The Divine Council Worldview Podcast

In this episode, Ronn and Mike discuss a new children's book on the Ten Commandments, explore the cultural context of family structures during Jesus' time, and emphasize the importance of understanding the relationship with God the Father. He delves into theological concepts such as the doctrine of two powers and the significance of knowing God relationally. The conversation also touches on the importance of humility in teaching an...

In this episode, Ronn and Mike discuss the events and conversations recorded in John 13. Ronn began by recommending that the "dinner" of John 13:2 recalled the supper hosted in Lazarus' home (as described in 12:1-8) a week prior to Jesus' crucifixion and not during the final Passover evening. Jesus' "new commandment" to love others (13:34) was therefore to be understood in reference to his washing of his followers' feet beyond that...

In this episode, Ronn and Mike answer two questions sent in by listeners: 1) Would it be possible to think of Joseph (Genesis 37-50) as a partial fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham? It seems that some of the promises made to Abraham were satisfied through Joseph and his story. 2) Please explain whether God was "silent" during the period between the testaments. It sounds like he may not have been as silent as I once thought...

In this episode, Ronn and Mike answer two questions sent in by listeners: 1) Psalm 45 ultimately refers to Jesus, of course, but is it possible that the author originally intended it to be understood in terms of the coming messiah? 2) Please give a DCW opinion on the application of the word "righteous" to Jesus in such passages as Acts 3:14, 7:52, 22:14, and 1 John 2:1.

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In this episode, Ronn and Mike answer two questions sent in by listeners: 1) What should we think about Roman Catholics who venerate Mary and give her titles that should be reserved for Jesus? Does God consider this idolatry? Or can God simply see this as an example of a loyal (righteous) person being unwittingly misled? 2) Why does Jesus say "ask and it shall be given"? Is this specifically for his disciples, or for us believers? ...

In this milestone 100th episode, the Divine Council Worldview podcast welcomes Drenna Heiser-Hollander, president of the Michael S. Heiser Foundation, for an intimate conversation about the man behind the scholarship. Drenna traces the journey she and Mike shared, from their early love story through the cross-country moves that shaped his calling, the years of relentless academic pursuit, and the painful season of illness that took...

In this episode, Ronn and Mike answer two questions sent in by listeners: 1) After the resurrection, NT writers rarely refer to Jesus simply by the name "Jesus" without attaching a title such as "Lord," "Christ," or "Jesus Christ." Is referring to Jesus without a title unintentionally minimizing early Christian confession about its messiah? 2) The story of 1 Kings 22, in which a spirit is sent by Yahweh to lie to Ahab's prophets, s...

In this episode, Ronn and Mike answer two questions sent in by listeners: 1) Is the logic of hell (and eternal concious torment) consistent with God's justice? And if God's justice wasn't satisfied at the cross, it must be satisfied  at some point, correct? 2) Could Jesus' teaching regrading loyalty to his Father be understood as a polemic against Israel's loyalty to created gods, especially Baal? Could it also be a polemic against...

In this episode, Ronn and Mike answer three questions sent in by listeners: 1) How does the origial meaning of Jeremiah 16:16 (including the idea of "fishers of men") relate to Jesus' use of the phrase in Mark 1:17? 2) Is it possible to trace the appearance of the serpent in Genesis 3 throiugh the rest of the biblical story? Is he, for example, the same being that tempts Jesus? 3) How did the gods of the nations communicate with th...

In this episode, Ronn and Mike discuss John 12 as a theological and narrative hinge in the Gospel, situating it within the chronology of Passion Week while exploring its deeper implications for atonement, messianic expectation, and Gentile inclusion. They noted that early church councils never defined a single atonement theory, arguing instead for a flexible, text-driven, and retrospective understanding of Jesus' death that emerges...

In this episode, Ronn and Mike complete the 11th chapter of John (verses 45-57). Their main point of discussion is Caiaphas' description of the meaning of the death of Jesus in vs.52: "he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad." Ronn recommended that this "gathering" of Abraham's family was understood by later NT writers a...

In this episode, Ronn and Mike enjoy the story of Lazarus' resuscitation in John 11:1-44. For several reasons found within this narrative, Ronn recommended that original readers would have been tempted to regard Lazarus as the "disciple that Jesus loved" referred to in later stories of John. A key element in this story, of course, was Martha's belief that Lazarus would "rise again in the resurrection" (11:24), offering a chance to ...

In this episode, Ronn and Mike work their way through John 10, starting with Jesus' self-identification as Israel's "good shepherd." They recommend that Jesus is thuf fulfilling the meaning of Ezekiel 34, which recalls the extended metaphor of Yahweh claiming to be Israel's ultimate shepherd. This leads to a necessary discussion of the issue of "divine agency," and how God could be seen working through figures who receive their aut...

In this episode, Ronn and Mike look at John 9, reading through the extended story of the man born blind who is healed by Jesus. They discuss the significance of some of the interesting details of the story, including why Jesus patched the man's eyes with spittle, and why he had the man go a half-mile away to wash in the Pool of Siloam. Ronn recommended that the use of "sinner" in the story hearkens back to the OT understanding that...