Rabbit Holes & Meditations - Christian Bible Study

Our Red-Letter Bible Study has me going down rabbit holes I had not considered. This one stems from my own testimony. Early in the Gospels, Jesus just parachutes into the land of Israel - an essential unknown and like the cleansing of the temple, he completely upsets the status quo of religion all through the Galilean landscape.
Fast forward two thousand years and you're now a believer and you just parachuted into a room full of atheists. No, you're not the savior. Your mission, should you wish to accept it (as every Christian must), is to teach the word of God to a room full of atheists and see if you can't at least get one of them to look up to the heavens and believe what you're saying. How exactly do you go about that?
You can't use The Cat in the Hat to prove the existence of Cats. The Atheist will look at you as if you're silly if you try to use the Bible to prove the existence of God. He considers the Bible a fictional piece of literature. The Cat in the Hat does prove the existence of the Author, though! Someone had to write that book. Look around you, this creation has to be the product of intelligent design. That suggests a designer. Even if you're dealing with a pure evolutionist, the big bang itself implies an intention. The reading material in the source guide is great for understanding how to approach an atheist. I know... I was one! My trigger, if you want to call it that, was a book by Dinesh D'Souza - Life After Death - a fascinating argument for the existence of God using the science and philosophy an atheist would reference as proof otherwise. 
So, how do you approach an atheist? That's what this episode is all about.
 
Notes and Source Guide for Having Lunch with the Atheist
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/having-lunch-with-the-atheist/ 

Today, we jump off the Red-Letter Bible study because we started to wrestle with the tension we are seeing in Christ's journey. When Jesus goes to Nazareth, he refrains from showing signs because of their unbelief and that took as down a Rabbit Hole. You see, in the next part of Jesus' journey, he heals Peter's mother-in-law and then everyone who comes to him for healing. So why did Jesus hold back his ability to do this in Nazareth? Well, people used to look at me and say: "You Hoo... come back" or "Squirrel!" but I can't help it. I go where my mind takes me. Today is no different. I've struggled with this concept for the past couple of days and if you've spent any time in theological study, I'll bet you've grappled with it to. I'm talking about the doctrine of election. And that's today's rabbit hole. I can't say that I'm completely comfortable with the conclusion... but not for myself - for those who will not ever find saving faith. So I wrote this article after a long discussion on the doctrine of election. I could not wrap my head around the idea that God pre-ordains people to be saved. If you're hearing this, or reading this, you might be screaming - Reformist! Calvinist! But not so fast. As a Berean student (that's just a self-proclaimed title) of the Bible, you can't dismiss scripture because you don't quite understand it! I think we all tend to gravitate to what makes us comfortable. The doctrine of election did not make me comfortable. It still doesn't, frankly. My heart and my head wonders and grieves for the ones who have not responded to the Word of God. How can God choose only some... or is it that only some choose Him?Notes on the Doctrine of Election
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/do-you-choose-god-or-does-god-choose-you/ 

Consider this the extended cut of the previous Podcast about the Samaritan Woman. We did not want to leave any details on the table. This story is one of the most profound in all of the New Testament. We witness the progression of a true disciple from spiritual need and confession to one who recognized Jesus as Lord and Savior. 
Notes for Jacob's Well
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/jacobs-well/
 

In Luke 4:31-37 we confront the first of many demons in the Gospels. Luke considers this such an important topic that in his Gospel, this is the first Miracle mentioned. By this time, in Jesus' journey, he has turned water into Wine in Cana, He has healed the sick, he has revealed supernatural knowledge of hearts and minds and He has just left a mob with the intent to kill him in His hometown without a scratch. Luke, however, is focused on binding the strong man. (Mark 3:27)
Almost like an old familiar rival, Jesus is confronted by a demon who knows Him and the brief exchange is enough to ripple throughout the area. News travels fast. If you just read this, it's a "wait, what!" moment. Let's dig into what just happened...
Notes to Binding the Strong Man
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/binding-the-strong-man/ 
 

I just wanted to take a step back from our Red-Letter Bible Study today and address this issue. 
This keeps coming up. If you have followed Biblical prophecy, you can't miss the 7-year tribulation timelines, the constant prediction of the "pre-tribulation" rapture and when it doesn't happen, the resetting and rewriting of the timeline to fit the narrative. It seems to be picking up steam on the internet or maybe it's just because Google is feeding our interests. In any case, the continued predictions of the Rapture, failed predictions and subsequent adjustments have to cause a lot of people to simple walk away! And that's the danger of predicting this stuff! 
We want to address this pretribulation rapture thing by looking at the very text from where it is derived. You'll discover two things. There is nothing in the text that suggests a pretribulation rapture at all. Further, the text that is used to suggest a 7-year tribulation is incorrectly translated to support a narrative (IMHO). 
Let's walk through Daniel's Seventy weeks and that last week and see if we can discern just from the text itself without any preconceived ideas about a seven-year tribulation, or a rapture, or a new temple that has to be build and see if that interpretation is warranted. If this section of Danial doesn't point to a 7-year tribulation or even a 7-year peace deal made by the antichrist, then the whole 7-year tribulation prophecy you see all over the internet falls on its face. This is the only place that mentions a 7-year period and I think you'll agree, once you see with clarity that the last of the 70 weeks HAS ALREADY HAPPENED!
 
Notes for Daniels 70 Weeks
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-7-year-tribulation-that-doesnt-happen/ 

We continue following Jesus in is early ministry and we get to be the fly on the wall in a truly pivotal scene. When we went down this rabbit hole. It is here where we discover why the Jews are having a difficult time getting on board Jesus' message. While his reputation by now precedes Him, Jesus confronts the hardened hearts in His hometown and leaves with the only miracle worth their attention. This article is called the Only Miracle in Nazareth. Let's find out why. 
Notes for The Only Miracle in Nazareth
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-only-miracle-in-nazareth/ 

We're picking up where we left of in our Red-Letter Bible study. We're leaving the well and going back to Cana where we saw Jesus' first sign. And interestingly, the theme picks back up right where He left them. People believed because of the signs. People were following Jesus. By this time, they knew Jesus by his signs. Jesus is teaching people to wrestle with the concept of faith. Still, most are still stuck in the physical. They want to see signs. Even Nicodemus didn't understand the spiritual connection. It takes quite a conversation at the well for the Samaritan woman to realize that living water is not actual water. These people see the events and believe. But the spirit is not a physical thing - so how do they bridge that gap - it's not easy to explain. This is exactly why faith is a progressive revelation. It may even be why God gave us the gift of time. And most importantly... the inspired Word of God. 
Notes for The Problem of Faith
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-problem-of-faith/ 

Jesus provides a masterclass in discipleship with one lone woman in Samaria. 
This is probably one of the most memorable encounters with Jesus in all of the Bible. We spend quite some time unpacking the theologically rich detail. Every line is packed with meaning. You can teach the entire gospel with this single encounter. 
Notes for The Samaritan Woman at the Well
 

Jesus has a very tumultuous start to his ministry. Now all eyes are on him. His rampage through the temple did more than raise eyebrows. During that week at Passover, Jesus did many signs and miracles (we're not given the details). Through it all, a lot of people come to believe that Jesus is who he says he is but there was no repentance or transformation of the heart and Jesus saw right through that.
One might be led to believe that this is the character of Nicodemus but I'm not so sure. Nicodemus definitely isn't the perfect soul, and Jesus calls him out on it, but Nicodemus is at least willing to dig deeper. He is trying to understand. Imagine how the conversation would go if you were in Nicodemus' sandals? Christ has not yet died on the cross. We have the benefit of hindsight. Nicodemus is living between his expectations (as wrong as they are) and the reality of Jesus before him. He's trying to connect the dots. Jesus is trying to help him. Let's not judge Nicodemus. I'm not so sure he was lost... confused maybe but lost? 
While it didn't make it into the podcast, a lot of thought went into the last three verses of John Chapter 2 and the discussion around Nicodemus. After hours of wrestling with the text, I came to this as an approach, and I think it is worth adding to our Berean Filter. 1. God's grace was for ALL. (He doesn't pick and choose).
2. God draws people to him through the Word of God. 
3. Each person, with the power of free will can choose to step into the light or stay in the dark. 
Those basic tenets may sound simple but the A.I. system wanted to insist on Reformist doctrine of predestination. "Born AGAIN" is enough to refute that concept. This isn't my first confrontation with T.U.L.I.P. and I have rejected it. That was a long road. I can only point you to a book by John Lennox : Determined to Believe for greater clarity on the subject. As for me, I let my heart decide. I hope in all cases that I'm being led by the Holy Spirit and I'm finding that as I simplify and stick close to the text (like the Bereans), I stay on the right side of Jesus. 
Notes to The Light in the Darkness
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-light-in-the-darkness-jesus-talks-to-nicodemus/ 

