Episode 6 of our Bible 101 series of short instructional videos – historical and cultural context.
Is the Bible just another book written by men a long time ago? Or is it more than that?
You can watch the 10-part Bible 101 series on YouTube here.
non-denominational
They Said It: Four Quotes On The Book Of Deuteronomy
Here are four interesting and insightful quotes about the fifth book of the Bible, Deuteronomy.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
“Deuteronomy is the great book of moral and spiritual challenge, calling on each generation to see itself as part of the covenant story and to choose the way of life.”
— Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
John Wesley
“In Deuteronomy, God gives His people a second law, not because the first failed, but to press it upon their hearts with greater earnestness and love.”
— John Wesley, Methodist founder
Christopher J.H. Wright
“Deuteronomy is a manifesto of God’s mission—revealing how a redeemed people are to live differently in a world of injustice, idolatry, and oppression.”
— Christopher J.H. Wright, Old Testament scholar
Matthew Henry
“The book of Deuteronomy renews the covenant and reminds us that God’s laws are given for our good, to keep us close to Him and safe from the snares of the world.”
— Matthew Henry, Bible commentator
One-Minute Mini Message: A Warrior’s Weapon
Be a warrior, and use your best weapon.
Something About Mary
Recently reading the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke regarding the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she would have a son in miraculous fashion, I began thinking more fully on the cultural implications for Mary.
Mary would have been a teenager when Jesus was born, and Joseph would probably have been in his 20s, possibly even close to 30. This is the accepted cultural information found everywhere one looks. However, my questions weren’t related to the age of Mary or Joseph.
What about Mary’s parents? We know nothing of them except that Mary and Joseph’s marriage had been arranged. That takes involvement of the parents.
Logic must therefore reign as we ponder Mary’s situation. Her parents must have raised her diligently in the instruction of their faith. They must have at some level supported her unplanned pregnancy, as they did not reveal it to religious authorities. Otherwise Joseph, her betrothed, would not have thought about “putting her away privily” (Matthew 1:19). Religious authorities could have judged her and caused her to be stoned.
What about Mary and Joseph’s friends, extended family, and work relationships? We can’t remove this couple from their community and social life. The gossip must have been intense after Jesus was born and people began counting months since the time Joseph took Mary as his wife as the angel instructed.
Matthew 1:18-20
“Now the birth of Jesus was on this wise: when as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being as just man and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her if of the Holy Ghost.”
Mary had to trust God with confidence that no matter the looks and whispers, she was in His will.
Mary received the angel Gabriel’s declaration with faith. “Be it done to me according to thy word,” (Luke 1:38) was a declaration of acceptance of God’s will no matter the cost. Culturally the cost could have been her life. At the least, gossip and shunning. She would have been well aware of the cultural laws.
When she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth before her and Joseph came together in their marriage, Elizabeth called her blessed because she believed.
Luke 1:45
“And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
Elizabeth’s prophetic greeting to Mary must have greatly comforted the young girl’s heart and mind. Her cousin provided further confirmation of the things Gabriel announced. And Mary must have been greatly comforted to see proof of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, as Gabriel also had told her.
Literal Biblical Interpretation: Four Exceptions
This is Episode 9 of Bible Rebel’s 10-part ‘Bible 101’ series. It’s about seven minutes in length and briefly covers the exceptions to the principle of understanding scripture in a strict literal sense.
You can find the complete 10-part series here.
They Said It: Four Quotes On The Book Of Numbers
Here are some interesting and insightful quotes about the fourth book of the Bible, Numbers.
R. K. Harrison (Old Testament Scholar)
“Numbers reminds us that spiritual progress requires trust and obedience. Israel’s wanderings reveal that unbelief stalls the journey, but God’s patience endures even in the midst of human failure.”
Timothy Keller (Pastor & Author)
“In Numbers, we see a God who walks with His people even when they complain, rebel, and wander. Grace is not a New Testament invention—it’s woven throughout the wilderness story.”
Gordon Wenham (Biblical Scholar)
“Numbers is a book of transition—from promise to fulfillment. It shows that while God prepares His people for blessing, He also forms them through discipline, shaping them into a covenant community.”
John MacArthur (Pastor & Commentator)
“The Book of Numbers reveals the seriousness of sin and the faithfulness of God. The wilderness becomes a classroom where God teaches His people to trust His word above their fears.”
Death Row Letters: The Hiddenness of God
This post was originally published on in April, 2025 and updated on November 22,2025.
Howdy, I trust all is well with you as you sit here on death row with the rest of us.
Someone recently asked me why an all-loving and all-powerful God would hide and allow for so many folks to doubt His existence.
The so called ‘hiddenness of God’, which has been debated in philosophical/theological discussions for a long time, raises the question of why God doesn’t just make His presence undeniably clear to everyone.
Do we ask why the clockmaker doesn’t show himself every time we look at a big, beautiful grandfather clock? Nope. Because the clock is proof of the clockmaker.
God isn’t hidden, you can see Him everywhere you look.
