Often as Westerners, we grow up being taught to read the Bible and to ask the question,

what does this teach me about me?

We immediately sort of go to that application, what am I supposed to do? And one of the things I learned while studying in Israel is for the Jewish people as they're reading the Bible their first question is always what does this teach me about who the living God is, what he's like, what

it's going to mean to follow him. And I often joke with people, you know, if you stare

at yourself for too long you'll get depressed. But if you stare at the living God, it will transform your life.

We often approach the Bible like it's an instruction manual, you know, as if it were just like a simple set of tips for living our best life ever, but how differently would we study the Bible if we actually approached it not

to learn something, but instead to encounter someone? Well, today's guest guest author, professor, and biblical culturalist

Christy McClelland is going to show you how to read scripture through the

Middle Eastern lens in which the Bible was actually originally

written. And the result, mmm my people, it is going to be that you will encounter the living God in a way that you may not have ever experienced before.

The Bible is about to go from black and white to vivid color.

So on your mark, get get set let's go.

Welcome welcome to the 413 podcast where practical encouragement and biblical

wisdom set you and I up to live the I can life because you can truly I mean it do all things

through Christ who strengthened you now welcome your host Jennifer Rothschild.

Hey friends I was Casey Wright my seeing I guy and it's two friends and one topic and

zero stress in the podcast closet as you well know and I'm Jennifer if we're new

friends and my goal is just to help you be and do more than you feel capable of

as you're living the I-can life and I will tell you this what's in the season for me where allergies kick in I don't know if that happens to you Casey but I have all morning been clearing my throat and before we turn on the recording I blew my nose really loud in the little closet.

But when I did I thought, oh my gosh, I got to show you Casey and I've got to tell my people.

Okay, the only good thing about having allergies is these new

Kleenexes I found or tissues. Goodness. Okay I didn't use this one Casey okay but I

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