The Family Bible Journey Podcast

The Temple was created as a little "heaven on earth." In worship still today, we get a taste of "heaven on earth" when we receive the Lord's love and gifts anew. As we consider the wisdom of the Temple's design, we reflect on how we experience heavenly splendor in worship.

Wisdom, properly applied, is the key to earthly success. While wisdom can give you untold earthly success, no amount of earthly success or possessions can ever give you wisdom. We consider the gift of wisdom as we consider the key to Solomon's success.

In the face of hatred, Jesus brings love! This chapter reveals the hatred that Jesus experienced from the crowd, the Pharisees, and even His own family. Yet Jesus continues, because the work of God is to bring transformational love to people filled with hate.

David blessed the people in his farewell speech, encouraging them to live lives of service. Despite his personal struggles, David proves to be a good example of a life of service. There is great blessing for us when we follow the Lord gladly and willingly.

We hear echoes of Joshua's blessing and Jesus's Great Commission as David reminds young Solomon that the Lord will never leave nor forsake him. We are ourselves comforted with this assurance, knowing the Lord is always present and blessing us even when we doubt His loving care.

Jesus insists that He is the very Bread of Life, come from heaven to earth. He is so insistent on this fact that He offends many listeners. There can be no middle ground on this. Either Jesus is, or is not, the Son of God. Who do you say that He is?

Here we are given occasion to thank God for worship musicians, greeters and our church security teams! These often under-appreciated servants in the Lord's Church are highlighted. We thank God for those who are called to teach through music and greet, as special expressions of God's love.

Two whole chapters are set aside by the Chronicler to list the genealogies, roles and responsibilities of those who would serve in the temple, both leading worship and in supporting roles. This shows us how important worship life was to God and his people in the eyes of King David. We also are given in this episode an opportunity to appreciate and thank those who are mentioned as supporting cast members.

The feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle recorded in all four gospels. In John's gospel, it gives us opportunity to reflect on why Jesus came from heaven to earth. He didn't come to become a "bread king," but rather as the King of Kings.

Did you realize that King David's net worth was greater than the richest person alive today? Did you know that the gold he donated to the construction of the Temple was worth ~$330 billion? Here we consider the blessing of his generosity, and how our giving to the Lord and His purposes richly blesses others both now and forever.

In two chapters chronicling the military victories God granted to David and his armies, we reflect on the prevalence of conflict in the world. In this fallen world, we often only find peace in the midst of conflict. Conflict is often necessary to secure peace. This is not God's original intention for humanity, but rather the course humanity choose in the Garden, and the course we choose for ourselves when we exercise our will over others or over the clearly revealed will of God.

After being confronted by the Pharisees for healing a man on the Sabbath, Jesus points to five witnesses to Who He Is. John the Baptist. His own works. God the Father. The Old Testament scriptures. Moses. If the works were not enough to sway the skeptics, Jesus gives them four more reasons to listen to Him.

We hear the priestly version of God's promise to build a house for David, and to bless his family, so that his throne is established forever. New testament believers know these promises were not ultimately fulfilled in Solomon, but rather in Jesus. As "Immanuel," "God With Us," God dwells with us in the Person of His Son. He reigns over us both now and forever as a good and loving God.

David learned a painful lesson when he tried to move the ark in an unorthodox way. But in these chapters, we see that he learned his lesson. We also hear legendary songs of praise that were sung as the ark entered Jerusalem, which were also recorded among the psalms.

Jesus exalts a woman with a checkered past when he deigns to speak with the Samarian woman. Despite the ethnic, religious, social and other barriers between these two, God's love prevails. By the end of this chapter, the woman is a leading evangelist, bringing her entire town to Jesus.

In moving the ark, and building his family, David was only half-faithful to the Lord. His decision to move the ark on a cart, instead of on poles, as Moses instructed, cost the life of a priest. His lust, and accumulation of wives in Jerusalem, is also not what God requested of the kings. These chapters remind us that David, great as he was, is still human.

David's installation as king, and early military feats, are recorded in these chapters. Imperfect though he was, David was used mightily by God to unite the nation politically and in faith. He was a great blessing as king for all the good he did for the nation.

We hear a perfect summary of Jesus's life's work and the entire Bible in John 3:16. Nicodemus learns of the Spirit's work in a cold dark world. Then, John the Baptist reappears, to affirm that the work of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is one and the same-to bring light to darkness and life in place of death.

The circumstances surrounding Saul's death are recorded in this chapter. We learn from Saul to watch our own souls, and be careful always to listen to the Lord and His will for us.

Saul's descendants were important players in Israel when the exiles were allowed to return to Jerusalem. Despite his sin, Saul was the first king of Israel. As such, he was honored, even though he was not always an honorable man.

Jesus has an honest conversation with Nicodemus, who saw God at work in Jesus, but didn't understand how God works. We find comforting words here, as we grow in our understanding of baptism and the powerful promises of God.

The tribe of Levi gets a whole chapter, but poor Naphtali only gets a single verse of mention. This gives us opportunity to reflect on the promise Isaiah gave to Naphtali, that the Savior would arise there, despite her demise and mediocrity among the tribes.

King David receives special treatment as the king who faithfully established the Temple worship and affirmed the priests and Levites. We notice that the Chronicler makes editorial comments on the people and events from Israel's history. Each editorial comment is a lesson in God's faithfulness, despite the unfaithful nature of His people.

When Jesus turned water into wine, He made sure to point out that He didn't come from heaven to earth just to help a few people, but rather, to save all people. Whenever we hear Jesus speak of His "hour" coming in John's gospel, our hearts and minds are being directed to His life's work on the cross.

Chronicles is the priestly, spiritual account of Israel's history. The Chronicler was a returning exile, who most likely worked at the direction of Ezra and/or Nehemiah. As he begins his account of Israel's history, he places them within the table of nations. He points out how God was faithful to them, despite their unfaithfulness to Him.