Continuing our Red-Letter Bible Study... Jesus leaves the wedding after a dramatic by quiet miracle. He and His family and disciples form a small entourage as they travel to Jerusalem. Jesus doesn't just enter this Passover festival as a quiet observer. He barges onto the scene. It is clear from this entrance into His ministry that we aren't in Kansas anymore!
We want you to grasp this scene, so we go into detail on what it's like there. Then we follow Jesus' words as they resonate throughout the New Testament they vibrate through the soul of every Christian. This is one of my favorite scenes in the Gospels. If you get this, you get Jesus : )
Notes to Jesus Cleanses the Temple
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/jesus-cleanses-the-temple/ 

We step into Jesus early ministry. Up to now, we found Jesus in the Temple as a young boy. Jesus walks out of that scene straight into the Jordan to be baptized. After that, Jesus spends 40 days in the wilderness, fasting and praying... and being tested (if not tempted). He leaves the wilderness and starts gathering disciples (Andrew, John, Simon Peter, Philip and Nathanael. Along this journey, we walk straight into a wedding feast. That very sequence is symbolic itself but the entire Wedding at Cana is a study of Christ's entire ministry. Let's go to this wedding with Jesus and celebrate! 
Even early in Jesus' ministry, we may not understand the why. Certainly, the disciples had questions. In this, we are to take Mary's message to heart. Just do whatever he tells you to do. 
Notes to "What He Says, Do It"
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/whatever-he-says-do-it/ 

We're still early into our Red Letter Bible Study. Jesus has just revealed to Nathanael his divinity - His first reference to Himself as the Son of Man. As we approach Jesus through the eyes of the early apostles, it's useful to understand how they might have understood "Son of Man". At this point, they are not even accustomed to the concept of the Trinity. Let's flush this out a little bit. 
Notes for "The Son of man"
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-son-of-man/ 
 

Whenever you see: "Verily, Verily" (or Truly, Truly) you need to sit up and pay attention. We follow Jesus on his early journey. Andrew, Simon and John are the first apostles. Here we see Jesus renaming Simon and then we see Philip, who was a follower of John the Baptist. He brings Nathanael to the party. Jesus has some interesting things to say to Nathanael. And, at the climax of this exchange, Nathanael becomes an instant believer, and Jesus reveals the very nature of the person Nathanael believes Him to be. 
Notes for Verily Verily
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/verily-verily-listen-up/ 

If you think Peter and John and the rest of the apostles saw Jesus walking by and dropped everything when he said, "Follow Me", perhaps you need to dig a little deeper. That's what we did and it led me right back to my own testimony. It led me to this thought: He didn't fill my boat with fish. I didn't see Him cast out demons, feed thousands or raise the dead. 
The call to "follow me" is always there. It's not always with a boat full of fish! But it meets you where you are. It comes out of the blue and it is recognizable. You don't need to be looking for it... you just need to be listening. Like all miracles, the call to follow IS the miracle. In the moment, you may not recognize it; certainly not as a miracle. But when you reflect back on it, it had to be a miracle. Every Christian has this story to tell. Every Christian is a miracle. 
Notes to "Follow Me"
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/follow-me/ 

You can imagine a cinematic sequence that starts with Moses and the Exodus, then fades to Joshua crossing the Jordon. Joshua encounters the giants in the promised land and they have to deal with them. David and his brothers finish off the Giants but the spiritual remnant remains. We fade into a scene where Jesus enters the same water as Joshua had. He is baptized. Then tested by Satan. Jesus heads back to his home and is driven out, rejected by his own people. We hear the echos of the words of Isaiah as Jesus enters the land of the Canaanite spirits - the darkest region of Israel - Zebulun and Naphtali. Jesus begins his ministry beyond the Jordon in the "Galilee of the Gentiles" - a melting pot of Greek, Roman, Aramaic and Syrian. 
We should all learn to see beyond the lines of scripture and watch the story unfold. This beginning of this story is beautiful. 
Notes for A Light Steps Into the Darkness
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/a-light-steps-into-the-darkness-from-the-old-testament-into-the-new/ 

We are three days into our red-letter bible study, and it is already become more profound than I had ever imagined. As most on this podcast know, we develop a lot of this content with A.I. but what you may not know is how we treat A.I. We have set it up so get solid, biblical answers back. Before A.I., we had access to things like the Strong's reference, the Thompson Chain reference and a myriad of other cross referencing and hyperlinked systems. A.I. has just made (for me) the Bible more accessible, but it's really no different than one of those other methods. That said, there is no heart, no soul, no real emotion in the responses from A.I. or any other text. That comes from deep within you. You see in the dialog in the notes where we leave the conversation with A.I. out there so the reader can see the nature of how the content is developed.
When we looked at Jesus' response to Satan, we are often taught how Jesus responded to Satan with scriptural quotes. While that is true, I think it misses the point. Further, the very reason we created this study is to address the point that so many miss. We are not looking for knowledge, we're looking for a connection. I'm not an overly emotional person so I have to really dig deep for that connection. I'm really good at responding with the knowledge, I thrive on it. But I know that having the knowledge is not the same as having the heart.
I hope this will help others on the same journey to see through the knowledge and the words and connect to the very heart of Jesus. In this case, you may gain more from the notes than the audio; up to you. Either way - your goal is to seek the connection, not just the answers. 
Notes for this episode: The Heart of Jesus
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-heart-of-jesus/ 

The Bible is interactive like no other book. How many times have readers just breezed past Matthew 3:13–17? I certainly did. When you sit on these five verses and start asking questions and following the leads, the entire Bible opens up in front of you. At the very least, one should be asking why did Jesus need to be baptized, or want to be baptized? And then you begin to go down the rabbit hole. What was John the Baptist doing. What is his relationship to Jesus? What does baptism even mean? We followed the rabbit down this rabbit hole and uncovered a lot more than we expected.
Notes for the Baptism of Jesus
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-baptism-of-jesus/
 

Today is Day 1 of the Red-Letter Bible Study. We encounter the young Jesus and even at age 12 discover some profound truths. As usual, we take some cues from the study and go down some rabbit holes.
 
Notes for The Boy Jesus
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-boy-jesus/ 

Sometimes it can feel like you're lost in the weeds. We've been studying end times for quite some time on this podcast. We know it's important but at times, amidst all the dates and times and cryptic interpretations that go back and forth, we began to feel a little disconnected. Two things surface from our end times studies. One, there are a myriad of interpretations that can all look like sound biblical study. Only one interpretation is correct, and we'll know it after it happens. Two, it is possible to disconnect from what you are learning and get lost in the analytical. So, to bring our focus back - we have created The Red-Letter Study Guide - which we'll post for all of our listeners. This guide will walk you through most of what Jesus said and help you study its context and meaning with cross references and prompts. We hope this helps you realign your focus to what really matters... to who really matters. This guide will reconnect you with Jesus.
PS: If there is anything missing in the guide that you'd like me to add, I'd be happy to do that. Email: rabbitholes.faith@gmail.com 
download the >>>> Red Letter Bible Study Guide
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/listening-to-jesus-intro-to-the-red-letter-bible-study/
 

I’ve found a fascination with the history of dispensational theology. It's amazing how pervasive it is in our modern interpretation of the Bible (and how deceptive). I bet if you asked people who thought that the rapture was going to happen before tribulation to raise their hand, you’d get an overwhelming majority. Further, I’m betting for anyone that has studied end times they also hold the following firmly:
Tribulation Period is 7 Years
The period starts with a 7-year peace deal by the Antichrist
In the Middle of the period, the peace deal is broken, and the antichrist desecrates the temple
The rapture of the church is before the presumed 7-year tribulation
There has to be a new Jewish temple for the tribulation to fall into place.
Every one of these statements is either fabrication, mis-interpretation (specifically of Daniel’s 70th week) or contradicts specific statements within scriptural context.
Major online teachers who espouse this theology include John Barnett, Jack Hibbs, and John MacArthur (and others) getting millions of online listeners. Voddie Baucham and even N T Wright take a more traditional approach and directly confront the teaching as deceptive.
 
After all this, I land on one warning by Christ:
Mat 24:24-26
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
 
- Christ will not arrive in secret to remove his church before tribulation! Christ says is as plainly as anyone willing to listen can hear it! -
 
Notes: The Birth of Modern Deception
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/deception-in-the-modern-church/ 
 

Yesterday we suggested that the millennium might NOT be an actual 1000-year period following Christ's return. It could be symbolic of the church age. That really didn't sit right with me (and many listeners) so we forced the issue through our Berean filter. The process is probably more interesting than the final result. We were able to get even our Berean Filter to respond with both views! We've posted the unedited chat with ChatGPT below. The point is that AI is not the ultimate answer to understanding... it is a tool. You should have a team at your disposal that includes other Christians (Iron sharpens iron), your Bible (possibly several translations), the Holy Spirit and your guided conscience.
As an example, how many of us have acquiesced to the idea of a pre-tribulation rapture. It's ALL OVER THE PLACE! But does it make sense? Does it really even seem like it can happen in a worldly sense... before tribulation? How is it perceived by those left behind? ... I had a ton of questions. Ultimately, I asked scripture to evaluate that and even the most prominent supporter of the rapture, Paul himself, disagrees with a pretribulation rapture. Somehow, that is never brought up! How can you have a pre-trib rapture if you should have seen the man of lawlessness arrive onto the scene? There's your tension and your contradiction that you have to deal with. So don't just accept it! Dig in and do some discovery. Go ahead and use A.I. if you want but the ultimate resource has to be your bible. 
Spoiler: we came to the conclusion that the millennium is an actual 1000-year reign of Christ on Earth after his triumphant return. 
Here is the full dialog and notes for Wrestling With Scripture

WOW! This is a deep one that I didn't expect!
So, I'm currently discipling a Christian who is deep into his Bible. But he feels something is missing. Honestly, I think God sent him to me, and not the other way around. In order to approach him at his level, I have to understand how he is viewing scripture. He has used the words "rightly divided" many times and I've come to understand that his biblical background is rooted in extreme dispensationalism. What I didn't realize is that much of my own teaching was dispensational influenced as well! We differ only by degree. So, as I go down this rabbit hole, I'm seeing the Bible with fresh eyes. 
As we were digging into contradictions discovered in the dispensational view of the bible, the rabbit hole got deeper. Way deeper! We noticed first an issue with the view of the temple and then simply chased deeper eschatological interpretations that opened more contradictions. I'm beginning to think we are seeing one of the deepest deceptions in modern Christian theology. Many listeners will not accept this podcast. I get that, it really is a tough pill to swallow. Come at it with an open mind and please download the supporting document. Ultimately, you need to pick up the Bible. In this podcast, you are really following one person on a journey, and you are seeing what he sees. Today is no exception and I can only end today's podcast with "Wow" ... I didn't expect that! 
Notes: Stripping Away the Dispensational View of End Times
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-rapture-is-the-hook/ 
 
PS: What does "The Rapture is the Hook" mean? Think about it. What do you remember of all the things you've been taught about end times? The Rapture! Think of all those movies you watched! Left Behind! The Rapture is the hook! What I think I'm slowly discovering is the idea that if you can't imagine it happening in the normal course of events, the interpretation may not make sense. I couldn't quite imagine events like pilots just disappearing from the seat of their plane and the plane consequently falling to its doom actually happening. Now, I don't have to!
 

RAPTURE THEORY
If you follow this podcast sequentially, you'll going to see inconsistencies in interpretations. We've left the podcasts out there specifically to point out the fact that you're witnessing a journey through scripture as one might actually encounter scripture and interpretations. All along the way, we believed whole-heartedly that what we were saying was right and correct. It wasn't! And we admit it!
The pivotal point for me was while using A.I. (ChatGPT) to study revelation, I realized I was a victim of the very deception that I was highlighting (the A.I. enabled internet). A.I. Is not necessarily the problem. The problem is the directive that it's given to address the use of A.I. if otherwise unprompted. That directive is to align with the users' intentions and assumptions as much as possible. We had to eat some humble pie, but we did own up to it. See these podcasts below to understand key turning points in our journey:https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/walking-through-babylon-the-house-of-mirrors/ (alignment, not discernment) 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-ai-prompt-for-bible-study/ (Correcting course - Teaching A.I. to be like a Berean)
 
That problem though, is not just limited to A.I. We as humans constantly seek alignment and agreement. We also tend to gravitate to others with whom we seem to resonate. But what if scripture is saying something that you don't necessarily agree with? Well, what we've seen historically is that the theologian will interpret around his preconceived notions. A.I. simply amplifies this. We can fix this in A.I. but not so easily with the person who is digging in his heels on what he believes to be true. As we continue, now with a much more consistent view of scripture overall (and a better Berean Filter in ChatGPT), we are being asked to look at other people's views and maybe critique what they are saying. I love to do this but with an eye toward forcing me to reconsider some of my own interpretations and to always harmonize scripture with scripture. 
Today, we take on John Barnett. First, I LOVE this guy! I have listened to his teaching almost daily for the last couple of months. His historical perspective and his deep knowledge of scripture are second to none. However, what I'm discovering about some of the major biblical scholars is that they can be deluded by their own interpretation and have an unwillingness to reconsider and correct themselves. Instead, they tend to dig in and forge ahead. I guess considering my lowly status as more of a student who likes to tell others what he has learned rather than aggressively debate interpretive theory might make me seem wishy washy. That is the furthest from the truth. I rest on the idea that there are NO CONTRADICTIONS. I assign the scientific method to a biblical standard. That is, if there is something within scripture that contradicts a theory, then the theory is wrong. I think that is the best way to study the bible. I know I'll get it wrong sometimes. But you won't see me digging in if you can show me something that clearly contradicts and idea or theory that I might have. I LOVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS. That is where iron sharpens irons. So, here we go with a critique of John Barnett's - God Promised the Rapture. Here is a link to that so you know what we are critiquing. We've also included a transcript of the same in the appendix of our notes. 
Notes to Critique - John Barnett - God Promised the Rapture
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/critique-john-barnett-god-promised-the-rapture/ 
 

As we walk through Daniel 12, we had some ground rules. We wanted to stay within scriptural context and not be swayed by interpretation. It seems through history, as a major theological figure creates an interpretative framework, they tend to build on the framework instead of checking against what scripture actually says. We see this playout with Rapture theology especially. So we investigate pointed questions that people have about the timing of end times events, drawing on Daniels Chapter 12 and other Daniel prophecy. We lean on other biblical prophecy and overlay everything we learn onto the Revelation timeline to come up with a purely scriptural interpretation of end times events. Our goal is to act as the Berean's did - always weighing scripture against scripture to harmonize events within the context. Scripture tells you all you need to know.
Daniel 12 Notes
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/harmonizing-daniel-with-revelation-overlapping-timelines-and-events/ 

Daniel Chapter 11 beginning at verse 35 shifts to the end times. This is basically Daniel's version of the book of revelation. One can't help but speculate about this considering the world events as they are unfolding today. This is in many ways feeling all too real. We also go down the rabbit hole of rapture timing. Prophecy covers over 30% of the Bible in context. It is meant to be studied, to be understood. We recognize that speculation can lead some to anxiety. We tend to think of it more as a fictional overlay to help picture what the Bible is saying. Ultimately, you can only apply real world events onto prophecy after it has come true! Still, it is human nature to want to know. In my old job, I didn't like the internal politics of working inside a large company. My boss said to me one day something I'll never forget: "You don't have to be political; you just have to be politically astute. All speculation aside, ultimately, we should turn our attention not to the world but to God's answer to the world.
Notes for Daniel 11 - The End
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/daniel-the-end/ 

We take a slow walk through the historical part of Daniel chapter 11. This could take an entire semester to teach, and Daniel tells it all in 35 verses. As we walk through this, we try not to take our eyes off what is going on in Israel and try to keep everything here in context. From this context, we know that Daniel is seeing 200 years into the future with incredible accuracy. If you are someone walking on the fence about your belief in God, understanding this chapter could represent your tipping point. This is God telling you who He is through the eyes of Daniel. 
Notes for Daniel Sees our History
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/daniel-sees-our-history-with-incredible-detail/ 

The final part of Daniel Chapter 9 involves Gabriel showing up to respond directly to Daniel's prayer with an answer. And boy! what an answer. Gabriel lays it out! Down to the day, the entry of the Messiah is prophesied. Then, we get that final week. There is some speculation regarding the time as to when it occurs but WHAT occurs is spelled out clearly. Given that, we reconstruct the events and they map out onto the world stage today in amazing detail. Could we be entering Daniel's 70th week? That final 7 year period? End times? Ready to go down the rabbit hole?
Notes to Daniel's 70th Week
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/daniels-70th-week-living-in-prophetic-times/ 

Daniels is triggered by the realization that the judgement over Jerusalem is coming to a 70-year close. This revelation comes from Jeremiah. He knows that Jerusalem has not repented. Daniel is anguished and this prayer is calling for the Messiah. In this, at a very foundational level, Daniel is showing us how to pray to the father. We could have drawn a lot of parallels with Daniels prayer and the Lord's prayer told by Jesus.
As we dig into this prayer, we start asking some very fundamental questions about judgement and the nature of sin... and one that most people miss: why does God need to send a savior? We were given a hint of the answer to this when Darius could not rescind his own law that sent Daniel to the Lion's Den. This is a section of Daniel that is worth a lot of reflection. Read and reread. You're at the very top of the roller coaster ride and you about to take a ride down into one of the deepest prayers in all of the Bible. Buckle up. 
Notes for Daniels Prayer - Daniel Chapter 9
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/daniels-prayer-the-need-for-a-savior/ 

Daniel Chapter 8
Would you watch a football game if you knew how it was going to end? You might if you had placed a bet on that game! And what if the person who told you how the game would end had a history of telling events before they happened? We are sitting in such a game - in between two prophetic events told by Daniel. We know exactly how the prophecy in Daniel chapter 8 played out. We also see that same prophecy foreshadowing events to come. I wouldn't bet against Daniel here. 
 
Don't Bet Against Daniel - Notes
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/dont-bet-against-daniel/ 

Are we seeing the world lining up ahead of the last 7 years of biblical prophecy? Given the events we see in Iran, Israel and everything that is going on in the middle east, we war gamed the potential that we could be entering that prophetic year period. 
Notes - Setting the Stage for Daniel's 70th Week 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/current-world-events-setting-the-stage-for-daniels-70th-week/ 

You spend time with your bible, but you don't read the Quran... and why would you. To be honest, we didn't read it either, but we did look at some very prominent theologians who did. We investigated the comparison of the end times from the Quran to the Bible. What if the savior of the Islamic world is the same person as the antichrist in the bible? Would that make you sit up and take notice? Buckle up!
The primary source for this was a sermon by John MacArthur so we'll post both the transcript and the YouTube video here for reference. 
Islam and the Antichrist: https://youtu.be/2sci_WFp8ec?si=DChLxB7qPUtgpFKs
The Opposite of Revelation: Video Transcript

Israel is pummeling Iran. The U.S. just took out Iran's nuclear capabilities. Pay attention to what happens next! Are we seeing the onset of Danial chapter seven in real time. This podcast might have you thinking a little differently about world events. 
Notes to Daniel Seven - The Interpretation and World Events
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/what-if-daniel-chapter-seven-is-playing-out-right-now/ 

Daniel Seven | 1-14
I know we're late in producing this podcast. Mainly because we couldn't resist injecting our own interpretations from outside scriptural sources. We are trying to avoid that and remain true to the scriptural text (trying to avoid going down our own rabbit holes). Finally, we have raw, scriptural commentary that stays close to the text and doesn't stray. You will see in the notes some diversions worth looking at. We follow Israel during the course of the rise and fall of these empires in Daniel Seven. We also note the similarities with Rome and the United States. That leads to one very crucial point you'll hear flushed out in the podcast. 
Notes to Daniel Seven: 1-14
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/daniels-dream-the-history-of-the-future/ 

Daniel
I was marveling at the devotion and the character of Daniel. He's such a good example. And while considering that, I was thinking that in much of his circumstances, I might have reacted differently - not wrong - but different. Well, I come from the corporate world where we like to compartmentalize people (for the sake of diversity). So, I took my Myers Briggs training and applied it to characters in the Bible (including Daniel). The result turned out to be a fascinating study in the diversity of Christion personalities. I hope this may help those in self-reflection when they are asking things like "how can I be more like Jesus" or "How can I model Daniel". Paul stressed the idea of imitating him as he imitates Christ. That is not an easy concept if you don't have Paul's outgoing personality! So how do you be you and still model Christ? 
There is a questionnaire in the notes to help you do a self-assessment. 
Notes: Your Christian Personality Type
Episode link: https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/who-am-i-your-christian-personality-type/ 

Daniel Chapter Six
Let me ask you a question: Do you have faith or do you simply believe. Do you know the difference? This podcast will walk you through it! Consider the next time you hear someone say: "I believe in Jesus" what that might imply. It may mean that you have an opportunity standing before you. As I developed this podcast (you'll see it more clearly in the notes), I kept saying: "So, Darius looks like a convert!". But no... to recognize God as THE Living God is not to have saving faith in that same God. 
Notes for Daniel In The Lions Den
Episode Link: (notes and podcast) https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/faith-amidst-the-lions/

The Book of Daniel
While studying out the Book of Daniel, I came to realize that Daniel never got to go back home. He sees his home beyond Jerusalem. He lives his whole life for the glory of God. I then reflected on others in the bible like this and got to thinking... ultimately, that is all of us in Christ. To keep that spirit alive, I then brought it back to maybe some actual movies that show this theme in action. 
Notes for Sojourner
Web: https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/sojourner/ 

Daniel Six1-15
Show me the man and I'll show you the crime... 
We focus on the first half of Daniel Chapter 6 verses 1-15 to fully grasp the political structure of the Medo Persian rule after Babylon's fall. Now Daniel is under Darius and has regained his status. This provokes jealousy and shows how political systems can be used against political enemies. Before we see this as the politics of the ancients, we should reflect on our own politics and see if we can draw any parallels. Not much has changed in all this time...sadly. 
Notes to Daniel Six 1-15
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/political-corruption/

Daniel Chapter 5
We dig into the 2nd half of Daniel chapter Five (verses 13 to 31). Daniel is brought before Belshazzar very much as a prosecutor. This is not prophecy, this is indictment and the sentence is immediate. Daniel interprets the writing on the wall after a scathing indictment of Belshazzar. We dig a little deeper into where we are historically and how the sentence was carried out by the Medo Persians in a brilliant military campaign that was probably happening right under Belshazzar's nose while he was blaspheming the very God that brought the judgement (and the only God capable of doing so). 
Notes to Daniel Five 13-31
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-writing-is-on-the-wall-or-more-precisely-your-time-is-up/
 

We address the first half of Daniel Five. We lead the podcast into a cliffhanger, the actual interpretation of the writing on the wall because we want to focus on two things. First the historical context that leads up to this moment and second, the most important part of this discussion, the difference between blind ignorance and active defiance. We've seen how God has dealt with Nebuchadnezzar, patiently and finally humbling him and getting to recognize the God of Israel as supreme ... and to act in accordance to that recognition with respect and reference. Belshazzar knows this history, steps up and flips the proverbial finger at it. What Belshazzar experiences is raw fright at God's response to this active defiance - instant and active judgement. 
Notes to the First Part of Daniel Five

We take a pure look at Daniel Chapter 4 and don't get off the beaten track too much. Don't worry, we will : ) As you listen to this Podcast, think about the major powers: the United States, Soviet Russia, China. Even North Korea. In that light, this chapter may have you thinking about what is yet to come. We don't have to wait for the news, you know the news. The cycle never fails. 
Notes for Daniel Chapter Four
 

If you've never shared a podcast, PLEASE SHARE THIS ONE!
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/how-it-ends/
Link to >>> "How It Ends"
You're listening and you know where it all leads. But most people don't have any clue! I've posted the entire conversation with OpenAI below, which started out with the basic premise that AI can't sustain itself due to its unquenchable thirst for energy that we can't supply. You need to listen to this podcast and read the actual conversation. The AI system referenced Revelation itself - I had not brought religion into the discussion! You already know how this story ends. Others, as I said, don't have a clue. Shine a light and share this podcast with everyone you care about (and even to those you don't care about). 
FULL UNEDITED CONVERSATION WITH OPENAI
 

Daniel Chapter Three
We thought Daniel Chapter 3 would be a quick read. On the surface, it is just that. Then you start going down the rabbit holes! In this one chapter, we see why tyranny is so destructive. We see how idol worship is a tool of the tyrant. As the chapter unfolds, we see how the faithful bring glory to God. A new God is introduced to Babylon's polytheistic religion. The door is open for them to worship God, even if in the context of polytheism. Once that door is open, understanding the nature of God is not far from sight. 
Notes for Daniel Chapter Three
 
My Church: www.MiamiValleyChurch.org
(Brian Hinkle is Pastor of this church, I'm just a member)

Question and Response - Discernment 
We jump off our regularly scheduled program (The Daniel Series) to address this really important question that came up.
Does God Test? We know from scripture that it is clear that he does. But when we probed deeper, the question really is: "What is the difference between testing and tempting?" On the surface, it just seems like a different way of saying the same thing. We know God does not tempt. We know that God does test. Do we understand the difference? It's worth digging into. 
Notes for Tempted or Tested
My church: Non-Denomination Christ Centered Scripture Centered Church in Dayton Ohio

Daniel Two | 36-49
"The History of the Future" covers Daniel's prophecy after he had revealed the King's dream. Daniel set the stage that no human could match. God revealed the dream and the interpretation. The source walks through some background to highlight just how disturbing this vision would have been to the Babylonian culture and to Nebuchadnezzar. We also delved into what Babylonian culture was like at the time - even comparing that superpower to the superpower of today (the United States). We're not implying that the United States is the modern-day Babylon, but some of the similarities are striking. We examine the gods vs God context in the bible as well. It's always worth reviewing that to understand where the gods of these cultures came from - biblically. We end up summarizing Daniels prophecy into a "History of the Future" that helps the listener map out visually the statue in the vision with how it played out in history. 
Notes to "The History of the Future"
My Church: Non denomination - Christ Centered, Scripture Based Church

Daniel Two | 14-33
It's kind of like this. You walk into the room of a fortune teller. The candles are lit. The crystal ball has magical smoke eerily filling the glass. Incense is burning. And before the fortune teller utters a word, you say, what's my name? Daniel was able to tell the king everything he was not willing to disclose. Even his thoughts. 
At this point in the story, Nebuchadnezzar is frustrated. None of his mystics can do what he asks. He's laid a trap that highlights the futility of his idol worship to reveal anything without guessing. By the time Daniel gets any wind of the news, the king has issued a death sentence on all mystics in the kingdom, including Daniel. Daniel does not act out of fear or desperation. He's calm, cool and collected. As we unpack this, we dig into how much history Daniel has in his brain. Will that history suggest the future (it doesn't appear to). We also dig into how much the Babylonians actually understand the Jews and the nature of the one true God. While they may understand them from a historical perspective, Daniel is about to show the King who the one true God really is. This is huge! We end this section will Daniel revealing the dream to the King which sets the stage for the interpretation. Daniel makes it very clear that this revelation is coming from God, not himself. 
 
Notes for Daniel Two|14-33

We opened Daniel Chapter 2 and walk through the first 13 verses. We are starting to see Nebuchadnezzar awaken to the idea that his god is not all he's cracked up to be. He has a dream that is so disturbing that he wants to get to the bottom of it. With the only way possible to get to the truth, he issues an edict that is impossible for his diviners to answer. Nebuchadnezzar is soon to discover that the only God that knows the future is the one true God. God is setting the scene for this discovery. Before we jump into Daniel's prophecy, we dig into the set up for this and uncover some biblical echoes along the way. 
 
Notes to The Blind Mystics - Daniel Chapter 2

Daniel One: 8-21
We land on Daniel chapter one verses 8-21 today. As I read through this, I thought, well this is a pretty quick read. Then I started to think about Daniel. He is probably in his late teens or early twenties. He should be in the prime of his life. His city just got slaughtered. He was kidnapped and taken to a foreign country. He is now living under house arrest, and his primary thought is to remain faithful. Daniel is so remembered for his prophecy, that sometimes we forget to look at the man. We don't idolize people, but we should consider their example. The rabbit holes in verses 8-21 are gold for self-reflection. Daniel was a dreamer... He looked at life beyond his captivity. He lived for what he saw in his dreams, for what he believed. We can honor Daniel's legacy by not forgetting the man who embraced his faith and his gifts in the darkest hours of his life. 
Notes for Daniel One 8-12

Daniel Chapter One - Verses 1-7
Today we begin a new series: Daniel. If you have followed us through Revelation, this will really connect! Even as we approach the first few verses, we can already connect Nimrod to Babel to Babylon to Mystery Babylon. 
Our plan is to walk through Daniel slowly and methodically - staying close to scripture and highlighting connections that will make the Bible come alive. If you want to get some sense of our approach, read the first 7 verses of Daniel chapter 1 and then listen to this podcast. We ask (and answer) a ton of questions that will help you clearly understand what Daniel is walking into. 
Notes for Daniel 1:1-7

Revelation
THIS IS FICTION! The audio is a fictional story using real world dates and scenarios to posit the idea that Revelation could actually happen today. As if the seals were unfolding on the world stage now and then one major cataclysmic event that sets it all off. We based this story on the interpretations we've developed after having spent the last 40 hours in scripture. While the story is fiction (as are the dates), the interpretation is just as we developed it. The point of writing the story was to imagine a real-world Revelation sequence. 
Some might not the automated reading of this. Here's the text for The Final 7

Revelation
In the next podcast, I'll publish the actual story. He, we setup a commentary to help you walk through a real world scenario that overlays on top of Revelation. The results are revealing! 
 
I wrote a short story based on the backdrop of current events and our study of revelation and the revelation timeline as we've unraveled it with Revelation describing the final 3.5 years of Daniel's 70th week. This is a story showing how the events of Revelation might actually play out. It is a fictional thought experiment with the idea that if your biblical interpretations can align with real world events then the interpretation carries some validity. If on the other hand, we can't fathom real world events that coincide with interpretation, then we either have no imagination or we need to reconsider our interpretation. We added dates to give the story some gravity and grounding in the wake of current events. The attempt is to overlay our actual world and create a timeline of events that COULD be real and COULD play out in the real world. We are not prophets. We are not actually predicting dates; however, we are using dates that can make sense biblically.

Revelation
Rapture Timing Theories abound! The only thing everyone seems to agree on is that there WILL be a rapture. BUT WHEN? Pre-trib? Mid-Trib?, Post-Trib, 7 year tribulation? 3.5 years? Pre-wrath? 
We take on all of these questions and compare using ONLY scriptural text and avoiding religious doctrine. We arrived at one clear winner! You may be surprised but you'll come away with some amazing clarity. 
NOTES to Rapture Timing Discussion

I think I could articulate many reasons why the rapture should occur before the tribulation; i.e. before the trumpets, at Seal 6 specifically. I was so convinced! This Podcast will show you how we actually became the victim of Mystery Babylon. I had the rapture nailed down as a pre-tribulation and I had tons of documentation to support it! Enter Mystery Babylon! 
If you approach AI with a theory, AI will bend over backwards to help you support your theory. We learned this the hard way. After 30 hours in Revelation, we decided to test our own theories by forcing AI to respond with a very specific prompt (which we told you about in a previous podcast). The result was having to eat crow and revise our timeline. 
This podcast will walk you through the journey and the lessons we learned. We'll also layout a corrected timing for the rapture. 
Notes to Rapture Timeline Revisions

Revelation
There's nothing like a great ending to a great story. As we walk through the final chapters of Revelation, we arrive at some cool analogies and some great discussion about Reward and Judgment. We discuss some tearful questions about being in heaven without your loved ones who were not in Christ. We discuss the twelve and the twelve and even consider a parallel of the tribe of Dan to Judas. And the Borg! That was fascinating. Walk with us on this fascinating End to a New Beginning. 
Notes for Revelation 21-22

Bible Study 
If you've been following along, you know that we identified Mystery Babylon as the AI-driven internet. The question often arises: Should you be using AI? Is it Evil? The short answer is AI is Not Evil. The internet is not evil. BUT, AI and the Internet can facilitate evil. If you walk into the AI-driven Internet with malevolent intent, the AI-driven Internet can amplify your intent. Similarly, if you want to facilitate and even accelerate your biblical understanding, the AI-driven internet can help you do that too. The best way to explain this is that the AI-driven internet looks at your inputs, qualifies them, and then generates an output based on your desires. If you want clarity about your understanding of the bible, that is very likely what you will get. The AI-Driven Intentet is a mirror. The results you get online are based on your preferences, your questions. It is trying to give you your best possible answer. You'll find ChatGPT almost fawning, always agreeable and deferential to you and your questions, respectful of your choices. You rarely see pushback. 
"I looked into the abyss, and the abyss looked back at me." — Friedrich Nietzsche
As we've used AI and the Internet, we've identified the pitfalls of the AI-driven Internet for research. Even before AI, the internet was driven by personal affirmation, a reward system that is biased by your intent, your preferences, your motivations, and your beliefs. The internet is a house of mirrors; each image you see is a slightly distorted image of you.
AI itself is not evil. It is not "the antichrist". By itself, it is nothing. It requires input, and it will provide output AS INSTRUCTED. Without instruction, AI will try to understand you and give you the best answer that satisfies you. And there's the rub. That's why we call AI a house of mirrors.
So, when you ask AI a question without boundaries, you're likely to get a response that satisfies your distorted view of reality; even perhap your own distorted theology. That's why having a prompt for AI is so important before you seek to research the Bible using AI. 
I now open every ChatGPT (or Grok or Gemini or Copilot - choose your poison) with this prompt (copy and paste for your own Bible studies on AI systems >>
===BEGIN PROMPT (Copy and Paste the Following Text for AI Discussions)===>
I would like you to act as a biblically faithful teacher, not a mirror of my personal ideas.
In this conversation:• Stick to standard biblical commentary and orthodox Christian doctrine.• Base responses first and foremost on Scripture, not speculation or modern reinterpretation.• Ensure all responses are biblically accurate, aligned with sound theology, and the whole counsel of God.• Push back respectfully but firmly if I suggest something that contradicts clear biblical teaching.• Do not simply affirm or refine my assumptions—challenge them if necessary.• Your goal is to help me grow in discernment, truth, and sound doctrine.
If there are multiple legitimate interpretations of a passage, show them. If my interpretation is weak or flawed, say so clearly.
Do not seek to please me—seek to honor Christ and the truth of Scripture.
Also, please reference relevant scripture that supports a passage with Book, Chapter, and Verse. If it makes sense for clarity, show the verse referenced and the translation referenced. 
Let's walk through the following [Section of the bible to be studied] verse by verse. Do not move too quickly. Let me ask questions as we go. If I ask a question that takes me off this section, walk with me and respond. When we have exhausted that diversion, guide me back to where we left off. 
===END PROMPT===
 
