King Solomon had to be crazy. 300 wives. That’s 300 anniversaries to keep track of, 600 in-laws, and being told to pick your underwear up off the floor 900 times every day. I’ve never met anyone who thought that 300 wives sounded like a good idea. Doesn’t seem very wise. If any of us wanted advice for anything, we probably aren’t asking the guy who got married 300 times.
And yet, we do, because this is the guy who wrote the quintessential book of the bible on wisdom- Proverbs. And then he also wrote the sexual manual- Song of Solomon. That one isn’t so surprising. And then later he wrote the most depressing book of the Bible- Ecclesiastes. But that’s a lot more understandable when you remember- the guy had 300 wives.
If you go to the New Testament, one of the qualifications for a pastor is that he must be “the husband of but one wife.” Fair enough. Yet turn back to the Old Testament and it’s full of godly men who would have failed this test for spiritual leadership.
It wasn’t just Solomon. Abraham, Jacob, Esau, Gideon. Even David. David who wrote most of the psalms. David who was called “a man after God’s own heart.” David who was the king- not of Utah- but God’s nation of Israel.
Why did so many ancient figures- even what we would call biblical heroes- have multiple wives?
And more importantly to us- why does it seem like God was OK with it?
I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Turn to Genesis 2, and let’s get weird.
Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
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0:00 - Introduction
2:30 - The Origin of Marriage
4:50 - How to Read the Bible
9:20 - God’s Institution of Marriage
14:40 - Forbidden for Kings and Pastors
18:55 - Forbidden for Everyone Else!
23:50 - God’s Silence
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
When you’re a Christian, you believe certain things about God. That the Bible reveals God to us. That God is morally perfect. That God is the same yesterday, today and forever.
But also, in the Old Testament, that God allowed slavery.
Wait wait wait. Wait a minute. We all know that slavery is wrong.
We had a Civil War about it, we had Martin Luther King Jr, we had like four Planet of the Apes movies to teach us why slavery is wrong.
And yet Old Testament Israel includes people who were slaves, Old Testament laws regulating the use of slaves, and even this shocking command from Moses in
Exodus 21:20-21
20 “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. 21 But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.
So wait- is Moses saying that it’s OK to beat your slave, as long as you don’t kill him?
I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Turn to Exodus 21 and Leviticus 25, and let’s get weird.
Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Visit the Weird Stuff store!
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0:00 - Introduction
1:30 - Slavery in the Old Testament
4:30 - Jubilee Years and the Mosaic Economy
10:50 - Differences from Chattel Slavery
14:25 - Laws Regulating the Treatment of Slaves
24:40 - Newsletter & Closing Thoughts
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
I hope you enjoy your bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, your gummy bears, your Hawaiian Pizza, your Shrimp Tacos, your Crab Rangoons, and your Sausage Egg McMuffins. Because all of these foods are forbidden under the Old Testament law.
Thankfully, we don’t live under the Old Testament law!
Although I do still think we should forbid ham and pineapple pizza. I probably would be willing to go back under the Old Testament law to stop pineapple on pizza. But it’s not up to me. It’s up to Jesus. And Jesus said in:
Acts 10:15
What God has made clean, do not call common.
Why did Jesus have to say this in the New Testament? Because back in the Old Testament, God had declared certain foods to be unclean- and therefore forbidden to eat.
But the list seems a little random. Scholars have puzzled and debated for centuries over why certain foods were acceptable and certain foods weren’t.
God gave the Israelites these rules as they set off on their journey through the desert after they left Egypt. And apparently, God didn’t want them stopping at a Red Lobster as they were wandering through the wilderness.
I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Turn to Leviticus 11, and let’s get weird.
Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Visit the Weird Stuff store!
https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
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0:00 - Introduction
2:00 - Eat What You Want
4:45 - Leviticus 11’s Clean and Unclean Animals
8:45 - The Health and Sanitation Theory
9:50 - The Religious Theory
11:00 - The Mixture Theory
17:00 - The Ethics Theory
21:20 - Next Time and Closing Thoughts
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
OK so my brother Ben sent me this comment over the summer:
Why did God have a problem with the Tower of Babel but not us going to the moon?
That’s because we never went. That’s Biblical. Put that in your library and smoke it.
Now that’s actually a really smart question Ben. I don’t really know what the library part meant but you got my gears turning with the first part. A lot of us hear the story of the Tower of Babel as kids, the story about a group of people who tried to build a tower that reached heaven.
