Hey everybody, it is Luke Taylor of the Cross References podcast, thanks for hanging in there. The relaunch, reboot, reset of this podcast is underway.

So you probably saw this in your podcast lineup and you thought: what’s this? I don’t remember subscribing to this podcast???

This is the Book of Ezekiel: A Cross References Bible Study. Or, that’s what was, but earlier this year, we finished the book of Ezekiel. And many of you encouraged me to keep this going but to dive into another book of Scripture, another prophet. Which means the name of the podcast needed to change. 

So here it is: God and His Prophets. Because I really like teaching the prophets of the Bible. I don’t think they get enough attention. There’s a lot in these books that I don’t know about and that I’d like to discover. And so I’ll let you take a front seat on the ride with me. 

So starting in September, the first Monday after Labor Day- which is September 8, 2025- we will start back into this podcast with a prophetic profile of Elijah. It’s just a one-and-done. I might not even do it, but I just feel that the Lord has been showing me something this summer from the life of Elijah. If I can collect my thoughts on it, I’d like to share them with you.

Then on September 15, we’ll start into my favorite of the Minor Prophets: Zechariah. And from then on, the regular format of this podcast will be going verse-by-verse through various books of the Bible. It will go at about the pace that my Ezekiel study this past year. It’s gonna take us 3 or 4 episodes just to get through chapter 1. 

And also like my Ezekiel study, we may take a week here and there to examine an issue that relates to what we’re studying in Zechariah- or whatever book we find ourselves in in the future. 

So that’s the plan. If you liked how the Ezekiel episodes have gone the past year, that same basic format will continue in the future for more books. 

That’s the plan, anyway. James 4 tells us, 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

So, if the Lord wills, that’s the plan for the future of this podcast. If God wants to interrupt my plans with the rapture, that’s fine, too. I won’t complain. I even kinda hope that’s the case.

In the meantime, I continue to produce new episodes of Weird Stuff in the Bible. If you’re subscribed here, I’m assuming you already like the Bible. So if you don’t mind me making it a little weird, you can go check out the Weird Stuff in the Bible podcast. 

But if the Lord wills- if Jesus tarries- I’ll be back right here as well, September 8, with a fresh look at some ancient prophets- and my prayer each time will still be that the Bible makes more sense to you after every episode.

The podcast continues to grow, despite being... "over." So I'll bring it back: September 2025.

However, be prepared for a new book to study, which means we'll need a new name- and probably a new theme song!

Well gang, we finally did it! After more than 3.5 years, we have traveled through the entire book of Ezekiel. This episode will put the final button on the book, reflect on the whole journey, and give you an idea of when- or if- you’ll hear anymore episodes of this podcast.

I’ll also share some of the things I’ve learned about Bible study and podcasting in general so that I can hopefully encourage and equip some of you if you’d like to embark on a similar ministry to what I’ve been doing. So some of this today will be a behind-the-scenes look at this podcast.

But most of all today, I want to share about how the story of Ezekiel has impacted me in a personal way, and so that’s what you’ll hear if you listen all the way to the end today…for one last time on the Cross References podcast.

Video available of this episode! Follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/live/Ikbm8lcJWeI?si=VuvWjQq6asPJ_VvA

If you want to get in touch with me, send an email to [email protected]

Timestamps: 

0:00 - Introduction
2:00 - The History of this Podcast
8:00 - Some Podcasting Advice
21:00 - Key Episodes of this Podcast
28:00 - How Ezekiel's Story Impacted Me
52:30 - This Year
59:59 - The Future of this Podcast

If you’re looking for a detailed Ezekiel Bible study, cross-referenced with supporting scripture, this podcast will provide an in-depth look at the prophets of the Bible, with clear Bible prophecy explained. We explore Ezekiel’s visions and other Old Testament Bible study topics through careful Bible exegesis to help you in understanding the Book of Ezekiel in a deeper way. I’m glad you’re here, and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode!

There are two reasons you may be here today. One, perhaps you’re just really into learning about land allotments in the Millennial Reign of Christ; how the 12 tribes of Israel are going to have their land divvied up during this thousand-year time period.

And if that’s what you’re here for, don’t worry, because that’s exactly what you’re going to get!

Then there may be some of you who just want to see how the book of Ezekiel ends. If that’s the case, I hate to disappoint you, but the action climax of this book was really, to be honest, the battle of Gog and Magog back in chapters 38 and 39. 

This book does not exactly go out with a bang. We already had a lot of bangs about 10 chapters ago. But even if it’s not the most exciting chapter-and-a-half of Ezekiel, it will be short, and we need to talk about where we’re going next with this podcast. 

