Under the Hood

In this episode of Under the Hood, Sam and Will explore the Babylonian Exile—one of the most devastating yet hope-filled moments in the Bible’s story. Six centuries before Jesus, Jerusalem falls, the temple is destroyed, and God’s people are scattered across the ancient world. Why would a loving God allow this? And how could judgment possibly serve redemption?

Using Scripture alongside archaeological evidence—from Nebuchadnezzar’s inscriptions to Babylonian records of Jewish exiles—this episode shows how God’s justice, heartbreak, and sovereignty work together. What looks like defeat becomes the very groundwork for the spread of the gospel, setting the stage for the Messiah and a new covenant of grace.

Watch to see how exile, suffering, and loss are never the end of the story—and how God weaves even judgment into His redemptive plan.

Chapters

00:00 - Intro: The Bible under the hood 00:17 - Setting the Stage: What is the Babylonian Exile? 01:24 - Moses’ Warning: Blessings and curses foretold 02:28 - God’s Judgment and Patience Worn Thin 03:14 - Jeremiah and the Heartbreak of God 05:16 - Two Evils: Forsaking the fountain of living waters 07:46 - Nebuchadnezzar and the Coming Destruction 09:48 - Archaeology Confirms the Exile 11:43 - Jerusalem Falls: Temple and city destroyed 13:57 - Hope in Exile: Jeremiah’s letter to Babylon 16:21 - “Plans for a Future and a Hope” Explained 17:18 - Promise of a New Covenant 19:11 - Redemptive History Reversed 21:16 - Scattered but Not Lost: Persia and Return 23:49 - Exile Prepares the World for the Gospel 26:00 - God’s Justice and Redemption Today 27:03 - Outro: Hope beyond judgment

Links

SunlitStudios.com @TheBibleShowPodcast @UnderTheHoodFL

Hashtags

#BabylonianExile #BibleHistory #Jeremiah29 #OldTestament #BiblicalArchaeology #Nebuchadnezzar #RedemptiveHistory #BiblePodcast #ChristianYouTube #UnderTheHood #JudgmentAndGrace #Messiah

In this episode of Under the Hood, Sam and Will dive deep into the story of Gideon from Judges 6–7—a reluctant hero hiding in a winepress whom God calls a “mighty man of valor.” Through history, archaeology, and careful biblical theology, they unpack Israel’s cycle of idolatry, oppression, repentance, and deliverance, showing how Gideon’s unlikely victory points forward to a bigger gospel pattern. From the tearing down of idols, to the mysterious fleece, to the shocking reduction of Israel’s army from 32,000 to just 300, this episode explores how God brings victory—not through human strength, but through faith, obedience, and praise.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, outnumbered, or unqualified, Gideon’s story has something powerful to say to you.

In Matthew 22, Jesus gets cornered with a trap question: “Should we pay taxes to Caesar?” Sam and Will walk through why it was a no-win setup (Pharisees vs. Herodians), why Jesus asks for the denarius, and how the coin’s blasphemous titles (“son of god,” “high priest”) expose the hypocrisy in the room. From Tiberius’ image to Rome’s “gospel” propaganda (Pax Romana, imperial “savior” language), you’ll see how Jesus flips the question into something bigger: what bears Caesar’s image… and what bears God’s image.

In this episode of Under the Hood, Sam and Will piece together the night of Jesus’ arrest and the five back-to-back trials before Annas, Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, Pontius Pilate, Herod Antipas, and Pilate again. We trace why the leaders pushed for crucifixion (not stoning), unpack the crowd’s choice of Barabbas, and walk through 12 ways the proceedings broke Jewish legal norms—revealing just how rushed and irregular the whole night was. Stick around for the timeline, historical context, and why Jesus endured this injustice on purpose.
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Sam and Will go “Under the Hood” on Herod the Great—his ruthless rise under Rome, why he’s called “the Great,” and the massive projects he built (Temple renovation, Caesarea’s harbor, Masada, Herodium). They unpack his paranoia, political maneuvering, and brutality, then set Matthew 2’s “slaughter of the innocents” in historical context and contrast Herod’s power with Jesus’ kingship. Stick around for vivid Josephus accounts and a practical takeaway on our responses to Jesus. If you enjoy deep-dive Bible history made clear and engaging, like, comment, and subscribe!