Ancient Words, Modern Message

“If it is to be, it is up to me!”  That maxim has often been heard in humanistic motivational speeches, encouraging the hearers to recognize their self-potential and nearly limitless innate capabilities.   One thing is certain:  When Gideon, Israel’s fifth judge, was commissioned by God to lead his people in battle against overwhelming military strength, he did not chant “If it is to be, it is up...

Most of us know how important it is when a professional athlete is inducted into the hall of fame, whether that be baseball or football.  However, most people don’t realize that there are over one hundred “Hall of Fame” attractions throughout the United States, recognizing exceptional accomplishments in a great variety of fields: lesser known sports, music, entertainment, pop culture.  For example...

In this second episode in the series, “The Best of Times and the Worst of Times,” our study of the Old Testament Book of Judges reminds us that Israel’s fifth “judge” did not start his “career” after being voted “the most likely to succeed.”  In fact, by his own admission, it appeared as if he would only excel in mediocrity and insignificance.   But then, God showed up with an extremely ambitious...

First impressions—We all are concerned about how we make them on others, and we all have formed opinions about others, based on them!   While most of us are familiar with the exploits of some of the outstanding men and women of the Old Testament, in many cases we have to admit that our first impression of them, as they appear in Scripture, may not have been the best.   So it is with Gideon, of who...

Shalom!  I’m Roger Wambold, Director of Hebrew Christian Fellowship. I look forward to each of these “Bagel-side Chats,” normally scheduled to be heard every seventh episode in the “Ancient Words, Modern Message” series of podcasts.  Frankly, I enjoy the informality of the format, and I even allow myself the luxury of considering it a “virtual visit” with each of you who listen in. In this fifteen...

In his 1981 inaugural address, Ronald Reagan famously said, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”  In his inimitable fashion, our 40th president “cut to the chase” and “hit the nail on the head,” recognizing and acknowledging that so long as men with a sinful human nature are elected to office, make laws, and govern nations, the nation...

As the impact of the Great Depression in the fall of 1929 began to reverberate throughout the United States, Jewish composer Milton Ager and Jewish lyricist Jack Yellen released their song, “Happy Days Are Here Again,” at a time when the sufferings of the American people had just begun. Democrat presidential candidate Franklin Delano Roosevelt adopted the song for his 1932 campaign, resulting in h...

Rarely does a day pass in which the state of Israel is not mentioned early on in the news media’s reporting of current events, which is quite remarkable, given the unimpressive land-mass and “junior-size” population of a country the size of the State of New Jersey and home to only ten million people.  And rarely does a day pass without any report, even the regularly understated ones, of an inciden...

In Psalm 32 King David offers a personal testimony—from his own experience—of the sweet  assurance of sins forgiven when he writes: Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.  (Psalm 32:1-2 in the English Standard Version) Though even so great a leader as Israel’s Ki...

While there are those who say that God is finished with His dealings with national Israel, with the Jewish people as a whole—which essentially means that “The Chosen People” have become “The Un-Chosen People—both the Old and New Testament Scriptures indicate a future scenario quite to the contrary. It is certainly true that Jacob’s descendants have rarely walked in obedience and service to God (bu...

There is a “catchy” little gospel song that has been around for a long time, but originated among troubled people in a very difficult time. “Do Lord, O Do Lord, O Do Remember Me” has been sung joyfully, performed, and recorded by many, many people over many, many years, but it was African slaves in the mid-nineteenth century, prior to the War Between the States, who first put those words to music....

Roger Wambold here:  Once again as your host in this series of podcasts, “Ancient Words, Modern Message” I have the privilege of settling in at my desk with a bagel and a beverage for an informal chat about things Jewish. With tongue-in-cheek one Jewish pundit opined that “We Jews have a blessing for everything!” In a similar humorous vein, another Jewish observer theorized that “Since every Jewis...

God’s people throughout history have always used the medium of music to express their praise, worship, and gratitude to God.  And so it was when Israel’s fourth judge, Deborah, the “stout-hearted woman,” reflected on a glorious victory over the Canaanite Confederacy “against all odds” more than three millennia ago, the details of which are recorded in Judges, chapter four.  The next chapter provid...

