We’re going to be in the book of Ephesians for the next couple of weeks, really centering around this famous verse at the end of the book:

Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Next week, we’ll be looking at what these rulers, authorities and spiritual forces exactly are. All you need to know is that these refer to the hierarchy of Satan’s kingdom. Rulers and authorities, powers and spiritual forces, these are demons and fallen angels. 

For this week, I want to just explore this concept of “the heavenly realms.” 

We read that and we’re like, “well I know what that is: the spiritual realm. The supernatural realm. The unseen world. Behind the veil. The upside down. The Quantum Realm. Narnia.”Whatever you want to call it. It’s that spiritual plane of existence that angels and demons inhabit. 

But wait: what if I told you that “the heavenly realms” is a phrase that’s been used throughout the book of Ephesians- and not only that, it says we’re already there.

Ephesians 2:6 says

God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus

So how can we be there if we’re here?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible. 

Turn to Ephesians 1, and let’s get weird.

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0:00 - Introduction

1:55 - Epouranios

5:45 - Ephesians 2:6

10:30 - Ephesians 1:3

12:00 - Ephesians 1:20

15:25 - Ephesians 3:10

23:00 - Next Time

25:40 - Closing Thoughts

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Who outranks who: angels or humans?

I mean, angels get to go to heaven and can turn invisible and beat up demons- and FLY- so it sounds like they’re better than people. Like angels are superior to humans.

And yet, Hebrews paints a different picture.

Chapter 1, verse 14 says

Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? 

Those who inherit salvation are us. So angels are ministering spirits who serve us. Wow. So maybe humans outrank angels. But it’s going to say in the very next chapter,

verses 6 and 7

What is man, that you are mindful of him,
    or the son of man, that you care for him?

You made him for a little while lower than the angels…

Wait, so humans are lower than the angels? And that also speaks of Jesus- when Jesus was on earth, was He lower than the angels as well?

Make it make sense!

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible. 

Turn to Hebrews 2, and let’s get weird.

Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

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0:00 - Introduction

1:55 - Lower Than the Angels

7:20 - What is Man?

15:30 - Psalm 8 and the Elohim

24:45 - Closing Thoughts

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Why did Satan tempt Adam and Eve into sin in the Garden of Eden?

You’ve probably wondered that before. You’ve probably wondered why Satan felt it was so important to bring sin into this world and to corrupt mankind. 

And you’ve probably heard answers like this: because Satan hates God, and humans are made in the image of God, so therefore Satan hates man.

And that answer’s fine, I guess, but it doesn’t really check all the boxes for me. Such as: what does Satan get out of it? What is his endgame? What does he get by attacking us?

I have an answer to those questions that will bring a greater context for this spiritual battle we’re in between God and the devil- and why this planet is the battleground. 

The Bible tells us why Satan relentlessly attacks God’s greatest creation, which is human beings. And I’m glad it tells us, because I find Satan’s actions to be weird, and I’d like to explore why he does what he does in the Bible. 

Turn to Genesis 1, and let’s get weird.

Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Introduction

1:30 - Understanding Dominion

6:20 - How Satan Stole Our Dominion

11:55 - Satan God What He Wanted

15:00 - 3 Areas Where the Devil Seeks Control

23:15 - Next Time

25:15 - How the Gospel Gets Our Authority Back

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Genesis 3:1-2 say

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.

He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent,

Well wait, let’s stop right there. Why wasn’t Eve just running the other way at this point Why was Eve talking to a snake? Did animals used to have the ability to speak before the fall of man?

Possibly. But that’s kind of a strong claim to make without more scriptural support for it. I don’t know that animals were that smart.

I did see an article this past week where the headline said scientists have determined that dolphins are the second-most-intelligent beings on this planet. Not snakes, but dolphins. It said dolphins are second only to man.

It did not say where women rank in the lineup. I felt like that should have been part of the story, but the article never went there. 

But the smartest creatures we have on earth other than man are dolphins, and even dolphins can’t talk.

But Genesis 3 hits us with a talking snake.

And Eve talks right back to it. She even lets it convince her to commit the first sinful action ever taken by humans.

Now most of you are already ahead of me: duh, Luke, it’s the devil! (Satan, that serpent of old, as Revelation 12:9 says)

And yes, it’s totally the devil. But that makes the question even more challenging for us, because now we have to explain: how was the devil a snake, who did Eve think she was talking to, and why was she listening to him? We’ll answer all those questions today, because I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible. 

