Bammerhab: Bible Explainer

Didn’t Moses have a calling to save the people of Israel? Then why did he fail so badly the first time around? And what is “your calling” anyway? “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “ This is the way ; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21-NIV) Isaiah 30:21 - כא ואזניך תשמענה דבר מאחריך לאמר זה הדרך לכו בו כי תאמינו וכי תשמאילו A different version of...

Did you know Herod Antipas’s brother was a leader in the early church? Yes, one of the most evil kings in the bible, had a brother who was an elder in one of the most vibrant and influential early churches of Acts. He even helped start out the Apostle Paul, but what might have happened to make him switch allegiances? This episode answers that while defining the name “ Manaen ” (Μαναήν) in Acts 13:...

There’s a reason Jesus needed a rock tomb, freshly cut. Do you know what it is? The greek for tomb means memorial, but memorial of what? This episode defines the word “ Mnemati ” (μνήματι meaning: ‘tomb’) in Luke 23:53. “ Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. ” (Luke 23:53-NIV) Luke 23:53 - καὶ καθελὼν ἐνετύλ...

After the transfiguration, when Jesus came down from the mountain, why was he so angry with his disciples? Why did he call them faithless? There’s a direct paralell between Jesus’ Transfiguration and Moses on Sinai. Can you see it? But why did Jesus’ response to faithlessness differ from Moses’? This episode defines the word “ apistos ” (ἄπιστος meaning: ‘faithless’) in Matthew 17:17. “ And Jesus...

We’re often stuck between two competing narratives. So how do we choose which one to trust? When Jesus’ disciples were in a boat in a fierce storm, they had a command from Jesus to cross the lake. But they also had to cope with a huge storm throwing them around. The storm was more urgent, and seemed more powerful in the moment. So they forgot how immensely powerful Jesus' words actually are… This...

The seven biblical Jewish festivals were always meant to be prophetic. But what do they mean? And why should all Christians everywhere especially celebrate Sukkot? This episode defines “ Hag HaSukkot ” ( חַ֧ג הַסֻּכּ֛וֹת meaning: ‘The Festival of Booths’) in Leviticus 23:33-34. “ The Lord said to Moses,   “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord’s Festival of Tab...

Did King David have a dysfunctional Dad? Was he the prototypical Cinderella? This episode defines the phrase “ Miggeza Yisay ” ( מגזע ישי meaning: ‘The Stump of Jesse’) in Isaiah 11:1. “ A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse ;    from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. ” (Isaiah 11:1-NIV) Isaiah 11:1 - ויצא חטר מגזע ישי ונצר משרשיו יפרה Links: Bammerhab Substack: bammerhab.substack.com SDG...

It is said that Zion, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, is the site where Abraham offered up Isaac. But Abraham gave that site a different name altogether, and perhaps it was a prophetic name. And it is also one of the titles of God - Jehovah Jireh or Yahweh Yireh. This episode digs deeper into the name “ Yahweh Yireh ” ( יְהוָ֣ה יִרְאֶ֑ה meaning: ‘The LORD will provide’) in Genesis 22:14. “So Abraha...

Why does the writer of Hebrews (I believe it’s Paul by the way) commend Abraham so highly for attempting to sacrifice Isaac? I’ve seen a plentitude of confusion about this story, and many odd takes ranging from Abraham’s mental illness to child abuse. But all these opinions are all missing this one key word “wenasubah” which the writer of Hebrews does not miss. Abraham was certain they were both c...

There is something that is often lost when we discuss what Judas did. Yes, betrayal was part of it, but Judas’ main sin wasn’t betrayal. All the disciples left Jesus alone to die. If Jesus didn’t freely forgive betrayal then none of them and none of us would have a chance. Yes, Judas did steal. But Jesus also freely forgave a thief on the cross. In John, Jesus explicitly cites Judas’ sin that need...

What grieves God’s heart? Well, apparently, as you run the numbers, Noah’s ark was built with a lot of extra room. Until the doors closed, anyone and everyone was encouraged to board but ultimately only Noah and his family did. It’s a very interesting idea because 2 Peter 2:5 explicitly calls Noah “a preacher of righteousness” and what’s the point of preaching unless there was extra room on the ar...

Have you ever wondered why Jesus sometimes seemed so miracle shy? I have. But in reading Matthew 11 and 13, Jesus actually answers this question for us, though it is admittedly an indirect answer. He’s actually trying to protect us. Let me explain… This episode digs deeper into “epachynthe” (meaning ‘calloused’) in Matthew 13:15. “For this people’s heart has become calloused ; they hardly hear wit...

Every casual bible reader knows that the Philistines were the archetypal enemies of Israel, but what fewer know is what eventually happened to the Philistines. Well, at the very least I didn’t know until very recently. Let me explain… This episode digs deeper into “wenisar” (meaning ‘But He Who Remains’) in Zechariah 9:7. “I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. I will take away the blood fro...

God is slow. There’s something about slowness that God treasures (and we do not). Let me explain… This episode digs deeper into “peripaton” (meaning ‘walking’) in Mark 6:48. “Jesus saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake.” (NIV) Mark 6:48 – ἔρχεται πρὸς αὐτοὺς περιπατῶν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης Links: SDG Morg...

God wanted to do something, but he had to wake up the spirit of his people first. Just as He did in the very beginning The Spirit did what He always does. He hovered over things, stirring them, waking them up, bringing them to life. This time it was Israel, and this time the Spirit decided to use the voice of Haggai. The people needed to be woken up because they were weary, so weary. Why? Let me e...

When is a name more than a name? Isaiah 7 tells about the time Isaiah took his son to meet the king, but it wasn’t a social call. This wasn’t take your child to work day. His son’s name, Shear Yashub - meaning “A remnant will return”, was already a promise to all of Israel, it was a living letter to continuously remind everyone who spoke it that no matter how evil and faithless Israel would become...

Jesus left his home, and came to tabernacle with us. He left his home so we could have a home in him. But during his ministry he had no home, or as he put it: “the birds have nests and the foxes have dens," but he had no permanent home. However he should have had a home, even then. Why? Let me explain… This episode digs deeper into “kataskenosis” (meaning ‘nests’) in Matthew 8:20: “ And Jesus said...

The two disciples who fled Jerusalem toward Emmaus, were discipled by Jesus himself. These two no doubt healed and cast out demons just like all the other 70 did. They were sufficiently strong in their faith to follow Jesus into the lion’s den, to go into Jerusalem with him. But despite all Jesus’ many warnings, they just weren’t prepared for his death, and it shattered their hope in a way they ha...

Psalm 19 contains echoes of the many nights the shepherd David took a moment of rest from watching the landscape vigilantly for predators, and looked up to study the stars. At first glance, surely the young shepherd only saw the same old stars scrolling slowly past, night after night, year by year. But for God to make a shepherd into a king, one of the lessons He had to impart was to train the boy...

Psalm 31 was likely written as David was on the run for his life, unjustly accused of treason by a jealous King Saul. And as David was hiding in narrow dark caves, in his mind and heart he felt hemmed in and crushed by stress, anger, and fear. But he won’t let that crushing claustrophobia have the last word. He knows God will deliver him into a place of great space. And that phrase, a place of gre...