Bible Fiber

Shelley Neese

Tired of scripture study guides that leave you wanting more substance? Discover a resource that offers comprehensive teaching and deep insights into the prophetic message.Have you been avoiding the more challenging books of the Bible because they are hard to understand or apply to your life? Let Bible Fiber build your foundational knowledge about ancient Israel’s history and culture.Welcome to Bible Fiber, where we are encountering the textures and shades of the biblical tapestry through twelve Minor Prophets, two reformers (Ezra and Nehemiah), and one priest in exile (Ezekiel). Along the way, we take pauses for minicourses on peoples of the Bible and ponder why the prophetic office ended. I am Shelley Neese, president of The Jerusalem Connection, a Christian organization devoted to sharing the story of the people of Israel, both ancient and modern. You won't find another podcast so committed to teaching the parts of the Bible that get the least attention and also is constantly calling for prayers for the modern state of Israel during this moment of crisis.

  1. 1d ago

    Ki Tetze (Deuteronomy 21:10–25:19)

    This week’s Torah portion covers Deuteronomy 21:10–25:19. It is named Ki Tetze, which translates to “When you go out.” Of the Torah’s 613 commandments, this portion covers 74 of them. This is more commandments than any other weekly reading.  The long list of laws jumps from wartime rules to family inheritance to animal rights to marriage laws. A significant percentage of the laws address the upstart nation’s public health policies, agricultural standards, and financial guidelines. The sheer volume of laws demonstrates how faith must permeate every aspect of life. Admittedly, plenty of them leave modern readers scratching their heads. Like, what does mixing wool and linen have to do with faithfulness to God. However, some laws clearly call the Israelite nation to a higher ethical order than any other ancient people. Many laws focus on defending people who lacked societal power. The Israelites had to care for the marginalized. In Deuteronomy 24, God commands: Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns. Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it. Otherwise they may cry to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin. (24:14−15). Support the show Consider donating (one-time or recurring) to www.TheJerusalemConnection.us so we can continue to bring valuable content via podcasts free to the public. Help us increase our audience reach and improve production quality. Your donation is 100% tax-deductible to our non-profit organization. Bible Fiber and The Red Alert Report are available via YouTube and all major podcast platforms. The Jerusalem Connection also engages in additional educational and advocacy programs. Check our "Projects" tab for all the endeavors we invite YOU to be part of.

  2. Jul 30

    Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12−11:25)

    This week’s Torah portion is called Eikev, and it covers Deuteronomy 7:12 to 11:25. The name Eikev translates to “because” or “as a consequence of.” Much of its message is about the cause-and-effect relationship between Israel’s obedience and God’s blessings and her disobedience and God’s curses. The portion starts: “If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your ancestors” (7:12). Moses lists the blessings to include everything from abundance of crops to protection from disease.  Moses recaps the last forty years, recalling all of Israel’s highs and lows. He is speaking to a new generation—people who have never known anything other than desert wanderings. However, he recounts the events as if they too were eyewitnesses. He rebukes their shared lack of faith. He reminds them of their darkest moments. These incidents include the crafting and worshipping of the golden calf (9:16) and the constant complaining about the lack of food and water (9:22). Yet, alongside his rebuke of what he regularly calls “stiff-necked people,” Moses reminds them that they were chosen out of all the nations on the earth. All the trials and hardships over the last forty years had a purpose. God was humbling them and testing them so he would know what was in their hearts (8:2). Moses promises them that if they remember to keep God’s commandments after they settle the land, all will be well with them.  Support the show Consider donating (one-time or recurring) to www.TheJerusalemConnection.us so we can continue to bring valuable content via podcasts free to the public. Help us increase our audience reach and improve production quality. Your donation is 100% tax-deductible to our non-profit organization. Bible Fiber and The Red Alert Report are available via YouTube and all major podcast platforms. The Jerusalem Connection also engages in additional educational and advocacy programs. Check our "Projects" tab for all the endeavors we invite YOU to be part of.

  3. Jul 23

    Va’etchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23–7:11)

    This week’s Torah portion covers Deuteronomy 3:23–7:11. It is called Va’etchanan, which translates to “I pleaded,” because it begins with Moses pleading with God for permission to cross the Jordan River.  This week’s Torah portion also includes the most important proclamation in all of Judaism. As Moses contemplates the preservation of the Israelite faith and how best parents can impress the teachings upon their children, he pronounces:  Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. (Deut. 6:4) This verse is known in Hebrew as the Shema. It is considered the most critical piece of liturgy in all of Judaism, the great declaration of God’s oneness and his kingship. Jewish morning prayers and evening prayers include the Shema. The Shema is also part of the Shabbat prayers. On Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, the service climaxes with the communal recitation of the Shema. According to tradition, if a Jewish person believes their death is imminent, they should recite the Shema so that it can be the last words on their lips. I have read stories of soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces in wartime reciting the Shema together in their tanks and from their lookouts. Support the show Consider donating (one-time or recurring) to www.TheJerusalemConnection.us so we can continue to bring valuable content via podcasts free to the public. Help us increase our audience reach and improve production quality. Your donation is 100% tax-deductible to our non-profit organization. Bible Fiber and The Red Alert Report are available via YouTube and all major podcast platforms. The Jerusalem Connection also engages in additional educational and advocacy programs. Check our "Projects" tab for all the endeavors we invite YOU to be part of.

  4. Jul 16

    Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1–3:22)

    We have finally made it to the last book of the Torah. Deuteronomy is Moses’s magnum opus, his farewell speeches to the people he has led out of Egypt and into the wilderness. They are finally at the cusp of entering the promised land, and what Moses and everyone with him understand is that he will not be accompanying them for this final portion. While the Israelites camp on the plains of Moab, and prepare to cross the Jordan River, Moses has some parting words for them. He uses his final days with them to reflect on their journey, reiterate all they have learned together, and reinforce the covenant God made with the nation.  Given the strength of Moses’s message, it seems the 120-year-old prophet had lost his original fear of speaking to the people. He is now a strong, wise, and experienced orator. And yet, sadness tinges the whole book. Moses, the people, and even the modern reader know that he is about to die.  Support the show Consider donating (one-time or recurring) to www.TheJerusalemConnection.us so we can continue to bring valuable content via podcasts free to the public. Help us increase our audience reach and improve production quality. Your donation is 100% tax-deductible to our non-profit organization. Bible Fiber and The Red Alert Report are available via YouTube and all major podcast platforms. The Jerusalem Connection also engages in additional educational and advocacy programs. Check our "Projects" tab for all the endeavors we invite YOU to be part of.

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About

Tired of scripture study guides that leave you wanting more substance? Discover a resource that offers comprehensive teaching and deep insights into the prophetic message.Have you been avoiding the more challenging books of the Bible because they are hard to understand or apply to your life? Let Bible Fiber build your foundational knowledge about ancient Israel’s history and culture.Welcome to Bible Fiber, where we are encountering the textures and shades of the biblical tapestry through twelve Minor Prophets, two reformers (Ezra and Nehemiah), and one priest in exile (Ezekiel). Along the way, we take pauses for minicourses on peoples of the Bible and ponder why the prophetic office ended. I am Shelley Neese, president of The Jerusalem Connection, a Christian organization devoted to sharing the story of the people of Israel, both ancient and modern. You won't find another podcast so committed to teaching the parts of the Bible that get the least attention and also is constantly calling for prayers for the modern state of Israel during this moment of crisis.

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