So that’s what we’re going to do today on the Cross References podcast.

Video available of this episode! Follow this link: https://youtu.be/YfVZZuyI_BA

If you want to get in touch with me, send an email to [email protected]

If you’re looking for a detailed Ezekiel Bible study, cross-referenced with supporting scripture, this podcast will provide an in-depth look at the prophets of the Bible, with clear Bible prophecy explained. We explore Ezekiel’s visions and other Old Testament Bible study topics through careful Bible exegesis to help you in understanding the Book of Ezekiel in a deeper way. I’m glad you’re here, and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode!

Back when I covered Ezekiel 37, I told you that this was one of the two most misunderstood passages in study of the entire Bible. What is the other? 
Ezekiel 47, commonly known as the passage about The River. And this chapter is part of a section of Ezekiel that concerns the Millennial Reign of Christ- the thousand-year Kingdom of Jesus that’s someday coming to this earth. 
And there are some translational or interpretational difficulties that pop up in all these chapters, but what is it particularly about this chapter that causes it to be so misunderstood? Well, it seems that specifically, verses 1 through 12 of Ezekiel 47 sound so mystical and mysterious that a lot of people kind of run wild with it. Personally, I’m not so sure it’s symbolic as a lot of people make it out to be. 
So I’ll tell you what I think Ezekiel 47 means today, and it’s honestly not that dramatic. 
And then we’ll kind of step back from this passage and just kind of talk about some general good form guidelines for Bible interpretation in general. 
So what is Ezekiel’s river really all about? That’s what you’ll find out today on the Cross References podcast.

WATCH today's lesson on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/live/D6LheubUGSQ?si=jSe4HX__j3ZZAa5i

If you want to get in touch with me, send an email to [email protected] 

If you’re looking for a detailed Ezekiel Bible study, cross-referenced with supporting scripture, this podcast will provide an in-depth look at the prophets of the Bible, with clear Bible prophecy explained. We explore Ezekiel’s visions and other Old Testament Bible study topics through careful Bible exegesis to help you in understanding the Book of Ezekiel in a deeper way. I’m glad you’re here, and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode!

What is the fastest way to say: “How the Second Coming of Christ will Change the Topography of the Middle East: An Expositional Study of Zechariah 14 Depicting Christ’s Return in Slow Motion”?

Well, I couldn’t figure that out, but that’s what you’re going to learn today on the Cross References podcast.

Video available of this episode! Follow this link: https://youtube.com/live/6QvRZ5kWVbY?feature=share

If you want to get in touch with me, send an email to [email protected]

If you’re looking for a detailed Ezekiel Bible study, cross-referenced with supporting scripture, this podcast will provide an in-depth look at the prophets of the Bible, with clear Bible prophecy explained. We explore Ezekiel’s visions and other Old Testament Bible study topics through careful Bible exegesis to help you in understanding the Book of Ezekiel in a deeper way. I’m glad you’re here, and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode!

Video available of this episode! Follow this link: https://youtube.com/live/Uq1Of9zfSLI?feature=share

When Donald Trump was inaugurated as America’s 47th President recently, the first words he said in his speech were: “The golden age of America begins right now.”

A golden age is, according to dictionary.com, “an idyllic, often imaginary past time of peace, prosperity, and happiness.”

While I hope president Trump’s golden age pans out, we’ll see; but there actually is a golden age coming to the entire world someday, and it will certainly not be imaginary; I’m talking about the Thousand-Year Kingdom of Christ that will cover the entire planet.

So what will the world be like during the Millennium when Jesus rules, sin is not tolerated, and we won’t be held back by greed and war and selfishness the way we are today? That’s what you’ll find out today on the Cross References podcast.

If you want to get in touch with me, send an email to [email protected]

If you’re looking for a detailed Ezekiel Bible study, cross-referenced with supporting scripture, this podcast will provide an in-depth look at the prophets of the Bible, with clear Bible prophecy explained. We explore Ezekiel’s visions and other Old Testament Bible study topics through careful Bible exegesis to help you in understanding the Book of Ezekiel in a deeper way. I’m glad you’re here, and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode!

This week’s episode is a recent sermon I preached on Ezekiel 21. As I open the episode, I explain why I wanted to share it here…

Video available of this week's episode! Watch it here: https://youtu.be/Rtk4oaiOyU8

Some decisions are just too big to be left to chance. There are some decisions in life that are so huge, you wouldn’t dare flip a coin on them.

