Reasoning Through the Bible

Israel’s decline continues in Judges 1:23–2:10 as the people begin making deals with the Canaanites instead of fully obeying God. What may have seemed practical in the moment became spiritually dangerous over time. The Israelites spared people they were commanded to drive out, allowed pagan influence to remain in the land, and eventually placed some of the Canaanites into forced labor for economic gain.
In this session, we examine the danger of partial obedience and why compromise often becomes a trap. The discussion contrasts Israel’s deal with the man from Bethel with Rahab’s faith in Joshua. Rahab trusted the God of Israel, but in Judges the Israelites are no longer acting from faith. They are negotiating with the very people God had warned would turn their hearts away from Him.
Judges 2 then introduces the Angel of the Lord, who confronts Israel for breaking the covenant. He reminds them that God brought them out of Egypt, gave them the land, and would never break His covenant. Yet Israel failed to tear down the pagan altars and made covenants with the inhabitants of the land. Because of this, those nations would become thorns in Israel’s side, and their gods would become a snare.
The session also explains how sin works like a snare. It is often hidden, attractive, and dangerous before a person realizes how trapped they have become. Israel’s compromise with idolatry did not remain harmless. It pulled the nation deeper into disobedience and removed the protection and blessing they had previously enjoyed.
Finally, the study turns to one of the saddest statements in the early chapters of Judges: a new generation arose that did not know the Lord or the works He had done for Israel. The people had failed to pass down the knowledge of God’s faithfulness. This becomes a serious warning for parents, churches, and believers today.
Scripture: Judges 1:23–2:10
Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study
Questions in this session include:  
Can I disobey so much that God stops working in my life? 
What happens when I leave evil in my life? 
What happens when Israel does not tell their children about God?
How many of the things that caused Israel to forget the Lord do we see today? 
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The Book of Judges begins after the death of Joshua and covers the period between Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land and the rise of the kings. Joshua was largely a story of faith, victory, and obedience. Judges presents a much darker picture of unbelief, defeat, oppression, and repeated spiritual decline.
In this opening session, we introduce the historical setting of Judges and examine the verse that summarizes the book: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). When people reject God’s standard and become their own authority, confusion and moral disorder soon follow.
We also examine the recurring cycle that shapes Judges. Israel enjoys God’s blessing, turns to idols, falls under enemy oppression, cries out in distress, and receives deliverance through a judge whom God raises up. After a period of peace, however, the nation repeats the same pattern.
Judges 1 begins positively when Israel inquires of the Lord. Yet the chapter soon reveals the first small compromises. Judah asks Simeon to accompany them even though God had identified Judah to go first. Israel later adopts the cruel practices of Adoni-bezek, fails to complete God’s commands, and eventually accepts defeat before iron chariots without seeking the Lord for an answer.
The problem was not that iron chariots were too powerful for God. Israel had already seen Him defeat Egypt, part the Red Sea, bring down Jericho, and conquer numerous fortified cities. The deeper problem was that the people were beginning to rely on themselves rather than inquire of God.
This study also considers the historical reliability of Judges, the role of the judges as deliverers, Caleb’s continued faithfulness, and Achsah’s wise request for springs of water.
Join us as we begin a verse-by-verse study through one of the darkest yet most relevant books of the Old Testament.
Scripture: Judges 1:1–22
Series: The Book of Judges — An RTTB Study
  Questions from this session:
Why does Israel have trouble driving out the Canaanites?
Was Israel supposed to make deals with the people of Canaan?
 What happens when we do not go to God at the first sign of trouble?  
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You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible
Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible 
May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this special theology discussion, Reasoning Through the Bible steps away from the normal verse-by-verse format to address an important question: Does God change His mind, emotions, or knowledge based on what people do?
This session looks at passages where Scripture says Israel provoked the Lord to anger, God tested people, God regretted making man, and God relented. How should these passages be understood alongside other Scriptures that say God does not change, does not grow weary, does not learn, and is not like man?
The discussion explains key theological terms such as immutability, impassibility, omniscience, and anthropomorphism. It also addresses open theism, word of faith teaching, prayer, God’s emotions, and why biblical language sometimes describes God in human terms so people can understand His actions.
Topics in this episode include:
 Does God change His mind? 
 God’s immutability 
 God’s impassibility 
 God’s emotions 
 anthropomorphic language in Scripture 
 omniscience and God’s knowledge 
 open theism 
 prayer and God’s will 
 does God learn? 
 can we make God more angry? 
 does God regret? 
 biblical theology and systematic theology 
Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.
 Questions from this session:
Does God have human emotions? 
Can humans change God’s emotions? 
Can God change His mind? 
Was Christian theology built upon Greek philosophy? 
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You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible
Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible 
May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this special Reasoning Through the Bible discussion, we step away from the normal verse-by-verse format for an informal conversation on eschatology and end-times systems. This session compares views such as premillennialism, amillennialism, covenant theology, preterism, and postmillennialism, while asking a central question: Does God still have a future plan for Israel?
The discussion focuses on the sequence found in the Old Testament prophets: Israel’s sin, God’s judgment, the nations gathering against Jerusalem, Israel crying out to the Lord, and God restoring His people. We examine passages and themes from Ezekiel, Zechariah, Joel, Daniel, Romans 11, Acts 1, and Revelation 20, showing why we believe the biblical pattern points to a future restoration of Israel and a future kingdom ruled by Christ.
A major emphasis in this episode is that there is only one way of salvation. Israel is not saved apart from Christ. Gentiles are not saved apart from Christ. Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone. At the same time, God’s national promises to Israel, the Abrahamic covenant, and the future kingdom should not be erased or replaced by the church.
Topics in this episode include:
eschatology and end times
premillennialism
amillennialism
covenant theology
preterism
postmillennialism
Israel and the church
Abrahamic covenant
Romans 11 and Israel
Ezekiel 36 and restoration
Zechariah and the pierced Messiah
Revelation 20 and the millennium
Jesus reigning from Jerusalem
one salvation through Christ
Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.
Support the show
Thank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. 
You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible
Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible 
May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this verse-by-verse study of Joshua 24, Reasoning Through the Bible reaches the final chapter of the book of Joshua. Joshua gathers Israel at Shechem, a place filled with covenant history, remembrance, and spiritual significance. From Abraham to Jacob, from the renewal of the covenant to the burial of Joseph’s bones, Shechem served as a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness to His people.
This session explores why Joshua retells Israel’s history, why remembering God’s works matters, and how gratitude strengthens faith. Joshua reminds the people that God brought Abraham out from idol worship, delivered Israel from Egypt, gave them land they did not labor for, and placed them in cities they did not build. The proper response is not pride, but worship, humility, and service.
A major theme in this episode is Joshua’s famous challenge: “Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve.” Joshua does not present faith as passive or vague. He calls Israel to make a clear decision, put away foreign gods, and serve the Lord in sincerity and truth. His personal declaration, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” becomes one of the strongest examples of faithful leadership in Scripture.
The study also addresses why Israel still had idols in their midst, why old patterns can cling to God’s people, how spiritual compromise begins, why strong leadership matters, and how Joshua’s generation remained faithful while godly leadership remained in place.
Topics in this episode include:
 Joshua 24 study 
 choose whom you will serve 
 as for me and my house 
 serve the Lord 
 put away idols 
 Shechem in the Bible 
 remembering God’s faithfulness 
 gratitude in the Christian life 
 faithful leadership 
 Joseph’s bones 
 resurrection hope 
 finishing the book of Joshua 
Reasoning Through the Bible is a verse-by-verse Bible teaching ministry committed to careful exposition, biblical context, and faithful application.
 Questions from this session:
Is there a benefit of physical reminders of what God has done for us? 
What good things has God done for us? 
Can we half-heartedly follow God?
Whom will you follow? 
Support the show
Thank you for listening!!  Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. 
You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible
Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible 
May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve