Bible Fiber

Deuteronomy 32 breaks in style and format with the rest of the covenant book. The chapter is a seventy-line poem that tradition holds Moses sang to the people on his last day. The song begins as a reminder to the Israelites of this generation to pass their story on to the next generation. They must tell their children and grandchildren about the miracles they witnessed in their deliverance from Egypt and their wanderings in the desert. After Moses recites the song, God instructs him to ...

When you hear a shofar, you are hearing an instrument unlike any other. It is not made of hammered metal, crafted by human hands and refined through metallurgy, like the silver trumpets described in Numbers 10. Instead, the shofar is organic, taken directly from the natural world—almost always from the curved horn of a kosher ram. The shofar is intentionally unadorned. When air is forced through it, it does not produce a conventional melody; it produces an elemental cry. It’s a sound that is ...

This week we are reading a double Torah portion. The reading portions are called Nitzavim and Vayelech, and together they cover Deuteronomy 29:10–31:30. They capture Moses’s final charge to the assembled Israelites as his life nears its end. For the last time as their leader, Moses exhorts them to commit themselves to an enduring covenant with God. Moses transfers leadership to Joshua and arranges for the written law to be preserved alongside the Ark of the Covenant. Although much of God’s co...

This week’s Torah portion covers Deuteronomy 26:1 to 29:8. It takes its name, Ki Tavo, from its opening Hebrew words, which mean “When you come” or “When you enter.” The commandments that follow are for when Israel crosses the Jordan River, takes possession of the land, and settles into its new national life. Before Moses hands the people off to their new leader, Joshua, he reminds them of the laws and teachings they received at Sinai. The new generation did not witness, or was too young to r...

This week’s Torah portion covers Deuteronomy 21:10–25:19. It is named Ki Tetze, which translates to “When you go out.” Of the Torah’s 613 commandments, this portion covers 74 of them. This is more commandments than any other weekly reading. The long list of laws jumps from wartime rules to family inheritance to animal rights to marriage laws. A significant percentage of the laws address the upstart nation’s public health policies, agricultural standards, and financial guidelines. The sh...

This week’s Torah portion covers Deuteronomy 16:18 to 21:9. The portion takes its name from its opening command: “You shall appoint judges (shoftim) and officers within all your gates” (16:18). In this portion of Moses’s final address, he lays out the structural foundations of a just society. As he establishes the leadership framework that will sustain the covenant people over the centuries, the mantra is “Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue” (16:20). The portion outlines the shared a...

Deuteronomy 12 looks to a future day when the Tabernacle no longer needs to be portable. Until now, God has moved his cloud of presence from camp to camp, following the Israelites in their forty-year journey. God promises that they are entering a place of rest from their wanderings and from surrounding enemies. When they are living in relative safety, God desires his presence to also have a place of rest. Deuteronomy 12 looks to a future day when the Tabernacle no longer needs to be portable....

This week’s Torah portion is called Eikev, and it covers Deuteronomy 7:12 to 11:25. The name Eikev translates to “because” or “as a consequence of.” Much of its message is about the cause-and-effect relationship between Israel’s obedience and God’s blessings and her disobedience and God’s curses. The portion starts: “If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your ancestors” (7:12). Moses li...

This week’s Torah portion covers Deuteronomy 3:23–7:11. It is called Va’etchanan, which translates to “I pleaded,” because it begins with Moses pleading with God for permission to cross the Jordan River. This week’s Torah portion also includes the most important proclamation in all of Judaism. As Moses contemplates the preservation of the Israelite faith and how best parents can impress the teachings upon their children, he pronounces: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is...

We have finally made it to the last book of the Torah. Deuteronomy is Moses’s magnum opus, his farewell speeches to the people he has led out of Egypt and into the wilderness. They are finally at the cusp of entering the promised land, and what Moses and everyone with him understand is that he will not be accompanying them for this final portion. While the Israelites camp on the plains of Moab, and prepare to cross the Jordan River, Moses has some parting words for them. He uses his final day...

This week’s Torah portion covers Numbers 30:2–36:13. The double reading portion of Matot-Masei brings the book of Numbers to its end. Positioned on the plains of Moab, the Israelites stand at the threshold of the Promised Land. This final section functions as a bridge between the wandering generation and the conquest generation. Through legal stipulations, historical recitations, and geographical boundaries, the text establishes a framework for an orderly, holy society. Support the show Consi...

This week’s Torah portion covers Numbers 25:10–30:1, and it is titled Pinchas. Phinehas is the name used in English Bibles, so that’s the name I will use in this podcast. Phinehas was a prominent biblical priest whose leadership started in the wilderness wanderings and continued into the early period of the Judges. He was the grandson of Aaron and the eventual High Priest of Israel. Phinehas is most famous for a violent moment of righteous rage. However, the Bible offers a much longer ...

This week we are reading a double Torah portion: Chukat and Balak. It covers Numbers 19:1–25:9. Together, these two portions mark a major turning point in the book of Numbers. The older generation that left Egypt has almost entirely passed away in the wilderness. Now, Israel stands on the edge of the Promised Land, facing two distinct types of challenges. First, they must deal with the internal, spiritual challenge of ritual purity after a season of immense death. Second, they face external p...

Korah is the antihero in this Torah portion, infamous for leading a coup against Moses and Aaron that leaves 15,000 dead. However, every family dispute has two sides to the story, so we should learn more about Korah to fully understand the family dynamics. Korah was a prominent Levite and a close relative of Moses and Aaron. Korah’s father and Moses’s father were brothers, which makes Moses, Aaron, and Korah first cousins. As Korah watched his cousins attain the highest positions of authority...

This week’s reading portion covers Numbers 13:1 to 15:41. It contains one of the more famous stories in the Torah: the episode of the twelve spies. Twelve appointed leaders went to Canaan to scout the land and its inhabitants. Moses gave them very specific instructions. They were to enter the land through the Negev Desert and journey up to the hill country in the north. They were to take note of the fertility of the land, its trees, and its produce. Also, the scouts needed to assess if the pe...

In this week’s Torah portion (Num 8:1–12:16), Moses experiences a profound breakdown when the Israelites demand meat. His reaction is far more severe than it was during previous complaints about food. Before this crisis, he had led the people through repeated breaches of faith without becoming so deeply despairing. This time, however, he cries out to God, declaring that the burden of leadership is too heavy for him to bear alone. He even begs God to kill him rather than force him to continue ...

Numbers 6 introduces the long-enduring institution of the Nazirite and memorializes one of the oldest documented Hebrew prayers. While the Levitical priesthood was strictly a hereditary role, the Nazirite vow offered a democratic, merit-based path. It allowed any individual to dedicate themselves fully to God and consecrate themselves like a priest. This remarkable institution lasted in Israel for 2,000 years. The chapter concludes with one of the most enduring blessings in human history. G...

This week, we begin the book of Numbers, the fourth volume in our weekly Torah readings. Before decamping from Mount Sinai, God commands Moses and Aaron to take a headcount. The specific instructions given to Moses and Aaron focused on identifying and counting those fit for battle. They had to have a record of the number of men “able to go forth to war,” which meant all men over the age of twenty. The Levites were the only tribe not eligible for military service, as they were set apart for wo...

This week’s Torah portion is known as Behar–Bechukotai and covers Leviticus 25:1–27:34. These are the final two Torah portions in the book of Leviticus. In Leviticus 25, the concept of the Jubilee is introduced as the ultimate expression of God’s sovereignty over the land and time. It functions as a “super-Sabbath,” occurring after seven cycles of seven years. Moses instructs the nation to count off seven cycles of sabbatical years—seven years seven times. In the fiftieth year, the people a...

This week’s Torah portion is known as Emor—which means “speak”—and it covers Leviticus 21:1–24:23. The counting of the Omer began on April 2 and will end on May 21. For the Jewish people, the goal of counting the Omer is to become a vessel ready to be filled by God’s holy law. For the Christian, we can also count the Omer as we retrace the life of our messiah Jesus from his death, resurrection, and the outpouring of the Spirit. Right now, at this moment, on Day 29 of the Omer, the disciples w...

These chapters contain some of the most vital commands for the people of Israel. They include the liturgy for the holiest day on the Jewish calendar—Yom Kippur. A unique part of the ceremony involved two goats of similar size and appearance. One goat was for Yahweh, and the other was for Azazel. These animals represented two aspects of atonement. One paid the penalty and was sacrificed in the sanctuary. The other removed the sin from the community and was released into the wilderness. Which g...

This week’s reading is called Tazria and it covers Leviticus 12:1–15:33. This portion is completely occupied by issues of ritual impurity. Last week’s reading, Shemini, was concerned with the structural boundaries between the sacred and the profane, as it pertained to the Tabernacle and priesthood. Tazria–Metzora shifts the lens toward the human body and the private experiences of the laypeople. It deals with the laws of ritual impurity arising from childbirth and every possible skin afflicti...

Until this point, Leviticus emphasizes that all the preparations and sacrifices had been performed just as the Lord commanded. However, the second the priests went off script, acting spontaneously on their own, disaster struck. Aaron’s oldest sons, Nadab and Abihu, “each took his censer, put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and they offered unholy fire before the Lord, such as he had not commanded them” (10:1). Just as fire had previously consumed the sacrifices as a sign of divine favor, ...

This week’s Torah portion covers Leviticus 6:8–8:36. The second reading in Leviticus is titled Tzav, which means “Command!” Like last week, the text dryly expounds on how the priests are to present the sacrifices in the tabernacle. Details include how they are to dispose of the ashes, eat the grain offerings, and maintain the eternal fire. Each type of offering—be it burnt offering, grain offering, sin offering, or peace offering—has a distinct set of rules. What are Jewish people supposed to...

The first reading portion in Leviticus goes from 1:1 to 6:7. If you have read ahead—and I always encourage you to take that approach—we are not blazing through creation and early human history like in Genesis. We aren’t following the earth–shaking signs and wonders of Exodus. We haven’t yet arrived at Numbers, where the chosen people get on the move. Leviticus is the Bible’s pause, and I don’t mean a dramatic pause; it’s more like a prescriptive pause. In a window of about 30 days, God establ...