• What career you want to have.
• Who to marry.
• Which house to buy.
• Whether to challenge your 6-year-old to a Fortnite rematch after he destroyed you the last time.

These are weighty matters to consider. And yet, you would actually see people in the Bible casting lots to make some of these types of big decisions. Decisions of going into battle, figuring out who was guilty of a crime- and even matters of life and death.

Ancient peoples had lots of weird, kooky ways of doing things. The weird thing about it to me…is that it worked.

God often worked through people casting lots- literally playing games of chance- to reveal His will to them and to guide them to the correct choice.

If God revealed His will like that to them, would God reveal His will like that to me?

If you want to get in touch with me, send an email to [email protected]

If you’re looking for a detailed Ezekiel Bible study, cross-referenced with supporting scripture, this podcast will provide an in-depth look at the prophets of the Bible, with clear Bible prophecy explained. We explore Ezekiel’s visions and other Old Testament Bible study topics through careful Bible exegesis to help you in understanding the Book of Ezekiel in a deeper way. I’m glad you’re here, and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode!

Video available of this episode! Follow this link: https://youtube.com/live/PgafyQOcVEU?feature=share

We’ve been studying in the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus for the past few months here on the podcast, and today we’ll returning to Ezekiel once again to see what he has to say about it.

You may remember that Ezekiel was a priest, and yet he was carried off to Babylon as a captive before his priesthood would have began on his 30th birthday, so he never got to serve in the Jerusalem Temple.

However, in the last 9 chapters of his book, God gives Ezekiel something that’s pretty special: a time-traveling tour of the future Temple that will be in Jerusalem for the thousand year reign of Christ.

So we’ve been talking about that tour and covered 5 chapters of it so far. We’ll cover two more tonight. 

I’m not sure if I’ve commented on this yet, but this is actually Ezekiel’s SECOND temple tour in his book.

He was also given a visionary temple tour of the Jerusalem temple back in chapters 8 through 11, and that one didn’t go so well. He bore witness to all the terrible things taking place within God’s holy temple. That vision was kind of a bummer. The glory of God LEFT.

In this tour though, the glory of God came back. So the future looks bright in God’s Kingdom.

Except for one thing we see taking place in this future Temple that doesn’t look so pleasant. If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve heard that there will be sacrifices taking place in this Millennial Temple.

Why would there be sacrifices taking place when Jesus was the once-and-for-all sacrifice on the cross at Calvary? Doesn’t Hebrews make it pretty clear that God doesn’t need anymore sacrifices for sins?

We’re going to discuss that today on the Cross References podcast.

If you want to get in touch with me, send an email to [email protected]

0:00 - Introduction
4:25 - Ezekiel 45, Land Allotments around the Temple
17:00 - Fair Leadership
25:00 - Sacrifices in the Final Temple
37:25 - Ezekiel 46, Return of Feasts and Levitical Practices
46:30 - Regulations in the Final Temple
56:00 - Next Time & Closing Thoughts

If you’re looking for a detailed Ezekiel Bible study, cross-referenced with supporting scripture, this podcast will provide an in-depth look at the prophets of the Bible, with clear Bible prophecy explained. We explore Ezekiel’s visions and other Old Testament Bible study topics through careful Bible exegesis to help you in understanding the Book of Ezekiel in a deeper way. I’m glad you’re here, and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode!

Video available of this episode! Follow this link: https://youtube.com/live/uozruwJ8R9g?feature=share

We love to quote this at Christmastime about the baby Jesus:

Isaiah 9:6-7

6 For to us a child is born,
     to us a son is given;
 and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
     and his name shall be called
 Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
     there will be no end,
 on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
     to establish it and to uphold it
 with justice and with righteousness
     from this time forth and forevermore.
 The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

What many don’t realize is that only the first seven words of verse 6 pertained to Christmas: “for to us a child is born…” 

Then there was a 33-year gap, followed by the next six words: “to us a son is given;”

And after those words has been a gap 2,000 years and counting.

The government has not been placed upon His shoulders yet. But when it is: what will it be like? That’s what we’ll be discussing today on the Cross References podcast.

If you want to get in touch with me, send an email to [email protected]

If you’re looking for a detailed Ezekiel Bible study, cross-referenced with supporting scripture, this podcast will provide an in-depth look at the prophets of the Bible, with clear Bible prophecy explained. We explore Ezekiel’s visions and other Old Testament Bible study topics through careful Bible exegesis to help you in understanding the Book of Ezekiel in a deeper way. I’m glad you’re here, and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode!