Evers Bible Class - A Gentle Ramble through the Bible

                   Joshua 6 thru Judges 2:9   Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho  This class is for the skeptics in the bunch. Walls falling down when you shout at them? The sun standing still for 24 hours? Must we suspend all laws of physics? What about Biblical Inerrancy? What do we do with all this stuff?  We tackle these tough questions. There is room for everyone at the table--the skeptics and the literalists. We finish up Joshua today and get the Israelites settled in the Promised Land.  A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

                  Joshua 1-5   Entering the Promised Land  World powers at war. Migrations of displaced peoples. And the Promised Land is caught in the crossfire. Israel readies itself to enter the Promised Land and God shows up in a big way. In fact, the Commander of the Lord's Army shows up. I wonder who that is? Lots of things happen in this liminal space as Israel crosses over from slavery into the land of promise. Cutting off, heaping up, spies and sex workers--it all comes together in a dramatic way as we follow the Israelites across the Jordan River. A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

                 Deuteronomy   Moses' Parting Shot  If you were leading these stiff-necked, stubborn folks, what last words would you say to them? How would you persuade them to choose good things over bad things? How would you convince them that God loves them and will care for their every possible need, if they haven't understood that already? Moses tries everything--telling them, giving them object lessons, writing it all down, telling them to write the important stuff on their hands and their foreheads, appointing (and praying for) a new leader, and even teaching them a song! We finish the Torah, the first five books of the Bible today. What  would you write on your forehead? What have you discovered about God? A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

                Numbers 21:10-27:11   Balaam and the Ass  Balaam is a prophet for sale. Israel's enemies hire him to curse the Israelites and the results are hilarious. From a talking donkey to "You're fired!" this is a complete fiasco for Balaam. You can almost hear God say, "Who's your Daddy?" Are sorcery and divination fake or real? What was Balaam's most grievous sin in this whole sorry saga? (It'll probably surprise you.) We give some thought to discernment, gifts and calling in the discussion afterwards. A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

               Numbers 13-21   Chickening Out and Grumbling  The Israelites make it to the border of the Promised Land. Moses tells them to go for it! Take the land! And they chicken out.    Then, to make matters worse, a big group of the Levites stage a coup, accusing Moses and Aaron of being power hungry. The result of the coup is not pretty. But even that fiasco isn't enough to stop the Israelites from grumbling and rebelling.     God does some incredible, amazing things--so much so that Jesus even talks about it in a secret meeting with a powerful leader. And we make some surprising connections between the seraphim of the Hebrew Bible and a story about a snake on a pole. Who knew all this was in the Bible??? A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

              The Golden Calf   We finish up Exodus and Leviticus with a Bang!  When Moses finally gets down off that mountain he's greeted with the Israelites running amok. Fireworks ensue.    Moses pleads with God to spare the people...and God does! Aaron doesn't even lose his job as High Priest. Amazing. In this lesson we see God's holiness in its stark power, and it raises a lot of questions. Join us for the discussion as we try to understand the "Both/And" God. A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

             Festivals and Sabbath Years   Don't Worry, Be Happy  That's more than a pop song--it's God's call to his beloved people. This week we look at all the special celebrations God sets up to remind the Israelites of his constant concern and provision--reminding them to REST ALREADY! And making sure they are 100% certain of his love and forgiveness and complete acceptance of them.    None of it required guilt or backlashing. None of it required shame or difficult tasks. It isn't soul-searching God wants from the Israelites...it's rejoicing. He wants more than anything to see them running full tilt into his outstretched arms. And the gifts he's got for them! Wait until you hear how God would set up the economy.       A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

            Clean vs Unclean   Leviticus 11 thru 15  The concept of clean vs unclean things is pervasive in the Hebrew Bible. The idea that some things or even people (!) are unclean and should quote “be dealt with” has led to abuse of power within the church. And it is wrong.    Jesus himself fought against it, actively resisted it, and preached against this abuse of power. The people he declared clean were the poor and marginalized and outcast, and the people he called unclean--literally “whitewashed tombs full of filth”--were the religious hierarchy. In this video we explore the concept of Clean vs Unclean.       A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

