In With the Old Testament

Was God punishing David for a sin God himself caused? 2 Samuel 24 is one of the strangest and most troubling stories in the Old Testament, and this episode pulls it apart piece by piece to show why it is actually a story about pride, mercy, and atonement. Tim Howe takes you into David’s military census, the devastating plague that follows, and the shocking reason this judgment lands so hard. You’ll see why David’s choice matters, why Joab’s warning is more important than it first appears, and how the law of Deuteronomy 17 and Exodus 30 reveals the real offense behind the census. You’ll discover: why the text says God was angry with Israel before David ever counted the troops how to understand the language of God “stirring up” David without making God the author of sin why the parallel account in 1 Chronicles raises the question of Satan, and how that fits the bigger biblical picture how David’s census echoes Pharaoh and violates the logic of covenant kingship why the threshing floor of Araunah matters so much, and how David’s refusal to offer God something that “costs nothing” marks a turning point in his repentance This episode also shows why the plague is not random punishment, but a severe mercy that exposes hidden pride before it can do even greater damage. Rather than treating the story like a theological trap, Tim shows how it points to a King who never placed himself above the law, never exploited his people, and always carried their burden. If you have ever struggled with the hard sayings of the Old Testament, this is essential listening. It will give you a clearer view of David, a deeper appreciation for God’s justice, and a far greater awe for the One who truly lays down his life for his sheep. Perfect for anyone who wants to understand the Old Testament more deeply, wrestle honestly with difficult passages, and see how this bizarre story points forward to Christ. Timestamps 00:00 - Why David’s census is such a bizarre story 00:56 - Setting the context at the height of David’s reign 01:23 - Reading 2 Samuel 24 06:02 - David’s mighty men and the end of the major threats 06:51 - Why the text says God was angry with Israel 08:26 - Did God cause David to sin? 08:56 - Why 1 Chronicles says Satan incited David 10:46 - What the Hebrew word “adversary” may mean 12:13 - Could a foreign enemy have triggered David’s pride? 13:40 - Why Israel’s king should live under a different standard 15:57 - Deuteronomy 17 and the law for a true king 17:55 - Why the census was such an egregious sin 18:53 - Counting as an act that mimics God’s sovereignty 19:49 - David’s sin compared to Pharaoh’s 20:47 - The ignored ransom procedure in Exodus 30 22:38 - Why David’s action put the whole nation at risk 23:37 - Why God gave David three choices 24:33 - The curses echo Deuteronomy 28 25:30 - Why David chose the option that spared him personally 26:27 - The plague spreads from Dan to Beersheba 27:25 - David finally identifies with the suffering sheep 28:23 - Why David insists on paying full price for the threshing floor 29:52 - What David’s repentance now looks like 30:21 - Why exposing sin was itself an act of mercy 31:47 - How God guided David into full repentance 32:18 - God’s atonement limits the damage 33:14 - Lessons on humility, stewardship, and leadership 34:15 - Sin’s consequences spill onto other people 35:07 - The threshing floor and the future temple site 35:36 - David’s failure contrasted with the Good Shepherd 36:33 - The sacrifice points forward to Christ 36:59 - Gratitude for God’s mercy toward David 37:41 - Closing thoughts and next episode teaser