This week’s Torah portion is Vayakhel-Pekudei, which covers Exodus 35:1–40:38. This is our 22nd Torah portion in the annual reading cycle and our final Exodus study. Before the people gathered to hold a collection of precious materials and commission artisans, Moses reminded them of the commandment to observe a Sabbath rest. Chapter 35 begins: “Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, ‘These are the things the Lord has commanded you to do: For six days, work is to...

This week’s Torah portion is Ki Tissa, which covers Exodus 30:11–34:35. It is also the week Jews in Israel and abroad celebrate Purim. Purim is the joyous Jewish holiday that marks the survival of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire after a plot to annihilate them was thwarted by the bravery of Esther and the steadfastness of Mordecai. This week’s Torah portion presents a narrative pendulum that swings from Israel’s highest high—the giving of the ten commandments—to her lowest low...

This week, we explore the Torah portion called Tetzaveh, which translates to “you command.” This section covers Exodus 27:20-30:10. Much of the reading is about the priesthood, one of the most critical institutions in Israel’s spiritual architecture. Tetzaveh covers the sacred vestments, exactly what the priests were supposed to wear, from their head covering to the hem of their robe. It also addresses the critical components required to keep the Tabernacle functioning, such as lighting the m...

This week we enter the nineteenth weekly Torah portion, Terumah, which in Hebrew means “offering.” At this point in the Exodus story, the Israelites have just witnessed the dramatic crossing of the Red Sea and stood at the base of Mount Sinai to receive the covenant. They have been given the foundational instructions for living as set-apart people. Now, God has a plan for a communal building project. This leads us to wonder: Why did God need the Tabernacle? Why did the creator of the un...

This week’s Torah portion is Mishpatim, Hebrew for “laws.” The portion covers Exodus 21:1 to 24:18. At this point in the Exodus chronology, the Israelites are entering their seventh week of freedom. In the previous portion, Yitro, they heard for the first time the Ten Commandments, the Big Ten. If the Ten Commandments are the constitution of this new nation, Mishpatim is the civil and criminal code. This section provides a detailed look at the full covenant. It takes the moral heights o...

In this episode of Bible Fiber, we explore the Torah portion Yitro (Exodus 18:1–20:23). While most weekly readings have titles that describe actions, this portion is one of only five named after a person: Jethro, the Midianite priest and father-in-law of Moses. We look at how Jethro served as an "executive consultant" to Moses. He identified a major flaw in Moses’ leadership and provided the recipe for its correction. By advising Moses to delegate authority, Jethro helped build the foundatio...

This week’s portion is Beshalach, which translates to “when he sent.” The name comes from the opening verse: “When Pharaoh let the people go...” (13:17). After ten rounds of increasingly destructive plagues, Pharaoh finally agreed to release the Israelites. Exodus 14 first provides a list of place names describing the winding journey of the escape. This was not a direct march from Egypt to Canaan; it was a zigzagging, circuitous route. For modern scholars and archaeologists, this path is almo...

This week’s Torah portion, Bo, covers Exodus 10:1 to 13:16. The narrative intensity hits its peak here. The last three of the ten plagues descend on Egypt: locusts devour the crops, impenetrable darkness shrouds the land, and finally, the firstborns of every Egyptian family are killed during the night. The portion begins with a command from God to Moses: “Go to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his officials, so that I may show these signs of mine among them” (10:1). The...

This week’s Torah portion covers Exodus 6:2-9:35. It is called Va’era, which means “and I appeared,” the first words spoken to Moses in the text. In Va’era, the story of the Exodus begins. Plagues hit the Egyptians in full force. Pharaoh knew the names of many false gods, but the one true God, the God of the Israelites, was a mystery to him. Through a series of pestilence, blood, darkness, death, and disease, Yahweh shows himself greater than any other imaginable power. Exodus is the mo...

Genesis closed with the descendants of Jacob living in the land of Egypt, waiting out the period of famine that had overtaken the region. What started as a temporary move turned into a centuries-long stay. We do not know the exact time interval separating Joseph from Moses. The Bible says a Pharaoh arose who “did not know Joseph” (1:8). The new Pharaoh was not beholden to the Israelites. The history of Joseph’s service was long forgotten, which meant the Israelites lost their protected status...

This week’s Torah portion Vayechi covers Genesis 47:28–50:26. These are the last chapters of Genesis and the final moments of the era of the patriarchs. It is a biblical pivot point. While Genesis covered the personal lives and divine encounters of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Exodus will launch into the national history of the twelve tribes. A Heart Anchored in the Promise After Joseph brought his family to Goshen, Jacob lived there with his extended family for the last seventeen years o...

As we follow the Jewish reading calendar, we arrive at this week’s Torah portion, called Vayigash (Genesis 44:18–47:27) which means “and he drew near.” It is the climax of the Joseph cycle, when he reveals himself to his brothers, who assumed he was long dead. For both Jewish and Christian readers, Vayigash is a revelation of how God guides human history toward redemption. Support the show Consider donating (one-time or recurring) to www.TheJerusalemConnection.us so we can continue to bring v...

The Hebrew title of this week’s Torah portion is Miketz, which translates to “at the end,” and it covers Genesis 41:1 to 44:17. After two years, Joseph’s long season of suffering is almost over. This portion chronicles his meteoric rise from prisoner to the Pharaoh’s chief economic advisor, second in command only to the ruler of Egypt himself. It exposes Joseph as a brilliant leader, but more importantly, it reveals a man of character whose wisdom and humility paved the way for the salvation ...

Joseph’s life story is one of the most masterful literary arcs in the whole of scripture. It goes far beyond just an example of brotherly jealous provoked by parental favoritism. The complex characters are fully developed so that no one is entirely guilty or innocent. The setting changes from pit to palace to prison as the storyline progresses. Although God does not make a dramatic appearance to Joseph, like the burning bush or a wrestling angel, he speaks to him in dreams, both his own and o...

As we follow the weekly Jewish reading calendar, we arrive at this week’s Torah portion, called Vayishlah, which means “and he sent.” The portion covers Genesis 32:4 through 36:43. Jacob was not the same person returning to Canaan as he was when he left twenty years prior. The biblical narrative presents an intentional symmetry to show this transformation, framing his self-induced exile with two distinct nighttime encounters with the Divine. These two events place parentheses around his...

As we follow the weekly Jewish reading calendar, we arrive at this week’s Torah portion, called Toldot, which means “descendants” or “generations,” covering Genesis 25:19–28:9. The reading picks up where the last portion ended: the union of Isaac and Rebekah. After twenty years of childlessness, God blessed the couple with twin boys: Jacob and Esau. However, before we delve into Jacob and Esau’s turbulent rivalry, it is essential to pause and give their father, Isaac, his due attention. Isaac...

This week’s Torah portion is called Chayei Sarah, which means “the life of Sarah.” The title of this portion is ironic because it begins with the death of Sarah, at the ripe age of 127. The passing of Sarah sets the stage for two great movements in Abraham’s later life. First, he purchases a piece of land in the place God promised him and his descendants. Second, he finds a suitable bride for his son, Isaac. Support the show Consider donating (one-time or recurring) to www.TheJerusalemC...

This week’s Torah portion is called Vayera, which means “And he appeared.” It is named for God’s appearance to Abraham and it covers Genesis 18:1–22:24. The narrative opens with the arrival of three visitors at the entrance to Abraham’s tent. The text states, “The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them and bowed do...

This week’s Torah portion is called Lech Lecha, which means “Go forth,” and it centers on God’s call on Abraham’s life. It covers Genesis 12:1–17:27. After the biblical flood and the failed ambition of the Tower of Babel, God changes His strategy for engaging with humanity. Instead of a universal covenant with all of creation, God narrows His focus to one person: a man named Abraham from a land called Ur of the Chaldeans. The opening words of this portion are simple, but they set a new ...

This week’s Torah portion is called Noach and it covers Genesis 6:9–11:32. The flood narrative is more than a story about a punishing rainstorm. From a theological perspective, it’s a de-creation. It’s an undoing of the world back to its primordial state of watery chaos, echoing the formless and empty earth of Genesis 1. God is essentially hitting the reset button on His creation. The waters cover the earth, and all life is swept away, leaving only Noah and his family. The ark becomes a...

For the past four years, we've embarked on a deep, chapter-by-chapter exploration of prophetic texts often overlooked by many readers—from the twelve minor prophets to the reformers Ezra and Nehemiah, and the major prophet Ezekiel. Now, we are embarking on a one-year sprint through the foundational texts of our faith: the first five books of the Bible, the Torah. This series is structured around the Jewish reading cycle. According to Jewish tradition, some 2,500 years ago, Ezra the Scribe est...

Prophets in the Bible who did not write their own books are often referred to as non-writing prophets. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel’s prophecies were compiled into dedicated biblical books. The ministries of non-writing prophets are instead recorded within the historical narratives of other books, like Kings and Chronicles. Their primary role was to deliver God’s message to kings and the people of Israel and Judah. Their ministries were frequently characterized by bold confrontations with id...

The prophet’s final recorded revelation is a divine mandate on how the land of Israel will be divided among the tribes once they are restored to the land. This vision is a pretty granular in all its detail, but it was meant to give hope to a people in despair. The Israelites had lost their land and their temple, and this meticulous oracle of restoration was a promise that God had not abandoned His people or forgotten His covenant promises. Support the show Consider donating (one-time or recur...

In Ezekiel 47, the prophet, along with his angelic guide, witnesses a river of living water flowing from the temple. Sitting on the bank of the river with the angel, Ezekiel observes that the river brings life to everything it touches. In the Gospels, Jesus often referred to himself as living water. This wasn’t just a casual use of a metaphor; it was a deliberate theological statement that connected his ministry to ancient prophetic promises. Support the show Consider donating (one-time or re...

Chapters 45 and 46 of Ezekiel detail the structure of a future Jerusalem, including a holy district with land allotments for priests and Levites, and a separate area for a new leader called "the prince." This prince is an ideal, righteous ruler who oversees the temple and provides sacrifices, contrasting with the corrupt kings of the past. The vision also outlines specific regulations for temple traffic, sacrifices, and festivals, which differ from the traditional Mosaic Law. Although t...

In this episode of Bible Fiber, you'll discover the fascinating story behind the permanently sealed East Gate. We’ll also explore the surprising strictness about who could enter Ezekiel's ideal temple. You'll learn about the unique calling of the Zadokite priests. While Ezekiel's vision is incredibly detailed about the future temple, there's a significant omission – no High Priest. The answer is in the Book of Hebrews. Jesus is our ultimate, eternal High Priest, the one who tore down the vei...

After four years of near weekly episodes, I took the month of June off and went to Israel to participate in an archaeological dig at Shiloh. The excavation has been going on for years under the auspices of the Associates for Biblical Research (ABR) and Dr. Scott Stripling, who directs ABR’s excavations. Things took a crazy turn when Israel attacked Iran. At first we kept digging, until we couldn't anymore... Support the show Consider donating (one-time or recurring) to www.TheJerusalemConnect...

Shavuot is also known as the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Harvest. It is a joyous one-day festival that begins on the sixth day of the third month in the Hebrew calendar, Sivan. This typically falls in late May or early June on the Gregorian calendar. It’s worth noting that Shavuot comes exactly 50 days after the second day of Passover, hence its Greek name, Pentecost, meaning “fiftieth.” This timing links the Exodus from Egypt to the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Support the show Con...

This week we are taking a break from our Ezekiel study because I have a special guest with me, Omri Toppol. I met Omri recently at the National Religious Broadcasters convention. I was super intrigued by a new project that he is starting, and I thought Bible Fiber listeners would be as well. Omri is the CEO of Temple Mount Soil. Yes, you heard that right: Temple Mount Soil. Check out the website: https://www.templemountsoil.com/ If you make a purchase be sure to use the promo code: BIBL...

In Ezekiel 43, we witness a pivotal moment: the powerful return of God's glory to the temple, a stark contrast to its departure described earlier in the book. Join me as we explore the profound significance of this event, examining the conditions for God's enduring presence and the intriguing question of why the detailed temple vision wasn't immediately reconstructed. We'll also delve into how the imagery of Ezekiel's vision finds resonance and transformation in the book of Revelation. This e...

This week, we will delve into Ezekiel chapters 40 to 42, which present Ezekiel’s visionary depiction of a future temple complex. While our usual format for Bible Fiber is to explore one chapter each week, I have decided to dedicate this episode to an in-depth discussion of all three chapters together. As a priest, Ezekiel was likely enthralled by the measurements and architectural details of his temple vision. However, for many listeners, his verbal descriptions might be challenging to visual...

This week, we are studying Ezekiel 39, the second half of his famous oracle against the mysterious Gog from the land of Magog. Israel’s only job Throughout most of the Gog oracle, the emphasis has been on God’s direct intervention in defeating the invading armies. Whether it was God knocking the bow and arrows from the archers’ hands (39:3) or setting fire to Magog and the coastlands (39:6), the responsibility fell entirely on God to obliterate the hordes. In the prophecy, the Israelite...

This week, we are studying Ezekiel 38, where the prophet presents his famous oracle against Gog from the land of Magog. This quasi-apocalyptic vision has captivated and perplexed scholars, theologians, and lay readers for centuries. Its cryptic nature, rich symbolism, and futuristic implications have led to many, often conflicting, interpretations. The shadowy figure of Gog, the vivid portrayal of a great battle, and the promise of divine intervention have made these chapters a focal point fo...

This week, we are studying Ezekiel 37, which contains one of the most iconic prophetic visions in the entire Bible: The Valley of Dry Bones. Apart from God’s winged throne chariot in Chapter 1, this is the most memorable symbol in Ezekiel. The vision’s enduring popularity stems from its vivid imagery and potent message of hope. As an apocalyptic vision, it easily lends itself to endless interpretation. Support the show Consider donating (one-time or recurring) to www.TheJerusalemConnection.us...

Welcome to Bible Fiber, where are we encountering the textures and shades of the biblical tapestry. I am Shelley Neese, president of The Jerusalem Connection, a Christian organization devoted to sharing the story of the people of Israel, both ancient and modern. This week we are studying Ezekiel 35 and 36. In the previous chapter, Yahweh restated his loyalty to the covenant people as a nation. In Chapters 35 and 36, he reasserts his commitment to the land of Israel. Mount Seir&nbs...

In Chapter 34, Ezekiel’s prophetic tone changes. Previously mute and limited to delivering messages of judgment, Ezekiel now offers words of comfort and hope to his fellow exiles. This change marks a turning point in the book of Ezekiel and in the prophet’s ministry. By this time, the number of Jewish exiles in Babylon had grown considerably. Ezekiel could have dwelled on the past, reminding his traumatized audience of the reasons for their punishment. Instead, he chooses a more compassionate...

Bible Fiber delves into Chapter 33, a pivotal point in the book of Ezekiel that marks a transition from judgment to hope. Ezekiel is recommissioned as a watchman over Jerusalem. The chapter addresses themes of personal responsibility, repentance, and God's desire for the wicked to turn from their ways and live. It contrasts the attitudes of the exiles in Babylon with those remaining in Jerusalem, highlighting misconceptions about divine favor and covenant responsibilities. The arrival of a fu...

This week, we’re examining Ezekiel 32, the final chapter of eight in his Oracles Against the Nations. This chapter also concludes the series of seven oracles against Egypt. It consists of lamentations for Pharaoh and the Egyptian forces, symbolically depicting their defeat and descent into Sheol. The sixth oracle against Egypt came to Ezekiel on March 3, 585 BCE, two years after the previous oracle and two months after news of Jerusalem’s fall reached the exiles (33:21). By this time, new ref...

