The Family Bible Journey Podcast

This seemingly minor miracle is a gentle gesture that puts the disciples on a course that will become the greatest movement in all of human history. We take courage and comfort from these men. Just as God used them to change the world, He uses us to alter the earthly lives and eternal destiny of those we touch with His love.

Mordecai pleads with Esther to intervene on behalf of her people, who are faced with extermination at the hands of Haman. She is torn. She wants to help, but isn't feeling the love of the king, and could experience the same fate as Vashti if she overplays her hand. By risking her life and position to address the king, she is a type of Christ, and wisely seeks the king's favor before making her ent...

Esther's adoptive father Mordecai earns the wrath of Haman, the second in command of Persia because he refused to bow before anyone besides God or king. Haman's anger led to a murderous, then genocidal hatred for Mordecai and all the Jews. In this episode we learn that this conflict was over 1,000 years in the making.

Jesus establishes His disciples in the faith by appearing to them. When He appeared, He gave them His Holy Spirit and a new charge-to go and proclaim the forgiveness of sins to all people. Ever since this great commissioning, we properly understand that the Church is in the forgiveness business.

Queen Esther stands out from the crowd, not only because she is physically attractive, but also because of her wisdom and virtue. Loved as the only daughter of Mordecai, she knew how to love, because he had loved her dearly. In her rise to prominence, we are encouraged to cultivate the inner beauty that made her stand above the rest.

Esther begins not with Queen Esther, but rather Quenn Vashti. When Vashti refused a royal summons from her husband, she caused an outrage in the kingdom that led to her exile. Unwittingly she set the stage for a new queen to arise.

We marvel at the empty tomb with Mary, Peter and John. Even though they did not understand what was happening, they recognized that life would never be the same. We rejoice with them in the hope of our own resurrection, made possible by Jesus and His Easter victory over death.

Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem after a lengthy absence, only to find that many of his enemies, and the enemies of God's purposes, were prospering in Jerusalem. He rectified the situation, having been given a chance to preserve his legacy. Nehemiah ends with a prayer that God would remember the good he had faithfully done, and He does! This gives us great hope and encouragement when we are fearful...

We thank God for faithful leaders like Ezra and Nehemiah in this passage. Because God had prospered the work of their hands, and they did not shrink from executing their task, all in and around Jerusalem were blessed.

In Jesus's final moments, we see Him caring for and providing for His mother and beloved disciple. We see many prophecies fulfilled explicitly in these moments. We marvel at the depth of His love and all He willingly endured to finish the work of our salvation.

God's people wept and lamented their polight as Ezra read God's law. He reponded by encouraging them to focus on God's love and mercy, because God's love has overcome their generational beligerance and unbelief. We too can take courage in God's mercy because His love overcomes all.

When Ezra read from the book of God's law, upon the completion of the city walls, the people mourned in reprentence. Hearing what God expected from HIs people, they knew they fell woefully short of God's standard. Yet, Ezra told them to rejoice, because God's mercy and love far outweigh His wrath. We join with them in both mournful repentence, and great joy as we see all of our sins forgiven in Ch...

Jesus was crowned with thorns and shame, so that when our earthly life ends, we may be crowned in glory. For us He suffered. For us He died. So that in Him, we may find salvation for our guilty souls.

Mighty and powerful enemies oppposed Nehemiah and the rebuiding of Jerusalem's wall. They plotted, lied, and conspired to kill him. But Nehemiah shows us the strength of resolve, by calling out falsehood and continuing to do the work God had sent him to do.

Nehemiah shows how important it is to lead by example. Poor leaders act like bosses, especting others to cater to their whims because of position or power. True leaders, like Nehemiah, elevate others by showing a better way, by living out the ideals they profess and doing what others refuse to do.

satan has been robbing God's people of love, life, and every good thing. So it is fitting when Jesus, as the Son of God, is robbed of His life by the robber the crowd chose over Him.

In the face of powerful opposition, Nehemiah rallies the people reminding them that they are fighting not for themselves, but for their families and for their God. This story gives us great encouragement when we are opposed by powerful foes. When opposed, it is good for us to remember why it is that we do what God has encouraged us to do as his people.

The people of Israel begin to rebuild the city walls around Jerusalem. Sadly, some of the nobles are too noble for the noble task of serving the Lord by manual labor. But a group of young women is exalted, who gladly lifted their shovels and spades to build the wall as God had encouraged them. Here we learn an important lesson lessons about leadership and what it means to actually get work done. W...

Jesus was betrayed because He was true to His mission, even if it meant His death. When we are betrayed by those we love, we have an ever-faithful friend in Jesus.

Nehemiah is a faithful leader of the Lord's people who served as cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia. He came to Jerusalem as a special envoy sent by the king to aid the exiles whose work of rebuilding the walls had come to a standstill. Nehemiah shows us how important it is to be prayerfully prepared for challenges that arise, as we seek to serve the Lord and his people.

When Ezra returns to Jerusalem, he sees that many of the people, including many of the leaders and priests of Israel had intermarried with the people of the land. He tore his robes, his hair and beard out of his head, as a mournful display of distress because it was this very sin that had earlier led God's people away from the Lord and into exile. We are confronted with difficult realities as ther...

As Jesus prays for His disciples before He is taken from them, we consider a divine mystery. Jesus is not God's Plan B, merely a rescue mission. No, Jesus was God's Plan A for humanity. He took on human flesh, so that in Him we may know God as Father, Spirit and Brother! Because He is with us and for us, we rejoice in our unity with God and one another.

We learn important lessons from Ezra as he returns to Jerusalem. He prayerfully begins his journey in faith, while also properly preparing the people for what could have been a very dangerous trip. The Lord protected them and prosper them on their way.

In this chapter, Ezra is sent as a scribe, teacher and lawyer to instruct the people in the ways of the Lord. Their great Temple will amount to nothing if the people do not follow the Lord with their whole heart. 

This world is full of sin and suffering. We suffer even when we try to do good by those around us. Because the world is not fair or just, it is good for us, when we suffer for doing good, to recognize that Jesus has overcome the world.