Spoken Gospel
Every page of the Bible is about Jesus. Not just the Gospels, but the Law, the Prophets, Job's whirlwind and Jonah's fish. On the Spoken Gospel Podcast, David Bowden and Christine Kazar take one passage at a time and read it slowly, in its own world, until they find where it leads: to Christ.
This is a real conversation, not a lecture. Hebrew and Greek words, ancient history, the church fathers and the Bible's echoes of itself, all in service of one question: where is the gospel here? With episodes on every book of the Bible, it's a place to go deep without getting lost, whether you're preparing to teach or simply want to love your Bible more.
Spoken Gospel is a nonprofit that equips the church to speak the gospel out of every corner of Scripture through films, devotionals and podcasts. Everything we make is free. Find more at spokengospel.com.
201
Samuel Introduction
The books of Samuel introduce and develop the ideas of kingship and kingdom. The king Samuel describes is supposed to humbly listen to God's voice, which is primarily heard through the prophets. Seth and David talk about how Jesus is not just our humble King but as the one who coronates us to rule and reign with him.
64 min
202
Judges Introduction
The Book of Judges narrates Israel's slow decay. Rather than driving out God's enemies, Israel becomes just like God's enemies. And Judges ends, not with God's leadership of Israel, but the people's whims and desires leading them to destruction. David and Seth talk about how the light of God's mercy shines brightest as the darkness of Judges increases and how Jesus is the only Judge and King who can free us from our downward spiral into destruction.
56 min
203
Some Exciting News!
There are changes coming, let us tell you about them!
17 min
204
Joshua 22-24: Joshua Dies
Before Joshua dies there is a misunderstanding between the tribes on either side of the Jordan. It reveals that spiritual pride and insecurity are features of life in Israel under Joshua's leadership. This leads Joshua to say that it will be impossible for Israel to fully obey God. Israel should expect judgment. Seth and David talk about the end of Joshua's life and how spiritual pride, insecurity, and promises of judgment are all overturned by Jesus' superior leadership.
62 min
205
Joshua 20-21: The Cities of Refuge
After the Lord had given the land to Israel, Israel was supposed to turn around and give some of their lands back to God. The Levites were the recipients of that land. Seth and David talk about the unique way the Levite's land allotments point us to Jesus as the one who protects us from death and provides freedom through his blood.
39 min
206
Joshua 13-19: Land Allotments are Good News Too
After winning major decisive victories, Joshua gives control over the land of Canaan to the tribal leaders of Israel. With the enemy routed, these leaders still need to clean up any pockets of resistance they find. Seth and David explain how Joshua's decisive victory over the land foreshadows Jesus' decisive victory over sin and death. And why, even though the war has been won, we can be strong and courageous as we fight our remaining battles.
58 min
207
Joshua 10:29-12: The Land Has Rest
Joshua defeats all God's enemies in the southern and the northern parts of Canaan. Over and over we're told that God fights for Israel, and that Israel obeys God. Seth and David talk about Jesus as a warrior who fights our battles, destroys our enemies, and gives us rest.
43 min
208
Joshua 9-10:28: The Sun Stands Still
The Gibeonites deceive Israel into a covenant. But like the Rahab story, deception leads to the Gibeonites inclusion in God's kingdom and a great battle won by God's power. Seth and David talk about deception's role in the Gospel and how Israel's miraculous defeat of Canaan's kings tells us more about God and his power over death than Joshua's ability to execute kings.
51 min
209
Joshua 6-8: The "Battle" of Jericho
Israel goes to war against the first city in the promised land, Jericho. But God does all the hard work, and the walls of the city crumble with just the sound of their voice. But, this victory is followed by a significant defeat at the city of Ai. Seth and David talk about Israel's first military campaigns as new Creation and Fall stories. And how God both defeats our enemies and rebuilds Jericho.
65 min
210
Did God Command Genocide?
At several points throughout the book of Joshua, God commands Israel to "utterly destroy" enemy cities. Sometimes that command includes women and children. Skeptics sometime use the book of Joshua to accuse God of genocide. David and Seth talk about the legitimacy of this accusation, the history of Israel and how this accusation against God can lead us to good news.
If you have any questions for us, send as an audio recording of your question to podcast@spokengospel.com.
61 min
211
Joshua 3-5: Crossing the Jordan
Joshua is legitimized as Israel's new leader when God parts the Jordan just like he parted the Red Sea for Moses. In fact, Joshua repeats some of the most significant moments of Moses' life in his own. Seth and David talk about the ways the pattern of both Moses' and Joshua's life are repeated and intensified in Jesus.
57 min
212
Joshua 1-2: Be Strong and Courageous! And Rahab...