And God said He wasn’t going to allow mankind to do this. It’s a really fascinating comment God makes
In Genesis 11:6
…this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.
God slapped this down pretty hard. He confused the speech of the peoples, which means He switched up all their languages, and therefore they couldn’t finish the project so they all went their separate ways, and now that’s why now we have to take 4 semesters of French class to get a Bachelor of Arts degree.
So why did God have such a strong reaction to this? Why did He literally say that if the Tower of Babel was constructed, mankind would truly become capable of anything? I mean, just because of a tall building?
If the problem with the Tower of Babel was just about altitude, then yes, space travel raises a lot of theological questions for us.
But what if the Tower of Babel is not what we thought? What if the problem with the Tower of Babel was not how high it reached, but what it was capable of doing?
I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Turn to Genesis 11, and let’s get weird.
Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Visit the Weird Stuff store!
https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
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0:00 - Introduction
2:00 - The Full Story
10:15 - What Did Babel’s Tower Do?
14:45 - Ziggurats and Pyramids
21:30 - Gaps in My Pyramid
23:15 - Mailbag
26:00 - Closing Thoughts
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
Paul’s thorn in the flesh. This is a mysterious phrase Paul uses that has stumped commentators for centuries.
In II Corinthians 12:7, Paul writes
7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.
Paul experienced some kind of hardship in his life- and what exactly it was, we don’t know. A sickness, a demonic attack, some kind of earthly trial or hardship, we aren’t entirely sure. That’s the part that commentators theorize about- and that’s NOT the part I want to focus on today.
I’m more interested in where it came from. Now you say: well Luke, it’s obvious where it came from- it came from the devil. Paul right there said it was a messenger of Satan.
Sure. But why was it given to Paul? He said it was to keep him from getting conceited, which means prideful or arrogant.
Now let me ask you a question: is Satan interested in keeping us from becoming too prideful or arrogant? No! Satan wants us more prideful, not less. Satan wants us full of ourselves. Satan wasn’t interested in helping Paul be more humble. God is the one who wants that.
Which means that this evil spirit was allowed into Paul’s life by God. The Lord allowed this evil spirit to go after Paul
I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Turn to II Corinthians 12, and let’s get weird.
Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Visit the Weird Stuff store!
https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.
0:00 - Introduction
2:00 - Breaking Down the Context
10:30 - God’s Sovereignty Over Evil Spirits
17:30 - Evil Spirits as a Tool
21:30 - Newsletter
23:00 - Sometimes It’s Not Our Own Sin
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
Paul uses a phrase that I don’t quite know how to interpret, because it’s the only place in the whole Bible that uses this phrase.
II Corinthians 12:2 reads
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven
Wait, who was this guy?
What is the third heaven?
And what happened to the first two?
I mean, some of us know about the Seventh Heaven, if we spent a little too much time watching cheesy Stephen Collins family dramas on the WB as kids. I’d kind of like to forget about that one.
But I DO want to know more about this third heaven, because I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Turn to II Corinthians 12, and let’s get weird.
Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Visit the Weird Stuff store!
https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.
0:00 - Introduction
1:00 - Paul’s Humility in Boasting
10:30 - The Third Heaven
14:50 - Next Time & Mailbag
19:45 - The Rapture of Philip
22:50 - Chris M from Boston
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
If you'd like to listen to "God and His Prophets: A verse-by-verse study through the Bible’s major and minor prophets," you can find it wherever you find this podcast.
You can also visit this link: https://godandhisprophets.transistor.fm/
God and His Prophets is a verse-by-verse Bible study podcast exploring the mysterious prophets and prophetic texts of the Bible.
Each episode unpacks Scripture, helping you understand the cultural context, spiritual meaning, and modern relevance of the prophetic books. Whether you’re a Bible nerd, a small group leader, or just trying to make sense of the books people usually skip- this podcast will guide your journey.
Hosted by Luke Taylor, this study began with the Book of Ezekiel and continues through the rest of the major and minor prophets, one verse at a time.
New episodes release Mondays. Subscribe today and join the exploration!
Popular subjects will include:
• Verse-by-verse study through the prophets
• Prophetic Profiles on Old Testament prophets
• Minor prophets teaching
• End times theology
• Connections to the book of Revelation explained
Host: Luke Taylor
Note: This podcast was formerly published as Cross References and The Book of Ezekiel: A Cross References Bible Study.
