Been There Read That

In todays episode I discuss some of my recent findings within the books of Revelation and Zechariah.  In Revelation 11:4 the Bible speaks of two witnesses who are represented as  two olive trees and two lampstands.  What is the meaning behind the symbolism of lampstands and olive trees?  The olive tree symbolism of Revelation 11:4 is taken from Zechariah 4, but merely acknowledging the borrowing does not explain the symbolism.  Join us as we discuss this fascinating piece of Biblical prophecy.

Books Referenced:

Zechariah: A Christian Interpretation by James E. Smith 

ESV Expository Commentary on Zechariah by Anthony Peterson

To download George Battey's series on the Book of Revelation go to: www.IndyChurchofChrist.com

In today’s episode we discuss the pros, cons, and controversies surrounding the use of commentary sets. Should we even use commentaries? Should we only use commentaries from a church of Christ background? Are commentary sets more helpful that individual commentaries? These and other questions are address and hopefully the answers provided are helpful.

Books that receive honorable mention include:

Between the Cross and the Throne by Matthew Emmerson

Jamie Thomson joins today’s episode to discuss Richard P. Belcher’s commentary on Genesis from the Focus on the Bible Commentary Series. We discuss Belcher’s background, the purpose and focus of his commentary, the benefits and hang-ups of his work, and much more in this round-table discussion.

Other books mentioned in today’s episode include:

Finding Favor in the Sight of God by Richard P. Belcher Jr. (part of the New Studies in Biblical Theology Series)

Isaiah by Alan Harmon (part of the Focus on the Bible Commentary Series)

Joshua-2Kings by Dale Ralph Davis (part of the Focus on the Bible Commentary Series)

The New American Commentary on Genesis by Kenneth Mathews

Today I want to introduce my listeners to one of my favorite authors: James E. Smith.  

Biblical Protology

God's Law Our Compass (This is the one book Smith has written that I do not recommend).

In Part 2 of my interview with Aaron Battey we discuss reading goals, Bible reading plans, books that have had the greatest impact on his thinking (outside the Bible), books he recommends, study helps, tips, tools, and more.  If you haven’t checked out Aaron’s website be sure to take a look @ www.fiveminutebiblestudy.com .

Books discussed this week include:

I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek

Young aspiring evangelist Aaron Battey (a.k.a my brother) stopped in the studio today to discuss the training he has recently undergone with two evangelists in preparation for going into the field full-time..  In particular, reading assignments and tools that he was introduced to along the way. 

Love Your God With All Your Mind by J. P. Moreland is a fascinating book that challenges Christians to develop their intellectual mind for the glory of God.  We provide an in-depth review of the Pros and Cons to both provoke listeners to read the book and help equip them to avoid a few pitfalls they will encounter along the way. 

Other books referenced/recommended along the way include:

Love Your God With All Your Mind by J. P. Moreland (2nd edition)

What is the purpose of devotional reading?  Is devotional reading a valid practice?  Are there good materials to encourage devotional reading?  What is the main difference between devotional reading and intellectual reading?  What should be the main focus of intellectual reading? What are some good practices to follow when reading critically?  What challenges should you present to yourself when reading critically?  These and other great questions are discussed in today's episode.

Books Recommendation in This Episode: (Hyperlinks provided)

Granville Tyler Workbooks

Today’s episode centers around commentaries on the book of Leviticus.  While searching for a good commentary to provide a sound structure, big picture, and thorough introduction to Leviticus, Nathan discovered both positive components and problematic pitfalls in a number of commentaries.  His research ultimately lead him to what will hopefully be a worthwhile commentary to add to any library.

Commentaries discussed in this episode include: 

New International Commentary on Leviticus by Gordon J. Wenham

In this week's episode we provide a list of a "dirty dozen" dangerous authors to avoid when building your library.  Rather than merely naming the authors, we have also provided a brief discussion of the positions they hold that make them dangerous.  Our list includes:

John MacArthur