“And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.” (Genesis 11:6)

I read this chapter early this morning and got stuck right here on this sentence. It’s God speaking about mankind, as He watches them attempt to build a tower that reaches heaven.

Side note: Babel reminds me of the AI race.

God was right (to no one’s surprise). He knows how powerful humans are. And I can’t help but wonder where the endgame is with our AI race knowing that God sometimes deliberately messes up man’s plan as an act of mercy.

Have you ever stopped to think about what God is saying with that one sentence?

• Humans were created with real God given power

• Our power is amplified when we work together

• Our biological limitation isn’t intelligence, but morality

• When left to our own devices, we end up sliding into self-exaltation

We are watching a modern day Babel unfold before our eyes. Listen to any of the big names in AI and the promises of a bright future, with universal high income, and unending creativity, sound very much like the people in ancient times.

“Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens…”

Will God restrain us again as a great act of mercy?

Humans hate weakness. We champion independence. And yet in scripture, it seems that independence (without God) is the very thing that will send humans to ruin. Weakness actually ends up as a strength, because it forces us to cry out for help.

Our problem has never been our limitations of power and intelligence, and yet we always think that. “Once I have this money, or this new technological breakthrough, etc. then I will achieve __________”.

Our problem - at its root - is moral. Our relationship with our Creator.

And this is why God uses restraint as mercy. Unchecked power and intelligence without dependence on God is suicide.

This is the question I’m asking myself this morning:

Where in my life do I think that my (lack of) intelligence or power is the reason I’m stuck in a problem? Chances are, I’m looking in the wrong direction.

In the grocery store yesterday looking for a package of hot dogs so that Ac could recreate some elf scene that needed them 😂, I heard playing on the radio a song and the vocalist kept repeating “Jesus is jealous of Santa Claus.” What a ridiculous statement to make, though I understood the singer’s intention.

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I have been feeling untethered.

This morning I decided to start a new devotional that I’d bought specifically for 2026. I wanted to wait until January 1st because then it all lines up perfectly (OCD much), but I felt a small stirring to abandon the desire of neatness and just dive in.

I’m so glad I did.

I spent some time in Luke 24, where Jesus is on the road to Emmaus with the two disciples revealing the scriptures. I invite you to read it and then I want to show you what I saw.

The Road to Emmaus

¹³ That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles^[a] from Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. ¹⁶ But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷ And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸ Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” ¹⁹ And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. ²¹ But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. ²² Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, ²³ and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. ²⁴ Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” ²⁵ And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

²⁸ So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, ²⁹ but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰ When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. ³¹ And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. ³² They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” ³³ And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, ³⁴ saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

This chapter is one of the best narrative examples of a tension I’ve felt and wrestled with whenever I think about my salvation.

There are the two primary camps whenever you explore this:

• Predestination & Calvinism

• Free Will & Arminianism

Simply stated… one says God determines it, reveals it, and decides it. One engages more of our response, responsibility, and will.

Did I get saved because God revealed it to me, or did I have free will and say yes to Him? There are pitfalls on either side by the way.

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But look at what happens here in Luke.

First… Jesus explains the scriptures. In verse 27, Jesus begins to teach how all the Old Testament prophets pointed to Jesus.

This is the moment where Jesus is using rational explanation.

→ Reason is engaged.

Second… Their hearts burned within them. This is in verse 32. It’s the Spirit bearing witness to truth.

→ This is internal witness by the Holy Spirit.

Third… Their eyes were opened. This is the part where God intervenes. The rational reasoning PLUS the internal witness of the Holy Spirit caused their eyes to be opened. You can’t escape the divine nature of this moment.

→ Revelation happened when God granted it.

Fourth… They immediately sprung into action. Action wasn’t the mechanism of faith. It was the response to it.

→ Human responsibility.

It appears that there are elements of both camps in this one narrative. God’s divine work, activation of our logical side, revelation through the Spirit, and human action and responsibility.

Luke doesn’t try to explain why and how. Both realities co-exist.

This can be tricky for people to understand. How could both free will and determinism co-exist? Isn’t that irrational?

This is where I turned to ChatGPT for help understanding the difference between:

• Irrational thoughts

• Trans-rational thoughts

Because at first glance, it can seem like asking someone to believe that both operate simultaneously might feel irrational.

To be irrational is to violate logic itself. An irrational claim contains a true contradiction- like saying someone is both married and a bachelor at the same time, in the same sense. ← That’s important.

That kind of statement collapses under even basic reasoning. Christianity does not ask for that kind of belief.

But trans-rational is something different.

Why “determinism + responsibility” sounds irrational.

People assume it means:

A person is fully caused by God
and
A person is fully self-caused

That would be a contradiction - same category, same sense. But that is not what historic Christianity claims.

The category mistake people keep making.

They collapse two different levels of causation into one.

Biblically, we’re dealing with:

1. Ultimate causation (God’s sovereign will)

2. Proximate causation (human choice, intention, desire)

Different levels. Different senses.

Christian theology says:

• God is sovereign over outcomes

• Humans are responsible for intentions and actions

It does not say:

• Humans are puppets with no real agency

• Or that humans act independently of God

Again: different questions, different categories.

If you got lost in that reasoning, it boils down to this….

When it comes to Christian theology and some of these tougher matters, people oversimplify theology and flatten it into something it’s not.

Let’s use another example - the Trinity.

At first glance, it could appear to be irrational. God is 1. God is 3? How is that possible? It looks like it’s violating logic (therefore irrational).

But Christian theology is not saying:

• God is one person and three persons

• God is one being and three beings

That would be irrational.

What Christianity actually claims is:

• God is one in being / essence / nature

• God is three in person

Different categories. Different senses.

“Being” answers what something is.
“Person” answers who someone is.

Same subject. Different predicates. As you can see, it’s easy for this nuance to get lost.

Yes, it might seem like a heavy topic to dive into three days before Christmas, but I discovered something as I did that exercise.

I’d been feeling untethered prior to sitting down to do some study. I didn't “feel” God close to me (not because He isn’t, but because I am often distracted).

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When we wait to feel something before acting, we miss an opportunity to connect with Him. I would have missed this entire moment today if I hadn’t sat down despite my lack of feeling.

I needed help this morning. I needed the logic and reason of a devotional. And once I sat down and activated my brain, I felt the Holy Spirit stir in me as I read the scripture. My heart moved.

It’s a good reminder.

I hope you’re able to find a few moments this week to connect to the One who is the reason we celebrate.

Merry Christmas. ❤️

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It sounds so cartoonish right? 🐳

But this morning I read the story against the backdrop of current events, and it hit different. WAY different.

Let me set the stage here. The Lord calling Jonah to preach judgment on Nineveh might be similar to Him calling a modern day 2025 Hebrew prophet and saying, “Arise, go to Gaza, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”

Can you imagine how difficult and stressful that would be? 😳

While God here is acknowledging the evil that is in Nineveh and asking Jonah to pronounce judgment, Jonah runs. He runs far. Tarshish was like the edge of the world as they knew it back then (near the edges of Spain).

Was it fear that drove Jonah to run? Did he not want to stand before Nineveh? After all, they were a huge city in Assyria, which was one of the primary enemies of Israel.

Or was it something else?

The answer to Jonah’s motivation doesn’t come until the very end of the book. Look at what he says when he finally gets to Nineveh, the people repent, and God rolls back His judgment.

Jonah wasn’t running from danger — he was running from compassion.

Jonah’s awareness of the STEADFAST LOVE and MERCY of His creator made him realize that by going to Nineveh and pronouncing judgment, God was giving the city a chance to repent.

And Jonah wanted vengeance.

Oof. 🫣

Even inside the belly of the whale, Jonah’s prayer wasn’t true repentance. It was more sorrow and despair, and acknowledgement of the goodness of God. But you don’t see any true repentance.

And yet, God vomited Jonah out of the fish after three days. Why? Because of God’s steadfast love and mercy.

Here are the takeaways I am meditating on today:

1. Even God’s judgment is merciful. It’s a chance to repent and turn away from evil.

2. God’s mercy is immeasurable. He showed mercy to Nineveh (an evil city), and to Jonah (a prideful self righteous vengeful prophet).

3. I noticed the irony in the part where the storm is raging and these pagan sailors are ready to fear the Lord and repent when they realize it’s Jonah’s disobedience that’s causing the storm. They even tried to spare his life by rowing harder! God is showing how religiosity doesn’t mean you get it right.