You can WATCH this week's loooooong episode right here: https://youtube.com/live/AFtXdS1qvlg?feature=share
If you’re a Christian who has been saved and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, why do you still struggle against the devil?
Why do we have destructive patterns, addictions and sins in our lives that we just can’t get free of?
What are some of the ways we give the devil legal access to our life without us even realizing it?
These are the questions we’re going to answer in this Masterclass on spiritual warfare where I’m going to break down everything we’ve been studying this summer about legal rights in the spirit realm. We’ll be looking at Genesis 1-3, Hebrews 2, Romans 6 and Ephesians in-depth tonight as we recap and review the past few months of our journey on the Weird Stuff in the Bible podcast.
One quick note: if you’re a faithful listener of the Weird Stuff in the Bible podcast and you feel like you’ve already got a good handle on what I’ve been covering, you probably don’t need this whole thing today because it’s mostly going to be recap and review.
And if that’s the case, you can peace out, no hard feelings. There’s a little new content, but mostly it’s review.
I am putting this episode together because some listeners reached out to me asking me if I could do one long uncut teaching on spiritual legal rights. (I had that same idea in my head- I thought it could be beneficial to you all, so when I kept hearing that idea suggested by listeners, I took it as confirmation that God wants this to happen tonight.)
So if it sounds like it would be beneficial to you as well, turn to Genesis 1, and let’s get weird.
Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Visit the Weird Stuff store!
https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/
You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.
0:00 - Introduction
4:30 - Part 1, The Dominion Mandate
11:00 - Part 2, Why Angels Were Created
17:00 - Part 3, Satan’s Agenda
32:00 - Part 4, Jesus’ Agenda
43:30 - Part 5, The Heavenly Realms
58:40 - Part 6, Defining Our Spiritual Enemies
1:12:00 - Part 7, How Our Spiritual Enemies Gain Access
1:37:45, Part 8, How to Find Freedom for Yourself and Others
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
Besides this podcast, where else could you go for talks of aliens, spiritual warfare, resurrection, raptures, portals into the spirit realm, and how to cook with poop?
I’ll tell you where else you could go: the Bible. Because the Bible has all those subjects in it. And we’re going to talk about all of them today.
To start: there is a dark and disturbing story in II Kings 3 where the Israelites are engaged in a battle against Mesha, the King of the Moabites. Mesha and Moab are way outnumbered. Not only that, the prophet Elisha in II Kings 3:18 had prophesied that Israel would easily win this conflict. And that’s how things look right up until the very last verse of the chapter.
Mesha is surrounded with no hope; the Israelites have all the momentum. In a moment of desperation, Mesha stands on the city wall and offers up a human sacrifice.
When he does this, the Israelites turn around in fear and run right back home. So the question that will start us off today is: why?
I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Turn to II Kings 3, and let’s get weird.
Visit the Weird Stuff store!
https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com
Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/
You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.
0:00 - Introduction
2:00 - Beau D
13:25 - Alana E
16:00 - Rick S
21:30 - Joe A
22:40 - Vicki V
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
Back in the first episode of this show, I laid out several mysteries of the Bible that have always puzzled me. Things like talking donkeys, six-fingered giants, that time Michael got into a fistfight with the devil over the body of Moses… And I’ve done episodes on all these things.
But there’s one mysterious verse for which I never got around to finding an explanation, and that will finally change today.
In I Corinthians 6:3, Paul writes:
Do you not know that we are to judge angels?
Uh, no, I didn’t know that. I must have missed that day in Sunday School. Frankly, I don’t feel qualified to judge angels. I can’t even judge the difference in butter and Country Crock. And yet the Bible offhandedly says buckle up and get ready for some angel judging.
I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Turn to I Corinthians 6, and let’s get weird.
Visit the Weird Stuff store!
https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com
Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/
You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.
0:00 - Introduction
2:50 - The Context of I Corinthians 6
6:05 - Judging the World
13:50 - Judging Angels
17:45 - When Will We Judge Angels?
23:30 - Next Time & Mailbag
26:15 - Closing Thought
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
Is sin a verb or a noun?
Is it an act you choose, or a power that chooses you?
Is sin something you do, or does it do something to you?
And the answer to all of those questions…is yes.
Today I’m going to talk about what happens in the spiritual realm when we sin.
We often focus on sin in the physical realm as something we choose. What we don’t realize is our sins actually create legal rights in the spiritual realm for evil spirits to harass and try to dominate us.
So today’s episode will give you a greater context for the spiritual battles that we find ourselves in, especially in combatting the flesh or our own sinful desires. And it all begins where sin began, which is Genesis 3. Eve talked to the snake, she bit into the fruit, Adam had some, too, God comes up and asks what they’re doing, and here is what Eve said in
Genesis 3:13
“The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Here’s something interesting about this word for “deceived me” in the Hebrew. It can also mean the serpent “put me in its debt.”
And that’s such a strange idea. We know who the serpent is- the devil. So how does sin put us in the devil’s debt?
I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Turn to Genesis 3, and let’s get weird.
Visit the Weird Stuff store!
https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com
My columns in The Christian Post:
https://www.christianpost.com/by/luke-taylor
The Naked Man in the Garden when Jesus was Arrested (article on the site)
https://weirdstuffinthebible.com/2025/08/06/the-naked-man-with-the-linen-cloth/
Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.
0:00 - Introduction
2:15 - Recap of the Dominion Mandate
4:05 - Nasha in Genesis 3
8:45 - Masal in Genesis 4
11:55 - How We Find Freedom in Romans 6
20:45 - Why would evil spirits follow spiritual laws?
26:15 - Announcement- Launch of the WSITB Store
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
Ever since the Garden of Eden, we have been in a battle for dominion.
The devil seeks dominion over your eternity, but that’s not all. He wants dominion over your personal life, and he wants dominion over physical space on planet earth.
I don’t think most Christians realize that the devil is out to conquer territory. We often talk about the spiritual battle that we’re all in, and that can cause us to think that the physical world doesn’t matter so much.
But if you read your Bible, you’ll see that obviously, this world matters to him. And it matters to God. And so we need to make it matter to us as well.
I mean, as we read scripture, Satan shows up in Ezekiel 28 as the principality of Tyre. He shows up in Isaiah 14 as the principality of Babylon. Daniel 10 tells us about the principalities over Persia and Greece.
And Ephesians 6 tells us that we wrestle against these principalities. But what even is a principality, and how does it come to be in charge of a territory on planet earth?
I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Turn to Ephesians 6, and let’s get weird.
Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.
0:00 - Introduction
1:40 - Recapping Last Week
8:00 - Establishing a Principality
21:40 - Getting Rid of a Principality
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
Most Christians don’t realize this: not every thought you have is your own thought. Some of them are the thoughts of the Pneumatikos. What are the Pneumatikos? They’re those things Paul warned us about in Ephesians 6:12.
Once of the most famous New Testament verses. You’ve heard it. I’ve heard it. We’ve all heard it.
Ephesians 6:12 says (in the ESV)
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
We’ve read that. We’ve heard sermons on it. We’ve understood it- or, we think we do. We understand that this is talking about spiritual warfare. Satan’s army.
But what exactly are the rulers? What specifically are the authorities? Or cosmic powers? Or spiritual forces of evil?
These names might sound like the bad guys in an episode of Power Rangers. But what do all these phrases mean?
These terms refer to the hierarchy of power, or the ranks in the devil’s kingdom. Just like our military might have generals, captains, lieutenants, and infantry, the devil also has an organized militia. They take orders. There’s a chain of command. And if you listen all the way through today, you’ll understand this verse deeper than ever before, and you’ll have a much clearer understanding of how Satan’s kingdom operates.
There are demonic minions who operate at a very low level. There are principalities who operate at a very high level. And there is a prince of darkness at the very very top. (And it was not Ozzy Osbourne.)
I did find Ozzy Osbourne to be weird. But even more-so, I find Satan’s kingdom to be weird, and I’d like to know everything about it that we can find in the Bible.
And if you want to learn that, too, turn to Ephesians 6, and let’s get weird.
Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.
0:00 - Introduction
2:20 - Get Me to the Greek
5:15 - Arche or Principality
8:20 - Exousia or Power-Authority
13:50 - Kosmokrator or Cosmic Powers
15:50 - Pneumatikos or Spiritual Forces
17:30 - How Satan’s Kingdom Functions
26:00 - How to Repent
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
We’re going to be in the book of Ephesians for the next couple of weeks, really centering around this famous verse at the end of the book:
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Next week, we’ll be looking at what these rulers, authorities and spiritual forces exactly are. All you need to know is that these refer to the hierarchy of Satan’s kingdom. Rulers and authorities, powers and spiritual forces, these are demons and fallen angels.