This episode examines one of the Old Testament’s most puzzling scenes from 2 Kings 2:23-25 and asks what really happened at Bethel. Tim Howe walks through the historical context, the Hebrew language, and the covenant background to show why this story is more than a simple tale of an angry prophet and a bear attack. The result is a sharper picture of Elisha’s role, Israel’s idolatry, and how God’s judgment and mercy work together. In this episode, Tim Howe explains why the phrase translated “small boys” likely refers to older youths or young men, not little children. He also connects the insult to Bethel’s idolatrous history, Elisha’s prophetic authority, and the covenant warnings in Leviticus 26. Key topics Tim frames 2 Kings 2:23-25 as part of a larger sequence proving that the spirit of Elijah now rests on Elisha. Bethel is identified as a center of pagan worship established under Jeroboam, which gives the confrontation a strong idolatry context. The phrase translated “small boys” is argued to be flexible Hebrew wording that can describe teens, young adults, or military-age men. Tim cites examples from to show the phrase does not necessarily mean little children. The group’s mockery is interpreted as intentional and organized, not a random insult from passing children. “Go up, baldy” is explored as a possible taunt about Elisha’s succession to Elijah, his legitimacy, and even a challenge to worship at Bethel’s false altar. The curse is presented as a covenant act, not a personal outburst, with Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 in the background. Tim emphasizes that prophetic curses in Scripture function as warnings meant to call people back to repentance. The bear attack is treated as a small covenant judgment that previews the greater discipline Israel would eventually face for persistent idolatry. The episode closes by applying the passage to Christians today, focusing on blessing rather than cursing, Christ bearing the curse for sin, and the call to reconciliation. (00:00) Why Elisha, boys, and bears is such a bizarre Bible story (00:30) Reading 2 Kings 2:23-25 and setting up the interpretive questions (01:25) Elijah’s departure and Elisha’s succession as the key backdrop (02:51) Why this passage belongs to a larger three-part confirmation of Elisha’s authority (04:16) Bethel as a center of idolatry and false worship in Israel (05:33) Why “small boys” may be a misleading translation (06:56) David, Absalom, and other examples showing the Hebrew can mean older youths (08:24) The importance of 1 Kings 20 for understanding the same Hebrew phrase (09:48) Solomon calling himself a “little child” despite being king (10:44) Why the group likely acted intentionally and not like random children (11:13) Why Elisha is probably not an elderly man in the scene (12:39) What “go up” might mean in the boys’ taunt (14:29) A stronger reading of the insult as a challenge to worship at Bethel (16:25) Why “baldy” may be a jab at Elisha’s legitimacy as Elijah’s successor (18:50) Why the curse is about covenant judgment, not personal irritation (20:16) How Leviticus 26 frames wild animals as covenant discipline (22:38) Whether the bears mauled, wounded, or killed (23:35) Why an undeserved curse does not stand apart from God’s judgment (24:42) How the story warns against mocking God’s representative and message (25:39) Why the New Testament does not authorize Christians to curse people (26:36) Jesus taking the curse of sin upon himself (27:34) The ministry of reconciliation and the hope of life instead of judgment (28:32) Final takeaway: this is about idolatry, covenant warning, and God’s protection of his servants

In this conversation with host Tim Howe, Dr. Gary Schnittjer unpacks his book Connected: How Scripture Guides the Study of Scripture and explains why many modern Bible study methods start in the wrong place. Instead of building artificial bridges to get to the text, he argues that the Bible itself gives us the pattern for reading it well, because the biblical writers were constantly reading, interpreting, and building on what came before. Discover how Jesus reads Scripture in Mark 12, Luke 4, and Matthew 28, and why those passages are not random proof texts but carefully woven connections that reveal the shape of the whole story. From the burning bush to Isaiah’s Jubilee language to the Great Commission’s echo of Emmanuel, Schnittjer shows how the Old Testament is alive in the New and how Jesus models a deeply connected way of reading.We also explore the Old Testament’s own use of earlier revelation, why progressive revelation is not a modern invention but an organic feature of the Bible itself. It’s a valuable listen for Bible readers, teachers, students, and anyone eager to rediscover the unity, beauty, and authority of God’s Word. Gary Schnittjer is Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Cairn Theological Seminary and the author of The Torah Story, The Old Testament Use of the Old Testament, and Connected: How Scripture Guides the Study of Scripture. You can find the book here. 00:00 — Welcome and introduction to Gary Schnittjer and Connected 01:11 — Why study the Bible through the Bible’s own teaching? 05:41 — Scripture as an interconnected story, not isolated books 07:48 — Mark 12: Jesus, the Sadducees, and the resurrection 12:31 — Luke 4: Jesus’ reading of Isaiah and the meaning of Jubilee 18:33 — Jesus’ formation in Scripture and the Old Testament as his Bible 21:46 — Matthew 28: The Great Commission and Matthew’s literary bookends 28:24 — How the Old Testament interprets earlier Old Testament revelation 35:59 — Can readers today interpret Scripture as the biblical authors did? 38:09 — How to see Christ in the Old Testament without forcing him into every verse 43:20 — Reading and rereading Scripture: Jonah, Nineveh, and God’s grace 47:54 — Practical encouragement for new Bible readers 50:02 — Gary’s upcoming book, The Verses We Hate 52:14 — Closing thanks and farewell