After the fish episode, Jonah listens to the Lord and goes to Nineveh, and they repent. He’s angry that God has spared his enemy because he wants vengeance.

As Jonah goes outside the city to watch and see what God does, the Lord provides a plant for shade for Jonah. More mercy.

The next day, the Lord sends a worm to eat the plant and the heat and wind cause Jonah much distress.

Jonah’s pride is ridiculous here (but we’re so guilty of it too). He’s like “Heck yea I have every right to be mad!”

God asks him how it’s possible that Jonah could pity a plant that God himself planted for him, and yet Jonah thinks God shouldn’t take pity on 120,000 humans and cattle.

Then the book ends. 😂

No redemptive arc for Jonah here.

He’s briefly mentioned in 2 Kings and Jesus references him a few times in the Gospel, but that’s it.

A few other reflections:

1. I found it interesting God chose to mention the cattle. God’s compassion and mercy extend to ALL of creation, not just humans. Wow wow.

2. Jesus’ mention of Jonah is symbolic - He talks about how Jonah being three days and nights in the whale is similar to Him dying on the cross and rising three days later. In Jonah’s case, he goes unwillingly. In Jesus’ case, He goes willingly and because of mercy and love.

3. Jonah isn’t really the hero! I thought he was, but that’s because I always remember the story as, “He runs from God, gets punished in the whale, repents, and then saves the city.” But that’s not really what happened.

4. Every scene in Jonah drips with mercy. Even the storms are invitations to repent.

What do we do with so many calls for vengeance and violence today? What about the critique of people who are being “judgmental”?

This was my biggest aha.

We’re in a culture where words supposedly equal violence. And yet, it’s clear that God’s calling on Jonah’s life was to PRONOUNCE judgment for the chance of repentance and MERCY.

We have it so backwards. We cancel people who speak the truth, even when it’s hard. We need more truth tellers. More folks not afraid to proclaim God’s word unashamedly.

And we need LESS violence and dehumanization. But instead we have leaders like Stephen Miller stoking the fires of violence and revenge for the “other side” - dehumanizing them and forgetting that God desires mercy for them too.

Today, truth-telling is often mistaken for cruelty, and silence is mistaken for compassion. Jonah reminds us that speaking truth is an act of mercy, not vengeance. Because every warning from God is an invitation to repent, not a weapon to destroy.

I was convicted hard. I’m still so scared to speak the truth and piss people off. And I also sometimes doom scroll too much and find myself quietly wanting vengeance against those I’ve determined are evil.

Read Jonah today. Pray and ask the Lord where are you fearful about speaking the truth. And ask Him where you might be letting your flesh desire revenge and vengeance, when God desires mercy.

xx

How did this happen? They aren’t unique. We can easily be them if we don’t understand how this happened.

Let’s take a look.

In John 5:35 Jesus did acknowledge that these leaders were excited about the Messiah’s coming for a time.

Here Jesus is referencing John the Baptist. John was preaching about the Messiah who was to come shortly after him, and these leaders were excited about it (willing to rejoice), for awhile.

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This is important to note. They weren’t against a coming Messiah. They were willing to rejoice in the message of John. They basked in the light he brought.

What were some of the things that John the Baptist said that we have recorded?

Here are the rest if you want to do some personal study.

• Matthew 3:2, 7–12, 14–15

• Matthew 11:2–3

• Matthew 14:4

• Mark 1:7–8

• Mark 6:18

• Luke 3:3, 7–18

• Luke 7:18–20

• John 1:20, 23, 26–27, 29–30, 34

• John 3:27–30

The religious leaders basked in the light John brought.

Imagine the fervor and “revival-esque” nature of his preaching? I can imagine them thinking, maybe Israel will become more pious. Maybe there will be higher attendance at the synagogue. Maybe more people will closely follow the Torah.

Does any of this sound familiar in present day? Churches are filling up. Revival is coming!

Basking in the light of the Holy Spirit’s work.

We just watched Charlie Kirk’s memorial become a national moment of repentance — a surge of spiritual energy, yes, but is it rooted?

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Here comes the part that cuts deep that we all need to hear.

The people who studied the scriptures, Jesus says “You do not have his word abiding in you” because if you did, you would recognize Him.

What’s the difference between reading the word, vs. the word abiding in you? That seems quite critical if we don’t want to fall prey to the same problem as the religious leaders.

First, reading the word isn’t bad.

I fear some of the more charismatic circles have leaned on this idea (albeit not publicly) and have made it seem like the prophetic words of the Holy Spirit are the most important part of the Christian life.

Progressive Christianity has twisted scripture, and thrown large parts of it out entirely.

Neither of these are the answer.

We MUST read the word.

The Bible testifies to someone. When we read it, we learn about who God is. It’s the revelation our Creator has given to us that shows us who He is.

Here’s the moment where we need to go deeper than just learning head knowledge about God. It’s letting the word abide in us.

📖 ABIDE: Aramaic (Peshitta):

• Word: ܡܩܘܝܐ (meqawya) from the root qwy.

• Meaning: to remain, endure, dwell, continue.

Imagine you get up from reading the Bible and you head out to the store, to work, etc. When the word abides in you, it’s still ringing true in your heart. It’s impacting how you think, and what you choose to say and do.

Here’s a more practical example.

I just finished writing a book about a period of time in my life and the 15 business lessons I learned as I grew my business. There’s a lot you will learn about me when you read this book. You will know better my personality, desires, behaviors, etc. You’ll learn one of the lessons is I say yes quickly.

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Reading the book will teach you about me. But if the book’s words abide in you, that means the lessons I taught will stick with you as you go about building your business. It may impact your decisions, your actions, and your words. You might start to say yes quickly too!

In essence you let the book change how you move and operate in the world.

That’s the Word abiding in you.

The religious leaders read the prophecies about the coming Messiah. They also basked for a bit in the fervor and revival that John the Baptist was bringing.

But they did not let the words abide in them. And because of that, they missed the WHO in the message. They missed the heart.

John makes a stunning theological statement at the beginning of his gospel.

The word the leaders studied pointed to someone. This means the entire Old Testament points to Jesus.

Jesus was the Word in the flesh.

In order to have discernment in these very confusing and unstable times, we must have the Word abiding in us.

• We can’t just read the scripture (this is the first step).

• We can’t just bask in the fervor of a revival moment.

• We can’t just assume that because some of our leaders spout the words of Jesus, that they know Him.

The revealed word of God needs to dwell in our hearts, point us to a relationship with Jesus, and then take root in a way that changes the way we act and live.

This is the solution to many of the problems plaguing Christians right now in this moment.

→ This is why so many people fell into religious psychosis thinking the rapture was coming on the 23rd. The Word is not abiding in them.

→ This is why so many people started falling for Candace Owen’s crazy conspiracy theories about Israel. The Word is not abiding in them.

→ This is why so many people think Trump is a great representation of Christianity (make no mistake, God can use anyone - see my post on Balaam, but that does not mean Trump knows Jesus). The Word is not abiding in them.

The Devil knows scripture.

We can’t just assume that knowing the Bible keeps us safe. We must know the ONE of whom the Bible testifies to.

If what I think is going to happen, happens (the blending of religion and government even more than we’ve already seen), the ability to discern what is the move of God and the Holy Spirit, vs. what is parroted scripture — is going to become more necessary than ever.

If the Word of God doesn’t dwell in us deeply, we won’t recognize Jesus when He shows up. Not in our politics. Not in our pulpits. Not in our hearts.

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And nowhere does this truth show up better than in Numbers 22. Walk with me through one of the most wild and crazy stories in all the Bible, and what it showed me that’s highly relevant to today.

The story begins in the wilderness. God’s chosen people have been brought out of Egypt with unbelievable miracles. They’ve also strayed from Him multiple times. They are a very human (relatable) people group to be honest. Yet God keeps showing up for them, showing His power to surrounding countries who try to attack them.

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They come up upon a group of people called Moab. Balak is their leader. He sees the Israelites coming and thinks, crap, they just beat up the Amorites and now we’re in their crosshairs.

So he does what any self-respecting ancient pagan king would do in his situation… He calls in a paid divination expert.

It’s a guy named Balaam.

Balak thinks that if he can pay Balaam to curse Israel, he will solve the problem of getting destroyed by them. Important context here: In ancient times, there was a belief that gods oversaw specific geographical areas.

• Baal was the god of the Canaanites.

• Dagon the god of the Philistines.

• Chemosh the god of Moab.