           God Talks About Sex   Leviticus 18  It's not what you think! If you are gay or have an LGBTQ child or loved one, do not fear. There's no bashing going on in this lesson.    In fact, as in previous lessons, we find out that God's been completely misrepresented as harsh and condemning. Can someone be gay and still be Christian? What does Jesus have to say about all this?      A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

          Tabernacle, Sacrifices & Priests   Myth-Busting  We knock down lots of myths this week. And the biggest one is that the God of the Hebrew Bible is different than the God we know as Christians. But--yikes! Does that mean God is vengeful and angry and needs to be appeased?       Nope. Isn't now, and never was that way. God is the same now and forever--loving and welcoming and wholly merciful.     A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

         The Ten Commandments   The First Day of God School  What points are on God's Top Ten list?       We explore the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy 5 and Exodus 20. And we find some surprises when we look at some of the questionable passages--like the one about grandchildren being punished for the sins of their grandparents.     A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

        Exodus 17 thru 19   Be Careful What You Wish For  The Israelites finally get to Mt Sinai. It wasn't easy. Got attacked on the way. Ran out of water--twice. Ran out of food. And God showed up every single time.      Now the Israelites have a chance to hear God for themselves. I think they get more than they bargained for!     A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

       Exodus 12 thru 16   The Exodus   All its mysteries. All its violence. All its wonders.      The Israelites are like an abused spouse. They want to be rescued, but they are terrified when their abuser gives chase. God is mighty to save--and tender as a mother with them. Even when they falter and want to return to their abuser, God gently coaxes them onward to freedom.     We take a closer look at the power dynamics that lurk beneath the surface, especially in the struggle between God and the gods of Egypt, including Pharaoh. Why did the firstborn have to die?   A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

      Exodus 5 thru 11   Here Come the Plagues   Pharaoh thinks  he's a god. And he'll worship anything that moves--except God. The Hebrews are shrieking in pain and crying out in their suffering. And God shows up! In this class, God does battle with Pharaoh and the entire pantheon of Egyptian gods.       We get two new tools for our backpack. And we do a deep dive into "I am YHWH" to see what God has to say about himself and his relationship with us. This gives us the backbone--the spine--the rest of the Bible will be built around. It's an eye-opening view of God.   A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

     Exodus 1 thru 4   This is Not Going to End Well   God calls Moses to return to Egypt to rescue the Israelites, but Moses really, really, doesn't want to go. God insists. God's already warned him that he will harden Pharaoh's heart. And once Moses sets out for Egypt, God shows up to kill "him" -- him who? What in the world is going on? What kind of God is this?     A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

    Genesis 40 thru 50   The End of Genesis   Genesis ends with a bang! Joseph is elevated from the dungeon to the height of power in Egypt. But leading a country through a famine is nothing compared to facing the brothers who tried to murder you. This is a man wrestling with forgiveness and reconciliation.     A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

   Genesis 37 thru 39   Joseph Just Can't Catch a Break!   Joseph's big mouth lands him in hot water. His brothers plot murder, but at the last minute decide to spare his life. Joseph is sold into slavery and hauled off to Egypt where he builds a new life--only to be falsely accused of attempted rape and thrown into prison.     Why do bad things happen to good people?   A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube. In the class I refer to this Peterson Toscano video .   More info at EversBibleClass.com .

  Genesis 32 thru 36   The Place of Choosing:   Circumstances force Jacob to make some tough choices. If Jacob has really changed, now is the time to show it. He's got to face Esau, and it's a pretty sure bet Esau is going to be gunning for him. Jacob's sons endanger the entire family just when Rachel finally gets pregnant again.     The story gets darker and darker. Jacob will show his true colors. Want to bet what they are?   A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube. More info at EversBibleClass.com .

  Genesis 29 thru 31   Between a Rock and a Hard Place:   Jacob makes it to Haran where he falls head over heels in love. But he's nearly pulled to pieces--caught in a struggle between the woman he loves and the woman he's forced to marry, cheated by his father-in-law, and running for his life. We'll see how God shows up.   A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.  

Genesis 23 thru 28   Miracles, Backstabbing, and Love at First Sight:   We're to the fun part now. We'll be covering Genesis  Chapters 23-28 this week. We get introduced to a whole new set of characters  this week. Genesis starts to read like a novel at this  point. No more stacks of etiologies or crazy chiasms.  And the story speeds up considerably. These new  characters are something else!   A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.