Reasoning Through the Bible

Why would Matthew begin his Gospel with a genealogy? In the very first verse, Matthew identifies Jesus as the Messiah, the son of David, and the son of Abraham. Those names are not accidental. They connect Jesus directly to two of the great unconditional covenant promises God made in the Old Testament. In this first session of our verse-by-verse study through Matthew, Glenn and Steve examine the Davidic Covenant, the Abrahamic Covenant, and why Jesus’ ancestry establishes His right to the promised kingdom. We also look at some of the unexpected people Matthew includes—such as Ruth, Rahab, and Bathsheba—and what their presence reveals about God’s grace and faithfulness.Finally, we examine the structure of Matthew’s genealogy, including the three groups of fourteen generations, why generations can be omitted in biblical genealogies, and why these lists should be used for their intended purpose rather than as a precise method for calculating historical dates.Matthew 1:1–17 | The Book of Matthew — Session 1Questions discussed in this session include:How did Jesus fulfill the Davidic and Abrahamic covenants? What are the purposes for the genealogy and what can it tell us?  Can we trust God to keep His promises?  Are God’s promises to Israel still in place? Can we use the Biblical genealogies to calculate the age of the earth? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Before beginning our verse-by-verse study of the Gospels, we step back and ask some foundational questions about the four Gospels. Why do we have Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? Why do they sometimes emphasize different events or arrange their material differently? And can these ancient accounts really be trusted?In this introductory session, Glenn and Steve examine the distinct audiences and emphases of the four Gospels, with Matthew presenting Jesus to a predominantly Jewish audience and emphasizing Him as the promised King. They also discuss the so-called “synoptic problem,” literary and form criticism, the claim that the Gospels were originally anonymous, and arguments that the accounts were written too late to preserve reliable testimony. Most importantly, the discussion considers the eyewitness foundation behind the Gospel accounts and why similarities and differences between them do not require us to treat them as myths or legends. This session provides the foundation for the RTTB verse-by-verse journey through Matthew. Matthew Series — Session 1 | Introduction to the Four GospelsQuestions discussed in this session include: What are the distinctions in the gospels? Why are there four gospels instead of just one? Who wrote them and can we trust their writings? What does the term “gospel” mean and why is it important to us? When were the gospels written? How long was it between the events of Jesus and when they were written down?Who were the intended audiences for the gospels? Were the gospels anonymous, or how can we be sure who wrote them? Is there a synoptic problem?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Ruth chapter 4 brings the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz to its beautiful conclusion.Boaz goes to the city gate, gathers the elders, and properly follows the law to settle the question of redemption. A closer relative has the first right to redeem Naomi’s land, but when he learns that Ruth must also become part of the family inheritance, he declines. Boaz then steps forward and publicly declares that he will redeem both the land and Ruth.The transaction illustrates what redemption means. Something has been lost, a legitimate claim exists, and a price must be paid to restore it. Boaz pays that price and gains the legal right to redeem Ruth and restore the family inheritance.The session connects this with Jesus Christ. Scripture teaches that believers were bought with a price. Christ paid the debt of sin in full through His death on the cross. Redemption is not merely forgiveness in the abstract—it is a costly act in which the Redeemer pays what we could not pay for ourselves.Ruth’s progression throughout the book is remarkable. She begins as a foreigner, then calls herself a maidservant, then becomes Boaz’s maid, and finally becomes his wife. She moves from poverty and exclusion to belonging, inheritance, marriage, and blessing.Naomi experiences a similar transformation. She once asked to be called Mara because she believed the Lord had dealt bitterly with her. By the end, she holds a grandson in her arms while the women of Bethlehem celebrate with her.The book closes with the genealogy leading to King David, showing that God’s providential work in the lives of Ruth and Boaz becomes part of the larger story of redemption that ultimately leads to Jesus Christ.Scripture: Ruth 4:1–22Series: The Book of Ruth — An RTTB StudyQuestions discussed in this session include:What does it mean when we say Jesus paid for our sins?What is redeeming and why is it important to us? How is Jesus our redeemer? What is the state of a person before and after they come to Christ? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Ruth chapter 3 brings the Kinsman-Redeemer theme to the center of the story.The session begins with the law from Deuteronomy 25, which provided for a widow to be cared for by a close family member so that the family name, inheritance, and land could continue. That background becomes essential when Naomi recognizes that Boaz may be able to act as Ruth’s redeemer.Naomi then sends Ruth to the threshing floor. Ruth approaches Boaz humbly, lies at his feet, and asks him to spread his covering over her because he is a close relative. Her request is essentially a request for Boaz to fulfill the role of kinsman-redeemer.Boaz responds with kindness and integrity. He praises Ruth’s character, explains that another relative has the first right of redemption, and promises that if that man will not redeem her, he will.This session explores how Boaz points toward Jesus Christ. A redeemer had to be a true kinsman. In the same way, Christ had to become fully human in order to redeem humanity. He is not a distant Savior—He became one of us so that He could serve as our mediator and Redeemer.The chapter also emphasizes humility, submission, timing, salvation, waiting on God, and trusting His promises.Ruth places herself at Boaz’s feet.Boaz makes a promise.Then Ruth has to wait.That same pattern speaks powerfully to the Christian life. Christ has made promises to His people, including the promise that He will return. Until then, believers are called to trust Him while they wait.Scripture: Ruth 3:1–18Series: The Book of Ruth — An RTTB StudySome questions discussed in this session include:How does God keep families together?Can we earn a relationship with Christ? How should we approach God when talking to Him? How should a couple today find a spouse? What time is the best time to settle our relationship with God? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Ruth 2 moves fully into the growing relationship between Ruth and Boaz.Ruth is a widow, a foreigner, and poor. She has no inheritance in Israel and is gathering leftover barley simply to survive. Then Boaz, a wealthy landowner from Bethlehem, notices her.In this session, Glenn and Steve explore how the romance between Ruth and Boaz also illustrates the believer’s relationship with Jesus Christ. Ruth is the outsider with no ability to change her circumstances, while Boaz is the wealthy kinsman who sees her, protects her, provides for her, and begins drawing her closer.Boaz tells Ruth to remain in his field, commands his workers not to harm her, gives her access to water, invites her to eat with his servants, personally serves her food, and instructs his workers to intentionally leave extra grain behind for her. Ruth receives far more than the minimum the law required.The passage also explores Ruth’s status as a foreigner and the biblical truth that God does not show partiality based on race, nationality, social standing, or background.By the end of the chapter, Naomi recognizes that Boaz is more than simply a generous landowner. He is a close relative and a potential kinsman-redeemer.The romance is beginning, but so is a much larger picture of redemption.Scripture: Ruth 2:5–23Series: The Book of Ruth — An RTTB StudyQuestions discussed in this session are:  What does the Bible teach about race and nationality? How should we take care of the least advantaged in our midst?Can we trust in the providence of the Lord? How much does God notice of our lives?What benefits does Christ give us?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Ruth 1–2 shows the difference between turning toward God and fully committing to Him.Orpah begins the journey toward Israel but eventually returns to Moab. Ruth does the opposite. She leaves her homeland, her people, and her former gods behind and tells Naomi, “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” Her words are more than family loyalty—they represent a wholehearted commitment to Yahweh.When Ruth and Naomi arrive in Bethlehem, the town is stirred by Naomi’s return. Naomi asks to be called Mara, meaning bitter, because she believes the Lord has afflicted her. Her grief is understandable, but she cannot yet see what God is preparing.The story then introduces the biblical practice of gleaning. Under the Mosaic Law, landowners were required to leave portions of their harvest for widows, foreigners, travelers, and the poor. This system provided help while still allowing those who were able to work for their food.Ruth does exactly that. Rather than demanding assistance, she humbly asks permission to glean behind the harvesters.Then one of the most important statements in the story appears: Ruth “happened” to come to the field belonging to Boaz.Boaz is wealthy, respected, related to Naomi’s late husband, and positioned to become a kinsman-redeemer. His meeting with Ruth looks accidental from a human perspective, but the story begins revealing God’s providential arrangement of ordinary circumstances.God’s provision often does not arrive through spectacular miracles. Sometimes it appears through a field, a harvest, a conversation, or simply being in the right place at the right time.Scripture: Ruth 1:14–2:9Series: The Book of Ruth — An RTTB Study  Questions discussed in this session include:Does God always recognize those who turn Him?  What value is there in taking care of the human needs of a loved one? Can we keep one foot in the old life and one foot in the new?  Is there a Biblical way to have welfare?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