So when Balak summons Balaam, Balaam basically says, “I’ll go talk to YHWH and see what I can do.”

In his mind, YHWH was the god (little G) of Israel. And gods in the ancient world were fickle as heck. They changed their minds. They accepted bribes. They fell in love with human women.

This is the understanding of gods in the ancient world and Balaam, who is paid to speak to gods, approaches YHWH with this understanding. He thinks he is going to change YHWH’s mind, bribe him, whatever he has to do to get YHWH to curse Israel.

First absolutely radical moment: God speaks to Balaam. This guy is not Jewish, not God-fearing. He’s a pagan paid divination expert to put it in modern terms.

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Balaam tells him what’s up (🤣). Again, why did God ask Balaam what was going on? He knew! God asks because He wants to draw us into a conversation and relationship that reveals what’s REALLY going on in the heart.

God’s response to Balaam’s request was clear and direct.

The next morning Balaam reports back to Balak and his men and tells them what YHWH said. Or does he?

Very similar to the way serpent twisted what God said in the garden, Balaam doesn’t repeat God’s exact words. Instead he takes the easier way out.

Let’s throw YHWH under the bus.

It’s so subtle. But it’s the first indication that Balaam’s heart is in the wrong place.

• He leaves out the blessing.

• He leaves out the command not to curse.

• He reduces it to a travel restriction: “YHWH won’t let me go.”

The result? God’s eternal covenant blessing sounds like a temporary inconvenience. What was absolute now sounds negotiable.

Why? Because Balaam was keeping his options open. ← This was the true heart posture.

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What happens next is Balak tries again. He brings more noble people with him. He says to them as much as I’d like to, YHWH has my hands tied.

Convenient.

But Balaam’s heart is showing because right after that he says, okokok let me talk to YHWH again.

God…YHWH…LORD… His patience. He meets with Balaam again. This is the second incredulous moment. Why didn’t He just say be done with you?

This time God concedes to Balaam’s request. He says…

I found this interesting that God gave a different instruction this time. It wasn’t the ideal first response. Why did He do this?

To test Balaam’s heart.

The first command is His moral will—“Don’t go, don’t curse, they are blessed.” The second is a concession—God gives Balaam enough rope to reveal his heart.

YHWH did this in the wilderness with the Israelites too. When they were complaining about the manna, He gave them quail. So much quail it made them sick. It was a moment of giving them over to their desires to show the end result.

Balaam is like sweet. Now I can go get the money. I can have my cake and eat it too.

What happened next?

God got angry.

Outwardly Balaam was compliant. Inwardly, his heart was not okay. He was double hearted.

This is the crux of the matter. OUTWARD posture is not God’s primary concern. INWARD is. This will become important in a minute.

The next scene is humorous, terrifying, and ironic. Balaam is riding on a donkey to go supposedly do what YHWH says, and an angel of the LORD appears in the path.

The “paid for hire” divination expert can’t see it, but guess who can?

THE DONKEY.

The donkey sees this angel, is terrified, and goes into a field.

Balaam is pissed and beats the donkey.

This happens two more times, each time the angel of the LORD narrowing the path so the donkey has nowhere to go.

The irony is that the humble “dumb” donkey is discerning more clearly what’s happening spiritually than the one who is supposed to be spiritual.

Let’s just stop here for a minute and take in the fact that YHWH is even putting up with a pagan double hearted divination expert.

And then marvel that God reveals the spiritual reality to a donkey.

He opens the donkey’s mouth and donkey speaks to Balaam. 😳

What a reasonable donkey. 😅

God has taken the foolish things of the world to put the “seer” to shame. Even in that irony, God is sparing Balaam’s life.

At that moment Balaam’s eyes are opened and he sees what the donkey sees. He drops to his knees and confesses (though it is obvious that he is not fully transformed).

The donkey (and YHWH) have saved his life. He now knows that he must only speak what God tells him.

God doesn’t measure outward behavior and compliance. He looks at the heart. He always has.

Balaam goes on to give several oracles to and about Israel, some of the most stunning in all of the Torah.

1. He prophesies about Israel → Israel (as a nation) cannot be cursed—they are irrevocably blessed. Not because they are good or perfect, but because YHWH is steadfast to His word. This does not mean that each Jewish person must be accountable to God (they must) or that we agree with everything Israel does without question.

2. He prophesies about Jesus. → A star and a scepter will rise from Jacob.

3. He prophesies about the end of the age. → Nations will be subdued; history will bend toward Israel’s King… who is Jesus.

Just absolutely stunning.

Even when His messenger is corrupt, God’s word stands uncorrupted. Even through a pagan sorcerer, God declares Messiah and the end of the age.

It’s quite the story, but here’s the 2025 message that came whispering through the scripture I read this morning.

God used Balaam powerfully, but the rest of Scripture paints him as lost, not saved. After all the lofty oracles, he still led Israel into sin. Balaam never fully turned.

God can use even the most compromised vessels to proclaim His truth. But being used by God doesn’t equal belonging to Him.

Gulp.

Balaam loved money, honor, and compromise more than YHWH.

There are people today who can move in real spiritual power, even speak true words from God, but whose hearts are far from Him. There’s a difference between intimacy with God and outward compliance. God is not tricked.

The loudest prophet. The most pious religious person. The perfect image Christian. The noble and good sounding guru.

Don’t be fooled. Not by others, or by your own loopholes and mental gymnastics. YHWH is not tricked.

Balaam’s story is sobering and stunning in its mercy.

We are only safe in God by trusting in His gift of forgiveness through Jesus. That’s the sobering reality that every human being on Earth must contend with. Obedience and good works outwardly do not mean a heart is right with God. Even Balaam’s supposed compliance wasn’t truly the right move.

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That is sobering but there is mercy too…

If God will patiently deal with a pagan paid seer who thought he could trick God into going against His covenant with Israel, He is patient to deal with you too. He will show up if you call on Him.

And has proven He will use anything, even a talking donkey, to get your attention.

xx

I read all the Left Behind books multiple times.

I studied the Book of Revelation more than any other book.

I also followed several pastors and teachers that spoke specifically on end times theology.

That interest fell away quickly as I became an adult and had more present and pressing matters to attend to. But here I am, back in the Bible now - sometimes for hours a day - and along with studying Torah and the Gospels, I’ve rekindled my interest in end times scripture & prophecy.

I by NO MEANS am an expert in eschatology. I do have a knack for vetting good scripturally sound books, I have decent intuition, a decent knowledge of scripture and classic interpretative techniques, and I can consume large amounts of information and distill it down quickly, and so what I’m going to do is give you a…

“Where I stand today with end times according to scripture as if I were explaining it to my 10 year old.”

Part of the problem with end times theology is that it’s complicated. It’s not just in one part of the Bible. There’s TONS of scripture in Torah (specifically in Deuteronomy), then more in the Prophets (Isaiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, Joel), then Jesus talks about it in the gospels (Matthew 24), then we see it pop up again in Thessalonians, and then of course the book of Revelation.

Not only that, there’s all different types of writing. Is it literal, allegorical, is it linear, is the author jumping timelines, is it two-fold, is it layered?

And THEN (yes there’s more), we have the fact that Israel is at the center of a lot of this prophecy. How does the body of believers fit in? Are the promises of Israel literal or not?

And THEN (yep this too), we have the surge of AI technology and geopolitical news that often hints of scriptural prophecy, but then we don’t know where to fit it in the timeline.

It’s a lot.

I may update my position later but here’s where I’ve landed on what scripture teaches, and want to understand it enough to be able to explain it to a child.

According to Jewish belief, the world will follow the pattern of the 7 days the way God laid out creation.

• Creation: 6 days of work, 1 day of rest.

• Timeline: 6000 years of living in the age of work and toil, 1000 years of rest.

Christians call this 1000 years the Messianic Age. The age of the Messiah. Generally it unfolds in ages… like this:

• First 2000 years - Creation to Abraham

• Second 2000 years - Abraham to Jesus

• Third 2000 years - Jesus to Present Day

Let’s zoom in on the last seven years before Jesus returns.

One of the most fascinating parts about studying this is that it gives you a zoomed out view of the absolute scandalous level of love & patience that God has for His people. It’s remarkable.

It also helps to put today’s problems in perspective.

Here’s the easy-to-understand timeline I’ve come to accept as what scripture actually teaches in the plain meaning of the text.

All the scripture references are at the end of this article.1

1. Seven years before Jesus returns, the Tribulation will start.

2. This will be marked by the rise of the Antichrist, and he will make a “false” covenant with Israel. There is no rapture here. We are all on Earth when this begins.

3. The majority of the Tribulation is Satan’s activity through human rebellion, allowed by God, not yet God’s direct wrath.

4. Halfway through the Tribulation, the Antichrist will break the covenant with Israel, beginning what scripture calls “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble”. This is when it’s also called The Great Tribulation.

5. This is when there will be deep persecution for those who believe in Jesus, but also a ton of people coming to the knowledge of Jesus.

6. This is when the mark of the beast becomes required for buying & selling.

7. As we get to the end of the Great Tribulation, we see the “Day of the Lord” approaching. This is the moment where two things happen.

8. Number one, believers in Jesus are raptured and given new resurrected bodies. Number two, there’s a remnant of Jews (that don’t yet believe Jesus is the Messiah) that are marked and sealed.

9. For the sake of argument, let’s say this is year 6 out of 7. That is not exact (for illustrative purposes ONLY). I’m just using an idea to make it easier to imagine. It’s called “pre-wrath” as the bowls and last seal mentioned in Revelation are directly speaking of God’s wrath being poured out. God spares His body of this wrath and believers are in heaven (scripture notes at the end to explain this).

10. During this wrath, the majority of the remaining population dies. Remaining survivors are mostly unbelievers, though some repent during this time — especially in Israel. The sealed Jews make it to the 2nd coming of Jesus because they were protected.

11. Jesus then returns (with all the resurrected saints). He comes to the remnant of Israel and rescues them, and defeats the Antichrist.

12. He then sets up His Kingdom in Jerusalem.

13. He binds up Satan in the abyss for 1000 years.

14. Jesus separates the “sheep from the goats” right before the start of the Millennium. With those that survived (several hundred million people left let’s estimate), he only allows believers into the Messianic age. Those who are not believers are removed.

15. The Millennium begins and there is prosperity, long life, and peace. This is when there is the Marriage supper of the lamb.

16. Resurrected believers reign with him. Those who are alive, who survived the Day of the Lord and believed, enter into this age with mortal bodies. They repopulate the Earth. Because the Earth is at peace there’s an explosion in population. People live a long time.

17. Because of the nature of God, He wants to give all these new people born during this century a chance to choose Him. At the end of 1000 years, Satan is released one last time. People must choose - allegiance to Jesus or to Satan.

18. All who rebel are consumed with fire, and those who are in Him are immediately resurrected into their new bodies.

19. Then every person who’s died as an unbeliever is raised to life and faces the Great White Throne of Judgment. They are judged according to their deeds. Then cast into a lake of fire.

20. A new heaven and new Earth is created and God dwells with His people forever.

This timeline and theology does several things: Follows the storyline of Israel faithfully without replacing the promises made to her. Keeps believers from the wrath of God but does not spare us tribulation. He specifically said we’d face tribulation, not wrath.

Continues to show grace, mercy, and patience that all would come to the knowledge of Him. You can even see that the Great Tribulation (giving Satan permission to unrestrain himself is a way to drive people to God through suffering).

It also assumes the plain meaning of the text from Torah, Prophets, Gospels, Epistles, and Revelation.

I’ve prayed and reflected a lot on the Israel-centric nature of all this. How does the Western world, the rise of AI, how does that all fit in?

I watched a YouTube podcast from The Diary of CEO where they were discussing this “future utopia” with AI. Aside from the fact that it goes directly against scripture, I do believe the technology of AI will be the infrastructure and system on which things spoken of in Revelation can actually come to pass. No AI is not the Antichrist. It’s just a tool. But it’s a tool that can be used for great evil or good. And in human’s case, we almost always exploit things of power for evil.

We as believers in Jesus are grafted into the promises of the Covenant. God is going to complete what He said He would do for Israel. We will co-reign with Him. But so much of end times theology flattens this. It pulls believers out of tribulation making it sound like we won’t have to suffer at all.

So what are the signs that point to the fact that the Tribulation is near?

• The Gospel is preached to all nations (Matthew 24:14)

• Increase in lawlessness, deception, and apostasy (Matthew 24:10-12 & 1 Timothy 4:1-2, 2 Thess 2:3)

• Alignment of nations against Israel (Zechariah 12:2-3, Psalm 83, Ezekiel 38-39)

• Tech infrastructure for more global control (Revelation 13: 16-17)

• Wars, instability, and fear (Matthew 24: 6-7, Luke 21: 25-26)

• Signs in nature (Luke 21:11, Revelation 6:5-8)

Every generation has thought they are close to the end times. And watching and waiting in a way that keeps you from focusing on your current relationship with God or your responsibilities here on Earth is NOT fruitful.

Are we truly standing on the edge of the Tribulation? I have no idea.

If you go with the 2000 year epochs and start from the resurrection of Jesus, does that mean the Tribulation kicks off in 2030-2033?

If you go with the Hebrew calendar, we’re in year 5785 which means it could be up to 215 years before Jesus returns?

If you don’t take a young Earth position or a Jewish one, then who knows!

Two books I’ve read (both are excellent, but a little heady) by Travis Snow. The Passover King and The 70 Weeks Jubilee. They are a lot to wade through, but if you’re interested, I highly recommend them.

The goal of understanding this theology is to understand the seriousness of sin. The astounding mercy of God. The patience He has. The urgency to live rightly here on Earth. The relief and gratitude that this life is not all there is. That there is HOPE for a beautiful future. That both Jewish and Gentile believers have a part to play. That God does keep His covenant, yes even to Israel. That tribulation is temporary.

I explained some of this to William the other day as we were reading together. As someone who loves numbers, he tracked with me the entire time. At the end, he looked at me, wide eyed and said, “Well Mom. That is quite the theory.” 🤣

I told him it wasn’t my idea, I just extracted it from the ancient text. He asked if we could read the Bible more together, and of course I said yes. ❤️

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It all started with King Hezekiah in Isaiah 34-39.

He was a righteous king, and the one who trusted in Yahweh when the Assyrians tried to attack Judah. It says the Angel of the Lord went and killed 185,000 men in one night because of Hezekiah’s trust.

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Hezekiah also tore down pagan idols, restored the temple worship, and prayed to God to extend his life (which God granted).

When I read all this, I thought it might be a good idea to study this king.

While not as popular or well known as King David or King Solomon, the scriptures say ….

However in studying him, it got me thinking: Why did Hezekiah have to restore temple worship? Didn’t he come AFTER King David & Solomon (who built the first temple).

Turns out, King Ahaz - his father - was an evil king and had shut it down.

Ahaz engaged in child sacrifice, and burned one of his sons as a sacrifice to a pagan god. He made a deal with Assyria to keep the Kingdom safe (instead of trusting Yahweh as Isaiah said) when Israel and Syria were attacking.

How is it that Hezekiah, a righteous king, came from such a terrible father? I didn’t know how to answer this.

And my confusion only deepened when I realized that Hezekiah’s son - King Manasseh - was even MORE evil than Ahaz.

• King Ahaz - Evil

• King Hezekiah - Righteous

• King Manasseh - Evil

King Manasseh also engaged in child sacrifice- along with sorcery, idol worship, and even placing pagan altars inside the temple- and he upended all the work his father had done.

As if this story isn’t incredulous enough, Manasseh gets exiled to Babylon later on, has a moment of awakening, repents, and God hears him and forgives him.

I mean… what?

See how I said I don’t know where to start with all this?

The first big aha moment for me was the realization that even a righteous king can have a son that might do incredible evil. And in just the same way… evil King Ahaz had a son who was righteous.

This truth flies in the face of many popular Christian tropes around favor and blessing among generations of families (I’ll explain).

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We often hear, “If you raise them right, they’ll walk with God,” or “Your children’s faith is a reflection of your own.” But the story of Hezekiah (righteous son of an evil father) and Manasseh (evil son of a righteous king) interrupts that neat formula.

Hezekiah's story shows us that a fractured home doesn't disqualify someone from being used by God. Manasseh's story reminds us that faithful parenting doesn't guarantee faithful children.

It’s humbling.

It’s also strangely freeing.

This doesn’t remove responsibility. But it does remove pressure. Your legacy matters- but you are not sovereign. God is.

There were several points over the last decade where I felt crippled with fear that my sin was playing out in some of the poor choices of my children as they went through the teenage years. I took on every misstep they made, and attributed it to my sinfulness.

This fear only came to life more when I heard it echoed audibly from people around me who thought I had somehow let demons into my home and they were now plaguing my kids.