Psalm 19:1-2 – The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. (KJV)
How can any intelligent person look at the creation and not see the Creator? So, no, God is not hidden – people who claim He is are in denial.
Romans 1:19-21 – Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Not only has God revealed Himself through the Book of Creation, He has also shown Himself perfectly through the written Word of God, the Bible, and in complete fullness by the Word made flesh, Jeshua our Messiah, the only begotten son of God.
Even so, I understand the argument: Why doesn’t God just do a bunch of magic tricks for everyone all the time so that they will see Him and love Him?
Well, part of the answer to that question is imbedded in the question itself. See if you can figure it out before our next little chat when we’ll dig a little deeper into the hiddenness of God.
Until then,
Your fellow death row occupant
They Said It: Four Quotes On Leviticus
Some interesting and insightful quotes about the third book of the Bible, Leviticus.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
“Leviticus teaches us that holiness is not an abstract concept but a way of life, shaping how we live, how we love, and how we treat one another.”
— Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, former Chief Rabbi of the UK
John Calvin
“In Leviticus God shows that true worship must begin with atonement. Without reconciliation to God, nothing we do can be pleasing in His sight.”
— John Calvin, Reformer and theologian
N.T. Wright
“Leviticus forms the vital foundation for understanding Jesus’ work. Its sacrifices and purity codes point forward to the healing, forgiveness, and restoration He brings.”
— N.T. Wright, New Testament scholar and bishop
Matthew Henry
“Though many parts of Leviticus appear obscure to us, the whole book points to Christ, the true sacrifice and our great High Priest.”
— Matthew Henry, Bible commentator
Our Free Monthly Newsletter: What Is ‘Curious Fearless Faith’?
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- To monitor current news and events related to faith and culture.
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- To examine and question the assumptions of religious tradition and provide a resource for information and inspiration for people of faith who have become dissatisfied with an increasingly lifeless and empty ‘churchianity’.
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At Bible Rebel, this is our one and only creed:
Our living God is a loving God and the Bible is His revealed word and will.
Our hope and eternal salvation relies entirely on the work of God’s only begotten son, Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.
So, expect some controversial viewpoints and uncomfortable ideas in some of the coming content from Bible Rebel.
Coming in November and December
More in our “Your Life and What Comes After” series.
More in-depth content on deeper biblical studies and theological issues.
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- Biblical Literacy: What the Bible does and doesn’t say
- They Said It: Poignant quotes on a variety of topics
- Guest articles
- And more…
Watchdogs
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Abraham – And The Greater Vision
Often, looking at the stars, contemplating how many I can’t see in the middle of town with street lights all around, I think about God’s promise to Abraham that his seed would be as numerous as the stars. If you’ve ever been out in the desert at night, away from population, if you’ve ever been up in the mountains in a place like Montana, the enormity, the immensity, the sheer number of stars is wondrous. You can’t really imagine it unless you’ve seen it. So many stars stretching through the Milky Way alone that it looks like a sheet of soft light spread across the sky. Spilled milk. The Way of Milk.
Yet the Apostle Paul notes that the promises of God to Abraham were to his seed – not as of many seeds, but as of ONE seed, who is the Lord Jesus, the Christ.
Galatians 3:16 KJV
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
So how are we included in God’s promise to Abraham? As many as believe on Christ, The Seed, are welcomed under the umbrella of Abraham’s seed by faith and we represent that vision of stars stretching through the Milky Way and beyond.
Galatians 2:7 KJV
Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
In this Biblical account of the exchange between God and Abraham, God gets Abraham to look up, and in effect, to get a greater vision for his life and purpose. Many success-oriented coaches teach that if we want to be truly successful in life, we need to get our vision up.
One of the great phrases I heard years ago from such coaches (probably Jim Rohn) was to set a goal so big it scares you. The reason? You have to grow up into the goal to achieve it.
So there I am this week, reading through these excerpts in the Bible, pondering the beauty of being part of the family of Christ, welcomed in as Abraham’s seed through Christ, and I was inspired to read Psalm 2.
Psalm 2:7-8 KJV
(7) I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
(8) Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
It came to me, that as the seed of Christ through faith, God is asking us to get our vision up. The Body of Christ, the body of believers, can ask the Father to give us the heathen (the yet unsaved) as part of the inheritance of Jesus Christ, in whose inheritance we share.
Romans 8:16-17a KJV
(16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
(17a) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;
God the Father is declaring that we can ask to possess the uttermost parts of the earth for Him by declaring the witness of Christ. Not a material possession, but a spiritual realm. That what Christ began and then commissioned disciples to continue, equipped with the Gift of Holy Spirit and all its manifestations, as well as the written Word, was prophesied in Psalm 2 not just for the Messiah, but for his seed. And if we can grab the vision and see the goal, what we will become in the process of trying to achieve it? Why, we will grow up into Christ, we will mature as members of his body.
You reading this must think me dull-witted! How could I have not seen this so clearly before? God is so lovely to break things down for me in the most simple terms. What is required here to get my vision up is to see the vision God already gave.
Ask of me, He says. Ask.