#117: Revelation, Part 28 (Rev. 16:1-7)

In Revelation 16, readers encounter a third cycle of seven judgments -- the "seven bowls." In this episode, Matt looks at the first three bowls and observes similarities with the previous cycle of judgments (the seven trumpets). He also points out the ways in which the bowls are conceptually linked back to the the Egyptian plagues of Exodus and why its important to make this connection for understanding Revelation's core message about a worldwide exodus. Matt also compares texts from the Wisdom of Solomon (an apocryphal/deuterocanonical text) to show how Revelation's understanding of divine judgment is similar to the way other Jews of the same era thought about it.+++Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read Matt's blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠matthewhalsted.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)!

When Jesus was on the cross, he cried out: "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" Does this mean that God actually forsook Jesus? Many people think so. But in this episode, Matt offers some reasons why that's not the case at all. +++Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read Matt's blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠matthewhalsted.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)!

Why does Revelation depict sevenfold judgment cycles -- e.g., seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls? How might the Old Testament help us to understand the logic of Revelation's structure in this regard? And what other biblical prophet depicted divine judgment along the lines of a sevenfold schema?+++Support the The Bible (Unmuted) via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmutedRead Matt's blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠matthewhalsted.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)!

Matt chats with Andrew Perrin (PhD, McMaster University) about all things Dead Sea Scrolls. Andrew has written a new book on the subject called Lost Words and Forgotten Worlds: Rediscovering the Dead Sea Scrolls. On this episode, Andrew talks about what the Scrolls are, what they contain, and why they are important. If you are serious student of the Bible, then you will find this conversation relevant and informative. Dr. Andrew Perrin's website: https://andrewperrin.com/Order his new book: Lost Words and Forgotten WorldsAbout: Andrew B. Perrin (PhD, McMaster University) is associate vice president of research at Athabasca University in Alberta, Canada. Previously, he was director of the Dead Sea Scrolls Institute at Trinity Western University and Canada research chair in religious identities of ancient Judaism. He is the author and editor of several books, including The Dynamics of Dream-Vision Revelation in the Aramaic Dead Sea Scrolls, and his research has been recognized with several academic awards.+++Support the The Bible (Unmuted) via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read Matt's blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠matthewhalsted.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)!

Matt takes listener questions, which opens up quite a bit of discussion on some fun (and important) topics: Should the church utilize non-canonical texts (such as the Dead Scrolls, Pseudepigrapha, etc) for teaching the Bible? How can the Dead Sea Scrolls be useful for understanding the New Testament? Is the academic study of the Bible threatening to faith and personal devotion? How do the Seals, Trumpets, and Bowls relate to one another?+++Support the The Bible (Unmuted) via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read Matt's blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠matthewhalsted.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)!

Aimee Byrd joins us once again to chat about her latest book, Saving Face: Finding My Self, God, and One Another Outside a Defaced Church. She offers careful reflections on navigating disillusionment and pain that, sadly, sometimes comes through the church. Aimee's relentless commitment to pursuing the saving face of Jesus Christ is absolutely contagious, and she offers a lot of food for thought for those who want to think carefully about all things church, spiritual trauma, and pursing Jesus as the healer and savior.Link to Aimee's book: https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Face-Finding-Another-Outside/dp/0310167604/ Follow her on social media:https://aimeebyrd.com/https://www.instagram.com/aimeebyrdlife/https://www.facebook.com/aimee.byrd.39https://twitter.com/aimeebyrdPYWhttps://www.threads.net/@aimeebyrdlifehttps://aimeebyrd.substack.com/+++Support the The Bible (Unmuted) via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read Matt's blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠matthewhalsted.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)!

Part 2 of 2 Matt chats with Amber Dillon (PhD, Ridley College), who teaches at Eternity Bible College and Denver Seminary. In her doctoral work (supervised by New Testament scholar Michael Bird), she researched the literary portrait of John the Baptist, as depicted in the Gospel of John. In the previous episode (part 1/Ep #110), we kicked things off by discussing what goes into writing a dissertation and the necessity of being able to receive constructive criticism during the writing process. We also chatted about how women are underrepresented in evangelical academic circles and how certain historical events may have created that situation. In this episode (part 2), we talk specifically about her work on John the Baptist. How does the Gospel of John portray him in relation to the synoptic Gospels? Are their similarities and differences? Why are these questions important? And to what texts, exactly, does John refer when he describes Jesus as "the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?" (Jn 1:29)? +++Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read Matt's blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠matthewhalsted.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)!

Part 1 of 2 Matt chats with Amber Dillon (PhD, Ridley College), who teaches at Eternity Bible College and Denver Seminary. In her doctoral work (supervised by New Testament scholar Michael Bird), she researched the literary portrait of John the Baptist, as depicted in the Gospel of John. In this episode (part 1), we kick things off by discussing what goes into writing a dissertation and the necessity of being able to receive constructive criticism during the writing process. We also chat about how women are underrepresented in evangelical academic circles and how certain historical events may have created that situation. In part 2 (Ep #111), we talk specifically about her work on John the Baptist. How does the Gospel of John portray him in relation to the synoptic Gospels? Are their similarities and differences? Why are these questions important? And to what texts, exactly, does John refer when he describes Jesus as "the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?" (Jn 1:29)? +++Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read Matt's blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠matthewhalsted.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)!

Is it ever okay to lie? That's the question Matt takes up on the show today. Interestingly, this question is not merely an ethical one but also has bearing upon larger issues related to theology, anthropology, and hermeneutics. Resources mentioned on the show: (1) David Bentley Hart,You Are Gods: On Nature and Supernature // see chapter 4: Pia Fraus: Our Words and God's Truth(2) Craig G. Bartholomew, Introducing Biblical Hermeneutics: A Comprehensive Framework for Hearing God in Scripture +++Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read Matt's blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠matthewhalsted.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)!

Revelation 15 is a remarkable passage, for it offers a vision of a christologized exodus. This is a powerful illustration of the ways in which the New Testament employs Old Testament material and bridges the story of Jesus of Nazareth to the story of Israel -- especially the Exodus story. There are a number of insights this conceptual bridging affords -- not least in how it illuminates the way the Gospel frees people from evil empires and the spiritual realities that empower them.+++Support the podcast via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read Matt's blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠matthewhalsted.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)!