In With the Old

About In With the Old

A popular level introduction to the Old Testament focused on dispelling myths, building appreciation for God’s Word, and rediscovering the Old Testament for the life of faith. New episodes release every Tuesday.

Publisher

Tim Howe

Category

history · religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 Feb 2023

Latest episode

13 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

89 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   13 Oct 2026

   Trees and Kings with Dr. Rusty Osborne

   Trees are not just scenery in the Bible—they are one of its most powerful ways of talking about life, wisdom, kingship, judgment, and hope. Dr. William Rusty Osborne shows how this overlooked image ties Genesis to Revelation and changes the way you read the Old Testament. Host Tim Howe and Dr. Osborne trace the story from the garden’s two trees to the wisdom language of Proverbs and Psalms, then into the prophets, where kings and kingdoms are pictured as towering cedars, fragile stumps, and new shoots. Along the way, you’ll hear why the tree of life matters so much, how “shade” and “fruit” become loaded biblical symbols, and why Isaiah’s stump of Jesse and Jeremiah’s righteous branch point to a coming Messiah. You’ll discover: Why Adam and Eve’s choice was really about wisdom, life, and trust How Psalm 1 turns a righteous person into a planted tree Why prophets use trees to describe royal power, pride, and collapse What Ezekiel’s cedar imagery reveals about judgment and restoration How the Bible’s final tree-of-life scene reframes healing, worship, and the presence of God This episode also explores the limits of metaphor without flattening the text, including careful discussion of the cross, the language of being “hanged on a tree,” and how New Testament writers continue the Bible’s tree imagery in Jesus’ teaching, John’s vine-and-branches language, Romans 11, and Revelation 22.If you want a deeper grasp of the Bible’s connected storyline, or you’ve ever wondered why trees show up everywhere from Eden to the New Jerusalem, this conversation will sharpen your reading and enrich your faith. Dr. William Rusty Osborne is a professor of biblical and theological studies at College of the Ozarks in Missouri. His research focuses on Old Testament hermeneutics, Ezekiel, divine blessing, and biblical metaphor theory, and he is author and co-editor of several books, including the forthcoming Biblical Tree Imagery in Natural and Human Contexts: A Planting of the Lord. Timestamps 00:00 — Introduction to Dr. William Rusty Osborne and the theme of trees in Scripture 01:31 — Why trees matter across the biblical storyline 04:08 — Genesis, the garden, and humanity’s relation to creation 05:49 — Why God placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil 07:09 — Wisdom, temptation, and the tree of life 10:31 — The tree of life as sustaining life in God’s presence 11:24 — Tree-of-life imagery in Proverbs and the Psalms 13:32 — Trees as sources of life, resources, and royal garden imagery 18:25 — Jotham’s fable in Judges 9 and trees as political metaphor 21:06 — Psalm 1 and the righteous person as a planted tree 24:48 — Psalm 52 and Psalm 92 on flourishing like a tree 27:55 — Metaphor, wisdom, and royal tree imagery in the prophets 29:44 — Ezekiel 31 and the downfall of Assyria as a towering cedar 34:15 — Ezekiel 17 and the promise of a restored royal branch 37:35 — Isaiah 11 and the shoot from the stump of Jesse 41:50 — Jeremiah 33 and the righteous branch for David 43:26 — Tree imagery in Jesus’ teaching and the New Testament 46:34 — Romans 11, grafting, and Jew-Gentile unity 47:03 — Why Peter’s “tree” language is difficult to connect directly to the Old Testament motif 49:56 — The symbolic reversal of life imagery into curse and shame in the cross 53:47 — Revelation 22 and the return of the tree of life 57:05 — Dr. Osborne’s current projects on Ezekiel, biblical tree imagery, and Jeremiah

2. 

   6 Oct 2026

   Bizarre Stories: David's Census in 2 Samuel 24

   Was God punishing David for a sin God himself caused? 2 Samuel 24 is one of the strangest and most troubling stories in the Old Testament, and this episode pulls it apart piece by piece to show why it is actually a story about pride, mercy, and atonement. Tim Howe takes you into David’s military census, the devastating plague that follows, and the shocking reason this judgment lands so hard. You’ll see why David’s choice matters, why Joab’s warning is more important than it first appears, and how the law of Deuteronomy 17 and Exodus 30 reveals the real offense behind the census. You’ll discover: why the text says God was angry with Israel before David ever counted the troops how to understand the language of God “stirring up” David without making God the author of sin why the parallel account in 1 Chronicles raises the question of Satan, and how that fits the bigger biblical picture how David’s census echoes Pharaoh and violates the logic of covenant kingship why the threshing floor of Araunah matters so much, and how David’s refusal to offer God something that “costs nothing” marks a turning point in his repentance This episode also shows why the plague is not random punishment, but a severe mercy that exposes hidden pride before it can do even greater damage. Rather than treating the story like a theological trap, Tim shows how it points to a King who never placed himself above the law, never exploited his people, and always carried their burden. If you have ever struggled with the hard sayings of the Old Testament, this is essential listening. It will give you a clearer view of David, a deeper appreciation for God’s justice, and a far greater awe for the One who truly lays down his life for his sheep. Perfect for anyone who wants to understand the Old Testament more deeply, wrestle honestly with difficult passages, and see how this bizarre story points forward to Christ. Timestamps 00:00 - Why David’s census is such a bizarre story 00:56 - Setting the context at the height of David’s reign 01:23 - Reading 2 Samuel 24 06:02 - David’s mighty men and the end of the major threats 06:51 - Why the text says God was angry with Israel 08:26 - Did God cause David to sin? 08:56 - Why 1 Chronicles says Satan incited David 10:46 - What the Hebrew word “adversary” may mean 12:13 - Could a foreign enemy have triggered David’s pride? 13:40 - Why Israel’s king should live under a different standard 15:57 - Deuteronomy 17 and the law for a true king 17:55 - Why the census was such an egregious sin 18:53 - Counting as an act that mimics God’s sovereignty 19:49 - David’s sin compared to Pharaoh’s 20:47 - The ignored ransom procedure in Exodus 30 22:38 - Why David’s action put the whole nation at risk 23:37 - Why God gave David three choices 24:33 - The curses echo Deuteronomy 28 25:30 - Why David chose the option that spared him personally 26:27 - The plague spreads from Dan to Beersheba 27:25 - David finally identifies with the suffering sheep 28:23 - Why David insists on paying full price for the threshing floor 29:52 - What David’s repentance now looks like 30:21 - Why exposing sin was itself an act of mercy 31:47 - How God guided David into full repentance 32:18 - God’s atonement limits the damage 33:14 - Lessons on humility, stewardship, and leadership 34:15 - Sin’s consequences spill onto other people 35:07 - The threshing floor and the future temple site 35:36 - David’s failure contrasted with the Good Shepherd 36:33 - The sacrifice points forward to Christ 36:59 - Gratitude for God’s mercy toward David 37:41 - Closing thoughts and next episode teaser

3. 

   29 Sept 2026

   Bizarre Stories: Elisha, Boys, and Bears in 2 Kings 2:23-25

   This episode examines one of the Old Testament’s most puzzling scenes from 2 Kings 2:23-25 and asks what really happened at Bethel. Tim Howe walks through the historical context, the Hebrew language, and the covenant background to show why this story is more than a simple tale of an angry prophet and a bear attack. The result is a sharper picture of Elisha’s role, Israel’s idolatry, and how God’s judgment and mercy work together. In this episode, Tim Howe explains why the phrase translated “small boys” likely refers to older youths or young men, not little children. He also connects the insult to Bethel’s idolatrous history, Elisha’s prophetic authority, and the covenant warnings in Leviticus 26. Key topics Tim frames 2 Kings 2:23-25 as part of a larger sequence proving that the spirit of Elijah now rests on Elisha. Bethel is identified as a center of pagan worship established under Jeroboam, which gives the confrontation a strong idolatry context. The phrase translated “small boys” is argued to be flexible Hebrew wording that can describe teens, young adults, or military-age men. Tim cites examples from to show the phrase does not necessarily mean little children. The group’s mockery is interpreted as intentional and organized, not a random insult from passing children. “Go up, baldy” is explored as a possible taunt about Elisha’s succession to Elijah, his legitimacy, and even a challenge to worship at Bethel’s false altar. The curse is presented as a covenant act, not a personal outburst, with Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 in the background. Tim emphasizes that prophetic curses in Scripture function as warnings meant to call people back to repentance. The bear attack is treated as a small covenant judgment that previews the greater discipline Israel would eventually face for persistent idolatry. The episode closes by applying the passage to Christians today, focusing on blessing rather than cursing, Christ bearing the curse for sin, and the call to reconciliation. (00:00) Why Elisha, boys, and bears is such a bizarre Bible story (00:30) Reading 2 Kings 2:23-25 and setting up the interpretive questions (01:25) Elijah’s departure and Elisha’s succession as the key backdrop (02:51) Why this passage belongs to a larger three-part confirmation of Elisha’s authority (04:16) Bethel as a center of idolatry and false worship in Israel (05:33) Why “small boys” may be a misleading translation (06:56) David, Absalom, and other examples showing the Hebrew can mean older youths (08:24) The importance of 1 Kings 20 for understanding the same Hebrew phrase (09:48) Solomon calling himself a “little child” despite being king (10:44) Why the group likely acted intentionally and not like random children (11:13) Why Elisha is probably not an elderly man in the scene (12:39) What “go up” might mean in the boys’ taunt (14:29) A stronger reading of the insult as a challenge to worship at Bethel (16:25) Why “baldy” may be a jab at Elisha’s legitimacy as Elijah’s successor (18:50) Why the curse is about covenant judgment, not personal irritation (20:16) How Leviticus 26 frames wild animals as covenant discipline (22:38) Whether the bears mauled, wounded, or killed (23:35) Why an undeserved curse does not stand apart from God’s judgment (24:42) How the story warns against mocking God’s representative and message (25:39) Why the New Testament does not authorize Christians to curse people (26:36) Jesus taking the curse of sin upon himself (27:34) The ministry of reconciliation and the hope of life instead of judgment (28:32) Final takeaway: this is about idolatry, covenant warning, and God’s protection of his servants

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Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

9 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

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Guest appearances

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