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October 2026

How Can I Start a Spiritual Conversation with a Jewish Friend?

Romans 11:11 says that salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Jewish people jealous. The most important thing we can do is to provoke jealousy. Jewish people are not sitting around saying, “I wonder if Jesus really is the Messiah.” They are thinking about the things that people would be concerned about, like kids or their grandkids. They’re hoping that they get into a good school or get a good job. They are concerned about issues other than whether or not Jesus is the Messiah. What we are called to do is to provoke them to want to be interested in Jesus, to provoke them to jealousy, not to provoke them to anger. I think the best way to do that is by being a good and loving friend.

And what do we do with friends? We talk about things that are near and dear to our hearts. Once you’ve established a good friendship with someone, one of the things that you can do is share what God is doing in your life. Love your friends and be concerned about them. If they don't ever express interest, you say, “I’ve been talking with you about all that God is doing in my life. Have you ever wondered about that?” And maybe they would be interested in your life as well.

Romans 11:11

¹¹ I ask, then, have they stumbled in order to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their stumbling, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous. (HCSB)

From the Moody Bible Commentary:

Stumble (v. 11) refers to Israel’s temporary spiritual setback, but her condition was not a permanent fall. God’s hardening of Israel, and Israel’s refusal to believe in Jesus as their Messiah, was ordained by God to provide time for the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles (vv. 11, 12, 15). Just as God’s fame spread as a result of Pharaoh’s hardening (cf. the note on 9:17-18), so also His fame was spreading to the Gentiles in Paul’s day because of Israel’s rejection of the gospel. As Gentiles embrace the Jewish Messiah and receive the accompanying blessings, God’s and Paul’s aim thereby was to make them [the Jewish people] jealous (lit., “to provoke them to be envious” so that they will imitate the Gentiles). Paul was intensely burdened that the Jewish people come to Christ, for when they do, the world will erupt in spiritual vitality and life (vv. 12, 15; cf. Is 27:6).

All for the King,

Dr. Michael Rydelnik
Host/Bible Teacher, Open Line with Dr. Michael Rydelnik

What Is the Purpose of Man’s Creation According to Genesis 1:26?

It says in Genesis 1:26, “God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness’” (HCSB). Then it says, “They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” One of the implications of being made in the image of God is that an image is a representative. For example, in paganism they would make an image of their false god and put it in a temple to represent God.

We can commune with God and can interact with God. Animals cannot. We have a sense of the future and the past and think about eternal questions. God has placed eternity in our hearts. In those ways we are made in His image. In this text, it seems to be saying that one of God’s reasons for making us as His representative on earth is to have dominion or rulership over. the earth or to have rulership.

That is one of the reasons why I really believe that we have to steward natural resources that we have here on the earth, because this is our Father’s world. We are here to represent Him, and we must care for the earth.

So why did God make us? He made us for many reasons, but one reason is to be His representatives and care for this world.

Genesis 1:26

²⁶ Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” (HCSB)

From the Moody Bible Commentary:

The image of God in humanity pertains to the capacity for spiritual relationship. Just as God has the capacity for relationship, so humanity, male and female, have been made to reflect that image and enter into a relationship with their Creator. This is also seen in the use of the word “soul.” The soul most distinguishes humanity from the rest of created life, for only into man did God breathe in a “living soul” (2:7), and it is only human individuals, regardless of their mental capacity, physical ability, or material circumstances, who by virtue of having a soul can experience spiritual communion or “relationship” with God.

All for the King,

Dr. Michael Rydelnik
Host/Bible Teacher, Open Line with Dr. Michael Rydelnik

Does Genesis 1 Indicate That God Is Neither Male nor Female?

I will quote a great theologian, Wayne Grudem, who, very clearly in a book that he wrote about gender, argues that God is neither male nor female. Most of the time He is described in masculine terms.

He is described as a father consistently, which is a male role, but God is really neither male nor female. Yet He is always depicted that way for our good and for our understanding. God the Son is clearly male in His incarnation, and the Holy Spirit is spoken of as a He. Sometimes the pronoun is He, sometimes the neuter gender is used. He is a Person but not described solely as a male.

Genesis 1:27

²⁷ So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female. (HCSB)

From the Moody Bible Commentary:

The presentation of humanity’s creation in v. 27 as a single collective event (God created man . . . male and female He created them) does not contradict the more specific description of the two-stage process in chap. 2, but is rather intended to emphasize here that the image of God imparted to humanity is equally presented in both sexes.

