuteronomy warning the Israelites about it. And here, Joshua leans on the same concerns, and he reminds them that God has equipped them with all they need to obey him.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
They can drive out the people because God has promised them that land, so they need to do that. Joshua warns them against idolatry and intermarriage with those who don't worship Yahweh. If they fail to honor God in this, they've broken the covenant, and he will take the land away from them.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
He reminds them of all the good that God has done to them, but also of all the harm that will come to them if they turn away from him. Then Joshua walks them through a summary of where they've come from, starting with Abraham's father, Terah. They all started out worshiping other gods. There was no such thing as an Israelite until God invented it.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
And God grew their numbers, rescued them, blessed them, bought for them, and fulfilled his promise to them. Joshua lays out an indirect question. You can serve Yahweh, or you can serve these other gods. Which is it going to be? And the people respond with a hearty promise that they will follow Yahweh. Then Joshua reminds them that they really aren't capable of keeping that promise on their own.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
But they respond that they'll totally do it. He tells them to incline their hearts toward God. And he makes a covenant with them that day and sets up a stone witness of the covenant. Then he sends them home. The book ends with three quick notes. First, Joshua dies and is buried in the Promised Land, and we see that Israel follows Yahweh while the elders who lived during Joshua's time were alive.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
That sounds promising, but far from it. Second, those bones of Joseph, the ones that sat in Egypt for a few hundred years, which they've been lugging around the wilderness for 40 years and all throughout the Promised Land during their battles— they finally find a resting place in a land Joseph's father Jacob bought hundreds of years earlier.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
Yesterday, God finished divvying up the land for all the tribes in the cities of refuge. Today, now that the land has been sufficiently conquered, the 2.5 trans-Jordan tribes have fulfilled their promise to fight for the land among the other tribes. Joshua affirms them, reminds them to be loyal only to Yahweh, then he blesses them and sends them east across the Jordan River to their homes.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
And wouldn't you know it, it was the plot of land that God apportioned for the tribes of Joseph. Full circle. We've been waiting for this since Genesis 50. Finally, Eleazar the high priest dies. His son Phineas is mentioned in this passage, and since we know that the priesthood is handed down generationally, we know Phineas is primed to be the next high priest.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
but with the current leader and high priest both dying on the same page, this definitely signals the end of an era for the Israelites. What was your God shot today? I was blown away by God's goodness to his people. For the first time since God called Abraham back in Genesis 12, they are living in at least partial fulfillment of all three of the promises he made to them.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
They become a great nation, they have a blessed relationship with Yahweh, and they're living in the promised land. Joshua himself said it best in 2314. He said, You know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you. Not one of them has failed. God has not failed.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
He wasn't failing them in the desert when these things hadn't yet been fulfilled and he isn't failing them now. He isn't failing them and he isn't failing you. He's fail-proof and he's where the joy is. Tomorrow, we start the book of Judges. And as usual, we've included a link to a short animated video in the show notes to prepare you for what you're about to read.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
If you've got seven minutes to spare, please check that out before you start Judges chapter one tomorrow, because it will really set you up for success. When we read about idols in scripture, doesn't it sometimes feel easy to just brush past it as something only wicked ancient people did? And yet, our culture is full of idolatry.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
And I'm not just talking about golden cows or false gods made of wood. I'm talking about things like money, relationships, your home, or anything that takes up more space in your heart than your love for God. We've built out a resource with more info on how to identify idolatry in your own heart. And as scary as that may sound, we think it will actually help set you free.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
And it is free, so we'd love to share it with you. If you want to get this TBR resource, all you have to do is go to thebiblerecap.com forward slash idols and submit your email address. That's thebiblerecap.com forward slash idols or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
On the way there, the 2.5 tribes decide to build an altar on the west side of the Jordan River, and it's huge. When the western tribes hear about it, they're ready to fight. You can't just go building altars wherever you want. Yahweh said he would establish a central location for worship, and this seems to be in direct defiance of his words.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
They send a delegation headed up by Phineas, the son of Eleazar the high priest, whom you may remember as the one who stabbed the two people in Numbers 25. It was probably fairly alarming to have him show up because he does not play around when it comes to sin.
The Bible Recap
Day 088 (Joshua 22-24) - Year 7
The Western delegation accuses the Transjordan tribes of turning away from God, and they're afraid God will send judgment on all of Israel because of it. They want an explanation, and they even offer the Transjordan tribes a really gracious option for repentance— Come live with us on the western side of the Jordan River instead of turning away from God.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. John, maybe the apostle, wrote the book of Revelation on the island of Patmos. It was a tiny prison island, kind of like Alcatraz. The church was still undergoing lots of persecution at the time, and in fact, church history tells us Rome first tried to burn John alive in oil, but he survived.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
When you're trying to reveal something to your reader, you don't hide it and bury it in code. That means you can take a deep breath because the pressure is off for you to figure out how and when the world ends over the course of the next four days reading. I also want to encourage you to watch the video overviews we link to in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
In case you missed the one from yesterday, we'll link to it again in today's show notes. These will be really helpful in filling in any gaps from the recaps because we're moving through this at a fast clip. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the word eschatology, it refers to the end times. So now I'm going to throw another big word at you, eschatological. That's the adjective form.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
There are a handful of eschatological views in Orthodox Christianity, and if you want to learn more about these viewpoints, check out the links in the show notes. There's a PDF, a quick guide, and a database with loads of info. Eschatology matters, but just know that God-fearing, Christ-exalting, Spirit-filled people consistently disagree on this.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
Since it's an open-handed issue, by which I mean our eschatological views aren't foundational to our understanding of who God is or what it means to know Him, try to hold any of your ideas about the end times with an open hand, especially if you're new to studying Revelation and you've gotten most of your information secondhand.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
I'll try my best to keep my lens from impacting the way I walk through this. My views have shifted over the years, and there's always a chance they'll change again. There are a few things worth standing firmly on in Scripture, and I only want to put my foot down firmly in those places where Scripture screams.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
In chapter 1, John has a vision of Jesus in all his power and glory, and he tells John to write to seven churches in Asia. Some of these churches have fallen into sin, some are undergoing persecution, and some are thriving. He speaks to them in regard to their individual circumstances and offers warning, encouragement, and hope.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
These churches are represented by a seven-candle lampstand, just like the menorah from the temple in Exodus 25. And Jesus himself is in the midst of the lampstand, in the midst of the church. In Scripture, we see a lot of symbolism around the numbers 3, 7, 10, and 12. In their own way, each of these numbers symbolizes perfection and completion, and you'll see that all over this book as well.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
Four times today, we encountered the sevenfold Spirit of God. Some say this is a way of symbolizing the wholeness and perfection of God's Spirit, and others say it points to different attributes of God's Spirit. Perhaps like we see in Isaiah 11 too.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
It says, "...the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord." Like we said, all of these churches are in different situations. You probably recognized yourself in one of them. And he gives different rebukes and encouragements.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
But to all of them, regardless of circumstance, he mentions listening, obeying, and conquering. He says things like, to the one who conquers, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. And the one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. Given the context, what do you think he means by conquering?
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
Defeating Rome and their persecutors? Hopefully by now you know that that's not what he's calling them or us to do. His call is to persevere in the faith, to overcome the temptations of the world, whether they're temptations to pursue earthly pleasures or to escape hardship and persecution. To be a conqueror is to love better.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
And since they couldn't figure out how to kill him, they exiled him to Patmos. This letter he wrote is a singular revelation, not plural, not revelations. John tells us in verse 1 that this is the revelation of Jesus. Some believe that means the book is revealing Jesus to us, and others believe that means Jesus is the one doing the revealing.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
To be a conqueror is to keep loving God regardless of what life throws at you, blessings or challenges. In chapter 4, John gets a glimpse into God's throne room, with his throne surrounded by the 24 elders. Some scholars believe this is literal and that these are the 12 apostles plus the 12 tribes of Israel.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
Other scholars believe this is symbolic and it indicates that God is surrounded by all of his people, with the 12 tribes representing the Old Covenant family and the 12 apostles representing the New Covenant family. Also in the room are four seraphim. If you were with us in the Old Testament, you may remember these creatures from the visions of Isaiah and Ezekiel.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
And you may have remembered our trick for distinguishing between seraphim and cherubim. Cherubim have four wings, and seraphim, which starts with an S, have six, which also starts with an S. Cherubim typically serve as guards of holy places, and seraphim typically praise God non-stop. So that's what they're doing in the throne room. That's what everyone is doing, actually.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
There is a lot of face-falling and crown-tossing because it's the Lord. In chapter 5, John sees that God is holding a scroll sealed with seven seals. These kinds of scrolls issued by kings are usually a decree of their will, their plans. This scroll contains God's purposes for mankind. But no one can open the scroll and John is despairing until Jesus, the Lamb of God, shows up on the scene.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
He takes the scroll, then everyone in the throne room falls down to worship him. Tomorrow we'll see what happens when he begins to open the scroll. I'll be honest, I was kind of dreading trying to recap Revelation. It's a daunting task, especially when you're trying to teach with an open perspective and not through one particular lens.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
But then I hit the verses where I saw my God shot and all of a sudden I was so excited about it, I couldn't stop smiling. It's in verses 1, 17-18 where Jesus is talking and he says, Fear not. I am the first and the last and the living one. I died and behold, I am alive forevermore and I have the keys of death and Hades. This book can feel scary, but some of his first words are fear not.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
Then he tells us who he is. If we first recognize who Christ is, then we can rightly understand and view what's going on in this book. Who He is precedes everything, and who He is undergirds everything. We walk through this book with the King of glory at our side, and He's where the joy is.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
You guys, it's almost our last day of this trip through the New Testament or the whole Bible, depending on which plan you're doing. I'm so excited for you and for me and for us. And if you haven't already, be sure to do three things between now and the end of the year. First, invite a friend to join you when we start the Old Testament on January 1st. This is so much more fun and community.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
Second, listen to our Prep for Next Year episode from December 18th so you can find out about a few of the ways you can switch things up for next year or dig deeper. We've dropped a link to that episode in today's show notes for easy access. And third, sign up for our email lists. We've got two of them.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
While some others think it could actually be both, because if Jesus is revealing something to his people, his body, then that also tells us more about Jesus himself. So as we read this book, just like with all our books from day one and Genesis 1, we're going to look for Jesus and what we learn about him.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
There's our monthly newsletter called The News Cap, and we also have a daily email called The Pre-Cap. You can sign up for both of them on the homepage at thebiblerecap.com or click the link in the show notes. So let's go. Let's finish this year strong by laying the best possible foundation for next year.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
And by the way, verse 3 says we'll be blessed if we read this book aloud and pay attention to it. That is the first of seven blessed are statements in this book. Be on the lookout for them. They're called the seven Beatitudes of Revelation. John wrote this letter to seven churches, some of whom we've met already, and his message is first and foremost to them in their immediate context.
The Bible Recap
Day 362 (Revelation 1-5) - Year 6
Jewish teaching and culture love numbers and symbols. So while this book still has a lot to offer modern readers, most scholars warn against trying to treat it like a combination lock where you can connect the numbers in just the right way to unlock some kind of secret hidden information about the future. The stated purpose of this book is to reveal something.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Yesterday we ended with Joseph's brothers selling him into slavery, and he was subsequently sold to a man named Potiphar, who worked for the king of Egypt. Joseph's brothers led his father Jacob to believe he was dead, and Jacob was crushed.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
God's protection of Tamar kicks in when this happens, and God kills son number two. Son number three was still a child at that point, so Judah told Tamar to stick around until he was old enough to marry. But Judah didn't seem keen on keeping his promises, and Tamar was fearful that she'd never have kids, so she took matters into her own hands.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
We've seen this kind of thing a few times before, and we're not even a month in yet. For the descendants of Abraham, children were the sign of God's blessing, because that's what he promised Abraham. So to not have children was shameful for one of Abraham's descendants. One day, after Judah's wife died, Tamar heard he was going on a trip.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
She veiled herself and positioned herself on the road to be taking. Some theologians think she intentionally dressed like a prostitute and planned this scenario all along, but others believe she veiled herself as a reminder to Judah that he was supposed to be helping her marry his son. Either way, when he mistook her for a prostitute, she went along with the ruse.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
He slept with her and she cleverly asked for collateral until his payment, which was a goat, could arrive. So he gave her his signet, which was like a form of ID. He also gave her the cord it was on and his walking staff, which was probably also personalized and unique to him. He sent the goat to her later, but surprise, she was nowhere to be found.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
A few months later, word gets out that Tamar is pregnant and Judah orders her to be burned. She pulls the big reveal of all Judah's personal items that he gave her and he's busted. Through this process, Judah is deeply humbled and Tamar's life is spared. Then she gives birth to twins. Chapter 39 zooms back in on Joseph, who is still in captivity in Egypt.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
One of the first things we learn about him was that he wasn't alone. This chapter tells us four times that the Lord was with Joseph. God's nearness to him and blessing on his life made his master Potiphar take notice. God was causing him to succeed, so Potiphar put him in charge of more things in hopes that more things would be successful.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
It doesn't seem like this was some kind of religious move on Potiphar's part. It wasn't like he saw the blessing on Joseph's life and said, I want to worship this God who blesses you. It just sounds like this was more of a business decision. Still, for Joseph's sake, God blessed this, and Potiphar trusted Joseph all the more. This falls right in line with the promise God made to the patriarchs.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
Today, we have a brief intermission from Joseph's story where we follow what's happening at that time in the life of his half-brother Judah, Leah's fourth son. Judah finds a wife from among the Canaanites. We've seen them a lot already. We'll continue seeing them. They're the cursed descendants of Noah's son Ham.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
By the way, that's what we call the fathers of our faith who are from this particular family, patriarchs. The word refers specifically to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God has promised to bless those who bless them and curse those who curse them. And now he's continuing this with Jacob's son, Joseph. Joseph was easy on the eyes, and Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
She launched a repeated campaign of temptation against him, but he remained honorable. He knew it would be a sin not just against his master and her and himself, but primarily against God. Since her efforts at seduction weren't working, she forced herself on him, but he ran away.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
Rejection hits anyone hard, but this woman took revenge to the next level, using the clothes she had torn off him to accuse him of trying to attack her. This is the second time Joseph has been wronged by someone who then uses his clothes to lie about him. If I were Joseph, I might start to get a
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
You may have noticed that she calls Joseph a Hebrew, so I want to explain that term briefly and why it's here in the text. First of all, Abraham, Joseph's great-grandfather, was from Hebron, and there seems to be a close association with people of that region generally being referred to as Hebrews.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
The term Hebrew is often used interchangeably with the term Israelites, which refers to the descendants of Abraham via Jacob Israel. So Hebrew is usually more of a geographic identifier of a person, and Israelite is often more of a reference to lineage. To further complicate this, Hebrew is also the name of the language they speak.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
So when Potiphar's wife points out that Joseph is a Hebrew, she's trying to slander him. She's leaning on the racial tension that exists between her people, the Egyptians, and Joseph's people, the Hebrews. Despite Joseph's loyalty to Potiphar for more than a decade of service, he puts Joseph in prison.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
There's not even a trial where he can defend himself because he's a Hebrew slave in Egypt, so he has no rights. But guess what? This is where we see two of the places that this chapter tells us the Lord, capital L-O-R-D, intimate, personal Yahweh, was with him.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
We don't have any record of Joseph having personal conversations with God like his ancestors did, but God makes it clear that he was there with him. And because God was with him, Joseph gained favor with the guards and continued to succeed even in prison. After Joseph becomes the highest-ranking prisoner, two new prisoners show up, the king's cupbearer and chief baker.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
Both of these guys had really important positions. They had to be trustworthy because they had the responsibility of making sure the king wasn't poisoned. They were in charge of his food and beverages. One night, they both have dreams that bum them out, and they want someone to interpret them for them.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
They're not worshipers of God, and they currently inhabit the land God promised to give to this family. Judah and his new wife have three sons, and he eventually arranges a marriage between his oldest son Ur and a woman named Tamar. But Ur was wicked, so God kills him, because he's God and he knows hearts. God is both just and merciful. In this instance, he leans into his justice.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
In ancient Near East culture, dreams were viewed as messages from God, and there were lots of magicians who could interpret your dreams for you. But there apparently weren't any magicians in prison, so these two guys were stuck.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
Now Joseph knows that only God can provide an accurate interpretation for any messages he sends via dreams, and Joseph also knows that God is with him, so he steps up in confidence. He interprets the cupbearer's dream first, and it has a favorable outcome. He'll be restored to his position in three days. He's overjoyed.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
And Joseph knows that the cupbearer's reinstatement could be the key to his own freedom as well, so he asks the cupbearer to put in a good word for him. Then the chief baker shares his dream. But the interpretation is not so awesome. He's going to be killed in three days. It's pretty clear from Joseph's interpretations that he isn't just trying to win friends by saying nice things.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
The king's birthday is three days away, and everything happens just as God had said and Joseph had interpreted, both good and bad. But the real letdown for Joseph is that the cupbearer forgets about him. Where did you see God's character and attributes show up in today's reading? My God shot was in the story of Tamar and Judah and his sons. The whole story is filled with sin from top to bottom.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
Wickedness, fear, deception, manipulation, hypocrisy, prostitution, and or adultery. But here's what I saw about God in this. I saw his faithfulness. Despite all the ways these people were unfaithful to him, he remained faithful to his promise to their family. How do we know this? Matthew 1 lists Judah, Tamar, and their son Perez in the lineage of Jesus.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
While Scripture never endorses most of what happens in Genesis 28, God was working in all that mess to bring about the birth of the very one who would redeem us from sins like these— That means Jesus comes from the line of Judah, which is why one of his names is the Lion of Judah. Judah was a broken man. Tamar was a broken woman.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
And we don't know a lot about their son Perez, but I'm sure he was no walk in the park either. It all goes to show us that even though we will be unfaithful, he will continue to be faithful to every promise he made. He's a promise keeper, and he's where the joy is.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
As you're reading and recapping the Bible with us this year, you're going to hit a lot of spots where you want to study the Bible, not just read it. There's so much to learn, and DGroup is a great spot to do that. Here at TBR, we read through the Bible every year.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
And D Group International, the D stands for discipleship group, is a ministry I started where we study through the Bible in a decade, one deep dive at a time. It's an international network of men's and women's small groups that meet in churches, in homes, and even online. We open sessions for new members every six weeks.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
So this is a great time to go online and learn more so you can register in time for our next session. Find or start a D Group near you by visiting mydgroup.org or click the link in the show notes. Thank you.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
So if you're feeling any kind of impulse to set yourself up as a judge over God because of this, I would just encourage you to remember that he's the one who gets to make those kinds of decisions. We've all committed treason against God and his kingdom, and we all deserve death. So no matter what Ur did or didn't do, he got what he deserved. The rest of us are just living on mercy.
The Bible Recap
Day 025 (Genesis 38-40) - Year 7
After Ur's death, Judah gave Tamar his second son in marriage, because if she had neither a husband nor children, it was essentially a death sentence for her in that day. There'd be no one to care for her or provide for her. It seems like Judah was really trying to take care of Tamar. But son number two wasn't having it, so he got sneaky about it to make sure he didn't get her pregnant.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. As of today, we've read six books of the Bible together. Congratulations. Not only that, but in finishing Deuteronomy today, we've also finished the whole Torah, which is what the Jews call the first five books of the Bible written by Moses. For most people, the Torah is where Bible reading plans go to die.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
The storyline of the song should be familiar to you. God created Israel, he blessed them and increased them, they turned their back on him to pursue idols and demon gods, and he grew angry and promises to discipline them. In a plan to make Israel jealous, he will even lavish affection on other nations. And that's good news for those of us who aren't of Jewish descent.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
Anytime Israel rejects God, he always uses it as a part of his plan to integrate other nations into his family as well. Part of that plan involves sending Israel into disaster. But he's measured in all of that, never wanting the enemy to get credit for their victory over Israel. The only way to gain victory over God's people is if God allows it.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
But God will have compassion on Israel in their weakness and defeat, and he will bring about justice. By the way, the word yesheron that appears three times in this song is a reference to the Israelites. Outside of this song, it only appears one other time in scripture. It means upright ones, and it's used almost ironically in this song, since it's a song about how they aren't upright.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
This is the song God wants the people to remember when they're at the beginning of the story, about to turn to idols. He wants to stop them before they fall away into apostasy. And if they refuse to listen at that point, then He wants them to remember it when they're halfway through the story it tells. He wants them to remember that He's still there, loving them.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
Then after Moses sings this song to them, God tells him which mountain to go to die on. From the top of that mountain, he'll be able to see the promised land before he dies. Before he goes up to die, he offers a final blessing to 11 of the 12 tribes. You may have noticed that the tribe of Simeon isn't mentioned here. Did Moses just forget them because he's super old?
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
You know all the Simeonites were probably standing around going, um, excuse me, what about us? This probably wasn't forgetfulness on Moses' part. It was probably a prophetic move on his part, delivering an indication of what God had in store. The Simeonites would eventually be dispersed and the tribe of Judah would absorb them.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
This hasn't happened yet in our story, but Jacob also prophesied along these same lines in Genesis 49-7. After Moses blessed them, he went up to the mountain God directed him to, saw the promised land, and died, old and strong. Then we see something kind of strange and beautiful. Scripture says God buried Moses. Not on Mount Nebo where he died, but in the valley.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
We have no idea what that looked like. Maybe there was a theophany and God took on the form of man to bury him, or something else I don't even have the brainpower to think of. Regardless, God buried him in a different spot than the spot where he died, and no one knows where that spot is exactly.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
This probably served to prevent them from building a shrine on his grave that could have led to idolatry in the future. Israel mourned for him for 30 days. Then we end Deuteronomy with the encouraging reminder that Joshua, their new leader, is filled with the spirit of wisdom. God knows they need that. Then we moved on to Psalm 91. It's very similar to what we just read in Deuteronomy 32 and 33.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
Even though most of it wasn't originally written to be a song, it seems that one of the psalmists set Moses' words to music so they could be sung and remembered. It's a sweet reminder for the Israelites of who God is and what he has brought them through.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
So the fact that you're still here is huge.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
I also know lots of people who pray this psalm aloud every night before they go to bed, especially people who suffer from nightmares and night terrors. And this chapter is also where my God shot came from today. I spent about 20 minutes meditating on the implications of verse 14, which says, Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him. I will protect him because he knows my name.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
God has drawn you into something here, and I'm praying for you that He will continue to carve out time for Himself in your schedule to give you wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and humility as you read, to keep showing you new things about Himself, to correct any lies you believe about Him or anything you misunderstand, and to help these truths take root in your heart in a way that is transformative.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
The Hebrew words used here are so potent. The word used for holds fast in the phrase he holds fast to me indicates a longing and desire. And in the phrase he knows my name, the word used for know is the same word used to say things like Adam knew his wife. It indicates intimate knowledge.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
And since name indicates character, then to say, He knows my name, means God would be saying something like, He is intimately acquainted with who I truly am. You know that's what we're doing here, right?
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
Unless you're playing some kind of weird game where you're pouring yourself into studying Scripture but completely disconnecting it from your heart and your life, then there's a good chance that you're actually falling more in love with God through this. Your heart is being knit to him in a way that is like longing and desire. You probably find yourself wanting to read your Bible sometimes.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
And maybe that feeling has taken you by surprise. Maybe it's altogether new and unfamiliar to you. Through this, he's teaching you to hold fast to himself. He's showing you who he is, teaching you to know his name. I believe there's deliverance and protection for us in this.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
deliverance from the world and from ourselves, deliverance into greater freedom and joy and into him because he's where the joy is. We're starting a new book tomorrow and we've got a short video overview linked for you in the show notes today. Check that out if you have an extra eight minutes to spare. We think it will really set you up for success.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
Regardless, I'll see you back here tomorrow as we start the book of Joshua. We know lots of you are fans of The Chosen, so if that's you, we have great news. We have a sneak peek of season five, which premieres in theaters on March 28th. This scene depicts a tense moment among the religious leaders of Jesus's day. We'll link to the full clip in our show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
We're at thebiblerecap, don't forget the the, on Instagram and Facebook. And by the way, while we do love being able to connect with so many of you, social media isn't the best place to ask questions about our daily recapping because we just can't get to them all, unfortunately. I gotta sleep sometime, you guys. But we've created an official Recaptains Facebook discussion group.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
To be a part of our group, you'll start by joining the Recaptains. Find out more on the Recaptains link of our website, thebiblerecap.com. And of course, we've linked to that and all our socials in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
I bet you've already seen that happening in your life, and maybe others have even taken notice too. When we fix our eyes on who God is, real change takes place. Yesterday, as we wrapped up our reading, God told Moses to write a song about the Israelites, past, present, and future.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
It would serve as a reminder to them when they recalled this song after rebelling against God at some point in the days to come. And it's a lengthy song, lots of lyrics. The song starts out by calling Israel to pay attention as he proclaims God's greatness, which is what comes next. And just like with most songs in poetry, we see some poetic devices used here.
The Bible Recap
Day 081 (Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91) - Year 7
Similes, metaphors, personification, anthropomorphizing, hyperbole. So don't panic when you read phrases like, they are no longer his children because they are blemished, they are a crooked and twisted generation. God hasn't cast them off forever. This kind of hyperbole emphasizes the weight of what has happened. The context helps clarify terrifying verses like that.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Today we finished our fourth book of the Bible. We're 15% of the way through. And the even better news is that you guys are pressing through on the days that are tough. You know there's still something to learn on those days, and that even if you hit a dry patch, tomorrow's a new day with new chapters.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
There are a lot of other terrible things that come along with this too. Hearts full of fear and paranoia, defeat at the hands of foreign armies, a lack of food so pronounced that it leads to cannibalism. And God says he will make their heavens like iron and their earth like bronze, which is to say the sky won't rain and the ground will be too hard to plant or grow food.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
And it's in that setting that most of them would die, never returning from exile. And as a result of their sins, their children would be raised up in exile in the lands of foreign enemies, just like they had been. If they do break the covenant and these curses do come, it's clear that all these things are intended by God to wake them up and prompt repentance in them.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
To repent means to turn away from their sins and toward God. Discipline is what God is working out here, not punishment. We see that in 26, 18, and 23. Discipline is the act of any loving father whose child is walking in rebellion. If this weren't discipline, if it were a casting off of these people altogether, God wouldn't be outlining their chance for repentance and redemption.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
In chapter 26, Yahweh makes his vows to the people, and in chapter 27, we see details of the people's vows to him. There wasn't a lot of context for this, so let me explain briefly. People were either supposed to serve in the sanctuary or make a financial vow. If you were a Levite, you served, but if you weren't a Levite, you weren't allowed to serve, so you paid the vow.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
This ensured that everyone had an investment in supporting the work of the sanctuary. No one was allowed to just sit the bench. Everybody participated. The values are adjusted based on what that person would likely be expected to contribute as far as physical labor is concerned. In this section, I loved seeing God's detailed care for his people.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
In verse 8, we see how God handles those who are too poor to pay the vow. He says, And those who are of greater means would sometimes vow their animals or houses or land to God as well. If they gave land, though, it reverted to the original owner in the year of Jubilee. That's one interesting thing about the transactions involving the land God gave them.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
It was less like selling and more like a lease that ended in the Jubilee year. The people weren't allowed to exchange land long-term. It always reverted back to the specific person or family or tribe that God gave it to originally. He makes the determination of who gets what land, and they can't amend His decision. But just a reminder that they don't actually have this land yet.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
They don't have these homes that they might hypothetically donate. This is God just telling them in advance how to plan for what He will do for them. They're still in the wilderness. Today, we also see the word tithe show up for the first time in Scripture. This was a donation of one-tenth of their income to the sanctuary, even if that income was in the form of food or animals.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
I'm really proud of you. We are many days into God's conversation with Moses on Mount Sinai during Visit 2.0, and today we wrap up this book and this conversation. Some of you are very excited to move into a new book, and others of you know that our next book is Numbers, and that does not make you excited. But I'm here to tell you that Numbers is one of my favorite books of the Bible.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
The word tithe literally means one-tenth. And it served to provide for the Levites and the maintenance of the sanctuary since they were doing the hard work of helping people draw near to God. What was your God shot for today? Mine was at the end of chapter 26 when he was telling them how he would respond if they broke the covenant and then repented.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
That was not a standard part of ancient covenants. A broken covenant usually meant a finished covenant, but God wasn't letting go. Providing an opportunity for them to turn back was next-level mercy. Instead of the normal treatment, what we see God saying is that even in rebellion, if they humble themselves and repent, He will forgive them.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
In 2644-45, God says He will not break His covenant with them. He will remember it to be their God. God keeps leaving the light on for them. Even in this covenant agreement, it's like He's saying, if you fail to keep up your end of the deal, there will be consequences. But the aim of these consequences is to turn your heart back to me. And when you do turn back, I will love you no less.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
Your faithlessness will be met with my faithfulness. Maybe you know someone who used to walk with God but has turned away and now they seem to be too far gone. With our God, it's not possible to be too far gone. You never know. Maybe he'll use a tough situation to humble them. Or maybe he'll just show them there's no flourishing and thriving to be found in the things they're chasing.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
whatever means he may or may not use, we can pray that he changes their hearts to see that he's where the joy is. Tomorrow we'll be starting the book of Numbers. It's 36 chapters long. We've linked to a short video overview in the show notes. Check that out if you have seven minutes to spare.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
If you want to help financially support The Bible Recap, but you aren't interested in getting the perks that come along with being a recaptain, we've got you covered. If you click the donate link on our website, thebiblerecap.com, it'll walk you through the process of how to financially support our work. We've also put a direct link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
And by the way, thank you, not only from me and all of our team, but also on behalf of every single person who listens or watches or reads each day. Your support is helping people all over the globe read, understand, and love the Bible more.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
We are about to enter some of my favorite passages in all of Scripture. We do have to go through a few census details before we get to those parts, but it will all be worth it, I promise. As God wraps up this covenant conversation with Moses, he does something that's pretty standard for a covenant agreement.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
He sets out the expectations for blessings and curses based on whether the covenant is kept or broken. This was how most covenants in that day were written, giving all these footnotes at the end. In God's words here, we see that faithfulness to Him is a big deal. If Israel remains faithful to His laws and keeps His Sabbath, He will bless them in obvious ways—peace and abundance and security.
