Our Hope Podcast

For thousands of years, there have been many perspectives on the end times across different cultures and expressions of faith. Can we know for certain what is going to happen in the end, and what signs precede it? Are there events we can expect to take place before the Lord returns, and does He want us to be watching for them?

As followers of Jesus, what should our response be when we encounter the various symbols, signs, and sayings associated with the end times? How can this knowledge strengthen our faith and help us discuss it with others? Join us as we explore these questions and many others with Mitch Glaser, PhD, president of Chosen People Ministries, in this episode of Our Hope.

What is the relationship between the sovereignty of God and human choice or free will? The Bible tells us God always accomplishes His plans according to His will. But it also tells us humans have a role to play in accordance with our choices. How can these two seemingly paradoxical ideas work simultaneously?

In this episode of Our Hope podcast, Dr. Gregory Hagg, who teaches at the Charles L. Feinberg Center for Messianic Jewish Studies in New York City, walks us through each of these complex concepts and shows us how they intersect. We also explore questions like:

• How can evil occur despite God’s sovereignty?
• If God is sovereign, do my choices matter, and how?
• How does God’s sovereignty offer hope in our daily lives as believers?

Contemporary culture provides a variety of views of heaven—from pearly gates to sitting on clouds, strumming harps, and wearing wings. Different world religions offer an array of descriptions often characterizing heaven as a place of perfect peace and happiness, absent of pain and suffering, and the place where God dwells. But what does Scripture say?

In this episode, we will learn what the Bible says and what Jewish people understand about heaven. We will also discuss how an understanding of heaven can help our faith as followers of Yeshua. Our guest is Darrell Bock, senior research professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. Together, we ponder questions like:

• What did Yeshua teach about heaven?
• How is heaven viewed within Jewish culture?
• Why is it important, as believers, to be conscious of heaven?

The Bible speaks of a place of judgment known as hell. This concept is difficult for those who believe the Scriptures and those who do not. Some reject the idea of a loving God sending anyone to such a place. Others fear they or those they love could end up there. Still, anyone who follows Jesus must grapple with God’s judgment and hell, which Jesus Himself spoke about (Matthew 5:22; Luke 12:5; etc.) The concept of punishment after death, however, is hardly unique to the New Testament. It is rooted in the Old Testament, especially in prophecy about God’s coming wrath.

Robert Walter, who serves on our staff in Brooklyn, New York, is here to discuss this topic. He helps us understand not only what hell is but how Jesus’ sacrifice gives all people the opportunity to avoid hell and enjoy eternal life. This episode addresses:

• The nature of hell, Hades, and Sheol
• What the Hebrew Scriptures say about hell
• Jewish understandings of hell in Jesus’ time
• Whether hell is eternal
• Degrees of punishment in hell
• Reconciling God’s goodness and love with the existence of hell

The apostle Paul said it best: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

As followers of Jesus, we recognize we are born into a war between good and evil. There is a good God who is our Father and an enemy who hates everything God has created and loves.

What is spiritual warfare, and why does it exist? On this episode of Our Hope, we dive into this topic with Dr. Daniel Nessim. He is the Chosen People Ministries Branch Leader of Seattle, Washington, and holds a Ph.D. in Theology and Religion from the University of Exeter in England.

From grieving the death of a loved one to pondering our own mortality, death is a defining feature of human experience after sin entered creation. Death is ever-present in the world, but how should we think about it? Many people today view death as a normal, even good, part of the cycle of life. The thought of passing into oblivion may even appeal to some. In this episode, we discuss a biblical view of death. This view includes not only the body’s ceasing to function but also spiritual death—our estrangement from God.

Our guest is Joey Benami, a Messianic rabbi in Texas. His areas of academic research include the book of Leviticus, biblical agricultural metaphors, and the study of linguistic and thematic allusions between the Hebrew and Apostolic Scriptures. Together, we ponder questions like:

• What is death?
• What does it mean for death to be an “enemy” (1 Corinthians 15:26)?
• How does Judaism traditionally view death?
• How does God abolish death through Jesus?

We naturally ponder what it means to be human. The biblical answer begins with this beautiful truth: all human beings are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26–27). This statement is incredibly rich and foundational to God’s work of redemption. Our guest is Rabbi Neal Surasky, who leads a Messianic congregation in Virginia and is pursuing a PhD in Bible Exposition.

In this episode, we discuss the topic of the image of God in depth, addressing questions like:

• In what ways do people bear God’s image?
• What role has the image of God played in Jewish and Christian ethics?
• How does sin affect the image of God?

The Holy Spirit is prominent throughout the Bible. In the Hebrew Scriptures, He filled certain individuals for a specific time or task. He indwells followers of Yeshua, making us ever more like Him. The New Testament ascribes several roles to the Spirit, including revealing truth, interceding, and empowering. How do we honor Him in our journeys as followers of the Messiah?

In this episode of Our Hope podcast, we speak with Rabbi Stuart Dauermann, who has led a Messianic congregation in southern California for decades. He takes us through the Scriptures, showing us how the Holy Spirit is essential to how God works in the world—and in our lives. Our discussion is sure to help you understand the richness of what the Scripture says about the Holy Spirit and His essential role in our day-to-day spiritual growth.

“Who is Yeshua?” is one of the most important and profound questions a person can ask. The Scriptures, in both Old and New Testaments, affirm He is both God and human. This truth may seem difficult to accept or even grasp, but it is essential to His role as Messiah. Only God incarnate could pay the penalty for humanity’s sin and reconcile us to the Lord.

In this episode, we address crucial questions including:

• Did Yeshua Himself claim to be God?
• How is Yeshua’s Jewishness theologically significant?
• Do the Hebrew Scriptures ever suggest the Messiah would be divine?
• How can one person be both human and God?

God’s triune nature is one of the most puzzling and misunderstood of biblical teachings. Many, especially within the traditional Jewish community, claim this understanding of God is idolatrous and contradicts the Hebrew Scriptures. Others condemn affirming God’s triune nature as just plain absurd.

In this week's episode of Our Hope podcast , discover why the Trinity is foundational to who God is and how He is at work in the world. Our special guest is Dr. Richard Averbeck. He is a professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.