As to identifying the meaning of that image, it relates to plural language used here (Let Us make man in Our image ). This phrase has been interpreted in a variety of ways. First, some believe this is merely a plural of majesty, i.e. God speaking in royal “We.” A second view held is to understand the plurals as reflecting God’s deliberation, as if He were talking to Himself. A third approach is to understand the plurals here as God’s statements to the heavenly court, i.e. the angels. This is least likely since humanity is clearly made in the image of God and not of the angels. Although the first two options seem possible, the most contextually and grammatically tenable explanation of the plural language is that it is an expression of the plural nature of the one true God. That is not to say that this passage is giving a fully expressed statement of the Trinity. Rather, it seems to be saying that even as God is one, He also has a mysterious plural aspect to His essence. And thus, “the singular ‘human being’ is created as a plurality, ‘male and female.’ In a similar way, the one God created humanity through an expression of his plurality.” (John H. Sailhamer, The Pentateuch as Narrative [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992], 95). Thus, the divine plurality anticipates “the human plurality of the man and the woman as a reflection of God’s own personal relationship within Himself” (John H. Sailhamer, NIV Compact Bible Commentary [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994], 13).

All for the King,

Dr. Michael Rydelnik
Host/Bible Teacher, Open Line with Dr. Michael Rydelnik

When the Bible Says ‘Man,’ Does It Include Women?

The word “man” is used generically to mean humanity. Where it’s talking about distinctive features between men and women, the use of the word "man" refers to a male.

We have to read that from the context. For example, Genesis 1:27 says He made them male and female, and then in the second chapter goes into detail about the creation, how it is that God made man as male and female. The point of it is that men and women, in essence, who we are, are fully equal. We may have different functions, and that would be a mistake to deny, but we are both made in the image of God. We are equal in who we are before God. We are justified the same way. That’s what Galatians 3:28 means when it says there’s neither male nor female.

Galatians 3:28–29

²⁸ There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise. (HCSB)

From the Moody Bible Commentary:

Verse 28 puts all on the same footing (one in Christ); all are equally welcome to come to Christ. Not all are simply equivalent, however. If Jews, Greeks, slaves, free, maleand female no longer existed, Paul could not make such comments as “to the Jew first” (Rm 2:9-10), “slaves, obey your masters” (Eph 6:5), and “wives, submit to your own husbands” (Eph 5:22). Likewise, if in church ministry there is no difference in role between men and women, Paul could not say that elders are men (1Tm 3:1-2) and that women are excluded from teaching leadership (1Tm 2:12). Since becoming Abraham’s family happens according to promise, it does not happen by law. It is God’s act of grace received by faith.

What Is the Meaning of Exodus 34:7?

What does it mean that the punishment of God is to the third and fourth generation? Some people think there’s a generational curse. I don’t think so. I think what it’s saying is that when people rebel against God, and there are consequences for God’s divine justice, the consequences for that sin go from generation to generation until it’s broken by the mercy of God.

I would give the example of someone who becomes an alcoholic. As much as we may consider that a disease, it is a disease with moral factors involved, and it leads to homes in which people and families are destroyed. It’s so dangerous and so harmful.

One of the sad things that we see is that it seems God's justice very often allows the consequences of that behavior. For example, the addiction leads to problems with their kids, who in the next generation often repeat the very same behavior, leading to the same consequences. They then pass that onto their kids and onto their kids until someone turns to the Lord and that behavior is broken. Until then, the consequences continue from generation to generation.

Exodus 34:7

³⁴ keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” (ESV)

From the Moody Bible Commentary:

He shows His lovingkindness to thousands, but He will not leave the guilty unpunished (34:7b). This refers to His distributive justice, that is, His dispensing of both rewards and punishments (cf. Is 3:10; Rm 2:6; 1Pt 1:17; cf. Paul Enns, Moody Handbook of Theology, rev. ed. [Chicago: Moody] 200) as well as His retributive justice, that is, the “expression of Divine wrath in which God punishes the wicked” (Enns, Handbook of Theology , 200; cf. Gn 2:17; Dt 27:26; Gl 3:10; Rm 6:23). These attributes reflect the balance of justice and benevolence; He is a God of justice but He is also very much a God of compassion. Going forward God’s people were not to presume on the latter by being reminded of the former. They should not think lightly of His wrath but should not expect anything less than lovingkindness (cf. 20:5, 6). For Paul’s use of this episode, see the comments on Rm 9:14-16.

September 2026

Is Climate Change Connected to Luke 21 and End Times Prophecy?

What Luke 21:25–36 is talking about is actually an allusion back to Joel 2:28–32, where it says there will be celestial signs during the Day of the Lord, which will culminate with the return of the Lord Jesus. Read the Book of Revelation, and it describes this as well.

This isn’t about climate change. I think that there really is climate change happening. But I also think that the climate changes all the time. There was a mini ice age in the Middle Ages. I’m not trying to minimize it. I don’t know how much human beings cause it, but we may very well be causing some of it. Nevertheless, I don’t think we can stop it, though people say that we should. When we’re looking at Luke 21, it’s not talking about climate change; it’s talking about God’s actions in the heavens.