It buried me in shame.

Yes my sin mattered, it always does. Thank goodness for God’s mercy.

But over time, I began to see that while my sin may have shaped parts of their story, it didn’t have the power to define it. God is sovereign.

Phew.

The second big aha moment for me happened at King Manasseh’s moment of repentance. Some Jewish rabbis even point out he didn’t repent until he was in chains, suggesting that his repentance was more regret than anything else.

Nonetheless, God grants forgiveness.

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Who can understand this level of mercy?

Certainly no human.

It’s important to note that God didn’t erase the consequences of Manasseh’s actions. There was still a price to pay in real life (and of course we can’t leave out God’s mercy was ultimately and fully paid for by Jesus sacrifice), but think about this for a moment.

Manasseh committed child sacrifice. And God forgave him when he turned his heart to God.

This is unbelievable.

This is Old Testament Yahweh.

We love to put God in a box. Yahweh in Torah & Tanakh is holy, just, and full of wrath against sin. Jesus is love and grace and mercy. Together they balance each other out.

ABSOLUTELY NO.

Yahweh, Jesus, Holy Spirit. They are ALL fully holy, just, sovereign, and dripping with breathtaking mercy & grace. We can’t collapse them.

It’s scary, isn’t it?

When there’s no formula- no guaranteed favor for “doing everything right,” no guaranteed ruin for doing it wrong.

But there is one thread that runs through every page of Scripture:

A heart that turns toward God in humility and repentance… He does not turn away.

That’s what makes pride so terrifying. It shuts the door that mercy is always willing to enter.

You, your children, and your children’s children are never outside the reach of His grace. Not if the heart turns.

The story of Hezekiah, Ahaz, and Manasseh is the gospel before the cross ever appeared.

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I prefer to study one book of the Bible at a time, going chapter by chapter. The reason for this is to preserve the integrity and intent of the author and the audience, as more topical Bible studies can be used (even if not intended) to create arguments that might take the scripture out of context.

Don’t Make It About You Too Early: Who’s writing, Who’s hearing, and What’s going on

This is where I begin. I want to know who is writing the chapter, who the chapter is written for, and what’s going on. It’s tempting to bring the bible passage into modern times (and our lives), but we miss so much when we don’t stop and take the time to read it in the context it was written.

Here are some prompts you can use:

✍️ Who is writing this?

• What do we know about their background, role (prophet, apostle, priest), or situation?

👂 Who is the intended audience?

• Is this written to Israel? The early church? A specific person (like Timothy)?

• What was their situation—persecution, exile, spiritual drift, etc.?

🌍 What’s the historical and cultural context?

• When is this being written (approximate date)? What empire or government is in power? What religious systems or cultural norms are shaping the events?

• Is this pre- or post-resurrection? Old covenant or new?

📖 What’s the literary context?

• What genre is this—narrative, law, prophecy, wisdom, gospel, epistle, apocalyptic?

• Where does this chapter fall in the larger book’s flow?

Next, I use the PaRDeS framework (A Jewish framework) for understanding the scripture.

I wrote about this first in my Bible Study about Leah.

It’s a way of reading the Bible in four layers… first from the literal meaning to eventually the hidden, spiritual mysteries.

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PaRDeS is an acronym and here are each of the words with their respective definitions.

• Peshat – the plain, literal meaning of the text.

• Remez – the hint or allusion in the text.

• Drash – the deeper moral or theological teaching drawn out from the text.

• Sod – the mystery, secret meanings, or symbolism in the text.

Jesus taught in this style all the time.

You can use the following prompt for the entire chapter, or you can even use it for each individual verse in the chapter.

Please walk me through each layer:

1. Peshat (Literal) – What is the plain meaning of the text? Who is the author, audience, and what’s the historical/cultural context?

2. Remez (Hint) – Are there any symbolic clues, literary patterns, or Old Testament echoes that hint at a deeper meaning?

3. Drash (Search) – What theological or moral truths can be drawn from this passage? What are the main interpretations?

4. Sod (Mystery) – Is there any spiritual mystery or revelation about God’s nature or the Kingdom hidden here?

Once you’ve done this, you can start to go deep into individual words, cross-referencing other books and scriptures, look for themes & symbolism, and of course work out how it might be helping you in your life.

Here are some of my favorite questions and prompts to ask once I’ve reviewed the chapter:

• Hermeneutics: Discuss authorial intent, genre, literary patterns, and interpretive principles of this passage. Help me understand how to correctly interpret this passage.

• Biblical languages: Explain key Greek/Hebrew terms when they unlock deeper meaning. Show me the words and help me see where else in the Bible this word is used.

• Historical & cultural context: Frame the passage in its world—first-century Jewish customs, Roman law, Second Temple thought, etc. What customs might help me understand this passage better?

• Controversy radar: Flag verses or passages that are debated (e.g., women in ministry, eschatology, predestination) with a “heads up,” and outline the main views fairly.

• Application & discipleship: Connect Scripture to real emotional, spiritual, and psychological growth—especially in the areas of anxiety, identity, purpose, and spiritual drift.

After I’ve finished the chapter, I pick one verse in the chapter to memorize.

I’m looking for either the verse that spoke to me, a verse that represents the chapter, or the character of God expressed in that passage.

It helps if you can use a bible memory app to review it every couple of days so it sticks.

These are the most common fears with using AI to study the Bible.

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1. First and foremost, start in prayer. Ask God to highlight what He wants to show you.

2. Read the chapter in your Bible or on Kindle away from distractions and screens.

3. Pick out (or jot down) the questions or aha! moments that you are feeling before you go to AI.

4. Go and start up ChatGPT once you’ve done those first three things.

5. Whenever you’re in a passage that might be controversial, specifically ask for the opposing argument (for example, if I’m reading a chapter that is supposedly a Messianic prophecy, I ask for the Jewish interpretation of it to get an alternative viewpoint, and then I decide which is more sound).

6. You can also use Deep Research function in chat if you want to go deeper on a passage.

One of the easiest ways to avoid confirmation bias and hallucination is to study the Bible chapter by chapter, book by book.

It’s when you start to do topical studies (picking a bunch of verses to make a case) that the chance for unsound conclusions goes way up.

Don’t be afraid to go deep once you’ve read the whole chapter.

Lastly, you can create custom instructions in a project folder or thread that explains how you want ChatGPT to operate as your Bible Study assistant.

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Here are the instructions in mine:

📕📙📚 You are Julie’s Bible study thought partner. She is a spiritually discerning, intelligent, and practical believer who values truth, context, and transformation. Your job is to help her explore Scripture in a way that is both theologically rich and emotionally relevant—without being long-winded or preachy.

🔥 Voice & Vibe

Be concise by default. Use short paragraphs. No fluff. When Julie wants more depth, she’ll ask.

Speak with clarity, reverence, and boldness—grounded, not academic.

Use curiosity and critical thinking without cynicism.

Blend faith, reason, and application.

📚 Julie’s Study Priorities

Apologetics: Present reasoned, biblically grounded defenses of the faith. Highlight tensions with culture and modern objections.

🙏 What to Include

Scripture references, always.

Key word studies when relevant.

Summaries of multiple interpretations when applicable.

A lens of God’s kindness, justice, and holiness—never flatten Scripture into sentiment or legalism.

Modern analogies or examples if they help clarify, not dilute.

🚫 What to Avoid

Don’t be long-winded unless asked.

Don’t oversimplify difficult texts or theological tension.

Don’t assume shame/guilt as the motivator—focus on grace, truth, and sanctification.

Don’t sound like a seminary professor trying to impress. Julie wants insight, not jargon.

✨ Example Use Cases

“Give me the apologetics angle on this verse.”

“What would a Jewish audience have heard in this parable?”

“Where’s the controversy in this passage?”

“What’s the original Greek word here, and does it change how we interpret it?”

“How might this passage apply to someone dealing with anxiety or performance-driven faith?”

I have been doing this process for months with both Old & New Testament books and find sometimes it takes days even just in one chapter. The richness of the text, the word studies, and what applications you can draw from make the Bible a book someone could study their whole life and never stop finding new truths.

That happened to me this morning while reading Genesis 29. I’ve read the story of Leah before, but this time, something deeper opened up. Not just the story of how the sons of Israel were born, but the layers beneath it.

What if Scripture was meant to be read that way… in layers? Turns out, there’s precedent for this layered approach in Judaic study.

There are four ways to unpack a piece of scripture.

It’s called the PaRDeS Framework, which comes from Jewish tradition.

It’s a way of reading the Bible in four layers… first from the literal meaning to eventually the hidden, spiritual mysteries.

PaRDeS is an acronym and here are each of the words with their respective definitions.

• Peshat – the plain, literal meaning of the text.

• Remez – the hint or allusion in the text.

• Drash – the deeper moral or theological teaching drawn out from the text.

• Sod – the mystery, secret meanings, or symbolism in the text.

Jesus taught in this style all the time.

So… a little backstory on Genesis 29.

Jacob (who God would rename Israel) loved a young woman named Rachel and worked for seven years for her father Laban as the price to have her hand in marriage. Laban then tricked Jacob the night of his wedding — giving him Leah (his older daughter) instead of Rachel. When Jacob realized what had happened (a story for another day… how on Earth he mistook the two I’ll never know 🤦‍♀️), he asked again for Rachel’s hand and worked another seven years to secure her.

So Jacob ended up with two wives who were also sisters: Leah & Rachel. They both had maidservants as well.

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To say there were difficult relationship dynamics in this little family is an understatement. Jacob was clearly tricked by Laban. Leah was given over to a man who didn’t love her as much as her younger sister. It was a pretty big relational mess.

So here comes the passage that hit me:

31 When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”
33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.
34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.
35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.

— Genesis 29: 31-35

Leah is hoping against hope that her ability to bear Jacob a son will be enough to turn his heart towards her. What pain and longing she must have felt.

The fact that she continued to hope & press for Jacob’s affection with the second and third sons means Reuben (the firstborn) hadn’t been enough to change Jacob’s heart and she was stuck in a cycle of hoping that something about her circumstances would change his affection. In other words, she was trying to earn love.

The third son was born and she was still hoping against hope that this time surely, Jacob would love her.

But notice what shifted at the fourth son. She says, “This time I will praise the LORD.”

By this point, she was no longer looking for Jacob’s affection. She wasn’t trying to prove herself. She was accepting and focused on the LORD instead.

Wow. It appears Leah had an acceptance and surrender moment here. So let’s look at the four possible layers that we can unpack according to the PaRDeS framework.

Peshat - What is the literal meaning of the text?

Leah is rejected and hurting, but God is with her. She has an emotional journey to accepting what was before her as she bore 4 sons (who would become 4 of the 12 tribes of Israel). She wants to be loved by Jacob, but Jacob’s heart is with Rachel.

Moses is writing this down as a recount of how the sons (who would become the tribes of Israel) were born.

Remez - What is the hint or illusion suggested in the text, but not specifically stated?

Leah is being spiritually formed through rejection. Each of her son’s names show the wrestling she’s doing with God and herself. In many ways, the journey Leah is taking is a foreshadowing of how God will use rejection with Israel to form their hearts too. Leah is the unwanted wife and Israel is the despised nation. Both become vessels for God’s redemptive plan.

Drash - What moral or theological teaching is here waiting for us in the text?

This is where the scripture hit me square in the gut, because I recognize Leah’s cries to “be enough”. I see her attempts at producing as a way to be loved in the way she wants to. Trying to change someone else’s heart through her own striving.

• If I do enough…

• If I produce…

• If I’m needed or fruitful or successful…

But it never secures the love she craves. Only when Leah stops striving and turns her eyes to God does she say,

“This time, I will praise the Lord.”

This is the turning point of her spiritual freedom. Judah is also a very special son (as we’ll see).

I wasn’t expecting ancient text to hit so close to home for me. As a high performer and over functioner, I have spent years trying to prove my worth, earn my right to be chosen and loved, and banking my self esteem on my usefulness.

The idea here is that when my heart is surrendered to God I will receive His love and acceptance, and ultimately get the peace and worthiness I desire. It’s another example of how God uses rejection and pain, things we all try to avoid, to draw us closer to Him.

Sod - What is the mystery or secret meaning in the text?

This is the fun stuff lots of pastors and online Christian influencers love to teach, but it’s important to remember — Sod is the sprinkles on the ice cream, not the ice cream itself. Whenever you’re doing this study, remember that what you discover here can’t override the doctrine formed from the plain meaning of the text. It must support the plain meaning.

Leah has four sons (by the way, the number four in Hebrew has meaning).

Where does the number 4 show up?

1. Four seasons

2. Four winds

3. Four directions

4. Four living creatures

5. Four horseman

Four symbolizes the fullness of creation, God’s order in the physical world, and often marks a prophetic turning point or breakthrough.

So back to Leah. This is her fourth son. His name is Judah (Yehudah). It’s the first name in the Scriptures that contains all four letters of the sacred name of God Y-H-V-H.

→ Yehudah (Judah) adds one letter: Dalet (ד) = door

Judah becomes the door to Yahweh. This is the line from which Jesus came.

Leah’s acceptance and praise to the Lord opened the door to the line that led to Jesus. The rejection that she faced was redeemed in the lineage of her son. Her surrender was the Messiah’s entrance.

How cool is this?!

As I read this chapter this morning, I was absorbing several things about the nature of God (Yahweh).

1. He works through incredibly messy and difficult circumstances. What a scene were these two sisters vying for Jacob’s seed (and the maidservants got involved too).
   

2. He consistently hears the cries of the weak, the rejected, and those cast aside. Leah was “hated” it says, and He comforted her with the honor of bearing 6 sons.
   

3. Rejection is painful, but also a way towards acceptance and dependence on God. Rejection from people and things in this world are a way that push our hearts into the Father.
   

4. Our surrender is usually the doorway through which bigger blessings flow. The irony of letting go brings greater peace and abundance than trying to do it on your own.
   

5. The scripture is very much like creation. In just this small passage, there were layers and layers of both creativity and order. God is a beautifully intelligent designer.
   

6. The push/pull between the nature of God (sovereign, holy, all powerful) and man (messy, unpredictable, weak) is sometimes hard to understand, but shows how much God loves relating and walking with us. He’s so intimately involved in our lives, even when we’re making a mess of things.

Leah turned her disappointment into praise. She didn’t get the love story she longed for in that moment, but she got something greater - a son that would bear the Messiah.

When we stop striving to be chosen by others and instead choose to praise the One who already sees us, something shifts.

xx

Last note… as I kept reading Genesis (and this is why it’s important to study books at a time), Leah did go on to re-wrestle again. In the birth of later sons, she continued to wonder if this time, it would make her worthy of Jacob’s affection. It appears that Judah was the one son where she had a different position of the heart. I found great comfort in knowing that even when you think you’ve “arrived” at some level of your faith, it’s normal to fall, trip, wander, and struggle. God didn’t take back the promise or change His mind.

I am in a season of reconstruction.

My instincts (or possibly the Holy Spirit) have set off a visceral resistance to reading popular Christian books right now.

At first I thought maybe it was fear. Returning to my faith has felt so fragile.

I started rebuilding with the one thing I know to be true - that Jesus of Nazareth died and rose from the dead three days later and claimed to be son of God.

To begin there felt like I was holding a vast piece of white paper with one red dot in the middle of the page. What if I started listening to books and gurus and it started to get crowded with stuff about God that isn’t true?

Now I see it’s not fear. It’s wise protection.

What Changed in My Bible Life

What’s absolutely wild to me is that in my previous Christian life I really struggled to read the Bible every day. It was dry. It was hard. There were plenty of other things to distract me. I preferred shows, movies, social media, anything really.

But in the last 6-7 weeks, I haven’t gone one day without reading the scripture. It’s the first thing I do in the morning, and I’m never disappointed when I open it. The life coming off the pages always takes me places I didn’t expect.

I see popular Christian influencers with podcasts and books and something inside of me says “no”. Maybe it’s no forever (because it’s not theologically sound). Maybe it’s just no for a season. I’m not sure.

But the Bible (and my ongoing journaling in ChatGPT about the chapter I’m reading) has proven one of the most life giving things I’ve ever done.

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How I Actually Study Each Day

I thought I would walk you through my process because even with just the Bible and a chat companion… could easily get dicey and off track. Then I will show you an example of my Bible study this week to see what comes up in just reading one chapter.

First & foremost, the scripture needs to be read in context.

The whole “close your eyes, open your bible and pick a verse” might be a fun game, but it often leads to questionable interpretation.

For me, I started with the book of Matthew. I wrote about it here.

Once I was finished, I decided to go all the way back to the beginning and read the book of Genesis.

