The Blessed Hope Podcast -- with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger

Dive into the complexities of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, addressing practical challenges of the early church. Explore the cultural richness of Corinth and the struggles early Christians faced in a bustling trade hub. Uncover the timeless teachings about community unity and the significance of Christ's resurrection. Delve into the controversies, including divisions and pagan practices, that troubled the church. Get ready for a thorough analysis of these compelling issues that resonate even today!

The podcast explores the concept of 'optimistic amillennialism' and its relation to eschatological categories. It discusses the implications of different eschatological positions on the church's relationship to culture, missions, and societal transformation. The difference between post-millennialism and amillennialism is examined, highlighting the tension between social ethics and governance by natural law. The podcast also touches on the church's effectiveness in society, the dangers of aligning with worldly influences, and the importance of prioritizing the kingdom of God. Lastly, it discusses Christian nationalism, the church's mission, and the hope for a better heavenly country.

Explore the history and misconceptions surrounding the Antichrist, from its portrayal in movies to its association with political and religious figures. Delve into biblical origins and dispel misconceptions. Examine Christian persecution in Smyrna, and the symbolic nature of the city's association with Rome. Understand prophetic perspective and idiom in New Testament prophecy, and critique futureist interpretations. Explore the biblical teaching of Antichrist, false christs, and state-sponsored oppression. Dive into the significance of the Mark of the Beast, links to worshiping the state, and the ongoing struggle against evil.

Exploring the historical and geopolitical factors shaping the establishment of Israel and its influence on biblical eschatology. An exploration of Israel's presence in Palestine and its historical significance. Discusses the future of Israel based on the context of Romans 9 to 11. Explores divine mercy and God's sovereign purposes in electing Jacob and passing over Esau. Talks about the rejection of ethnic Israel and the existence of a believing remnant. Examines the connection between Israel's conversion and the general resurrection. Explores God's electing grace and the future of Israel in relation to the Gentiles.

In this podcast, they explore the signs of the end and the influence of the Bible prophecy industry on Christian expectations. They discuss the importance of understanding these signs in a biblical context and avoiding the prophecy-pundit industry. They also delve into prophecies related to the destruction of Jerusalem, the final judgment and the destruction of Babylon the Great, and the tension between the imminence and delay of Christ's return. Additionally, they debunk the idea of a rebuilt temple and a seven-year tribulation period. They even touch on the rise of militant Islam and its potential impact on American life.

This podcast discusses the importance of seeing the big picture of biblical prophecy, with Jesus Christ as the central figure. It explores the role of Israel and the fulfillment of biblical prophecy, as well as the significance of covenants in understanding God's plan. The covenant of grace is highlighted, emphasizing Jesus as the covenant mediator. The hosts stress the need to test eschatological views with Scripture and look forward to exploring signs of the end.

Episode Synopsis:The kingdom of God is a major topic throughout the Scriptures.  The kingdom of God refers to the rule or reign of God over all of creation and all of its creatures.  The Old Testament speaks of YHWH as Israel’s king, whose kingdom is everlasting.  The prophets speak of this kingdom using royal images associated with heavenly glory and absolute sovereignty–the creator of all things does indeed rule over all that he has made.  Everything is subject to him.Although YHWH rules the nations, because of Israel’s repeated and stubborn rebellion against him, YHWH has directed those nations to conquer Israel and possess the promised land.  This is why the focus of the later prophets is upon the future, when YHWH’s kingdom is gloriously and finally realized.  Israel’s king will come to visit his people with salvation, but will also mete out judgment upon all who reject his rule.So, when the messianic age dawns with the supernatural conception and birth of Jesus, we should not be surprised that it is in his person and work that YHWH’s promised kingdom will be realized.  Since Jesus is YHWH’s promised king, YHWH’s kingdom has arrived in and with him–such a kingdom cannot exist apart from its king, Jesus, the second person of the blessed Trinity who is God now clothed in human flesh.  The arrival of this kingdom can be seen in the preaching of John the Baptist, the last of the Old Testament prophets who speaks of a coming one in whom YHWH’s kingdom will dawn.  Throughout his messianic mission Jesus proclaims that in him YHWH’s kingdom draws near–it is a major theme of his preaching.  This kingdom conquers all, but not in the way we might think, nor in the way Israel expected.  They wanted Jesus to restore David’s kingdom and lead them to victory over the Romans.  When Jesus taught otherwise, he was rejected by his people, crucified, and then rose again from the dead.  He ascended to the Father’s right hand and promised to return.  Jesus’ kingdom is a spiritual kingdom absolutely victorious over the guilt and power of sin.  He has defeated Satan in anticipation of a time when that kingdom will be fully and finally consummated on the last day, when all the inhabitants of the earth bow the knee and confess that Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.That day, when Jesus returns and his kingdom comes in its fullness lies at the heart of the New Testament’s eschatology.  It is that kingdom about which Jesus taught us to pray, “thy kingdom come.”  Jesus, Paul, and the rest of the New Testament writers direct us to that time in the future when our king will return and his kingdom will be consummated.  On that day all tears will be wiped from our eyes, we will receive our promised inheritance, and not a hint or trace of human sin will remain.  This beloved, is our hope for the future and this is the context in which we must discuss the signs of the end.For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here: https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

