The Bible (Unmuted)

In Revelation 7, there are 144,000 people sealed on their foreheads -- 12,000 drawn from 12 Jewish tribes. What is John describing in this vision? Should we interpret this literally, as a group of 144,000 individual Jewish people? Or is this symbolic for something else? In this episode, Matt dives into the text and offers reasons why the 144,000 should be understood as referring to the fulness of God's multi-ethnic church -- a company of saints who exist within (and because of) the story of Israel. + + + Check out Matt's newest book: The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠ (link ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠

There's a lot to consider in Revelation 6:9-17; 8:1-5. First, after the 5th seal is opened, we read of martyrs under an altar praying to God for justice to be restored to the earth; they are given white robes and told to "rest a little longer." What's significant about their prayer? What do the white robes signify? Second, with the opening of the 6th seal, the cosmos undergoes a dissolution of sorts -- the sun is darkened, the moon turns blood red, the stars fall from the sky. This symbolism can be found in the prophets (e.g. Joel, Isaiah), as well as in other parts of the New Testament (e.g. Matthew, Acts). Why is this important to note, and what do these apocalyptic images signify? Finally, at the 7th seal, there is "silence" in heaven. What does this mean? How can the Old Testament help us answer that question? + + + Check out Matt's newest book: The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠ (link ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠

What do you think of God? What thoughts come to mind when you hear the words "sovereign" applied to him? Do you think of God as a Father -- one who has intimate knowledge of, and deep care for, his creation? In this sermon, Matt unpacks Psalm 147:4-5, which speaks of both God's infinite wisdom/understanding and the comos' contingency/finitude. The implications of these two verses are far-reaching, inviting us to think deeply and carefully about the one, true eternal God and our relationship with him. + + + Check out Matt's newest book: The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠ (link ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠

In Revelation 6:1-8, we encounter "the four horseman of the apocalypse." And, to be sure, there are many questions to consider: Who are these characters? Are they angelic beings (the "good guys?") simply carrying out God's judgment? Or are they sinister forces who are allowed to bring chaos and destruction? Does this text describe exclusively future events (i.e., a future tribulation), or is there a better way to understand it? Finally, how does John's vision of the four horsemen relate to the visions of Zechariah's horsemen and chariots? + + + Check out Matt's newest book: The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠ (link ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠

If there's one cardinal rule about interpreting Revelation, it's this: If you want to understand the content of Revelation, it's a good idea to have a grasp on the structure of Revelation. In this episode, Matt addresses this very issue. How, for example, should readers understand the three cycles of judgment -- that is, the seals, trumpets, and bowls? Are they depicting events that occur chronologically? Are they describing future events? Or is something else going on? + + + Check out Matt's newest book: The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠ (link ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠

There's a big reveal in Revelation 5 -- a vision that allows John to get a glimpse into the heart, the way, and the character of God. What does John see that is so extraordinary? How does his vision counter the politics of his day? How might it challenge ours? And how does this vision in particular recall (and shed light upon) key Old Testament texts? Listen to find out! + + + Check out Matt's newest book: The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠ (link ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠

Some popular prophecy teachers think Revelation 4 references a future "rapture" of the church. In this episode, Matt offers a different take, arguing that such notions read more into the text than is justified. Matt also discusses the many Old Testament texts that comprise the background for the throne room scene in this chapter. In fact, the OT context can shed some meaningful light on not just the scene itself, but the important elements and characters within the scene -- e.g., the twenty-four elders and the living creatures. + + + Check out Matt's newest book: The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠ (link ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠

The Mrs. Halsted takes over the microphone to explain why there's no episode this week. + + + Check out Matt's newest book: The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠ (link ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Matt discusses the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000. This event is by no means an isolated, random miracle. To the contrary, it's allusions back to the Old Testament reveal it's true, Jewish context. What allusions can be detected? Why are they important for this text in particular, and how do they contribute to larger story of redemption? Importantly, how can this story offer hope to the church of the 21st century? Listen to find out. + + + Check out Matt's newest book: The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠ (link ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Matt chats with Joey Dodson, a New Testament professor at Denver Seminary. Their conversation centers around Paul and his theology (and in particular what Paul means by "wretched man" in Romans 7). Joey also talks a bit about Seneca and how knowing about his life and writings can be helpful for modern readers of Paul. A range of other things are covered as well: Paul and Empire, "the righteousness of God," the value of reading fiction, and the list goes on. Dr. Dodson's bio: Dr. Joseph (Joey) Dodson is the Dr. Craig L. Blomberg Endowed Chair of New Testament. He studied at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland and the University of Tübingen in Germany. In addition to many academic and devotional essays, he has written a number of articles for top-tier, peer review journals such as Harvard Theological Review, Novum Testamentum, the Journal for Jewish Studies, and Catholic Biblical Quarterly. His most recent books include Paul and the Giants of Philosophy: Reading the Apostle in Greco-Roman Context, IVP Publishing, 2019, co-edited with David E. Briones, The Things I Want to Do: Romans 7 Revisited (forthcoming), A Little Book for New Bible Scholars with E. Randolph Richards (2017) and a co-edited volume with David E. Briones, Paul and Seneca in Dialogue (2017). Dr. Dodson’s current research includes a Romans commentary in the Brill Exegetical Commentary Series and a Colossians-Philemon commentary in The Christian Standard Commentary Series. + + + Check out Matt's newest book: The End of the World As You Know It:⁠⁠⁠ (link ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