Bible in a Year (The Story) Podcast
Bible in a Year (The Story) podcast features Professor Rachel Bodell, a marketing storyteller who teaches marketing, innovation, and leadership at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (BIOLA University). She will not only read the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation in one year, but she will share all the resources that have helped her to understand the Bible as one unfolding connected story along the way through short commentaries and reflections from biblical scholars, most of which read original biblical languages like Hebrew and Greek (e.g., Dr. Tim Mackie, N.T. Wright, Dr. Carmen Imes, Dr. Jeannine Hanger, Dr. James Petitfils, Kristi Mclelland, Dr. John Walton, Dr. Michael Heiser, and Dr. Lucy, Peppiatt) By 2024, we hope to additionally offer special episodes from the renowned Bible scholars themselves that will help you understand the context of hard-to-understand stories within the meta-narrative of the Bible. We want to help you not only listen but hear what God is saying through the Bible every year and grow in your understanding, practice, and re-telling of the story to others as you learn more about how all the pieces of the Bible fit together to tell the GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD with a God that is inviting us to participate in the story as it is unfolding today! Each episode is about 15 minutes and includes two to three scripture readings and a short commentary and reflection with suggested biblical scholar sources (e.g. The Bible Project and Premiere Insights) for this is our prayer ”that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God” (Phil 1:9-11). Some passages of the Bible and commentary reflections contain adult themes that may not be suitable for younger children - parental discretion is advised. Podcast music by Stockaudios from Pixabay. Podcast Sound Engineer, Alan Darling. Podcast Artwork, Will Gerard.
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Episodes
Friday Apr 14, 2023
Friday Apr 14, 2023
Today we read Numbers 23, Deuteronomy 24-25, and Psalm 106. This is a story that reminds us that God is sovereign over all, even nefarious oracles such as Balaam. We learn more about God’s character and His desire for how we live as edits are made to economic and social laws.
Resources:
Dr. Mackie, Tim and Collins, Jon (2019) Law Q&R. Podcast. Bible Project. https://bibleproject.com/podcast/law-qr/
Dr. Millar, Gary (2023) A Deuteronomy Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/deuteronomy/
Adrian Reynolds (2023) A Numbers Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/numbers/#section-14
Credits:
Podcast music by Stockaudios from Pixabay. Speaker, Dr. Rachel Bodell. Podcast Sound Engineer, Alan Darling. Podcast Artwork, Will Gerard.
Thursday Apr 13, 2023
Thursday Apr 13, 2023
Today we read Numbers 22, Deuteronomy 23, and Psalm 105. This is a story about those who are forbidden and forgiven, of adversaries and God’s sovereignty, of refuge, prevention, and provision.
Resources:
Dr. Mackie, Tim and Collins, Jon (2019) Law Q&R. Podcast. Bible Project. https://bibleproject.com/podcast/law-qr/
Dr. Millar, Gary (2023) A Deuteronomy Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/deuteronomy/
Adrian Reynolds (2023) A Numbers Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/numbers/#section-14
Credits:
Podcast music by Stockaudios from Pixabay. Speaker, Dr. Rachel Bodell. Podcast Sound Engineer, Alan Darling. Podcast Artwork, Will Gerard.
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Today we read Numbers 21, Deuteronomy 21-22, and Psalm 102. The Bible contains adult themes, particularly in today’s reading. Parental discretion is advised. Today we read about how seizing leads to death and seducing leads to cost and commitment. We read about God editing the laws of Israel related to non-Israelite women captured in war, a husband who dislikes his wife, a promiscuous wife, a man who rapes a woman, and a man who seduces an unmarried woman. Israel is being differentiated from the Babylonian and Assyrian cultural practices around them. We continue to see how God is just and due process is required, moral defection cannot be tolerated, and God is providing safeguards against exploiting the vulnerable, those with less power in a cultural situation.
Resources:
Dr. Richter, Sandra. (2021) Rape in Israel's World and Ours: A Study of Deuteronomy 22:23-29. Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. 64.1: 59–76. https://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PDFs/64/64-1/JETS_64.1_59-76_Richter.pdf
Dr. Richter, Sandra and Dr. Scott Rae (2020). Sexual Violence Against Women and the Old Testament Law. Thinking Biblically Blog and Podcast. Biola University. https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2020/sexual-violence-against-women
Dr. Rabbi David Resnick (2021) The Captive Woman at the Intersection of War and Family Laws. TheTorah.com. https://thetorah.com/article/the-captive-woman-at-the-intersection-of-war-and-family-laws
Credits:
Podcast music by Stockaudios from Pixabay. Speaker, Dr. Rachel Bodell. Podcast Sound Engineer, Alan Darling. Podcast Artwork, Will Gerard.