The Bible Recap
Day 053 (Leviticus 26-27) - Year 7
And even though they'll still have enemies, they'll have victory over them. But if they don't stay faithful to Him, He outlines five phases of curses that will follow their rebellion. If at any point they repent, He won't execute the next phase— These phases increase in intensity as they progress, with the final phase being exile and scattering from the land he promised to give them.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Today we drop back in on Moses parting words to the Israelites before his death. And he starts with a command we've heard often, but we've never really drilled down on it. God has commanded us to love him. The word love here indicates emotion. It's action adjacent, but it's emotion specific.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
But second, and most of all, that's what we all do when something is important. This is the theme of Deuteronomy. Moses is very concerned about their faithfulness to God. And it's good for us to read these things as well because we all need daily reminders of who God is.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
God called them to remember his word when they sit and when they walk, when they lie down and when they stand, which happens lots of times a day. So surely we can read it once a day. He tells them again to destroy all the paraphernalia of worship to other gods, and he includes a word we've seen a few times but haven't talked about yet. The word is asherim.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
Asherah was a fertility goddess, and the Canaanites worshipped fertility. Let's be honest, the Israelites kind of seem to as well, but in their own way. The asherim are wooden poles with a figure of asherah on them. God commanded them to destroy these when they entered Canaan. Another phrase you may see referenced sometimes when we're talking about idolatry is the term high places.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
Most of the pagan worship sites were set up on hills and on mountaintops or under especially distinct trees. So anytime you see God telling them to destroy the high places or the trees, he's talking about destroying the places of Canaanite worship. Moses also reveals that there will be a major shift in how some of the laws and sacrifices work once they get into the promised land.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
First, in 12.5, he says there will be one specific place in the promised land where God will make his dwelling place. This is nothing new, really. The manifest presence of the Lord dwells above the Ark of the Covenant in the tabernacle, but the tabernacle will no longer be in the midst of the encampment.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
It will be in the midst of a whole new land, and they're going to be spread out over that land, which is the size of the state of New Jersey. There will be Levites allotted to live among each tribe, but the tabernacle, wherever it goes, is the only place where they can offer burnt offerings.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
Moses says that all the Israelites will travel to that one place, even if their allotment of land is far away. And when they go, that's where they will worship God and make their sacrifices to Him. I don't know how you felt reading this, but I kind of panicked. If I had been an Israelite and I wasn't in the tribe that got the tabernacle, I would be scrambling to marry into whichever tribe did.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
Not because I don't like to travel, but because I would want to be as close as possible to wherever that mercy seat was going to be. I cannot imagine having to move away from the presence of God. But one thing they all get to start doing once they enter Canaan is eating meat whenever they want. And even the people who are unclean can eat meat too.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
What this likely implies is that up to this point, the only meat anyone could eat was meat that had been offered to God. And since having that offering come in contact with an unclean person would make it unclean, then unclean people had to be vegetarians by default.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
So now with this new situation unfolding where they'll all be spread out instead of living in one encampment, they'd have to travel a long way to make sacrifices, which would mean they'd only get to eat meat when they made that trip. With this new addendum, God is basically saying, you can eat meat in your own land anytime you want. It doesn't have to be sacrificed to me first.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
How do you command a feeling? Jen Wilkins says, the heart cannot love what the mind does not know. And I'm guessing that by fixing your eyes on his word daily, by looking for him in scripture instead of for yourself, that you love him more now than you did 75 days ago. The more we take our eyes off ourselves and get to know this infinitely lovable God, the more we will love him.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
Moses warns them not to add or subtract from anything God has commanded. And he gives them a heads up that there could be people who will mingle the truth with lies as a means of enticing them in little by little. For instance, in 13, 1-2, he gives the example of a false prophet or a diviner who provides some correct insights, but who uses that wow factor to lure people away from Yahweh.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
Just because someone speaks truth, that doesn't make them a prophet of Yahweh. Even a false prophet can be right, but it doesn't mean we should follow them or seek truth from them. Moses said God may sometimes use this kind of thing to reveal their hearts to them. And then God commands that the false prophet or diviner get the death penalty.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
Not only because that's what is required of the covenant when someone breaks the first commandment, but also as a means of protecting their covenant community from further spread of the lies. God demands this kind of allegiance to himself over strangers and even over friends and family members who try to lure them into apostasy.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
These are intense preventative measures, but these laws are supposed to deter people from rebelling or enticing others into rebellion, and they're a necessary step in God's plan to restore humanity in relationship with himself. This is a protective measure for everyone. Where did you see God's character on display today? What was your God shot?
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
There was a subtle thing that showed up three times in chapter 12, verses 7, 12, and 18, that really sets Yahweh apart from all the other false gods. In each of those verses, he says something like, "...you shall bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, and there you shall rejoice."
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
When people made their sacrifices to false gods, it was to appease them or entice them to give them what they wanted. It was an attempt at initiating some kind of response, either, hey, please stop punishing me, or hey, please give me what I'm asking for. But with our God, none of that is how we approach him. Our offerings to him are a response to his initiation. And it's not about appeasing him.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
It's about rejoicing in his provision and relationship with us. What a great contrast to every other god. All those worshippers of false gods are missing out on the rejoicing because Yahweh, He's where the joy is. Grocery shopping may be a boring weekly routine for you, but all you savvy Sam's Club shoppers know that the fun stuff is in the middle of the store. And that's where you can find us.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
While you're out there browsing splurge items like clothes and snacks, go ahead and grab a copy of TBR Deluxe and TBR for Kids. We are so thankful that Sam's Club carries these books because it helps us get the Bible recap into the hands of more people. So if you're a Sam's Club member and you're looking for a copy of TBR Deluxe or TBR Kids, pick it up there.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
That will help us stay on the shelves longer so that more people bump into Scripture while they're on the hunt for rotisserie chicken.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
Moses speaks specifically to the adults among the crowd who were alive even when the exodus happened, and he reminds them again to remember who God is and what he has done for them. In 11.16, he tells them to pay attention to their hearts. There are things around them that will entice them to worship them, and they have to be vigilant to not be led astray by these new shiny things.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
If they stay faithful to God, no nation will overtake them. God has already proven that he can defeat bigger armies. There's an interesting image at the end of chapter 11. He tells them to choose between blessing and cursing, represented by two different mountains, Mount Gerizim, the Mount of Blessing, and Mount Ebal, the Mount of Cursing.
The Bible Recap
Day 074 (Deuteronomy 11-13) - Year 7
The Israelites will perform the ceremony he commands for this later in Deuteronomy, so we'll just put a pin in it for now, but know that we're coming back to it. Moses continues to warn against idolatry, and if it's starting to feel like he's repeating himself, it's because he is. First of all, he's old, and old men tend to repeat themselves a lot.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Let's talk about the difference between anointing, consecrating, and ordaining, since we saw those words a lot today. To anoint is to apply oil to something. To consecrate means you're setting it apart for sacred use. And to ordain is to establish.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
Remember that atonement means covering. This is to cover their sins. The order of this process is important. It starts with atoning for sin through the sin offering. Then it moves to petitions and praises in the burnt offering. Then on to communion and fellowship in the peace offering. Aaron blessed the people. Then he and Moses both blessed the people. Then came the biggest blessing of all.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
The glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Fire came down and consumed the offering and the people lost their minds. They fell on their faces and worshiped. Praise is the proper response to all God's actions. In chapter 10, we hit an important passage.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
God has just established the tabernacle and all these rules for keeping it holy, and Aaron's two oldest sons decide to completely ignore God's commands and do their own thing. Nadab and Abihu offered incense in a way that was not consistent with God's orders. It could have been that they offered something other than God's special incense.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
Remember how he made such a big deal about that in his instructions? Or it could have been that they offered it at a time that wasn't authorized, or that they were possibly drunk when they offered it, or most likely that they offered it at all instead of Aaron doing it. And God sent fire down to kill them on the spot. This is arrogant rebellion.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
And God establishes right out of the gate that he won't stand for it. Also, in keeping with the theme we've seen God establishing, the two oldest sons here are passed over. Moses had two of Aaron's cousins dispose of the bodies, since Aaron couldn't touch a dead body or he'd become unclean.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
Then Moses told Aaron and his two younger sons that they weren't supposed to perform the traditional grief practices in response to God killing Nadab and Abihu for their blatant rebellion. Other people could grieve respectfully, but not them. In the midst of this, God speaks to Aaron directly, which is a rare occurrence, but is really sweet considering he just lost two of his sons.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
And God gives him specific orders about the way he and the other priests are supposed to be set apart. First, they have to avoid drinking on the job. The fact that this is the first command is one of the reasons some people think Aaron's two oldest sons had been drinking when they offered the incense. The priests are supposed to protect the sacred space of the tabernacle.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
They're supposed to distinguish between the clean and the unclean. And not only that, but they're also called to teach everyone else what God has revealed to Moses. Teaching was one of their main jobs. Moses ordered the two remaining sons to make an offering, then eat it as a gift of provision from God. But they didn't eat it. And Moses was furious.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
These were the people who were supposed to be teaching others to obey the things God told Moses, and they couldn't even obey those things themselves. Moses may have feared that God would strike down Aaron's two other sons as well, and then the priesthood would be done forever once Aaron dies. He's old, after all. How would God keep his promise if he killed all four of Aaron's sons on the same day?
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
In this specific instance of ordaining, they're establishing someone in ministry. We see Moses anointing, consecrating, and ordaining Aaron and his four sons. The whole process lasted seven days, and Aaron offered the very first sacrifice on the altar as a part of that seven-day ordination ceremony. This takes us roughly a week past the assembly of the tabernacle.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
Moses is stressed out. And here's where my God shot for today comes in. I saw God's character in Moses' response to Aaron. Aaron appeals to Moses, reminding them that he does revere God's holiness. But eating the sacrifice would have been inappropriate today given how it's been uniquely stressful and troublesome. And Moses relents.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
This reminded me of when Moses would appeal to God about things and God would lean into compassion instead of being strict. It's almost like all this time Moses has been spending with God has rubbed off on him. Have you seen that happening in your own life since we started reading together? Have you found yourself growing in patience and kindness and compassion?
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
Have you seen yourself trusting him and his sovereignty and his goodness more than you did six weeks ago? Do you have more joy in reading his word than you did before we started Genesis 1? I bet you do, because here you are today in the midst of Levitical law, delighting in him. You know he's where the joy is.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
If you're looking for our recommendations on a Bible study or commentary, check out our Amazon storefront. We've linked to our favorite resources there. Just go to amazon.com forward slash shop forward slash the Bible recap, or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
On day eight, we have the first official tabernacle service, where Aaron and his sons offered more sacrifices on the altar. In 9-6, Moses says, "'This is the thing that the Lord commanded you to do, that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.'" God's commands are always for the blessing of His nearness and His glory.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
When I was reading about all the stuff that God is doing to draw near to His people, it reminded me of when I travel. Once I arrive, no matter who I see first, I usually want to tell them all the details about my trip to be near them— My flight was delayed, and then just as we were supposed to board, they changed gates and I had to run through the terminal.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
My seatmate smelled terrible and snored loudly and leaned on me, and I did all this to be near you. Aren't you happy? This feels a little bit like this to me, like God is saying, look at all the provision I've made. I'm giving you animals to slaughter and I'm anointing priests to be mediators between us.
The Bible Recap
Day 046 (Leviticus 8-10) - Year 7
And look, I know you weren't there, but I wrote it down in this book so you could read about it. And I did all this to be near you. Aren't you happy? And we're over here like, boring. Can we just get back to the storyline, please? And God is patient even with that. So here's Aaron doing his first job as high priest by making atonement for himself first, then for the people.
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today, as Job continues the speech he began making yesterday, he shows us how much he longs for the past, specifically starting with his relationship with God. He reflects on a time when he felt the nearness of God in a way that he described as friendship. In 29.4, he says, "...the friendship of God was upon my tent."
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
All along, he has been acknowledging that God is responsible for his circumstances, because even though he isn't the active agent, he's still sovereign over it and allowed it, so there's some truth to that. But the question of God's motives remains unknown to Job.
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
However, in chapter 30, we hit this point where Job seems to begin reaching his own conclusions on what his trials say about God's motives and character. In verse 21, he says, After all this, Job's troubles make him question the character of God. Even though Job was righteous indeed, he has pride and entitlement in his heart.
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
Job is innocent of the thing his friends have accused him of, but God uses this trial to reveal other things in his heart. things that couldn't have been revealed in any other way but through this trial. And now that these thoughts of Job's heart have surfaced, we've reached a turning point in the story. Because God loves Job, and God doesn't want Job to think things about him that aren't true.
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
God is going to deal with it, just like Job, who didn't want his friends to think things about him that weren't true. Have you ever had that happen? Has anyone ever misunderstood you? Especially if it's someone that you love, don't you want to help them see the truth about you? God wants to help Job see the truth so that Job doesn't believe lies about him anymore.
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
God is always in the process of revealing himself to his adopted kids. God will defend his name. My heart breaks for Job, truly. There were two years of my life where my journals and my prayers looked a lot like Job's. Some of my relationships even looked like Job's. I would never say I was righteous like Job, but I relate to a lot of what he's feeling here.
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
And because I can relate a bit to his emotions, I'm eager for us to keep reading tomorrow because things are about to shift for Job in a dramatic way. But where did you see God at work in today's reading? What was your God shot? I loved seeing that Job considered God his friend.
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
Even though Job isn't feeling God's nearness at the time, to even know that a level of intimacy with God like that is possible, that encourages me. Friendship implies not just knowledge of a person, but trust of a person and time spent with that person. You can only trust someone you know, and you can only know someone you spend time with.
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
I want my knowledge of God and my trust of God to always be increasing so that my friendship with God is growing richer and deeper all the time. Because as I get to know Him better, I see all the more that He's where the joy is. We're grateful to have users listening across all kinds of devices through all kinds of podcast platforms.
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
The only problem with that is A, we aren't in control of all of those platforms and B, sometimes we can barely figure out how to solve problems on our own phones. But the good news is we found that most problems you encounter can be solved easily. And since we don't have our own tech support division, we'll fill you in on the solutions to the two most common problems here.
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
Problem number one, if you have an episode that feels glitchy or jumpy, make sure you've downloaded the episode. If you're just streaming it and you happen to have a slow internet connection, things can sometimes be a bit bumpy. You can set it to automatically download, which should avoid this problem. Problem number two.
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
Knowing about someone is different than having a friendship with them, and it's certainly different than saying you feel like their friendship dwells in your home with you. It made me stop and reflect on how I view God. Do I just know who He is and know about Him from what others say about Him? Or do I know Him personally?
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
If an episode doesn't appear to post in your podcatcher, first, try refreshing the page or closing and reopening the app or even restarting your phone. This is the podcast version of unplug it and plug it back in. Except 90% of the time, it works. But if it doesn't work, try looking for the episodes on Podbean or YouTube. They will always be available there.
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
Unfortunately, we have no control over the other platforms and how or when they post, but I hope this helps. This has been Tech Support Hacks with TLC. Thank you for tuning in.
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
Or do I feel like I have an intimate relationship with Him that is part of my everyday life? Job not only laments the loss of that nearness, but he also laments the loss of his reputation. People used to listen when he spoke and be in awe at his wisdom. Now they won't stop advising him and they think he's a fool. The only thing that changed was his circumstances. His wisdom didn't vanish.
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
They were judging his wisdom and his righteousness based on his life circumstances. Previously, Job's friends had accused him of mistreating the poor. But here, Job tells us about all the ways he's extended his hands to the needy and fought for justice. Now, not only are his friends not fighting for him, but they're fighting against him.
The Bible Recap
Day 011 (Job 29-31) - Year 7
And because God revealed his vantage point to us in the first chapter of this book, we know which scenario is true. We know who to believe here. We know his friends are wrong. This is the lowest point of Job's despair.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Remember the Midianites? Think back to Numbers 25. Balaam the prophet was on the mountain with Balak, refusing to curse the Israelites. Then immediately after this, in Numbers 26, we see a scene where the Israelite men are whoring with the Midianite women and a plague breaks out where God kills 24,000 people.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
By ordering them to be put to death, Moses was safeguarding against another possible outbreak of idolatry and plague. After the warriors had purified both themselves and their plunder, all of which had been made impure through the deaths of the battle, God tells them how to divide the plunder between warriors, civilians, priests, and God's portion.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
You may have noticed that part of what they brought back from the land were 32,000 virgin females. So what do they do with these? These women, likely young women or girls, would be absorbed into the Israelite community and would eventually be allowed to marry into the Israelites if they turned to God.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
and the portion of them that were the Lord's tribute likely ended up working in the service of the sanctuary. Afterward, the Israelites count up all their men, and not a single one of them had died in battle. That is remarkable, miraculous even. Then, because they took a census, they needed to make a ransom payment based on the lives God brought safely back from war.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
So they offer up gold from their plunder, roughly 500 pounds of it. For this next section, we've included a link to a map in the show notes in case you're visual. First, what we need to know is that the Jordan River runs north to south. God's allotment of land for the 12 tribes was a little sliver of land west of the Jordan River and east of the Mediterranean Sea.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
It was long and narrow and roughly the size of New Jersey. At this point in the story, the Israelites are on the east side of the Jordan River. They're not yet in the Promised Land. They're in the land they won back in Numbers 21 when they defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, the king of Bashan.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
If you're looking at a modern-day map, the land they're currently in is part of what is modern-day Jordan. The land is apparently pretty fertile because two of the more agriculturally driven tribes really like it. Reuben and Gad want to stay there, even though this isn't part of the land initially promised by God. They approach Moses about it, and he is not having it.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
He thinks they're just like their parents. They either don't believe God's promise to give them the land of Canaan, or they're afraid to fight the Canaanites when they do get there. He's having flashbacks from when the ten spies doubted, and he got stuck living in the wilderness for 38 more years.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
He probably just wants to die already, and he's terrified that these guys are going to screw it up for him and everyone. But they're like, no, Moses, pull up a rock, sit down, let us explain. And they tell him they'll totally cross the Jordan River along with everyone and fight for Canaan, but they just want to be able to come back to this land when it's all said and done.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
So Moses agrees, but he warns them that if they break their promise, they won't get the land after all. His response implies that they've made a vow to God, kind of like the ones we read about yesterday. Reuben and Gad settle into their land, and after defeating some additional people, so does the half-tribe of Manasseh.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
By the way, this is the first time we've seen the term half-tribe mentioned in the Bible. Here's what happened. At some point, the people of Manasseh divided among itself. So half of the tribe of Manasseh will settle east of the Jordan River, outside the original land of the promise, along with the tribes of Reuben and Gad.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
These are known as the Transjordanian tribes because they are across the Jordan. Since the Promised Land was always about a specific plot of land, this may or may not be a problem in the grand scheme of things. Historians and theologians have different views on this situation, but they mostly boil down to some version of these two opinions.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
Then, Phineas, Aaron's grandson, personally kills an Israelite and the Midianite chief's daughter he's having a little rendezvous with, and that's what led up to where we are today. God tells Moses that his final assignment before death is to kill the Midianites. Moses rallies 12,000 men for the task, plus Phineas, son of the high priest, who acts as a sort of chaplain.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
A. That is not the land that God allotted them, so it's not Holy Land. Or B. B. Land that is won in a holy war also belongs to God, so this land is equally honorable for them to dwell in. What is not contested is that God's name is all over these pages. So where did you see Him at work today? My God shot was when I saw how seriously he takes my fidelity to him.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
Even though we don't see it being specifically commanded by God, Moses was commanding that all the temptation for Israel be eradicated when he called for the killing of all the Midianite women. He knew that falling into apostasy would mean the Israelites would be under the death sentence themselves. The Puritan writer John Owen said, "'Be killing sin, or it will be killing you.'"
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
Neither he nor I are talking about killing people here, but about killing temptation. Do I treat my temptations the way Moses did, like they're a predator out to destroy me? Or do I try to tame them and keep them for myself like the soldiers did? God is so vigilant for my heart, and He knows it's not easy to be strong.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
He wants the temptations eradicated if they might lead me to forget that my deepest joy is found in Him. May God's Spirit always help me to remember that He's where the joy is. If you've been watching The Chosen, you know Season 5 is coming to theaters on March 28th.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
And we've got a sneak peek for you where you can experience what it might have looked like as the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus. We've linked to the full clip in our show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
A lot of you use our plan on the Bible app to keep you on track with your daily reading. And a few of you use our daily Instagram stories to keep up. But did you know you can have your very own printed plan? That's right. You get a printed plan and you get a printed plan and everybody gets a printed plan if you want.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
You can color in the boxes as you go or put a sticker on each day as you finish or surround it with doily cutouts or whatever your heart desires. To print the plan or to download it to your device, go to the start page of our website, thebiblerecap.com forward slash start. Then look for the print users section under step one or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
He takes some of the holy vessels, though he don't know which ones, and some trumpets. They kill all the men of the land. And you may have noticed that Balaam was included among them, because he advised Balak on how to trip up the Israelites, specifically using the wiles of the women.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
After winning the battle, the Israelite warriors bring the women and children back to the Israelite encampment, which was what they typically did after winning a battle. But this isn't just any battle. This is a battle whose primary cause is these women. So Moses ordered the death of all the women who weren't virgins, the women who initiated the idolatry and the loss of 24,000 lives.
The Bible Recap
Day 067 (Numbers 31-32) - Year 7
It's possible some of the soldiers had even brought back the very women who had led them astray. And even if they weren't the same women, this was still trouble waiting to happen. The husbands of all these idol-worshiping women were all dead now, so they would likely seek out new husbands from among the Israelites, which could recreate the problem all over again.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. We're in a section right now that probably won't be your favorite, but persevere. This is setting us up to understand a lot about God and his story. When we have passages like this, as we will from time to time, don't try to remember all these details. There isn't a quiz.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
The book we'll tackle next is all about their work, Leviticus. Today we start out with God addressing his plans for Aaron, Moses' brother, and all Aaron's offspring and their roles as priests. God pays a lot of attention to their priestly attire, but it's really more than just clothes we're dealing with here. It was more like sacred equipment than garments.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
This may be a bad illustration, but think of a police officer's bulletproof vest or a football player's pads. That's more like what we're dealing with here because these garments have a function. These clothes are listed along with the tabernacle details and equipment, and they're explicitly designed for use in the sanctuary when priests serve in this role.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
They didn't wear this stuff when they were posted up in their desert hammocks. If you want to see an image of what these may have looked like, do a quick web search and you'll get a pretty good idea. In addition to function, these garments were also intended for glory and for beauty. They displayed God's splendor and attention to detail.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
And God specifically gifted the people who were assigned to make them. That's how seriously he took these things. First, we read about the high priest's garments. Then we read about the garments for the other priests. But there are three things I want to highlight about the high priest's garments. First, the clothing is supposed to indicate the high priest's role as a mediator between God and man.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
His attire is supposed to symbolically represent the people before God—hence the names of the tribes on the shoulder pieces and the twelve stones on the ephod—and to symbolically represent God to the people. The priest is a foreshadowing of Christ, connecting God and man. The second thing I want to highlight is the Urim and Thummim.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
We don't really know what these were, but here's my best guess based on all my research. We know they were a part of the ephod, and they seem to be tools used for discerning God's will. It's possible that the Urim, which seemed to be the primary device they used, gave off some kind of supernatural light, because its name is closely related to the Hebrew word for light.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
We also know that David requested them from the priest in 1 Samuel 23 9 when Saul was coming to kill him. I think if I could find any ancient relic apart from the Ark of the Covenant, I would be most interested in finding these. The last thing I want to highlight are the bells on the hem of the robe.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
The priest had a lot of duties to do, which meant all that movement would keep those bells ringing. If for any reason the priest fell dead while he was performing his tasks, the bells would go silent. Those served a function as well, because the priest was in the Holy of Holies, where no one else was allowed to go.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
Those priests have to go through an intense seven-day ordination and consecration ceremony, where one of the acts is to sprinkle blood on their right ear, right thumb, and right big toe. We know that blood symbolizes purification in these ceremonies, but why did they put it on those spots?
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
Just try to come away from this with an overall idea of the function and purpose and meaning of it all. Try seeing what ties all these details together and asking yourself what those details reveal to you about God. First of all, why would he pay this kind of attention to detail?
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
Since their priestly garments cover most of their skin, the blood was placed on some of the only exposed skin and at their furthest exposed extremities, head, finger, toe. By making these marks of purification on these three distant spots, it likely symbolized that their whole body had been purified.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
As a part of this ceremony, they also had to make a lot of offerings, and these were costly animals without defect. They also had to eat unleavened bread as part of the ceremony. And anything they offered on the altar became holy, set apart for His glory. Our reading today ended with God making a statement that connects to my God shop for today.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
All of this ordination ceremony and all of the sacrificing points to God's holiness. Holy means set apart. He establishes the priest to be set apart for sacred use by the divine. He establishes the altar and the sacrifices to be set apart for sacred use by the divine. And even though holiness by its nature indicates separation, God ends today's reading with these words.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
There I will meet with you to speak to you. There I will meet with the people of Israel. I will dwell among the people of Israel and be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God. In His holiness, in His set-apartness, He made a way to draw near.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
Nothing is going to stop Him from being with His people. Not His holiness, not their sin, nothing. To be loved and pursued by Him reminds me all the time that He's where the joy is. Lots of you are auditory learners and love to listen to the podcast, but we've heard from tons of you that like to watch TBR on YouTube. We've posted all our videos plus some YouTube shorts on our YouTube channel.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
And if you're using the Bible app, our daily videos are right there in the devotional tab of your reading each day. It's super convenient. Just click back to the Devo tab after you finish that day's chapters. Check it out on the Bible app, subscribe to our YouTube channel, or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
And second of all, why would he include these things in a book that would long outlive the use of the things he's describing? Whatever these difficult passages show us about him is still in effect, even if the offerings and sacrifices and garments aren't. By the way, if the idea of animal sacrifice bothers you, here's something that may be helpful to remember. God isn't the one causing it.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
Man's sin is. Hebrews 9.22 says, This is His provision. We should never be angrier at God's provision for our sin than at our sin itself. Before we unpack today's reading, let's back up a little bit. Do you remember the 12 sons of Jacob? Not all of them, I'm not asking you to list them, but I'm just asking if you remember that there were 12 of them, the 12 tribes of Israel.
The Bible Recap
Day 039 (Exodus 28-29) - Year 7
Back in Exodus 2, we learned that Moses and Aaron were from the tribe of Levi. You may remember Levi as one of the two brothers who, along with Simeon, killed all the men of Shechem to avenge their sister Dinah's rape. And yet here we are with his descendants being appointed as priests unto the Lord. Talk about redemption. The descendants of Levi are called Levites. And guess what?
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. The adventures of Samson continue today as we read about the man who isn't allowed to touch dead people, but who is appointed by God to kill people. What an interesting juxtaposition. He starts off our reading today by visiting a prostitute in Gaza, which is a Philistine city.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
Just a theory, but I thought it was worth mentioning. We learn a lot of other interesting things about Samson in this story, too. First of all, he must be a deep sleeper. Second, he has a head full of locks. Seven, to be exact. Third, he's either blinded by his lust for this seductress, or he's arrogant and assumes he can never be overpowered. Or possibly both.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
And fourth, he does not learn from his mistakes. He's at discernment level zero. She tries three times to find out where his strength comes from, and it's hard to tell if he doesn't trust her or if he's just being secretive like he always is, but he lies about it repeatedly. There's one thing that's interesting here that's only evident in the original text.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
When Samson finally gives Delilah the real answer about his strength after her first three failed attempts to get it out of him, he explains that he's under a vow to God, but he refers to God by his generic name, Elohim, not his personal name, Yahweh. This gives us an idea of the way he views God. It's the difference between knowing God and knowing about God.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
Maybe it's just me, but everything seems kind of like a joke to Samson. I love a joke as much as the next person, but he doesn't seem to take God's call on his life seriously. He's invested in the killing part, but not much else. And it's doubtful he'll ever get serious unless he's humbled, which is what happens next. Samson's disobedience leaves him vulnerable.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
Delilah gets her money, has a man shave his head, and the Spirit of the Lord leaves Samson. We've talked about this before, but it bears repeating. In the Old Testament, that was possible. God the Spirit didn't indwell people yet. With the exception of John the Baptist, that doesn't seem to happen until the book of Acts in the New Testament.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
In the Old Testament, God's Spirit traveled around a lot and is described as being over or on people, but not in them. This post-resurrection life we're living is far superior. We don't have to worry about his spirit leaving us. Okay, back to the story. The Philistines overtake Samson, obviously, and this whole incident strips him of everything we've ever identified him with.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
Everything he knows about himself is gone. His locks are gone, his strength is gone, his vision is gone, and the spirit is gone. This must have been a horrific identity crisis for him. Not only that, but the Philistines' punishments on him are oddly fitting, because they correspond to his two major areas of sin.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
They gouge out his eyes, which have been a major weakness for him, and they force him to do a woman's work, grinding at the mill, which has to be an affront to his pride as well. Without God, he doesn't even have the strength to do a regular man's work. But as his hair grows back, so does his strength.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
One day they bring him out at one of their pagan festivals where they sacrifice who knows what, and he's supposed to entertain them. Sometimes this kind of thing involved taunting or beating the prisoner, but all we know is that it probably didn't involve feats of strength, because as far as they know, he's weak now.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
So this is a wicked decision for a lot of reasons, but that hasn't stopped him before. The men of the town find out he's there and mount an attack against him. They plan to ambush him when he leaves in the morning, but he leaves in the middle of the night instead and takes part of the city gate with him on his way out.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
Regardless, what we do know is that Samson cries out to God, and this time he calls him Yahweh, and he asks for strength. This indicates that he may have been repentant after he'd hit rock bottom. He calls God by his personal name, and he recognizes God as the source of his strength.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
Then Samson pushes over two of the load-bearing pillars of the temple, and the whole thing comes crashing down and kills everyone, including him. As we move on to chapter 17, we transition out of the personal accounts of the judges into some stories that just show us the sheer level of anarchy that's happening throughout Israel at this point. We start with a man named Micah, who is an Ephraimite.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
He steals some stuff from his mom, then confesses, and she decides to build an idol to Yahweh in response. See anything wrong so far? This is the first of many instances where the people demonstrate both a lack of awareness of God's laws and a total disregard for the ones they do know. Because as 17.6 says, "...everyone did what was right in his own eyes."
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
Without leadership, people self-govern, but it's usually too subjective to be righteous or good. For instance, Micah sets up a little temple in his house and ordains his son, an Ephraimite, not a Levite, as a priest. It seems that Micah has actually set up his own little secondary holy site here, which is not just unauthorized by God, but is actually wicked and defiant.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
Later, Micah meets a man named Jonathan, who is a Levite appointed to live among the tribe of Judah. Micah realizes that this is his chance to have an actual Levite priest, not a pretend Levite priest like his son. In 1713, we see that Micah is trying to use God for selfish gain. He says, "...now I know that the Lord will prosper me, because I have a Levite as a priest."
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
Micah also made his own ephod, which we already know is a violation of God's command. An ephod contains the urim and thumim, which are used to discern God's will. So having his own replicas suggests that he's trying to go after things that aren't appointed to him. Stay in your lane, Micah. We could say it's a good thing that he wants to know God's will. I mean, don't we all?
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
But he's going about it in ways that are dishonoring to God, kind of like King Saul when he visited the medium. This makes it clear that Micah is more interested in getting answers and being powerful than in drawing near to God. In chapter 18, we zoom in on the tribe of Dan, who never really managed to drive the Canaanites out of their land, so they're moving north to try to find a new home.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
They run into Jonathan, Micah's priest, and ask him if it's okay for them to abandon the land God allotted to them. He gives them hopeful but wicked counsel. Yes, they'll succeed, but God never authorized that. So they continue on in their wicked hopefulness.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
I picture the men of Gaza crouched outside the city gates waiting for him to leave, then seeing him do that and having a sudden change of heart about their ambush. Next, Samson meets another Philistine woman, Delilah, and word gets out that he is into her. There's nothing in the text to indicate that she loves him back. She's just a hired covert agent.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
Then they go 100 miles northeast to a city called Laish on the edge of Israel and kill a bunch of unsuspecting people in a land not allotted to them. Then they come back and offer Jonathan a promotion. They want him to be the priest to their whole tribe in the city they've just conquered. What started with just two men sinning, Micah and Jonathan, quickly morphs into an entire tribe sinning.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
And by the way, this story about Dan is important later, so make a mental note of it. Where did you see God's character revealed today? What was your God shot? Mine was in the way God met a blind, rebellious prisoner in his hour of need. The fact that Samson never called God by his name until the end is so sad to me. All that wasted time. He had God's gifting, but not God's intimacy.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
But in the end, after everything else had been taken away from him, he recalled the truth he'd known all along, but never walked in. And God didn't say, nope, you've screwed up too many times. God showed up with a yes to Samson's prayer and used his tragic story as one of the steps to setting his people free from oppression. He wants intimacy with us.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
Even in prisons and on deathbeds, he's always ready to come closer. And that's good news for us, whether we're in dire straits or in a place of abundance, because he's where the joy is. Each month, we send out special bonus content to our recaptains. In April, we have a bonus episode called What to Do When You Don't Want to Read the Bible. Because let's be honest, that's happened for all of us.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
This bonus episode is for recaptains at the bonus content tier or higher. If that's you, just log into your account to get your perks. Or if you've opted to have it emailed to you, you can look for it there. If you're a recaptain at a different tier and you want to access this perk, all you have to do is log into your account and adjust your membership accordingly. You are the boss.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
And if you're not a Recaptain yet, this is a great time to join. Check out the Recaptains tab on our website, thebiblerecap.com, or click the link in the show notes, because you can be the boss too.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
The five lords of the Philistines offer her 1,100 pieces of silver each to find out the secret of his strength. First of all, that's 5,500 pieces of silver. Scripture doesn't give us the weight of each piece, but if each piece weighed a shekel, this would be about $35,000 in today's money.
The Bible Recap
Day 095 (Judges 16-18) - Year 7
Second of all, the fact that they want to know the secret of his strength might suggest that he wasn't super muscular. Otherwise, they'd know it was because of the muscles. The fact that they're all like, how is he this strong? Suggests that he probably wasn't built like Thor. That way, his feats of strength could really serve to glorify God, not his own body.
The Bible Recap
Day 004 (Job 1-5) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Today's reading landed us about 400 years post-flood, and we met a man named Job. Initially, he sounds a lot like Noah. He's blameless and upright and fears God. In Noah's story, things got really dark. Then there was some relief at the end.
The Bible Recap
Day 004 (Job 1-5) - Year 7
God didn't create the plan for testing Job, but he allowed it. He wasn't the active agent in the evil perpetrated by Satan, but he was still sovereign over it. And in his mercy, he limited it. Satan was on a leash. He was not allowed to take Job's life. Satan attacked Job in a variety of ways.
The Bible Recap
Day 004 (Job 1-5) - Year 7
In 1.11-19, we saw that his losses came twice as acts of men, the Sabaeans and the Chaldeans, and twice as acts of nature, fire from heaven and wind. Quick sidebar, I wonder if the phrase fire from heaven is an old school way to refer to lightning. Regardless, God granted Satan the opportunity to influence both of those things, the acts of man and the acts of nature.
The Bible Recap
Day 004 (Job 1-5) - Year 7
For God to allow Satan to influence those things means that God himself is the one who has control over those things. You can't give someone influence over something that isn't in your domain. Job's response to all this trouble was humble. 122 says, In all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. In 210, Job acknowledged that everything comes from God's hand, and he received it.
The Bible Recap
Day 004 (Job 1-5) - Year 7
He's handling his grief pretty well until three of his friends show up on the scene. They came to show him sympathy and comfort, and they did a great job of that during the seven days when they sat in silence with him. The problem was when they started to talk. Maybe you've had friends like that, or maybe you've been a friend like that.
The Bible Recap
Day 004 (Job 1-5) - Year 7
There are some really good lessons for us in the book of Job for how to comfort someone who has experienced trauma. Sitting with them in silence is a pretty safe bet. But after seven days of silence, Job's friends start giving him bad counsel. We heard from the first one today, Eliphaz. In 4.12-16, Eliphaz claims to have a word from God about what Job has done wrong.
The Bible Recap
Day 004 (Job 1-5) - Year 7
He insinuates that Job has brought all this trouble on himself, but we know from the story that Eliphaz is wrong here. Tomorrow, we'll see how Job responds to his opinionated friend. Where did you see a picture of God's attributes in what we read today? What was your God shot? Here's mine. It was really comforting to me to see how God is sovereign over evil.
The Bible Recap
Day 004 (Job 1-5) - Year 7
God limited the actions of the enemy, and every action the enemy took against Job ultimately served God's greater purposes as we see them unfold in the rest of Job's story. If you've never read this story, it does get really dark, just like Noah's, but it does have a happy ending. Like I said, I'm not trying to spoil anything. I'm just trying to encourage you as you press through these dark spots.
The Bible Recap
Day 004 (Job 1-5) - Year 7
Keep looking for God in the dark spots of this story, because He's where the joy is. If you never got around to listening to our six prep episodes from before our daily recap started, I would encourage you to take time to do that today. You can listen to all six episodes in a little more than an hour, and they will really help you out.
The Bible Recap
Day 004 (Job 1-5) - Year 7
And not to give spoilers, but we'll see the same type of thing playing out in Job's story. Based on our conversation from day two, you may have noticed that Job 1.6 referred to the angels as sons of God, including Satan, who in his created form is an angel. In Job 1.8, God initiates a conversation about Job with Satan.
The Bible Recap
Day 004 (Job 1-5) - Year 7
We've partnered with the Dwell Audio Bible app to bring my daily recaps right into their app. Not only can you listen to each day's reading, but you can also hear my recaps right inside the app. Look for it in the App Store or Google Play and get a free seven-day trial. Or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 004 (Job 1-5) - Year 7
One thing worth noting here, the word Satan means adversary, one who resists, accuser. There's some debate about this, but many people believe Satan is not necessarily a proper name that refers to one being, but that it's a general term referring to God's adversary, in this instance, a fallen angel who opposes God's reign.
The Bible Recap
Day 004 (Job 1-5) - Year 7
Later in scripture, we have references to a specific fallen angel named Lucifer. But there's reason to believe that the word Satan doesn't always refer specifically to Lucifer. There are many fallen angels who are God's adversaries. In fact, a lot of people believe that Revelation 12 indicates that one-third of all the angels God created ended up rebelling against him and were cast from heaven.
The Bible Recap
Day 004 (Job 1-5) - Year 7
So there are a lot of Satans. And I think if I were to pronounce that word correctly, it would be Satan. But I'm not going to try to get too weird here. After God initiates the conversation about Job with one of his enemies, the enemy concocts a plan to test Job and we see God allowing it. Here's what's noteworthy to me in this section.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Today we got to read a psalm. I bet you love that. Since we're working through the Bible chronologically, we'll mostly have the psalms sprinkled throughout our reading where they've been written as a response to what's happening at the time. You may have noticed that Moses was the author of this particular psalm.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
Don't you think he might have been happy to get rid of those people and just wing it on his own with God? But he doesn't. He stands on the promises and character of God. He quotes God back to God. God relents, but not without consequence. The ten spies who doubted him and worked up a panic in his people so that they rebelled against him, they died of the plague.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
And all of the men of fighting age who refused to fight and enter Canaan, who said they'd rather die in the wilderness, God says he'll give them what they asked for. They'll die in the desert. And in fact, they're going to stay in the desert until everyone over the age of 20, except for Caleb and Joshua and their descendants, were dead.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
None of those whose hearts rebelled against God would see the promised land of Canaan. God says this process will take 40 years. Then he warns them that some of their enemies are nearby, so they should pack up camp and head south. But the people don't like the consequence God deals out to them, so they try to retract their response. They don't want to wait 40 years.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
They decide they'll try to take the land after all. They go north instead of south, ignoring God's directions, and as expected, they lose the battle. They were attempting to claim God's promises without His power or His presence. Their hearts are revealed in that they wanted His gifts more than they wanted Him. They were willing to disobey Him to get what they wanted.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
It's interesting to me that they didn't initially believe his promise to give them the land, but they did believe his promise to kill them in the wilderness. For many of us, it's so much easier to trust his wrath than his grace. Then we move on to chapter 15, which is a chapter of laws.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
Whenever they set up camp at one place for a while, God usually fills them in on a few more laws, letting them absorb things bit by bit so it's not all dumped on them at once. Some of these laws are for unintentional sin, which still requires an offering. All sin must be atoned for.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
But the laws for intentional defiant sins, sins committed with a high hand, as the text says, shows that it requires a more severe punishment. You may have heard it said that all sins are equal, but we don't really see that idea in scripture. Yes, all sins are equal in their ability to separate us from God because they're all unrighteous.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
And all sins are equal in that for those who are God's children, their sins are equally paid for in full by Christ's death. But other than that, what we've been seeing over and over again in these laws is that some sins are far more offensive and wicked than others. And God even weighs motives. I don't say that so we can compare our sin to someone else's and feel better about ourselves.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
That would be sinful. I say it to point out the truth of scripture. Then, as he often does, God reminds the people of the importance of keeping the Sabbath. Breaking the Sabbath may seem like a small thing in today's society, but those little steps away from trusting God build on themselves.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
This is the only psalm he wrote. But before we get to that, let's talk about the situation he wrote it about. Today in Numbers, the people are responding to the reports of the 10 spies who argued that they couldn't take the land of Canaan. This was a mess, you guys. Because these 10 leaders were fearful, the whole camp is thrown into chaos.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
By letting things like the Sabbath slide, that's how they ended up with golden calves and believing the spies. My dad says the way you turn a battleship to go in a completely different direction is one degree at a time.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
If we don't preach the gospel to our hearts and remind ourselves of the truth of who God is when we doubt his character, we risk becoming the people who die in the wilderness, being near him but missing out on the joy and peace that comes from honoring and trusting him.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
God wants the people to be reminded of him and his ways since they seem to struggle with that, so he tells them to wear blue tassels on their clothes. Side note, it's easy to forget that Jesus was a law-abiding Jew and that he perfectly kept all these laws we're reading. That means he would have had these same blue tassels on his clothes.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
And the word used to describe these here is the same word used in Matthew 9 and 14 when people touched the fringe or tassel of his garment in order to be healed. Then we move to the psalm written by Moses in response to all this tragedy. As a result of the people's sin, he would suffer too, for 40 years. He had no idea what he was getting into when he went to rescue the people.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
He probably imagined the two-week trek, not this. So he entreats God's favor. He asks God to bless them. He says, "...make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil." Moses knows he has a long road ahead of him, and he's asking God for mercy. What was your God shot today? Mine was after the rebellion when God started listing laws again.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
He could have come across as harsh, but he didn't take it any further than their consequences demanded. But, like any kid who has been punished, they need reminders of their parents' love afterward. So he starts out with, When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving to you.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
Despite all their sin and its consequences, the ten spies dying, the failed attempt to take the land, the promise that the adults would die off and only their children would enter the land, God reminds the people that He hasn't changed His mind. He hasn't disowned Him. This family is still His people. He's still going to be faithful to His promise to them. What mercy! What integrity!
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
What forgiveness! I know they were probably kicking themselves, but I hope they at least felt encouraged by his tenderness toward them. Even in the desert for 40 years, still, he's where the joy is. Are you struggling in the reading plan? This might be a good time to hit the reset button by going back and listening to our six prep episodes, either again or for the first time.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
They're super helpful, even if you've been with us for months. You can listen to them all in about an hour. Swipe up for a link to prep episode one in today's show notes or search for it in your app. Hopefully that will be just the refresher you need to keep showing up every day. I believe God has some incredible things for you in those episodes.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
The people tried to usurp God's authority by choosing a leader other than the one God had appointed and by going where God wasn't leading, back to Egypt. This idea of going back to Egypt isn't just a theme for them. It becomes a biblical metaphor for doubting God, turning away from Him, and living unto ourselves. As for the Israelites, their doubt has turned to fear, which prompted rebellion.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
If you don't bring your doubt to God, like we've seen Moses do repeatedly, your doubt will drive you from God. So Moses and Aaron fall on their faces, Joshua and Caleb tear their clothes in grief, and then they try to rally the people to trust God, but their speech is far from effective. The people wanted to stone them. Fortunately, in the midst of the riot, God shows up.
The Bible Recap
Day 060 (Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90) - Year 7
But he does not have good news. He wants to kill all the people and start over with Moses. This is the same thing he proposed back in Exodus 32 when the people worshiped their own jewelry. But Moses intervenes just like he did back then. He pleads with God to protect his own name in front of the Egyptians, even arguing on behalf of the people at his own expense.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today, we open our reading with God telling Moses and Aaron that Pharaoh is not going to listen to them. God says he's going to harden Pharaoh's heart against the request they're bringing. That's a pretty tough order. He also mentioned this yesterday in 421.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
The enemy loves to counterfeit God's work, but the enemy can't stop God's work. Their snake staffs were swallowed up by Aaron's, and we see God's power over Pharaoh and his magicians, but we see for the first time that Pharaoh's heart was hardened, as the Lord had said. After the snake sign, we see the first plague, turning the local water to blood.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
One thing I learned recently about the ten plagues is that they weren't just about inducing pain. Each plague was a direct attack on one or more of the false gods worshipped by the Egyptians, which was a polytheistic culture. We don't have time to go into details about all these false gods plague by plague, so we'll link to an article in the show notes in case you want more info on that.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
The plagues also served to reveal that Yahweh is greater than Pharaoh, who was revered as a god in Egypt. This whole series of events shows how all of Egypt's false gods failed them. The first plague was an attack on the gods of the Nile, which they worshipped. But the local magicians could do the same thing. So again, Pharaoh was unmoved. His heart remained hard, as the Lord had said.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
Then the frogs came and the magicians were able to replicate this one too. But one thing you'll notice is that they can't ever solve the problem. They can only make things worse. Oh, God sent a bunch of frogs to overwhelm the land? Uh, no, we can't magically make them disappear, but we can add more. Nobody needs that, you guys.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
In the midst of all of this, Pharaoh makes a promise to yield, but the minute the frogs vanish, so do his promises. Pharaoh hardened his heart. It's the same story with the gnats. Pharaoh's heart was hardened, as the Lord had said. Then God does a plague with a twist. He makes a distinction in his words to Pharaoh, calling the Egyptians your people and the Israelites my people.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
He makes it clear that the Israelites are the only people he's in a covenant relationship with. Don't miss that. God said he will send flies, but they won't attack Goshen, where his people live. Remember Goshen? It's the fertile pasture land Joseph managed to get for his family when he worked for the old Pharaoh back in the day.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
His descendants, the Israelites, still live there centuries later, and God kept the flies off them. But despite this evidence of God's power in being location-specific with this plague, Pharaoh hardens his heart. Then we have livestock and boils and hail. Hail is the first plague where human lives are threatened. God explicitly tells Pharaoh how to avoid it, but he hardened his heart.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
Things are going exactly the way God said they would. Pharaoh responds differently to various plagues, but his heart is always hard. He even asked Moses to pray to God on his behalf. Sometimes people who don't know or love God still ask him for help when they're in dire straits. But despite all that, he never repents. What was your God shot today? I saw his patience.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
One thing this reveals to us is that God is sovereign over hearts. If you're new to this idea or it's troublesome for you, resist the urge to read into God's motives or draw conclusions about Him based on this. For now, let's just notice that He can change hearts. God also mentions several times that He's doing all of this so that Israel will know that He is the Lord.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
In 9, 15 through 16, he said to Pharaoh, by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence and you would have been cut off from the earth. But for this purpose, I have raised you up to show you my power so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. God has patience towards sinners. And step by step, he's working out his plan.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
His patience with Pharaoh was probably really frustrating to Moses and the Israelites. And probably even to the Egyptians as well. They were probably like, let them go already, Pharaoh. I'm far less patient with God than He is with everything. I'm always trying to rush His plan. But I want to learn to trust that He's taking the steps necessary to make His name proclaimed in all the earth.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
And that matters far more than my timeline. Plus, He's with me in the struggle and the waiting, which means there can be joy even in those moments. Because He's where the joy is. Today is February 1st. It's the start of our second month of reading through the Bible this year.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
If you're struggling to keep up with the plan, or you just want a more convenient way to find the Bible reading and recap options, check out our daily reminder email. We call it The Precap. Check out the homepage of our website, thebiblerecap.com, or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
The meaning of the word know doesn't just refer to some cognizant assent to this reality. It has more to do with a person's posture in response to that truth. God wants them to believe it in their bones, not just acknowledge it as a fact. And He wants their lives to reflect it. The plagues will serve this same purpose for the Egyptians, for them to know that he is the Lord.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
But unfortunately, it's possible to know that God is the Lord of all and still not yield to him. Remember the sons of God we've encountered a few times, including the one called Satan, the accuser? These fallen angels would have lived in heaven with God before their fall, serving him. Who would know the truth more than they would? But they didn't yield to God as Lord.
The Bible Recap
Day 032 (Exodus 7-9) - Year 7
They insisted on their own way. So Moses and Aaron go before Pharaoh and they warn him that there will be displays of God's power if he continues to rebel, and that these displays of power will also serve to demonstrate God's judgment on Egypt. They perform the signs God gave them, but Pharaoh is not impressed because his magicians can do similar things.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Welcome to our March RNC episode. We're aiming to do an episode like this at the end of each month, offering some reflections and some corrections. Let's start with the reflections and look back at all we've covered so far. We just finished the book of Joshua, our seventh book.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
But in the midst of their sin and stubbornness and foolishness, God knows that what their hearts need is Him. So He sets up camp among them in the desert. He's already told them how to have a civil society, so now He begins telling them more about how to interact with Him. That involves establishing a team of people to help mediate this relationship, to make sure everything goes as He commands it.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
He sets up a system of sacrifices and offerings and puts together a calendar of feasts to celebrate His provision for them. More than anything, He wants them to remember who He is to them, the God who rescued them out of slavery. He's trying to point them back to the truth that people who recognize Him as God can rely on His pattern of faithfulness even when they are unfaithful.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
But they keep forgetting. And every time they forget, they either get fearful and disobey, or they get prideful and disobey. Their disobedience lands them a 40-year sentence in the desert wilderness. And on top of that, they will not get to move into the land God keeps talking to them about. But the good news is that their kids get to go in—
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
After all the first generation dies off, God raises up a new leader, Joshua, to lead them into that promised land. Joshua learns to listen to God and do what he says. And as a result, they begin to take the land God promised from their enemies, the Canaanites, who currently live there.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
This generation of Israelites is living in the fulfillment, at least partially, of the things God promised to Abraham, the first Israelite, way back in Genesis 12. They are numerous, they are a nation in relationship with God, and they're living in the land He promised to give them, even if they're still among their enemies at this point.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
Now that they're in the promised land, Joshua appoints plots of lands for all the tribes and remind them that they're supposed to eradicate their enemies who live there. God cares about the intimate details of our lives, even those that might seem beneath his concern.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
Just as Joshua is about to die, he makes one final push for them to be thorough with this, and he reminds them that they should never worship the Canaanite gods. They should only worship Yahweh. The people agree to this and promise to follow Yahweh alone. Tomorrow, we enter the book of Judges.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
It's a bloody book, but it brings us an important reminder of what happens when people don't follow Yahweh and follow their hearts instead. Okay, that's all for the reflections part of this episode, and we don't have any corrections to add for this month, thank God. However, I do want to add something that I found interesting and thought you might appreciate.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
Every year, we hear from lots of you who are grieved or confused or even frustrated by the fact that Moses didn't get to enter the promised land. When I recapped it, I mentioned that he was going somewhere far better to be with God. But for a lot of you, that wasn't much of a consolation.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
So let's get the 30,000 foot view on where we are in the chronological timeline of the Bible's overall metanarrative. The Bible is one unified story. Way back in Genesis, God set out to build a relationship with one particular family, but things went terribly wrong when they fractured the relationship through sin. But their sin didn't surprise God.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
So I wanted to share something with you that a few of the people in our Recaptains family posted in our official Recaptains Facebook discussion group. Honestly, it's something I'd never thought about, and I knew you'd love it as much as I did.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
At least three people in our Recaptains Facebook discussion group pointed out that while Moses didn't get to enter the Promised Land with a bunch of entitled, bitter Israelites, he actually did get to go there. And his experience was far superior to what any of them experienced when they crossed over. So if you stick with us for the rest of the reading plan, you'll get to see it.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
We'll eventually hit a part in Matthew 17. It's giving me chill bumps just thinking about it. It's where Jesus is standing on a mountain with Peter, James, and John in a scene known as the Transfiguration of Jesus. And all of a sudden, Moses and Elijah are transported there as well. What a moment.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
And according to Luke 9.31, the conversation they were having on top of that mountain was about Jesus' upcoming death and resurrection. The whole experience is so great that Peter offers to set up tents so they can just keep hanging out there. If I were Moses, I might have been thinking, thanks a lot, buddy, but I've already spent my fair share of nights in a tent.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
All that aside, if you struggled with the fact that Moses didn't get to enter the promised land, I just want to set all of your hearts at ease and let you know that he did, and in an even better way than if he'd gone in with the 12 tribes. He was there with the transfigured Jesus, talking about the moment when Jesus would conquer sin and death. It's hard to beat that, my friends.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
Okay, that's all for this month's RNC episode. From day one until now, I hope you're seeing more and more that He's where the joy is. The Bible Recap offers tools that equip millions around the world to read, understand, and love the Bible. We want to help people encounter God in a way that transforms their entire lives. To find out more, visit thebiblerecap.com.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
He already had a plan in place to restore this relationship even before it was broken, and He continues working out that plan immediately, undeterred and unhindered by their rebellion. He sets apart a man named Abraham to be the patriarch of this family, and he gives this family a name, the Israelites. They're a bunch of busted people who lie, cheat, and steal.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
God blesses them despite their sin, but sin still has its consequences. One of the long storylines of consequence is of the 400 years they spend enslaved in Egypt. God sent a man named Moses to demonstrate his power over the Egyptian ruler who's enslaving them. And eventually, he reluctantly agrees to let the Israelite slaves go. They flee to the desert, led by God and his servant Moses.