Turn to Genesis 3, and let’s get weird.

My column this week in the Christian Post: https://www.christianpost.com/voices/gods-will-or-not-in-modern-times-casting-lots-for-big-decision.html

Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - The Snake’s Identity

8:20 - Why Did Eve Listen to Him?

12:25 - Could Animals Talk?

15:35 - Closing Thoughts

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

We’ve heard a million sermons, bible studies, Sunday school lessons, and more on Genesis 3. And for good reason. This is the chapter that depicts the first sin, the fall of man, the reason we needed Jesus to come and die for our sins. 

Genesis 3 is where Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit, bring sin into the world, and get kicked out of the paradise of Eden.

So for good reason, there are countless books and teachings and even podcasts that dive into this chapter. And yet, I find that the more you dig, the more you keep finding. There’s more going on in this story than you probably ever realized. For a chapter that seems to explain so much about reality, it also raises a lot of questions.

For example, let’s just talk about the opening line: 

Genesis 3:1

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.

Well we all know who the serpent is. That’s the devil, or Satan. We’ve got that down. We know that a serpent refers to a physical creature like a snake, but we also understand that this is no mere snake, but also referring to the devil himself. So we know the Bible here is using a physical creature to depict a spiritual being.

But what about the beasts of the field also mentioned there? We usually assume that that’s just talking about the other animals that filled the earth in those early days.

But if the serpent at the beginning of the verse is referring to a spiritual being, why would we not also assume that the beasts of the field that the verse mentions later are not also spiritual beings?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible. 

Let’s dig into this idea today, and as we do, it’s going to show us how sometimes the Bible sounds like it’s speaking in physical terms but is actually just using those words to communicate about what’s going on behind the spiritual veil. So today will expand your vocabulary of spiritual terminology and bring some clarity to your Bible reading.

Let’s start by turning to Genesis 3, and let’s get weird.

Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Introduction

3:30 - The Craftiest Creature God Ever Made

7:20 - Beasts of the Field

15:30 - Birds of the Air

18:35 - Snakes and Scorpions

25:40 - Closing Thought: Why I Talked About Nephilim

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Let’s begin with where we left off last week. We started with Goliath and traced his origins and ancestral line backwards, all the way back to Genesis 6. In those verses in Genesis 6, we read about how spiritual beings called the Sons of God came down to earth and mated with human women.

As I said last time, this is probably the weirdest thing I believe. And if you like hearing about Weird Stuff in the Bible, you’re in the right place. 

Genesis 6:1-4 say

When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

So last week, we talked about how the giants- or Nephilim- were created. And how this eventually led to a most famous giant: Goliath, who fought David in I Samuel 17.

But wait, you might say: wait a minute Luke. Genesis 6:1-4 happened BEFORE the flood of Noah. So how did the Nephilim continue to populate the world in Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua and I and II Samuel, which all take place after the flood.

That’s what I will talk about today, and along the way, we’ll also meet all the other giants of the Old Testament. It wasn’t just Goliath. He wasn’t just a one-and-done. There are multiple others; in fact, entire tribes of giants.

I find that to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible. 

Turn to Numbers 13, and let’s get weird.

(NOTE: where I said “Genesis 6” at 18:35, I meant Ephesians 6)

Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - How Did the Nephilim Return After the Flood?

7:30 - Anak

12:00 - Og

19:00 - Mailbag

23:00 - Goliath’s Brothers (or Cousins)

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

I am on a bit of a David-and-Goliath kick right now, for three reasons. 

• One, because I just got back from vacation where I saw an incredible production of David’s life at Sight and Sound theater. 
• Two, there’s an amazing new show on Amazon called House of David that I just finished watching. 
• And three, because the story of David and Goliath is a picture of the spiritual battle we all find ourselves in every day.

Now, even if you aren’t a Christian, you know the story of David and Goliath. The small Israelite boy who used a sling to destroy the giant champion of the Philistines. 

But when we say Goliath was a giant, what do we mean? Well, I Samuel 17 says he was six cubits and a span. I have enough trouble converting English to Metric, and my yardsticks growing up did NOT have an edge that measured cubits and spans.

