Week 30 – 6/7/26 – The Two Powers in Heaven
This week was our last lesson in the Old Testament. As we transition into the New Testament, we discussed a little known Jewish doctrine, referred to as the two powers in heaven. Based on the scriptures, the Jews realized that Yahweh was both king in heaven, but also appeared in physical form on earth. They were two powers, existing as one. In this lesson, we go through just a few of these passages that led them to this conclusion, and we discuss how this informed their theology, and how it would ultimately lead into the New Testament period. Below is a video that goes deeper into this doctrine. Enjoy.
Week 29 – 5/24/26 – The 2nd Temple Period
The microphone wasn’t working, but the sound comes back around the 2:40 mark. Apologies for the inconvenience.
In this week’s lesson, we discussed the 2nd Temple Period. We don’t often spend a lot of time studying this era, but it’s pivotal in understanding New Testament Judaism. It’s after the exile, and during the 2nd temple period, when much of their theology is more fully developed, and it’s during this time that we see the emergence of things like synagogues, the Sanhedrin, and the different Jewish sects like the Pharisees, Sadducees, etc.
There’s no way we can do this period justice in just one sermon, but this week we did a brief overview and discussed some of the factors involved in their understanding of the coming Messiah. Below are some more resources for helping to understand this period and the worldview that came with it. Enjoy.
Week 28 – 5/17/26 – The Return and Rebuilding
In this week’s lesson, we talked about Cyrus decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple and the city. This is good news for those in exile, but it doesn’t come without problems. There were obstacles along the way, and even though they eventually get the Temple and the walls of the city rebuilt, what we find is that the people’s hearts haven’t changed. They go right back to their old ways. Below are several resources that dive into this period of the Biblical timeline. Enjoy.
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/65
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/67
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/68
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/69
Week 27 – 5/3/26 – Prophets of the Babylonian Exile
This week we discussed the prophets that were active through the Babylonian exile and what their message was. Consistently, it’s a message of judgement for the sins of Judah and Jerusalem, but also hope that there’s still a plan in place. The exile to Babylon will not be the end of them. They will in fact be able to return to Jerusalem, but even beyond that, they start getting more and more prophecies of a coming Messiah. While the exile was a true catastrophe for them, God reiterates that He’s still in control and He’s still working out His plan through history. Below, you’ll find several podcasts that break down each of these prophets and what their message is. Enjoy.
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/56
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/58
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/59
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/60
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/61
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/62
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/64
Just for fun, I thought I’d post one more video. Rachel and I used to love listening to Matisyahu, a reggae/hip-hop artist who was also a Hassidic Jew. His music centered around all things Judaism. Our scripture reading for this morning’s service was Psalm 137, and verses 4 and 5 says, “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!” This is his song, taken from these verses.
Week 26 – 4/26/26 – The Babylonian Exile
In this week’s sermon we discussed the Babylonian Exile and how this was such a turning point in the history of the Jews. While this exile of Judah was for the same reasons as the earlier exile of Israel, idolatry and injustice, the exile itself looks different. While there is hope through it all, and Jeremiah tells the people to build your houses, plant your gardens, and seek the welfare of Babylon, there is also a great deal of confusion, heartache, and despair. When the Temple and the city of Jerusalem are destroyed, it completely upends their worldview, and what will end up coming from it, is a very different sort of Judaism. Below are a few more resources to go along with this week’s topic. Enjoy.
Week 25 – 4/19/26 – The Prophets of the Assyrian Exile
This week, we discussed the prophets associated with the Assyrian exile and what their message was to both Israel and to Judah. Now that Assyria has invaded and conquered the Northern Kingdom, God says he’s going to bring judgment on Assyria. They are going to fall. Even so, the Southern Kingdom isn’t safe, because Babylon is going to fill that power vacuum, and Jerusalem is going to end up going into exile because of them. Below is a short study of four of the prophets associated with this period, Jonah, Nahum, Zephania, and Isaiah. Enjoy.
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/52
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/53
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/54
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/55
Week 24 – 4/12/26 – The Assyrian Exile
In this week’s lesson we discussed the history of the Assyrian Exile. We talked about what happened and how it happened, and Assyria came in, defeated Israel, and almost all of Judah. Through a miracle of God, the city of Jerusalem survived, but it was disaster for the rest of Israel. Ultimately, the northern kingdom is finished, and the 10 tribes are dispersed, assimilated, and because of the Assyrian policies, those tribes heritage is ultimately lost. Below are two resources to help understand who this group of people, the Assyrians, really is, and what happened to them when they tried to take Jerusalem.
Week 23 – 3/22/26 – Pre-Assyrian Exile
In this week’s lesson we discussed life in Israel leading up to the Assyrian Exile. The prophet’s paint a pretty bleak picture of what’s happening in Israel, and yet, despite the warnings, the Israelites didn’t change their ways and ended up in exile because of it. So the question is, why didn’t they heed the warning? Why didn’t they listen to the prophets?
We don’t usually spend a lot of time discussing the prophets, for various reasons. But they have some valuable information for us, even today. Below, you’ll find a YouTube video explaining the prophets during this time, and then podcasts that give insight into the pre-exilic prophets, Amos, Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah. Enjoy.
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/48
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/49
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/50
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/51
Week 22 – 3/15/26 – Idolatry
Throughout the divided kingdom and into the exile, there are two main issues the prophets continue to talk about and accuse the Israelites of: injustice and idolatry. This week, we discuss the issue of idolatry in it’s ancient context, and explore exactly what it was, what they were practicing, and what they believed about the idols they had in their life. In some ways, the ancient practice of idolatry is very different than how we typically think of it and talk about it in churches today. In other ways, it’s very similar. Below are a couple resources which dive into this topic a bit more deeply. Enjoy.
Week 21 – 3/8/26 – The Divided Kingdom
After King Solomon, the kingdom ends up dividing into the 10 northern tribes, Israel, and the 2 southern tribes, Judah. Jeroboam is given the kingdom in the north, but he quickly turns them to idolatry, and this will plague them for the rest of their future. The northern kingdom of Israel lasts approximately 200 years before they’re taking into captivity by Assyria. Judah fares a little better and lasts about 150 years beyond that, but they too fall into idolatry and are taking into Babylonian captivity. In this week’s lesson, we discuss all of that, and the big problems and issues facing God’s people. Below are a few resources that discuss this time period. Enjoy.
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/41
Week 20 – 3/1/26 – King Solomon and the Temple
In this week’s lesson we discuss King Solomon and the Temple. Solomon was known as the wisest king to ever live, he ruled over a time of peace and prosperity in Israel, and life during his reign would have been quite good. However, despite the appearance of such good things happening, the text tells us that bad things are lurking in the shadows. Despite his wisdom, Solomon is not dedicated to God as he should be, and the result is that other gods and idols are allowed in. His kingship sets the stage for disaster that will be coming quickly.
We also discuss the Temple, and how despite the best intentions, this building becomes a problem for Israel. Once the Israelites are divided, and then go into exile, they can no longer worship Yahweh the way they once had. God has always been mobile, going with the Israelites wherever they go. Once a fixed location is built, this presents future Israelites with some serious problems.
https://bibleproject.com/podcasts/what-went-wrong-solomon-mount-zion/
Week 19 – 2/22/26 – King David
After Saul fails as Israel’s king, David is anointed and becomes Israel’s next king. He is known as Israel’s greatest king and a man after God’s own heart. Even so, he has some personal problems and moral failures. In this week’s lesson, we look at some of the imagery used in King David’s stories, and some of the cultural context behind what is going on in David’s life. We discuss how it’s possible to have such moral failures, yet still be considered righteous, blameless, and a man after God’s own heart. Below are a few more resources to dive deeper into the topic. Enjoy.
https://bibleproject.com/podcasts/david-failed-intercessor-mount-zion/
Week 18 – 2/15/26 – The Monarchy Established
In this week’s lesson, we discussed how Israel transitioned from being ruled by Judges to being ruled by kings. The monarchy is established and their first king is Saul. In this lesson, we drew contrasts between Saul and David and pointed out how Saul was the kind of leader the people wanted, whereas David will by the kind of leader God wants. Below are 4 podcasts that dive deeper into this period of Israelite history, and take a closer look at who King Saul is and what he represents. Enjoy.
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/38
https://bibleproject.com/podcasts/saul-anti-anointed/
Week 17 – 1/18/26 – Job
In this week’s lesson, we discuss the book of Job. Job is a fascinating, theologically rich book, but it is often misunderstood. We often look to this book for the answer to the question, “why do bad things happen to good people.” But this book doesn’t actually give us the answer to that question. Rather than giving us an answer TO that question, it gives us wisdom IN THE MIDST OF that question. It’s literary structure points to a simple message: “fear God and shun evil.” Regardless of whether life makes sense or not, our job is to fear God and shun evil, and that is wisdom and understanding. Below are are some resources to go deeper into the book of Job.
Included in this week’s resources is a Q and A I recorded with Ashley. We’ll plan to try and record one of these each month, so if you, or someone you know, has questions about this series, or would like me to go deeper into a particular topic, feel free to let me know, and we’ll try to address it in the next Q and A.
https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/63
Week 16 – 1/11/26 – The Period of the Judges
In this week’s lesson we discuss the period of the Israelites history before they had a king and were ruled by judges. We talked about what the author’s intent is in how he writes this book, and how we often have a view of the Judges that comes from what we learned in Sunday School, and maybe not what the text actually says. Many of these Judges were not godly people, had serious character flaws, and even though God was using them to accomplish His purposes, they didn’t completely understand who God was or what He wanted for His people. The Israelites kept turning to the other nations gods and were influenced by the culture around them.
In the resources below, I’ve posted a short overview of the book of Judges by the Bible Project, and then there are a series of videos in which Disciple Dojo goes through and reads the Baal Cycle, and not only does he explain the story and what these Canaanites believed about Baal, but also how the Bible interacts with, plays off of, and repurposes a good deal of that story. The Israelites were caught up in Baal worship and the Bible tells its readers in many places exactly why that’s wrong. Enjoy.
The Divine Epic: God's story from creation to now. 