July 18-24 I’ve tried to contemplate the feelings of our ancient brothers and sisters in Jerusalem, who, after 371 years of having a glorious temple, watched as the temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and his forces, and those who survived the destructions were taken captive to Babylon. The temple was the holiest place for them, a place where they drew near unto God, a place where they offered sacrifices and renewed their covenants and commitments to Jehovah. How their hearts were broken, their hopes dashed in an instant.
July 11-17 Some events from the past are tipping points, that is, if they had had a different outcome than they did, our world would be utterly and completely different, maybe unrecognizable to us. The events in the scriptures we talk about today are one of those key tipping points in history where the entire future of the world hung in the balance. We’ll talk about that earth-shaking, ancient tipping point in the world’s history today.
July 4-10 Join us with McKay Christensen who has served as Managing Director of External Relations at BYU and management strategy instructor at the BYU Marriott School of Business as we explore the mantle being passed from Elijah to Elisha. What do we mean by a mantle in the Church? Are mantles for more than prophets and missionaries?
June 27-July 3 Join us with guest Patrick Degn who has been an instructor in the Seminaries and Institutes of Religion for more than 25 years. In this episode we will explore the story of King Ahab and Jezebel and the abrupt introduction of the man who tried to counteract their influence: Elijah.
June 20-26 We are amazed as we go through the Old Testament how applicable these lessons are today. You'd think that a book that is thousands of years old would not have that kind of application, but we have been blown away. These chapters break your heart as we learn more about David, his love for the Lord and the events that lead to his downfall. How can someone so faithful and true turn from God so deliberately? We will discuss this today.
We have with us today a special guest, Mark Matthews. Together we discuss Israel’s desire for a king and Saul’s rise to the position, and how he loses his way. We also discuss the story of David facing Goliath and how it can represent much more than we often think about.
June 6–12 Ruth is a happy interlude in these chapters. It’s not a story of a prophet, a war, or a dramatic intervention by the Lord. It’s a family story, a private story in some ways, but it’s the family story of the family of the Savior. Additionally, we discuss the story of Hannah and her faithful commitment to give up her son--the son she waited so long for--to the service of the Lord.
May 30-June 5 We’ve just spent 35 days in the Middle East leading three tours in the Holy Land, Egypt and Jordan. Of course, you cannot go to these places and lead a spiritual tour without constantly referring to the Old Testament. On this particular journey with all these amazing people, the thing that struck me over and over again was this: When John the Beloved quoted Jesus Christ in chapter 5, verse 39 where He said: “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” Jesus was sending the people to the Old Testament to find Him. When Lehi opened the Plates of Brass for the first time and searched them from the beginning (see 1 Nephi 5:10) and then he “was filled with the Spirit, and began to prophesy concerning his seed (see 1 Nephi 5:17) he was immersed in the Old Testament. When Nephi says, “For my soul delighteth in the scriptures and my heart pondereth them…” he was talking about the Old Testament. When Ammon, Aaron, Omner and Himni converted seven cities of the Lamanites and brought untold thousands to the Savior, they were using only the Old Testament in their teaching! What a treasure we have in the Old Testament!
May 23-29 The story of the Abrahamic covenant is your family story. Kerry Muhlestein says, “We don’t often think of it in that manner.” But our grandfather Abraham grew up in a turbulent time, where “his own father was steeped in idolatry. He saw his immediate family involved in horrible practices, including human sacrifice, but he knew there was a better way. Records had come down from his forefathers and foremothers, from Adam and Eve, Seth and Enoch, and Abraham reached for the heavens hoping to join his answers in the covenant. “Then one starry night, God came to him, putting His hand over him, opening his eyes, and pouring out the power and blessings of the covenant upon him, welcoming Abraham and Sarah into the community of God and those who were bound to him. They had sought God and now they had found him.” These are the covenants offered to you.
May 16-22 Scot and Maurine Proctor are joined by Kerry Muhlestein, an Egyptologist, professor at Brigham Young University and author of many books including most recently God Will Prevail, and Let’s Talk about the Book of Abraham. Readers often skip chapters in Deuteronomy, but we’ll tell you why it is one of most important books in the Old Testament to understand the covenant. Deuteronomy also contains in Chapter 6, some of the most oft-repeated verses. We get a clear sense here of what the covenant blessings are and a sense of what happens when covenant makers turn away and the Spirit withdraws. Why was it so seductive to the Children of Israel to turn to other gods? What was the appeal?