In Revelation 20:7-10, Satan is released from his prison and goes out to deceive the nations to rally them for war against the people of God. This is similar to other passages in Revelation, and so the question becomes: What's the relationship? Is this an instance of recapitulation, or does Revelation present yet another scene that speaks of different events? The text also speaks of "Gog and Magog." Who (or what) are these entities? How does the rest of the passage (vv. 11-15) factor into the equation? Listen to find out!
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Revelation 20:4-6 is the subject of much debate and poses several interpretive challenges -- from translation questions to theological issues, it's all here. Who, for example, does John see on the thrones? What is meant by "the first resurrection"? How many resurrections are associated with the millennial reign of Christ?
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There is no consensus on how to interpret Revelation 20, specifically the verses that speak about the binding of Satan and the 1,000-year reign of Christ. In this episode, Matthew introduces listeners to the ins and outs of that debate, outlining along the way the interpretive questions readers ought to be asking. To shed light on Revelation 20, Matthew takes listeners to the Gospels, as well as to other early Jewish writings such as Tobit, 4 Ezra, and 1 Enoch.
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This episode examines the last part of Revelation 19. Here the beast gathers the nations for battle against the Rider on the white horse (i.e., Jesus) and his army. What can we learn about the way in which Jesus conquers the beast? And how are we to understand this passage with respect to the so-called "end times"? Does Revelation teach that the beast (i.e., Rome) will be around when Jesus returns?
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Matt walks listeners through Revelation 19:11-16, which describes a Rider on a White Horse -- Jesus, the Messiah. A lot of questions are raised (and answered) along the way, such as: How does this passage help us understand the way Jesus conquers evil? How does it relate to other texts in Revelation? And how does this passage help us understand the structure of the book as a whole? And what can we learn by comparing it with the Dead Sea Scrolls?
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Revelation 19 begins with a hymn to God for his commitment to justice and his bringing an end to the destructive power of Babylon (i.e., Rome) who has "corrupted the earth." But why does the text describe ancient Rome as an agent of corruption--specifically of the earth? Listen to find out!
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Matt and Tosha chat with Craig and Médine Keener about their book Impossible Love: The True Story of an African Civil War, Miracles and Hope against All Odds (link below). This book tells this story of how they met, the trials and difficulties they faced, as well as the miracles they encountered along the way. In the course of the episode, important questions about spiritual gifts are discussed. Is prophecy for today? Did the spiritual gifts cease at the death of the last apostle? What does the Bible actually say about these and related questions?
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Part 2 of 2
In part 2 of this extended conversation with Fr. Gerald McDermott, the discussion centers around the sacraments, purgatory, the intermediate state, and prayers for the dead. Why are the sacraments important? Is the Eucharist just a time of remembrance -- a memorial and nothing else? Is there biblical evidence for purgatory? What about prayers for the dead? At the end of the conversation, Fr. Gerald also offers a brief preview of his view about Israel and the gift of the land.
Get a copy of Fr. McDermott's book, Deep Anglicanism - link here
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Part 1 of 2
Fr. Gerald McDermott's new book, Deep Anglicanism: A Brief Guide, offers readers an insightful introduction to the Anglican tradition. In part 1 of this extended conversation, Fr. Gerald introduces listeners to Anglican belief and practice, addressing topics such as Sola Scriptura, tradition, hermeneutics, apostolic succession, the priesthood, and the Jewish roots of ordination.
Get a copy of Fr. McDermott's book, Deep Anglicanism - link here
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Part 2
In this 2-part series, Joshua Sherman and Matthew Halsted chat with Matthew Bates about his new book, Beyond the Salvation Wars: Why Both Protestants and Catholics Must Reimagine How We Are Saved. The book has garnered a lot of attention since it was published earlier this year (2025). In this extended conversation, Bates fields questions from Sherman and Halsted, continuing the dialogue about all things salvation, justification, faith (pistis), and a whole lot more.
