Bible Fiber

In Ezekiel 47, the prophet, along with his angelic guide, witnesses a river of living water flowing from the temple. Sitting on the bank of the river with the angel, Ezekiel observes that the river brings life to everything it touches. In the Gospels, Jesus often referred to himself as living water. This wasn’t just a casual use of a metaphor; it was a deliberate theological statement that connected his ministry to ancient propheti...

 Chapters 45 and 46 of Ezekiel detail the structure of a future Jerusalem, including a holy district with land allotments for priests and Levites, and a separate area for a new leader called "the prince." This prince is an ideal, righteous ruler who oversees the temple and provides sacrifices, contrasting with the corrupt kings of the past. The vision also outlines specific regulations for temple traffic, sacrifices, and ...

In this episode of Bible Fiber, you'll discover the fascinating story behind the permanently sealed East Gate. We’ll also explore the surprising strictness about who could enter Ezekiel's ideal temple. You'll learn about the unique calling of the Zadokite priests.

While Ezekiel's vision is incredibly detailed about the future temple, there's a significant omission – no High Priest. The answer is in...

Shavuot is also known as the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Harvest. It is a joyous one-day festival that begins on the sixth day of the third month in the Hebrew calendar, Sivan. This typically falls in late May or early June on the Gregorian calendar. It’s worth noting that Shavuot comes exactly 50 days after the second day of Passover, hence its Greek name, Pentecost, meaning “fiftieth.” This timing links the Exodus from Egypt t...

This week we are taking a break from our Ezekiel study because I have a special guest with me, Omri Toppol. I met Omri recently at the National Religious Broadcasters convention. I was super intrigued by a new project that he is starting, and I thought Bible Fiber listeners would be as well. Omri is the CEO of Temple Mount Soil. Yes, you heard that right: Temple Mount Soil. 

Check out the website: https://www.templemountsoil.com/

In Ezekiel 43, we witness a pivotal moment: the powerful return of God's glory to the temple, a stark contrast to its departure described earlier in the book.

Join me as we explore the profound significance of this event, examining the conditions for God's enduring presence and the intriguing question of why the detailed temple vision wasn't immediately reconstructed. We'll also delve into how the imagery of Ezek...

This week, we will delve into Ezekiel chapters 40 to 42, which present Ezekiel’s visionary depiction of a future temple complex. While our usual format for Bible Fiber is to explore one chapter each week, I have decided to dedicate this episode to an in-depth discussion of all three chapters together. As a priest, Ezekiel was likely enthralled by the measurements and architectural details of his temple vision. However, for many lis...

This week, we are studying Ezekiel 39, the second half of his famous oracle against the mysterious Gog from the land of Magog. 

Israel’s only job

Throughout most of the Gog oracle, the emphasis has been on God’s direct intervention in defeating the invading armies. Whether it was God knocking the bow and arrows from the archers’ hands (39:3) or setting fire to Magog and the coastlands (39:6), the responsibility fell entirely on God t...

This week, we are studying Ezekiel 38, where the prophet presents his famous oracle against Gog from the land of Magog. This quasi-apocalyptic vision has captivated and perplexed scholars, theologians, and lay readers for centuries. Its cryptic nature, rich symbolism, and futuristic implications have led to many, often conflicting, interpretations. The shadowy figure of Gog, the vivid portrayal of a great battle, and the promise of...

Welcome to Bible Fiber, where are we encountering the textures and shades of the biblical tapestry. I am Shelley Neese, president of The Jerusalem Connection, a Christian organization devoted to sharing the story of the people of Israel, both ancient and modern. 

This week we are studying Ezekiel 35 and 36. In the previous chapter, Yahweh restated his loyalty to the covenant people as a nation. In Chapters 35 and 36, he reasserts hi...

In Chapter 34, Ezekiel’s prophetic tone changes. Previously mute and limited to delivering messages of judgment, Ezekiel now offers words of comfort and hope to his fellow exiles. This change marks a turning point in the book of Ezekiel and in the prophet’s ministry.

By this time, the number of Jewish exiles in Babylon had grown considerably. Ezekiel could have dwelled on the past, reminding his traumatized audience of the reasons f...

Bible Fiber delves into Chapter 33, a pivotal point in the book of Ezekiel that marks a transition from judgment to hope. Ezekiel is recommissioned as a watchman over Jerusalem. The chapter addresses themes of personal responsibility, repentance, and God's desire for the wicked to turn from their ways and live. It contrasts the attitudes of the exiles in Babylon with those remaining in Jerusalem, highlighting misconceptions ab...

This week, we’re examining Ezekiel 32, the final chapter of eight in his Oracles Against the Nations. This chapter also concludes the series of seven oracles against Egypt. It consists of lamentations for Pharaoh and the Egyptian forces, symbolically depicting their defeat and descent into Sheol.

The sixth oracle against Egypt came to Ezekiel on March 3, 585 BCE, two years after the previous oracle and two months after news of Jerus...

This week we are reading Ezekiel 31, the fifth oracle against Egypt, in a series of seven. Ezekiel, the master of word pictures, has already depicted the pharaoh as a crocodile left to die in the desert and a disabled soldier powerless to grasp a sword. In this chapter, Ezekiel likens the Egyptian empire to a fallen cedar tree. The chapter can be divided into two parts. The first part presents the tree’s beauty, height and shade (3...

This week we are studying Ezekiel 30, which contains Ezekiel’s third and fourth oracles against Egypt. There are seven in total. 

In the third oracle, God commanded Ezekiel to wail over Egypt. He said, “The Day of the Lord is near; it will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations” (30:1). Ezekiel proclaimed that the “Day of the Lord” would bring devastation to Egypt and its neighboring nations (30:1-19). The orac...

We are still in the OAN, the long suspense-building pause between Ezekiel’s announcement of Jerusalem’s fall in Chapter 24 and confirmation of Jerusalem’s fall in Chapter 33. Ezekiel arranged the seven oracles in a geographical sequence around Israel. He started with Ammon to the east. Next, he addressed Moab and Edom, further southeast. The focus then shifted westward to Philistia, followed by Tyre and Sidon to the northwest. In t...

This week I am interviewing a special guest, Yair Levi. Yair is a Jewish Israeli singer, songwriter, and musical producer based in Tel Aviv, Israel. Yair is incredibly popular among Christians who love Israel which is one of the things we will talk about. 
Yair has become a global phenomenon, widely recognized for his powerful songs such as Refa Na and Blessed, which resonate deeply with audiences around the world.  
As a J...