Biblical Literacy Podcast

Mark continued with Lesson 15 in A Study of Revelation. This week’s focus was on the dragon, the beast, and other things. The persecuting dragon in Revelation 12-14 shows a spiritual war. This occurs during the age of the church through the second coming. The dragon: Satan, the deceiver, accuser, devil. Two different beasts are sent to plague the world: sea and land. The beast from the sea represe...

05/26/2024 Biblical-literacy The lesion begins with Mark talking about where we are so far in the book of Revelations and then talks about the persecuting Dragon, which starts in Revelations Chapter 12. Where are we so far in Revelations? Revelations was the type of writing that was common 2000 to 2500 years ago that Scholars today call apocalyptic. The writing was rich in: Symbolism An age to com...

5-19-24 Biblical-Literacy Mark continued in The Study of Revelation with the 7 visions that happen in parallel construction. The focus of today’s lesson is the interlude period: the sixth seal and the sixth trumpet prior to the second coming. This age of the church period is a call and a warning for people to repent before it's too late. Mark also taught about the “little" scroll that the angel of...

5-12-24 Biblical-Literacy Brent Johnson taught today’s lesson on the topic of what we should do while waiting on the 2nd Coming of the Lord. Brent’s primary passage was from 2 Peter 3:11-18. Peter wrote the letter around 64-67 AD. Brent opens by explaining the letter’s purpose: to remember truth, faith supplements, and be aware of false teachings because time is running out for the Lord’s return....

5/5/24 Biblical-Literacy Mark continued in The Study of Revelation with a comparison of chapters 4:7 and 8:11 The lesson showed how John’s two visions compare and relate to the people at the time of writing and those living in the age of the church. Revelation 4-7: The 7 seals,what each signify and there effect on believers and unbelievers concluding with Jesus’s second coming. Revelation 8-11: Th...

4-28-24 Biblical-Literacy Dr. David Capes taught a class in the Study of Revelation with a focus on the apocalyptic themes noted by the Apostle Paul. Dr. Capes reviewed more traits of apocalyptic themes including analysis of the academic definition, literature of the time, and how it encouraged faithfulness for the persecuted believers.  In addition, Dr. Capes shared about Paul’s mindset and apoca...

4-21-24 Biblical Literacy Mark continued in A Study in Revelation expanding the theme of visions. Revelation replicates the same visions in different ways. Today’s agenda focused on Revelation 8-11: the 7 angels and 7 trumpets, similar to the 7 seals in Revelation 4-7. We learn that: 1.The visions are happening at the same time. 2.Bible trumpets are the sound of the warning of God’s judgment. God...

Biblical Literacy 4/14/24 Pastor Jarrett Stephens taught the Biblical Literacy class lesson with a focus on “Remember" that God offers the believer hope. He asked us to focus on these times: 1. Remember your salvation 2. Remember your calling 3. Remember when the Lord first used you 4. Remember when you met your spouse and/or had your first child 5. Remember your toughest trial Rewards of remember...

4-7-24 Biblical-Literacy Mark continued in our class study of Revelation with a reminder that what God says is reality. Mark's lesson had three areas of focus: 1. Reading Revelation in time: The reader is encouraged to understand literature during the time of writing Revelation. 2. Deeper study of Revelation 4-7 and the seven seals: We see heaven's perspective of earth. We must remember that God i...

Mark continued the Study of Revelation, Part 10, with a focus of Revelation in Context. Mark begins with an overview of Apocalyptic literature and continues with three points. 1.Revelation in context: type of literature, time of literature, and intense persecution of Christians. Two themes in Revelation: comfort the church in its struggle of evil, and Christ wins over the dragon or satan. 2.Readin...

March 17, 2024 Pastor Dr. David Fleming Revelations Pastor Fleming opens the class by explaining the effect of how we approach the study of Revelations. Approaches to the study of Revelations include Views, Genres and Interpretation. He goes into detail on how we approach the text of Revelations can determine what we see when we get there. For example, we tend to see what we want to see in the scr...

Mark continued teaching in the series on Revelation in three sections: 1. Two remaining letters to the churches - Philadelphia & Laodicea. The church of Philadelphia receives commendation. The church of Laodicea is warned about its lukewarm status. 2. Two different ways to read Revelation: Timeline reading: Chronological Vignette reading: Vision, story, ending, and repeat 3. Revelation worship sce...

Mark interviewed Dr. Alister McGrath from Oxford University in England. Dr. McGrath was born in Ireland. He became an atheist and Marxist as a way to deal with the struggle between Catholics and Protestants during the 60s in Belfast known as The Troubles. He became a Christian soon after starting his studies at Oxford. Dr. McGrath spoke about the power of story to connect the big picture of life w...

Mark continued in the Study of Revelation with Chapters 2 through 3:4. Today continued with the study of the letters to the 7 churches. Each church had specific instructions to strengthen them for their mission. 1. Letters: The letters are written to the 7 churches structured in 7 parts but for all churches for all time. 2. Examine the letters to: Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis. 3. Point for home: Wak...

2-18-24 -Biblical-Literacy Mark continued in the series A Study of Revelation which was a comfort to the church in its struggle against the forces of evil. Christ wins over Satan. 1. Symbolism -a quality or an idea that showed the church how God desires a complete relationship with them. Not all images are symbols. Never lose focus of the message. 2. The Letters -content structured in similar way...

2/11/24. Biblical - Literacy Mark continued in The Study of Revelation series with a study of the first chapter in Revelation. His lesson had three areas of focus: 1.The Exalted Christ is depicted as the Alpha and the Omega. We find that He is referenced throughout the Old and New Testaments. 2. The Setting of the Book of Revelation is more than a book John wrote on the island of Patmos, but it’s...

02/4/24 Mark continues the study of Revelations by going into detail about how decisions were made about which scrolls and writings were to be put into the Bible Library as we know it. Mark discussed the meaning of Canon and Canonization of the bible. Was Canon to Jesus and the Apostles? Mathew 15:3 Was Canon to the Church? Mathew 15:6 The Church’s recognition of the Canon. Acts 15 Mark then discu...

1/28/24 Biblical Literacy Mark continued with Lesson 3 in the Study in Revelation series setting the stage to dig deeper in study. He divided the lesson into three sections then share some Points for home: 1. Review of past two lessons: the Bible as a library, the apocalyptic genre, and apocalyptic traits. 2. Approach to studying Revelation: how to understand symbols and how the book flows. 3. Stu...

Listen to Mark explore the Old Testament and other writings that show the ancient peoples' understanding of apocalyptic writing. Mark continued with a Study in Revelation sharing a brief review of the foundation class from two weeks ago. He encouraged the class to not be afraid of Revelation; we have this. The book of Revelation is apocalyptic, which means it uses dreams, visions, and symbols. Mar...

1-14-24 Biblical-Literacy In today’s class, Mark had Pastor Jarrett Stephens interviewed the highly respected Fred Gray, the civil rights attorney who represented Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. and is a young ninety-three years old. Mark began the interview with a statement about MLK weekend and the reconciliation of races noting: Regardless of the color of skin, all humans are created in t...

Mark began the New Year with a new series on The Study of Revelation, a focused study. The book has varying points of view, but Mark will teach from his perspective after life long study. Revelation is a part of the apocalyptic genre, a type of writing, that involves discerning divine secrets by dreams, visions, and/or angelic explanation. Mark had three points in today’s lesson. 1. Apocalyptic ov...

Dr David Capes 12/17/2023 Dr. Capes wraps up the study on Genesis by taking us to Matthew 1:1, the Book that that takes us back to the genealogy of Jesus Christ DR Capes reviewed, in detail, how various versions of the Bible address the genealogy of Christ identified in Genesis, for example, KJV: The Book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham NLT: This is the reco...

Mark shared nuggets from each of his published daily devotional books including a preview of one that will be published in 2024. His newest devotional, Minor Prophets for Living, is number four in a series of five daily devotional books published in partnership with 1845 Books, an imprint from Baylor University Press. Mark read excerpts from each book with Scripture, content, and prayer. Psalms fo...

Mark continued his teachings in the Genesis series sharing the highs and lows after the flood. We learn: 1. Blessings: Noah and his sons were blessed 2. A sad and disturbing story:  Sin resulted in Canaan’s curse. 3. The Tower of Babel: man attempted to build a tower for God to visit, and God chose instead to confuse their language and divide the people. Points for home: 1. Honor your father and y...

11-26-23 Biblical-Literacy Mark continued with the study of Genesis-The Prequel. This week focused on Noah Part 2 and was divided into 3 Sections: 1. Background stories to the Flood. Other ancient stories that contrast and provide information. 2. The flood storyline. Noah walked with God. Do we walk with God or hide from Him? 3. Lessons and implications. Points for home: Adam hid from God; Noah wa...