Tuesday Apr 11, 2023
Tuesday Apr 11, 2023
Today we read Numbers 19-20, Deuteronomy 19-20, and Psalm 101. This is a story where we remember and see a specific application of atonement with sacrificial blood, a waiting period when a person is unclean, which is different from sinfulness, but rather a closeness with death, and the remedy is time and the bathing of water. We read about Miriam and Aaron’s death. We read about Moses and Aaron not having enough trust to honor God’s way in response to providing for the people of Israel. This results in both Moses and Aaron being kept from the promised land. Aaron’s successor is his son Eleazar. We are also reminded in this story of the distinction between war with the evil and dangerous Canaanites and other enemies. Moses tells of God’s kindness in making a way home for the soldiers who have new homes, new crops, a new wife, or are fainthearted and how this prevents a disheartening within the troops. The approach to this type of war is first an offer of peace, if not accepted war, death to the soldiers upon victory, and the integration of everyone and everything else into their own economy upon victory with a note of preservation to the trees. There is a separation of powers happening in this story where power is being decentralized with accountability happening through a process. The chiefs of tribes have elders who are being appointed as judges and there are priests and protestors of the priesthood. There is God who is first and central with specific details being offered on murder with intent vs accidental, the importance of more than one witness, thorough investigation of accusations, and a warning against false witness.
Resources:
Dr. Millar, Gary (2023) A Deuteronomy Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/deuteronomy/
Adrian Reynolds (2023) A Numbers Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/numbers/#section-14
Credits:
Podcast music by Stockaudios from Pixabay. Speaker, Dr. Rachel Bodell. Podcast Sound Engineer, Alan Darling. Podcast Artwork, Will Gerard.
Monday Apr 10, 2023
Monday Apr 10, 2023
Today we read Numbers 18, Deuteronomy 18, and Psalm 100. This story is about Yahweh dividing and clarifying power, provision, and process; clarifying ways to be more just with checks and balances. In this story, we zoom into the Levites with a distinction made between Aaron and his sons and descendants as priests and the other Levites as guardians and protectors of the priesthood and between the priesthood and the people. We read that the Levite's inheritance is not land but God himself. We look to this model as a permanent reminder that the exclusive priesthood is a reminder of our one and only exclusive God. We read that God will directly provide for the Levites by sharing the provisions from the offerings and tithing. We read that Yahweh God is giving the Israelites what they want, for now, He will give a prophet to them and Deuteronomy 18, vs 18 is thought by many to be referring to Jesus as the prophet that will be raised the one that God will give His words to and the one who will tell them of His commands. Deuteronomy 19 talks about the difference between accidental and intentional murder and the subsequent response; it also talks about the need for more than one witness and a process where God himself, the priest, and judges are to take part in determining accusations of guilt. The judges are also to thoroughly investigate and there are serious consequences for false witnesses.
Resources:
Dr. Millar, Gary (2023) A Deuteronomy Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/deuteronomy/
Adrian Reynolds (2023) A Numbers Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/numbers/#section-14
Credits:
Podcast music by Stockaudios from Pixabay. Speaker, Dr. Rachel Bodell. Podcast Sound Engineer, Alan Darling. Podcast Artwork, Will Gerard.
Saturday Apr 08, 2023
Saturday Apr 08, 2023
This is the weekend review and reflection challenge. We'll be back on Monday! If you need to catch up, the weekend gives you the chance to do that. Remember, you can start whenever, pause whenever, but never stop listening (or reading) the Bible!
Reflection challenge question: What is one or two things you learned this week from listening to the Bible that you can put into practice in your life today?
Don’t forget, you can subscribe to our show wherever you are podcasting to get notifications to remind you on Monday that the show has been posted! Subscribing, rating, reviewing and sharing our show also helps to organically grow our channel and make it easier for people to find us! Thanks for listening and we look forward to being back with you next week.
Friday Apr 07, 2023
Friday Apr 07, 2023
Today we read Numbers 17, Deuteronomy 17, and Psalm 99. It starts with a story in Numbers of God showing signs of wonder in response to the jealousy of the tribal chiefs. God makes it clear that Aaron and his sons from the tribe of Levi are the priests. This is not a shared role with other forms of leadership. In Deuteronomy, a politically charged scroll, we read about Yahweh claiming the highest role of leadership, with the law acting as a constitution in the sense that every other leader is accountable to it and Him. Divisions of power and warnings against kings and if kings then God will choose, they will be Israelite, and they must not accumulate wives, horses, or gold and silver, for these will turn the head and steal the heart.
Resources:
Dr. Zehnder, Markus (2019) Violence against the Canaanites in Deuteronomy and Joshua Reconsidered. Biola University Good Book Blog. Retrieved from: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/good-book-blog/2019/violence-against-the-canaanites-in-deuteronomy-and-joshua-reconsidered
Wazana, Nili (2016). The Law of the King (Deuteronomy 17:14–20)in the Light of Empire and Destruction (A Chapter In Another Book)
Dr. Millar, Gary (2023) A Deuteronomy Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/deuteronomy/
Adrian Reynolds (2023) A Numbers Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/numbers/#section-14
Credits:
Podcast music by Stockaudios from Pixabay. Speaker, Dr. Rachel Bodell. Podcast Sound Engineer, Alan Darling. Podcast Artwork, Will Gerard.
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
Today we read Numbers 16, Deuteronomy 16, and Psalm 98. It starts with another story of rebellions followed by intercession and God’s justice and mercy. We are reminded of the strategies to avoid drift and the hardening of our hearts; follow God’s rhythm, remember, keep the story close to your heart and soul, use our strength to practice gratitude for all God has done, is doing, and promises to do, for the blessing and role He has given us, joy brings strength to our hearts and souls, it brings a desire to trust and respond. In Deuteronomy 16:16 we are reminded about the link between grace, strength, joy, and thanksgiving; we are reminded that God wants us to give with a joyful heart. In Deuteronomy 16:17 we are reminded that God have us a portion of authority, power, and blessing and wants us - in proportion to the blessing - to give and be a blessing. In Deuteronomy 16:18, we are reminded that God gave mankind, in this story Moses, the task of establishing judges and executive authority.
Resources:
Voskamp, Ann. (2012). One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right where You are. Thorndike Press
Voskamp, Ann and Theology of Work Interview: https://www.theologyofwork.org/the-high-calling/blog/dont-worry-be-thankful-eucharisteo-ann-voskamp/
Abrams, D. C., Lama, D., Tutu, D. (2016). The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World. United States: Penguin Canada.
Dr. Millar, Gary (2023) A Deuteronomy Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/deuteronomy/
Adrian Reynolds (2023) A Numbers Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/numbers/#section-14
Credits:
Podcast music by Stockaudios from Pixabay. Speaker, Dr. Rachel Bodell. Podcast Sound Engineer, Alan Darling. Podcast Artwork, Will Gerard.
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
Today we read Numbers 15, Deuteronomy 15, and Psalm 97. This is a story of cost and the way God makes to restore and redeem. It is also a story that echoes creation and expands on the commands given in Exodus and Leviticus. Here in this story, we are getting a reminder that to sin will happen at the individual and corporate community level. There is a cost to sin and the only way to atonement is through God’s design. There is also a sin where the heart is hard and there is an adversarial intent, the desire is exile from God, exile leads to death, and God will allow us to pull away into self-exile.
Resources:
Dr. Millar, Gary (2023) A Deuteronomy Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/deuteronomy/
Adrian Reynolds (2023) A Numbers Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/numbers/#section-14
Credits:
Podcast music by Stockaudios from Pixabay. Speaker, Dr. Rachel Bodell. Podcast Sound Engineer, Alan Darling. Podcast Artwork, Will Gerard.
Tuesday Apr 04, 2023
Tuesday Apr 04, 2023
Today we read Numbers 14, Deuteronomy 14, and Psalm 96. Today we read about more rebellion and the importance of remembering to mitigate to protect against a heart dislocation that leads to rebellion and the subsequent cost - alienation. We also read about the importance of distinctiveness in putting God on display in the context of society where other religions and the people that follow them are watching and comparing their ways to Yahweh God and how you or we put Him on display.
Resources:
Dr. Millar, Gary (2023) A Deuteronomy Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/deuteronomy/
Adrian Reynolds (2023) A Numbers Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/numbers/#section-14
Credits:
Podcast music by Stockaudios from Pixabay. Speaker, Dr. Rachel Bodell. Podcast Sound Engineer, Alan Darling. Podcast Artwork, Will Gerard.