Lamentations is not one of the more popular books in the biblical canon. In fact, its five densely populated poems are some of the hardest reading in scripture, not in terms of understanding, but in the state of despair and grief we hear poured out. Ther is a brief shining moment at the centre of the book, a ray of hope in what seems to be an otherwise desolate wasteland of broken dreams and shattered hopes. Yet, it is still considered scripture, and still holds in it some encouragement, some nourishment, and some challenge to those willing to brave its icy shores. Join the Bible Streams team as they examine the ebook of Lamentations.

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There is a small collection of books that sit nestled toward the back of the Hebrew Bible. In the Ketuvim, the Writings, wedged between the three large poetic books of Psalms, Proverbs and Job, and the post-exilic writings (Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah and Chronicles), are the Five Megillot - the Five Scrolls. Small but rich and complex in their subject matter, these five books found their significance both in the biblical narrative but also in the liturgical calendar of Israel. 

Resources/Links mentioned in this episode, or as references or helpful for Bible Streams:

• Book: Dean Wenthe. 2009. Jeremiah, Lamentations. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. IVP Academic.
• Book: J. Andrew Dearman. 2002. Jeremiah, Lamentations. NIV Application Commentary. Zondervan.
• Book: Robert Parry & Heath Thomas. 2011. Great is Thy Faithfulness? Reading Lamentations as Sacred Scripture. Wipf & Stock.
• Book: Wilma Bailey & Christina Bucher. 2015. Lamentations and Song of Songs. Herald Press.
• Book: R. K. Harrison. 2009. Jeremiah & Lamentations: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale OT Commentaries. Intervarsity Press.

Big thanks to Tim Whittle for editing and extra production on this podcast. 

Get more info at Riverlife Church, and find us on Facebook and Instagram. Music credit: Scott & Annie McKinnon, 'Revive'.

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Love, loss, high drama and a penultimate moment that will leave you on the edge of your seat, the little book of Ruth delivers more than just an epic story in miniature. It's a tale loaded with technical insight into the ancient Hebraic practice of law, community, custom and generational legacy. It rarely mentions God but demonstrates His powerful work in the ordering of circumstances and hidden providence. This walk through Ruth will open your eyes to the intricacies and nuances of this elegantly simple tale.

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There is a small collection of books that sit nestled toward the back of the Hebrew Bible. In the Ketuvim, the Writings, wedged between the three large poetic books of Psalms, Proverbs and Job, and the post-exilic writings (Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah and Chronicles), are the Five Megillot - the Five Scrolls. Small but rich and complex in their subject matter, these five books found their significance both in the biblical narrative but also in the liturgical calendar of Israel. 

Resources/Links mentioned in this episode, or as references or helpful for Bible Streams:

• Book: LaCocque, André. 2004. Ruth. A Continental Commentary. Trans K. C. Hanson. Minneapolis: Fortress.
• Book: Younger Jr., K. Lawson. 2002. The NIV Application Commentary: Judges, Ruth. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
• Article: Brady, Christian M.M. 2013. “The Conversion of Ruth in Targum Ruth.” Review of Rabbinic Judaism, no. 16: 133-146.

Big thanks to Tim Whittle for editing and extra production on this podcast. 

Get more info at Riverlife Church, and find us on Facebook and Instagram. Music credit: Scott & Annie McKinnon, 'Revive'.

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Android and Spotify

Seductive and suggestive, or pure and pious? No other book in the Bible has garnered so much attention about its subject matter and its appropriateness for God's covenant people to read in worship as the Song of Songs! Is it too much, or is it a healthy depiction of human sexuality and relationships? Should we read it as a love poem or an allegory of Jesus and the Church? Who wrote it - Solomon or someone who wanted to honour him? In the poem, is Solomon a good guy, or is he the antagonist who ruins it for everyone? If nothing else, this short poem-turned-scroll in the Megillot poses some very engaging questions within its superlative language. Join Alex, Chris and Jo as they explore the most excellent Song of all Songs!

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There is a small collection of books that sit nestled toward the back of the Hebrew Bible. In the Ketuvim, the Writings, wedged between the three large poetic books of Psalms, Proverbs and Job, and the post-exilic writings (Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah and Chronicles), are the Five Megillot - the Five Scrolls. Small but rich and complex in their subject matter, these five books found their significance both in the biblical narrative but also in the liturgical calendar of Israel. 

Resources/Links mentioned in this episode, or as references or helpful for Bible Streams:

• Book: Iain Provan - Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (NIV Application Commentary)
• Book: G. Lloyd Carr - Song of Songs (Tyndale Commentary Series)
• Book: J. Cheryl Exum - Song of Songs: A Commentary (The Old Testament Library Series)
• Book: Marvin H. Pope - Song of Songs (Anchor Bible Commentary Series)

Big thanks to Tim Whittle for editing and extra production on this podcast. 

Get more info at Riverlife Church, and find us on Facebook and Instagram. Music credit: Scott & Annie McKinnon, 'Revive'.

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Android and Spotify

There is a small collection of books that sit nestled toward the back of the Hebrew Bible. In the Ketuvim, the Writings, wedged between the three large poetic books of Psalms, Proverbs and Job, and the post-exilic writings (Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah and Chronicles), are the Five Megillot - the Five Scrolls. Small but rich and complex in their subject matter, these five books found their significance both in the biblical narrative, but also in the liturgical calendar of Israel. 

Esther is a complex book but a simple story: a story of salvation, redemption,  boldness and courage in the face of mighty opposition. But it's complex, as there is no explicit mention of God's name, and there are some questionable decisions made by some of the chief protagonists. Esther packs a punch, it invites us to dig deeper into the context and the subtext of the story it tells and continues the story of God's people as they journey toward the second temple period and the seismic changes that would come with the advent of Christ.

Resources/Links mentioned in this episode, or as references or helpful for Bible Streams:

• Book: Tremper Longman III & Peter Enns (eds) - Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry and Writings

Big thanks to Tim Whittle for editing and extra production on this podcast. 

Get more info at Riverlife Church, and find us on Facebook and Instagram. Music credit: Scott & Annie McKinnon, 'Revive'.

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Android and Spotify

There is a small collection of books that sit nestled toward the back of the Hebrew Bible. In the Ketuvim, the Writings, wedged between the three large poetic books of Psalms, Proverbs and Job, and the post-exilic writings (Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah and Chronicles), are the Five Megillot - the Five Scrolls. Small but rich and complex in their subject matter, these five books found their significance both in the biblical narrative, but also in the liturgical calendar of Israel.

This series covers the books of Esther, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations and Ecclesiastes - five different writings that have been connected by their value to be sung and read at five Jewish festivals. Join the Bible Streams Team as they unpack both the liturgical understanding in this episode and then each book in more depth.

Resources/Links mentioned in this episode, or as references or helpful for Bible Streams:

• Book: Tremper Longman III & Peter Enns (eds) - Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry and Writings

Big thanks to Tim Whittle for editing and extra production on this podcast. 

Get more info at Riverlife Church, and find us on Facebook and Instagram. Music credit: Scott & Annie McKinnon, 'Revive'.

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Android and Spotify

Philemon is just 25 verses but is full of insight and practical application for living like Jesus in a messy and complicated world. How do we treat people who are more or less powerful than us? How do we find reconciliation when we've been wronged? How should we approach systemic injustice? All of this and more is wrapped up in this amazing letter, and one of it's central ideas: koinonia.

Chirs, Alex and Jo discuss how to read Philemon, the intricacies of the text, and some of the big issues that surround this very personal letter from Paul to a dear friend, on behalf of another dear friend.

Resources/Links mentioned in this episode, or as references or helpful for Bible Streams:

• Web: International Justice Mission (IJM)
• Book: NT Wright - Tyndale New Testament Commentary - Colossians & Philemon
• Book: ESV Expository Commentary - Ephesians-Philemon
• Book: 

Big thanks to Tim Whittle for editing and extra production on this podcast. 

Get more info at Riverlife Church, and find us on Facebook and Instagram. Music credit: Scott & Annie McKinnon, 'Revive'.

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Android and Spotify

We start a new (and intermittent) series, featuring conversations with our Bible Streams hosts about their fields of research and the dissertations they have written on the subjects.

First up is Chris Knott (MDiv[ACT]), with his project: "The implications of Romans 13:1-7 for Christians participating in the exercise of secular authority." But don't be fooled, not only are we punning on what makes each of us special, but we think these topics are pretty interesting! And we think you will too!

Resources/Links mentioned in this episode, or as references or helpful for Bible Streams:

• PDF: Chris Knott - "The implications of Romans 13:1-7 for Christians participating in the exercise of secular authority."
• Web: The Bible Project - Romans
• Book: Thomas Schreiner - Romans
• Book: Douglas Moo - Letter to the Romans (New Internation Commentary on the New Testament)

Big thanks to Tim Whittle for editing and extra production on this podcast. 

Get more info at Riverlife Church, and find us on Facebook and Instagram. Music credit: Scott & Annie McKinnon, 'Revive'.

