After wiping out Jericho without raising a weapon, Joshua's army can be forgiven for thinking that the rest of the settlement of Canaan will be a shoe in. So when the army crashes and burns at only its second battle, the communal mojo collapses. Is Israel's conquest campaign over almost as soon as it has begun?

Chapters covered: Joshua 10-11

Written and produced by Chas Bayfield
Music my Michael Auld and Jon Hawkins Music
Cover Art by Lisa Goff

Season 6 is here.
And Israel v Canaan is finally on.

Having had 40 years to prepare for the battles ahead, The Israelites are ready to take on whatever their enemy throws at them.

Will it be a bloody struggle, or will their advance be like a hot knife through butter?

First though, they must cross the River Jordan in flood, with no bridges and no boats.
It seems impossible, but this is Bible country and normal rules are temporarily suspended.

Enjoy the ride.

Chapters covered: Joshua 1-6

Written and produced by Chas Bayfield
Music by Michael Auld and Jon Hawkins Music
Cover Art by Lisa Goff

Season 5 finale! 
The Jews call it the Torah, the Greeks call it the Pentateuch. For everyone else, it's the first five books of he Bible that lay down the fundamental laws that many Christians and Jews follow. Here, Moses sings, writes and warns before climbing his last mountain. Now it's Joshua's turn to steer his unruly and often rebellious nation into their new home.

Chapters covered: Deuteronomy 30-34

Written and produced by Chas Bayfield
Music by Michael Auld and Jon Hawkins Music
Cover art by Lisa Goff

When most people think of the Bible, the first thing that comes to mind generally isn't fathers greedily chewing on the corpses of their children. This ghoulish image is one suggested by Moses as a potential reality in post-belief Israel. If God's people turn away from him, horror will rain down on them, he says. As you'll see, Moses doesn't hold back, hence the explicit content warning.

This is episode 50 btw, so thanks to all of you for making these podcasts worthwhile. You can send any comments or suggestions to [email protected].

Chapters covered: Deuteronomy 28-30

Written and produced by Chas Bayfield

As this is episode 50, her4e is a credits list to acknowledge everyone who has helped inform the podcast:

R T Kendall, former pastor at Westminster Chapel

Dr Jamie Davies, tutor in New Testament, Trinity College, Bristol

Rev Stephen MacLean, pastor at Cricklewood Baptist Church

Mike Yaconelli (1942-2003), former pastor of Grace Community Church, Yreka CA

Steve Chalke, minister of Oasis Church, Waterloo

Nicky Gumbel, founder of the Alpha Course

Canon J John, founder of the Philo Trust

John Grant, former moderator at the London Baptist Association

Tony and Brenda Lenthall, missionaries and friends.

John Peters, Vicar of St Mary’s Bryanston Square

Tony Campolo, pastor and writer.

Shane Claiborne, Christian Activist

Sandy Millar, former vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton

Peter Owen Jones, vicar, writer and broadcaster

Stuart Burgess, former Methodist chaplain to Birmingham University

Rico Tice, Associate minister at All Souls Langham Place

Damon and Sharron, missionaries

John Griffiths, advertising strategist and Bible fanatic

Jon Leach, strategist and atheist

Keith Van der Shaw, minister of Bay Church, Blackman Bay, Tasmania.

Dan Hedley, minister of Snug Church, Tasmania

The men in Andy Bosveld’s shed. 

And all my non-Christian friends and colleagues whose doubts have helped me shape the content and style of this book.

Fairness, kindness, social justice and human rights are not values often associated with the Old Testament, a book that is famed for its violence, intolerance and misogyny. Yet read between the lines and you'll see that there is an overarching sense of protecting the weak and making sure that everyone has a fair crack at life.  Join us as Moses briefs 2 million Israelites on the cusp of entering their new homeland.

Chapters covered: Deuteronomy 24-28

Written and produced by Chas Bayfield
Music by Michael Auld and Jon Hawkins Music
Cover Art by Lisa Goff

Adultery, rape, murder and toileting all get an airing in this mishmash of laws handed out by Moses. But what seems a random rule generator does have some kind of logic, there is a bigger picture behind the mass of tiny details. And lots of stoning for anyone who chooses to make up their own rules...

Chapters covered: Deuteronomy 20-23

Written and produced by Chas Bayfield
Music composed by Michael Auld and Jon Hawkins Music
Cover art by Lisa Goff

Conversions:
2½lb = 1.2kg

1¼lb = 575g

A lot rests on Israel's people getting it right when they get to Canaan and for Moses, there's no such thing a  being too prepared, After all, he spent over 80 days up Mount Sinai with God having been handpicked to lead his people out of Egypt and into their new home. 

If all goes well and the people continue to trust in God, life will be a breeze in the bucolic paradise. If they lose their focus however, things will be less rosy. All they need to do is "purge the evil," and fortunately, Moses knows how to do this.

Chapters covered: Deuteronomy 14-19

Written and produced by Chas Bayfield
Music by Michael Auld and Jon Hawkins Music
Cover art by Lisa Goff

The Book of Deuteronomy doesn’t promise any high octane action sequences. 

As its Greek name suggests, this is the second law giving - the first was 40 years earlier to a generation now deceased. 

These people’s children have now taken on the mantle of responsibility that will see them attempt to enter the promised land of Canaan.

Forewarned is forearmed, and Moses’ briefing is far from over.

Chapters covered: Deuteronomy 10-13

Written and produced by Chas Bayfield 
Music by Michael Auld and Jon Hawkins Music
Cover art by Lisa Goff

"A vast, dreadful, thirsty, waterless wilderness filled with poisonous snakes and scorpions." This is what the Israelites can expect if they turn from God and go their own way once they have settled in their new land. And they have form, as Moses is only too willing to remind them. The current generation who he is addressing in advance of the invasion of Canaan  may be no saints but their parents behaved appallingly - it is their fault that the journey from Egypt has taken 40 years rather than 2 months. It's a history lesson, but quite a lurid one. 

Chapters covered: Deuteronomy 7-9

Written and produced by Chas Bayfield
Music by Michael Auld
Cover art by Lisa Goff

Huddled by the river and, as Lady Gaga might say, standing on the edge of glory, the Israelites still have a long way to go before they are fully prepped to enter the Promised Land. It is here they are taught exactly why their God differs from other gods and why it makes sense to follow him. Part recap, part motivational speech Moses words prepares a new generation to become the founding mothers and fathers of a new Jewish homeland. 

Chapters covered: Deuteronomy 3-6

Written and produced by Chas Bayfield
Music by Michael Auld and Jon Hawkins Music
Cover art by Lisa Goff