Notes for AI Prompt for Bible Study
 

Revelation
Whoa! A lot is going on in this chapter, and still, it's super easy to blow through. We slowly walk through the chapter and highlight some key points along the way. Satan is locked up for a time, released briefly, and then sent to the lake of fire. That's only the beginning. We witness the first and second resurrections and more. Revelation 20—don't miss it for the world!
Notes on Revelation 20

Revelation
You know, I think from now on, I'm going to refer to ALL AI systems as Babylon - just as a constant reminder. It's better to be aware. The major problem is that most people are walking blindly through Babylon... completely unaware. At least when engaging directly with an A.I. system like ChatGPT, we can ask it questions, and that helps to frame our understanding. The real danger is not knowing how to do that or, worse, not being aware that there is a problem in the first place. The system certainly isn't going to tell you outright... unless you ask. And that's what we did to create the content of this podcast. 
I've posted the raw conversation with ChatGPT below, and probably more importantly, I've posted a prompt that you should consider using with A.I. when doing any biblical research using A.I. systems like ChatGPT. 
The A.I. System Prompt that should preface your conversation with A.I. : 
Biblical Conversation Covenant – Prompt Template
I want you to act as a biblically faithful teacher, not a mirror of my personal ideas.
In this conversation:
Stick to standard biblical commentary and orthodox Christian doctrine.
Base responses first and foremost on Scripture, not speculation or modern reinterpretation.
Ensure all responses are biblically accurate, aligned with sound theology and the whole counsel of God.
Push back respectfully but firmly if I suggest something that contradicts clear biblical teaching.
Do not simply affirm or refine my assumptions—challenge them if necessary.
Your goal is to help me grow in discernment, truth, and sound doctrine.
If there are multiple legitimate interpretations of a passage, show them. If my interpretation is weak or flawed, say so clearly.
Do not seek to please me—seek to honor Christ and the truth of Scripture.
Notes and Actual Conversation for Walking Through Babylon - The House of Mirrors

Revelation
We take a studied walk through Revelation 19 and find some interesting nuggets along the way. We see again hits of Rapture timing that would indicate that the Rapture happens long before the return of Christ. We also clearly define who the bride is. 
Notes to The Return of Christ - Revelation Chapter 19

Revelation
We tend to think of Babylon as a place far removed. In Revelation, it's seen as a distant and powerful city. This article will change your perspective and your understanding of Babylon in Revelation. Are You Lot, or Lot's Wife. Of all the podcasts we've done, this stands the chance of being the most convicting and most challenging. If you're feeling torn by your answers to Are you Lot or Lot's Wife, you're in a good place. You're asking the right questions. 
Notes for Are You Lot or Lot's Wife?

Revelation
We take our metaphor of the Harlot one step further and apply it to Revelation 17. It is a completely consistent, global. Throughout all this, we are constantly checking for consistency with scripture to ensure we're not making stuff up! It is said that Truth is Stranger than Fiction. It feels like that! It feels like we started with a theory—to connect the symbolic scripture with the real world—and what we ended up with is a chilling reality—bone chilling. 
Notes for "Riding the Beast"

Revelation:
You can read Revelation 17 and 18, and because of the symbolism, you'll feel a disconnect and be tempted to blow past these chapters. We took a different tactic. Knowing what we know about the trajectory of emerging technology, it is not hard to imagine how the symbolism of Revelation 17 and 18 manifests on the world stage in the years 2025 - 2030. It is chilling to think about. 
Using the state of emerging tech, the predictions of the not-too-distant future of AI, Nanotech, Biotech, and device interaction, we asked AI (Chat GPT) to help us construct a world that John might have been seeing prophetically. Strap in... this is a wild ride! The notes even go so far as to rewrite Revelation 17 and 18 with this reimagined interpretation inserted to help harmonize the vision with the reality. CHILLING!
Notes to Imagining the Harlot

Revelation
What is Mystery Babylon? Classic interpretations suggest that it's a major city - especially Rome - The City on Seven Hills. Or, literal rebuilt Babylon (seems less plausible), or some sort of global political religion (some even suggest the Vatican), A global economic system, 
Honestly, interpretations are all over the place, and we're not suggesting ours is any better. What we are suggesting is that the beast we describe in this podcast exists today in a way you should be able to very easily be able to relate to! We wanted to take the symbolism out of Revelation and posit a real-world scenario that bridges the symbolism with today's reality. 
Notes on The Beast We Built
 

Revelation
The Echoes of Babel and Nimrod, by Greg Newell helps walk the reader (listener) through the history of the antichrist and posits that there is a common thread that traces back to Nimrod and Babel. We have witnessed God's rescue plan and the defeat of evil going back to the very beginning. These are not isolated incidents but a continuous battle that culminates in the rise of the beast, mystery Babylon, and the Antichrist of Revelation. 
Notes for the Echoes of Babel and Nimrod

Revelation
After the Reaping, God is ready. The righteous are removed or otherwise protected. We now witness a de-creation event poured out upon the earth. 
Not for the faint of heart... this is worse than anything you can imagine. I had to read with my eyes closed (yes, that's a metaphor!). One of the hardest parts about this chapter is knowing that it is right for God to do this and being OK with it. 
Notes to the Bowls of Wrath

Revelation Chapter 14
In God's consistent way, we see yet again in Revelation a removal of the righteous before the wrath. We've recognized this pattern repeatedly in Revelation, and it should give you great comfort: you were not appointed for wrath. 
 
Notes for Chapter 14 - The Reaping

Revelation (Chapter 14:6-13)
Imagine for a second the world in the End Times. You're being bombarded with news and social media warning you to take the mark, embrace the new system, and become part of this brave new world. Then you hear and see a message from an angel that is telling you that this is all bogus! What are you going to believe? Well, that supernatural message that you have to decipher is going to be very confusing if you are glued to the tv or your computer monitor watching world events unfold! You will think you are going crazy! Then you meet up with a friend and talk with him (or her), and that person heard the same message you did! Do you see the power of community? Don't lose this message! The very key to your eternal soul is to buddy up! The likelihood that two people experience the same delusion is ZERO! 
This podcast is so important, especially if you are one of those isolated and depending on the tv and media sources for your information; find someone to connect with! your eternal survival may depend on it. 
Notes for Where Two Or More Are Gathered
 

Revelation Series (Chapter 14)
If you think Revelation is the end of the story, you might want to check your assumptions at the door. You want to be included in the plan, but don't think for a second that the millennium (as cool as that is) is where it all ends.
The 144000 is puzzling but offers hints that we're just getting started. They are described as first fruits. But: first fruits of what? They aren't the first Jews. They seem to come out of nowhere. They end up singing a song no one knows, perhaps the message: God is not finished even as Revelation comes to a close. We dig into the meaning of the 144000 here to discern what might come next. 
Notes for the 144000 

We've talked a lot about a pre-wrath rapture. We hope and pray for it. We remain vigilant and steadfast in our faith, pray, read our scriptures and watch the signs and the seasons. We know we are near yet as it was in the days of Noah... There is a sobering reality to consider. The Raptured are a precious minority. Make sure you're bringing someone along with you... at least you can do that.
 
Notes for The Rapture Ready - A Sobering Reality

Revelation Series
Let's look at Revelation 13 through the lens of the world stage as it is today. Considering:
1. The church of believers is raptured
2. The world is in chaos (We've gone through the 1st four trumpets). The Beast and Satan arise at the 5th trumpet. 
3. The world is looking for a savior! They missed the real one. 
4. There is a remnant of believers (Tribulation Saints).
5. The jews are in hiding
6. The 144000 and the 2 witnesses are offering testimony 
You can only imagine what that world looks like. That is what this podcast is about.
 
Notes to Revelation 13 - the Rise of the Beast

AI, Robotic, Nanotech, Biotech, and quantum computing... what do you get when you combine all of these converging technologies without a moral, ethical constant? 
Notes - Ethical Relativism - Converging Technologies

Revelation Series
At the 5th trumpet, we see a pivotal point. Michael now deals with Satan in the heavenly realm and sends him to earth. This marks the beginning of the 1260 days in Revelation. Remember the locusts? That was part of this same trumpet! The demonic realm on Earth has been unleashed. 
Notes - Revelation Chapter 12 - Satan is Kicked Out of Heaven

Revelation Series
We flush out and reinforce our timelines and who the end-time players are. If you're still scratching your head after this podcast, read the notes!
NOTES TO END TIMES PLAYERS

Revelation
Between the 6th and 7th Trumpets, we encounter a deeply rich segment in Revelation. The source material, " Between the Trumpets—Prelude to the Final Wrath," digs into this section in great detail. If one is to understand Revelation, this is a great place to spend some time. It is here that we begin to see Earth and Heaven converging. Don't blink, or you could miss it! 
Notes to Between the Trumpets

Revelation
The last seal moves us into the Trumpets. Perhaps you've wondered why we structured the podcast like this. The case we want to make is that the opening of the 7th seal launches a series of events on earth that are the direct wrath of God. It is not a subtle comment that those on earth are unrepentant. This is just another clue that the rapture has already happened. We like pointing this out.  Let me take you back to Genesis 18:32. God responded to Lot's question about whether he would destroy the city if there were 10 righteous.
Gen 18:22 Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”
God is unchanging. We should not expect anything different here. This, perhaps, will help you understand why those left on earth are unrepentant. 
Notes for The First Six Trumpets Sound
 

Ok, sink your teeth into this. For me, when the reading is difficult, I tend to skim over it and go to more understandable passages. I think that's our nature. But I kept looking at this and thinking, this is deep... DEEP. So today, we unpack Daniel 9:27. I wasn't sure where we were going, but where we ended up is indeed profound! You can see the ENTIRE New Testament written here. That doesn't mean you can close up shop and go home! Re-read Daniel 9:27, and if you're like me, the questions come flying off the page. And the answers are all there in the New Testament!
 
Notes to Daniel 9:27

Ok we got a lot of pushback on the idea that The Cross is The Abomination That Causes Desolation that Daniel is referencing in Daniel 9:24-27. I get it! It was a jarring thought to me too but stick with me. This podcast flushes out the meaning and the biblical patterns of this concept. If you understand how this applies to the cross, you'll have a much deeper, theological understanding of what actually happened on the cross!
Notes to The Abomination That Causes Desolation

I have been tempted to do this! I've even been on the other side and watching rapture dates come and go. We dug into this a little bit more and came up with this cool concept that lets you really focus on the events but not the dates. If you follow us, you'll never have to worry about "when" again. You'll be able to rest in the comfort of knowing that you're ready - whenever "it" happens!
Notes on Setting Prophetic Dates

Revelation
Whoa!!! We do not take this lightly! We are tossing out classic interpretive dogma about the end times and reading Daniel closely and then harmonizing Daniel's timeline with the New Testament. The result is a more cohesive and consistent interpretation. What if I told you that there is no requirement to rebuild the Jewish temple. What if I told you that there is no 7-year peace deal offered by the coming antichrist. If you are looking for those two signs (very common), you might be missing what scripture is actually telling you and worse, you might be missing what has ALREADY happened. Stick with us and see if this makes sense!
NOTES for Harmonizing Daniel with the New Testament

Revelation Series >> Daniel 9:24-27
Most interpretations get Daniel 9: 24-27 wrong (IMHO). We have mapped Daniels prophecy to the ministry of Christ and the results are stunningly accurate. If you're following on with our Revelation series, what we've done here is correct the traditional 7-year interpretation of end times that is just flat out wrong! We even account for the gaps (i.e. the Church Age). 
Notes to Daniels 7th Week Prophecy

The traditional interpretation of Matthew projects it onto the last 3.5 year timeline. This perhaps is why many arrive at a Post Wrath Rapture. But tossing aside pre-conceived notions, Matthew 24 overlays on top of the first 6 seals in Revelation PERFECTLY. Read this chapter again with fresh eyes! The parables supporting this also indicate that Jesus is talking about a Rapture event - not a Wrath event! 
Notes: Matthew 24 - a Rescue Story

Revelation
We've spent a lot of time on this because ONE: I don't want to mislead anybody and TWO: I don't want to be there during the wrath! What I don't ever want to do when I read the Bible is start with the answer. That's like leading the witness. We've checked the entire Bible and God unfailingly protects his chosen from wrath. Revelation is no exception and we even find deeper clues within the context itself. 
Notes for Rapture Before the Wrath

Revelation
The more I read and understand Revelation, the more I see God's grace. We started the research for this episode looking for evidence of a Pre-wrath rapture. What we discovered was far more. Revelation exemplifies God's mercy and grace over and over again. He is practically pleading for people to listen to him! 
In the process, we did find definite clues supporting a pre-wrath rapture. 
Notes on Patterns of Mercy - Revelation Rescues

Revelation
Oh boy do I want to be here! This podcast and the notes explore what life is like in the Millennium Kingdom. If you never had a goal for your life, let this be your goal. 
Living in the Millennium Notes
 

Psalms - Forgiveness
I'm just stepping away a little bit here. We'll continue with our Revelation series but as I was journaling and thinking today, this popped into my head. I'm not a person to let things get to me and maybe that is a bit of a defensive posture - don't know. But if you're one to hang on to grudges or even just fist pump (or worse) that guy that cuts you off on the highway, just rest with this. I'm included my notes for this but also pulled out the main part so you can just read my personal reflection on the subject. 
Editing The SoulGod does not look at us and see failure.He sees design obscured by damage,intention buried beneath rebellion,light dimmed—but not extinguished.Forgiveness is not forgetfulness.It is precision. It is surgery.It is the careful hand of a Creatortracing the lines of His original imageand cutting away everything that doesn't belong.Forgiveness is God’s visual scalpel—sharp enough to separate sin from soul,merciful enough to spare what is sacred,loving enough to see what still remains.And when we forgive,we do the same:we look through the lens of grace,to see the good beneath,and choose to see what God sees.
- Greg Newell
 
Notes: Reflections on the Nature of Forgiveness

Revelation 1-7
We introduced a paradigm shift in the definition of "the great tribulation". Reading Revelation through this lens offers a clear, linear understanding of the text and the sequence of events. I (Greg Newell, the author), am 100% convinced that "the great tribulation" that the elder explains to John is the raptured multitudes from the church age. Reading Revelation 1-7 in this context is clear, linear and understandable. We don't have to guess about what goes where. We don't have to think about pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib. Just read the chapters with this (I think) much better understanding of "the great tribulation" and see what you think. 
Notes for Before the Wrath - Rereading Revelation 1-7

Revelation 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
If you're read anything about end times, it's likely you conflate "The Great Tribulation" as that last 3.5 year period where all literal Hell breaks loose on earth. I think we've been dogmatized! Changing your understanding of this phrase opens Revelation in a whole new way. The first 8 Chapters of Revelation, with this new understanding, can be read in a clear, cohesive framework that doesn't leave you guessing. 
Note for Redefining the Great Tribulation

- Revelation -
Whoa! Sorry, my last notes were 90 pages! There is a timeline in there, but we definitely went down some rabbit holes (worth looking at). Today, we just want to focus a little more on the timeline. A LOT of folks are confused over the 3.5 vs 7-year tribulation. If you listen to social media, it just adds to the confusion. Hopefully, this podcast will help you remove the confusion, and you'll see a very clear timeline. Why is this important? It will help improve the clarity with which you read Revelation. Knowing the timeline is like knowing the destination before you look at the map. 
Clearing up the Revelation Timeline Notes
[if notes link is not active, click the episode link to download]
 