This week we are reading Ezekiel 31, the fifth oracle against Egypt, in a series of seven. Ezekiel, the master of word pictures, has already depicted the pharaoh as a crocodile left to die in the desert and a disabled soldier powerless to grasp a sword. In this chapter, Ezekiel likens the Egyptian empire to a fallen cedar tree. The chapter can be divided into two parts. The first part presents the tree’s beauty, height and shade (31:1-9). The second part describes the tree’s demise (31:10-18)...

This week we are studying Ezekiel 30, which contains Ezekiel’s third and fourth oracles against Egypt. There are seven in total. In the third oracle, God commanded Ezekiel to wail over Egypt. He said, “The Day of the Lord is near; it will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations” (30:1). Ezekiel proclaimed that the “Day of the Lord” would bring devastation to Egypt and its neighboring nations (30:1-19). The oracle painted a grim picture of Egypt’s downfall, describing the des...

We are still in the OAN, the long suspense-building pause between Ezekiel’s announcement of Jerusalem’s fall in Chapter 24 and confirmation of Jerusalem’s fall in Chapter 33. Ezekiel arranged the seven oracles in a geographical sequence around Israel. He started with Ammon to the east. Next, he addressed Moab and Edom, further southeast. The focus then shifted westward to Philistia, followed by Tyre and Sidon to the northwest. In the last pronouncement, Ezekiel turned his reproach to Egypt in...

This week I am interviewing a special guest, Yair Levi. Yair is a Jewish Israeli singer, songwriter, and musical producer based in Tel Aviv, Israel. Yair is incredibly popular among Christians who love Israel which is one of the things we will talk about. Yair has become a global phenomenon, widely recognized for his powerful songs such as Refa Na and Blessed, which resonate deeply with audiences around the world. As a Jewish Levite and former Captain in the Israeli Navy Seals, w...

This week we are studying Ezekiel 28. In Ezekiel’s first two prophecies against Tyre, he condemned Tyrian civilization. In this chapter, God tells Ezekiel to address only the king of Tyre. The first ten verses deliver a warning and a condemnation. Ezekiel avoided naming the king, but historians identify him as King Ethbaal II (585-573 BCE). In biblical stories and prophecies, foreign leaders often go unnamed. That way the text can focus on the characteristics of the leader and emphasize the u...

Welcome to Bible Fiber, where are we encountering the textures and shades of the biblical tapestry. I am Shelley Neese, president of The Jerusalem Connection, a Christian organization devoted to sharing the story of the people of Israel, both ancient and modern. This week we have a special guest from Israel, Gidon Ariel. Gidon is the founder and CEO of Root Source, an organization dedicated to promoting respectful relationships between pro-Israel Christians and Jews. Root Source's flagship pr...

This week we are studying Ezekiel 27, a continuation of the Oracles Against the Nations. Even if you’re a lifelong churchgoer, chances are you’ve never heard a sermon on Ezekiel’s Oracles Against the Nations. Ezekiel’s OAN is in competition with the genealogies in Chronicles or the purity regulations in Leviticus for the least-read scriptures. Skipping the difficult parts is not the goal of Bible Fiber. I also do not manipulate the text for application lessons to our modern...

In Chapter 26, Ezekiel’s Oracles Against the Nations moves onto the city of Tyre, and the prophet stays fixated on Tyre for three chapters. It is surprising that Ezekiel only glances at the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and Philistines while he gives Tyre a jaundiced stare-down. Israel had long-running enmities with the first named people groups. Tyre was little more to Israel than an enviable trade rival. The Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and Philistines were Jerusalem’s closest neighbors....

Ezekiel 25 delivers four mini-oracles targeting Judah’s closest neighbors, which are also her longest standing enemies: Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia. Israel had been at odds with these four nations for most of its existence. Scholars generally date these oracles to shortly after the Babylonian attack in 586 BCE, given that Jerusalem's suffering serves as the backdrop for each prophecy. Support the show Consider donating (one-time or recurring) to www.TheJerusalemConnection.us so we can co...

This week on Bible Fiber we have a special guest, Tim Mahoney. So we are taking a little break from our Ezekiel study. Tim is a Christian filmmaker and a documentarian. I first learned of his work because two of my professors at The Bible Seminar have participated in his films. I also had the chance to see his film called The Moses Controversy a few years ago when it first came out. Tim now has a new film as part of his Patterns of Evidence series. It is called The Israel ...

This is our last episode in the miniseries on The High Holidays for the Goyim. On October 24 and 25th, Jews will mark Simchat Torah and Shemini Atzeret. Simchat Torah is a celebration for the finish of an entire year of Torah study. While Simchat Torah is not technically part of Sukkot, it comes immediately after Sukkot as part of the fall holiday season. In Israel, Simchat Torah is observed on the same day as Shemini Atzeret, while in the diaspora, it is celebrated on the following day. Shem...

When is Sukkot? Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths, is a joyous seven-day festival that begins on the 15th day of the seventh month in the Hebrew calendar, Tishrei. This typically falls in September or October on the Gregorian calendar. In 2024, Sukkot will be celebrated from October 16th to October 23rd. It’s worth noting that Sukkot comes just five days after Yom Kippur, marking a dramatic shift from solemnity to celebration. Where is Sukkot Mentioned in t...

On October 1st, the first Bible Fiber book launched! It is a 52-week study of the Twelve Minor Prophets, going through each book. This comprehensive companion provides thoughtful commentary for every chapter, making these ancient texts accessible to all readers. Grab your copy of Bible Fiber today! It is available on Amazon as a Paperback and on Kindle! Second, we are pressing pause on the Ezekiel study during the Jewish High Holidays for a miniseries we are calling “High Holidays for t...

Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset on October 2nd and concludes at sundown on October 4th. Tonight, Jewish families around the world will gather for the start of their High Holiday season. Now that we live in Miami, this is the first time my kids have been in a public school that has off for Rosh Hashanah. I hope Christians will open your hearts about how we can incorporate the themes of each holiday into our own month. And also, how we can love and serve our hurting Jewish neighbors a year...

Because my mind always holds thoughts of biblical Israel together with concerns over modern Israel, I am struck by the relevance of Ezekiel’s Oracles Against the Nations. The prophet’s words to the exilic community of 587 BCE still resonate with those in Israel today. When I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. They wi...

Our focus this week is on Ezekiel 24, the dramatic climax of the book. Until now, Ezekiel’s message has served as an ongoing alarm for Jerusalem’s impending punishment. For five years, Ezekiel used every strategy in his prophetic playbook to communicate his message: oracles, visions, sign-acts, riddles, parables, songs, rhetorical questions, history lessons, and laments. By cataloguing Jerusalem’s sins, he established the city’s guilt and validated the need for divine intervention. Yahweh’s p...

Chapter 23 continues the lewd allegory that began in Chapter 16. Both feature the covenant people’s unfaithfulness through graphic marriage metaphors. Chapter 23 rivals Chapter 16 in its pornographic imagery and R-rated content. Guaranteed, neither chapter makes it into many sermons or Bible studies. Chapter 23 continues the lewd allegory that began in Chapter 16. Both feature the covenant people’s unfaithfulness through graphic marriage metaphors. Chapter 23 rivals Chapter 16 in its pornogra...

This week I am interviewing Ted Wright! Ted Wright is the founder and Executive Director of EpicArchaeology.org. He has a B.A. in Anthropology & Archaeology from the Cobb Institute of Archaeology at Mississippi State University, and a M.A. degree in Christian apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary. For over a decade, Ted has been a speaker on Christian apologetics as well as Biblical Archaeology across North America & internationally. One of the super cool things he is d...

In this episode, we explore Ezekiel 22, offering unique insights into the religious life of Judeans during the Babylonian exile. Key points to look forward to: • Gain an insider's view of the exiled community's spiritual atmosphere • Discover Ezekiel's harsh critique of Jerusalem's sins and their consequences • Explore powerful metaphors of metallurgy used to describe God's judgment • Understand the prophet's role in reframing the mindset of the exiles • Learn how this chapter helps e...

In our study of Ezekiel 21, I go over the complex tapestry of Ezekiel's fire and sword oracles. The prophet uses vivid imagery as he foretells Jerusalem's impending doom and God's judgment on surrounding nations. Ezekiel is a big believer in bringing his message to life! From cryptic allegories to stark warnings, this episode explores: -The connection between divine fire and sword prophecies - Ezekiel's struggle with his audience's skepticism - The fate of the righteous and wicked in times of...

This week we are studying Ezekiel 20. Through parables, fables, laments, allegories, and riddles, the prophet spent the previous five chapters undermining the exiles’ ingratitude and blame shifting. However, Ezekiel must have grown tired of delivering opaque messages (20:49). In Chapter 20, Ezekiel broke from a long streak of metaphorical language and finally delivered a straightforward history lesson. By recasting their history from God’s viewpoint, Ezekiel’s overview contrasts Israel’s chro...

This week we are reading Ezekiel 19. God instructs the prophet to “raise up a lamentation for the princes of Israel” (19:1). Hebrew lamentations, or funerary songs, are a common style in the Old Testament. Often sung at gravesides, traditional laments praised the admirable qualities of the departed and mourned their loss. When King David heard of Jonathan’s death on the battlefield, he composed a sorrowful lament acknowledging their strong bond (2 Sam. 1:25-27). Lamentations is an entire book...

This week we are parsing Ezekiel 18, the prophet’s extended theological sermon on individual responsibility and divine justice. We can divide Ezekiel’s message into two themes. First, individuals will not face judgment for the sins committed by their ancestors, nor will God credit them for the righteousness of their ancestors (18:1-20). Second, God judges everyone based on their current faith and obedience status, not the sins of their past (18:21-32). He is willing and ready to forgive those...

This week we are pausing our study of Ezekiel to talk to my friend Derek Gilbert who was recently on a solidarity mission to Israel. Derek has been in the world of broadcasting for decades. He is producer and host of the web radio programs A View from the Bunker and P.I.D. Radio. He also co-hosts Unraveling Revelation with his wife Sharon Gilbert. They are both part of the SkyWatchTV team. We met back in 2019 when I had the chance to visit their studios in Missouri and another time at o...