It is significant that the longest book in the Bible is a songbook, referring, of course, to the book of Psalms in the Old Testament, which is a collection of songs of praise written by various  men (and possibly women) of God to be sung to His glory.  It is also significant that there are so many examples in Scripture of God’s people “breaking into song” in response to demonstrations of God’s gre...

There are those who avoid reading and studying the Old Testament due to the misguided opinion that it is boring and irrelevant. The current episode of “Ancient Words, Modern Message” will certainly demonstrate that such a thought could not be farther from the truth. This portion of the Book of Judges recounts what might well be considered one of the most intriguing and dramatic scenes to be found...

A highly respected Christian leader and Bible teacher famously said, “Just once I’d like to walk into a church and have it smell more like after-shave than perfume!”  His point was that far too often women take the lead when it comes to spiritual matters because the men have shirked their responsibilities. It is this troublesome weakness of male leadership that is very much in evidence in this nex...

The iconic instruction of the classic Hollywood movie director was:  “Lights, camera, action!” In some ways these same instructions could apply to a study of the Old Testament book of Judges. “Lights!”  A careful study of the text shines a light on what took place in Israel over three thousand years ago. “Camera!”  We want to be sure that what we see and learn is something we retain and apply to o...

The plot of Groundhog Day, the 1993 comedy film starring Bill Murray, revolves around a television weather broadcaster who reports from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on February 2, covering the annual appearance of that town’s famous groundhog and its impact upon winter weather patterns.  In a bizarre set of circumstances, he finds that every day is a repeat of the day before it, February 2, “Groundh...

Regular listeners to this podcast know that every seventh episode is different from the other six.  Each of the six includes a Bible study, usually of an Old Testament book.  The seventh is a break in style and content as I, Roger Wambold, Director of Hebrew Christian Fellowship, sit in front of a microphone in my home, with a cup of coffee and ideally a bagel with a “shmear” of Philadelphia cream...

It is painfully obvious in so many ways that there presently is division, polarization, and hostility rampant within the American population to a level not seen for many years.  While such a condition is regularly the subject of commentary in news media, with some even offering ideas and suggestions of a solution, the problem seems to be getting only worse. In the midst of this sad and alarming cl...

At the end of 2025 the population of the world was estimated at 8.3 billion.  With that many human beings inhabiting our planet at one time, it is understandable that many would feel terribly insignificant.  And yet, the Scriptures make it clear that in God’s sight, no one is insignificant.  In fact, the best known verse in the Bible makes this point when it says, “For God so loved the world, that...

“Oh, he’s a ‘Doubting Thomas” or “Don’t be a ‘Doubting Thomas”—We’ve all heard the expression and maybe even used it ourselves. Of the twelve men chosen by Jesus to be with Him and to be sent out by Him, one has seemingly distinguished himself by his negative attitude, not exactly what he might prefer. However, in the description of this REALLY ordinary man, we find a heavy measure of encouragemen...

Nearly everyone has had the experience of meeting someone who appears to be warm, engaging, and deeply interested in others, but later learning that the initial impression was based on a veneer, under which was a very different person, one who is really much more interested in his or her own advancement than in anyone or anything else. Such an experience can lead to a sort of skepticism regarding...

It’s not often in this series of podcasts that the listener will hear the speaker singing a song!  However, this episode begins with that unusual feature as I lead the “Shmooze, News, and Views” group in singing a little “ditty” from years gone by, designed as an aid in remembering the names of the twelve apostles. The first of the six “overlooked Half of the apostles” to be considered is Philip,...

The nineteenth century New England poet Emily Dickinson began her brief poem with this quip: “I’m nobody; who are you?” So many of us can identify with Miss Dickinson’s self-recognition, noting that there are seemingly disadvantages being “a somebody,” of whom there are far fewer than “the nobodies,” though sometimes we might like to try it for ourselves! The Gospels introduce us to twelve men who...