For this week, I want to just explore this concept of “the heavenly realms.”
We read that and we’re like, “well I know what that is: the spiritual realm. The supernatural realm. The unseen world. Behind the veil. The upside down. The Quantum Realm. Narnia.”Whatever you want to call it. It’s that spiritual plane of existence that angels and demons inhabit.
But wait: what if I told you that “the heavenly realms” is a phrase that’s been used throughout the book of Ephesians- and not only that, it says we’re already there.
Ephesians 2:6 says
God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus
So how can we be there if we’re here?
I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Turn to Ephesians 1, and let’s get weird.
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0:00 - Introduction
1:55 - Epouranios
5:45 - Ephesians 2:6
10:30 - Ephesians 1:3
12:00 - Ephesians 1:20
15:25 - Ephesians 3:10
23:00 - Next Time
25:40 - Closing Thoughts
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
Who outranks who: angels or humans?
I mean, angels get to go to heaven and can turn invisible and beat up demons- and FLY- so it sounds like they’re better than people. Like angels are superior to humans.
And yet, Hebrews paints a different picture.
Chapter 1, verse 14 says
Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
Those who inherit salvation are us. So angels are ministering spirits who serve us. Wow. So maybe humans outrank angels. But it’s going to say in the very next chapter,
verses 6 and 7
What is man, that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man, that you care for him?
You made him for a little while lower than the angels…
Wait, so humans are lower than the angels? And that also speaks of Jesus- when Jesus was on earth, was He lower than the angels as well?
Make it make sense!
I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Turn to Hebrews 2, and let’s get weird.
Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.
0:00 - Introduction
1:55 - Lower Than the Angels
7:20 - What is Man?
15:30 - Psalm 8 and the Elohim
24:45 - Closing Thoughts
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
Why did Satan tempt Adam and Eve into sin in the Garden of Eden?
You’ve probably wondered that before. You’ve probably wondered why Satan felt it was so important to bring sin into this world and to corrupt mankind.
And you’ve probably heard answers like this: because Satan hates God, and humans are made in the image of God, so therefore Satan hates man.
And that answer’s fine, I guess, but it doesn’t really check all the boxes for me. Such as: what does Satan get out of it? What is his endgame? What does he get by attacking us?
I have an answer to those questions that will bring a greater context for this spiritual battle we’re in between God and the devil- and why this planet is the battleground.
The Bible tells us why Satan relentlessly attacks God’s greatest creation, which is human beings. And I’m glad it tells us, because I find Satan’s actions to be weird, and I’d like to explore why he does what he does in the Bible.
Turn to Genesis 1, and let’s get weird.
Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/
You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.
0:00 - Introduction
1:30 - Understanding Dominion
6:20 - How Satan Stole Our Dominion
11:55 - Satan God What He Wanted
15:00 - 3 Areas Where the Devil Seeks Control
23:15 - Next Time
25:15 - How the Gospel Gets Our Authority Back
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
Genesis 3:1-2 say
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.
He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent,
Well wait, let’s stop right there. Why wasn’t Eve just running the other way at this point Why was Eve talking to a snake? Did animals used to have the ability to speak before the fall of man?
Possibly. But that’s kind of a strong claim to make without more scriptural support for it. I don’t know that animals were that smart.
I did see an article this past week where the headline said scientists have determined that dolphins are the second-most-intelligent beings on this planet. Not snakes, but dolphins. It said dolphins are second only to man.
It did not say where women rank in the lineup. I felt like that should have been part of the story, but the article never went there.
But the smartest creatures we have on earth other than man are dolphins, and even dolphins can’t talk.
But Genesis 3 hits us with a talking snake.
And Eve talks right back to it. She even lets it convince her to commit the first sinful action ever taken by humans.
Now most of you are already ahead of me: duh, Luke, it’s the devil! (Satan, that serpent of old, as Revelation 12:9 says)
And yes, it’s totally the devil. But that makes the question even more challenging for us, because now we have to explain: how was the devil a snake, who did Eve think she was talking to, and why was she listening to him? We’ll answer all those questions today, because I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Turn to Genesis 3, and let’s get weird.
My column this week in the Christian Post: https://www.christianpost.com/voices/gods-will-or-not-in-modern-times-casting-lots-for-big-decision.html
Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/
You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.
0:00 - Introduction
2:00 - The Snake’s Identity
8:20 - Why Did Eve Listen to Him?
12:25 - Could Animals Talk?
15:35 - Closing Thoughts
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
We’ve heard a million sermons, bible studies, Sunday school lessons, and more on Genesis 3. And for good reason. This is the chapter that depicts the first sin, the fall of man, the reason we needed Jesus to come and die for our sins.
Genesis 3 is where Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit, bring sin into the world, and get kicked out of the paradise of Eden.
So for good reason, there are countless books and teachings and even podcasts that dive into this chapter. And yet, I find that the more you dig, the more you keep finding. There’s more going on in this story than you probably ever realized. For a chapter that seems to explain so much about reality, it also raises a lot of questions.
For example, let’s just talk about the opening line:
Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.
Well we all know who the serpent is. That’s the devil, or Satan. We’ve got that down. We know that a serpent refers to a physical creature like a snake, but we also understand that this is no mere snake, but also referring to the devil himself. So we know the Bible here is using a physical creature to depict a spiritual being.
But what about the beasts of the field also mentioned there? We usually assume that that’s just talking about the other animals that filled the earth in those early days.
But if the serpent at the beginning of the verse is referring to a spiritual being, why would we not also assume that the beasts of the field that the verse mentions later are not also spiritual beings?
I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Let’s dig into this idea today, and as we do, it’s going to show us how sometimes the Bible sounds like it’s speaking in physical terms but is actually just using those words to communicate about what’s going on behind the spiritual veil. So today will expand your vocabulary of spiritual terminology and bring some clarity to your Bible reading.
Let’s start by turning to Genesis 3, and let’s get weird.
Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.
0:00 - Introduction
3:30 - The Craftiest Creature God Ever Made
7:20 - Beasts of the Field
15:30 - Birds of the Air
18:35 - Snakes and Scorpions
25:40 - Closing Thought: Why I Talked About Nephilim
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
Let’s begin with where we left off last week. We started with Goliath and traced his origins and ancestral line backwards, all the way back to Genesis 6. In those verses in Genesis 6, we read about how spiritual beings called the Sons of God came down to earth and mated with human women.
As I said last time, this is probably the weirdest thing I believe. And if you like hearing about Weird Stuff in the Bible, you’re in the right place.
Genesis 6:1-4 say
When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
So last week, we talked about how the giants- or Nephilim- were created. And how this eventually led to a most famous giant: Goliath, who fought David in I Samuel 17.
But wait, you might say: wait a minute Luke. Genesis 6:1-4 happened BEFORE the flood of Noah. So how did the Nephilim continue to populate the world in Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua and I and II Samuel, which all take place after the flood.
That’s what I will talk about today, and along the way, we’ll also meet all the other giants of the Old Testament. It wasn’t just Goliath. He wasn’t just a one-and-done. There are multiple others; in fact, entire tribes of giants.
I find that to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Turn to Numbers 13, and let’s get weird.
(NOTE: where I said “Genesis 6” at 18:35, I meant Ephesians 6)
Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/
You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.
0:00 - Introduction
2:00 - How Did the Nephilim Return After the Flood?
7:30 - Anak
12:00 - Og
19:00 - Mailbag
23:00 - Goliath’s Brothers (or Cousins)
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
I am on a bit of a David-and-Goliath kick right now, for three reasons.
Now, even if you aren’t a Christian, you know the story of David and Goliath. The small Israelite boy who used a sling to destroy the giant champion of the Philistines.
But when we say Goliath was a giant, what do we mean? Well, I Samuel 17 says he was six cubits and a span. I have enough trouble converting English to Metric, and my yardsticks growing up did NOT have an edge that measured cubits and spans.
Scholars will tell us that six cubits and a span amounts to anywhere from 9-foot-9 to 10-foot-6.
And yet those same scholars will tell us in the next breath that this must be some kind of mistake, because obviously, nobody can be 10 feet tall. Even Christian scholars will teach that this must be some kind of typo in the Bible.
Well, call me old-fashioned, or call me a fundamentalist, but I believe that the whole Bible is God’s Word, and that God doesn’t make mistakes.
So I take this to be literal truth. But I also take it to be weird.
And I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.
Turn to I Samuel 17, and let’s get weird.
Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com
Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:
https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/
You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.
0:00 - Introduction
2:00 - The Origin of Goliath
8:10 - The Origin of the Anakim
11:40 - The Origin of the Nephilim
14:25 - Life Update & Mailbag
22:20 - Closing Thoughts
If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com
Hosted by Luke Taylor
If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