The Book of Ruth begins during the dark period of the Judges, when Israel was marked by disobedience, idolatry, and judgment. Yet Ruth offers a striking contrast: even in a corrupt culture, individuals can still live faithfully, and God can work quietly through ordinary people and painful circumstances.In this opening session, Glenn and Steve introduce the major themes of Ruth, including redemption, kindness, rest, providence, love, grief, and restoration. Ruth and Boaz will eventually become the great-grandparents of King David, and Ruth will also appear in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.The story begins with a famine in Bethlehem, whose name means “house of bread.” Elimelech leaves the promised land with his wife, Naomi, and their two sons and travels to Moab. There, Naomi loses her husband and both sons, leaving her in a foreign land with her two daughters-in-law.The session pauses to consider the deep grief that follows the loss of a spouse and other loved ones. Steve shares personally about the death of his wife and how his relationship with God, his daughters, and other believers helped him continue through sorrow.When Naomi hears that the Lord has again provided food in Judah, she begins the journey home. She urges Ruth and Orpah to return to their families. Orpah leaves, but Ruth clings to Naomi and makes one of Scripture’s most memorable declarations:“Where you go, I will go… your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.”At this point, Naomi believes that the Lord has turned against her. She cannot yet see that God is using these very circumstances to bring blessing, redemption, and a future greater than anything she could imagine.Scripture: Ruth 1:1–18Series: The Book of Ruth — An RTTB Study  Questions discussed in this session include: If tragedy happens, is God sill working?  What does it indicate when the Jews leave a land? Can grief be overwhelming? Can good come out of tragedy? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Why did God command Israel to destroy the people of Canaan?Passages in Deuteronomy and Joshua describe commands to destroy entire Canaanite populations, including soldiers, families, livestock, and cities. These passages raise one of the most difficult moral questions in the Old Testament and are often used by skeptics to accuse God of cruelty or injustice.In this topical discussion, Glenn and Steve examine the larger biblical context surrounding the judgment of Canaan. The study begins with God’s sovereignty as Creator and giver of life. Because life comes from Him, He possesses authority over life and death in a way that human beings do not.The Canaanites were also not presented as innocent people. Their culture included child sacrifice, sexualized worship, idolatry, and practices that eventually corrupted Israel when the nation failed to carry out God’s command completely.God’s judgment was not sudden or arbitrary. Israel remained in Egypt for approximately four centuries before entering Canaan, and the biblical pattern shows that God repeatedly warns people before judgment. Rahab demonstrates that a Canaanite who recognized Yahweh, believed, and submitted to Him could receive mercy.The discussion also considers four possible ways God could respond to evil: permit free choices and judge them, permit evil without judgment, prevent every evil choice and eliminate meaningful human freedom, or remove children before they mature into the same evil practices.The central conclusion is that God’s actions must be understood within His holiness, sovereignty, patience, justice, and complete knowledge of every possible outcome.Topical Study: The Judgment of CanaanSeries: Reasoning Through the Bible Topical SeriesSupport the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Who is the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament?This phrase appears repeatedly in passages involving Hagar, Abraham, Moses, Balaam, Gideon, Samson’s parents, and the nation of Israel. At first glance, readers may assume this is simply another created angel. A closer examination, however, reveals that the Angel of the Lord speaks with God’s authority, accepts identification with God, gives divine promises, receives worship, forgives or judges, and is feared as Yahweh Himself.In this topical study, Glenn and Steve examine several important Old Testament appearances of the Angel of the Lord. Hagar calls Him the God who sees her. In Genesis 22, He tells Abraham that he did not withhold Isaac “from Me.” In Exodus 3, the Angel of the Lord appears in the burning bush and identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.The study also considers appearances in Judges, including the Angel of the Lord speaking to Gideon and appearing as a man to Samson’s parents. These passages show that He could appear physically and converse with people while still being identified as Yahweh.Isaiah 63 and Zechariah 12 provide further evidence by distinguishing between divine persons while affirming the deity of the One who suffers, delivers, and is pierced. These passages contribute to the biblical foundation for the deity of Christ and the doctrine of the Trinity.The Angel of the Lord is best understood as the pre-incarnate Son of God—Jesus Christ appearing before His birth in Bethlehem.Topical Study: The Angel of the LordSeries: Reasoning Through the Bible Doctrine DiscussionsSupport the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 20-21 brings the Book of Judges to its tragic conclusion. After learning of the horrific crime committed at Gibeah, the tribes of Israel unite and demand that Benjamin surrender the guilty men. Benjamin refuses and chooses tribal loyalty over justice.Civil war follows.Israel seeks God’s direction before battle, yet loses twenty-two thousand men on the first day and eighteen thousand on the second. This raises a difficult question: What should believers do when they are following God’s direction, opposing evil, and still appear to be losing?Rather than abandoning God, Israel continues to seek Him. The people weep, fast, offer sacrifices, and return for guidance. God eventually promises victory and delivers Benjamin into their hands.The victory, however, creates another crisis. Israel had made an emotional vow not to give its daughters in marriage to the men of Benjamin. After nearly destroying the tribe, the people regret what they have done and begin searching for ways around their own vow.Their solutions reveal how distorted their sense of justice has become. They destroy Jabesh-gilead and take its surviving young women. When that does not provide enough wives, they permit the remaining Benjamites to kidnap women from a feast at Shiloh.Israel attempts to correct one evil by committing additional wrongs.The book closes with its defining statement: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”Judges warns that when people reject God’s Word as the standard of truth, sincerity, emotion, technical rules, and human reasoning cannot produce righteousness.Scripture: Judges 19:30-21:25Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB StudyIs there a limit to how depraved humans can get? What should you do when you’re doing what the Lord wants but still failing?Can God allow pain for a purpose? Can we deal with God as with a shady businessman?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 18 continues the story of Micah, his household idols, and the Levite he hired as a private priest. When six hundred armed Danites arrive, they steal Micah’s religious objects and persuade the Levite to leave with them by offering him a larger congregation.In this session, Glenn and Steve examine the danger of measuring spiritual success primarily by numbers, money, influence, or prestige. The Levite is delighted by the opportunity to serve an entire tribe, but neither he nor the Danites shows concern for obedience to God or the spiritual maturity of the people.The Danites eventually establish Micah’s stolen idol and a separate center of worship in the northern city of Dan. This corrupt worship continues and later provides a foundation for the golden calf established there by King Jeroboam. A small departure from God’s revealed pattern produces consequences that continue for generations.Judges 19 then records one of the darkest events in Scripture. A Levite travels with his concubine and eventually stays in Gibeah, a town belonging to the tribe of Benjamin. During the night, wicked men surround the house and demand that the Levite be sent out to them.The men inside respond with cowardice and moral failure. The Levite’s concubine is handed over to the mob, brutally abused throughout the night, and left dying at the doorway. The Levite later cuts her body into twelve pieces and sends them throughout Israel.The Bible records this evil without approving it. The story reveals what happens when people reject God’s authority, corrupt worship, ignore His Word, and continually do what is right in their own eyes.Scripture: Judges 18:16–19:29Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study Questions discussed in this session:Is church growth measured in numbers of people? Can a child of God can be distracted from the Lord’s work? How can a society get so immoral to wink at murder?Are we equally guilty of not dealing with murder near us?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 17 begins the final section of the Book of Judges, where the narrative moves away from individual deliverers and shows the spiritual and moral condition of Israel more broadly. The repeated statement, “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes,” becomes increasingly visible.In this session, Glenn and Steve examine Micah and his mother, who attempt to combine the name of Yahweh with practices God had clearly forbidden. Micah steals a large amount of silver from his mother, returns it after hearing her curse, and is then blessed by her. She claims to dedicate the silver to the Lord but uses part of it to create carved and molten images.Micah builds a household shrine, makes an ephod and additional idols, and appoints one of his sons as priest. He later hires a traveling Levite and assumes that possessing a legitimate religious official will guarantee God’s blessing and prosperity.The passage demonstrates the danger of syncretism—mixing the worship of the true God with idols and worldly practices. Micah appears sincere and highly religious, but sincerity does not make false worship acceptable. He uses God’s name while repeatedly ignoring God’s commands.Judges 18 then introduces men from the tribe of Dan who are searching for new territory because they failed to possess the inheritance God had already given them. Instead of seeking God before beginning their journey, they proceed according to their own plans and later ask Micah’s hired priest to confirm that they will succeed.The priest gives them the answer they want.This session warns against replacing obedience with religious activity, treating spiritual leaders as good-luck charms, and expecting God to approve decisions simply because His name has been attached to them.Scripture: Judges 17:1–18:13Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB StudyQuestions discussed in this session:Is all religious worship valid? Is it possible to worship the true God and idols at the same time?Are all sincere religious people correct in their religion? Can I do religious activities to make myself righteous? What should religious leaders do if they are tempted to compromise? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 15–16 completes the tragic story of Samson, a man given extraordinary strength but repeatedly controlled by selfish desires, sexual temptation, anger, and pride.The session begins with Samson being handed over to the Philistines by his own countrymen. The Spirit of the Lord empowers him to break his bonds, and he kills one thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. Yet even after this remarkable victory, Samson’s first recorded prayer is motivated primarily by his own thirst rather than a desire for God’s guidance or glory.Judges 16 then records Samson entering Gaza to visit a prostitute. The Philistines attempt to trap him behind the city gates, but Samson tears the gates, posts, and bars from the wall and carries them away. The act demonstrates his supernatural strength, but it also reveals how consistently he wastes his gift on personal situations rather than leading Israel against its oppressors.The story then turns to Delilah. The Philistine rulers offer her a large payment to discover the source of Samson’s strength. Although she repeatedly betrays his supposed answers, Samson remains with her and gradually moves closer to revealing the truth.Samson becomes spiritually blind before the Philistines physically blind him. He ignores the obvious warnings, compromises his Nazirite calling, and finally reveals that his uncut hair represents his dedication to God. When his hair is removed, Scripture records one of the most tragic statements in his story: Samson did not know that the Lord had departed from him.The Philistines imprison, blind, and publicly humiliate Samson. Yet his hair begins to grow again, and in his final moments he cries out to God for strength. His prayer remains mixed with personal vengeance, but God still answers and uses him to strike a devastating blow against the Philistines.Samson’s story is both a warning and a message of hope. Great ability cannot replace obedience, but even after serious failure, it is not too late to turn to God and ask Him to use what remains.Scripture: Judges 15:13–16:31Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB StudyQuestions discussed in this session:When God gives us a gift, what does He expect us to do with it?What happens when people try to trap God?How could Samson be so blind as to not recognize Delilah for what she was? Can God use us even if we’ve been a failure up to now?  