In this episode of In with the Old, host Tim Howe talks with Dr. Patrick Schreiner, professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, about his book The Four Senses of Scripture: Learning from Ancient Ways of Reading the Bible. They explore why Scripture should be read differently from other books, how divine authorship shapes interpretation, and why the church has historically recognized multiple senses of meaning in the Bible. The conversation focuses on the relationship between the literal sense and spiritual interpretation, with attention to Old Testament examples, New Testament usage, and the risks of subjective readings. It is especially useful for readers who want a more canonical, Christ-centered way of reading Scripture without abandoning historical context. You can purchase the book at https://www.amazon.com/Four-Senses-Scripture-Learning-Ancient/dp/1540968790. Key topics Why the Bible is unlike any other book because it has both human authors and a divine author Inspiration, inerrancy, and why dual authorship matters for interpretation How the grammatical-historical method compares with the older fourfold sense of Scripture The quadriga (four senses): literal (grammatical-historical), allegorical (Christological), tropological (moral), and anagogical (eschatological) Examples including John’s signs, Jesus turning water into wine, the feeding of the five thousand, and circumcision of the heart How Scripture often teaches readers how to read Scripture How modern readers can recognize spiritual meaning without claiming inspiration themselves Canon, rereading, and whether the Old Testament should be approached differently after Christ has been revealed The dangers of spiritual readings that dismiss the literal or ethical force of the text Guardrails for spiritual interpretation: do not contradict the literal sense, look for correspondence, read for canonical volume, and trace escalation Timestamps 0:00 — Welcome and Introduction 0:33 — Introducing The Four Senses of Scripture 1:08 — Divine and Human Authorship of Scripture 5:13 — What Is the Fourfold Sense? 13:00 — Can We Read Scripture Spiritually Today? 16:21 — The Old Testament’s Use of the Old Testament 19:34 — Moving from Literal Meaning to Spiritual Meaning 25:17 — Christ, Canon, and the Meaning of Words 29:32 — First Readings, Rereadings, and Progressive Revelation 35:50 — Why Spiritual Reading Must Not Dismiss the Literal Sense 43:13 — When Symbols Help—and When a Tree Is Just a Tree 46:30 — Holding Canonical Reading and Historical Development Together 51:23 — John’s Gospel and the Depth of Biblical Symbolism 53:46 — Four Guardrails for Reading the Spiritual Sense 56:04 — Confidence, Certainty, and Canonical Interpretation 61:05 — Final Reflections 63:16 — Closing and Farewell

In this episode, Tim Howe opens season seven of In with the Old by unpacking the bizarre story of the Hebrew midwives in Exodus 1. The question at the center is whether their deception of Pharaoh can be understood as faithfulness to God. Tim traces the story through Genesis and Exodus to show how Pharaoh’s actions fit the larger biblical pattern of opposition to God’s preserving of the promised line. Key topics Season seven’s theme: “Bizarre Stories from the Old Testament” Israel’s multiplication and Pharaoh’s escalating oppression The Genesis-to-Exodus background of God’s promise to Abraham Pharaoh’s attempt to outwit God’s purposes The identity and significance of Shiphrah and Puah Why Pharaoh targeted Hebrew sons The meaning of the midwives’ fear of God Whether their response to Pharaoh was a lie or strategic deception Wartime ethics and the example of Rahab God’s blessing and honoring of the midwives Loyalty to God over loyalty to earthly rulers Parallels between Pharaoh and Herod The role of women in frustrating Pharaoh’s plans How God turns opposition into an instrument of salvation Chapter timestamps The chapter markers now match the edited 23:22 runtime: 0:00 — Does God Condone Lying? 1:10 — Exodus 1: The Midwives’ Courage 3:25 — The Genesis Promise 6:32 — Pharaoh’s Strategy 11:37 — What It Means to Fear God 12:53 — Deception and Protecting Life 17:10 — Why God Honors the Midwives 18:44 — Loyalty to God Above Rulers 20:29 — Courage in Pharaoh’s House 21:39 — God Turns Evil Plans Around 22:43 — Closing and Next Episode