Episode Synopsis:I begin this episode with a personal testimony.I was born and raised a dispensationalist.  Our family owned a Christian bookstore.  The first Christian book I picked out and read on my own was Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth.  Years later, I was challenged by one of our delivery men about the books we were selling–all the dispensationalist best sellers.  He said he was “Reformed.”  I thought he meant that he had gone to “reform school” or was on work release from prison.  The questions he put to me bounced off like BB’s against a Battleship.  Dispensationalism was biblical.  How could anyone doubt that?But those BB’s actually penetrated my embarrassingly thin armor.  Eventually, I became a very reluctant Calvinist and then I started re-thinking my eschatology.  After university and a year at the Simon Greenleaf School of Law (which was founded by John Warwick Montgomery, the faculty included Walter Martin, and Rod Rosenbladt, and is now the Trinity Law School in Santa Ana), I was steadily moving away from my doctrinal roots (Arminian and dispensational).  I found that the Reformation views on law and gospel, the five solas, and the end times, were absolutely compelling because they were thoroughly biblical.  To my surprise Drs. Montgomery and Rosenbladt suggested a career change–seminary, specifically the new seminary in Escondido (90 miles to the South), Westminster Seminary California.In the Acts and Paul class taught by Dennis Johnson, I first encountered what I came to know as the two-age model–terms I was familiar with from reading the New Testament but never thought much about–“this age” and “the age to come.”  After reading Herman Ridderbos and Geerhardus Vos on Paul, I realized how serious a challenge the two-model was to my premillennial eschatology (I had pretty much given up on most of my dispensationalism by then, although I still thought like one).  Driving home after Dr. Johnson’s class, I had an “ah-ha moment.”  “I can’t be premillennial any more.”   The two-age model makes premillennialism (in all its forms) a biblical impossibility.  I dug in my heels and fought the inevitable.  But here I am far down the road, presenting and defending the two-age model.  If you’ve not heard this before, you are in for a real surprise.  This is a game changer in terms of your view of the end times.For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here: https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

Episode Synopsis:We are beginning a new series on the Blessed Hope Podcast, “The Future.”In this series we will wrestle with the question “what does the future hold for God’s people?”  What historical events and biblical prophecies remain to be fulfilled before Jesus returns on the last day?  How are we to interpret the various signs of the end we find throughout the New Testament?In this series we will talk about the necessity of understanding the biblical past (specifically the person and work of Jesus Christ) since this gives us the biblical context to understand the promises God makes to us about the future.  What do we expect and what are we to be looking for?  To what (or to whom) do the signs of the end point?In order to answer these questions we will need to talk about the proper biblical framework in which the signs of the end unfold.  Our future expectation is not the Rapture or a millennial age, but the return of Jesus Christ to raise the dead, judge the world, and make all things new.  Biblically speaking, all of the promises of the future center in and upon our Lord’s return.  This is the critical event to which all of the signs of the end point us.So, what is included among the signs of the end?  We’ll talk about this in some detail in the episodes to come.  Wars and rumors of war?  What about technology?  What about plagues?  We’ve just lived through one.  What about Israel?  What role will Israel play in the future?  What about an Antichrist?  How does he figure into the end times?  Can we make any specific predictions about what is to come?  We discuss all of the things and more in coming episodes in our new Blessed Hope Podcast series “The Future.” For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here: https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

Season Two Postscript – Where Do We Go from Here?We’ve completed season two of the Blessed Hope Podcast, fifteen episodes in all, in which we covered Paul’s two Thessalonian letters.  The season two series was entitled “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven, taken from 2 Thessalonians 1:7, a text which captures Paul emphasis in these two letters upon the key event in biblical eschatology–the second coming (advent) of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Well, as they say that’s a wrap.The obvious question then is “where does the Blessed Hope Podcast go from here?”For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here: https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/