Download our free Lesson Plans on our website: Reasoning Through the Bible – Straightforward with some Critical ThinkingSupport the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 14 begins Samson’s downward spiritual spiral. Although he had been set apart for God from birth, Samson sees a Philistine woman in Timnah and demands that his parents arrange the marriage because she looks good to him.In this session, Glenn and Steve examine how Samson’s choices reflect the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life described in 1 John 2:16. His attraction is driven by appearance rather than shared faith, character, or obedience to God. Samson’s parents offer wise counsel, but as an adult, he insists on making his own decision.The passage then records Samson killing a lion through the power of the Spirit of the Lord. Later, however, he returns to the carcass, takes honey from it, eats it, and gives some to his parents without telling them where it came from. In doing so, Samson violates both the Mosaic Law and the requirements of his Nazirite calling.At his wedding feast, Samson begins gambling and trading riddles with the Philistines. What begins as entertainment quickly turns dangerous when the Philistine men threaten to burn his wife and her family. His wife betrays the answer, Samson reacts in anger, and the conflict escalates into violence and revenge.Judges 15 continues the pattern. Samson returns only when he wants physical intimacy, becomes angry when he learns that his wife has been given to another man, destroys Philistine crops, and then retaliates again after the Philistines kill the woman and her father.The session closes with Israel handing Samson over to the Philistines because the people are more afraid of their oppressors than willing to stand for what is right. The warning is clear: believers must decide their moral boundaries before pressure arrives. Waiting until temptation or fear has already closed in makes compromise much more likely.Scripture: Judges 14:1–15:13Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB StudyQuestions discussed in this session:Should parents overrule their children when they make bad choices? What does the Bible teach us about marrying people outside the faith?Does our sin only affect us or does it always affect others?Can we play with evil? Do we sometimes have a gift of God that we do not take seriously?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 13 begins the story of Samson, one of the most recognizable yet deeply flawed judges in Scripture. Israel again does evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Philistines oppress the nation for forty years. Unlike previous cycles in Judges, however, the passage gives no indication that Israel cries out for deliverance.God acts first.In His grace, He appears to the wife of Manoah, a woman who had been unable to have children, and announces that she will give birth to a son. The child will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from the womb and will begin delivering Israel from the Philistines.In this session, Glenn and Steve examine the historical background of the Philistines, their movement into Israel’s coastal territory, and how biblical history aligns with known historical and archaeological information.The study also introduces the Nazirite vow described in Numbers 6. Samson was not to consume anything from the grapevine, cut his hair, or come into contact with a dead body. Unlike most Nazirite vows, which were temporary, Samson’s dedication was intended to last for his entire life.The passage also provides significant evidence about the Angel of the Lord. He appears physically as a man, speaks directly with Manoah and his wife, accepts an offering, performs wonders, and is identified by Manoah as God. These details support the traditional Christian understanding that the Angel of the Lord was a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ.Judges 13 introduces a man with remarkable opportunity and supernatural gifting. Samson was chosen before birth, blessed by God, and stirred by the Spirit—but the chapters ahead will show how poorly he often used what he had been given.Scripture: Judges 13Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study Questions discussed in this session:Does God notice the needs of His people even when they do not cry out? What is the purpose of taking a vow?Who is the Angel of the Lord? Can we ever see both God’s sovereignty and the free will of man? What is a Nazarite vow?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Jephthah returns from victory over the Ammonites only to discover that his only daughter is the first person to come from his house to greet him. His careless vow suddenly becomes the defining crisis of his story.In this session, Glenn and Steve examine whether Jephthah actually sacrificed his daughter as a burnt offering. Although the wording of the original vow refers to a burnt offering, the later passage repeatedly emphasizes her virginity, her lack of marriage, and the end of Jephthah’s family line. This provides a strong contextual case that she may have been permanently dedicated to the Lord rather than killed.The discussion also explains that human sacrifice was clearly forbidden under the Mosaic Law. Jephthah could have appealed to the provisions of the law regarding an invalid vow rather than carrying out something God had prohibited.Jephthah’s story offers a sobering lesson: a person may genuinely trust God, follow His direction, and still make a very foolish decision. The Bible does not hide the flaws of its people, and believers should be careful not to place Christian leaders on pedestals or discard everything good they have taught when a weakness is later revealed.Judges 12 then records another conflict with the tribe of Ephraim. They threaten Jephthah because they were not included in the battle, even though Jephthah says he had previously asked for their help. Their jealousy and divisiveness lead to civil war and the deaths of forty-two thousand Israelites.The session closes by examining how internal division destroys churches and communities. When believers turn inward and fight each other, ministry, outreach, and witness quickly suffer.Scripture: Judges 11:35–12:15Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB StudyQuestions discussed in this session:Can people be in the will of God and still make foolish mistakes? Can jealousy and hatred cause people to be unreasonable? What should we do when we meet people who cause division? How effective is the church when it’s fighting amongst itself?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

God refuses to help Israel because they refuse to repent, treating God like a Judges 10 records Israel falling once again into widespread idolatry. This time the people are not worshiping just one or two false gods. Scripture lists the gods of numerous surrounding nations before concluding that Israel had forsaken the Lord and no longer served Him.In this session, Glenn and Steve begin by making an important distinction about suffering. Judges repeatedly connects Israel’s deliberate sin with painful consequences, but Scripture does not teach that every instance of suffering is caused by a person’s individual sin. Job provides a clear example of righteous suffering whose full purpose was never explained to the person experiencing it.Israel’s situation in Judges 10, however, resulted directly from rebellion. After eighteen years of oppression, the people finally cry out to God. This time God responds differently. He reminds them of all the previous times He delivered them and tells them to seek help from the false gods they chose.The passage raises an important question: Did Israel really want God, or did they simply want relief from suffering? Treating God like a repairman—ignoring Him until something breaks—is not the same as genuine repentance. Eventually Israel puts away the foreign gods and begins serving the Lord again.Judges 11 then introduces Jephthah. Born to a prostitute, he is rejected by his brothers for circumstances beyond his control. Yet when Ammon threatens Israel, the same people who rejected him suddenly need his help.Rather than respond with bitterness, Jephthah appears calm and recognizes that any victory must come from Yahweh. He first attempts to negotiate with the Ammonite king, presenting historical, theological, and chronological arguments for Israel’s right to the land.The session concludes with Jephthah making a dangerous vow before battle. God gives him victory, but when Jephthah returns home, his only daughter comes out to meet him. The consequences of that vow will be examined in the next session.Scripture: Judges 10:1–11:34Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB StudyQuestions discussed in this session:Would God sell Israel to its enemies? What would have happen for God say He will not help? Is it wise to make vows to God? What happens when we only go to God when we need help?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 9 introduces Abimelech, one of Gideon’s sons, and records one of the darkest chapters yet in Israel’s spiritual decline. Unlike the judges whom God raised up as deliverers, Abimelech seeks power for himself. With money taken from the temple of Baal-Berith, he hires reckless men and murders his brothers so that he can become king.In this session, Glenn and Steve examine what happens when ambition and power operate without a moral compass. Israel was supposed to be different from the nations around them, yet the people of Shechem willingly support a violent man because he is one of their relatives and promises the kind of leadership they desire.The only surviving brother, Jotham, responds with the parable of the trees. Valuable trees refuse to abandon their useful work in order to rule, but eventually the worthless bramble accepts the position. The warning is clear: the people have chosen a ruler who provides no real protection and will ultimately bring destruction.The chapter then descends into betrayal, crime, civil war, and violence. Abimelech and the people who empowered him eventually turn against one another. Judges 9 also raises the difficult question of God sending an evil spirit between Abimelech and Shechem. The discussion considers this statement in its larger context of divine judgment on people already committed to violence and idolatry.Abimelech eventually dies after a woman drops a millstone on his head. Even in his final moments, he appears more concerned about his reputation than about getting right with God.Judges 9 reminds us that sin may appear to go unpunished for a time, but God is not mocked. It also warns us to be careful whom we trust, whom we follow, and what ultimately serves as the anchor of our lives.Scripture: Judges 9Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB StudyQuestions discussed in this session:What happens when we hire relatives?What would cause tribes of Israel to fight each other?Should churches try to be like the world? What happens when we make worthless people our leaders? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 7 concludes with one of the most unlikely military victories in Scripture. Gideon’s three hundred men surround the Midianite camp at night carrying trumpets, clay pitchers, and torches. When they break the pitchers, reveal the torches, and sound the trumpets, confusion spreads through the enormous enemy camp. The Midianites turn their swords against one another and flee.The strategy makes no sense from a human military perspective. That is precisely the point. God reduced Gideon’s army so dramatically that Israel could not claim the victory came through its own strength. Yahweh alone deserved the glory.Yet this session also shows how quickly spiritual danger can follow success. The soldiers cry, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon,” perhaps revealing the first hint that Gideon’s name is beginning to share attention that belongs to God.Judges 8 then records Gideon’s conflict with the tribe of Ephraim. They complain that they were not called into the battle earlier, even though they had years of opportunity to resist Midian. Gideon calms them through flattering language, exposing the danger of appealing to pride rather than dealing directly with truth.As Gideon pursues the remaining Midianite kings, the Israelite towns of Succoth and Penuel refuse to provide food. Their fear reveals how comfortable they had become living under oppression. They are more afraid of Midian’s possible return than willing to support the deliverer God has raised up.Gideon later returns and punishes these towns with extreme violence. His response goes beyond equal justice and reveals a troubling change in his character. Instead of asking God how to respond, Gideon acts according to what seems right in his own eyes.The decline continues when Gideon takes valuable spoil from the defeated kings and accepts a large collection of gold earrings from Israel. Although he refuses the title of king and correctly says that the Lord should rule over Israel, he increasingly adopts the wealth and privileges associated with royalty.Gideon then uses the gold to make an ephod. Whatever his original intentions may have been, the object becomes a center of false worship and a snare to Gideon, his household, and Israel.The man who began by tearing down an idol ends by creating an object that becomes an idol.This passage warns that victory, recognition, wealth, and influence can become dangerous when humility and obedience are lost.Scripture: Judges 7:16–8:35Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study Questions discussed in this session:What happens when people go for a long time living around evil? Why would tribes of Israel fight among themselves?How can Israel forget God so quickly?How many times should God need to remind us of His being worthy?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Before Gideon can confront the Midianites, God gives him a more personal assignment. He must tear down the altar of Baal that belongs to his own father, cut down the Asherah beside it, and build an altar to the Lord in its place.In this session, Glenn and Steve examine why spiritual restoration must begin close to home. Gideon is called to deliver Israel from Midian, but the first enemy he must confront is the idolatry within his own family and community. Following God may create conflict with family traditions, established religion, or the expectations of people around us, but obedience to Christ must come first.Gideon obeys, though he acts at night because he is afraid. His fear does not prevent him from doing what God commanded. This provides an honest picture of faith: obedience does not always require the complete absence of fear.When the people discover that Baal’s altar has been destroyed, they demand Gideon’s death. His father Joash responds by asking why Baal cannot defend himself if he truly is a god. Gideon’s act exposes the powerlessness of the idol and earns him the name Jerubbaal, meaning, “Let Baal contend against him.”The session also discusses Gideon’s request for the signs involving the fleece. Gideon has already seen God’s power and received the Spirit of the Lord, but he continues to seek reassurance. The conversation distinguishes between sincerely asking God for guidance and manipulating circumstances until they appear to confirm what a person already wants.Judges 7 then records one of the most surprising battle preparations in Scripture. Gideon gathers thirty-two thousand men, but God says the army is too large. After the fearful soldiers leave and another test reduces the force further, only three hundred remain.God gives the reason plainly: Israel might boast that its own strength produced the victory. The army must become so small that only God can receive the glory.Even after all these signs, Gideon remains afraid. God does not condemn him. Instead, He tells Gideon to approach the enemy camp, where he overhears a Midianite dream predicting Israel’s victory. God patiently provides the encouragement Gideon needs at the moment he needs it.Scripture: Judges 6:25–7:15Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB StudyQuestions discussed in this session:Did Gideon obey with full or partial faith? Do we sometimes move forward on partial faith? What happens when we make a public proclamation about our faith in God?Do we ever have confidence one minute, and have doubts another? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

 Judges 6 opens with Israel suffering under Midianite oppression because the nation has once again turned from God. For seven years, the Midianites invade at harvest time, destroy crops, steal livestock, and leave Israel impoverished and hiding in caves.When the people finally cry out, God first sends a prophet. Before providing deliverance, He reminds Israel of everything He has already done: bringing them out of Egypt, defeating their enemies, and giving them the land. The problem was not God’s lack of power. Israel had invited evil into its life through disobedience and then forgotten the Lord’s past faithfulness.This session then introduces Gideon, who is threshing wheat inside a winepress to hide from the Midianites. Wheat was normally threshed on an exposed hill where the wind could separate the grain from the chaff. Gideon is instead working in a confined hole, showing the fear, frustration, and defeat that had overtaken Israel.The Angel of the Lord appears and calls Gideon a “mighty man of valor.” At that moment, Gideon does not look like a warrior. He is hiding, questioning God, and describing himself as the least important member of the weakest family in Manasseh. Yet God sees Gideon according to what he will become through divine power.The study also examines the identity of the Angel of the Lord. The passage moves naturally from calling Him the Angel of the Lord to identifying Him as the Lord Himself, supporting the understanding that this was a physical manifestation of God and, as many scholars conclude, a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ.Gideon asks for assurance, and God patiently provides a sign by consuming the offering with fire. The passage reminds us that asking for guidance is different from using signs as excuses to avoid obedience.The central assurance is simple: “I will be with you.” Gideon’s success will not depend on his family status, confidence, resources, or natural ability. It will depend on God’s presence.Scripture: Judges 6:7–24Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study Questions discussed in this session:What should we do if we are in frustration and defeat? If God says he is with us, can we move forward in confidence?Is it wise for us to look to God for a sign? What does God do to build our faith?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 4 concludes with Sisera fleeing from the battlefield after God destroys his army. Once the commander of nine hundred iron chariots, Sisera suddenly finds himself running on foot and searching for safety. He enters the tent of Jael because there was peace between her household and King Jabin, but the refuge he trusts becomes the place of his death.In this session, Glenn and Steve discuss why no true peace can be found while running from God. Sisera believed he had control during twenty years of oppression, but his situation changed within minutes. His defeat also fulfills Deborah’s prophecy that the honor of victory would go to a woman. Jael acts freely, yet her actions accomplish what God had already declared, providing an example of divine providence working through human decisions.Judges 5 then records the Song of Deborah, a poetic celebration of God’s victory. The song praises Yahweh as Israel’s true commander and emphasizes the importance of leaders who lead and people who willingly respond. Some tribes answer the call to battle, while others remain home because everyday responsibilities become more important than joining God’s work.The session also examines what life was like under Canaanite oppression. Roads became unsafe, travelers avoided the highways, military strength had disappeared, and Israel lacked courageous leadership. When people and societies turn from God, peace and security begin to disappear.After God provides victory, the land rests for forty years. Yet Judges 6 begins another cycle. Israel again does evil in the Lord’s sight, and the Midianites raid the land for seven years. They destroy crops, steal livestock, and leave Israel impoverished and hiding in mountain caves.The Midianites function like parasites, allowing Israel to labor and then returning at harvest time to consume the results. Only after seven years does Israel finally cry out to God.This passage warns believers not to tolerate sin and spiritual oppression when God is ready to hear genuine repentance. The fastest way out is not pride, self-reliance, or trying to repair everything alone. It is returning to God and allowing Him to address what has taken root.Scripture: Judges 4:17–6:7Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study Questions discussed in this session: Can people who are not following God also be fulfilling God’s will? Are nations and cultures safe even if they disobey God? How should church leaders act when there is disagreement in the church?Does the Bible contain good literature? What happens when evil comes and stays in our life? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 4 begins another cycle of Israel’s rebellion, oppression, and deliverance. After Ehud dies, the people once again do evil in the sight of the Lord. God allows Jabin, king of Canaan, and his commander Sisera to oppress Israel cruelly for twenty years with an army supported by nine hundred iron chariots.The problem, however, was not the strength of the chariots. Israel had already seen God defeat powerful armies and fortified cities. Their weakness came from turning away from the Lord and losing the protection and blessing that came through obedience.In this session, Glenn and Steve introduce Deborah, a prophetess and respected leader who judged Israel beneath the palm of Deborah. She summons Barak and reminds him that God has already commanded him to gather ten thousand men and confront Sisera’s army.Barak hesitates and agrees to go only if Deborah accompanies him. His response reveals a mixture of faith and doubt. Yet Deborah remains faithful, holds him accountable, and goes with him. Together, they demonstrate how God can use believers with different strengths: Deborah provides spiritual confidence and accountability, while Barak ultimately obeys and leads the army.The passage reaches its turning point when Deborah declares, “Arise! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hands. Behold, the LORD has gone out before you.” God had already declared the victory before the battle began.This study encourages believers who sometimes feel more like Barak than Joshua. Faith may be mixed with fear, hesitation, or uncertainty, but God can still work through those who ultimately trust and obey Him.Scripture: Judges 4:1–16Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB StudyQuestions discussed in this session:  What do we do if we find ourselves with doubting God?When God commands us to do something, do we need experience before we trust Him? Do we have to be in perfect obedience before God can bless us? Does God give us signs that He is with us? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 3 introduces the first specific deliverers whom God raises up for Israel. The chapter begins by explaining that God left certain nations in the land to test Israel and to teach a new generation how to wage war. The test was not designed to give God information He lacked. It revealed Israel’s condition and exposed whether the people would obey His commandments.Instead of remaining separate from Canaanite influence, the Israelites lived among the pagan nations, intermarried with them, and eventually served their gods. They became comfortable with the very practices God had warned would become a snare. This raises an important application for believers today: what we tolerate around us can eventually begin shaping what we accept and worship.The chapter then repeats the familiar cycle of Judges. Israel forgets the Lord and does evil. God allows an enemy to oppress them. The people cry out, and God raises up a deliverer. After a period of peace, the people return to disobedience and the cycle begins again.This session also explores the biblical themes of being sold under sin, redemption, and Christ paying the debt that sinners cannot pay for themselves. Israel’s bondage to foreign kings provides a picture of humanity’s deeper bondage to sin and the need for a Redeemer.The study then turns to Ehud, the left-handed Benjaminite whom God uses to deliver Israel from King Eglon of Moab. The account is violent and graphic, reminding us that sin and judgment are not pleasant realities. Yet it also shows God’s faithfulness when His people cry out for help.Finally, the chapter briefly introduces Shamgar, who defeats six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. Shamgar receives only one verse, but his faithfulness was no less valuable than that of judges who receive several chapters. God does not require fame, recognition, or a large audience. He calls His people to faithfully accomplish the work He places before them.Scripture: Judges 3:1–31Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study Questions discussed in this session:Were the Israelites supposed to marry outside Israel? What happens when we worship what seems right to us? Why would God want to teach people warfare? Do people today forget the good things that God does for us? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Judges 2:11–23 introduces the repeating cycle that will shape the rest of the Book of Judges. Israel forsakes the Lord, serves the Baals and Ashtoreth, provokes God to anger, suffers under enemy oppression, and then receives mercy when God raises up judges to deliver them.In this session, Glenn and Steve examine the Canaanite worship of Baal and Ashtoreth and explain why this idolatry was so dangerous for Israel. Rather than completely rejecting Yahweh at first, Israel began adding Canaanite worship to the worship of the Lord. That kind of syncretism led them deeper into idolatry and away from the covenant commitment they had made in Joshua.The study also addresses the relationship between God’s wrath and His lovingkindness. God’s anger is not arbitrary or uncontrolled. His anger burns against evil because He is holy and just. At the same time, this passage shows His mercy because He raises up deliverers for people who did not deserve His grace.The discussion then turns to practical application. Israel repeatedly turned away from God, and believers today must recognize the same danger in their own lives. Staying close to the Lord requires daily prayer, time in Scripture, fellowship with other believers, and keeping short accounts with God when sin appears.This session also explains the difference between feeling sorry and genuine repentance. Repentance is not merely regret over being caught or suffering consequences. It is a change of mind that results in turning back toward God.Scripture: Judges 2:11–22Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB StudyQuestions discussed in this session:Did Israel deserve God’s love and grace? When we come in contact with unbiblical things, what usually happens?Is God wrathful? Should we concern ourselves with God’s wrath?Why would God describe idol worship as being like a prostitute?Is God loving or does He get angry? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Israel’s decline continues in Judges 1:23–2:10 as the people begin making deals with the Canaanites instead of fully obeying God. What may have seemed practical in the moment became spiritually dangerous over time. The Israelites spared people they were commanded to drive out, allowed pagan influence to remain in the land, and eventually placed some of the Canaanites into forced labor for economic gain.In this session, we examine the danger of partial obedience and why compromise often becomes a trap. The discussion contrasts Israel’s deal with the man from Bethel with Rahab’s faith in Joshua. Rahab trusted the God of Israel, but in Judges the Israelites are no longer acting from faith. They are negotiating with the very people God had warned would turn their hearts away from Him.Judges 2 then introduces the Angel of the Lord, who confronts Israel for breaking the covenant. He reminds them that God brought them out of Egypt, gave them the land, and would never break His covenant. Yet Israel failed to tear down the pagan altars and made covenants with the inhabitants of the land. Because of this, those nations would become thorns in Israel’s side, and their gods would become a snare.The session also explains how sin works like a snare. It is often hidden, attractive, and dangerous before a person realizes how trapped they have become. Israel’s compromise with idolatry did not remain harmless. It pulled the nation deeper into disobedience and removed the protection and blessing they had previously enjoyed.Finally, the study turns to one of the saddest statements in the early chapters of Judges: a new generation arose that did not know the Lord or the works He had done for Israel. The people had failed to pass down the knowledge of God’s faithfulness. This becomes a serious warning for parents, churches, and believers today.Scripture: Judges 1:23–2:10Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB StudyQuestions in this session include:  Can I disobey so much that God stops working in my life? What happens when I leave evil in my life? What happens when Israel does not tell their children about God?How many of the things that caused Israel to forget the Lord do we see today? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

The Book of Judges begins after the death of Joshua and covers the period between Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land and the rise of the kings. Joshua was largely a story of faith, victory, and obedience. Judges presents a much darker picture of unbelief, defeat, oppression, and repeated spiritual decline.In this opening session, we introduce the historical setting of Judges and examine the verse that summarizes the book: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). When people reject God’s standard and become their own authority, confusion and moral disorder soon follow.We also examine the recurring cycle that shapes Judges. Israel enjoys God’s blessing, turns to idols, falls under enemy oppression, cries out in distress, and receives deliverance through a judge whom God raises up. After a period of peace, however, the nation repeats the same pattern.Judges 1 begins positively when Israel inquires of the Lord. Yet the chapter soon reveals the first small compromises. Judah asks Simeon to accompany them even though God had identified Judah to go first. Israel later adopts the cruel practices of Adoni-bezek, fails to complete God’s commands, and eventually accepts defeat before iron chariots without seeking the Lord for an answer.The problem was not that iron chariots were too powerful for God. Israel had already seen Him defeat Egypt, part the Red Sea, bring down Jericho, and conquer numerous fortified cities. The deeper problem was that the people were beginning to rely on themselves rather than inquire of God.This study also considers the historical reliability of Judges, the role of the judges as deliverers, Caleb’s continued faithfulness, and Achsah’s wise request for springs of water.Join us as we begin a verse-by-verse study through one of the darkest yet most relevant books of the Old Testament.Scripture: Judges 1:1–22Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study  Questions from this session:Why does Israel have trouble driving out the Canaanites?Was Israel supposed to make deals with the people of Canaan? What happens when we do not go to God at the first sign of trouble?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this special theology discussion, Reasoning Through the Bible steps away from the normal verse-by-verse format to address an important question: Does God change His mind, emotions, or knowledge based on what people do?This session looks at passages where Scripture says Israel provoked the Lord to anger, God tested people, God regretted making man, and God relented. How should these passages be understood alongside other Scriptures that say God does not change, does not grow weary, does not learn, and is not like man?The discussion explains key theological terms such as immutability, impassibility, omniscience, and anthropomorphism. It also addresses open theism, word of faith teaching, prayer, God’s emotions, and why biblical language sometimes describes God in human terms so people can understand His actions.Topics in this episode include: Does God change His mind?  God’s immutability  God’s impassibility  God’s emotions  anthropomorphic language in Scripture  omniscience and God’s knowledge  open theism  prayer and God’s will  does God learn?  can we make God more angry?  does God regret?  biblical theology and systematic theology Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application. Questions from this session:Does God have human emotions? Can humans change God’s emotions? Can God change His mind? Was Christian theology built upon Greek philosophy? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this special Reasoning Through the Bible discussion, we step away from the normal verse-by-verse format for an informal conversation on eschatology and end-times systems. This session compares views such as premillennialism, amillennialism, covenant theology, preterism, and postmillennialism, while asking a central question: Does God still have a future plan for Israel?The discussion focuses on the sequence found in the Old Testament prophets: Israel’s sin, God’s judgment, the nations gathering against Jerusalem, Israel crying out to the Lord, and God restoring His people. We examine passages and themes from Ezekiel, Zechariah, Joel, Daniel, Romans 11, Acts 1, and Revelation 20, showing why we believe the biblical pattern points to a future restoration of Israel and a future kingdom ruled by Christ.A major emphasis in this episode is that there is only one way of salvation. Israel is not saved apart from Christ. Gentiles are not saved apart from Christ. Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone. At the same time, God’s national promises to Israel, the Abrahamic covenant, and the future kingdom should not be erased or replaced by the church.Topics in this episode include:eschatology and end timespremillennialismamillennialismcovenant theologypreterismpostmillennialismIsrael and the churchAbrahamic covenantRomans 11 and IsraelEzekiel 36 and restorationZechariah and the pierced MessiahRevelation 20 and the millenniumJesus reigning from Jerusalemone salvation through ChristReasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 24, Reasoning Through the Bible reaches the final chapter of the book of Joshua. Joshua gathers Israel at Shechem, a place filled with covenant history, remembrance, and spiritual significance. From Abraham to Jacob, from the renewal of the covenant to the burial of Joseph’s bones, Shechem served as a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness to His people.This session explores why Joshua retells Israel’s history, why remembering God’s works matters, and how gratitude strengthens faith. Joshua reminds the people that God brought Abraham out from idol worship, delivered Israel from Egypt, gave them land they did not labor for, and placed them in cities they did not build. The proper response is not pride, but worship, humility, and service.A major theme in this episode is Joshua’s famous challenge: “Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve.” Joshua does not present faith as passive or vague. He calls Israel to make a clear decision, put away foreign gods, and serve the Lord in sincerity and truth. His personal declaration, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” becomes one of the strongest examples of faithful leadership in Scripture.The study also addresses why Israel still had idols in their midst, why old patterns can cling to God’s people, how spiritual compromise begins, why strong leadership matters, and how Joshua’s generation remained faithful while godly leadership remained in place.Topics in this episode include: Joshua 24 study  choose whom you will serve  as for me and my house  serve the Lord  put away idols  Shechem in the Bible  remembering God’s faithfulness  gratitude in the Christian life  faithful leadership  Joseph’s bones  resurrection hope  finishing the book of Joshua Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application. Questions from this session:Is there a benefit of physical reminders of what God has done for us? What good things has God done for us? Can we half-heartedly follow God?Whom will you follow? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 23, Reasoning Through the Bible looks at Joshua’s farewell address to the leaders of Israel. Joshua is old, advanced in years, and near the end of his life. His final message is not about himself, but about the faithfulness of God and the need for Israel to remain faithful after he is gone.This session explores why Joshua reminded the people that the Lord had fought for them, why there was still work to do even after Israel had rest, and why the remaining nations were still a danger. Joshua warns Israel not to turn aside to the right or left, not to cling to pagan nations, and not to worship other gods.A major theme in this episode is finishing faithfully. Joshua remained true to the Lord to the end of his life, and his final words challenge believers today to leave behind a clear testimony of faith. The session also applies Joshua’s warning to the Christian life by showing how believers can stop fighting sin, grow tired spiritually, and allow the world, the flesh, and the devil to remain too close.Topics in this episode include: Joshua 23 study  Joshua’s farewell address  faithful to the end  final words to the next generation  God fights for His people  unfinished obedience  fighting sin after salvation  do not turn to the right or left  love the Lord your God  blessings and warnings  God’s discipline and judgment Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Questions from this session:How can we pass along our beliefs to our children?Why would Israel stop fighting before they finished? What would you want to pass along when you die? How do we reconcile God’s justice and love? How can I stay faithful to the end?Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 22, Reasoning Through the Bible continues the account of the altar built by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh on the east side of the Jordan. When the rest of Israel hears about the altar, they fear that these tribes are turning away from the Lord and repeating the sins of the past.This session looks back at two serious examples: the sin at Peor and Achan’s sin at Ai. Both remind Israel that sin does not remain isolated. One person, one group, or one act of rebellion can bring consequences on the larger body. The discussion also distinguishes between the guilt of sin and the consequences of sin. God truly forgives those who repent, but the consequences of sinful choices may still remain.A major theme in this episode is the danger of spiritual drift. The eastern tribes intended the altar to be a witness for future generations, but their separation from the main body of Israel still created long-term danger. Their concern for their children was right, but the solution showed how easy it is for worship to begin shifting away from God’s revealed pattern.Topics in this episode include:Joshua 22 studysin at PeorAchan’s singuilt and consequences of sinno victimless sinthe remnant in Israelthe witness altarpassing faith to childrenteaching the next generationblood sacrifice and atonementspiritual driftstaying close to God’s peopleReasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application. Questions from this Session: What happens when we do not ask God’s guidance?Is a bloodless sacrifice a good thing or not? What happens when we settle away from other believers? Is there a difference in the guilt of sin and the consequences of sin? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 22, Reasoning Through the Bible looks at the return of the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh after helping the rest of Israel conquer the land. These two-and-a-half tribes had chosen to settle east of the Jordan, but they still kept their promise to Moses and Joshua by helping their brothers fight for the land west of the Jordan.This session begins with a reminder of God’s promise of the land to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the nation of Israel. The discussion traces how the land promise runs through Genesis, Joshua, the Babylonian captivity, the return from exile, the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, and Israel’s return as a modern nation. The land matters because God promised it unconditionally.A major theme in this episode is the importance of serving with God’s people. The eastern tribes did not abandon their brothers. They participated in the work, and Joshua commended them for their faithfulness. The session applies this to the church today, reminding believers that ministry is not only for a few people while everyone else watches. Christians are called to participate in the work of the body.The study also addresses Joshua’s warning to remember the Lord, the danger of settling for less than God’s best, whether material wealth is guaranteed to believers, and the large altar built near the Jordan. Israel’s reaction to that altar shows how seriously they understood the danger of rebellion, while the physical separation of the eastern tribes becomes a warning about how distance from God’s people can eventually lead to drift.Topics in this episode include:Joshua 22 studyIsrael’s land promiseReuben, Gad, and half-tribe of Manassehserving with God’s peoplerest after the workdon’t settle for lessremember the Lordwealth and the Christian lifethe controversial altarphysical separation from believersspiritual driftReasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Questions in this session:How important is it for Christians to do ministry work?What about the people who left God’s best? Why do the people need reminding so many times? Can following God’s ways bring great wealth?Are there risks with building large religious structures? What happens when we are separated from other people? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 20–21, Reasoning Through the Bible examines the cities of refuge and the powerful picture they give of God’s justice, mercy, and protection. These cities were set apart for someone who had killed another person unintentionally, giving them a safe place to flee until their case could be heard fairly.This session explores how the cities of refuge point to important biblical principles still reflected in legal systems today, including due process, innocent until proven guilty, fair judgment, and protection from vengeance. The study also explains why these cities were connected to the Levites, who were responsible for knowing and applying God’s law.A major theme in this episode is how the cities of refuge point forward to Jesus Christ. God is our refuge, Jesus is our High Priest, and when our High Priest died, believers were set free from condemnation. The cities were accessible to all, and in the same way, Christ is near and available to all who come to Him by faith.The episode also addresses Joshua 21 and the question of Israel’s land promises. Did Joshua 21 fulfill all the land promises made to Abraham forever, or is there still a future fulfillment for Israel? The discussion looks at the Abrahamic covenant, the meaning of “forever,” the boundaries promised to Abraham, and why God is not finished with Israel.Topics in this episode include:Joshua 20–21 studycities of refugebiblical justiceinnocent until proven guiltymanslaughter and murderJesus as our refugeChrist our High Priestno condemnation in ChristGod gave Israel restIsrael’s land promisesAbrahamic covenantforever means foreverReasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Questions in this session:  What are the rules around the cities of refuge?When someone is offered refuge, how can they get it?What is the connection with the high priest? Who can run to refuge in our high priest? What happens to those who do not take refuge?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 11–19, Reasoning Through the Bible moves through one of the most detailed sections in the book of Joshua. These chapters include long lists of conquered kings, cities, boundaries, tribes, inheritances, and land divisions. At first glance, the details may feel tedious, but they serve an important purpose: they show that Joshua is not religious myth, but real history rooted in real places, real people, and real covenant promises.This session explores why God included so many land details, how Joshua’s conquest shows God’s faithfulness, and why Israel still failed to finish the work completely. The discussion also addresses the hardening of hearts, the Anakim giants, the later problem of Goliath from Gath, and the danger of leaving unfinished obedience behind.The study also highlights Caleb’s remarkable faith at 85 years old. Caleb does not ask for the easiest land. He asks for the hill country where the giants live, because he still trusts the Lord’s promise. The episode also explains why the Levites received no tribal land inheritance, how that helps illuminate Barnabas in Acts 4, why occult practices such as divination are condemned, and how the Bible gives a high and fair view of women through the daughters who receive their inheritance.Topics in this episode include:Joshua 11–19 studyconquest of Canaanland inheritance in Joshuawhy biblical details matterhardening of heartsAnakim and giantsCaleb at 85Levites and inheritanceBalaam and divinationwomen and inheritance in the Biblefinishing God’s assignmentReasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Questions in this session:What about God hardening people’s hearts? If God has been faithful in the past, can we trust Him in the future?Is it better to get wealth or closer to the Lord?Can a leader satisfy everyone?