Joel 2:28–32

²⁸ After this
I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity;
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your old men will have dreams,
and your young men will see visions.
²⁹I will even pour out My Spirit
on the male and female slaves in those days.
³⁰I will display wonders
in the heavens and on the earth:
blood, fire, and columns of smoke.
³¹The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and awe-inspiring Day of the Lord comes.
³²Then everyone who calls
on the name of Yahweh will be saved,
for there will be an escape
for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
as the Lord promised,
among the survivors the Lord calls. (HCSB)

Luke 21:25–26

²⁵ “Then there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and there will be anguish on the earth among nations bewildered by the roaring sea and waves. ²⁶ People will faint from fear and expectation of the things that are coming on the world, because the celestial powers will be shaken. (HCSB)

From the Moody Bible Commentary:

Joel 2:28–32. After this indicates events in the distant future. This prophecy relates not to the return from the Babylonian captivity but to the eschatological day of the Lord (Acts 2:17 renders it “and it shall be in the last days . . .”). There are three characteristics of the eschatological renewal promised here. First, there will be an outpouring of God’s Spirit on Israel (vv. 28–29). This will come upon their sons, daughters, old and young men, and male and femaleservants so that they all will prophecy and have prophetic dreams . This will be a change from a limited office of prophet to a wide range of people who will have the Spirit of the Lord and will fulfill Moses’ hope for Israel (cf. Nm 11:29).

Second, there will be supernatural phenomena in the skies: These cosmic wonders will include wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire, and smoke, the sun and the moon darkened at the time of the great and awesome day of the Lord (vv. 30-31). Such events are often associated with the future tribulation (cf. Is 13:9-10; 34:4; Mt 24:29; Rv 6:12; 8:8-9; 9:1-19; 4:14-20; 16:4, 8-9).

Third, there will be great deliverance at that time for whoever calls on the name of the LORD. This seems to be an invitation to escape the wrath of God spoken of at the start of the chapter (cf. Jl 2:1–11). The prophet promises escape for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem (cf. Rv 14:1–5) and seems to refer to the eschatological deliverance, both physical and spiritual, of Israel at the return of Christ (Zch 12:10; 14:3-5; Rm 11:26-27).

Luke 21:25–26. Jesus described the days prior to the second coming itself as days of upheaval—cosmic, 21:25a, 26b (cf. Jl 2:30-31; Ac 2:19-20a); international, Lk 21:25b; terrestrial, 21:25c; and social, 21:26a (cf. Rv 15-19). “Humans will be overcome by fear” (Bock, Luke, 1683).

All for the King,

Dr. Michael Rydelnik
Host/Bible Teacher, Open Line with Dr. Michael Rydelnik

Why Is David Called “The Man After God’s Own Heart” Despite All His Failures?

We know why David is called a man after God’s own heart. He cared about God tremendously. You see it in 1 Samuel 15, where Saul loses the kingdom because he won’t do his duty regarding Agag, the king of Amalek. Because Saul lost the kingdom, God sends Samuel to anoint David. Remember that Samuel is eager to anoint each of the brothers. That is where we learn that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. God saw something in David’s heart. And that’s why, right there, sort of out of chronological order, you get 1 Samuel 17, which explains what was in David’s heart when Goliath was taunting Israel and taunting the God of Israel. David hears with understanding what Goliath is saying and was concerned for God’s reputation. That is what God saw in David’s heart. Not only was he a man who had a heart for God, but God chose him. It’s election by grace. Though he had flaws, he became the ideal king. David was a great administrator, a gifted leader, and he had concern for everyone. Every king is measured against him.

1 Samuel 15:1–7

¹ Samuel told Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people Israel. Now, listen to the words of the Lord. ²This is what the Lord of Hosts says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them along the way as they were coming out of Egypt. ³ Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Do not spare them. Kill men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

⁴ Then Saul summoned the troops and counted them at Telaim: 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men from Judah. ⁵Saul came to the city of Amalek and set up an ambush in the wadi. ⁶ He warned the Kenites, “Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came out of Egypt, go on and leave! Get away from the Amalekites, or I’ll sweep you away with them.” So the Kenites withdrew from the Amalekites.

⁷ Then Saul struck down the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is next to Egypt. (HCSB)

From the Moody Bible Commentary:

Although Samuel continued to grieve over Saul’s disobedience, God was ready to do something new. This is a momentous point in the narrative, bringing onto the scene the central character of the rest of 1 Samuel and all of 2 Samuel. Saul did not have God’s will, interests, and glory at heart, so God selected a person who did—a shepherd boy who became the shepherd of all of Israel (cf. 2Sm 5:2, Brueggemann, First and Second Samuel, 119).

16:6-7. Observing Eliab, Jesse’s eldest son (cf. 1Ch 2:13), Samuel concluded, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him. Samuel may have thought of Saul’s impressive physical appearance, but that is not what the Lord was seeing. He was looking at the heart. He chooses His servants based on their inner lives, not on how they look.

All for the King,

Dr. Michael Rydelnik
Host/Bible Teacher, Open Line with Dr. Michael Rydelnik

Why Did David and Bathsheba Name Their Son Solomon When God Told Nathan to Name Him Jedidiah?

One of the things that you see about kings is they often have more than one title to reflect their nature. Consider the birth of Jesus, the Messiah. He is the Son of David and the King of Israel. He’s called Mighty God. He’s called Prince of Peace, Father of Eternity, and Wonderful Counselor. He’s also called Emmanuel. Those are throne titles. One of Solomon’s throne titles is Jedidiah, which means beloved of God and beloved of the Lord. That throne title reflects that God loved him in a very special way.

2 Samuel 12:24–25

²⁴ Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba; he went and slept with her. She gave birth to a son and named him Solomon. The Lord loved him, ²⁵ and He sent a message through Nathan the prophet, who named him Jedidiah, because of the Lord. (HCSB)

From the Moody Bible Commentary:

The birth of this child is part of the narrative strategy to trace the “Seed” of David. In fact, Solomon became David’s successor and heir to David’s throne. After learning about the special implications of God’s love for Solomon, David (or perhaps the prophet Nathan) gave Solomon an additional name, Jedidiah (“beloved of the Lord”).

All for the King,

Dr. Michael Rydelnik
Host/Bible Teacher, Open Line with Dr. Michael Rydelnik

What Does Romans 8:3 Mean When It Says God Condemned Sin In the Flesh?

Romans 8:3 says God condemns “sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like ours under sin’s domain, and as a sin offering.” The sin in the flesh requires condemnation, and it also requires payment in the flesh. The sins that we commit in the flesh deserve to be condemned. In order to be forgiven, our sins require payment in the flesh of a blood sacrifice. The law couldn’t provide that because the blood of bulls and goats don’t take away the condemnation of sin.

What about the physical sacrifice of the Messiah? He took the punishment that we deserved. Scripture says He became a sin offering. In 2 Corinthians 5:21 it says, “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin.” Jesus didn’t become sinful, but it means He became a sin offering. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin [or to become a sin offering] for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” So our flesh deserves condemnation because of the sins we commit in it. God sent the Messiah in the flesh to take in His flesh the punishment that we deserve. He didn’t fulfill the Law by being sinless—He did so by the crucifixion.

Romans 8:3

³ What the law could not do since it was limited by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like ours under sin’s domain, and as a sin offering, (HCSB)

From the Moody Bible Commentary:

Verse 3 provides a succinct summary of Rm 7 in which the main theme was the weakness of the law to help an unbeliever defeat sin’s power. For the meaning of flesh here and in 8:4, 5 (twice), 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, cf. the comments on 7:5. Likeness of sinful flesh masterfully links Jesus closely with humanity because of His incarnation but maintains a distinction between His body and that of everyone else. He had real flesh, but it was not sinful flesh. Condemned sin in the flesh means that Jesus, through the medium of His sacrificed body, pronounced judgment on sin and broke its power. The law could only pronounce judgment but could not “execute” sin.

All for the King,

Dr. Michael Rydelnik
Host/Bible Teacher, Open Line with Dr. Michael Rydelnik

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Dr. Michael Rydelnik

Dr. Michael Rydelnik is Professor Emeritus of Jewish Studies and Bible at Moody Bible Institute, as well as the Host/Bible teacher on Moody Radio’s Open Line® with Dr. Michael Rydelnik. The son of Holocaust survivors, Michael was raised in an observant Jewish home in Brooklyn, New York. He became a follower of Jesus the Messiah as a high school student and began teaching the Bible almost immediately. He is the author of several books and is the co-editor of and contributor to The Moody Bible Commentary. Michael and his wife, Eva, live in West Michigan and have two adult sons.

Tricia McMillan

Tricia McMillan is the senior producer of Chris Fabry Live, Equipped with Chris Brooks, and Moody Radio’s Open Line® with Dr. Michael Rydelnik. She has worked at Moody Radio since 2000 on a variety of programs. She is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and has a Master of Ministry from Moody Theological Seminary. Tricia is married to Nate, has three children and lives in the Chicago suburbs.

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At times, all believers have questions about the Bible, God or the spiritual life. Where can we turn when we need guidance from the God's Word? Moody Radio encourages you to bring your Bible and spiritual life questions to Moody Radio’s Open Line® with Dr. Michael Rydelnik every week.