The Context and Color of the Bible

Send us Fan Mail If Judges 1 tells you the what, Judges 2 tells you the why. Once again, we start the story over with Joshua is dead.  This time we look at why things didn't go as well for the people.  Erika gives us two lessons we can learn from this chapter and how God writes a story with lessons that transcend time and space. Our website - www.thecontextandcolorofthebible.com We are on Fac...

Send us Fan Mail The book of Joshua is about great victories in battle, but Judges doesn't have the same tone.  Instead, in this book we will read about Israel's failure to claim the land and how that disobedience affects the people for 200ish years.  This first chapter is all about conquering (or not conquering) the land of Promise. As Erika walks us through this first chapter, she lays...

Send us Fan Mail Before we jump into the book, Erika sets the stage.  That means we look back to Joshua to see what he told the people before he died.    Because this is more than a story with a lesson, we can't just read it and look for plot, conflict, climax, and resolution.  Erika provides the structure to the book, so we know what to look for as we read.  You need to finish the book with...

Send us Fan Mail Erika finishes up Mary and Joseph's story as well as Herod's. Her final take away point is that God redeems pain and we see that even in the first Christmas.   Our website - www.thecontextandcolorofthebible.com We are on Facebook - The Context and Color of the Bible | Facebook We are on Instagram - @contextandcolorofthebible We are on YouTube - The Context and Color of t...

Send us Fan Mail Erika loves the story of Herod's family.  Herod's family has a lot of drama. In this episode, she gives Herod's backstory and helps us understand why Joseph and Mary would have fled to Egypt as well as why the wisemen proceeded with caution.  For more on Herod's story, check out episode 70.  To understand the word "messiah" check out episode 203. Our...

Send us Fan Mail Erika takes us through the very familiar story of the birth of Christ and puts it back into its culture.  She talks about how Mary and Joseph would travel to Bethlehem and where they stayed.  Erika explains why scholars think Jesus was born in the fall and what Mary and Joseph did after he was born to show their obedience to God's Torah found in Leviticus.  Our website - www....

Send us Fan Mail Erika digs into the lives of Mary and Joseph before the birth of Jesus.  She paints a more realistic picture of what life would have been like.  It's good reminder that the first Christmas had pain and heartache. In this episode, we talk about the cultural norms around engagement, marriage and divorce in first century Israel.  Our website - www.thecontextandcolorofthebible.co...

Send us Fan Mail Veronica unpacks the meaning behind the Hebrew words for joy.  She points out that joy is more than a feeling or attitude.  Joy has actions - it is a physical experience.  The other lesson that goes along with joy is that is something you share with others.  It's not meant to be an individual concept. Our website - www.thecontextandcolorofthebible.com We are on Facebook - The...

Send us Fan Mail In our last episode Bryan randomly decided we needed to do an entire bonus podcast on one point because he wanted to follow a rabbit trail, and we are so glad he did! He showed us that Micah and the eleven other minor prophets all reference Exodus 34:6-7.  Bryan VanHaitsma is the digital media director for Revive Our Hearts.  He studied at Hope College in Michigan and Jerusalem Un...

Send us Fan Mail As the book of Micah comes to a close, we see connections being made back to the Joshua and the conquest of the land.  But then you can go even further back and see connections to the Exodus and the Song of Moses in Exodus 15. Looking back gives Micah and the people hope as they look at their present reality.  We can have that same hope because we find similarities in Revelation 1...

Send us Fan Mail The court case came to a close in chapter 6 and now it's time to see what happens. We watch as evil and suffering surround the people.  It's not a good time for Jerusalem.  BUT Micah makes a statement in verse 7 that we all need to say and remember.  Then in verses 8-10 he explains why he has hope.  Bryan called this an invitation for us to tell the world why we can hope...

Send us Fan Mail This court case is drawing to a close and it's time to hear the closing arguments and the punishment. The episode on 1 Kings 21 that Bryan referred to is #92. Bryan VanHaitsma is the digital media director for Revive Our Hearts.  He studied at Hope College in Michigan and Jerusalem University College in Israel.  He has a passion for digging into Scriptures that we often find...

Send us Fan Mail There is so much tone and attitude in these verses.  You'll miss it though if you don't understand the context of the story.  Bryan compares this chapter to the closing argument of the courtroom drama.  God is pulling in His witnesses (the mountains), and the people are using logic fallacies when they don't want answer God's questions.  Ultimately, God tells th...

Send us Fan Mail There is a remnant of Israel who will remain victorious to the end.  Micah compares them to dew on the grass - not a powerful image until you understand it - and a lion walking among the sheep. Yet there is a message here for the nations who are watching.  If God disciplines His own children, how much more will He discipline those who aren't His. Bryan VanHaitsma is the digit...

Send us Fan Mail A leader is coming to bring victory to Israel.  Who is this leader?  Where does he come from?  How is his story connected back to Genesis?  What images are used to describe him? Listen as Bryan unpacks the first six verses of Micah 5 and shows us why this chapter is still included in the "hope" cycle. Bryan VanHaitsma is the digital media director for Revive Our Hearts. ...

Send us Fan Mail In the first half of chapter four, we saw the ultimate future of Jerusalem, but in this second half Micah is telling the people what is going to happen in their future.  While destruction and exile are coming, there is still a hope and a reversal no one saw coming. We do reference Studio C's Lady Shadow in this episode.  If you don't know what either of those are, we hig...

Send us Fan Mail YAY!!  It's time for hope! Bryan pointed out in chapter 3 that we left with Jerusalem destroyed and laying in ashes.  In the first half of chapter four though we see Jerusalem restored and everyone coming to see, learn and hear from her King.  When does that happen and what exactly does that mean?  Find out on this podcast. Bryan VanHaitsma is the digital media director for R...

Send us Fan Mail Bryan wants to take this rabbit trail from Micah 3 to Jeremiah 26:16-19.  Let's find out how these two prophets influenced each other and us today.  Bryan VanHaitsma is the digital media director for Revive Our Hearts.  He studied at Hope College in Michigan and Jerusalem University College in Israel.  He has a passion for digging into Scriptures that we often find perplexing...

Send us Fan Mail We are starting the second cycle of doom and hope which means chapter 3 ends ends on a downer. In this chapter Micah is calling out the religious leaders for their sins and explains what God is going to do to them.  God will make sure the punishment will fit the crime.   Bryan VanHaitsma is the digital media director for Revive Our Hearts.  He studied at Hope College in Michigan a...

Send us Fan Mail In chapter one we learned that Lady Samaria and Lady Jerusalem are on trial for a breach in the covenant.    In chapter two Micah is bringing specific examples of the breach.  However, this chapter will also end the first cycle of doom and hope. Once again we referenced episode 92 (1 Kings 21 - Ahab and Jezebel), episode 148 (an overview of all the prophets), and episode 168 (the...

Send us Fan Mail Time to set the stage for the book of Micah.  But it's not a stage.  It's a courtroom.  Who's on trial?  What's the crime?  What is Micah's role?  Bryan VanHaitsma is back and diving into the book of Micah.  On this episode he's going to lay the foundation for the entire book as well as walk us through the first chapter.  Bryan is the digital media di...

Send us Fan Mail We are trying something totally new today. Erika and I recorded our zoom call with Rachel from Links to Messiah to find out about her ministry and how she is helping families bring the Bible to life.  To find out more about Rachel, her ministry and all that she offers, click on the link below.   Links To Messiah | Guiding Families from Genesis to Jesus

Send us Fan Mail Veronica and Erika share how they started studying the Bible on their own.  They want to encourage you, so you start studying the Bible on your own without a Bible study workbook.    Our website - www.thecontextandcolorofthebible.com We are on Facebook - The Context and Color of the Bible | Facebook We are on Instagram - @contextandcolorofthebible We are on YouTube - The Context a...

Send us Fan Mail Erika is expanding our understanding of the resurrection in the world to come.  She is pulling her ideas from D Thomas Lancaster, Gerald R McDermott's book "A New History of Redemption" and Dwight Pryor. Our website - www.thecontextandcolorofthebible.com We are on Facebook - The Context and Color of the Bible | Facebook We are on Instagram - @contextandcolorofthebib...

Send us Fan Mail Erika is expanding our understanding of the word good news or gospel.  She is showing us the meaning and understanding from the Old Testament and the New Testament.  She also connects these words to salvation and Christ. Our website - www.thecontextandcolorofthebible.com We are on Facebook - The Context and Color of the Bible | Facebook We are on Instagram - @contextandcoloroftheb...