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Android and Spotify

The Ezra-Nehemiah text is a complex series of writings, memoirs and reflections. It presents the reader with lots of questions - and you've sent us yours! On our first ever Q&A episode, we answer listener questions around a bunch of themes and issues raised in this fascinating text!

Resources/Links mentioned in this episode, or as references or helpful for Bible Streams:

• Book: Dr Gary Schnittjer - Old Testament Use of the Old Testament
• Article: Dr Gary Schnittjer - The Bad Ending of Ezra-Nehemiah
• Book: Walton & Hill - A Survey of the Old Testament
• Book: Shepherd & Wright - Ezra and Nehemiah (Two Horizons Commentary Series)
• Book: Kidner - Ezra and Nehemiah (Tyndale Commentary Series)
• Book: Laird - Negotiating Power in Ezra-Nehemiah
• Book: The ESV Study Bible
• Web: The Bible Project - Ezra-Nehemiah

Big thanks to Tim Whittle for editing and extra production on this podcast. 

Get more info at Riverlife Church, and find us on Facebook and Instagram. Music credit: Scott & Annie McKinnon, 'Revive'.

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Android and Spotify

Old Testament scholar and expert on Ezra-Nehemiah Dr Gary Schnittjer joins Jo, Alex and Chris to talk about the challenges and themes of this often-overlooked text. Gary teaches Old Testament and biblical Hebrew in the School of Divinity at Cairn University in Philadelphia, and recently released his expansive work on the Old Testament Use of the Old Testament. He sheds light on some of the more complex issues and responses to the leadership of Ezra, Nehemiah and Zerubbabel as we find them depicted. 

Make sure you listen to the end to find out how you can win a copy of Gary's new book, or find a link in the show notes to purchase your own.

Resources/Links mentioned in this episode, or as references or helpful for Bible Streams:

• Book: Dr Gary Schnittjer - Old Testament Use of the Old Testament
• Article: Dr Gary Schnittjer - The Bad Ending of Ezra-Nehemiah
• Book: Walton & Hill - A Survey of the Old Testament
• Book: Shepherd & Wright - Ezra and Nehemiah (Two Horizons Commentary Series)
• Book: Kidner - Ezra and Nehemiah (Tyndale Commentary Series)
• Book: Laird - Negotiating Power in Ezra-Nehemiah
• Book: The ESV Study Bible
• Web: The Bible Project - Ezra-Nehemiah

Big thanks to Tim Whittle for editing and extra production on this podcast. 

Get more info at Riverlife Church, and find us on Facebook and Instagram. Music credit: Scott & Annie McKinnon, 'Revive'.

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Android and Spotify

While content has been limited this year, there has still been a lot to talk about in 2021 across the three podcasts across the Riverlife network. We've heard from some incredible guests and discussed a range of topics across theology, scripture, justice, and community! Join our producer, Tim, as he sits down with Jo to talk about all the highlights from 2021 and to look ahead to 2022. As is now a yearly tradition with Riverlife Podcasts, there will also be bloopers and outtakes. Here's to another awesome year ahead!

This episode can also be found on our Going Deeper podcast channel.

Resources/Links mentioned in this episode:

• Riverlife Podcast Network: Going Deeper | Bible Streams | The Round Table
• Going Deeper - Episode 160 (Talking Justice 2: Jesus Sets Captives Free! with Amy Smith (International Justice Mission))
• Going Deeper - Episode 161 (Talking Justice 3: Action as Intercession with Dave Andrews)
• Going Deeper - Episode 166 (Taking Justice 8: Prophetic Voices of the Land with Ps Ada Boland)
• Bible Streams - Episode 64 (Jesus Stories 2: The Historical Jesus with Dr Michael Bird)
• Bible Streams - Episode 68 (Jesus Stories 6: The Gospel of John)
• Bible Streams - Episode 71 (Remnant Restored? Conversations in Ezra-Nehemiah 3: Ezra)
• The Round Table - Biblical Perspectives 5 (Dating Q&A Part 2)
• The Round Table - Biblical Perspectives 8 (Marriage - A Deeper Dive Part 1)
• The Round Table - Biblical Perspectives 10 (Community Q&A Part 1 (Live))
• Book: Leif Hetland - Healing the Orphan Spirit
• Bible Streams - Facebook

Big thanks to Tim Whittle for editing and extra production on this podcast.

Get more info at Riverlife Church, and find us on Facebook and Instagram. Music credit: Scott & Annie McKinnon, 'Revive'.

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Android and Spotify.