As an innovative prophet, Ezekiel never ran out of teaching methods, whether it was a mime, public shaving, small scale enactment of a siege, judgement speech, or a twisted fairytale. In Chapter 17, God commanded Ezekiel to compose a riddle (17:1). The riddle was supposed to expose the treachery of King Zedekiah, a favorite subject of his condemnations. He had already performed an elaborate charade portraying King Zedekiah’s botched escape from Jerusalem (12:7-14). His ever-changing communica...

Welcome to Bible Fiber and thank you to Dan and Charlene Selvage for sponsoring this special episode! We are taking a break today from our Ezekiel deep dive to catch up with my friend Brian Sanders who returned from Israel two weeks ago. Brian is the president and CEO of All for Zion ministry based in Dallas, TX. He is also the director and producer of a film series called Why Stand With Israel. He recently released the first film in the series at a world premiere in Jerusalem. This has...

This week we are studying Ezekiel 16:44-63, the last third of the longest oracle in the book. Ezekiel replaced the story of the generous king and his adulterous queen with new characters and a different plotline. In the marriage metaphor, Yahweh adopted Jerusalem as an infant and betrothed her when she matured. Ezekiel’s follow-on allegory inspected other branches of Jerusalem’s family tree. Ezekiel conducted his own version of a sibling study: three sisters separated at birth all make the sa...

This week we are studying Ezekiel 16, the longest chapter in the book by far. Ezekiel’s extended allegory is 63 verses, which makes this one chapter longer than the books of Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Malachi, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and Haggai. Because of this, we will divide Ezekiel 16 into two parts. This week, we focus on the initial 43 verses, which are reflective. In the next episode, we will study the last 20 verses which look to Israel’s future. Hosea Ezekiel 16 presents a parable usin...

This week we are studying Ezekiel 15. For the first fourteen chapters, Ezekiel’s divine dispatches included overpowering visions and bizarre sign-acts. In Chapter 15, he switched his method of communicating, choosing instead to reinforce the message through a series of six parables and metaphors (Ezek. 15-19). The other worldly theme of a throne chariot motored by winged and wheeled composite creatures faded out. In its place, Ezekiel relied on realistic scenes from nature and homelife ...

Welcome to Bible Fiber! We are taking a break today from our Ezekiel deep dive to catch another archaeologist before he sets off for a summer expedition in Israel. Today’s guest is Chris McKinny. Chris has his PhD from Bar Ilan University in Israel. His dissertation focused on the historical geography and archaeology of the town lists of Judah and Benjamin in the book of Joshua. If you have never met a biblical geography junkie, you are in luck because you are going to today. Chris currently ...

Hello Bible Fiber listeners. Today we are doing something new that will become a monthly feature. Bible Fiber is starting up interviews with Bible scholars, archaeologists, and historians as part of a series we are calling Bible Fiber BFFs. Our first guest is someone who I have pretty regular interaction with as he is the provost of the seminary I attend, The Bible Seminar in Katy, Texas. Dr. Stripling is also the Director of Excavations for the Associates for Biblical Research at Khirbet el-...

Our sponsor of today’s episode is Jim Werner who has kindly dedicated his sponsorship to my family. As many of you know we are a military family and like lots of other military families this month, we found out we have orders to move again which means there has been some tears mixed with silver linings. So thank you Jim! You probably did not even know how timely your dedicated sponsorship message really was! This week we are studying Ezekiel 14. The chapter begins by introducing Ezekiel...

This week we are studying Ezekiel 13. At the end of Chapter 12, last week, we discovered Ezekiel had resisters among his peers in Tel Abib. They rejected him as a doomsayer and doubted if his prophecies would materialize (12:28). In the next two chapters, we discover Ezekiel was not only up against cynics dismissive of his prophecies. He also faced counterfeit prophets who actively contradicted him with oracles of their own (12:11-14:11). While Ezekiel pronounced the coming judgment, they spo...

In last week’s episode, Ezekiel offered encouragement and comfort to the exiles, who worried that they were excluded from God’s plans for the nation of Israel. Surprisingly, Ezekiel identified them as the prophesied remnant. To help them chart a fresh course, God promised to gift them a new heart made of flesh (11:19). Instead of rejoicing over the good news, Chapter 12 reveals that a contingent of exiles rejected Ezekiel as a divine messenger. His oracles and sign-acts, no matter how forcefu...

This week we are studying Ezekiel 11, the concluding sequence in Ezekiel’s multi-part vision, and his last message before the glory of the Lord departed Jerusalem. So far, the prophet has taken a tour of the temple’s abominations, observed a squad of executioners on a killing spree, and watched the man in linen drop fiery coals on Jerusalem. The last episode ended with the Lord mounting his throne chariot to depart the temple complex, but his glory paused over the east gate. Chapter 11 opens ...

In Ezekiel’s vision of the departing presence, the glory of the Lord was represented by a cloud. God’s glory coming in the form of a cloud would have been familiar to Ezekiel and his audience. In the early days of Israel’s wilderness wandering, the Israelites were comforted by the divine cloud as it settled atop the tabernacle and filled the tent with the divine glory (Ex. 40:34). Throughout those forty years, the cloud was a constant reassurance that Yahweh abided in their midst. When the cl...