The nation of Judah is carried into exile. Only the poorest of the land were left behind to maintain the ground. But even in exile, we see rays of hope as Jehoichin, one of the kings carried into exile, is restored to a place of prominence in the courts of Babylon. Even in darkest days, the hope of God's redeeming love shines brightly.

In the opening chapter of John's gospel, we witness the baptism of Jesus. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit were each revealed in Jesus' baptism. We also hear a perfect summary of Jesus' life work as, "The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."

It is a normal occurance that as a person approaches death, that family and friends who surround the dying person see their loved one rally just a few days or even hours before the end. So too, couples in broken relationships, often show signs of hope before ending their relationship once and for all. In this episode, under Josiah's leadership, Judah experiences a spiritual cleansing and revival. But it is too little, too late, to assuage the Lord's wrath.

Josiah is the last righteous king of Judah. He recognized the grave danger Judah was in for having forsaken the Lord. He made it his life's work to bring as many as possible back to faith in the God of Israel.

John's gospel begins before the beginning of time, when God brought all things into existence. John writes from a different perspective than the other gospels. He was an old man, who had already seen many of his dear children in the faith lose their earthly lives for the gospel. He writes to encourage us all with the truth. The light and life that dwell within us are greater than the world's deepest darkness.

King Hezekiah sees the mighty deliverance of the Lord both professionally and personally. He is king when God strikes Assyria, killing 185,000 of their soldiers in a single night. He then is healed from a life threatening disease. But his life ends in folly as he shows-off to Babylonian spies, who will return to take the wealth of Judah for themselves.

Israel receives her due from the Lord when she is conquered and sent into exile. God chastized His people, not in hate, but in love. He wanted them to repent of their evil and return to Him after learning how serious He is about His Word, and the faith-life of His people.

Jesus was not taken from His disciples in His Ascension. Rather, He ascended to draw nearer to them than ever before. We celebrate the Ascension, seeing God draw near to us, because of the love He has shown us in His dear Son.

A curious note is included with nearly every new king of Judah. Even though many were faithful to the Lord, they allowed idolatry to be practiced in their land. This idolatry is slowly corrupting the nation, as seen in the rise of Ahaz, who makes the worship of false gods the state religion of Judah.

Here we ponder how God used faithful prophets to bless his people, even when their hearts were far from Him. We are encouraged in these texts, because even during evil times, God raises new generations of faithful people to bring His light into the lives of those who live in dark and distressing times.

At the resurrection, just as at Jesus's birth, angels declare the love and peace of God to troubled souls, and the faithful marvel at what God has done. We find ourselves with Mary and Peter at the empty tomb. Even when we don't understand how these things could be, we believe, and receive the peace of God as a gift of His mercy and grace.

Evil Queen Mother Athaliah seizes the throne of Judah by putting to death most of the king's heirs. God intervenes through a faithful and cunning priest named Jehoiada, preserving infant prince Joash. God blesses Judah through the faithful service of the boy king and his faithful spiritual advisor.

Jezebel finally meets her well-deserved, evil end. In this story, we see that justice is done in the Lord's timing. We, who feel like justice is delayed, can be encouraged by knowing that God will make all things right in the end.

While Jesus was on the cross, the sun refused to shine. The Lord and Author of Life was slain. Yet even in death, Jesus shows us how to live by commending Himself to His Father and dying in faith.

It is hard for the faithful to understand why unbelievers can't fathom the Lord and His work. In this story, we see how the faithful receive the Lord's blessing, while those who doubt, sometimes miss out.

When you feel out numbered and out gunned, it is the God of Israel who fights for you! Elisha and his servant saw this with the eyes of faith. Such eyes God gives His faithful, so that they may be aware of His working during ordinary and extraordinary times.

How could Jesus just take the abuse heaped upon Him? Because He loved even those who murdered Him. We marvel at such love. Yet it is ours because of God's loving faithfulness to His wayward children, even those who crucified the Sinless One.

A young slave girl proves a mighty witness of God's saving power and brings an entire family to faith. Her master Naaman becomes a gentile believer who outshines the unfaithful kings of Israel. We also see a great foreshadowing of the blessings of baptism in this episode.

Elisha performs a mighty feeding miracle and raises a young boy from the dead! We will see how these two miracles were mighty types of Christ. Not vague prophecies, but miracles that actually happened in the very same communities where Jesus raised a widow's son and fed multitudes.

One could argue that the betrayal of Peter stung the Lord worse than the betrayal of Judas. Watching Jesus be betrayed by His closest friends gives us opportunity to reflect on how we have betrayed Him. Despite His betrayal, Jesus carried His burden faithfully on to the cross.

Could Enoch and Elijah be the two faithful witnesses mentioned in Revelation, who will be sent shortly before the return of Christ? We explore this possibility in our bonus episode!

As Elijah is taken to heaven, Elisha is annointed by God to continue his prophetic work. These prophets were sent as faithful witnesses to unbelieving Isreal. We are encouraged by them when we find ourselves living in evil and wicked times.

Ahab goes into battle with Jehosophat, King of Judah, against his nemesis, the King of Syria. He disguised himself as a random soldier, thinking he could outwit his own demise, which God had prophecied. Instead, he is killed, and God's judgment is executed.

Immediately following the Last Supper, the disciples begin bickering about who's the greatest. Jesus responds by explaining that honor and greatness are found in service. We, who are exalted by His service, will find our own honor in serving others.

Ahab's greatest victory and great folly are on display in this episode. God grants him repeated victory over the much stronger king of Syria. But then his wife orders the execution of the righteous man Naboth, so that Ahab can have his vineyard. God can not tolerate such wickedness forever!