Baldhead Bible Podcast

Hope. This week's episode is all about two perspectives on hope: one man in the depths of despair that still has some, and the other, at the top of the power structure, next to the King, who has none. How can this be? And who are they? Listen to this week's episode to find out.

David and Absalom are finally reconciled . . . or are they? Absalom is working behind David's back, building a coalition of the discontented. And now is the time to spring the trap. WIll Absalom be successful? Will David lose his throne to his son? Listen on to find out.

It looks like Amnon, the Crown Prince of Israel, got away with a heinous crime committed against his half-sister Tamar. It was a travesty that his father, King David, did nothing to enact some sense of justice in the situation. Amnon got off scot-free . . . or did he? There was someone watching; it was Tamar's brother Absalom. And he knew what happened. And like a patient hunter stalking his prey, he was waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. Here what happened next on this week's episode.

WARNING: THIS EPISODE HAS ADULT LEVEL CONTENT. Sadly, I have to use that disclaimer at the front, but it also reminds me once again of how scripture does not pull any punches. It tells the best and the worst of the people that inhabit its pages, and here is an example of the worst of humanity. This is one of the saddest stories in the Bible and one that I wish had never occurred. But it is also a story that we, as a culture, need to heed. It is a story that we, as parents, need to listen to, and it is a story that any young man or young woman today, needs to learn from.

David has just had committed adultery with Bathsheba, had Uriah the Hittite murdered, and now has a new beautiful wife and bouncing baby boy to boot. All looks great in the David household. But then, God comes to Nathan the prophet and tells him a story that he wants told to David. What is that story? Turn to 2 Samuel 12, and then listen to this podcast to find out.

This week's episode marks a turning point for the story of David. At this point, before he goes on the roof of his house before he makes bad choice after bad choice, things are going great for David. God has just promised that from him would come a kingdom that would last forever, he was at rest from his enemies on all sides, and he had acquired so much territory for Israel that it was the largest it would ever be. Things are awesome. But in a moment, with just one immoral choice, David begins a downward spiral for his house and family that he will never recover from. And that slide downwards begins here, at this moment, and it has so much application for today and the sins that we struggle with so much as a culture.

David is now King and has rested for himself and Israel from their enemies. So as David has to do less running and less fighting, he has time to sit, and quite often, he sat before the Lord. One day he came up with a brilliant idea: to build a temple for Lord. Why should David have such a great house, yet the Ark of God is still housed in a tent? So he asks Nathan, the prophet, can he build the Lord a temple? Hear the Lord's reply through Nathan, and also what it means to talk to God.

David has just been crowned King. In his first days on the throne, he has to fight the Philistine army TWICE, and we get to see how Yahweh moves in miraculous ways on his behalf. He then decides to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to the center of Jewish life. He wants to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. It sounds simple enough, or is it? Listen to this week's episode to find out triumph and tragedy awaiting David.

In this episode, David is finally crowned King of all Israel. Samuel anointed him as the new King 15 years earlier, and now, at the age of 30, David becomes Israel's new king. But it wasn't easy, and it was quite a bloody affair. Hear how it all happened in today's podcast.

We start a new series on the life of David as King. What was it like to be King of Israel? How did David do as King of Israel? What were his successes, and what were his failures as King? To be King, you have to rise to become King, so we start in 2 Samuel with David as he begins his rise, and it all starts with one of the strangest battles you've ever heard.

He started so well, but in the end, it was said of him that the Lord killed him because of his "breach of faith" and because "he did not seek guidance from the Lord." How did Saul die, and how did he end up in such a sorry state? Listen to today's episode and determine not to end up like Saul.

It is a bad day for David. First, he was about to battle with the Philistines against his hometown people, the Israelites. Then he gets back home and what they discover makes his valiant men want to stone him. What has happened, and where is God in the middle of all this? Listen to this week's podcast to find out.

In this episode, we see David and Saul make some terrible decisions, but as always, there is something we can learn from them looking back. David's choice leads him to the precipice of having to go to war against Israel, his very own people. While Saul, well, he continues down a long road to the dark side and asks for help from a witch. How did we get here? What turn in the road led to here? Listen on to find out.

David is hiding in the desert, still on the run from Saul. Well, guess who sells him out to Saul again: the mean old Ziphites. So Saul heads to the wilderness of Ziph with 3,000 of his troops to take on David and his 600 warriors with credit card debt. Who is going to win? How will David defeat Saul? Is this the end for him? Listen to this week's episode to find out what happens.

Road rage. Blowing your top. Being triggered. All different ways to talk about anger management issues. This week, we see David at one of his worst moments; he suffers from anger management problems. A guy named Nabal definitely triggered David, and now he is out not just to kill Nabal, but instead to wipe out his whole clan. That is, until a beautiful, intelligent, discerning woman steps in and saves the day. Who was it? Well, if your name is Abigail, you might want to listen to this week's episode and meet someone who should be your role model.

This episode usually is only available to our podcast subscribers, but I felt that this one should be heard by a larger audience because Ben has some great things to say about theology and art. Christian art is often lamented as being inferior, but as believers, we should have some of the best art. Well, that is what Ben, and I, feel. And I think Ben does a great job in revealing the way the Bible supports the arts, and that Christians are needed to make a difference in a wide array of artistic expression. Ben also shares the ways he brings his faith into the choices he makes as a professional actor. All good stuff, and only 10 - 14 minutes long. Well worth a listen.

David trusts God, even though his circumstances seem grim. Saul pauses to relieve himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. David has the opportunity of a lifetime to rid himself of his nemesis, but he chooses instead to honor God's anointed.

Have you ever felt deathly afraid? I mean that feeling in the pit of your stomach that something horrifying is about to happen? Well, this whole episode is full of fear: David is afraid of Saul, he's scared of King Achish, and sadly, in the end, David is scared of the growing insanity of King Saul. But behind it all, David trusts in God. Read Psalm 34, which David wrote probably during or soon after the events in this week's story, to see the faith David always carried even in the middle of his darkest moments.

In this week's Waxing the Dome aftershow, I am interviewing the program director of Trout Creek Bible Camp, Ben Tissell. In this episode, we find out his camp name, the fact that his name is entirely made up, and other interesting stuff. I am making it free this week, but usually, this episode is only available to Baldhead Bible podcast subscribers. Why not become a supporter for only $1 a month and never miss an aftershow.

David is going to be the new King. God has chosen him and rejected Saul, yet Saul is desperate to hang on to the Kingdom, even as he sees Yahweh favoring David. Saul begins to be jealous of David, and his jealousy leads to anger, and it then leads to rage: a rage that is bent on killing David. Will he succeed? What will happen? Listen to this week's story to find out.