Check out Matthew Bates' book: https://a.co/d/j3udm0j
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In this 2-part series, Joshua Sherman and Matthew Halsted chat with Matthew Bates about his new book, Beyond the Salvation Wars: Why Both Protestants and Catholics Must Reimagine How We Are Saved. The book has garnered a lot of attention since it was published earlier this year (2025). In this extended conversation, Bates fields questions from Sherman and Halsted, continuing the dialogue about all things salvation, justification, faith (pistis), and a whole lot more.
Check out Matthew Bates' book: https://a.co/d/j3udm0j
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In the first half of the episode, Matt takes listeners through Revelation 18:14-24, which is embedded with multiple allusions to the Old Testament. The OT imagery of divine judgment that John employs is especially striking here. In the second half, Matt interacts with Jason Staples' recent article (link below), which argues that "Babylon the Great" is not a reference to Rome but, rather, to Jerusalem.
Read Jason Staples' article: "Babylon the Great in Revelation Is Not Rome"
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In this episode, Matt explores the various Old Testament texts embedded within Revelation 18:1-3. Why would John allude to them, and what do these allusions teach us about how he interprets the OT?
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Matt and Tosha take a listener's question about Jesus and the story of Israel -- at which point they also discuss the importance of Hobbits.
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Matt chats with Prof. David Wilkinson about his new book How Does God Act in the World? Science, Miracle, and Mission. This episode centers around a discussion regarding the various models of the universe, such as: Newtonian physics, quantum theory, etc. But how does science -- specifically, physics -- relate to biblical hermeneutics and theology? That's a good questions, and the answer is: More than one might imagine!
Link to David's book: https://wipfandstock.com/9798385208838/how-does-god-act-in-the-world/
Bio:
David Wilkinson is Professor of Theology and Religion and Director of Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science based at St John’s College, Durham University. He is author of several books on science and religion and a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day.
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Jeremiah 20 is one of the most interesting passages in Scripture. It records a prayer from the prophet Jeremiah who, having been physically beaten by the priest Pashur and jailed, subsequently utters a very honest prayer to God that is full of doubt and faith. It's a fascinating text worthy of reflection because it nudges us to rethink some of our own misconceptions about prayer, as well as the relationship between faith and doubt.
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Part 2 of 2
Matt chats with Daniel Mikkelsen (PhD cand., University of Edinburgh) about his research on Christ's resurrection. They focus specifically on 1 Corinthians 15. Daniel also shares about overcoming challenges with dyslexia as a Bible scholar, which requires a lot of reading and writing. Matt and Daniel also discuss the benefits of learning Greek and demonstrate with a few examples of how doing so can lend fresh insights into the message of the New Testament.
Daniel's website: https://ntgreektutoring.co.uk
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Part 1 of 2
Matt chats with Daniel Mikkelsen (PhD cand., University of Edinburgh) about his research on Christ's resurrection. They focus specifically on 1 Corinthians 15. Daniel also shares about overcoming challenges with dyslexia as a Bible scholar, which requires a lot of reading and writing. Matt and Daniel also discuss the benefits of learning Greek and demonstrate with a few examples of how doing so can lend fresh insights into the message of the New Testament.
Daniel's website: https://ntgreektutoring.co.uk
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Matt chats with Mike Chu, the academic director of Awakening School of Theology, about an upcoming conference they are hosting on 1 Enoch.
Website: https://awkng.com
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Part 2 of 2
James-Michael Smith runs an organization called DiscipleDojo, which is a multi-faceted ministry that serves refugees, publishes interviews with scholars and authors, and offers resources on biblical studies and theology. In this two-part discussion, JM and Matt cover a lot of territory: from Wesleyanism to the so-called "young, restless, reformed movement" to dispensationalism to mideast politics.
Check out JM Smith's website and YouTube Channel:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DiscipleDojo
Website: https://www.discipledojo.org/
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