Wise Counsel

🎙️ Wise Counsel Podcast – Episode 214

Title: “Leaving Enough: The Gleaning Ethic for Today”Scripture Focus: Leviticus 19:9–10 (ESV)

Podcast DescriptionIn this episode of Wise Counsel, Robert Smith explores Leviticus 19:9–10, where God commands farmers to leave the edges of their fields for the poor and the foreigner. What might seem like a quaint agricultural rule turns out to be a radical call to generosity and justice. Drawing on insights from Michael S. Heiser and Tremper Longman III, this episode shows how God structures social care into daily work and harvest. We’ll reflect on how this ancient “welfare system” can inspire modern practices, from food donation to ethical business giving.

🎙️ Wise Counsel Podcast – Episode 213

Title: “The Freedom of Letting Go: Lessons from the Year of Release”Scripture Focus: Deuteronomy 15:1–3 (ESV)

Podcast DescriptionIn this episode of Wise Counsel, Robert Smith explores Deuteronomy 15:1–3, where God institutes the Year of Release—a built-in system of economic mercy every seven years. What seems radical, even disruptive, reveals a profound truth about generosity, justice, and compassion. Drawing on insights from Michael S. Heiser and Tremper Longman III, this episode connects the ancient law to modern life, from financial forgiveness to emotional release, showing how God calls us to let go of burdens that can weigh down our communities and our hearts.

🎙️ Wise Counsel Podcast – Episode 212

Title: “Set Apart: The Nazirite Calling for Everyday Life”Scripture Focus: Numbers 6:1–21 (ESV)

Podcast DescriptionIn this episode of Wise Counsel, Robert Smith explores Numbers 6 and the Nazirite vow—a voluntary calling to holiness that wasn’t reserved for prophets or priests. What does it mean to set something apart for God, whether it’s a season of fasting, abstaining from certain pleasures, or intentionally consecrating your habits? Drawing on insights from Michael S. Heiser and Tremper Longman III, this episode connects the ancient practice of the Nazirite vow to modern spiritual disciplines, from “Dry January” to intentional fasting, showing how ordinary believers can cultivate holiness in everyday life.

Most Christians think “taking the Lord’s name in vain” means saying “Oh my God” casually. But in Exodus 20:7, this commandment goes far deeper—it’s about misrepresenting God’s character while claiming His authority. In this episode of Wise Counsel, Robert Smith explores the original Hebrew meaning of this command through insights from Michael S. Heiser and Tremper Longman III, uncovering how this ancient truth still challenges modern speech, behavior, and integrity. We’ll learn that honoring God’s name means living in a way that reflects His reputation in truth, humility, and justice.

In this episode of Wise Counsel, Robert Smith explores Leviticus 12, which addresses ritual uncleanness after childbirth. While it may sound strange—or even unfair—to modern readers, this passage reveals a profound truth: new life touches the boundary between heaven and earth. Drawing on the insights of Michael S. Heiser, Carol Meyers, and Tremper Longman III, Robert shows how these laws weren’t about shame, but about reverence and the recognition of God’s presence in the midst of human life. We’ll also see how this ancient understanding resonates in modern moments of birth, baptism, and new beginnings.

In this episode of Wise Counsel, Robert Smith explores Deuteronomy 25:5–10, the commandment about Levirate marriage—when a man was asked to marry his deceased brother’s widow. While it may sound unusual to modern ears, this law demonstrates God’s covenant compassion, protecting widows and preserving family legacy. Drawing on the scholarship of Carol Meyers and Michael S. Heiser, we’ll see how God built redemption into Israel’s social fabric, and how that same pattern continues in modern acts of love—through adoption, fostering, and community care.

In this episode of Wise Counsel, Robert Smith explores Deuteronomy 17:16–17, where God instructs Israel’s kings not to multiply horses, wives, or gold. At first glance, it seems like a strange, even arbitrary, rule—but scholars like Tremper Longman III and Michael S. Heiser show that these limits reveal profound truths about leadership, humility, and dependence on God. Today, we’ll uncover how these ancient warnings speak to modern ambition, status, and success, helping us ask: Can we achieve without surrendering, or build without being consumed?

In this episode of Wise Counsel, Robert Smith explores what Scripture truly teaches about tithing and generosity, reading from 2 Corinthians 9:6–11 (ESV). Many Christians have been taught to give out of obligation or fear, but the Bible presents a radically different vision: cheerful, Spirit-led generosity that reflects the heart of God. Drawing on insights from biblical scholars like N.T. Wright (Paul and the Faithfulness of God) and Gordon Fee (Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians), this episode uncovers how giving under the New Covenant is no longer about a percentage — it’s about participation in God’s grace. We’ll also consider how cultural assumptions can distort generosity and what it means to give as Christ gave Himself for us.

In this episode of Wise Counsel, host Robert Smith explores the often-quoted command in Leviticus 19:28 about tattoos. Is this a timeless ban on body art—or was something else happening in the ancient world? Drawing on insights from Dr. Michael S. Heiser and Dr. Carol Meyers, Robert explains how this command addressed pagan mourning rituals and covenant loyalty—not modern self-expression. Along the way, he connects this passage to the Bible’s larger story of worship, identity, and belonging.

In this episode of Wise Counsel, host Robert Smith explores Leviticus 19:19, where God commands Israel not to wear garments made of mixed fabrics. To modern ears, it sounds trivial or arbitrary—but scholars like Dr. Michael S. Heiser and Carol Meyers show that this law was about sacred order, holiness, and boundaries. Robert unpacks how even the threads of daily life pointed ancient Israel toward a deeper truth: God’s people were to remain distinct, woven together in purity, not blended with the patterns of the nations. From linen and wool to faith and culture, we’ll discover how holiness still speaks through the ordinary.