Joshua begins with the command to be strong and courageous and the promise that God will be with Israel as the go to battle. The first city on Israel's battle plan is Jericho. But in Jericho a prostitute named Rahab pledges allegiance to Yahweh. Seth and David talk about the significance of Rahab's story at the beginning of a book full of military battles, and why being strong and courageous is a metaphor for faith in Jesus.
57 min
213
Joshua Introduction
The book of Joshua details how God worked through Joshua to fulfill his promises. As God's chosen successor to Moses, Joshua goes where Moses didn't. He enters into the land that God promised Abraham. Seth and David talk about how Joshua points us to Jesus, how the land of Canaan should make us hope for the new heavens and the earth, and offer some initial thoughts on how to understand God's command to "devote to destruction" the land of Canaan.
73 min
214
Ruth 3-4: Money, Sex and Redemption
Ruth proposes marriage to Boaz under questionable circumstances, and he accepts. Ruth isn't marrying so much out of love for Boaz but loyalty to Naomi. Through their marriage Naomi will be given a home and a son. Seth and David explain how God provides everything Ruth secured and everything Boaz provided and more, for us, in Jesus.
61 min
215
Ruth 1-2: God Fills What's Empty
Naomi returns to Israel bitter and empty with her daughter in-law Ruth, a Moabite. Despite both Israel's and Elimelech's unfaithfulness God remains faithful and loyal to his people and Elimelech's family. Seth and David talk about how the story of Ruth, Boaz and Naomi point us to a faithful God who loyally provides for unfaithful people in Jesus.
60 min
216
Ruth Introduction
The book of Ruth is a book of hope. Even though Israel is in shambles and there seems to be no hope that a king could bring order to Israel's chaos. But Ruth, a widow, a foreigner through her faithfulness and love becomes not only the foremother of King David but also Jesus. David and Seth introduce the book and character of Ruth and how she fits into the Bible's story of salvation.
65 min
217
Ecclesiastes 9:11-12: Qohelet's Last Words
The final portion of Ecclesiastes is a collection of miscellaneous proverbs and Qohelet's conculsion. Seth and David work through some of their favorites and finish up their study in the book of Ecclesiastes.
71 min
218
Ecclesiastes 7-9:10: Cursed and Crooked
Qohelet reminds us that God has cursed this world with futility and HEVEL. This is why our money, sex, power, and morality never satisfy - God has made it so that crooked sticks never make straight lines. Seth and David talk about why Jesus is good news in a world bent out of shape.
44 min
219
Ecclesiastes 3:16-6: Unmet Expectations
Qohelet says that our life will be filled with unmet expectations. No matter how much we eat or drink our appetites will always be empty in the morning. Seth and David talk about how to escape our unmet expectations and unfulfilled desired by trusting and delighting in Jesus.
76 min
220
Ecclesiastes 3:1-16: Eternity in our Hearts
One of the most famous passages in Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a "time for everything." Qohelet's wisdom tells us that while the world might seem like jumble of unpredictable opposites God's timing is perfect. Seth and David talk about our broken relationship with time; what it means for God to place "eternity" in our hearts and how Jesus is good news to people out of sync with God's time.
47 min
221
Ecclesiastes 1-2: Nothing Matters
The book of Ecclesiastes asks us a question "What do we gain from all our work on earth?" Qohelet's thesis is that everything we pursue is never as solid as we think. The world is like smoke or wind. Seth and David talk about how Jesus is the only solid pursuit in a world of smoke.
60 min
222
Ecclesiastes Introduction
In this first episode of our new series on Ecclesiastes, David and Seth work through the major themes and key issues related to the book of Ecclesiastes. Join us as we seek to understand this important and difficult book while seeing how Jesus brings meaning and purpose to everything the world wants to call vain and meaningless.
55 min
223
Esther 9-10: The Edict
Esther ends with a counter-edict going out to the soon-to-be-oppressed Jews. Instead of the suffering that was soon to be poured out on them, the Jews end up rising up and conquering their oppressors. In this last episode in our series on Esther, David and Seth talk about how to see Jesus in this beautiful book's closing chapters.
56 min
224
Esther 4-8 Part 2: Queen Esther
The most famous part of the book of Esther is without a doubt, the Queen's courageous entrance into the king's chambers. She risks her life for the sake of her people. In this episode, Seth and David unpack what we should and shouldn't be seeing in this famous story, and how all of it points us to Jesus.
40 min
225
Esther 4-8 Part 1: Ironic Reversals
Esther is full of irony. Without a proper understanding of how irony works in literature, the masterful beauty of this book would be missed. In this episode, David and Seth talk about the ironic reversals that occur throughout the middle section of Esther, specifically focusing on Haman.
41 min