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 10, Reasoning Through the Bible looks at one of the most dramatic miracles in the book of Joshua: the day God made the sun stand still. After the Gibeonites made peace with Israel, five Amorite kings banded together to attack them. Joshua came to their defense, and the Lord fought for Israel through battle, confusion, hailstones, and a miraculous extension of daylight.This session explores why the kings feared Israel, why opposition often increases when people make peace with God, and why the Lord’s work sometimes requires hard, exhausting effort. At Jericho, God brought the walls down easily. In Joshua 10, Israel marches all night, fights a long battle, and still depends completely on the Lord for victory.The study also addresses the miracle of the sun standing still, God’s control over nature, how Joshua 10 relates to conversations about the Bible and science, and why Christians do not need to be afraid of true science. The chapter closes with the defeat of the five kings, the seriousness of God’s judgment, and the need to deal with sin directly rather than compromise with the world, the flesh, and the devil.Topics in this episode include:Joshua 10 studythe sun standing stillGod fighting for Israelfive kings against Gibeonfaith when enemies gatherGod’s control over natureBible and sciencedealing with sin directlyJesus and the curse of the treetrusting God in hard ministryReasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Questions in this session: How can we trust the Lord and not be afraid? Why would the Lord ask us to work hard?Are science and faith in opposition? When we pray, do we pray with confidence? Can we be worldly and carnal and still be righteous? Learn more about RTTB:  Reasoning Through the Bible – Straightforward with some Critical ThinkingSupport the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 9, Reasoning Through the Bible examines the deception of the Gibeonites. After Israel’s victories at Jericho and Ai, the kings of Canaan begin to band together against Israel. But the Gibeonites choose a different strategy. Instead of open battle, they use deception, pretending to be travelers from a distant land so they can make a covenant with Joshua.This session explores how the Gibeonites used worn-out clothes, old wineskins, dry bread, and religious language to convince Israel that they came from far away. Their deception worked because Joshua and the leaders failed to ask counsel from the Lord before making an agreement. Joshua 9 becomes a warning about spiritual discernment, rushed decisions, and religious-sounding deception.The episode also addresses practical lessons for believers today. Christians should be innocent as doves but wise as serpents. Not everyone who uses religious language is trustworthy, and not every opportunity should be accepted without prayer, investigation, and wise counsel. The chapter also teaches that promises matter. Even though Israel was deceived, they had sworn an oath before the Lord and were still required to keep it.Topics in this episode include:Joshua 9 studythe Gibeonite deceptionreligious con jobswise as serpentsasking counsel from the Lordmaking agreements carefullykeeping promisesspiritual discernmentwolves in sheep’s clothingthe world, the flesh, and the devil in JoshuaReasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Questions in this session:  Do evil forces disguise themselves today?Are there people today who use religion a tool for deceiving us? Should we expect to see deception? How can we keep our guard up but still help those in need? What should we do when our leaders make mistakes?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 7:13–8:35, Reasoning Through the Bible continues the account of Achan’s hidden sin and Israel’s defeat at Ai. After Israel lost power because sin was hidden in the camp, God commands Joshua to deal with the sin publicly and remove what had been placed under the ban. This session shows that sin is never merely private, because it can affect families, churches, ministries, and the people around us.The study follows the process by which Achan is exposed, his confession that he saw, coveted, and took the forbidden things, and the serious judgment that followed. The episode also explains the pattern of sin seen throughout Scripture: seeing, desiring, taking, and hiding. Achan’s failure becomes a warning that hidden sin must be brought into the light before God’s people can move forward in His power.Joshua 8 then shows what happens after the sin is removed. Israel returns to Ai, God restores victory, and Joshua leads the people back to worship and the Word of God. The chapter closes with an altar of uncut stones, sacrifice, and the public reading of the law before all Israel. The message is clear: after sin is dealt with, God’s people must return to worship, obedience, and Scripture.Topics in this episode include:Joshua 7 and 8 studyAchan’s sin exposedpublic confrontation of sinsin affects othersIsrael’s victory at Airestored spiritual powerthe altar of uncut stonesworship after victoryreading the law of Mosesreturning to God’s WordReasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Questions in this session:  When there is sin in our midst, do we deal with it publicly or privately? What is the process for how to deal with sin in the congregation? Is it OK to build large impressive religious buildings? What does Joshua do to remind Israel of God’s commands?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 7, Reasoning Through the Bible examines Israel’s unexpected defeat at Ai after the great victory at Jericho. One man, Achan, secretly took what God had placed under the ban, and that hidden sin affected the entire nation. The chapter reminds believers that God sees what people try to hide and that secret sin can rob God’s people of spiritual power.This session explores Achan’s sin, Israel’s defeat, Joshua’s desperate prayer, God’s response, and the sobering reality of God’s wrath against sin. The study also explains why the defeat at Ai was not caused by a lack of confidence. Israel expected an easy victory, but hidden sin had weakened them before the battle ever began.A major theme in this episode is that God does not overlook sin among His people. Hidden sin may seem small, but it does not stay small. Like leaven, it spreads and brings damage. Joshua 7 becomes a warning to believers and churches today: if God’s people want His power against the world and the flesh, they must deal honestly and radically with sin.Topics in this episode include:Joshua 7 studyAchan’s sinIsrael’s defeat at Aihidden sin in the campGod’s wrath against sinsecret sin and spiritual powerwhy Israel lost after Jerichoconfession and repentancethe danger of small sinsthe church’s power against the world and fleshReasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Questions in this session:How do we reconcile God’s wrath and His love? How much does God know? Is the modern church empowered? Why or why not?How does God react to our disobedience? What happens to people in God’s will when they sin?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 6, Reasoning Through the Bible walks through the fall of Jericho and one of the most memorable victories in the Old Testament. God gives Joshua an unusual battle plan: march around the city, carry the Ark of the Covenant, blow the trumpets, remain silent until the appointed time, and then shout. From a human standpoint, this did not look like military strategy. But that is the point. When the walls fall, God gets the glory.This session explores why Jericho was shut up in fear, what it means that God said, “I have given Jericho into your hand,” and why Israel had to conquer by faith rather than by human strength. The discussion also connects Jericho to the Christian life by showing how believers face worldly strongholds and overcome them through faith, the Word of God, and the blood of Christ.The episode also addresses Rahab’s rescue, the command not to take the things under the ban, the difficult question of God’s judgment on Jericho, archaeological details that fit the biblical account, and the fulfillment of Joshua’s curse on anyone who rebuilt the city. Joshua 6 reminds believers that God keeps His promises, judges evil, saves those who trust Him, and brings down strongholds in His own way.Topics in this episode include: Joshua 6 study  fall of Jericho  walls of Jericho  God’s battle plan  Ark of the Covenant  faith and obedience  Rahab’s rescue  worldly strongholds  God’s judgment on Canaan  archaeological evidence for Jericho  God keeps His promises Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Questions in this session:  Is it difficult to follow God’s commands?Can God’s word overcome the world? What is it like to fight against God? What should I take up to help me against the world?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 5, Reasoning Through the Bible examines the chapter that comes just before Jericho. Instead of rushing straight into battle, Israel must first get right with God. The people are circumcised, they celebrate the Passover, the manna stops, and Joshua encounters a mysterious figure with a drawn sword who identifies himself as the commander of the Lord’s army. This session explores why circumcision mattered as a covenant sign, how it pictured cleansing and separation, and why Israel had neglected it during the wilderness years. The discussion also draws New Testament parallels to the heart, baptism, and the Christian life, showing that people are not saved by outward ritual, but that once God saves, He begins to clean up their lives. The episode also highlights the Passover as a memorial of God’s redemption, the end of manna once Israel entered the land, and the striking appearance of the man with the drawn sword. Since Joshua worships him and he accepts that worship, the session argues that this is no mere angel, but the pre-incarnate Christ appearing before the battle. Topics in this episode include: Joshua 5 study  circumcision in Joshua  getting right with God  Passover in the Promised Land  why the manna stopped  the commander of the Lord’s army  pre-incarnate Christ  cleansing before conquest  preparation before Jericho Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Questions in this session:Do we get clean before or after salvation?When we get right with God, how much use is our flesh? Who is the only person who can rightfully accept worship?What are the signs of the covenants in the OT vs the NT? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 4, Reasoning Through the Bible looks at the memorial stones Israel set up after crossing the Jordan River. God commanded one man from each tribe to take a stone from the riverbed so future generations would ask what happened there and be told how the Lord brought His people into the land on dry ground. This chapter is about remembering what God has done and passing that testimony on. This session explores why God wanted a visible memorial, why teaching children mattered so much in Israel, and how believers today can intentionally preserve and pass on their Christian testimony. The discussion also highlights the priests standing firm in the Jordan, the importance of staying at the task God gives, and the repeated emphasis on Israel having passed over into the land. A major theme in this episode is that once Israel crossed over, the waters returned. The way back was closed. That becomes a vivid spiritual picture: when God brings a person into His salvation, there is no true going back to the old life. Believers may stumble, but they cannot be at home in the old wilderness the same way anymore. Topics in this episode include: Joshua 4 study  memorial stones  teaching children about God  Christian testimony for future generations  priests standing firm  passed over the Jordan  no turning back  salvation symbolism in Joshua  remembering God’s faithfulness Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Questions discussed in this session:  Should we remind our children about what God has done for us? What if we want to let our children make up their own mind about God?If God has us in a ministry, when should I stay and when should I go? For the Christian, how are things different after we are saved? Can we trust God to do what He promises?  Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 3, Reasoning Through the Bible follows Israel as they prepare to cross the Jordan River and finally enter the Promised Land. This chapter centers on the Ark of the Covenant, God’s holy presence going before His people, and the miracle of the Jordan stopping at flood stage. The message is clear: when God leads, His people must follow, even when the path ahead is unfamiliar and humanly impossible. This session explains the significance of the Ark of the Covenant, why Israel had to keep its distance, what it meant to consecrate themselves before God acted, and why the priests had to step into the flooded river before the waters stopped. The study highlights a major biblical pattern: God’s promises are trusted by faith, and the fruit often comes when people actually obey and move forward. The episode also draws out the spiritual symbolism in the chapter. Israel is being led into unknown territory, but God already knows the way. The Ark goes first, the people follow, and the crossing becomes both real history and a vivid reminder that believers today must trust God’s presence when He leads them into unfamiliar assignments, difficult seasons, and situations beyond their own strength. Topics in this episode include: Joshua 3 study  crossing the Jordan River  Ark of the Covenant  consecrate yourselves  obedience before the miracle  faith in unknown places  God goes before His people  dry ground in the Jordan  taking the step of faith Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Questions dealt with in this session: What is the ark of the covenant and why is it important? How does this ancient artifact reflect our relationship with God? What is consecration and how does it affect us?Where do I go when I don’t know which way to go? At what point does faith bring forth fruit? Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 2, Reasoning Through the Bible examines one of the most powerful stories in the early part of Joshua: the faith of Rahab. As two spies enter Jericho, they find refuge in the home of a woman who should have been an unlikely ally. Yet Rahab had already heard what God had done for Israel, and she believed that the Lord had truly given the land into their hands. This session explores why Joshua wisely sent only two spies, why they stayed in Rahab’s house, what Rahab knew about the God of Israel, and how her confession of faith shows remarkable theology for someone outside the covenant people. The discussion also addresses the moral dilemma Rahab faced, why she protected the spies, and how Scripture later honors her faith. A major theme in this episode is the meaning of the scarlet cord. Rahab and her family would be spared if they stayed inside the house marked by the scarlet sign. This becomes a vivid picture of salvation, pointing back to Passover and forward to the saving blood of Christ. The study emphasizes that Rahab was not saved by her own strength, but by trusting God and staying under the sign He provided. Topics in this episode include: Joshua 2 explained  Rahab and the spies  Rahab’s faith  the scarlet cord  salvation in Joshua  Jericho and judgment  wise planning and godly faith  Rahab in Hebrews and Matthew  being under the blood Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application. Questions in this session: Why was Jericho important?How should Rahab respond to an ethical dilemma?Can I lie to get myself out of a jam? If I’ve been disobeying God in the past, how should I respond?Why is Rahab’s scarlet cord helpful to me today?Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 1:10–18, Reasoning Through the Bible continues through Joshua chapter 1 by focusing on the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. These tribes agreed to help Israel conquer the land, but they chose to settle on the east side of the Jordan rather than fully enter the land God had promised. This session explores why that decision matters and how it pictures the danger of settling for less than God’s best. This study examines the background from Numbers 32, the promises those tribes made to Moses and Joshua, and the spiritual lesson behind their choice. The discussion shows how believers today can do something similar by stopping short of full obedience, staying on the edges of Christian life, or separating themselves from the fellowship and accountability of God’s people. A major emphasis in this session is the risk of spiritual drift. When people remain on the edge, separated from the larger body of believers, they often begin to compromise, deviate, and settle into “good enough” spirituality. The episode also offers pastoral encouragement about reaching out to drifting believers with concern, not condemnation, and reminds listeners that God’s repeated promises still stand even when His people forget them. Topics in this episode include: Joshua 1 explained  Reuben, Gad, and half-tribe of Manasseh  settling for less than God’s best  danger of spiritual separation  staying with God’s people  drifting and compromise  concern for wandering believers  God’s repeated promises  almost in the land Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 1:1–9, Reasoning Through the Bible begins the first chapter of Joshua by looking at one of the most important leadership transitions in all of Scripture. Moses is dead, Joshua must now step forward, and the people stand on the edge of the land God promised long ago to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This session explores why God’s work does not end when one leader dies, because the Lord remains faithful to His covenant and continues His purposes. This study also examines God’s promise to give the land to Israel, why that land mattered so much in biblical history, and what it means that God says, “I have given it to you.” The discussion highlights how Israel’s inheritance was grounded in God’s promise, not in their perfect obedience, and how Joshua is called to trust the God who does not forget what He has said. A major emphasis in this session is the repeated command to be strong and courageous. God tells Joshua three times not to be frightened or dismayed, because He will be with him wherever he goes. The episode also explores what it means to meditate on God’s Word day and night, why believers must not turn to the right or the left, and how God often calls ordinary people into assignments too large for them to handle in their own strength. Topics in this episode include: Joshua 1 explained  Moses and Joshua leadership transition  God’s promise of the land  be strong and courageous  God will not leave or forsake you  meditating on God’s Word  not turning right or left  trusting God in difficult assignments  faith when the giants are real Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this introduction to the book of Joshua, Reasoning Through the Bible sets the biblical context for one of the most important historical and symbolic books in the Old Testament. This session traces the story from Genesis to Exodus, from slavery in Egypt to the wilderness, and from Moses to Joshua, showing where the book begins and why Joshua matters so much in the larger flow of Scripture. This study also explores Joshua’s background, the faith of Joshua and Caleb, the failure of the generation that refused to trust God, and the significance of Joshua’s name. It highlights how the book of Joshua is not only real history, but also a powerful picture of salvation, faith, and following the Savior into God’s promises. A major emphasis in this session is the connection between Joshua and Jesus. The discussion explains how Joshua’s name, role, and mission point beyond himself and help illustrate how God leads His people out of bondage and into blessing. It also shows why the Christian life is not merely following rules, but following a person in relationship and faith. Topics in this episode include: introduction to Joshua  Joshua and Caleb  Israel in Egypt and the wilderness  Moses, law, and promise  Joshua’s name and meaning  Joshua as a picture of salvation  Joshua and Jesus connection  the Christian life as relationship  why Old Testament history still matters Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Psalm 2, Reasoning Through the Bible explores one of the Bible’s clearest Messianic Psalms. The psalm begins with a world in chaos — nations raging, rulers conspiring, and people resisting the authority of God and His Anointed One. But the message of Psalm 2 is not that rebellion will win. The message is that God reigns, Christ is His King, and all resistance to Him is ultimately vain. This session explains the narrative flow between Psalm 1 and Psalm 2, the meaning of “Messiah” and “Christ,” why the nations reject God, how Acts 4 connects Psalm 2 to Jesus, and what it means that God has installed His King on Zion. The study also addresses the Father’s words, “You are My Son,” the future reign of Christ, and the warning that the Son will one day rule the nations with a rod of iron. The episode closes with one of the psalm’s most important truths: the nations rage, but God invites sinners to do more than tremble — He calls them to take refuge in the Son. Psalm 2 is both a warning and an invitation, pointing people away from rebellion and toward safety, blessing, and salvation in Christ. Topics in this episode include: Psalm 2 explained  why the nations rage  the Messiah in the Psalms  God’s King on Zion  Christ and Acts 4  the Son and the Father  the rod of iron  God’s wrath and refuge  how sinners can take refuge in Christ Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Job 41–42, Reasoning Through the Bible reaches the final session in the book of Job and brings the entire message into focus. After four chapters of questions from God, Job is finally humbled, repentant, and silent before the Lord. Yet even at the end, God still never tells Job the reason for his suffering. That becomes one of the greatest lessons of the whole book. This session explores the meaning of Leviathan, God’s total control over every creature and even over Satan, Job’s repentance in dust and ashes, God’s rebuke of Job’s three friends, Job’s role as intercessor for his enemies, and the restoration that follows. The study also addresses whether all believers should expect Job-like restoration in this life, or whether the greater hope is the final restoration God promises in the life to come. The episode ends by drawing out the final pastoral lessons of Job: God is in control even when earth feels chaotic, suffering is real but never greater than God, believers are not cast away every time they sin, and trusting God remains the only true answer when the reason for suffering is hidden. Topics in this episode include: Job 41 explained  Job 42 explained  Leviathan and God’s control  Job’s repentance  God does not explain why  intercession for enemies  assurance and God’s mercy  restoration after suffering  final hope beyond this life Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Job 38:31–40:24, Reasoning Through the Bible continues through one of the most humbling sections in all of Scripture as God keeps questioning Job about the stars, the weather, the mind, the wild animals, and the structure of the world. After Job had demanded answers, the Lord turns the questions around and shows just how little man understands about the universe he lives in. This session explores the constellations, the ordinances of heaven, the complexity of the human mind, the instincts of mountain goats, ostriches, horses, hawks, and eagles, and then moves into Job’s first response of silence before God. The message is not merely that creation is impressive. The message is that the Creator is beyond human correction. The episode also addresses Job’s pride, the problem of evil, why people think they can judge God, and the significance of the mysterious “behemoth” passage. Most importantly, it shows that when God finally speaks, human self-confidence collapses, and the right response is humility, reverence, and trust. Topics in this episode include: Job 38 explained  Job 39 explained  Job 40 explained  when God asks the questions  constellations and the ordinances of heaven  design in nature  Job’s silence before God  the problem of evil and human pride  behemoth and divine power Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.Support the showThank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the BiblePlease prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve