The Bible Explained with Jenn Kokal

Church must be different than the world: The importance of not showing partiality among Christians. No Christian is above another, regardless of their social status or wealth. James's example of a wealthy person and a poor person entering a meeting place highlights how we often show favor to the wealthy.  God chooses those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdo...

In the West, we often skip over chapters like this because we don't care about family names or random people, but in Nehemiah's day, family name meant everything: God put it on Nehemiah's heart to gather the nobles and rulers to list the people by genealogy, which is a crucial task for repopulating the city of Jerusalem. Why did God put this on Nehemiah's heart when Ezra already did it? The differ...

This episode delves into James chapter one, focusing on the importance of putting away anger and being swift to hear and slow to speak. The anger of man doesn't produce the righteousness of God. The different types of anger, including the long-lasting, deep-seated kind that can hinder the righteousness of God in our lives. Being doers of the word, not just hearers. A discussion of James's analogy...

In this episode, the Israelites are rapidly rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Sanballot, Tobiah, and Gesham, try to intimidate Nehemiah into stopping the project: They send Nehemiah letters, claiming that he's planning to rebel against the king and become the ruler of Judah. People who are doing good for God usually face opposition and false accusations. Nehemiah's discernment and faith are put t...

It's easy to get caught up in the idea that God is the one tempting us to sin. But that's not the case. In today's episode, we explore the nuances between testing and temptation: The definition of "temptation" and how it is different from testing. A discussion of Eve and Jesus, two people who were tempted. One gave in to temptation, the other resisted.  God gives us a way out of temptation, b...

In this episode, Jenn discusses Nehemiah chapter five, where the Israelites are facing internal problems that hinder the rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall: The mistreatment of the poor by the wealthy and powerful in Jerusalem, who are charging exorbitant interest rates and selling their fellow Jews into bondage. This is a clear violation of the Old Testament laws, which prohibit charging interest t...

In this episode of The Bible Explained, we're starting the Book of James, a letter written by the brother of Jesus. James is known for its practical wisdom and straightforward advice on how to live a life pleasing to God: How to gage if we are mature in our faith.  The dangers of loving money too much. We can ask for wisdom from God, but we must do so with faith and without doubting. The impo...

As the city of Jerusalem begins to rebuild its walls, a surprising obstacle emerges in the form of Sanballot, a governor from a neighboring region, who's determined to sabotage the project. In this episode, we explore the challenges faced by Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem as they work to complete the wall, despite the opposition from their enemies: God's will doesn't always mean things will...

Today's episode features a special bonus episode from "Untangling Prayer with Rachel Wojo" Host Rachel Wojo interviews Kristy Graham host of On the Ground with Samaritan's Purse . Through powerful stories of faith, service, and God’s work around the world, this episode offers a reminder that Scripture is not just something we study—it’s something we live out. Discover how Samarit...

This episode wraps up the Book of Hebrews, a deeply impactful and meaningful conclusion to a series that leaves Faithful Listeners with a lot to think about: The difference between praise and worship, and what it means to offer a sacrifice of praise to God continually. A discussion about obeying church leaders and submitting to them. Why we must learn to differentiate between personal preferences...

Jenn delves into Nehemiah chapter three, exploring the symbolic significance of Jerusalem's gates in the Christian life. There's one gate for every step a Christian takes: The Sheep Gate - Accepting Jesus The Fish Gate - Evangelizing The Old Gate - Having faith in God's Word The Valley Gate - God with us The Dung Gate - Removing sin The Fountain Gate - Being refreshed and cleansed The Water Gate -...

This episode of the Bible Explained Podcast delves into Hebrews 13:7-14, where Jenn emphasizes the importance of scrutinizing leaders and their conduct. The way the American church is set up can promote narcissism, with a single leader at the top, but this is not a scriptural system: The Bible calls for a system of shared leadership with checks and balances to ensure that no one leader goes off th...

Nehemiah has a heart to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem after a long period of exile. But what drove Nehemiah to take on this monumental task, and how did he overcome the obstacles that stood in his way? In this episode, we explore the early days of Nehemiah's journey, from his conversation with King Artaxerxes to his initial inspection of the walls of Jerusalem. We learn about the challenges he fa...

Jenn delves into the importance of brotherly love in the Christian community. This concept is often misunderstood, and many Christians struggle to show love to others, especially when faced with difficult situations or hurtful experiences. There are 8 different ways every Christian should illustrate brotherly love:  Hospitality to Christian strangers Standing for the mistreated Christians Rem...

For the first time ever, Nehemiah appears before the king sad: The checkered history of King Artaxerxes, and why Nehemiah was right to be afraid of him The mysterious queen mentioned - was she Artaxerxes wife, or possibly queen Esther? Artaxerxes allows Nehemiah to leave, and grants him the materials needed in order to build the walls of Jerusalem Two men are very upset when they learn that Nehemi...

In this episode, we dive into the significance of reverence and awe in our relationship with God: The importance of reverence and awe in the face of God's power The significance of the New Covenant, and how it brings us into a personal, intimate relationship with God. The warning: if the Israelites did not escape God's wrath when He spoke to them from earth, how will we escape if we ignore His hea...

The Book of Nehemiah tells the story of the Israelites rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. But before we get to the action, we see Nehemiah's heart and his relationship with God through his prayer. He's a man who knows how to talk to a king, but more importantly, he knows how to talk to God. His prayer is a model for us, showing us how to approach God with reverence, humility, and a deep understand...

Today, we discuss the topic of God's approachability. Christians are called to be peaceful, not argumentative or volatile. The story Esau, who sold his birthright for a bowl of stew, illustrating the dangers of instant gratification. God's people were commanded not to touch the mountain - yet everyone's innate desire is to touch the mountain. God is approachable, but we must approach Him in the ri...

This is the last episode of the Book of Ezra, focusing on the issue of Israelites marrying pagan women. Israel was in direct disobedience to God's command. Pagan wives were leading the Israelites away from Yahweh. A critique of Ezra's "solution" to the problem - divorce and abandonment Jenn argues that the real solution was for men to teach their children about Yahweh and love their wives, as Paul...

This episode of The Bible Explained delves into the often uncomfortable topic of God's discipline, exploring how it's a sign of his love and care for us. God's discipline is not something to be despised, but rather something to be understood and appreciated. God's discipline can be a catalyst for growth and transformation. God's discipline is not meant to be enjoyable in the moment, but it yields...

In the last chapter of Ezra, things escalate quickly: Ezra is encouraged by an Israelite man to force the Israelites to divorce their wives Why descriptions in the Bible are not the same as prescriptions Ezra forces the men to comply or lose everything Why divorce is considered cruelty in the eyes of God Related episodes: Matthew 19:1-12 (From Christ) - What Are The Grounds for Divorce? Deuteronom...

This episode of The Bible Explained delves into the concept of the "cloud of witnesses" in Hebrews 12:1-3.  Who are the cloud of witnesses, and what are they witnessing? Is praying to the saints biblical? Why we look to Jesus as the ultimate example of faith and perseverance The episode also touches on the theme of perseverance, using the example of Jesus' endurance on the cross as a model fo...

Ezra learns of a great sin that the leaders are doing only a few months after he arrives in Israel: The Levites, priests, and elders have intermarried into pagan families Was God against "interracial" marriage? What Deuteronomy 7 tells us about sin 99% of Christians don't view sin strongly enough Ezra's prayer is a powerful expression of his people's guilt and shame. He recognizes that God's grace...

This is the final portion of Hebrews eleven, exploring the faith of several individuals from the Old Testament, including Rahab, Samson, Gideon, and David. These stories serve as a testament to the power of faith in the face of adversity, and the speaker highlights  Faith led to the walls of Jericho tumbling down. Faith led to surviving through fire and escaping death by sword. Faith led to s...

Before Ezra and his companions start on their long journey to Israel, problems already arise that need ironed out: No Levites decided to make the journey, so Ezra needs to find some willing Levites to change their minds Ezra felt ashamed to ask the king for assistance from the Persian army, so he orders a 3-day long fast to ask for protection from God Ezra immediately gives the Priests and Levites...