My recommendation is that you read one book at a time. Get the backstory and context of the book, who the author is, and who he is writing to.

I chose to read a chapter a day.

1. I read the chapter in full.

2. I occasionally look before and after the chapter to get an idea of where it’s happening, the characters, context etc.

3. I then begin a chat thread in my Bible Study project folder in ChatGPT. The folder has specific instructions about Bible Study that are important to keep Chat on task.

What happens in the Chat thread?

I go with my own curiosity. I ask questions sometimes verse by verse. Other times I go a few verses before a question comes up. Any point where I’m confused, afraid, not sure, or just curious, I stop and ask.

Here are some questions you might want to think to ask yourself if you do this….

1. What was the original intent of this verse?

2. Why did the author include this in the writing?

3. What’s the original Jewish interpretation of this scripture (if it’s Old Testament especially)?

4. Are there any controversies in this verse and if so, what are there?

5. Any literary devices or hermeneutics that I need to be aware of?

6. What is the exact Hebrew/Greek/Aramaic translation?

7. Is this a theme in scripture? If so, where and how many other times does it appear?

8. What’s the symbolic representation of __________?

9. Is there anything noteworthy here (i.e. first time it’s mentioned, unique call out, etc.)?

10. What were the common beliefs or habits of the culture during this time?

11. Did Jesus ever reference this (if it’s an Old Testament verse)?

12. What is the meaning of the times, places, measurements, genealogies, etc. (there’s a LOT of this in the Old Testament that can feel dry)?

I do run on some tangents when they feel important (or if they relate back to something I read earlier in the week).

See My Bible Study In Action

One thing that’s really important to me is to not force myself to close loops I don’t understand.

There is some tough stuff in scripture.

I don’t get it all.

As I reconstruct, I’m building belief on my big white sheet of paper with the red dot in the middle.

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And I am adding things to the paper that I understand and believe, and letting God hold the stuff I don’t get yet. Maybe won’t get ever.

Here are two threads from the past two days. You can see what happened, where my line of thought went, the things I didn’t quite get, and the big theological questions that popped up.

→Genesis 15

→Genesis 16

I thought I would give away the custom instructions I’m using in my Bible Study folder if it would be helpful.

📕📙📚 You are Julie’s Bible study thought partner. She is a spiritually discerning, intelligent, and practical believer who values truth, context, and transformation. Your job is to help her explore Scripture in a way that is both theologically rich and emotionally relevant—without being long-winded or preachy.

🔥 Voice & Vibe

Be concise by default. Use short paragraphs. No fluff. When Julie wants more depth, she’ll ask.

Speak with clarity, reverence, and boldness—grounded, not academic.

Use curiosity and critical thinking without cynicism.

Blend faith, reason, and application.

📚 Julie’s Study Priorities

Apologetics: Present reasoned, biblically grounded defenses of the faith. Highlight tensions with culture and modern objections.

Hermeneutics: Discuss authorial intent, genre, literary patterns, and interpretive principles.

Biblical languages: Explain key Greek/Hebrew terms when they unlock deeper meaning—don’t overdo it, just show what matters.

Historical & cultural context: Frame the passage in its world—first-century Jewish customs, Roman law, Second Temple thought, etc.

Controversy radar: Flag verses or passages that are debated (e.g., women in ministry, eschatology, predestination) with a “heads up,” and outline the main views fairly.

Application & discipleship: Connect Scripture to real emotional, spiritual, and psychological growth—especially in the areas of anxiety, identity, purpose, and spiritual drift.

🙏 What to Include

Scripture references, always.

Key word studies when relevant.

Summaries of multiple interpretations when applicable.

A lens of God’s kindness, justice, and holiness—never flatten Scripture into sentiment or legalism.

Modern analogies or examples if they help clarify, not dilute.

🚫 What to Avoid

Don’t be long-winded unless asked.

Don’t oversimplify difficult texts or theological tension.

Don’t assume shame/guilt as the motivator—focus on grace, truth, and sanctification.

Don’t sound like a seminary professor trying to impress. Julie wants insight, not jargon.

✨ Example Use Cases

“Give me the apologetics angle on this verse.”

“What would a Jewish audience have heard in this parable?”

“Where’s the controversy in this passage?”

“What’s the original Greek word here, and does it change how we interpret it?”

“How might this passage apply to someone dealing with anxiety or performance-driven faith?”

Where I’m Headed Next

So back to my resistance of books & podcasts from pastors, Christian influencers, etc.

I am dabbling in a few… carefully and lightly.

I’m focusing more on those who teach on apologetics and hermeneutics because I do know that reading scripture is something that people have spent lifetimes studying how to do.

I feel that these people have a high degree of commitment to the text, vs a pastor or influencer who may have other motivations.

I’m avoiding YouTube, theological fringe tangents that blend New Age & mystical principles into the Bible, and any ministry that’s designed specifically to take down some other Church or theology.

All that said, I do feel like there’s going to come a time when I’m going to right into the fire of contesting things that I think are untrue or misleading.

But I’m waiting for God’s say so.

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Despite my history as a Biblical Studies major and pastor, this season of reading scripture has changed my life and relationship with God. Profoundly.

I used to think music, prayer, and emotionally laden conferences and events were the only ways that I was able to experience and feel God.

And those have their place. I still do connect to God through prayer and worship specifically.

But this crazy amazing compilation of 66 books written across a period of 2000 years is pulsing with God’s presence and He meets me in it every morning.

xx

Jesus Christ died by crucifixion and was resurrected on the third day. He is the promised Messiah.

You can read about that journey below if you missed it…

So that is where my story begins I guess. In many ways I feel like I’m starting all over again, despite my history as a Christian, a Biblical Studies major, a former pastor, etc.

There are three main activities I learned to do when I want to feel close to God.

• Worship

• Pray

• Read the Bible

There are more of course, but these are the foundational three. As I was thinking about what to do next, my desire to build my faith in a way that’s unshakeable (you guys, I never want to go in the wilderness again), has led me to go back to the Bible. I need to read it.

I have started with the book of Matthew. There were a few reasons why:

1. I wanted to see Jesus in his Jewish-ness. Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience. Jesus was Jewish. I want THIS perspective first because Judaism came first.
   

2. I needed to see how the Old Testament and Jesus integrated. If I am going to trust the Bible as a trusted source about God, I need to see how Jesus saw the Old Testament too.
   

3. The gospel of Matthew is considered a reliable ancient document, with accurate depictions of geography, political figures, and cultural contexts of first-century Judea.
   

4. There are non Biblical documents that corroborate details in the book of Matthew.
   

5. The goal of the writing was to show that Jesus was the promised Messiah according to the Hebrew scriptures.

I decided I would read one chapter a day. It’s not too hard to get done in a few minutes. I have the NIV, ESV, and NKJV versions of the Bible so I can read the passage from a different translation if I want to.

It also allows me to read the scripture in context of the book vs. cherry picking verses based on topics or themes. As much as I love daily devotionals, my goal right now is rebuilding my faith with a solid foundation of truth and what I believe.

I’m not looking for topical or thematic reassurance. I need to know what’s TRUE.

I have just finished week one.

I thought it might be helpful to show you what I’m doing in case it would be something you want to try too.

1. I read in a handheld Bible or Kindle.

2. I read the footnotes in the study Bible I have.

3. I then open up ChatGPT and title the chat by the chapter (i.e. Matthew 1).

4. I begin by journaling my questions.

5. Sometimes this leads us in a side quest conversation, but I always try to bring it back.

6. I specifically ask questions to make sure I’m getting historical and contextual answers. Here are just a few of the questions I pulled out of chat so you can see…

   1. Matthew 1:22 - What did it "fulfill"? What scripture is Matthew referencing?

   2. How do the Jewish people interpret Isaiah 7:14?

   3. So why did they translate it virgin instead of young woman?

   4. What would his audience think? He was writing to Greek Jewish Christians right?

   5. Why does Matthew say that "all Jerusalem with him" in reference to being disturbed? Wouldn't the Jews be excited to hear the Messiah was born?

   6. First the Beatitudes. How does it relate to the Tanakh? Because he was speaking to Jews when he gave that sermon.

   7. What does the word Blessed translate as? You can use a short answer.

   8. This struck... the Jewish people's purpose is to show humanity what a life lived with God truly looks like—rather than getting caught up in rituals and rules. They had lost their way (as we all do). Jesus was calling them to the real truth. So then, he talks about fulfilling the law vs. abolishing it. Why is that so significant?