The Bible Recap
March Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
Little by little, God gives these people the basic rules of how to have a stable society— All they've ever known is slavery under a cruel dictator. They've never seen good leadership demonstrated. They're a bunch of uncivilized, ungrateful people who have only just met God and Moses, and they're not keen on obeying either of them.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today we wrap up the introduction to the book of Judges and God tells us that He has left a handful of Canaanite leaders in the land as a test for the Israelites. Today we also get to meet the first four Judges, all of whom are pretty good by comparison to the others we'll read about.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
I bet Ehud was probably teased about his left-handedness for his entire life. Kind of like if you're a vegan whose last name is Hunter. But this left-handed warrior led a group of people in giving a gift to King Eglon of Moab as a ruse so he could stab him with an 18-inch knife. Then he led the Israelites in killing 10,000 Moabites and taking back the land.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
And things are peaceful again for 80 years. After that, we only get one sentence on the third judge, Shamgar. Both his name and his family of origin point to Shamgar being a native Canaanite who had turned to worship Yahweh. And here he is, established as a judge over the Israelites, leading them in victory over the Philistines to save Israel.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
After Ehud and Shamgar, the people sin again and God sells them into slavery for 20 years under Jabin, the king of Canaan. This situation seems impossible to the people because Jabin and his military commander Sisera have access to 900 iron chariots, and they live in areas that are flat. If you have chariots, you want the battles to be on flat land.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
If you don't have chariots, you want the battles to be in the hills, for obvious reasons. Chariots are super advanced, like ancient tanks, but they don't move well across anything besides flat, dry ground. So for these Canaanites to have chariots in flat land did not bode well for the Israelites.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
The Israelites had been worshiping the Canaanite gods, and now they realize that those gods are worthless to save them, and they have no hope but Yahweh. So they cry out to him. That's when we encounter our final judge for the day and one of the ones who occupies the most space in the book, Deborah.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
Of all the judges we'll read about, she's the one who honors God the most and sticks the closest to his commandments. Scripture describes her as a wise, bold, level-headed prophet who keeps her word and fears the Lord. She's also the one judge we encounter who actually presides over legal cases. So she's a judge in the Israelite sense and also a judge in the Judy sense.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
The one traditional role of an Israelite judge that she doesn't step fully into is the role of military commander. She says God has appointed Barak for that position, and he's on board, but he refuses to go to battle without her. She agrees to go with him, but lets him know up front that a woman will get the praise for winning the battle.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
Initially, it seems like she's saying this praise will go to her, but this prophecy points to someone else. In the song in chapter 5, we find out that Barak summons six tribes to fight with him, which is the largest coalition in the whole book of Judges. Before the fighting begins in chapter 4, we see a brief mention of a Kenite man named Heber, who pitched his tent in the middle of nowhere.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
This is foreshadowing. Deborah gives the heads up that today is the day for battle against Sisera and his 900 chariots, and she reminds Barak that God goes before them and has given them the victory. The Israelites kill a lot of Canaanites, but Sisera escapes on foot and winds up in the middle of nowhere at, you guessed it, the tent of Heber the Kenite.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
Early on, we find out that Israel has forgotten God and are worshiping Baal and the Ashtoreth, and God takes credit for selling them into slavery, just like he warned them he would do when this happened. After eight years, they finally cry out to God and he raises up the first judge to save them.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
Heber had a peaceful relationship with Sisera's king Jabin, so they were on decent terms, which may explain why Sisera went to his tent. But there are at least two other weird dynamics going on here. Heber was a Kenite, not an Israelite, but those two are closely related and have a peaceful relationship. The Kenites even settled in the land with the Israelites.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
So Sisera is showing up to a place where he is both a friend and an enemy. If you've ever been in middle school, you've probably been in a situation like this. The other weird dynamic, according to the text, is that Sisera actually goes to Heber's wife's tent, not Heber's tent. Wives often had separate tents from their husbands. Maybe he thinks she'll be more compassionate than Heber would be.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
I don't know, but it's still kind of sketchy. So this was probably a pretty awkward situation for at least two reasons. It wasn't awkward for long though, because she drives a tent peg through his temple. And once again, God and his people gained victory over the enemy. And they wrote a whole song about it in chapter five, praising God and his works. Then the land had peace for 40 years.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
Where did you see your God shot today? I really loved seeing how he chose and appointed unlikely leaders. In our first four judges, we start with a man from the tribe of Judah, which is to be expected, but then we have a left-handed man from a right-handed tribe, a Canaanite to lead the Israelites, and a woman. None of those would be viewed as traditional leaders in that day.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
And it just reminds me of how God uses the unlikely, not to pump up their self-esteem or give them bragging rights in front of the haters. That's prideful at worst and fleeting at best. He does it to reveal himself at work, to show his heart for those who are overlooked. It's not that he sees potential in them. He doesn't see it and it's not potential. It's a reality and he created it.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
God is establishing a track record of using people we probably wouldn't think of as leaders, those we might pass over because they seem less qualified for one reason or another. It brings Him glory, and it brings us joy, because He's where the joy is. We're a quarter of the way through the year. Wow, way to go for making it this far.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
If you're struggling to keep up with the reading plan, or if you just want to safeguard yourself from getting behind as we get further into the year, I recommend signing up for our pre-cap emails. These are our daily reminder emails with all the info and links you need for each day's reading and recap.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
That way, when you wake up bleary-eyed, you don't even have to think about what you need to do besides open that email and click through for your Bible reading. Sign up for the pre-cap at the bottom of our homepage, thebiblerecap.com, or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
And remember that the judges we're talking about here are more like military commanders and civil leaders than someone who sits in a courtroom with a gavel. The first judge is Othniel, whom you may remember as Caleb's nephew slash son-in-law. The text says God's spirit was upon him and he gave him victory. Then they had peace for 40 years.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
But then the Israelites decide they prefer sin over peace and they rebel again. So God strengthens their enemy against them, King Eglon of Moab. He gathers some allies and they attack Israel and take back Jericho, which was Israel's first conquest in the Promised Land. They also take the Israelites as servants for 18 years, until they cry out to God for rescue.
The Bible Recap
Day 090 (Judges 3-5) - Year 7
Then God appoints Ehud, the second judge, to rescue them. If you're left-handed, you probably loved this story, even though it was gross, because left-handed people often get a bad rap in ancient text. But here, one of your people is the hero. One interesting thing about this is that Ehud was from the tribe of Benjamin, which means son of the right hand.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. When we left off yesterday, nine of Jacob's sons had just returned to Canaan with food from Egypt in the midst of a famine. Joseph kept Simeon behind as a hostage in Egypt in hopes of getting to see his brother Benjamin, but Jacob refused to let his son Benjamin go to Egypt.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
If there were 11 brothers, many of whom were very close in age, what are the chances that some rando in Egypt could accurately arrange them precisely according to birth order? They're astonished. Then, Joseph continues to give Benjamin special treatment in front of them, giving him five times the portion sizes.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
Part of this could be because Benjamin is his only full brother and he wants to bless him, but part of it is likely to test the brothers to see if they have grown. Will they still be jealous when the younger brother gets preferential treatment? Or have they really learned from their experiences? After the meal, they prepare to head back to Canaan.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
And that's when Joseph doubles down on the money in the bag trick with the added bonus of putting his silver cup in Benjamin's bag. But this time, they don't discover it on their own. Joseph sends his squad out to find them and accuse them of theft.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
They deny it and try to reason with him, but then the bags are opened up one by one, oldest to youngest, because Joseph's squad wants to heighten the suspense. This is like a movie. The tense music swells and then they find the cup in Benjamin's bag. Dun-dun-dun. This is the moment of testing. Would they sell their brother out like they literally did before?
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
The camera pans to Judah, who made a promise to his dad. He knows he's going to have to take the fall for this, which means he's probably going to die or at least become an Egyptian slave for life. They all head back into the city again to face the music, and Joseph confronts them. Joseph briefly mentions that he can practice divination, and there are a few things this could mean.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
It could be an empty threat to throw them off. It could mean he does practice divination, since that's a common practice in Egypt, even though that doesn't mean God would approve of it. Or it could be a reference to his ability to discern the truth through divine intervention and discernment, like with his dream interpretations.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
Divination hasn't yet been forbidden by God, but it's still disrespectful at best and wicked at worst to seek answers and guidance from spirits instead of God himself. I'm inclined to think Joseph is bluffing here, kind of like police interrogators do when they're trying to get a confession out of someone. Look, we know you did it. We have it on tape. We're just waiting for you to confess.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
But they can't confess because they're innocent, at least of stealing the cup. Judah confesses that they do all have guilt, all of them. For 10 of them, he's likely referring to the guilt of Joseph's presumed death. And for Benjamin, it's possible Judah thinks Benjamin did steal the cup. We don't know.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
Either way, he gives a beautiful speech to Joseph, which really shows exactly how much God has humbled and shaped his heart and brought repentance through all he has endured. From the guilt of selling Joseph, to losing his wife and two sons, to having his own hypocrisy revealed when he slept with his daughter-in-law.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
Today we pick up with Jacob and his sons finishing off the grain they got from Egypt. Jacob finally agrees to let his sons go back to Egypt for more food and take his youngest son Benjamin with them, but only after Judah pledges to bear the blame if anything happens.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
This is the guy who originally suggested they sell Joseph into slavery, and now he's the one offering himself in Benjamin's place. This moment is a picture of Christ, and it's fitting because Christ, the older brother, offered himself for the guilt of us, the younger brother. We talked about this a few days ago with Ruben, and here we're seeing it again.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
This story is peppered with pictures of Christ. At the end of Judah's speech, Joseph loses it. He can't fake it anymore, and he tells them he's their brother. He speaks to them in Hebrew without an interpreter. He tries to calm their fears, but he can't calm their shock. It's like they're seeing a ghost. Then he tells them all to move to Egypt so they can escape the last five years of the famine.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
And Pharaoh even offers to provide everything for them, the best of the land. Back in Canaan, Jacob is dumbfounded when his sons bring this news to him. But when the caravan arrives, it confirms what they've said. Jacob is old, but he's excited to see his son Joseph again after 20 plus years. What was your God shot today? I saw how God invites us into freedom.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
And in this story, I'm particularly talking about emotional freedom, the kind that only comes from trusting Him. In 45, 5-8, Joseph says, Joseph leans on the sovereignty of God to put their regret to death. Freeing everyone with the reminder that their sins haven't derailed God's plans or His promises. When Jesus died and rose again, He paid the penalty for our sins, past, present, and future.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
For God's kids to walk in the shame and regret of those sins is to carry a weight He died to take from you. If you're carrying regret for past sins, be honest with yourself. Doesn't that weight more often serve to distance you from God instead of drawing you nearer to Him? Doesn't it leave you filled with shame instead of humility?
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
Doesn't it sound more like the lies of the enemy and your flesh than the words of your loving Father who sent His Son so that you could be in relationship with Him? If we trust that God is at work in all things, it not only helps us forgive those who repent for sinning against us, but it also lays the framework to forgive ourselves as well because we know that no one's sins can ruin God's plan.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
Jacob sends them off with some local treats, things that probably make Joseph homesick when he sees them, as well as double the money so that they could pay back what they found in their grain bags. They thought it was God's punishment, but Jacob chooses to optimistically believe for once and give the benefit of the doubt, saying maybe it was just an oversight.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
Joseph wants that freedom for his brothers. He doesn't want them to carry guilt over their sins against him because he knows it was all serving to work out God's plan for good. Joseph believes this so deeply that he reiterates it three times in this chapter alone. God brought Joseph out of literal bondage into freedom, and he brought Joseph's brothers out of emotional bondage into freedom.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
And because he has brought all of his adopted children out of spiritual bondage into freedom, I hope that you can testify alongside me that he's where the joy is. Maybe this is your second or fourth or fifth trip through the Bible with us, or maybe it's your first. Either way, if you want to level up and take on more of a challenge, boy, do I have something for you.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
Did you know we have another daily podcast? It's a 90-second podcast called The Bible Kneecap, and this podcast is a prayer podcast based on each day's reading and Godshot. By the way, we call it The Bible Kneecap because it's like kneeling in prayer. This second daily podcast is available to recaptains who join at the Bible kneecap tier or higher.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
People tell us they love not only reading through and understanding God's word, but praying through it too. It's also a great way to learn more about how to pray and get some training in that area if you're nervous about it or feel like you're not very good at it. Plus, it helps round out each day's experience in the word beautifully. First, we hear from God, then we respond to God.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
So if you're interested in getting two podcasts from us every day, The Bible Recap and The Bible Kneecap, check out our Recaptains link for more info. Thebiblerecap.com forward slash recaptains or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
He resolves to leave the matter in God's hands. When they arrive in Egypt, Joseph sees that his full brother Benjamin is with them, so he orders them to his home. He's planning a feast, but they think they're in trouble. Wouldn't you? This is terrifying. In their panic, they try to explain to his servant what happened, but he already knows because he was in on it.
The Bible Recap
Day 027 (Genesis 43-45) - Year 7
Simeon, the hostage, joins them, and then, in front of all eleven brothers, Joseph offers Benjamin a special blessing. Then Joseph seats all the brothers in exact order from oldest to youngest. Verse 33 says the men looked at one another in amazement when this happened.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. The Israelites have just set foot in the Promised Land as a nation for the first time. This is the partial fulfillment of something God promised them approximately 750 years earlier when He first called Abraham in Genesis 12.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
So Joshua wants to know if this man is an Israelite that he just doesn't happen to recognize, or if he's a Canaanite. And the man basically says, guess again, I'm God. How do we know he's God? First of all, he receives Joshua's worship. God's elect angels don't allow people to worship them. They reject it because they know they don't deserve it.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
Second, the angel of Yahweh also tells Joshua to take off his shoes, just like God had told Moses to do when he appeared in the burning bush, because he was standing on holy ground. The presence of angels doesn't make things holy. Only God can do that. In this conversation, many people suggest that God is refusing to take sides in the battle since God doesn't give Joshua a straight answer.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
But we know from the surrounding text that God has aligned himself with the Israelites. So what's going on here? God's reply to Joshua suggests more that Israel is on his side than that he is on Israel's side. Meanwhile, Jericho is shook. They probably know what's coming. This terrifying army is camped outside their city, so they hole up in their houses.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
God tells Joshua that Jericho is theirs for the taking because he's giving it to them. But he has some super weird instructions on how to accomplish this. They'll march around it, carrying the Ark once a day for six days, while seven priests blow trumpets. Then on the seventh day, they'll march around seven times, and on that seventh trip, all the people will shout.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
And then the walls will fall, and they'll have an opening to go inside and devote everything to destruction, everything except for Rahab and her family. Joshua tells the two spies who met her that they're in charge of saving her. And it all happens just like God commanded. They defeated Jericho with exactly zero military strategy, just by trusting and obeying God's weird commands.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
Joshua pronounced a curse on anyone who rebuilds Jericho, so heads up, it's been rebuilt. We'll get to that later, but just remember this curse. Another thing Joshua emphasized before they took the land was that the Israelite soldiers aren't allowed to take any plunder for themselves.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
Any plunder they take was supposed to be set apart and devoted to God, kind of like a firstfruits offering from their first conquest in the Promised Land. So, bad news, a guy named Achan secretly took some stuff for himself. Some commentators estimate the value of this stuff to be approximately the amount a worker would earn in his entire life. Meanwhile, Joshua makes a classic leadership mistake.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
More fulfillment will come when they take the land, but at this point, their enemies, the Canaanites, still live there. The first city they plan to take is Jericho, a town near the eastern border of the Promised Land. But before they do that, God wants them to be fully prepared. In God's economy, preparing for battle has very little to do with sharpening your weapons.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
He's probably overconfident from their defeat of Jericho, forgetting that they won because they walked in obedience to God's commands. So he sends his people to go take over another city, but without consulting God first. So the Israelites go to take over the city of Ai, and not only did the Israelites lose, but about 36 men died in the process.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
Joshua is overcome with grief and he begins to doubt God, thinking God had betrayed them. He appeals to God in much the same way Moses used to when they were in trouble. But God points the finger back at the Israelites, all of them. Since God views the Israelites as a unit, one man's sin has impacted the whole.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
Achan is personally responsible for his spiritual adultery, but the whole community is affected. God is angry at them all, and he tells Joshua how to deal with the guilty party. And since Achan's sin represents spiritual adultery against God, not just theft, it requires the death penalty.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
The next morning, God supernaturally identifies Achan from the tribe of Judah as the man who has committed the sin. Even though Achan is from the most esteemed tribe, he's rejected from the people of Israel because his heart isn't devoted to God. This is important.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
We're already seeing, through the rescue of Rahab the Canaanite and the rejection of Achan the Israelite, that being a part of God's people, the Israelites, has nothing to do with race or genes and everything to do with your heart. Those whose hearts are devoted to Yahweh are welcomed into His family, even if they're strangers and foreigners.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
And those whose hearts reject Yahweh, even if they're Israelites by birth, are not counted among his people. God's family is made up of people with new hearts, not similar DNA. Achan and his family are stoned for his adultery.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
And because Deuteronomy 24, 16 tells us that children aren't to be put to death for their father's sins, it seems to indicate that his family may have played a role in his sin or in concealing it. God takes this stuff seriously. After all this happens, God commands them to try again at defeating Ai, because this time they'll win. And this time, he says they can take the plunder.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
How ironic is that for Achan? If only he had waited. Using a clever military strategy, they defeat the city, keep its livestock and plunder for themselves, then set it on fire.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
And again, it's important for us to remember that when they destroy these cities, it's serving the purpose of God's judgment on its inhabitants for their wickedness, as well as providing the promised land for the Israelites.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
After the battle, Joshua builds an altar to God and follows the instructions God gave them back in Deuteronomy 11, speaking the curses from Mount Ebal and the blessings from Mount Gerizim. Then Joshua renews the covenant with the people by reading it to them aloud. We covered a lot of ground today, so where did you see your God shot?
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
Mine was as they were taking their first six trips around the city of Jericho. They'd get up, make their circle, a few of them would blow some trumpets, then they'd go back to their camp and do it all over again the next day. All this walking around seems like such a waste of time. If I were in that army, I would probably be like, what is the point of this? We're accomplishing nothing.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
It has everything to do with preparing your heart. He wants to make sure their hearts are surrendered to Him and aligned with His own heart before they go face the enemy. The first thing they have to do is circumcise all the Israelite males, then allow them time to recover. After every male is circumcised, they celebrate Passover. The timing of this is beautiful.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
Maybe if we're honest, we feel like that some days in our reading plan, or in prayer, or in Sabbath, or fill in the blank. But God's doing something. Sometimes what God does in our hearts through obedience is beyond our capacity to understand. Sometimes He's teaching us to trust Him for the outcome instead of trying to achieve it on our own.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
He is at work, even on the so-called nothing days, when obedience feels like we're just walking in circles. You've probably already seen evidence that your obedience to Him is Him at work in your life, drawing you nearer to Him. It's the best place to be, even when we don't fully understand, because He's where the joy is.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
We know lots of you are fans of The Chosen, so if that's you, we have great news. We have a sneak peek of season five, which premieres in theaters on March 28th. This scene depicts a tense moment among the religious leaders of Jesus's day. We'll link to the full clip in our show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
No matter how long you've been TBRing, chances are you'll have some questions at some point. Things like, how do I find the show notes? Or how do you choose which episodes to post a content warning on for Little Ears? Or does she go by Tara or Tara Lee? We've done our best to answer all these and more on the help page of our website.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
Check it out at thebiblerecap.com forward slash help or click the link in the show notes. And by the way, it's Tara Lee, one of those Southern double names that makes everything so complicated. But if it helps, most of my friends call me by my initials, TLC, and you can too.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
It's kind of a second Exodus, exactly 40 years after the first one. Their hearts need to celebrate Passover because it will reinforce their faith. It serves as a reminder to them that God has protected and provided for them through the years. Then in 5.12, we get a little sentence that speaks volumes. It says, What? This is incredible. This is God's precise provision on display.
The Bible Recap
Day 083 (Joshua 5-8) - Year 7
He gave them miracle food six days a week for 40 years, and the manna even follows them into the promised land, but then it stops on the day after they have access to the local food. There are no gaps in God's provision. Next, Joshua has a strange encounter with a man holding a sword. Obviously, this could be super scary given the fact that they're in enemy territory.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Now that Moses has instructions from God about how to set up their society, and they know how to set up the camp properly, the next focus is on the service of the newly built tabernacle in the wilderness. And that's what we looked at today.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
During that process, we saw three clans within the Levite tribe, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Those were the names of the three sons of Levi, so their descendants are called, no surprise, the Gershonites, the Kohathites, and the Merarites.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
If you looked at the encampment diagram we shared with you in yesterday's show notes, you probably noticed those names listed there and maybe even wondered what they were. If you missed that diagram, we'll also include it in today's show notes. Each of these three clans had a specific assignment in caring for the tabernacle.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
The Gershonites mostly dealt with the curtains and the coverings and fabric-related elements. The Merarites dealt with the structural elements of the tabernacle, like poles and pillars and tent pegs. And the Kohathites were in charge of guarding the holy vessels, the ark and the lampstand.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
This might be a stretch, but you might think of them as the security guards who were in museums to make sure you don't step across the red rope and touch the Mona Lisa or whatever. And when it was time to pack up camp and move on, Aaron and his sons would pack up the holy vessels, then the Kohathites were in charge of carrying the elements to the new location.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
The Kohathites arguably had the most important role of all three clans. If you were to guess which of these three clans Moses and Aaron belonged to, which one would you guess? If you said the Kohathites, the ones of the highest position who dealt with the holy vessels, you're right. That's what Exodus 6 tells us.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
And if you want to see something else interesting that continues with a theme we've been noticing, Kohath was the second-born son of Levi, and Moses was the second-born son of his father, too. Aaron was the firstborn. That's possibly one reason Moses and Aaron have some ongoing tension through the years. most recently with the golden calf incident back in Exodus 32, but there's still more to come.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
The third and final census we saw today tallied the men aged 30 to 50 who could help carry the items when the tabernacle was being transported to a new spot. When this happens, a lot of the heavier items will be carried on ox carts, but some things will have to be carried on poles. Between these censuses, you probably noticed that the Levites were significantly smaller than all the other tribes.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
Aaron and his two living sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, were the ones God established as the heads of the tabernacle. And all the other people from their tribe, the Levites, were there to help serve them and help them serve. To bring some order and intention to the situation, God calls for three different censuses.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
In many cultures, minorities are disregarded. But here, God has given them a position of incredible honor, putting them in closest proximity to himself, guarding his tabernacle and serving as mediators between him and the people. So just as the largest tribe, Judah, has a position of honor, so does the smallest tribe, the Levites.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
In God's economy, both the greatest and the least are welcomed in and bestowed with honor and a place to serve His kingdom. And that's where my God shot was today. Even within the Levites, I saw how God gave everyone a specific assignment that benefited the whole. Ministering to people was one way of serving, and doing the less glamorous heavy lifting was another way to serve.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
In order for the tabernacle to function well and all the people of Israel to be blessed, both types of service were necessary. In most churches today, the people who are more visible get more praise and attention, but they can't do what they do without someone assembling things. The worship leader needs the sound guy.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
The pastor needs the person who writes the checks to pay the electric bill and the mortgage. The same is true for other ministries like this podcast. Everyone involved plays a vital role or things fall apart.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
I research and write and record the episodes, but if it weren't for the rest of the TBR team doing sound engineering, content management, and the many other things that are necessary to make this happen every single day, it wouldn't matter that I'd researched things because you'd never hear them. And you may think that all you do at your church is stack chairs or park cars or serve in the nursery.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
But everyone who serves the church has a vital role. Appointed by God for the service and upbuilding of his people, no one is invisible to God. So whether you're up front like the Kohathites or behind the scenes like the Gershonites and the Morarites, your role is important and God is glorified. What you do to serve the church honors God. Psalm 100 verse 2 says, "'Serve the Lord with gladness.'
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
And I say, yes and amen. He's where the joy is.'" Do you have friends or family that speak Spanish as their first language? Let them know about La Sinopsis de la Biblia. That's TBR in Espanol. It's available as a podcast and book. You can find the book in the TBR store at thebiblerecap.com forward slash store. And you can find the podcast on the Bible app or other podcast apps.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
You just might need to change your language settings first or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
The first census is directly related to something God has been working out for a while now. Typically, the firstborn of each family would be consecrated and set apart for service to the Lord, but here we see God calls the Levites His firstborn among all of Israel.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
In 3.12, God says, "'I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel "'instead of every firstborn who opens the womb "'among the people of Israel.'" So God is making a kind of trade here, Levites in exchange for firstborns. Each of the male Levites will serve as a representative or a placement for each of the firstborns from all the other tribes.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
To make sure each firstborn of Israel is represented by a male Levite, they have to be counted too. So Moses does census number two. Once the counting is done, the numbers are pretty close but not exact. there's still 273 male Levites short in accounting for all the firstborns of Israel.
The Bible Recap
Day 055 (Numbers 3-4) - Year 7
So in order to work out the numbers, God sets up a process where those 273 families who weren't represented could give the tabernacle five shekels instead. That way, even though the family can't benefit the tabernacle through the service of a son, they can still at least benefit the tabernacle through the donation of their shekels.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today we continue with Moses and his grand finale before the Israelites cross the Jordan River and take the Promised Land to live in it. Moses has been giving laws for how things will shift once they're no longer camping in the desert. Today he starts out with some laws about worship.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
Moses even said the king should have his own book with God's laws written in it so he can read it daily for the rest of his life. His heart is at stake, and power has a way of corrupting people and leading them off the path of righteousness. But reading God's word would keep him upright and humble.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
God also promises to raise up a new prophet from among them, someone like Moses, who hears from God and speaks his words to them. So you can imagine why it would be such a slap in the face for them to seek out answers from mediums or fortune tellers. Because not only are those people wicked, but the Israelites themselves already have access to God and his counsel.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
And as far as the prophet is concerned, God will not only hold the prophet accountable for what he says, but he'll also hold the people accountable to listening to him. And God gave the promise that any true prophet would have all his prophecies come to pass. If any of them failed, he was not a prophet appointed by God. In chapter 20, God sets up some details for their military service.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
This is a unique scenario. This particular nation-state has God as their commander-in-chief. He starts out by reminding them who He is and what He has done, and that they shouldn't fear large armies, because He has already defeated larger armies on their behalf. God is always the bigger army. God is always the majority. In fact, He doesn't mind if their army is smaller.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
He tells the commanding officers to spread the news. Are you a young soldier with a new wife or a new house or a new garden? Go home and enjoy it. You don't have to go to war with us. We'll be fine without you. Are you afraid? You're free to go. We've already seen that fear is communicable, so we only want people here who trust in God and His promises.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
Then, he prepares them for how to go about approaching cities outside the promised land. Approach them with peace. If they return peace, take the city peaceably. If the city doesn't comply, kill all the men of the land and take everyone else and everything else as plunder. In 2014, he even says, "...you shall enjoy the spoils of your enemies which the Lord your God has given you."
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
These rules for warfare outside the promised land are different than for those inside it. For any cities inside it, remember that God is accomplishing at least three things through this process of giving that land to the Israelites. First, he's fulfilling his promise to Israel. Second, he's aiming to wipe out the signs of idolatry so that they don't tempt the Israelites.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
And third, he's using Israel as a means of enacting justice on the wicked nations that currently occupy the land. As a part of all that, he tells Israel to completely wipe out all the people they'll be overtaking in the promised land.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
He reminds them that they're entering into foreign territory where pagan gods are revered. If anyone does worship those other gods, there will be a trial involving at least two witnesses before the death penalty is given. And the witnesses are the ones who have to carry out that justice. So if they're lying, then they'd be guilty of murder.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
On the surface, I know it's hard to see this as a good and just command from God, but hang in there as we keep reading because I believe you'll begin to see the wisdom in his words. What was your God shot today? There was a phrase that showed up three times today and caught my eye. We've seen it before in Deuteronomy and we'll see it again. Today it was in 17.7, 17.12, and 19.19.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
Moses said, "'Purge the evil one from your midst.'" In these instances, it seems almost certain that this indicates capital punishment. They're instructed to kill the offender.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
I think the reason this phrase jumped out at me is because I recognize it from 1 Corinthians 5.13, where Paul is giving instructions on how to handle unrepentant sinners in the church, people who are walking in blatant rebellion. He tells the church to purge the evil person from among you. However, in Paul's letter, this wasn't a call for capital punishment.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
It was a command to disassociate with the person in hopes that the consequences might awaken them to the reality of their sin and they'll repent. When I look at the long arc of God's storyline, I see how much he leans into grace toward his kids because Christ has received our punishment. He gives so many second chances, so much time to repent.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
And despite the fact that we all deserve to be purged in the original sense, He's patient with sinners. That's a very general statement, so let me make it more personal. He's patient with me when I rebel against Him. He's patient with you when you question His heart. He's patient with all of us when we think we'd make a better God than Him.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
And even when we don't believe it or remember it, He's where the joy is. Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Georgia, and South Carolina, I'm headed your way this year for the Bible Recap Live Tour. Over three different weekends, we're stopping in six cities for some teaching, some fun games, a Q&R, and tons of other cool stuff. Trust me, you're going to want to be there.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
For tickets and more info, go to thebiblerecap.com forward slash live or click the link in the show notes. See you soon.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
And because these situations can be complex and challenging sometimes, God sets up a court of appeals made up of judges and priests to handle the more difficult matters. Moses predicts that there will be a day after they settle in the land when they'll look around and be like, hey, all these other nations have kings. We should get one of those.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
When the time comes, God will choose an Israelite for them to set up as a king over them. But it's important for their kings not to be drawn to wealth, power, or women. The prohibition against these things was supposed to keep them humble and trusting in God for their provision and protection, instead of in what they could acquire for themselves. Wealth can lead a person's heart astray.
The Bible Recap
Day 076 (Deuteronomy 17-20) - Year 7
Horses represent power, which is usually about military prowess, and acquiring foreign wives was often a way of making political alliances with other nations, who were all pagan, which also meant that the women might lead their hearts astray. It's vital for the king to stay humble.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Today we see that for those who have been made clean, they bring an offering to God. It's an act of gratitude, but it's also more than that. I know these laws may seem super detailed and frustrating to read through, but don't lose sight of the point of it all. God is perfect and holy. We are not.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
I loved that in the midst of all this heavy stuff, God gave Moses this little reminder that they aren't going to be living in the tents in the wilderness forever. God goes ahead and tells Moses how to handle it if and when there's leprosy in their actual houses in the land of Canaan someday, when they finally get there.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
God's giving a fun little reminder that someday they'll be in Canaan and they'll have houses. Those houses might have mold though, so even Canaan isn't perfect. It's kind of like if he said, don't forget, Tara Lee, when I make you a millionaire, you still have to pay taxes. Okay, no problem.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
So with all these sacrifices and offerings, I want to point out three important aspects at the heart of it all. First, it's about giving something that costs you—an animal, food, oil. Second, sacrifice is about the element of substitution. Something else is covering the debt for your sins.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
When ancient Jews performed these sacrifices, they were essentially saying that the things being done to this animal are what they actually deserve themselves. Third, sacrifice is about drawing near. The heart of these sacrificial offerings is to be able to draw near to God.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
Because remember, he has them do these sacrifices at the entrance to his temple courts, not out in the middle of nowhere, far away from his manifest presence. What was your God shot today? This one literally brought me to tears. And to be honest, I never expected that kind of response in this particular passage.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
But I'm learning not to doubt how God works to reveal himself to me in the most unlikely ways. In 14.3-4, we see the leprous man getting healed, then going to be cleansed. Those who are healed must then be cleansed. This points to a picture of justification and sanctification. If you're unfamiliar with these words, let me explain briefly.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
Justification is when God the judge declares us righteous, even though we're sinners, because of what Christ did on our behalf. Justification is a judicial term, a legal standing. Sanctification, on the other hand, is the process of God cleaning us up to make us look more like Him. It's a relational act where He purifies us, and it's a lifelong process. Those who are healed are then cleansed.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
Those who are justified are then sanctified. And you know what else caught my attention in 14.3-4? Let me read it to you. If the case of leprous disease is healed in the leprous person, the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two live birds and cedarwood and scarlet yarn and hyssop.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
The part I found odd here is the part that says, the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed. Who is the priest commanding to do this, to get the necessary components for the sacrifice? When I looked into it, I found that it likely refers to other priests going to get what is required for the leprous man because he can't get it for himself.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
Anything he touches will become unclean and unfit for sacrifice if he gets it for himself. We can't clean ourselves up. We can't heal ourselves. We have nothing to offer God. Yet he draws in here. He provides everything we need for healing and cleansing. Even for those who can get their own animals for the sacrifice, who do you think gave them those animals?
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
And there are many ways we are not. Some are sinful, and some are just because we live in a fallen world and sometimes you get mold in your house when the world is broken. But even that mold serves as a reminder of the fall, and it has to be atoned for. It has to be covered. There are lots of offerings required.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
I'm blown away in the midst of Leviticus and laws about skin disease at what a great, generous God we serve. Truly, He's where the joy is. Each month, we offer special bonus content to those of you who are a part of the Recaptains. For the month of February, we've got a bonus episode about the five prayers I pray before reading the Bible.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
Now, if you do the plan in the Bible app, you see these five prayers every day in the devotional tab. But this bonus episode offers all the background info on why I chose these five prayers and how they work together to bless you. This bonus episode will go out to Recaptains who have joined at the bonus content tier or higher.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
So if that's you, just log into your Recaptains account to get your perks, or if you've selected to have it emailed to you, you can look for it there. If you're part of the Recaptains at a different tier and you want access to this perk, just log into your account and adjust your membership accordingly. And if you're not part of the Recaptains yet, this is a great time to jump in.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
People who join the Recaptains have a higher finish rate at reading the Bible. So check out today's show notes for a link to join the Recaptains so you don't miss out or click the Recaptains link on our website, thebiblerecap.com.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
The leprous person brings an offering when they're healed, but people also bring an offering for their houses when the house is purified. With any of the various discharges, there's an offering. But again, these things don't indicate sin, but they serve as reminders to God of the fall. Reproduction and all its affiliated fluids are not gross or sinful. God ordained them.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
But even the best parts of God's plan have a kind of brokenness attached to them now. You may remember this from when God laid out the curses for Adam and Eve. Man's work, which brings him joy, would have new levels of struggle attached to it. Women's childbearing and relationships with their husbands, which are often a source of joy for them as well, would have new challenges.
The Bible Recap
Day 048 (Leviticus 14-15) - Year 7
These things we try to find our identities in prove less than perfect, forcing us to look back to God, our Creator, for acceptance and love and joy. In 1434, God is clear on the fact that He's the one in charge of putting leprosy where it shows up. Some people like to attribute all disease and struggle to the enemy, but God is sovereign over even the enemy's work.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today Elihu finishes the speech we started reading yesterday, and I am so glad that's behind us. I used to really like Elihu because it kind of felt like he was on Job's side when he started rebuking the other three friends, but the more I studied this book, the more listening to him felt like a broken record.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
God is angry at sin, for instance. That's righteous anger. Being angry at sin and oppression aligns with godliness. But if we're honest, most of the things that we get angry about are selfish, which means it would be unrighteous anger. And when you think about what it means to cherish anger, that sounds awful. What happens to you when you cherish anger?
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
When I cherish anger, I have a tendency to become pretty self-righteous. I don't have a desire to forgive the person I'm angry with. I want bad things to happen to them. I start on a path toward bitterness, and my heart grows hard toward people and or God. I become cynical and arrogant.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
And while I don't know his heart, it seems like this could be the trajectory Elihu is on here as well, especially given that his argument keeps ramping up more and more. As we keep reading, we see that Elihu repeats some of the other themes from the earlier parts of his speech that we read yesterday. He says things about God like, That's true. We talked about that.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
God does use adversity and affliction to draw people to himself. And I'm so glad. This trial that Satan means for evil, God uses it for His purposes, to purify Job and to glorify Himself all the more. And both of those are good things. Often, when life abounds with riches and comfort and ease, it's all too common to feel like we don't need God.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
It's His mercy that opens our eyes to the truth that those things don't ultimately satisfy. I have no disdain for a death row conversion or a deathbed repentance. I really believe those challenging times can serve as a way of illuminating the truth. Even the thief who was crucified beside Jesus had a moment like this in his final hours. Struggles can serve as a magnifying glass on the truth.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
And on the other side of those struggles, if we've really seen the true value and beauty of an intimate relationship with the Father, we would say those struggles were worth it in order to know Him better. Just like the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3, we would say, Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. There was a preacher and theologian in the 19th century named Charles Spurgeon, and he put it this way, I have learned to kiss the wave that strikes me against the rock of ages. That phrase, rock of ages, is a reference to God.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
When all else is movable, God our rock has been unmoved throughout all the ages. Elihu says some really beautiful things about the ways God speaks, and honestly, I loved reading them. They were like poetry. But in the context, they're all intended to imply that Job is not listening to God. Elihu is praising God's glory and majesty, but in a way that's intended to crush Job.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
He's using poetry as a hammer. He closes with this statement about God. He does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit. It's true that God draws near to the humble. That leads me to think that God is drawing nearer to Job in this. Because Elihu has gone on for six whole chapters about how wrong Job is, and Job hasn't pushed back once.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
Maybe Job was staying silent out of humility, or maybe he was just all out of strength to fight back at this point. Where did you see God and His character in today's reading? For me, my God shot was in a little verse in chapter 37. It says, This is called God's providence. It's His protective care and His preparation for the future.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
Even though he started off a little more humble yesterday, he's become far more self-assured the longer he talks, growing harsher in his rebuke of Job and even bordering on cruelty. In 36.2, he claims to be speaking on God's behalf. And in verse 4, he refers to himself as perfect in knowledge. Wow, those are some pretty big claims to make.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
He has His purposes, and they may remain a mystery to us, but we can trust that He's at work. In His providence, He's being attentive to every detail and intentional in working out His plan. Maybe it's a plan to correct the hearts of the wayward. Maybe it's a plan to establish and bless His people. And maybe it's just an act of love that's far beyond our understanding.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
But we can rest knowing that He's working in all things for His glory and our joy, and especially knowing that He's where the joy is. You guys are the very best at spreading the word about TBR. Thanks to you, so many people who never would have read through the Bible have joined us and are loving it. So here's a pro tip for all of you who love to share the joy.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
When you're inviting your friends to join us, Have them start at the start as opposed to jumping in where we currently are. That's the whole point of doing this chronologically so we can follow the whole storyline. The plot is important. So whether they plan on reading through the entire Bible or the New Testament, encourage them to start at the beginning of that section.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
We've lined up all the details for them on the start page of our website. So the best way to make sure they get off to a good start is to send them to thebiblerecap.com forward slash start. The end.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
Just like Job's other friends, the hard part about weeding through all of Elihu's words is that a lot of what he says about God is true. For example, in 35, 1-7, he points out that neither our sin nor our righteousness affects God's position or perfection. That's true. He tells Job that his righteousness, in particular, can't be used for bartering with God. That's true too.
The Bible Recap
Day 013 (Job 35-37) - Year 7
But where Elihu goes wrong is in assuming that Job was trying to use his righteousness as a bartering tool. In chapter 36, Elihu points out that godless people cherish anger. I have this passage underlined in my Bible. I thought it was interesting because in the first sentence we read about Elihu, we read that he is angry. Now, certainly there are a lot of good things to be angry about.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Today we finished our fifth book of the Bible. We are almost 20% of the way through, and most of the toughest stuff is behind us. You've come so far, and I bet you've learned so much. I know I have. I'm excited to start Deuteronomy with you tomorrow, but let's wrap up numbers first.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
The Avenger of Blood could kill them. These cities weren't like prisons, they were more like the witness protection program, for lack of a better example. The killers had to stay there until the high priest died. That may sound like a weird law, but here's the premise behind it. Only death can atone for sin and death, even accidental sin and death.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
And since the manslayer was not going to be put to death, the high priest's death was viewed as an atonement for the wrongful death since it happened on his watch. The Levites were in charge of running these cities of refuge as a means of helping keep the land clean from murder. This was one of their roles in service to the people, so it was fitting that the tribes donated land for this cause.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
As they continued planning for how the land would be divided, it occurred to some of the people of Manasseh's tribe that the five daughters of Zelophehad, who were part of their tribe, might lose their tribe's inheritance if they happened to marry people outside of their tribe, because then their husband's tribe would get ownership of their land.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
And that would defeat the whole purpose of the new rule we just established back in Numbers 27. Ownership of land is a big deal because it was handed down by God. So they needed to find a way to maintain the property according to God's commands. Moses talked about it to God, then filled the people in on the verdict.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
The people who were concerned about this were right, and there did need to be a plan in place for how this should be handled. These daughters of Zelophehad should marry within their own tribe, then everything would stay in place as God had planned it. And good news, they all married their cousins. That doesn't really sound like good news, but back then it was.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
The book ends on kind of a happy note, knowing that everyone is going to be provided for in God's plan for his people. What was your God shot? Where did you see God's character on display today? One thing I've noticed is that there are some scenarios where God gives the instructions beforehand, like with the cities of refuge.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
And then there are some scenarios that they have to approach God with on a case-by-case basis, like with the daughters of Zelophehad. Some rules are established at the onset and some rules are established as they progress and find new scenarios unfolding. Surely if you're a parent, you can relate. Maybe you have a household where no one is allowed to eat in the living room. That's always in place.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
Then one day your family moves to a new house and you have a pool and suddenly you need to make rules about the pool that you didn't need to have before. In these instances, we can see how accessible God is when we need direction and help. He doesn't say, figure it out on your own. I gave you a brain. Or, I'm too busy. Or, I've already told you all the important stuff.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
I don't really care what you do with these little situations. He enters into the details, to the seemingly small things. Of three million people, he pays attention to these five women. He writes a new law addressing their situation. He cares. And what's also beautiful in that is how he keeps us near to himself as a result.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
Did he know this situation was going to happen when he was giving Moses all the details on Mount Sinai for six weeks? Of course, he totally could have given Moses that information in advance. But by not just handing out all the instructions at once, He keeps us coming back to Him.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
As you know, the Levites don't get to inherit any land. However, they do need a place to live and a place to keep their stuff. So God's plan for this is to have each tribe donate a little bit of the perimeter of their land for the Levites. 48 villages in total. This land not only housed the Levites, but also had six portions devoted to being cities of refuge.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
He embeds us a little deeper into this relationship, reminding us that our need for Him and His wisdom and His guidance are constant. I'm glad He wants me to keep coming to Him for direction, because He's where the joy is. We start a new book tomorrow, Deuteronomy. So we've linked to a brief video overview in the show notes that we think will be really helpful for you.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
If you've got eight minutes to spare, be sure to check that out. On the last day of each month, we send out a newsletter. We call it the News Cap. It's how we like to encourage our TBR family and update you on all the cool things God is doing in the TBR world. It's got helpful tips and links, plus a free resource each month aimed at helping you grow and study the word more deeply.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
And just so you know, we would never sell your info or spam you because do unto others and whatnot. So sign up today with confidence. Head to the bottom of our homepage, thebiblerecap.com and enter your email address there or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
Before we get into what those are, let's back up a little bit. In today's reading, God sets out standards for what constitutes being a murderer versus being a manslayer, and that involves weighing the motives of the killer. That's a tough thing to do since we can't see people's hearts like God can. So God establishes a few things that tend to reveal motives.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
Was this person known to hate the person they killed? Did he use a tool that would be certain to cause death? If so, then the avenger of blood was supposed to avenge the murder, provided there were two witnesses to the murder in question. The Avenger of Blood was a role given to the closest male relative. It was his job to put the murderer to death.
The Bible Recap
Day 069 (Numbers 35-36) - Year 7
One problem that might arise from this, as you can imagine, is that the closest male relative might still want to seek revenge even if the death were an accident. That's where cities of refuge come in. Those who accidentally killed someone could go live in a city of refuge where they would be safe from the Avenger of Blood. If they left the city of refuge, all bets were off.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today we finished our ninth book of the Bible, and we're rapidly closing in on 100 days in the Word. So I think you should do something to celebrate. If you know other people who are doing the Bible recap, maybe you should get together and have a little party or something.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
Orpah goes back home, but Ruth makes a shocking decision. She attaches herself to a destitute, depressed widow and leaves her country to move to a foreign land. She chooses the hard path. As she's making this commitment to Naomi, Ruth invokes an oath to God, and when she makes that oath, she refers to him as Yahweh. This lets us know that something has happened to the heart of this Moabite.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
Her allegiance has transferred from her pagan gods to Naomi's God, Yahweh. They make it back to Bethlehem, but Naomi is really bitter at this point. She believes God is mistreating her. She has no idea what's in store. God's blessings were on their way even as Naomi complained about him, and every detail of timing and placement was orchestrated for her good.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
She sends Ruth to work in the field of one of her relatives to gather barley. They are relying on the laws God set in place in Leviticus 19, which ordered the Israelites not to glean the perimeters of their fields so that the poor people and the sojourners could gather all the extra and be provided for by the surplus of the rich.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
Naomi's relative landowner, Boaz, sees Ruth working hard and asks about her. This guy is way out of her league. She's a foreign widow and he's a wealthy leader among the community. This is your classic wrong side of the tracks love story. But Ruth's work ethic and her kindness to her mother-in-law catch his eye. And maybe her appearance too, but the book never tells us that.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
It may be implied, but Boaz only ever praises her character. He says her reputation of love, humility, and grace precede her. And he treats her with an extra dose of generosity, even more than the law requires. Naomi realizes there's some potential here, so she decides to do a little matchmaking.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
She tells Ruth to stop dressing like a widow and put on some deodorant, then she sends Ruth down to see Boaz at night. There's a lot of ambiguity in this passage. Maybe she just uncovers his feet so they'll get cold and it wakes him up. But lots of commentators also point out that the word feet is often used as a euphemism for a man's private parts.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
We talked about this briefly on Day 31 when we covered the story of Moses and Zipporah, where she circumcised their son Gershom. All that to say, we're not exactly sure what was happening here.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
It's possible Naomi sent Ruth to seduce Boaz, but given the way scripture continues to describe them both as upright and virtuous, both before and after this encounter, we should probably conclude that they refrained from anything inappropriate that night. In fact, Boaz calls Ruth a worthy woman.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
If kids can have a party for hitting 100 days in school, you can do it for hitting 100 days in the Bible. Come on, this will serve you better than algebra any day. No offense to the math teachers among us, we love you. You're invited to the party too. Bring ice cream. Okay, let's drop in on Ruth's story.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
This is the same Hebrew phrase used in Proverbs 31 in reference to a virtuous woman or an excellent wife.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
And one thing I find interesting is that most Hebrew Bibles are laid out differently than our English Bibles, and some versions put the book of Ruth immediately after the book of Proverbs, which means Proverbs 31 flows right into Ruth's story, as though she demonstrates the character of the Proverbs 31 woman in a very practical way. Ruth basically proposes marriage to Boaz.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
He's interested, but he says there's a problem. According to the laws of leveret marriage, which we discussed briefly on day 78, there's someone else in town who has the right of first refusal when it comes to marrying Ruth. Boaz is a relative, but he's not the closest relative. And as we all know, they like to marry the next branch over on the family tree.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
But Boaz makes an oath that if the man who is a closer relative says no, then he's got her back. Then Boaz fills her coat with more food and sends her home, and he promises to figure out a solution right away. Boaz goes to the city gates where all the local business is done and fills the other guy in.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
But the other guy is not interested because whoever redeems a widow is responsible for producing an heir with her. And this guy doesn't want to diminish his children's inheritance by adding to his own offspring just to help this rando out. So he passes. Normally, this would be considered despicable and selfish. But Boaz was like, works for me.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
So Boaz and Ruth get married and have a child and everyone is thrilled. And here's my God shot for today. Guess who the mother of Boaz was? Rahab, the Canaanite prostitute from Jericho, who left her pagan life behind to follow Yahweh. This family really displays God's heart to bring in the outsider, to show that he's not just about saving people who share DNA.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
This son of an outsider married an outsider and became the great-grandfather of King David, the most renowned king in all of Israel's history, who was also an ancestor of Jesus. All of these people are in the storyline of the Messiah. This story is about so much more than just Ruth. It's not just a fairy tale about the single girl getting married and finally having babies.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
It's about God working through loss and depression and longing and famine to advance his plan to redeem all of this, even as the Israelites as a whole spiral into wickedness more and more every day. Hang in there, Israel. Your king is coming. An earthly one first, and then a divine one. And he's where the joy is. We start the book of Samuel tomorrow.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
And as usual, we'll link to a short video overview of the book in our show notes today. If you've got seven minutes to spare, check it out. We think you'll love it. I love helping people read, understand, and love the Bible, and I really love helping people experience the Bible. That's what we do with our partner ministry, Israel Lux, where we host luxury tours of the Holy Land.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
It takes place during the time of the judges when all kinds of wickedness is filling the land of Israel. The book opens with a married couple, Elimelech and Naomi, leaving their hometown, Bethlehem of Judah, to escape a famine. They settle in Moab across the Jordan River, which is pagan territory. We'll include a link to a map in today's show notes so you can see where this is.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
Imagine stepping into the water where Jesus was baptized, walking where Jesus walked, and standing on the hill where Jesus preached. and the food's not so bad either. These trips really make the Bible come alive in a whole new way. You can find lots of details, including dates for our future trips, and you can fill out an interest form if you go to Israelux.com or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
After Elimelech and Naomi and their two sons get to Moab, the sons do the very thing Moses warned them against. They marry women who worship other gods. Eventually, Elimelech and his sons all die, leaving Naomi and her Moabite daughters-in-law behind to fend for themselves.
The Bible Recap
Day 097 (Ruth 1-4) - Year 7
Naomi is in dire straits because as a widow with no offspring, there's no way for her to be provided for, and especially not in a foreign land that has no rules for providing for widows like Israel does. Fortunately, she gets word that Bethlehem isn't in a famine anymore, and she packs her bags. She tells her pagan daughters-in-law to go back to their homes where they can start over.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. After yesterday's demonstration where God validated Aaron's position as high priest, God addresses Aaron directly today. This is rare. God usually addresses Moses and has him pass things along to Aaron, but there are a few times where God speaks directly to Aaron and this is one of them.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
This is timely, not just because of all the death that happened recently in the camp, but also because we're at the onset of roughly 2 million people dying in the camp over the next 38 years. They need to know how to handle it. A lot of time passes between chapter 19 and chapter 20, roughly 38 years.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
We're almost at the end of the Israelites' time in the wilderness, and you're probably breathing a sigh of relief to hear that. But a lot of sad stuff happens in this chapter as we prepare to finish out their time. First, Miriam dies. She was a prophetess and the highest regarded woman among the tribes.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
After her death, the people encounter another spot where there's no water and they complain again. But for most of these complainers, it's likely their first time complaining. The older generation is mostly dead now. even though they've inherited their parents grumbling and they long for an Egypt they barely knew if at all, their complaint is real. There is no water.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
So God tells Moses and Aaron how to handle it. Go get the staff, likely Aaron's budded staff, from before the Lord, likely the Ark of the Covenant, then take all the people to the rock. Then while they're all watching, speak to the rock and tell it to release water. Easy peasy, right? So they get the staff and gather the people by the rock and Moses tells all the rebels to pay close attention.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
Then he becomes the rebel because he strikes the rock twice instead of speaking to it. As a leader of the people, he lets his anger and frustration, and honestly, probably his sheer exhaustion, take the wheel. He's 120 years old at this point, and it seems like this younger generation is repeating the same errors of their parents. So Moses disregards God's words, either casually or blatantly.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
Maybe he even halfway reasoned that this is what he had done before and it worked. Because the last time we were in this situation, back in Exodus 17, God told him to strike the rock. But the instructions are different this time, and Moses hedges. God still gives the people water, but Moses' disobedience and unbelief cost him dearly.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
God shows his goodness by being kind to sinners who rebel against him. But there are consequences, even for slight disobedience. As a result, Moses and Aaron are prohibited from entering Canaan too. As they make their journey toward Canaan, they need to pass through Edom. We haven't talked about Edom in a while, so here's a refresher. The Edomites are the descendants of Esau.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
He was the son of Isaac, the grandson of Abraham, and the older brother of Jacob, whom all the Israelites are descendants of. So the Edomites are essentially the Israelites' closest living relatives. Moses has messengers ask the king of Edom if they can pass through their land, and he says no.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
It's a reasonable response, with as many Israelites as they are even passing through on their highway instead of their fields, that deplete a lot of the natural resources the Edomites needed to live. So Israel had to take a longer way around, per usual. More on that tomorrow. In our final paragraph today, Aaron dies and is succeeded by his son Eliezer as the high priest. What was your God shot?
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
He sets out some new rules and reiterates existing rules about how the priests and the Levites are supposed to care for the tabernacle. The priests, Aaron and his two sons, are to guard the tabernacle on the inside near the holy vessels, and the Levites are to guard the tabernacle on the outside to keep everyone out.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
I noticed how his character is so consistent. Over and over again, we keep seeing how he makes his rules, his people disobey them, and while they have to deal with the consequences of their sins, ultimately he is so merciful even in those consequences. From clothing Adam and Eve but banishing them from the garden, to letting Moses continue to lead the people but banishing him from Canaan.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
God calls sinners into his family and then he works with what he's got. His mercy is such a comfort to me because I know the wickedness of my own heart. But with the bits of wisdom he's given to sinners like me, it's wisdom enough to know he's where the joy is. Listen, I don't pretend to understand how analytics and charts and algorithms work. Numbers are not my thing.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
I talk about Jesus for a living. I don't even do Sudoku. But what I do know is if you subscribe to this podcast instead of just searching and streaming every day, two things happen. First, TBR gets delivered straight to you. It's like the best trained golden retriever, but without the shedding and the dog hair everywhere. No offense to our golden retriever listeners.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
Second, more subscribers mean that we're easier for others to find. In fact, we start popping up on cool podcast charts. So do us and yourselves and our future Bible readers a favor and take a moment to subscribe in whatever platform you're using to listen to me talk. I really appreciate it. And so does Daisy.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
And God makes it clear, if a Levite passes into the part reserved for priests, they'll both die. God tells them all this in an effort to spare them the wrath he has to pour out when they rebel against him. God also unpacks something he's hinted at before. The Levites will have no inheritance among the people of Israel.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
No land and no cattle and nothing to bank their futures on apart from the promise of God that he would provide for them through his people. The other 12 tribes brought a tithe, which literally means one-tenth of their income to the Levites. Of that tithe, the Levites gave 10% back to God, who said it should be given to the priest. This was God's plan of provision for everyone.
The Bible Recap
Day 062 (Numbers 18-20) - Year 7
The Levites are giving their lives to serve the people, taking care of them, and the people are giving back their tithe to the sanctuary, taking care of the Levites. In chapter 19, we get a few more laws, particularly laws pertaining to death and being clean afterward.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Yesterday, we ended our reading halfway through God's conversation with Moses, and Moses had given two reasons why God shouldn't or couldn't use him to rescue the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Today, we pick up the back half of that conversation.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
It seems like Moses' hesitation was an affront to God's wisdom in calling him, as though Moses believes God wouldn't be sufficient. Moses' fears and insecurities here are an attack on God's character. But God does not lean into this offense. He leans into patience and compassion. He provides Aaron, Moses' older brother, to go with him. So Moses gets permission from his father-in-law Jethro,
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
packs up the family, and heads to Egypt. But God does not promise an easy journey. He basically tells Moses, you're going to ask Pharaoh for something, and I'm going to harden his heart so that he says no to you. That's a tough assignment. But in the part of this conversation we read yesterday, God said that with a mighty hand, he would compel Pharaoh to yield.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
So at least Moses has that to hold on to. One thing I want to point out, God calls Israel his firstborn son and promises to kill the firstborn of Egypt if they don't let his son go. This is foreshadowing not just of the Passover, which we'll get to in a few days, but also of the inclusion of the Gentiles into God's family.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
Remember how the firstborn gets the blessing, but Jesus, our older brother, shares his inheritance with us as co-heirs? We see this with the Israelites, too. They're God's firstborn, but in God's great generosity, he also adopted Gentiles, non-Jews, into his family as a part of his promise to bless all the nations of the world through this one family.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
And because of that, we Gentiles share in their inheritance, just like with Jesus. Something puzzling happens on the way to Egypt where God gets angry and seeks to kill someone, but it's unclear who or why. Most scholars believe the reasons for God's anger is that Moses' son Gershom hasn't been circumcised. And most think that God's anger is directed toward Moses.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
To not circumcise his son is a violation of the covenant. And this is especially important given that Gershom is about to be in the midst of a powerful enemy culture. He must be set apart. So Zipporah to the rescue. She circumcises Gershom, then touches the foreskin to Moses' feet.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
But one caveat here is that the Hebrew word for feet is occasionally used as a euphemism for genitals, so this whole passage is filled with mystery. Don't get too hung up on it. Remember what we talked about in the prep episodes? We don't want to build our theology on obscure, unclear passages.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
By the way, if it was Moses that God sought to kill, then this is the second time his life has been saved through the help of a woman. If it was Gershom that God sought to kill, then this is an interesting foreshadowing of killing the firstborn son of those who don't live under God's protective covering. More on that in the days ahead.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
God gives Moses some signs to use to prove himself, and Moses gives God three more excuses or rebuttals to his call. Honestly, Moses seems kind of right. But God is unmoved. God patiently responds to each of his concerns, never hedging on his plan, despite the fact that Moses is completely ill-fitted for this calling.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
In the next scene, God himself has sent Aaron, Moses' older brother, to help him. They go to Egypt, Aaron gives a speech to the Israelites, Moses demonstrates the sign from God, and the people are thrilled. But when Moses and Aaron approach Pharaoh, he denies their request. So they ask again.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
This time, he not only says no, but cracks down even harder on the Israelite slaves who blame Moses for it. Moses obeyed God's commands and things got worse. God tells Moses to go back to the Israelites and remind them what he's promised. But they don't believe him. They were excited when Moses first showed up on the scene, but their enthusiasm got crushed by the extra workload.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
Life has been too hard for them to be hopeful. Then God sends Moses back to Pharaoh to try again. We end with a genealogy connecting these two messengers with the lineage of the people they're coming to rescue, and a reminder that Moses feels inadequate. But this marks a turning point. After Scripture makes this connection, we don't see Moses doubting God's power anymore.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
He's finding confidence and freedom in God, despite his own shortcomings. Where did you see God at work today? Here was my God shot. I saw so much of God's compassion in his response to all the hesitation Moses displayed. God knew his story. God knew his brokenness. And he was patient toward Moses and his self-doubt.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
Later, I saw God's compassion again when Moses went back to the Israelites a second time after their workload had been increased and their former excitement had turned to despair. They couldn't muster any kind of faith on their own. Heartache and oppression can steal your ability to hope and trust in the words of God. God knew they had no strength to fight, so he sent someone to fight for them.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
He sent someone who had received his compassion to demonstrate it to them. He sent a conduit of hope and freedom to the people who were hopeless and had never known freedom. He's compassionate, he's attentive, and he's where the joy is. If you've got three seconds to spare, we'd love for you to rate this podcast on the platform where you listen.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
That really helps others to find us, and we want to help as many people dig into Scripture as possible. Five-star ratings are our favorite, and if you want to leave a review as well, we'd love that too. And if your platform doesn't allow you to rate and review, feel free to leave those ratings and reviews on Apple Podcasts.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
It always encourages me to go read through these and see how much God is using this in your lives.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
I mean, even in verse 3, Moses throws the staff on the ground, and when it becomes a snake, he runs from it. The guy who's afraid of a snake probably shouldn't go toe-to-toe with a dictator. But God reassures him, not with a promise that everything will go perfectly, but with words like these, Moses doubts himself, but God, his maker, reminds him who he's talking to.
