Old Testament Overview | Exile (Dick) | July 14th, 2024

·32 min·3 clips

Jordan Peterson says the Bible is the story the West no longer knows, and the church doesn't either.

The episode is part of a June-July series on the Old Testament's big storyline, emphasizing its importance for understanding God and human purpose. The host opens by citing Jordan Peterson's observation that the Bible is the foundational story of the West, which both the West and the church have forgotten. He argues that without grasping the overarching narrative, Bible knowledge becomes 'spiritual spam' rather than 'spiritual meat.' The sermon then recaps the series so far: creation, the fall, God's covenant with Abraham, the formation of Israel, the Exodus, the Sinai covenant, the rise of kings, and David's covenant. Today's focus is the exile, introduced as a tension between God's faithfulness and Israel's unfaithfulness. The host reads 2 Chronicles 36:15-21, detailing how God used King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to destroy Jerusalem and exile the people after centuries of covenant violation. This event represents the darkest day in the Old Testament, where God's protective relationship with Israel unravels: the land is lost, the temple destroyed, the Davidic king dethroned, and God's presence withdraws. The host explains that Israel didn't grasp the severity of their sins, comparing it to Alexander Pope's poem about vice becoming normalized through familiarity. This led to a theological crisis, with people questioning God's power or existence. The prophets, including preaching prophets like Jeremiah and historian prophets who wrote books like Kings, served as 'covenant lawyers' to explain the exile as a consequence of covenant-breaking. They were unpopular and persecuted for their messages. However, the prophets also offered hope, pointing to a future restoration. They provided threefold guidance for the faithful remnant in exile: it's okay to grieve, live wisely and faithfully by blessing others (as in Jeremiah 29), and hold onto hope for a new exodus and a renewed covenant. The host notes that this hope expanded beyond Israel's restoration to a vision of global renewal and everlasting life. The sermon closes with application questions for listeners, asking how the story speaks to them regarding sin normalization, patriotism, and living as exiles in a pagan world.

As heard by us

A measured treatment of exile as covenant crisis, moral numbness, and faithful hope among the nations.

Regen frames Old Testament exile as the point where the story of God's people gives way to a crisis of faith: the Davidic king is removed from the throne, Babylon becomes the place of displacement, and the covenant warnings of Deuteronomy arrive in full.

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Why you'd press play

When you need the Old Testament's exile story to reach from Babylon into the numb places of ordinary life today, press play.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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