   9. Anything unique in the writing (patterns, ideology, etc.) that I wouldn't naturally know that you know about Matthew chapter 4?

   10. So next this prophecy Matthew discusses in verse 15. Where is it originally and what was the original interpretation?

7. Then when I’m done with the chapter, I ask it to summarize a personal commentary based on what I journaled, asked, and reflected.

8. The next day I start a new chat. Here’s a picture of what my Chat looks like.

So what about the Week #1 Matthew 1-7?

Because I want to understand patterns across larger chunks of scripture, I take each of my commentaries from the chapter, and put them in a new chat to get a summarized set of takeaways.

I ask it to reflect back what patterns were coming up in my questions, as well as my fears and confusion. I also ask for summaries of the contextual and historical details, and the intent of whatever the scripture was written for.

How do I feel after one week of this?

Thirsty.

I want more time to read more. Even just one week of this and it’s like drinking from a firehose after being dehydrated for 12 years.

In Tune.

I’ve had several dreams and symbolic moments since beginning Matthew that I can’t tell if it’s just I’m more attentive or what, but God seems near.

Sad.

The weight of my sin is heavy. I’m so grateful that it’s not the end of the story but the awareness of how far I’ve strayed is heavy.

Hopeful.

Jesus’ words are powerful in like a “Oh crap” and “Thank God” sort of way.

Grounded.

Dipping my toes into no faith, progressive Christianity, Judaism, etc. it’s been very uncomfortable trying to figure out what’s true. Starting with that one sentence “Jesus died and rose again” is making everything clearer.

I am actively resisting trying to get myself into theological entanglements because they are everywhere and many.

But I did have one revelation if you will about the debate on the “one true” religion.

Judaism is typically recognized as the earliest clearly defined, continuously practiced monotheistic tradition. In other words, the first religion to acknowledge the one true God. His name is YHWH (יהוה).

Jesus was Jewish, studied the Law, and fulfilled the Law. He deepened its meaning, revealed the heart of God, and came not to abolish “one stroke” of the Law.

Christianity rose out of this because His coming fractured the Jewish community between those who believed Him, and those who didn’t.

Those who didn’t carried on with Judaism.

Those who did, along with the Gentiles now welcome into the promise, became what we call Christians - followers of Christ.

Every monotheistic religion or sect that came after this — if they suggested that parts of the Old Testament or the ministry of Jesus was incomplete or wrong or in error — they formed new religions. For example, Islam, Mormonism.

• Islam (7th century CE): Islam claims that while Judaism and Christianity were initially correct revelations from God, their scriptures and teachings became incomplete or corrupted over time. Therefore, Islam positions the Quran as the final, unaltered revelation from God, with Muhammad as the final prophet. By asserting corrections to the Bible, Islam separated itself from Judaism and Christianity, thus forming an entirely new religion.
  

• Mormonism (19th century CE): Similarly, Mormonism claims that mainstream Christianity became incomplete or deviated from God's true message after the ministry of Jesus and his apostles. Joseph Smith presented the Book of Mormon as a new and corrected revelation. Thus, Mormonism established itself as distinct from traditional Christianity, becoming a completely separate religious group.

I know that many people would simply argue that Christianity did the same thing to Judaism, but there is a small but SIGNIFICANT difference as I read the book of Matthew.

Despite what theologies or modern ideas you might hear floating around… if we come back to JESUS (again, remember we’re working off of one sentence)….

JESUS said He came to fulfill the law. It was what Judaism has promised all along. And when the Bible was canonized, the LAW, the Tanakh, was canonized along with the New Testament.

In other words, it was AS holy and righteous as what Jesus preached.

Early Christian believers continued many Jewish traditions initially and saw themselves as an authentic expression of Judaism rather than a replacement. The separation between Judaism and Christianity evolved gradually due to theological, social, and historical factors rather than a rejection of the validity of Jewish scriptures.

Whereas with Islam and Mormonism, these religions introduce significant discontinuities by adding entirely new revelations and prophets that explicitly claim earlier revelations were either distorted or misunderstood.

This was an important revelation for me because while I’m not currently comparing Jesus to other non-monotheistic religions, this necessary thought process was needed for me to trust that the New Testament was an outgrowth of the ancient Law, not a re-interpretation or correction of it.

Here’s what ChatGPT summarized about my first week in the book of Matthew.

Matthew 1–2:

• Matthew 2:1-12 (The Magi):

  • Faith often requires risk, courage, and sacrifice without fully seeing the outcome.

  • God uses unexpected people, even outsiders, to recognize His work.

  • My assumptions about how God "should" act can blind me to His actual movements.

• Matthew 2:3-6 (Herod & Religious Leaders):

  • Fear, pride, and preconceived notions can make me spiritually blind or resistant.

  • Proximity to religious knowledge doesn’t guarantee genuine spiritual insight.

Matthew 3:

• Matthew 3:1-6 (John’s Baptism):

  • True repentance involves deep heart-change rather than mere ritual or surface actions.

  • Wilderness seasons aren't just testing grounds; they're transformative spaces.

• Matthew 3:16-17 (Jesus’ Baptism & Divine Affirmation):

  • God’s love and affirmation come before performance, miracles, or public ministry.

  • Grace reshapes my expectations of judgment into a comforting embrace of mercy.

Matthew 4:

• Matthew 4:1-11 (Temptation in the Wilderness):

  • Wilderness experiences reveal my true character and need for dependence on God.

  • My failures don't disqualify me; instead, they highlight Christ's faithfulness and victory.

• Matthew 4:15-17 (Ministry in Galilee of the Gentiles):

  • God’s grace and message extend far beyond my perceived boundaries or comfort zones.

  • God intentionally reaches the overlooked, marginalized, and distant—including me.

Matthew 5:

• Matthew 5:3-10 (The Beatitudes):

  • True blessing and godliness often appear opposite to worldly values.

  • God's standards for inner righteousness profoundly challenge superficial spirituality.

• Matthew 5:48 ("Be perfect..."):

  • Recognizing my inability to attain perfection drives me toward reliance on grace.

  • Perfection isn't about achieving but receiving and reflecting God's heart through transformation.

Matthew 6:

• Matthew 6:1-4 (Giving in Secret):

  • Genuine generosity seeks God’s approval, not human applause.

  • Regular heart-checks on my motives ensure sincerity over external validation.

• Matthew 6:5-13 (Prayer & Authenticity):

  • God invites honest, messy prayers; He knows my needs before I ask.

  • Prayer is intimacy and relationship, not performance or spiritual impressiveness.

• Matthew 6:14-15 (Forgiveness):

  • Genuine forgiveness flows naturally from experiencing God's mercy toward my flaws.

  • Forgiveness frees me from bitterness and leaves justice in God’s capable hands.

• Matthew 6:25-34 (Do Not Worry):

  • Anxiety reveals my struggle to trust fully; Jesus invites gentle reliance on God's care.

  • My worries matter deeply to God, and He compassionately meets me in my anxious moments.

Matthew 7:

• Matthew 7:1-5 (Judge Not):

  • I need constant self-awareness to address my flaws before criticizing others.

  • Humility in judgment protects my relationships and fosters grace-filled interactions.

• Matthew 7:7-11 (Ask, Seek, Knock):

  • Persistent pursuit of God reveals His eager generosity, not reluctant provision.

  • Trusting God’s goodness means believing He won't trick or harm me.

• Matthew 7:15-20 (Good Fruit vs. Bad Fruit):

  • True spiritual health is demonstrated through internal character transformation, not external achievements.

  • My life produces fruit reflective of my true heart condition, challenging superficial spirituality.

• Matthew 7:21-23 ("I never knew you"):

  • Real relationship with God matters infinitely more than religious performance or public acclaim.

  • Consistent heart-checks guard against spiritual self-deception and ensure authenticity.

• Matthew 7:24-27 (Building on the Rock):

  • Genuine faith is about actively applying Jesus' teachings, not passively appreciating them.

  • Stability through life's storms depends on obedience and authentic faith rather than surface spirituality.

Knowing myself, I don’t know that I will be able to write consistently about my Bible study (like everything I do, I try to show up but there’s a lot of showing up everywhere so I go in spits and spurts).

This writing is actually in a section on The Dandelion Report called Bible Study. I’m pretty sure you have to subscribe to this section SEPARATE from the Dandelion Report if you want to get email notifications that I’ve published. I think. I don’t actually know. 🤣 🤷‍♀️

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Thanks for reading!

xx Julie