The Bible Recap
Day 031 (Exodus 4-6) - Year 7
Questioning God's calling is an insult to the God who made him. All five of Moses' excuses are identity issues. Growing up in the environment he grew up in, it would be shocking if he didn't have identity issues. At this point, it doesn't seem like he really knows or believes God, which means he can't really know who he is either. At the last excuse, God gets angry.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today we continue looking at the land allotments for the tribes. Remember, they've been waiting 40 years for this. They've been fighting for this, quite literally. These assignments are where they will build their lives and raise their families.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
The people from the tribe of Dan get the awesome coastline near a major port city called Joppa. You may recognize that as the place where Jonah caught a boat to escape going to Nineveh. But Dan loses this land later, and they relocate to part of Naftali's plot in the north. Stay tuned to find out how and why that happens.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
Today, the plot of land where they relocated is a gorgeous nature preserve, complete with a rushing river and lots of wildlife. As far as I'm concerned, Dan had good land both times around, but they're kind of a terrible tribe, as we find out later. Since Joshua was one of the two spies who believed God 45 years earlier, he gets to choose where he wants to live.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
And like a gentleman, he waits until everyone else gets their land first. He chose the hill country of Ephraim, north of Jerusalem, in a somewhat isolated area. He probably wants to be alone and knows his years are drawing to a close and doesn't want to have to yell at a bunch of young Israelites to get off his lawn. Most people don't realize how diverse this little nation is.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
It may only be the size of New Jersey, but it covers a wide range of climates and altitudes, from the lowest spot on earth, the Dead Sea, which is 1,400 feet below sea level, to snow-capped Mount Hermon. And yes, I know in English we probably say Mount Hermon, but the first time I ever heard this said aloud, it was pronounced Hermon, so that's how I say it. Bear with me.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
Anyway, the land given to these different tribes is pretty diverse from group to group, which makes it even more of a big deal which land God assigns to you. After all the land has been distributed to all the tribes, it's time to set up the cities of refuge.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
Those are the places where a manslayer, someone who accidentally killed someone, can go to live without fear of retribution from the avenger of blood, which is the next of kin of the person who was killed. These cities of refuge are less like prisons and more like safe houses. But the manslayer is never allowed to leave, not until the high priest dies.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
God spread out these cities of refuge throughout the territories of the tribes so that any manslayers would have a good chance of getting to one before the avenger of blood caught up with him. Don't tell me God didn't think of everything.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
The last assignments we saw today were for the Levites, who had no land allotment of their own, so they were distributed among the tribes like local pastors of sorts. My God shot was in the last few sentences we read today. I couldn't help but think of all it took to accomplish this for the Israelites.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
If you've ever been in a military family or you've ever waited to find out where your residency is or to see what colleges have accepted you, you might know a little bit about how this feels. But chances are you weren't waiting 40 years to find out where you'd live. Plus, for the Israelites, this wasn't a temporary placement.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
Not just generosity, not just faithfulness, but strength and power and persistent love, forgiveness and grace and mercy. God had ushered them into this land He promised them long ago despite themselves.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
I feel a little nervous for them, knowing they'll soon be going their separate ways, apart from the presence of their leader Joshua and their high priest Eliezer, and mostly the manifest presence of God. He has been so good to his people. He has given them everything. But most important of all is himself, because he's where the joy is. Okay, a lot of you have told me that I talk fast.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
I can't help it. There's so much I want to share and so little time. But if you wish you had a way to digest and process the content a little more, I have a great solution. TBR transcripts. Literally every word I've said on the podcast is available in print form. Many people love to listen to TBR and read the transcripts so they can take it all in, highlight, and make notes. Sounds great, right?
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
Here's how you can get these. Our recaptains who sign up at the transcript level or higher have access to all our transcripts of every episode. When you become a recaptain, those are our financial supporters. You can sign up for various levels of support. And our transcript level is super popular because it's affordable and provides great resources.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
Find out more about being a recaptain by visiting thebiblerecap.com forward slash recaptains or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
This was marked out as the home of the people of their tribe forever, provided they kept up their end of the covenant they made with God. Since many of the ways these places are referred to in scripture mean nothing to us, I'm going to give a short description of each place we see today.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
Imagine you're one of the seven tribes who haven't gotten their land yet and you're waiting to find out where your family will live. We're also including that general map of the tribal allotments again in today's show notes. Simeon gets the land assigned in the midst of Judah's plot of desert in the south. Pass. Zebulun gets a tiny plot in the north.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
It's the smallest plot besides Benjamin's, but it's a lush green area with lots of plants and flowers. By the way, you may have noticed that Zebulun got the city of Bethlehem, but that's a different Bethlehem than the one you're probably most familiar with. There are two Bethlehems in the Promised Land. And this one in Zebulun is further north than the one where Jesus was born.
The Bible Recap
Day 087 (Joshua 19-21) - Year 7
That one is just outside of Jerusalem. Issachar also gets a really small fertile area near the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. Asher gets the Mediterranean coastline to the north, some of which belongs to Lebanon of today. Naphtali gets the mountainous north, including a mountain range that reaches over 9,000 feet high. You can ski there if you visit Israel in the winter.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Welcome to February's bonus episode. We're aiming to do an episode like this at the end of each month, offering some reflections and some corrections. Let's start with reflections, looking back at all we've covered so far. The Bible is one unified story. It's the story of a family, and it all starts in Genesis.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
They've never seen good leadership demonstrated. They're a bunch of uncivilized, ungrateful people who don't really know God or Moses, and they're not keen on obeying either of them. And we haven't gotten to this yet, but I've hinted at it. Their rebellion lands them a 40-year sentence in the desert wilderness. But they're not alone.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
In the midst of their sin and stubbornness and foolishness, God knows that what their hearts need is Him. So He sets up camp among them in the desert and gives them the basic rules of how to interact with a holy God when you're a busted sinner. He sets up a team of people to help mediate this relationship, making sure everything goes as he commands it, the Levites.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
There are a lot of details involved in all of it, but it just goes to show the great lengths God will go to in order to bridge the gap created by fallen humanity's sin. And this isn't even close to being the greatest length he will go to.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
This is setting us up for the greatest sacrifice of all, the once and final sacrifice of Christ on the cross, which is the only way any human can be restored to God for all time. We'll continue with this family as we keep reading in numbers, and soon they'll get to the land God has promised to give this family. Good things are ahead, even though we'll hit some rough patches along the way.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
Stay tuned. Now let's talk about February's corrections, things I've done wrong or things I just wish I'd done differently. First, I want to apologize for not delving into the slavery conversation at greater length.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
I had it written into the script once, but since I'd already touched on it briefly on day 30, I edited it out from other days when the reading covered it for fear of taking up too much time or being too repetitive. but it's an important conversation, both theologically and emotionally, and it's an especially confusing one, so I wish I had spent more time on it.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
I want to cover a few basic things here, and then we'll also be linking you to a short video in the show notes. It's a two-minute message from Mike Johnny, who is on DGroup's prayer and advisory board, and I think you'll find it really helpful.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
As we talked about on day 30, what we think of when we hear the word slaves is entirely different from what was meant by the word slaves in Israelite culture. In fact, I've heard Caucasians say things like, the Bible doesn't ever say slavery was so bad, so what's the big deal?
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
And I've heard African Americans wisely offer correction that no, the slavery discussed in scripture was not anything like the Atlantic slave trade. What America and Great Britain have put people through is inhumane and wicked. But what was happening in this ancient Jewish culture was actually helpful to society at large and to individual humans as well. The two scenarios are not comparable.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
For the sake of clarity here, I will refer to the Atlantic slave trade as slavery and the ancient Jewish slave agreements as debtorship, because that's what this was, people aiming to pay off debt. So let's talk a little bit about their society and what God was doing in it. When God sets out these rules to begin with, he's not telling them how to have a perfect society.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
These aren't ideal scenarios he's setting out. He's giving just enough of a basis for them to be established as a functional society. Then he continues giving them direction over time. Not only do most organized societies work this way, building a constitution of sorts and adding some amendments and laws over time, but God does this with us individually too.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
God set out to build a relationship with this family, but things went terribly wrong when they fractured the relationship through sin. But their sin didn't surprise God. He already had a plan in place to restore this relationship even before it was broken, and He continues working out that plan immediately, undeterred and unhindered by their rebellion.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
He gives us new and bigger steps of obedience along the way, refining us as he conforms us to his image. If he told us everything we ever needed to do and know right after we first met him, we'd probably be like, no, thank you. This is too much for me. This is overwhelming. He gives us baby steps. The Israelites just met him and he's got to build their society from the ground up.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
So he starts with the major things that will just keep peace. And as we've seen, they could barely even handle those. He builds out these laws more over time, unpacking specific applications anytime their society is struggling in a particular area and needs things explained further. This is called progressive revelation, and it happens throughout Scripture.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
And in the New Testament, we see Jesus digging in a little deeper on a lot of the commandments as well. So be patient with Scripture as it tells us the story. Resist the urge to make judgment calls on God and His actions based on one day's reading. Write down your questions, research them, pray about them, wrestle with them.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
But while we're all still learning, let's try our best to give God the benefit of the doubt. Be patient with Him as He's being patient with them. When we see the word slavery in Exodus 21, we may want God to outright abolish it on the spot. If we look carefully, we see that He does abolish what we think of as slavery.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
Exodus 21, 16 says, God orders death for anyone who takes a slave against His will and for anyone who buys that slave. In chapter 20, the chapter right before this, when He lays out the Ten Commandments, one of them is, And this certainly applied to stealing humans as well. Not long after this, in Leviticus 19.18, he says, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
He's developing their culture bit by bit, doubling down on laws they seem to really struggle with as he sees them struggling, and then driving those laws to the heart, from do not steal to love. So, if God has abolished the slave trade, then what does all this slavery talk about in Scripture? This is what we're calling debtorship for the sake of clarity in this conversation.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
Scripture calls it slavery, but we have to use a different word because that word is throwing us off. When it comes to Scripture, we have to adjust our meaning of the word slave to fit the context of what it meant in that society. Here's another example. Just like the word game is something different in the 1800s, we have to adjust our understanding based on when the term was being used.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
We can't overlay our modern experience of slavery on this culture because slavery meant something entirely different back then and these debtorship agreements were formative to their culture, not destructive. It was a way to pay off actual debt.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
It was a voluntary agreement and it was for a prearranged period of time and never for more than seven years unless the debtor decided on his own that he wanted to stay with his master. If he did, they would pierce his ear as a mark of agreement between the two of them. This kind of debtor agreement was not forced labor. It was intended to help the poor get out of poverty.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
So it was even viewed as generous. Not only that, but God calls the masters to treat them with care. He forbids them from beating the debtors, and he commands that they be treated with respect. As we've seen repeatedly, God is attentive to the poor, the have-nots, the outcasts.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
He sets apart a man named Abraham to be the patriarch of the family, and he gives this family a name, the Israelites. They're a bunch of busted people who lie, cheat, and steal. God blesses them despite their sin, but it still has its consequences. One of the long storylines of consequence is of the 400 years they spent enslaved in Egypt.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
If you look carefully through the lens of this culture's language instead of our own lens, you'll see that care and concern showing up here too. I hope that's helpful. Another thing I wish I'd unpacked with a little more detail was from our conversation on day 37. Here's what I said there.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
While God never denies that other gods exist, and in fact, he seems to indicate that they do exist, he continues to point out that Israel's loyalty must be to him. He is the one true God. We're going to cover this topic a bit more in one of our March episodes, but for now, we're going to link you to two helpful resources in the show notes that explain this in great detail.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
They're really helpful, and I think you'll enjoy them even if this wasn't a point of confusion for you. Finally, on day 44, we read Leviticus 1-4, which dealt a lot with offerings and sacrifices. Leviticus 2.13 says, You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offerings.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
With all your offerings you shall offer salt. In that day's episode, I said, God says that no offerings can be made without salt, and He calls it the salt of your covenant with God. Salt implies preservation, so bringing salt with these offerings is a way of remembering and preserving the covenant with God.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
Most of the Jewish commentaries I consulted did say this salt offering was commanded across all the offerings, but it's not entirely clear in the text. So I just wanted to put an asterisk by that and say it's possible or likely that no offerings can be made without salt, but it's also possible that might only apply to the grain offering.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
So I wanted to add some level of uncertainty to my statement there since neither I nor the people who wrote the Hebrew commentaries were there to see exactly how this unfolded. As of the date of this recording, which is February 20th, these are all the applicable corrections. Any mistakes I make between now and the end of the month will appear in the March Reflections and Corrections episode.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
Okay, that's all for our February RNC bonus episode. I'm so grateful I get to read through Scripture with you this year. I'm learning so much. I'm getting to make new notes in my Bible and mark through some old notes that I've since learned are wrong. I love it. I never want to stop learning who He is because He's where the joy is.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
The Bible Recap offers tools that equip millions around the world to read, understand and love the Bible. We want to help people encounter God in a way that transforms their entire lives. To find out more, visit thebiblerecap.com.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
That all started because one brother, Joseph, was a bit of a show-off, so his older brothers were jealous and sold him into slavery. But God responded to their sin with rescue. He sent a murderer named Moses to demonstrate his power to the Egyptian Pharaoh, who was not impressed.
The Bible Recap
February Reflections & Corrections - Year 7
Eventually, after ten rounds of power displays that culminate in the death of the firstborn of all of Egypt, Pharaoh agrees to let the Israelite slaves go. They flee to the desert led by God and his servant Moses. God gives them the basic rules of how to have a stable society since they're new to all of that and have only ever known slavery under a cruel dictator.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Yesterday, the camp set out for the first time in a year, and today we saw a series of struggles with complaints, gossip, and unbelief. We open today with grumbling.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
Up to this point, Moses was the only one communicating the words of God to the people. But here there are lots of others doing it now too. This brief moment of prophecy helped establish trust. This is a blessing to the whole group because now these leaders within the camp are showing evidence of being connected to God as well.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
Having the Spirit carries a real weight and responsibility for these new leaders, and Moses is thrilled to share authority with them, even though God maintains that he and Moses have a distinct relationship. God says he'll send the meat that the people want. In fact, he'll send so much of it that they'll regret asking.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
Have you ever heard the stories of lottery winners whose entire lives are ruined by their winning and who regret ever playing to begin with? That's what this reminds me of. God sends a wind that blows a lot of quail into the area, piling their dead bodies three feet high. It's like a snowstorm, but with birds.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
Those who gathered the least amounts of quail gathered more than 1,000 two-liter bottles. But at the start of their quail feast, God struck some people with a plague directly related to their grumbling and mistrust of his heart. I'm confident he was just in which people he struck down. After all, he knows hearts and he sees everything.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
They named that place Kibroth HaTavah, which translates to Graves of Craving. That's potent. After Moses deals with the people's grumbling, a fire outside the camp, more grumbling, a plague inside the camp, then he gets hit with some family drama. He can't catch a break.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
Miriam and Aaron, his sister and brother, push back on his leadership and throw out prejudiced remarks against his wife, who was from Ethiopia. Moses doesn't fight back. Maybe he trusts God to act, or maybe he's just too emotionally exhausted at this point to try to fight such petty battles when there are real lives at stake. Or maybe both.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
We don't know what the grumbling in these first three verses is about, but it seems to be unwarranted because in his anger, God sends a fire around the edges of the camp. Then they start grumbling again about food. Their complaints here aren't related to an unmet need. God has given them manna to eat. This is over a want. It's not desperation. It's entitlement.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
God calls all three of them into a meeting and rebukes Miriam and Aaron. This reminds me of when God rebuked Job's three friends. Then God strikes Miriam with leprosy. She's probably the one who stirred up the sibling rivalry. And Moses asks God to heal her.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
God does, but then puts her in timeout for a week, so she has to live outside the camp and get clean, and probably think about what she's done. But even these consequences doled out by God are still a means of restoration, not just punishment. One thing worth noting is that the entire camp was impacted by Miriam's sin of gossip and slander.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
They had to wait another week before they could set out again. No one sins in a vacuum. Our sins impact others. When they finally do move on and head to the wilderness of Paran, God tells Moses to send 12 spies, a leader from among each tribe, to spy out the land he's promised them since their enemies are currently inhabiting it. You probably recognize the name of one of the spies, Joshua.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
He was the leader of the impromptu army they had to throw together when they got attacked by the Amalekites in Exodus 17. He was Moses' assistant, and he'll also be Moses' successor when Moses eventually dies. We also see that Moses pulls a bit of a God move with him, renaming him from Hosea, which means he saves, to Joshua, which means Yahweh saves.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
I'm giving you all these details because we get to read a whole book about Joshua's adventures in about three weeks. Today was a good day to see what kind of character Joshua displayed. After spying out the land of Canaan for 40 days and seeing how amazing and fertile it was, only two of the leaders believe God's promise that they can take the land.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
Those two are Caleb from the tribe of Judah, which is the largest tribe, and Joshua from the tribe of Ephraim, which is possibly the smallest of the 12 non-Levite tribes at this point. The greatest and the least. The other 10 spies, leaders of their tribes, doubt that God will provide. This is a big deal. And in fact, it's a game changer.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
When leaders are afraid, when leaders don't trust God, followers certainly won't either. More on that in the days to come. The last thing I want to point out is the reference to the Nephilim here. You may remember them from Genesis 6. Ancient Jews believed these to be a crossbreed between humans and fallen angels. How can they show up again here if God wiped them all out during the flood?
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
Here are three theories. First, it's possible that more fallen angels were up to the same old tricks. Second, it's possible that the legend of the Nephilim was carried down through the generations and that it just became a term they used to refer to any particularly large people, kind of like the way we might use the word Viking today.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
Third, since the ten spies who doubted were so afraid, they're likely just exaggerating to scare the people out of taking the land. This report of Nephilim in the land was never confirmed by God, Joshua, or Caleb. So it's probably just fear talking. What was your God shot today? I loved the moment where God the Spirit spread himself out across the elders.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
As a person in leadership, this made my heart breathe a sigh of relief. Moses finally has some teammates. And as a lover of the Trinity, it's beautiful to think of the three distinct persons of our one unified God, all represented in the camp in various ways.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
God the Father dwelling in the Holy of Holies, God the Spirit resting on Moses and the others he chose, and likely but not certain, God the Son appearing as the pillar of cloud and fire. I would have loved to be in that camp to see the Trinity on display in such a unique way.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
This is about doubting God's goodness in their lives. He provided for them, and they didn't think it was sufficient. Once again, they look longingly back at Egypt. And they don't realize that whatever God calls you to endure with Him is better than any kind of abundance without Him. And let's be honest, it wasn't like they had abundance in Egypt anyway. They're romanticizing the past.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
But to be honest, it's a good thing I wasn't because I definitely would have been one of the people complaining about the lack of meat. I trust God has me right where he wants me, right here with him, right now. And he's where the joy is. Tomorrow we'll be starting the book of Psalms. It's 150 chapters long. We'll link to a short video overview in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
So check that out if you have nine minutes to spare. Here at TBR, we love the local church and we hope you do too. We never want to exist in a vacuum and we hope that your daily Bible reading with TBR is happening in addition to the discipleship and shepherding you're getting at your local church. If not, we encourage you to seek out a Bible believing church and join it.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
We hope that your increase in knowledge of God's word increases your love for him and in turn your love for his people. Part of the vision of The Bible Recap is to partner with churches in the pursuit of discipling the body of Christ. So if you want your church to join you and us, check out thebiblerecap.com forward slash church.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
In 1120, God calls their complaining a rejection of Him. That really makes me want to guard my words. Moses is stressed out by all their crying, and he takes his frustration out on God. But God isn't his problem. The people are his problem. Maybe you can relate? Anyway, Moses intercedes for the people, and God addresses the real problem.
The Bible Recap
Day 059 (Numbers 11-13) - Year 7
His solution involves not only a delegation of responsibility, which Moses can do, but also a distribution of God's Spirit, which only God can do. When God the Spirit is distributed among them, they begin to prophesy. What does this mean? Prophecy is truth-telling. Moses says he wishes all God's people were prophets. And Paul reiterates this in the New Testament in 1 Corinthians 14.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Yesterday, Moses finished telling the Israelites about the blessings for keeping their covenant with God and the curses for breaking it. Today, he opens by basically telling them, look, you're going to break this covenant. God knows it. I know it. You know it. So here's what you need to remember when that happens.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
It serves as evidence that He doesn't just want to be obeyed. He wants to be known and loved. Moses appeals to them again to obey God's commands and warns what will happen if their hearts turn away from God. He wants them to experience not just the land God has promised them, but also the life that is found in relationship with God. Moses can only speak on the experience of one of those things.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
Moses doesn't get to enter the promised land. Since the day he met God, his assignment has been to live in the desert with sinners. But because he knows God, his experience contains a surprising peace and an irreplaceable intimacy. Even without the earthly benefits, his relationship with God is joy-inducing.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
And despite how hard the Israelites have made his life, Moses wants joy and freedom for them too. He knows that a relationship with God is transformative and they need to be transformed. Moses tells the Israelites he's about to die and that he's not going to get to go into the promised land. This is probably terrifying for them. All they've ever known is Moses. He's been their leader for 40 years.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
For some of them, that's been their entire lives. He probably wants to calm their fears because he knows firsthand how much fear can lead to rebellion. So he starts by reminding them that God is actually their leader. God himself will go before them into the promised land. He will fight against the nations that live there, and he will win.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
Then Moses calls Joshua up in front of all the people and says lots of the same things to him. He reminds Joshua not to fear, just like he reminded the Israelites not to fear. And in both instances, the antidote to fear was not to think about how awesome they are or to believe in their dreams. but to remember the nearness of God. That's what Moses suggests as the antidote to fear.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
And I'm guessing he's had plenty of opportunities to learn that. After Moses commissions Joshua for the job of leading the Israelites, he tells them that they should read the law aloud, all of it, every seven years during the Feast of Booths, which will take place in the city where God establishes the tabernacle.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
All the Israelites and even the sojourners living among them will travel to that location once every seven years and they'll be reminded of all the laws. Then God speaks to Moses and calls a meeting with him and Joshua. God doesn't have great news. Moses, you're about to die. Joshua, you're about to lead these people. And guess what? They're about to rebel.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
This reminds me of when God first called Moses to go talk to Pharaoh about releasing the Israelites. Remember what God told him? He basically said, go ask Pharaoh to do this thing. And by the way, I'm going to harden his heart so that he says no to the thing I'm telling you to go ask him to do.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
It says a lot about their trust in God that they did these things after he told them that amount to apparent failure at first. Most of us have the idea that if God tells us to do something, it's guaranteed to succeed. God says he will bless the people with plenty, then they will get comfortable in their easy lives and they'll break the covenant.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
Repent. Turn back to God. He won't abandon you. He will restore everything you lost when you turned your back on him. Yesterday, we read in 29.4 that God has not yet given them a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear. But today we read about what will happen when they do sin and are carried into captivity. God will use those circumstances to change their hearts.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
They rebelled in the lack of the wilderness and they will rebel in the abundance of the promised land. God will be angry with them and they will be devoured. Instead of remembering the things Moses just said to them and repenting of their idolatry, they'll question God's love for them and his nearness to them. Then God commissions Joshua, just like Moses had already done.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
And God reminds him, I will be with you. Joshua is going to need that reminder soon when his mentor dies and everything goes south with the people he's leading. We ended today with God telling Moses to write a song about all of this so the Israelites will have this song as a reminder. Tomorrow we'll read this song. But as for today, what was your God shot?
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
I can't get over the kind of love that knows how much betrayal it will endure, knows it will be doubted, forgotten, and falsely accused of abandonment, but still it persists nonetheless. Knowing the future, and especially a future like that, could easily threaten a lesser love. But not Yahweh. He enters in with full knowledge of the pain he will endure, knowing we will not be worth it.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
And still he doesn't let go. We can't change his mind or talk him out of his choice to set his heart on us. No one else loves like him. He's where the joy is. Did you know we have versions of the Bible Recap in other languages? We're currently available in Spanish and American Sign Language, and our YouTube channel has the videos for both.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
Not only that, we have the Bible Recap book in Spanish, and our Spanish language podcast and reading plan are on the Bible app. The Spanish version is called La Sinopsis de la Biblia, and you'll need to adjust your language settings to Spanish before you search for it. We hope to keep adding to this list so that more people can join us in reading, understanding, and loving the Bible more.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
Check out the language tab on our website, thebiblerecap.com for more info or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
Chapter 30, verse 6 says, "...the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live." God promises that he will change their hearts. Then they will turn to him and begin to obey him. Finally! That's what happens when God gives someone a new heart. Their desires change.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
Remember that the word heart here is a mingling of the words we use for heart and mind. It's where desire and will overlap. And it's what drives our actions. Without a new heart, it's impossible to walk in ways that are pleasing to God. The only way for their choices and decisions to reflect the things of God's heart are if He changes their hearts.
The Bible Recap
Day 080 (Deuteronomy 30-31) - Year 7
And since what He's after is our hearts, then even if our actions appear to be good on the surface, none of it matters if the heart isn't engaged. Only when He changes our hearts will our actions be ones that are responding to Him rightly. Remember how He always starts out by reminding them of the relationship He has with them before He tells them to obey?
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. We've only got one day left in Leviticus, so let's make the most of it. Today, God is still giving Moses instructions on how the people should live in society together, since this is not only the first time they've had a chance to be free people, but also the first time they've really interacted with God.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
So a judge would order your offender to pay back what he stole from you. This is not saying you should go take it for yourself. God was outlining order and civility and setting up some deterrence to sinning against your neighbor. Then God continues with a new kind of Sabbath command, to let their fields rest on the seventh year, just as he's commanded the people to rest on the seventh day.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
The number seven symbolizes completion and perfection, so we'll continue to see God reiterating that. And by the way, Leviticus itself is written in seven sections, and some of those sections have seven interior sections. All that to say, it's a thing. Then God sets out the plan for Jubilee. He says this will happen on the year after seven weeks of years.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
Based on what we talked about yesterday, I bet you already knew what this meant. Seven weeks of years would mean seven times seven, which is 49. So the year after that is the 50th year, the year of Jubilee. This pattern mirrors exactly what we saw yesterday with the 50 days between the Feast of Passover and Pentecost.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
The people also didn't work the land on this year, so it had two back-to-back years off, the Sabbath year and the Jubilee year. You really have to trust God for His provision to let the land rest for two years. Your food has to last until the third year's harvest comes in. Sabbath requires faith. But God promises He'll give an abundant harvest on the year before this break.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
Another really cool thing happened during the year of Jubilee. Debts were canceled and the people who had sold themselves into service to pay off that debt were set free. We've already established that scripture's references to slavery most often reference a different kind of slavery than we typically think of. And this section makes that even clearer.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
In 2555, God reminds Israel that even though some people may need to sell themselves into temporary service, they're ultimately only supposed to be servants to him. God sets out a lot of regulations here about how to be kind to those in need and to help others get on their feet. Jubilee is a reminder that they are all God's servants and that He provides for them all.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
Maybe it was just me, but I saw a lot of joy and freedom in today's chapters. My God shot was the picture of Him as the one who defends the poor, provides for the needy, and calls the rich to be helpers by sharing and by redeeming others out of debt. You may recognize some of these laws as the ones that will eventually connect Ruth and Boaz.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
God has a heart for freedom, for rest, for provision, for the poor. In 2538, he says, I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God. He's basically saying, hey, when I came to rescue you, you had nothing. And I'm the one who gave you everything you have. So just don't be stingy with it. That doesn't mirror my heart.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
They've only known him for about a year at this point, and they're still learning to trust him. Maybe you can relate. God's instructions today covered a lot of territory. The perpetual maintenance of the tabernacle, caring for the poor, jubilee. We also see a specific instance where God tells Israel how to handle blasphemers. A man curses the name of God, and God orders him to be stoned.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
All of this is bookended with reminders of his godness and his holiness. When I was reading this section, I couldn't help but smile and think of my friend Coco. When someone tries to merge or cuts her off in traffic, her immediate response is to say, come on over, I'm a Christian. Now, I know that sounds cheesy and I know they can't hear her, but God can hear her and she can hear herself.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
She's preaching God's generosity. She's living open-handedly in a very practical everyday sense. She realizes that God has given her the inheritance of the whole earth so she can gladly share 200 square feet of highway. She knows God is still providing, even when it seems like someone's trying to take something from her. She knows having an empty highway lane all to yourself isn't where it's at.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
She knows He's where the joy is. So many good things come in fives. Five Guys Burgers and Fries, the five love languages, five fingers on each hand, five senses, and five-star reviews. Five-star reviews not only encourage me, thank you, but they also serve an eternal purpose. And if you think that's a stretch, it isn't.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
Five-star reviews help drive us into new algorithms where people who aren't even looking for a podcast about Jesus might discover us, jump in, and fall in love with God and His Word. Wouldn't it be great if more people fell in love with their Bible the way you have? Think of how that could impact not only those people, but the world. It takes five seconds to leave a rating.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
And if you've got a few more sets of five seconds to spare, you can also leave us a review. And if you can't rate or review on the platform where you listen, hop on over to Apple Podcasts to rate us there or click the link in the show notes. And hey, thanks. High five.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
The purpose of this illustration, since it involves a man who is half Egyptian, was likely to point out that the same rules applied to those who are foreigners. And as far as the decision God established to stone him to death, remember, the Israelites are in a unique situation given that they're a nation-state set apart as God's people.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
And it's always important to remember that we all deserve death. This man got what he deserved. The rest of us are just living on mercy. The blasphemer's story is immediately followed with a verse that says, "'Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death.'"
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
This is an illustration of what we talked about with the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, about how killing is different than murder. Otherwise, the person who puts a murderer to death would be a murderer, and someone would have to murder him, and then the chain reaction would continue until all God's people were dead.
The Bible Recap
Day 052 (Leviticus 24-25) - Year 7
God establishes killing and murder as two different things, and he puts the power to kill in the hands of the judges. At least, that's who most commentators believe these instructions are for. in part because they're followed by the whole eye for an eye passage. The way this is delivered seems to indicate that it was guidance for judicial rulings.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. If you're doing our New Testament plan, we finished our 19th book today, and if you're doing the whole Bible, we finished Book 58. We haven't heard from Peter in a while. The last time we saw him was in Jerusalem, helping lead the church that was comprised mostly of Jewish Christians.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
He did this and he's keeping you forever. You're going through some trials right now, but that isn't a rejection of you. It's a purification of you. Even though it feels like you're growing weaker, these trials are actually strengthening your faith. Remember the prophets who came before you? They suffered too, and they did it to produce the word of God so that you might be encouraged right now.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
Because of their identity as God's kids, Peter reminds them to be attentive to the things of God, to live fully for what's ahead, not for what's currently happening, and to be holy, which means set apart. He continues this line of thought in chapter 2, telling them how he wants them to mature in the faith. In fact, he tells them they have a high calling. They are a holy priesthood.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
He says it twice in this chapter. Verse 5 says, In verse 9, he says, So, first of all, remember that Peter is talking to a bunch of Gentiles when he's quoting these Old Testament passages. And second of all, he just said twice that we are all priests. So just to refresh a few of the interesting titles God has given to his kids, you're a saint, maybe an apostle, and definitely a priest.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
This doctrine is called the priesthood of the believer. In the days of the tabernacle and the temple, priests served as mediators between God and his people. They offered up sacrifices to God as a way of atoning for the people's sins. And now, Peter says, every believer is part of the holy royal priesthood. Every believer can go directly to God.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
We don't need another mediator because Christ is the great high priest of every believer and he's the only mediator we need. We'll link to two articles about this in the show notes if you want to read more. Because of their unique position of representing God in a dark world, Peter wants them to stand out, to be set apart. He says their honorable conduct will catch people's attention.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
And he's not just talking about avoiding R-rated movies and swear words. Peter isn't just angling for them to act like good moral people. He's urging them to trust God when the world is coming unhinged. Peter is talking about being gentle and kind to people who are persecuting you. He's talking about honoring the wicked emperor who maybe killed your family.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
In verse 19, he says, Then he takes the same idea of submitting to authority and applies it in other areas, just like Paul did in his letters. We've seen these themes repeated across multiple letters now. Peter encourages women about their appearances. He says, look, there's nothing wrong with gold jewelry and braided hair, but I hope you know that's not the point.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
But since then, he's expanded his ministry to include Gentiles, and that's the primary audience for this letter, specifically Gentile believers who live in what is now Turkey. Rome is still running the show, and Nero is probably the emperor at the time. He's a renowned persecutor of the church. In fact, he uses Christians as torches at his parties.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
The most beautiful thing about you and the thing God wants people to notice about you most is your beautiful soul. Let people see what it looks like to trust in God in the midst of trials. A woman who walks into the room with that kind of spirit, the kind that is at rest and not striving, she sets everyone at ease and shows God as glorious.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
This verse about the gentle and quiet spirit really used to bother me because I misread it as a quiet mouth, which I do not have. I'm so glad I studied this verse in context to see that Peter was pointing more to a heart posture, not a word count. Then he calls the husbands to be gentle with their wives.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
He describes the wives using the phrase weaker vessel, and some people take offense to this, but I can say with near certainty that to his readers this was a relief. The phrase is actually used to refer to porcelain. He's telling the husbands to be tender, be careful, don't be aggressive and selfish and haphazard. It's not an insult or a derogatory term.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
It's more like the kind of thing a protective father might say to his son-in-law. Treat her well, look out for her, treasure her. Peter is ascribing value to women and even telling husbands that God will hold them accountable for how they treat their wives. Again, this is revolutionary in a day when many women are treated as property.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
In the back half of chapter 3, we encounter a verse that is really confusing if it gets taken out of context. Verse 21 says, But if we keep reading, Peter clarifies what he means by the word baptism. The next words out of his mouth are, He's referring to the conversion experience, the baptism of the Spirit, where we are raised to new life with Christ.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
We've linked to two articles on this in the show notes if you want to read more. Peter gets kind of confusing again in chapter 4, verse 6, when he says, "...the gospel was preached even to those who are dead."
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
Some say this refers to people who are spiritually dead, but most believe it's pointing to believers who were alive in the past and heard the gospel then and have since died, since Peter says they no longer have a body of flesh, but that they are alive in the Spirit like God is.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
Regardless, Peter's point in this section is that we should live lives of holiness, and as he says in verse 19, Suffering isn't an excuse for disobedience. We can still do good and honor the keeper of our souls in the midst of trials. My God shot was in Peter's parting words to these suffering Christians in 5.10.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
He says, After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. He reminds them, none of this suffering is eternal. It's fleeting. And none of it is a sign that God has rejected you or forgotten you.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
He has called you to his eternal glory, and he's going to be the one to rescue you from all of this, personally. Keep your eyes peeled. Be on the lookout for him to restore you, confirm you, strengthen you, and establish you. And whether that happens now or in eternity, he will not fail. He's where the joy is.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
The Roman Empire is so wicked that Peter nicknames it Babylon, which was an evil empire from back in the Old Testament days. Rome is Babylon 2.0. Put a pin in that, we'll come back to it in a few days. Peter writes this letter to churches who are under severe persecution in the midst of a culture openly rebelling against God and his kingdom. How would you feel if you were those Christians?
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
Tomorrow we start the book of Hebrews, so check out the eight-minute video overview in the show notes if you have a chance. Did you know that we have two newsletters for you, both free, one that comes out every month and one that comes out every day? These two emails have really helped improve people's TBR experiences all year long.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
First, the pre-cap email is our daily email for those of you who want a daily reminder sent straight to your inbox with links to that day's reading and recaps. We include links to the audio podcast and the YouTube video so you can pick and choose. Second, our monthly newsletter is called The News Cap. We send it to you on the last day of each month.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
It includes a note from me, TLC, updates, and bonus content. You can sign up for one or both of these emails on our homepage, thebiblerecap.com, or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
You'd probably feel confused and frustrated and maybe even lean toward despair. Let's see how Peter addresses them. He starts out by reminding them that God has chosen them. This is probably important to hear if you're at a place where you question God's love. They are God's, Peter says. Right out of the gate, he's aiming toward comfort and hope.
The Bible Recap
Day 354 (1 Peter 1-5) - Year 6
This also connects them to the language used about the Jews in the Old Testament. And Peter spends a lot of time reinforcing that theme. He wants them to see the connection between God's relationship with them and God's relationship with the Jews. He speaks to their identity in Christ and reminds them of the gospel. He says, God caused you to be born again.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today is going to be longer than usual because the text is packed and I'm still going to barely skim the surface. So buckle up. And if you're listening faster than 1x, you might want to slow this down to normal speed. In fact, you might even want to listen to this one twice.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
Years later, when Sarai and Abram finally have their first child together, whose name is Isaac, he begins the line of Abraham from which the Israelites descend. Genetically, the Israelites of the Old Testament are the Jewish people of today.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
And in case you aren't up on politics or world news, these two people groups, who eventually become known as the Muslims and the Jews, have been at war for basically 4,000 years. Point being, our sin affects others. We never sin in a vacuum. So unlike Sarai, don't let your fears or impatience or your mistrust of God determine your actions.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
And lest you think I'm pinning all the blame on her, I'm not. Countless other scenarios and people laid the groundwork for this situation. Okay, moving on. After Hagar gets pregnant, Sarai abuses her and Hagar flees from the home into the wilderness, pregnant, abused, and alone. Then, in 1607, something very important happens. Let me set this up for us.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
Sometimes in scripture, we see the term an angel of the Lord. The word angel means messenger. And specifically, they serve as messengers between God and humanity. So the phrase an angel of the Lord refers to a messenger slash angel who shows up on the scene to deliver a message sent by God to humans. But in this instance, the text says the angel of the Lord, not an angel of the Lord.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
And that's entirely different. When you see the phrase the angel of the Lord, or more specifically, the messenger of Yahweh, most scholars agree that that's a reference to the pre-incarnate Jesus. The term pre-incarnate just means before he was born. So all signs point to this being God the Son appearing on earth before he was born as a human named Jesus.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
So for all of you who say you can't wait to get to the New Testament when we can read about Jesus, guess what? He's here. He's been here all along. The word for these kind of divine earthly appearances is theophany, which means a visible manifestation of God. And this particular kind of theophany, where God the Son shows up, is called a Christophany, after Christ.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
Yesterday we talked about a different kind of theophany, where God the Father appears as fire in the covenant ceremony with Abram. But in this instance, God the Son shows up as a man. You're probably like, no, no, Tara Lee, it's an angel, not a man. You're right, and so am I. First of all, forget what you know about angels from Renaissance paintings.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
Yesterday, we ended with God making a covenant with Abram. And today we picked up to read a little bit of Sarai's story. By this point, she's at least 75 years old and she still has not had a child, even though God had promised Abram a child when he visibly appeared to him. So she does what many of us do when we feel like God is holding out on us. She takes matters into her own hands.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
Most of those artists appear to have not read the Bible at all. Exhibit A, they give us a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Jesus, even though he was a Jewish man who likely wore a turban. And Exhibit B, they give us flying, haloed angels with wings. No angels in scripture have two wings. Messenger angels, like the ones that show up on earth to speak to people, have zero wings.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
Scripture always depicts them as adult human males who speak the local language. And some people believe they are really large and imposing, especially since the possibly related Nephilim from Genesis 6 were giants. If angels do appear as giants, that could account for why people are so afraid of angels when they show up on the scene.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
But that could also be because they seem to materialize out of thin air. Personally, I like to think it's both of these reasons. There are a few forms of created beings that do have wings, but none of them are specifically messenger angels. There are cherubim, which have four wings and four faces, and seraphim, which have six wings.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
And for both of these creatures, their wings are covered with eyeballs. You will never see that in a Renaissance painting. But how do we know this angel man is God? A few reasons. In 1610, he says, I will multiply your offspring. Angels can't do that. Only God can do that. Then 1613 says it was the Lord who had spoken to Hagar.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
And pretty much every time we see the angel of the Lord appear in the Old Testament, we see him saying and doing things only God can say and do.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
I have to speed through chapter 17 here, even though it covers a lot of important stuff like how God changes Abram's name to Abraham, how he again promises Abraham the land of the Canaanites, how he orders Abraham and all his male descendants to be circumcised, and by the way, verses 23 and 26 tell us that Abraham and Ishmael are circumcised that very day.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
Abraham is not playing around with delayed obedience. God also changes Sarai's name to Sarah, and he promises to bless her, even though we don't have any evidence of her repenting for how she mistreated Hagar.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
God visibly appears to Abraham again and repeats his promise to give Abraham a child, but this time he clarifies that Sarah will be the birth mother of the child, even though it should have been obvious, so there's no more of this nonsense where they try to find a loophole. Both Abraham and Sarah laugh at this promise at different points because Abraham is like 100 and Sarah is 90.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
Abraham actually fell on his face and laughed. It's hard to tell if that's worship or irreverence. we get another theophany in chapter 18. Today is just chock full of God's earthly appearances. Again, there are references to the Lord appearing to Abraham in verse one, along with two other men who are identified later in 19.1 as angels.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
Also, you may have noticed that when it says the Lord appears, that it's in all caps, L-O-R-D, like we talked about on day one. This is Y-H-W-H, God's personal name, often pronounced like Yahweh or Jehovah. Abraham is a pretty powerful rich man, but he is so struck by God's appearance on earth that he bows down in reference and offers worship. And he does not want God to leave.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
He wants to stay in God's presence. Verse 10 confirms again that this is God by saying the all caps L-O-R-D said, I will surely return to you about this time next year. Verse 19 confirms this again when he says, I have chosen him. I could keep going, but I'll finish with this last one.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
In verse 25, when Abraham is begging God not to destroy Sodom, which is what he's saying he's going to do, Abraham respectfully refers to him as the judge of all the earth. Now, I go back and forth on this, but I'm inclined to believe that this particular theophany was not a Christophany, that this was not God the Son. This was, I believe, God the Father showing up as a human.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
In those days, servants were considered possessions, which, let me pause here to say this very important thing. This is one of those things in scripture that is descriptive, not prescriptive. It's telling us what is happening, not what should happen. This is not condoning treating people like possessions. But in that ancient culture, that's what was happening.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
I'm used to the idea of God the Son's divine appearance as a human because He is Jesus, but not God the Father with skin. It honestly just blows my mind and makes me want to stop talking. But I can't stop talking before we cover our God shot for today. What was yours?
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
Mine was early on in the passage when the story zooms in on Hagar, the slave who's been forced to sleep with her 85-year-old master, then is basically driven out of her home and forced into the desert where God shows up. He rebukes her a little bit, but then he makes her a promise.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
To be clear, Ishmael is not the child of the promise, but God still promises to multiply Hagar's offspring, and he fulfills that promise. Honestly, God really has no reason to pay special attention to her as far as loyalties are concerned. His commitment is to a specific family that she doesn't belong to.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
But because she has lived with that family, she knows who he is, and she knows what he's capable of. She even gives him a name, El Roy, which means the God who sees, or the God who sees me.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
The pre-incarnate Christ shows up in the form of an angel man foretelling the birth of her child, and it might have been a downer because he also tells her how that child Ishmael and his offspring would become an enemy of God's people. But I bet in that moment, she cares far more about the fact that God speaks to her at all in the midst of her plight.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
God sees, and he's merciful, and he's where the joy is. Are you a note taker? Some of you have tagged us in pictures on social media where your journal is crammed with notes, and we love that. But if you find yourself having to rewind and pause and listen back at half speed, then I have some great news for you. We have transcripts, and we have two options for how you can get those.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
Option A is by joining the Recaptains. As a recaptain at the transcript tier or higher, we'll send you the transcripts for each week as we move through the reading plan. If you're interested in option A, check for a link in the show notes or click the recaptains link at thebiblerecap.com. And for option B, we have single episode transcripts available in the TBR store.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
So if all you want is one transcript, that's a great place to go. For option B, check for a link in today's show notes or click the store link at thebiblerecap.com.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
And basically, anything a servant owned, the master owned. So the child of a servant was considered the property of the master. Sarai uses that cultural norm as her logic behind making her servant have sex with her husband. Because then, if the servant has a child, Sarai owns it. Sarai is tired of waiting. She wants to take a shortcut. Have you ever been there? Let me give you cause to reconsider.
The Bible Recap
Day 017 (Genesis 16-18) - Year 7
Sarai's fear and impatience has yielded millennia of war and destruction that's still happening around the world today. What am I talking about? Sarai's servant Hagar becomes pregnant with a child she will name Ishmael, and Ishmael is widely considered to be the line through which Islam began, because Muslims trace Muhammad's ancestry back to Ishmael.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today we drop back in on Moses' speech to the new generation of Israelites before they enter the promised land. This is his final locker room talk. He's recounting all the ways they've made bad plays in the past, and he's going over the plays they want to execute well in the future.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
He might be disciplining you as any good father does, but you will never, ever, ever see His wrath. Not ever. Christ absorbed it all on the cross. It's not that we don't deserve punishment. We absolutely do. It's all we deserve. But Christ took what we deserved and gave us what we could never earn, eternal love and acceptance into God's family forever.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
The Israelites needed to be humbled despite 400 years of slavery. They needed to be tested to see what was in their own hearts, to see who they really are. They also needed to see his provision to see who he really is. He tested them and he provided for them. They always had food and clothes and even their feet didn't swell. I've been in that desert and I can tell you that is a miracle.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
I was there for 24 hours and my ankles were the size of my knees. They were there for 40 years. Moses wants to remind them of all God has done because honestly, given their track record, he knows what to expect from them. Yesterday he warned them against one particular kind of wrong thinking, and I mentioned that we'd encounter two more today.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
Yesterday's first warning was against fear and mistrusting God. Do you remember what the antidote to fear was? I'll give you a second. He told them to recall who God is and what He has done for them. We see him reference the same antidote today for two entirely different kinds of wrong thinking—
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
Today in his second warning against wrong thinking, which comes in 8, 17-18, he says, So while yesterday's warning was against fear, today we see him warning against pride. Prosperity can numb you to God's activity, even when God is the one who brought that prosperity.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
The third kind of wrong thinking he warns against comes in 9.4, and it says this, Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them out before you, it is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land. This third warning is also against pride.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
The second warning was against pride in their efforts, and this warning is against pride in their righteousness. It's interesting that they have to be warned twice against pride and only once against fear. In our society that beefs us up and tells us it's all about us and what we deserve, we would do well to heed these warnings too. Pride makes us forget God just as much as fear does.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
Both kinds of wrong thinking, fear-based and pride-based, have their roots in forgetting God and fixing our eyes on ourselves and our enemies. The way to fight these kinds of wrong thinking is to remember who God is and what He has done. God says it's not because they're righteous that He gives them the land, but because the other nations are unrighteous. We can't earn God's blessings.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
He tells them that the wilderness was a test to refine them, and it's clear that the promised land will be a test as well. It's not some kind of end game for them, some kind of reward where they can just kick back and do whatever they want. They personally won't retain the land unless they respond to God's covenant promise by worshiping Him alone.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
They're a gift, freely given to the undeserving. This is humbling, but it also should be comforting. It should prompt us to stop striving for His approval and favor. It has already been granted to us in Christ. God blesses us because of His goodness, not ours.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
And in fact, right after Moses warns them against thinking it's because of their goodness, he gives them a very lengthy reminder of exactly how un-good they really are by going over five stories of their rebellion in the wilderness.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
The golden calf, the fearful rebellion at Kadesh Barnea when they said they wouldn't go in to take the land, and three times when they grumbled over food and water, doubted his plan, and wished they were back in Egypt. God doesn't just want their obedience. He wants their affection and relationship.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
Moses reminds them that God's rules aren't about diminishing their joy and freedom, but about increasing it. God has chosen and set them apart, through no doing of their own, as we've seen time and time again, for their joy. In 10.16, Moses uses a peculiar turn of phrase when describing how this all plays out. He tells them, "...circumcise your heart."
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
We know that circumcision serves as a physical sign of the covenant between God and the Israelites, but this is an indication to have a full transformation and commitment, spiritual, emotional, and mental. Because again, like we talked about yesterday, the ancient Hebrew word used here for heart encompassed all those things.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
He goes on to tell them that one way they can demonstrate the love they've received from God is by caring for the fatherless, the widow, and the sojourner. These would be the people among them who typically don't have any physical land or inheritance. God commands for all of them to be taken care of by their unique nation-state community.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
And you may recall that this same sort of provision is made for the Levites, who also have no land inheritance. We continue to see God showing how attentive and thoughtful He is toward the have-nots. What was your God shot today? I loved this little moment in 10, 14 through 15. Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are to this day. God owns everything, yet He set His heart on me and on you. And not only is it not because of any good works or righteousness, but it's despite the fact that I lack those things. That kind of love is magnetic.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
When I stop to remember who I am and who He is, I can't help but be drawn to Him. He's where the joy is. Today, I just want to say thank you for your encouragement and your prayers and your support of the Bible Recap. My team and I are blown away by how God is growing this TBR family and all the incredible things He's doing in your lives and in our lives.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
The promised land is just another part of God's process to restore wicked humanity in relationship with Himself. And He knows how this next step will turn out too. He's not testing them for His sake. He's testing them for their sake. This generation had yet to encounter anything that was really a result of their own actions.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
We love seeing your pictures and reading your posts and your messages and your emails about how you're in the Word, reading and understanding and loving it more. And most importantly, we love hearing how it's all led you to knowing and loving God more. Families are being restored, people are coming to know Jesus, and others are breaking free from long-held sin patterns. Praise God!
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
These are just some of the ways He's at work in our hearts and lives as we lean into His pursuit of us by reading His Word. It's such an honor and a joy to be able to read the Bible alongside all of you. We'll see you back here tomorrow.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
They had to endure at least a portion of the 38 years of wilderness that their parents received as punishment, but they weren't complicit in the rebellion at Kadesh Barnea. So this wasn't a punishment for them, even though they had to endure it just like their parents did. I'm sure it felt like punishment at times, but it wasn't in response to anything they had done. For them, it was discipline.
The Bible Recap
Day 073 (Deuteronomy 8-10) - Year 7
It was training in how to respond to hardship and how to trust God. It's important to make a distinction between punishment and discipline. And in fact, for those of us who know Christ, all our punishment has been absorbed by Him on the cross. If you've been adopted into God's family, you are His forever, and you can rest assured that He is never punishing you.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. God is the only person who has spoken in Leviticus so far, and today we continue in the laws for sin offerings. Tomorrow we'll get a bit of a break from sacrificial instructions and we'll hear from some humans, but for now, all of these words are God's words.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
So it's a reminder of the fall. And that's the kind of thing that made a person unclean sometimes, being a reminder of the fall. God is in the process of recreating Eden, so the unclean things have to be distanced from that. Being unclean wasn't intended to be a permanent thing or a symbol of shame. Everyone was unclean at some point. And God takes uncleanness seriously.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
Another thing you may have noticed about blood is that since it was a symbol of life, it wasn't supposed to be eaten. It was only supposed to be offered back to God, the giver of life. Today we also saw the phrase, that person shall be cut off from his people, four times. It was always in regard to someone who disrespects the sacrificial laws.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
Some people think this refers to isolating that person from the group, while other people think it indicates a premature death. Either way, God makes it clear that his sacrificial laws are to be honored. As we mentioned, sin is a different thing altogether than uncleanness. Sin does require a sacrifice.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
I love that God is also attentive to the needs of the poor when it comes to the sacrifices He requires of them. In many of the sacrifices, those who had more are required to give a domestic animal from the flock, one without blemish, the best of the best. But the poor among them don't have animals, much less perfect animals. So he said they can bring birds.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
And if they can't afford birds, they can bring flour. And they don't even have to put the costly things on it like oil and frankincense, which if you've ever bought essential oils, you know frankincense is one of the most expensive. That stuff will break the bank. God meets his people where they are, poverty and all.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
We've already touched on this a bit, but even unintentional sin still requires a sacrifice. And today we also saw that sins of omission require the same sacrifice as sins of commission. Sins of omission are sins we commit by failing to do something we're supposed to do. Like today's mention of failing to give a testimony in a case where justice needed to be carried out.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
By the way, that example is the opposite of snitches get stitches. A sin of commission is when you do something God has ordered you not to do. In 6, 1-7, God shows His heart in what's required of us when we sin against someone else.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
These sacrificial laws are Old Testament laws that no longer apply to us because Christ has offered the final sacrifice, and we'll talk more about that as we continue to read. But the heart behind all of this remains. Sin against someone else required the Israelites not only to offer something to God, but also to the person they sinned against.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
Did you notice when the priest boiled a sin offering, they had to smash the pottery they used to boil it? On our trips to Israel, sometimes we take an hour or so to jump in with an excavation project. We go and sift the soil that has been dug out from the temple mount, where the temple stood in Jerusalem, to help find and preserve ancient relics.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
And almost everyone finds a broken piece of pottery because so much pottery was smashed there for these offerings. What was your God shot today? I noticed that God meets His people where they are. Not only did we see this with how He adjusts the requirements for the poor, but also in regard to how He approaches our sins in general.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
One of the things you may have noticed today was the distinction between when the Israelites committed a sin versus when they did something that made them unclean. Being unclean isn't a sin, so it doesn't require an offering. It just requires that they be purified. They don't have to bring a sacrifice. They just have to take a bath or spend some time away from others.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
Somehow, much of the church today has gotten this idea that God can't be in the presence of sin. I don't see that in Scripture. There's one verse in Habakkuk that seems to point to it, but it's taken out of context. In fact, what we see here is that God tells His people to come to His courts when they sin and to offer their sacrifices there, not far away.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
He tells them to come nearer when they sin. From the beginning of humanity with Adam and Eve, we've been running from God when we sin. We run and hide. But He says, draw near. Remember when we read the first few chapters of Job where the sons of God, the fallen angels, including Satan, the accuser, came to speak to God in what appears to be his throne room? God isn't afraid of sin.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
Everything that isn't God is less than perfect, so he's used to it. He isn't corrupted by the presence of sin. If he were, he'd have to stay quarantined himself away from all of us forever. Instead, what we see is that our God built His home in the midst of sin intentionally. He could have said, you guys are really screwing this up.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
I'm going to go hole up on an island in the Bahamas until you figure this thing out. See you in a few thousand years. No, He entered in because He knows sinners can't fix themselves. Rid yourself of the unbiblical idea that God runs from your sin. He doesn't. He tells us to run from sin because we can be corrupted by it, but He can't. He's not afraid of you. He's not afraid of your sin.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
He made a way. He paid for it because He wants to be near you. And He's where the joy is. There's a good chance the reason you're a part of the TBR family is because someone, maybe a family member, friend, coworker, teacher, or teammate, told you about the Bible Recap, either in person or on social media, and invited you to join in.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
And so many of you have turned around and invited even more people to join you. Did you know that because of all this, we were the number one podcast in all categories on Apple Podcasts? That's incredible. That many people are excited about reading the Bible. We have grown by the grace of God and word of mouth, and we couldn't be more grateful for you and your support.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
We would love for you to keep spreading the word. We want people all over the world to read, understand, and love Scripture. And it's going to take all of us to make that happen. I can't do it by myself. And in case there's any confusion, there's never a bad time for somebody to start reading the Bible. It doesn't have to be January 1st.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
So invite your friends and family to start at the start today. Have them start at day one. Point them to the start page of our website for more info or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
We still do things like this today, quarantining people if they have something we might catch. We tell people to stay home from work if they're contagious. Again, this is not talking about sin. It's talking about uncleanness, and it's almost always related to something hygienic. Some of these hygiene regulations make sense and are especially helpful in a culture that predated modern science.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
For instance, not touching dead bodies, that's probably a good idea. Or not eating meat after a certain period of time has passed, because the fridge space available in the wilderness of Sinai was probably pretty limited. Not all the cleanliness laws are straightforward and scientifically logical like that, but some are.
The Bible Recap
Day 045 (Leviticus 5-7) - Year 7
For instance, you may notice that sometimes the cleanliness laws relate to blood. While this may be hygienic, it's also probably more symbolic. Blood can be a confusing symbol in the Old Testament especially. It symbolizes life and death. Obviously, when it symbolizes life, it's a good symbol. But when it's leaving the body, specifically the human body, it symbolizes death or the end of life.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today, Job wraps up his response from Eliphaz's third speech. In chapter 24, Job continues to point out that good things happen to the wicked and also add that bad things happen to the righteous. Surely you've seen this too.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
And while there's some truth to this, that we can't be perfect, we can be declared righteous by God, despite our actions, because of the finished work of Christ. In scripture, righteousness is often used as a kind of legal term, more of a decision and a declaration by the judge than some accumulated overview of our actions.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
For every one of us who is adopted into God's family, God the judge has declared us righteous. Not because we tricked him, and not because we got more things right than we got wrong, but because God the Son, Jesus, lived the perfect life and then granted his perfect righteousness to us. It's a legal transaction. He traded our sinfulness, which we were in full possession of, for his righteousness.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
He took our death penalty and granted us his kingdom. If you want to talk about what's not fair in this life, that's the best place to start. It's unfair in the most beautiful way imaginable. In chapter 26, we see that Job has a reverence for God's mystery that his friends can't seem to grasp. There's a lot to take in here.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
I thought it was interesting in verse 11 that he references heaven trembling at God's rebuke. This makes me think of the conversation we had about the sons of God rebelling against him in heaven. And in verse 12, Job even seems to prophesy about Jesus without even knowing it. Did you catch that? He said, "'By his power, he stills the sea.'" I know someone who did that.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
Job continues to maintain his integrity and even tells them that despite all their rebuking of him, he feels no conviction. He says, "'My heart does not reproach me for any of my days.'" Wow. I've got some things I regret in my life for sure, so I'm not sure I could say that for myself. But Job does. His conscience is clean before God and man.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
He is certain that this trial is not punishment from God. I love that. That tells me so much about God and who He has revealed Himself to be in Job's life. I want to know God like that, to such a degree that I don't doubt Him in my trials, that I can be angry and sad, yet still not mistrust Him when things are falling apart. Despite everything, Job points to God as the source of all wisdom.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
In 28.28, he says, Lots of Job's words and thoughts are echoed later in scripture that was written by Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, which tells me that Job has a lot of wisdom too. And we also saw that in chapter 1 where God said Job fears God and turns away from evil. So we already know Job is wise. He's just demonstrating it here through his knowledge of God.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
When I first read this response from Job, it sounded more like a complaint, like he was kind of whining about it. But the more I look at it, the more it sounds like he is consoling himself with these details, reminding himself that his trials don't negate his status as a righteous man before God, while also trying to convince his friends as well. Job points out some really important stuff here.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
Where did you see God's character on display today? What was your God shot? My God shot was in chapter 28 where Job points to God as the source of all wisdom. The fact that we're fixing our eyes on him, looking for him, reading his word daily, you and I are tapping into that source. So even as you may be realizing how little you know of God so far, it even takes wisdom to realize that.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
By putting your eyes on His Word every day, you're growing in wisdom daily. He is fulfilling His promise to you that those who seek Him with all their hearts will find Him. And the even better news for us all is He's not just where the wisdom is, but also He's where the joy is. Did you know the Bible Recap has a partner ministry?
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
DGroup International is a ministry I started to help people dig deeper into the Bible in community. Here in TBR, we read the Bible, and in DGroup, which stands for Discipleship Group, we study the Bible. We do in-depth Bible studies of different books of Scripture with structure and accountability, and the goal is for everyone to grow in their relationship with God while building richer community.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
There are groups for women and for men, and we meet in homes, churches, and online. Find out more at mydgroup.org or click the link in the show notes. We've partnered with the Dwell Audio Bible app to bring my daily recaps right into their app. Not only can you listen to each day's reading, but you can also hear my recaps right inside the app.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
Look for it in the App Store or Google Play and get a free seven-day trial or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
We can kind of see that if you follow his friends' beliefs to their logical conclusion, you'd be likely to conclude that all those who are healthy and wealthy are living righteous lives, and that those who are poor, sick, and needy are in that situation because of their sin. There's no shortage of people who even subscribe to this kind of theology today.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
One of the dangers of this is that anytime there's a disaster, a fire or a flood or a terrorist attack, some very public religious people will say it's God's judgment, as if they know the mind of God. They're guilty of the same reductionism that Job's friends are. In Job's story, we're even given a glimpse into God's motives because they're recorded in Scripture.
The Bible Recap
Day 010 (Job 24-28) - Year 7
But in everyday 21st century life, we don't have access to that information. we would be wise not to jump to conclusions about why hurricanes and mass murders happen when and where they do. After Job's speech, Bildad pushes back, saying that not only is Job unrighteous, but that it's impossible for a man to be righteous at all.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Yesterday we updated our census to count the number of current Israelites about to enter the Promised Land, and we got a new law allotting land to women. I hope that those of you who feel like Scripture doesn't hold women in high regard are starting to see God's heart toward women a little bit more.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
at the latest and around 4.30 p.m. at the earliest, depending on the time of year. So for instance, in winter when the sun sets at 4.30 p.m. on a Friday, that's when their Sabbath day of rest, their Saturday, would start. And it would continue through the night until the morning through the day and end at 4.30 p.m. the next day when their Sunday would begin.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
If you ever happen to be in Jerusalem right before the Sabbath starts, around 2 p.m. on a Friday, you'll see people rushing around like crazy trying to get things done. Then, after the Sabbath starts, you don't see any traffic on the streets. Stores and restaurants are closed, and the city is calm and resting.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
Then, once the sun sets again on the next day to end the Sabbath, there are parties and celebrations in the street, stores open back up, music pours out of windows, the whole town comes alive again. They still live out this ancient principle handed down to them by God. The reason I'm describing this at length is because, as you may have noticed, God brought it up again today.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
We can hardly get through any chunk of laws without Him saying, don't forget, rest. Hey, remember, one day a week, stop working. And it's not just a day about doing nothing. It's a day about reconnecting with Him. We see evidence of that in our reading today when He commands twice the sacrifices on the Sabbath as on any other day of the week. Sacrificing isn't considered regular work.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
It's considered worship. All these sacrifices may have seemed extravagant. After all, they were killing their food and their clothes and their source of income in mass quantities. But by requiring sacrifices, God was reinforcing that He has a plan for continual provision. He provides all that He requires of us.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
Even though we no longer offer sacrifices, we still need to be reminded of this and trust that He is providing for us. Two of the things in our lives that can still serve this purpose are giving to the church and Sabbath. And here's an interesting thought. We each have 168 hours in our week. If you sleep seven to eight hours a night on average, that means you're awake for 16 to 17 hours each day.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
So by taking one of those 16 to 17 hour days and setting it aside for rest each week, you're giving back 10% of your time. By giving back a portion of our time and money, we demonstrate our trust in the God who provides for and sustains us. Then we hit a potentially confusing or frustrating section for some of you, regardless of gender. Let me set up chapter 30 for us.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
Sometimes when people were in dire straits, they would make a vow to God. These vows often involved sacrificing something of financial value. Think of something along these lines. God, if you'll just give me a child, I will sell everything we own and give the money to the sanctuary, I swear. Or, God, if you'll help me win the lottery, I promise I'll give half the money to my church.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
Today we covered a passage that might have made you bristle a bit, but we're going to talk about that and I hope it will help to smooth over any rough patches. But before we get there, we have two chapters of laws and feasts. There are a lot of things that stood out to me in this section. First, in 28, 3-4, I noticed that each of Israel's days are book-ended with worship.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
When men made vows like this before God, there were no outs for them, no get-out-of-jail-free cards. And if you're a man, that might frustrate you. Because if a woman made the vow, the man in her life could let her off the hook for it, if he renounced it.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
A woman might feel a little bit disrespected when that happened, but ultimately this was a protective measure for the woman, letting her off the hook for something she might not have been able to pay, but just offered up in a moment of desperation. When someone makes a vow to the Lord and has to break it or cancel it, there's always sin involved.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
In chapter 30, verses 5, 8, and 12 deal with the forgiveness and iniquity related to this. And I want to point out, the text doesn't say, women can't make vows because God doesn't take women seriously. Silly women. Women did make vows, and they were meaningful and important. The heart behind this law is to help and protect, not restrict.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
This option also served to protect the man of her household who would also suffer financially if she fulfilled her vow. Even though these laws aren't still in effect for us today, many of us still have people in our lives who serve these kind of vow-canceling roles for us. Or at least we should. The kind of person who says, are you sure you want to go out with that guy?
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
Or, listen, I know you want to spend all our tax refund on tickets to Cabo, but maybe we should pay off the car first. It's important to have people in our lives who see our blind spots and speak into them. Who can catch us before we make a foolish decision. What was your God shot today? I loved seeing him repeat yet again his command to honor the Sabbath.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
Of all the things people think about God and his so-called do's and don'ts, very few people ever treat it like he's handing out more than a big long to-do list. people miss the mark on his heart. Of all the Ten Commandments, there are two things he keeps repeating over and over again. You shall have no other gods before me and rest. What other god commands rest?
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
Most of our idols demand more of us, more striving, more trying, more doing. He says, nope, not my people. The people of false gods run themselves ragged, but my people are provided for even when they take a day off to spend with me. He's where the rest is, and He's where the joy is.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
At any point while you've been doing your Bible reading, listening to the podcast, or watching the YouTube videos, have you thought, I wish I could talk through some of my questions with other people doing TBR? If so, then I 10 out of 10 recommend you check out the official ReCaptain Facebook discussion group. It's a great place to do this. It's available to ReCaptains at all tiers.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
To become a ReCaptain, go to the ReCaptains link on our website, thebiblerecap.com, or click the link in the show notes. After you join, you can submit your request to join our official Facebook discussion group. I'll see you there.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
They offer a sacrifice at twilight and in the morning. And here's something interesting that isn't necessarily clear in this passage, but it shows up elsewhere in scripture as well as in any Jewish literature and culture. The Jewish day starts at sunset. That's why in Genesis 1, the flow of the passage says, there was evening and there was morning the first day.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
There was evening and there was morning the second day. And so on. This is going to be important as we continue getting to know this family, seeing how they live and how things play out even with Jesus and his life. One of the practical ways this comes into play is with the Sabbath, which is when they're not supposed to work.
The Bible Recap
Day 066 (Numbers 28-30) - Year 7
As we've talked about before, the word Sabbath is the Hebrew word for our English word Saturday. Our Saturday technically starts at midnight, even though it's not morning yet, and their Saturday, or Sabbath, technically starts at sundown on Friday, which will vary based on what time zone you're in and what season you're in. For the Israelites we're in the desert with, it would be around 8 p.m.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. If you're a fan of home renovation shows or you're really into architecture or construction, today's reading should have been right up your alley. It included all kinds of furniture and construction details.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
This is reminiscent of how they weren't allowed to touch the mountain because of the presence of the power of God. Third, in 2518, we see that the lid of the Ark of the Covenant, which is called the Mercy Seat, has cherubim—that's the plural of cherub—on it. If you've seen a picture of a cherub, you've probably seen a naked baby with wings.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
As always, forget what you know from Renaissance art and precious moments figurines. We talked about cherubim not long ago. They're one of the various types of angelic beings God created— This type is not a messenger angel like the ones that show up as humans.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
From the various descriptions of them that we see throughout Scripture, we see that they have four wings covered in eyes, they likely have the form and body of a man, but they have four faces. They most often appear as guardians of holy places, like the Garden of Eden, for instance, and their images also appear in the tabernacle and on the Ark of the Covenant.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
If you're a guardian of a holy place, it's good to have four faces so you can be watching in every direction at all times. The mercy seat has two cherubim positioned on opposite ends. The mercy seat is made of pure gold. This was God's resting place. It was essentially God's throne on earth. In Exodus 25, 22, God says, The word used for meet here means betrothed.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
And the word mercy seat is related to the word that means to make atonement. There's a lot happening in the language here. This Ark of the Covenant with the mercy seat on top, it's an important item, and not just because there's an Indiana Jones movie about it.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
One interesting parallel with what we see in the mercy seat descriptions is that it's really similar to what we see the angels doing when they appear in Jesus' tomb after his resurrection in John 20, 12. They were positioned in the same way, at opposite ends of Jesus' burial spot. Finally, I want to point out the golden lampstand.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
If you're familiar at all with Jewish culture, you may recognize this as a menorah, which is the Hebrew word for lampstand. Since it's a symbol of God's presence, it eventually became something Jewish people kept in their homes as a reminder of this. The standard menorah has six branches and seven lamps. But there are also special types of menorahs used during the celebration of Hanukkah.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
Here we have a bunch of former slaves living in the middle of the desert, and God wants them to build a portable tabernacle where he can dwell with them in the midst of the wilderness. He calls on them to use all kinds of precious metals and fabrics for this tabernacle. Where would they get this stuff? They got it from plundering the Egyptians.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
Those have nine branches and are called hanukkiahs. We're going to be reading a bit more about the tabernacle and some of its elements here and there over the course of the next few days. So if you're visual and you want to see a rendering of what this may have looked like, we've got a video for you in today's show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
If you don't know how to find the show notes on your particular app or platform, try Googling it. It varies from app to app. This video shows the potential layout of the courtyard, tabernacle, and interior, as well as the seven pieces of furniture inside. So go to the show notes and get your HGTV on. Tomorrow, we'll have something for those of you who are more into Project Runway than Fixer Upper.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
What was your God shot today? The thing that stood out to me most, apart from his attention to detail, is just the beauty of the fact that he wants to dwell with his people. These are the people who have sinned against him, doubted him, and keep forgetting all he's done for them. Yet he wants to be near them always. This is huge.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
And yes, there's a lot of detail in this section we're reading right now. But one thing you might have noticed is that a lot of the layout of the tabernacle parallels what we saw in Eden. an east-facing entrance guarded by cherubim, the burning lampstand symbolizes the tree of life, and the law or the testimony symbolizes the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
So when God begins telling them all these details and tells them he'll come there to dwell with them, it's a step toward restoring paradise and all that was lost in the Garden of Eden. We won't see the fulfillment of this until Christ returns and we have a new heaven and a new earth. But here in Exodus, we see God's advancement in that direction, to dwell with His people forever.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
And I can't think of anything better because He's where the joy is. Did you know we have a TBR store? It has all the different TBR books, the various versions of the Bible Recap, the daily study guide, the weekly discussion guide, and it also has more than just our great books.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
We've got t-shirts, hats, hoodies, drinkware, stickers, bookmarks, jewelry, kids gear, and even a onesie for your baby Bible reader. Check out all the TBR merch at thebiblerecap.com forward slash store, or you know what to do. Click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
Those things that God blessed them with are used for his glory. It wasn't just about them having nice things. Those blessings didn't terminate on them. They served a much bigger purpose. When reading through all this information, I'm sure some of you are like, this is boring. Why does it have to be so detailed?
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
But then some of you are probably like, I wish God were this detailed with me about what I'm supposed to do. Or maybe some of you even have both of those thoughts. Hang in there through these details. Be encouraged that our God is a God of detail. You want him to be that way. Let's touch on a few of the noteworthy things we saw today.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
First, the metals used in the construction get more precious the closer you get to the Holy of Holies, where God will dwell. There's gold inside, then silver outside, then bronze the furthest out. Second, I want to highlight a few things about the Ark of the Covenant, or the Ark of the Testimony, in case you like visual details like I do.
The Bible Recap
Day 038 (Exodus 25-27) - Year 7
It was almost four feet long, a little more than two feet wide, and a little more than two feet high. Humans were not supposed to touch this at all after it was constructed. When they had to relocate the tabernacle as they moved around the wilderness, they were supposed to carry it with the gold-covered wooden poles.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
As you listen to my prayer each day, echo it back to God in your own heart and feel free to expound on it in your own words. We want this to serve not only as a teaching tool, but as a catalyst for your own extended conversations with God after I say amen.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
So, without further ado, here's today's episode of our daily prayer podcast, The Bible Kneecap, which corresponds to today's reading from The Bible Recap. Father, you are the God who works wonders. And like Manoah, we believe you will fulfill all your plans and keep all your promises. We praise you for being resourceful for the way you use sinners like us in your plan.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
We are so grateful to be used by you, even though our hearts and actions may be off track somewhere in the process. Thank you that we can't ruin your plan and that we can't out-sin your grace and mercy. Have mercy on me, a sinner. We repent of our sins and turn to you, and we ask you to make our hearts clean. Like Samson, we've kept secret about our sins. Amen. Amen. Amen.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
So help us identify any lies we believe about you or your protection or your provision that prompt us to sin. Correct those lies through the truth of your word and the prompting of your spirit. Uproot the lies the enemy uses to entice our flesh. We don't want to agree with him. We know he's a liar and we know you are the truth. We surrender our lives to you, Lord.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
Since it's a podcast devoted to prayer, we're calling it The Bible Kneecap, like kneeling in prayer. Each day's episode will post immediately after the Bible recap, so you can listen to them back to back. So our suggested order will be read, recap, respond. Lots of listeners tell us the Bible kneecap prayers help them build out their understanding of what we've just read even more.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
Every moment of our day, each decision we make, we yield our will and way to your perfect will and way. We love you too. Amen. Today, we're giving all of you a free preview of our second daily podcast that's available to recaptains at the Bible Kneecap tier or higher.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
This free episode is just to help you see what the daily episodes are like in case you want to add this one to two minute prayer podcast to your daily routine. If you want to join our crew of supporters, visit thebiblerecap.com forward slash recaptains or click the recaptains link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
As you're signing up to be a recaptain, just look for the Bible Kneecap tier, or you'll also automatically get this podcast when you sign up at any higher tier. Once you sign up, you'll get a personal private link to the podcast, along with instructions on how to add that link to your Podcatcher app.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
If you're already a recaptain but are below the Bible Kneecap tier, all you have to do is log into your account and adjust your membership accordingly.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
In this podcast, we use a prayer method called PRAY. It's an acronym that stands for Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield. Each day, we'll be changing up what we're praising God for. That's the P in the PRAY acronym. Our praise will usually connect to the God shot from that day's episode, since that's where we saw God's character or attributes on display.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
Hey, Bible readers. In addition to our regular eight-minute daily podcast of The Bible Recap, we also have a second daily podcast that follows our daily Bible reading. In The Bible Recap, we'll be recapping what we just read in Scripture, and this podcast will be our prayer of response to God about what we just read.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
After that, we'll point you to some ways to R, repent, A, ask, and Y, yield. But those will obviously look different for each person from day to day, depending on what's happening in your heart and your life. Before we begin, one thing I want to point out is that following along with pre-written prayer is not meaningless or vain.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
Even Jesus himself gave us a prescribed prayer to pray when he gave his disciples the Lord's Prayer. Old Testament Jews and the believers of the early church glorified God and took comfort in praying the prayers of the Psalms written by David and many others. Those prayers not only help us connect with God, but they help teach us his character as well.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Did you know we have another daily podcast? It's called The Bible Kneecap, like kneeling in prayer because your girl loves a pun. Anyway, it's a short prayer of response to what we've read and recapped each day. And each episode is about 60 to 90 seconds long.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
He says her son will play a role in helping rescue Israel and that she should raise him to live under the Nazarite vow. You may remember the Nazarite vow from number six. The rules of the vow included not drinking any alcohol or even eating any part of a grape, not cutting your hair, and not touching anything dead.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
If you recall, the Nazarite rules were an even more ramped-up version of some of the rules for the Levites. Most people took this vow temporarily and voluntarily, but Samson was assigned this role, and his assignment was lifelong. And God even said it doesn't start when he's born, it starts when he's in the womb.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
So Manoah's wife has to follow the Nazarite vow during her pregnancy, as if giving up coffee isn't hard enough on its own. It seems like Manoah and his wife really believed this prophecy. They're earnest about it. They beg God for instructions and advice from the angel of the Lord. And when they're referencing the prophecy, they say when this happens, not if this happens.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
They offer a burnt offering to God and worship him, the one who works wonders, as the text calls him. After Samson is born, God the Spirit begins to send him promptings about his calling at some undetermined age. God blesses him, and chapter 13 ends beautifully. In chapter 14, the first decision Samson makes seems to be wicked and foolish.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
He's demanding to have a certain Philistine woman as his wife. But the text is clear that underneath this demand is a plan Samson is working out and that it was set in motion by God. Samson is a secretive man who operates fairly independently of everyone else. So what his parents don't know is that he's secretly making an inroad to overthrow Israel's oppressors, the Philistines.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
Another secret he keeps is that he killed a lion with his bare hands with the help of God the Spirit. I used to think he didn't tell anyone because he was just being humble, but there's no evidence of humility elsewhere. My guess is that he kept it a secret because, as a Nazirite, this would have almost certainly been a sin. He wasn't allowed to touch dead bodies.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
Though to be fair, some people think that rule only applied to dead human bodies, but if it did apply to all dead things, and I'm inclined to think it did, then not only did he touch the deadline when he killed it, but he also touched it a few days later when he scooped honey out of its carcass. This is where we're starting to see outright that Samson makes a lot of foolish decisions.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
He's prideful and entitled, driven by lust and impulsive desires, and he also seems to break every single rule of his Nazarite vow. His pride begins to rear its head at his wedding feast, which, by the way, almost certainly involved lots of alcohol that he wasn't supposed to drink but most likely did.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
He taunts 30 Philistines with a riddle, which he made up based on his likely sinful encounter with the lion, and when they can't solve it, they coerce his wife into getting the answer from him. This is where we see his first sign of weakness—women. When the guys tell him the answer to his riddle, he's furious and embarrassed.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
Not only did he lose the bet, but he was betrayed by his new wife during his own wedding feast. So he decides to kill them and take all their clothes, which certainly involves touching their dead bodies. One of the strangest parts of today's text is that it says God the Spirit equips him for this task.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
To give you a taste of it, we've uploaded a free preview of The Bible Kneecap for you today. So be sure to look for that in your feed. Today we meet our 12th and final judge, Samson. He may be the only one you've heard of before.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
But while he's away slaughtering the Philistines, his father-in-law gives his brand new bride to his best man. Later, when Samson returns and tries to consummate the marriage, her dad tells him the bad news, but offers him the consolation prize of marrying her sister instead. So Samson does what any of us would do in that situation.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
He catches 300 foxes, ties their tails together and lights them on fire, then sends them into a field to burn all the crops. We've all been there, right? No, this is bonkers. But he probably chose this option because it was the one way to get back at them while remaining innocent in regard to his Nazirite vow against touching dead things. He was clever. I'll give him that.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
The Philistines get their revenge on him by burning his wife and father-in-law to death. So Samson either kills more Philistines or beats them up in retaliation. The text isn't really clear here. The back and forth between Samson and the Philistines continue when they attack the tribe of Judah. Judah decides to capture Samson, their own judge, and turn him over to the Philistines as a bribe.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
Judah, you're better than that. When they bring Samson to make the exchange with the Philistines, Samson breaks free and kills a thousand men, presumably all Philistines, but who knows. And he did it with the jawbone of a donkey, which also constitutes touching the dead. And so does killing people, probably.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
We're not even really to the story he's known for, and you can already see what a rebel he is. One of the things you may have picked up on is that the other judges fought with armies. Samson didn't. Samson was the army. He does his own stunts. Every Philistine who died on his watch died by his hand. He's not a leader at all. He's a solitary vigilante.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
It's hard not to be impressed by him, though, and we definitely see God at work initiating and sustaining Samson's calling. but it can be a really challenging text to work through theologically. So what was your God shot? The thing that stood out to me like a flashing neon sign was the way God empowers sinful people with wicked motives to accomplish his righteous plan.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
He was using Samson's pride and rage to defeat Israel's enemy in a time when they were oppressed. For lack of a better term, Samson was the lesser of two evils. When God's Spirit empowers Samson to do something, He's not endorsing Samson's sin, but sometimes He's using Samson's sinfulness to defeat a greater enemy. I know we talk about this all the time, but sinners are all God's got to work with.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
He's definitely the most famous, in part because his story is the most detailed in the book, but also it might have something to do with the fact that he feels like the closest thing Christian culture has to a traditional superhero. I hope today's reading helped paint things a little more clearly because he's probably the worst and most wicked of all the judges in the book.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
None of us deserve to be used by Him, and when we are, you can bet something is still going to be off track in us somewhere. Only a sovereign God could bend our sin to serve His purposes. And that is a huge comfort to me because it's easy for me to feel like my sin or someone else's sin has ruined everything. I'm not big enough to ruin everything. He's bigger. That sets me free.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
I'm so glad I can't ruin His plan because He's where the joy is. If you've got four kids and two dogs, your quiet time probably looks really different from mine with me and my four plants. And that's okay. No matter your phase of life, there are some tools that can help you make the most of your quiet time or your unquiet time. I like to call mine priority time to help me prioritize it.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
And I'd love to tell you more about what my priority time looks like. So I've built up a priority time toolkit that we'd love to give you for free. Just go to thebiblerecap.com forward slash time or click the link in the show notes.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
Not only that, but he probably doesn't actually have big muscles like we usually imagine. I'll tell you why tomorrow when we wrap up this story. As for today, the people of Israel have fallen into sin again and are oppressed by the Philistines for 40 years. And according to 1017, this is all probably happening simultaneous to the stuff we read about yesterday.
The Bible Recap
Day 094 (Judges 13-15) - Year 7
Yesterday's battle with the Ammonites was happening in the Transjordan, east of the Jordan River, and this stuff with the Philistines is happening along the Mediterranean coastline of Israel, west of the Jordan River. First, we meet a man named Manoah, and the angel of the Lord, who is likely God the Son, shows up to tell Manoah's barren wife that she's going to have a son.
The Bible Recap
Day 003 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
As you listen to my prayer each day, echo it back to God in your own heart and feel free to expound on it in your own words. We want this to serve not only as a teaching tool, but as a catalyst for your own extended conversations with God after I say Amen.
The Bible Recap
Day 003 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
So, without further ado, here is today's episode of our daily prayer podcast, The Bible Kneecap, which corresponds to today's reading from The Bible Recap. Father, we come to you in the name of your Son, Jesus, empowered by your Spirit within us. We praise you for being a God who blesses and who curses. You are so much better than fair. And as your children, we bask in your complexity.
The Bible Recap
Day 003 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
We will never understand all your ways, but we know you always know what is best and you always do what is best. Have mercy on me, a sinner. We repent of our sins before you, God, whether it's something as subtle as jealousy and anger, or even if it's the full-blown manifestation of those things in murder.
The Bible Recap
Day 003 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
From the hatred in our hearts to the hatred in our hands, the blood of your Son Jesus is sufficient to cover it all. There is no sin so great that your love and mercy isn't greater still. We ask you to remind us of what you've given us to steward today. Help us to make wise decisions when it comes to caring for your creation.
The Bible Recap
Day 003 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
Your plan to make all things new has already begun, so continue working that out in us today. Make our hearts for your creation mirror your heart. We surrender our lives to you, Lord. Every moment of our day, every decision we make, we yield our will and way to your perfect will and way. Open our eyes this week to how your blessing surrounds and saturates your kids. We love you too. Amen.
The Bible Recap
Day 003 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
Today, we're giving all of you a free preview of our second daily podcast that's available to Recaptains at the Bible Kneecap tier or higher. This free episode is just to help you see what the daily episodes are like in case you want to add this one to two minute prayer podcast to your daily routine.
The Bible Recap
Day 003 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
Since it's a podcast devoted to prayer, we're calling it the Bible Kneecap, like kneeling in prayer. Each day's episode will post immediately after the Bible recap, so you can listen to them back to back. So our suggested order will be read, recap, respond. Lots of listeners tell us the Bible kneecap prayers help them build out their understanding of what we've just read even more.
The Bible Recap
Day 003 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
If you want to join our crew of supporters, visit thebiblerecap.com forward slash Recaptains or click the Recaptains link in the show notes. As you're signing up to be a recaptain, just look for the Bible Kneecap tier, or you'll also automatically get this podcast when you sign up at any higher tier.
The Bible Recap
Day 003 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
Once you sign up, you'll get a personal private link to the podcast, along with instructions on how to add that link to your podcatcher app. If you're already a recaptain but are below the Bible Kneecap tier, all you have to do is log into your account and adjust your membership accordingly.
The Bible Recap
Day 003 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
In this podcast, we use a prayer method called PRAY. It's an acronym that stands for Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield. Each day, we'll be changing up what we're praising God for. That's the P in the PRAY acronym. Our praise will usually connect to the God shot from that day's episode, since that's where we saw God's character or attributes on display.
The Bible Recap
Day 003 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
Hey, Bible readers! In addition to our regular eight-minute daily podcast of The Bible Recap, we also have a second daily podcast that follows our daily Bible reading. In The Bible Recap, we'll be recapping what we just read in Scripture, and this podcast will be our prayer of response to God about what we just read.
The Bible Recap
Day 003 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
After that, we'll point you to some ways to R, Repent, A, ask, and Y, yield, but those will obviously look different for each person from day to day, depending on what's happening in your heart and your life. Before we begin, one thing I want to point out is that following along with pre-written prayer is not meaningless or vain.
The Bible Recap
Day 003 The Bible KNEEcap Preview
Even Jesus himself gave us a prescribed prayer to pray when he gave his disciples the Lord's Prayer. Old Testament Jews and the believers of the early church glorified God and took comfort in praying the prayers of the Psalms written by David and many others. Those prayers not only help us connect with God, but they help teach us His character as well.