Scholars will tell us that six cubits and a span amounts to anywhere from 9-foot-9 to 10-foot-6.

And yet those same scholars will tell us in the next breath that this must be some kind of mistake, because obviously, nobody can be 10 feet tall. Even Christian scholars will teach that this must be some kind of typo in the Bible.

Well, call me old-fashioned, or call me a fundamentalist, but I believe that the whole Bible is God’s Word, and that God doesn’t make mistakes.

So I take this to be literal truth. But I also take it to be weird. 

And I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible. 

Turn to I Samuel 17, and let’s get weird.

Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - The Origin of Goliath

8:10 - The Origin of the Anakim

11:40 - The Origin of the Nephilim

14:25 - Life Update & Mailbag

22:20 - Closing Thoughts

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

We often talk about HOW to do spiritual warfare. 

But we don’t often talk about WHY we do it. WHY do we have to have these struggles with spiritual beings?

WHY does God have us fighting on this spiritual battlefield against enemies we can’t even see?

WHY does God allow us to be afflicted and tormented by demons or unclean spirits that we are so defenseless against in the physical?

Well this week, I’m on vacation with my family, but I wanted to share this message I recently preached at the church where I’ve been serving as Interim Pastor the past few months. 

The message was called Binding, Loosing and Why We Fight. I’ve spoken about prayers of binding and loosing on this podcast before so I didn’t bother including that portion of the message, I’m just sharing today that last section of it: Why We Fight.

And in true preacher fashion, I said it would take 5 or 10 minutes, it took more like 15 or 20.

But I do believe it will be helpful and instructive to all of you listening as well. Thanks for tuning in today. If you need to get in touch with me, I’ll check my email when I get back from vacation: WeirdStuffInTheBible.com. 

We’ll be back with another traditional episode next week. But for today, here’s some thoughts on WHY we engage in spiritual warfare.

Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Ephesians is famous for a line in chapter 6 about who we wrestle with in spiritual warfare. We’ve even quoted it several times on this podcast.

Verse 12 says

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

And man, there’s a lot to unpack in that single verse alone. It talks about the various hierarchies of fallen angels and demons and all those spiritual entities who fight against us for dominion of planet earth.

But wait- this kinda just comes out of nowhere. I mean, Ephesians starts by talking about the purpose of the church. Then it gives some good moral guidelines and application. Then it starts talking about wives submitting to their husbands and husbands submitting to Christ and children obeying their parents and employees obeying their bosses- and then out of the blue, it starts talking about spiritual beings and the armor of God-

And where did that come from? What ties all this together?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible. 

Turn to the book of Ephesians, and let’s get weird.

Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - Ephesians Explained

4:00 - Chapter 1

6:10 - Chapter 2

8:10 - Chapter 3

10:40 - Chapter 4

16:00 - Chapters 5-6

22:15 - Chapter 6 & the Armor of God

24:25 - Next Time & Mailbag

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Does God ever overreact?

I think a lot of us would say no, that God always responds to each action in an appropriate and measured way.

But what about poor Uzzah here? Uzzah is a guy who is transporting the Ark of the Covenant, it’s being carried by an ox on a cart, and the Ark almost slides off the trailer. Uzzah puts out a hand to stop it from falling, and he gets fried for touching the Ark.

II Samuel 6 even calls it an “irreverent” act in the NIV translation. 

It says in verses 6-7 (NIV)

6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.

As we’ll read in a moment, David considers this a major overreaction on God’s part.

I know the Ark is important, but why did Uzzah have to die just for trying to stop the Ark from sliding off into the dirt? Did God overreact here?

As we dive into this today, we’ll discover the answer to another question: is it possible to try to honor God but actually insult Him?

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible. 

Turn to I Chronicles 13, and let’s get weird.

Check out the new website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - But it’s a NEW cart

6:30 - An Overreaction?

8:50 - The Weight of Glory

12:00 - Next Time & Mailbag

13:40 - Closing Thought

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Topics discussed in this episode include: Uzzah, Ark of the Covenant, 1 Chronicles 13, Why did God kill Uzzah, God's holiness, Bible judgment stories, touching the ark, fear of the Lord, David and the Ark, Old Testament justice, Weird Bible stories, Weird Stuff in the Bible, Luke Taylor podcast, strange Bible events, sacred things in Scripture