A weekly walk through all 66 books of the Bible, where you can discover more about Scripture and how it shapes our lives today.
The Bible in a Year from Luther Seminary
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31 episodes
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Podcast Overview
A weekly walk through all 66 books of the Bible, where you can discover more about Scripture and how it shapes our lives today.
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Publishing Since
12/17/2025
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Recent Episodes
July 29, 2026
30. The Two Shortest Books You've Probably Never Read (And Why They Matter)
<p>What does the Day of the Lord mean, and why does it look so different in two short prophetic books? In this episode, hosts Kathryn Schifferdecker and Jennie Wojciechowski welcome guest Kristin Wendland, associate professor of religion at Wartburg College, to explore Zephaniah and Haggai. Zephaniah confronts idolatry head-on, warning that the Day of the Lord brings judgment on unfaithfulness. But that judgment isn't the end of the story. Kristin shows how the book turns toward hope, restoration, and a faithful God who transforms rather than abandons.</p><p>Haggai takes us to a different moment entirely, after the Babylonian exile, when the returning people of Judah are called to rebuild the temple. Kristin unpacks why the timing mattered, what King Josiah's earlier reforms have to do with Zephaniah, and how both books point to a God who remains present through judgment and renewal. Though these two books are short and easy to skip, this conversation shows why they still matter for faith today.</p>
July 22, 2026
Habakkuk - What Do You Praise God For When You've Got Nothing Left? (feat. Rolf Jacobson)
<p>What is the life of faith good for when there is nothing left to praise God for? In this episode, Dr. Kathryn Schifferdecker and Rev. Katie Langston welcome Dr. Rolf Jacobson, Dean of the Faculty and Old Testament professor at Luther Seminary, to discuss the book of Habakkuk. This short three-chapter book begins with Habakkuk's lament over injustice in Judah and God's surprising answer. Together they explore the famous verse "the righteous shall live by faith," the meaning of the Hebrew word mishpat, and how God works through even unjust powers to bring about a greater purpose.</p><p>The conversation also traces Habakkuk's influence on Paul's letter to the Romans and Martin Luther's Reformation theology. Rolf offers a moving reading of the book's final praise, offered even when the fields are empty and the flocks are gone. Listeners will come away with a richer understanding of what the life of faith truly asks of us, especially in seasons of hardship. This episode is part of The Bible in a Year podcast, a resource from Enter the Bible.</p><p><strong>Hosts: </strong>Dr. Kathryn Schifferdecker, Rev. Katie Langston</p><p><strong>Guest:</strong> Dr. Rolf Jacobson, Dean of the Faculty and Professor of Old Testament, Alvin N. Rogness Chair of Scripture, Theology, and Ministry at Luther Seminary</p><p><strong>Seven-Word Summary: </strong>Habakkuk laments, then praises in the emptiness.</p><p><strong>Key Themes:</strong></p><ul><li>Habakkuk's argument with God over injustice in Judah</li><li>The rise of Babylon (the Chaldeans) as God's instrument of judgment</li><li>The meaning and threefold use of the Hebrew word mishpat (law, justice, judgment)</li><li>The famous verse "the righteous shall live by faith" (Habakkuk 2:4) and its use by Paul in Romans</li><li>Habakkuk's influence on Martin Luther and the Reformation</li><li>The book's terrifying vision in chapter 3 and its closing hymn of praise amid total loss</li><li>God's providence and the "long view" of faith</li></ul><br/><p><strong>Scripture References:</strong></p><ul><li>Habakkuk 1:1–4 (lament over injustice)</li><li>Habakkuk 1:5–11 (God's answer, the rise of the Chaldeans)</li><li>Habakkuk 2:1 ("I will stand at my watch post")</li><li>Habakkuk 2:4 ("the righteous shall live by faith")</li><li>Habakkuk 3 (the vision and closing praise, "though the fig tree does not blossom...")</li><li>Romans 1:17 (Apostle Paul's quotation of Habakkuk 2:4)</li><li>Isaiah's love song/judgment oracle and Assyria parallel (referenced for comparison)</li><li>Amos's funeral dirge and intercession for Israel (referenced for comparison)</li><li>Psalm 46 (referenced in connection with Habakkuk's terrifying vision)</li></ul><br/><p><strong>Bible Bingo Words: </strong>Lament, Mishpat, Vision, Faith, Praise</p><p><strong>People Mentioned:</strong></p><ul><li>Walter Brueggemann, The Psalms and the Life of Faith (edited by Patrick D. Miller): referenced for Brueggemann's definition of lament as protest to God</li><li>Karl N. Jacobson (Rolf's late brother), who held an alternate view that Habakkuk's lament was play acting</li><li>Rolf's Great-Grandfather Roe, whose Depression-era story of loss and continued generosity is shared as an illustration of praising God amid hardship</li></ul><br/>
July 15, 2026
28. Nahum, Jonah, and the God Who Won't Give Up on Nineveh
<p>Most people know Jonah as the guy who got swallowed by a whale, but this book of Jonah summary reveals a much stranger and funnier story than that. In this episode of the Bible in a Year podcast, hosts Katie Langston and Kathryn Schifferdecker are joined by Rolf Jacobson, Dean of the Faculty at Luther Seminary, to explore the books of Jonah and Nahum. Rolf walks through Jonah's reluctant call to preach against Nineveh, his flight in the opposite direction, the storm, the big fish, and the five word sermon that somehow converts an entire city from the king down to the animals. He also unpacks the book of Nahum, which pronounces God's judgment on Assyria for its brutality against Israel and sets the stage for everything Jonah wrestles with.</p><p>At the heart of the conversation is the Hebrew word hesed, God's steadfast loving mercy, and the uncomfortable question Jonah leaves us with. If you want mercy for yourself, can you also want it for the people who hurt you or the people you hate? Along the way, Rolf and the hosts play a round of Bible Bingo covering Nineveh, providence, nature, and obedience, and dig into some strange details in the Hebrew text that even seasoned scholars find surprising. Whether you are new to the minor prophets or have read Jonah a dozen times, this conversation offers a fresh way into a small book with a lot to say.</p>
31 total episodes available
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