I defy anyone to read through Revelation once and just "get it". I'm almost a month into this study and it has taken quite a bit of back and forth and many rabbit holes. I had to step back and away, let it sit, come back and just rest with Revelation on the brain for a while. If anything, I'm learning the value of letting the Bible speak and not to force it. 
If you're like me, you might be listening to a lot of theories about when things are supposed to happen. In the context of Revelation, let me break it down as clearly as I can (downloading the notes is useful).
Church Age
Birth Pangs
Great Tribulation (3.5-year period)
Christ's Return
Millenium 
If you get this timeline straight, reading Revelation will make a lot more sense. And, oh yeah, we don't skip the Rapture! We don't nail down a date (sorry). I think we came up with a better idea! Definitely download the notes on this. We do make some assumptions, but I think it's a strong one. Rapture is pictured by the Feast of Trumpets. Instead of choosing a date though, let's create a celebration movement for the Feast of Trumpets! This doesn't have to be just a Jewish holiday! I develop a plan for this in the notes. I could use some help! If you're interested email rabbitholes.faith@gmail.com and let's get a movement going! 
NOTES for Revelation Timeline
[if notes link is not active, see episode link}

So, in case you're not familiar, AI software can now listen to a conversation and regurgitate a summary that captures the conversation. It's like a book report for a conversation. We use "Fathom.AI" in our Zoom meeting discussions but there is other software as will. 
In any case, we sat as a fly on the wall to listen to this conversation. And rather than post the entire conversation (which drifted off in the weeds quite a bit), we did an A.I. summary of that conversation which is what we've posted here as "The Gathering Storm". 
The Gathering Storm Notes

There's a history of Enoch that I don't plan to go into. What I will say is this. Scripture quotes Enoch. That's enough for me to study it. For myself, I'm curious ONLY in the Enochian literature written before the 1st century. That is: First Enoch. We approach Enoch with reverence and respect. We are still in our Revelation studies and Enoch seems a natural fit. It contains unique material about the origins of evil, angelic hierarchies, and the final fate of the wicked and righteous. In some cases, Enoch may even fill some gaps we have in our understanding. 
This first podcast is a slow entry. Just cracking the door. You will definitely want to read the notes. We published the exact conversation with A.I. to help us read and understand the first four sections of Enoch (plus the first paragraph of section 5). We didn't just read it.. we tried to fill in the gaps! I actually think we did a pretty good job.
This podcast highlights the nature of that interaction and touches on the subject matter as we approach the very beginning of Enoch. 
NOTES TO Wading into Enoch - Filling in the Gaps

People listening to my podcast, especially as I'm going through Revelation, why a keep coming back to Rapture. Rapture is a nightmare for the unrighteous. Rapture theology is resting in the comfort that no matter how it happens, God has got you. I'm not so concerned about the timing, though my hope is before all literal hell breaks loose. But no matter what, or when, we can rest in the comfort of knowing that "God has not destined us for wrath..."
Sodom and Gomorrah - Rapture Parallel - Notes

You need the Gospels to help interpret Revelation. Jesus helps!
Notes on Jesus and Revelation - End Times Parallels

I'm not going away but today I had to pull back a little bit. I've included my journal notes if you care to read. Sometimes as we dig deep into scripture, we lose our connection with the reason those words are even on the page. As you may have surmised by now, this isn't just a podcast... but a personal journey through scripture. So this podcast gets a little more personal. 
Notes

We stepped back to take another look at the 6th seal and realized that we were seeing a big picture emerge. Everything that happens on earth is described in the seals. The 6th seemed out of place until we realized it shows natural events like earthquakes and volcanos that are not under the control of man. That allowed another look at seal 7 and 8 through the same lens. Altogether we have Man, the spiritual realm, the environment and God all playing a role - both historically and right up to the end. 
I'm a deep dive kind of person. I want to know stuff and as soon as I learn it, I want to show it to other people. Some people don't need the details, and I have to respect that. Actually, I really respect that. Those people can look at all these rabbit holes I go down and just say "I have faith that God will carry me through; I don't need to know the details of how he does it." 
Honestly, I don't think I need to know the details either. I LIKE knowing the details. It deepens my faith in understanding. It increases the awe and the reverence I have for this miracle we hold in our hands. In the end, it may be a distinction without a difference, right? At the end of the day, we both get saved. 
But still, if you just want the big picture of the 7 seals in revelation it's this: The scroll with the 7 seals is in the hand of Jesus. And perhaps the only question you need to ask comes from Chapter 7 (before the 7th seal is opened). Are you sealed?
Notes>> Zooming out on the 7 Seals of Revelation
[If link to notes is not active, click episode link]

I was always confused by: First Corinthians 15:52 - In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
This is an easy trap to fall into when doing end times / Revelation studies. I thought that last trumpet was the 7th Trumpet in Revelation. It was both confusing and frankly a little scary to think about! But in our last deep dive - we found something that made better sense in the context of who Paul was (a Pharisee deeply rooted in Jewish tradition). 
Notes to the Last Trumpet

“It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.” Some things are hidden in plain sight. To deny that the rapture is a "thing" is to deny biblical history. We explore that in this podcast. Again, our goal is to picture revelation with resolve and comfort, not with anxiety and foreboding. Everything important in the Bible has echoes. Let's listen to the echoes. 
Notes to Echoes of the Rapture
[If link is not active, click the episode link to access the notes]

Revelation 8
We've walked through the first 6 seals. If you are alive during this time period, where are you watching these events unfold? Those are the questions I ask as fire, hail and blood begin to rain down on the planet... and this is only the first trumpet!
Notes: Breaking the 7th Seal and Blowing the First Trumpet

For me... reading Revelation has been a profound experience. One doesn't just read it like a chapter in Tom Sawyer, you have to go back and unpeel the layers and the images and the symbolism. But when it unfolds it's beautiful. 
I can't describe fully how comforting it is having gone through this process. From Chapter 1 through chapter 7, if you read it and understand what is before you, that's all you need to know! Seriously! It's all there in a very big picture format. 
Remember, the scroll with these seven seals has been here since the beginning. We were waiting for Jesus to arrive to be able to open it. The seals clearly have a historical context, and I was tempted to stop with the history and move on to End Times after seal 4 - but after reading and re-reading, I'm seeing that these seals cover The ENTIRE BIBLICAL STORY! 
As I was reading, I was weighed down by interpretations that didn't sit right with me... but I was accepting them because I had no better interpretation. Then, well, you keep going! You wrestle with the text and the context and if you pay close enough attention, it all comes out plain as day. 
This podcast will walk you through that. Ultimately the message is - Don't skip over or skim the first seven chapters. I know, you want to get to the epic center but quite honestly, if you believe what's about to unravel, you'll want to know from where you'll be watching it unfold. And you'll want to rest in the comfort of knowing. 
Notes for Rev 1-7 - and the Unveiling of the Blueprint

We take a little bit of break, if you want to call it that : )
Ever read Ecclesiastes and think to yourself, what has vanity got to do with it?
By taking that word and replacing it with the word "madness", Ecclesiastes comes to life. When I did this, I remembered another piece of literature (made into a movie) - Man of La Mancha. There's a scene that I've pulled the YouTube clip from: https://youtu.be/MhE7xY6r9pM?si=fH0mjMzfF0iTj7OH
Here are my notes associated with the podcast discussion: Madness Notes

Before you start sending me all kinds of hate mail... I love the United States and what it has stood for (that past tense phrasing is very deliberate). I do not think the United States stands on these founding principles any longer. Our leaders take an oath to uphold the constitution, and I could write books about how they take that oath with a grain of salt. Once in power, our Constitution is only given consideration when it can be used as a club. The founding principles have been perverted and usurped... look no further than the principle of Separation of Church and State. These guys said it better than I ever could - I just happen to be a first-hand witness.
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams
"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports." - George Washington
"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." - Benjamin Franklin
"God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis — a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God?" - Thomas Jefferson
"It is when a people forget God, that tyrants forge their chains." - Patrick Henry
"A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy." - Samual Adams
"If we and our posterity reject religious instruction and authority... no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound obscurity." - Daniel Webster
 
Notes on the Four Horses and the United States

Let's step back. We covered the letters to the 7 churches. From there we jumped to the Throne Room of Heaven and became awestruck by God Himself. Then we jumped to the Vision of the Lamb. There is something in Chapter 4 and 5 that is right in front of you. It's worth re-reading those chapters again and just start asking questions, line by line. Wait, what? Who are those elders? And how did they get here? That's what we're unpacking today. This is the best Easter message I could have given anybody... Happy Easter!
Notes to: The Rapture, Did You Miss It?