Advertise on podcast: Scripture Central

Welcome to “Finding Christ in the Old Testament.” To view the resources connected with this episode, visit https://johnhiltoniii.com/findingchrist. Please like and comment on this episode and subscribe @scripturecentralofficial so you can more easily see the rest of the videos and resources in this course. Whether you're using this course for personal enrichment or to help with "Come, Follow Me," we hope it will be valuable in your studies.

In this episode of Handmaidens, Harems, and Heroines, host Lynne Hilton Wilson explores the powerful and often overlooked contributions of women during one of the most sacred building projects in scripture—the construction of the Tabernacle. Focusing on Exodus chapters 35–40 and key passages in Leviticus, this episode highlights how covenant communities are built not only through priesthood leadership, but through the faithful offerings, craftsmanship, and devotion of both men and women. From spinning fine linen to offering precious materials, the women of Israel played a vital role in creating a holy space where God could dwell among His people. Dr. Wilson also dives into the meaning behind the Tabernacle’s sacred design, the holiness of the spaces within it, and how these patterns point to deeper spiritual truths found in temple worship. With thoughtful insight, she connects the ancient world to modern discipleship, emphasizing how women’s service, sacrifice, and spiritual power have always been central to God’s work. This episode invites viewers to see the Tabernacle not just as a structure, but as a symbol of unity, holiness, and the divine potential within each of us.

Are happiness and joy the ultimate objective? Some scriptural and prophetic statements suggest happiness and joy are an important part of the destination, if not the whole of it. Consequently, they must be considered in any discussion about the destination you were born to reach. But let’s consider what the Lord has said about both happiness and joy. If you gather every scripture that speaks to happiness and distill the essence of each, you’ll find that happiness is known by those who trust in the Lord, acquire understanding, keep God´s commandments, face adversity, serve others, help the poor and needy, desire good, and never give up or give in. If you think a bit about that scriptural summary, you will see happiness is not exclusive to active contributing members of the Church. There is nothing in that description that says that. Joy, however, is another matter. View the transcript: https://storage.googleapis.com/scripturecentral-prod-strapi-uploads/Episode_11_Final_978632b7d7/Episode_11_Final_978632b7d7.pdf

Welcome to “Finding Christ in the Old Testament.” To view the resources connected with this episode, visit https://johnhiltoniii.com/findingchrist. Please like and comment on this episode and subscribe @scripturecentralofficial so you can more easily see the rest of the videos and resources in this course. Whether you're using this course for personal enrichment or to help with "Come, Follow Me," we hope it will be valuable in your studies.

In this episode of Handmaidens, Harems, and Heroines, Lynne Hilton Wilson explores Exodus 19–34, a pivotal moment when the children of Israel leave Egypt behind and begin the sacred process of preparing to enter into the presence of the Lord. At Mount Sinai, the covenant relationship between God and His people is established with power, instruction, and divine manifestation. While the narrative often centers on Moses, this episode highlights the vital—though sometimes less visible—role of women among the Israelites as they participate in spiritual preparation, covenant making, and community sanctification. Their faith, obedience, and daily devotion become essential threads in Israel’s readiness to meet God. As the people consecrate themselves, receive the Ten Commandments, and witness both divine glory and human failure—including the incident of the golden calf—this episode draws attention to the spiritual lessons embedded in their journey. Women, as keepers of homes, teachers of faith, and participants in covenant life, help shape a culture striving (and sometimes struggling) to become holy. Lynne invites viewers to consider what it means to prepare to enter the presence of the Lord today, emphasizing that holiness is a communal effort requiring both men and women to act in faith, repent when needed, and remain steadfast in their covenants. Please leave a comment below with your thoughts and insights regarding this video, and please consider subscribing to this channel and visiting our website for more content like this: https://scripturecentral.org/

Few things are more important than purpose and direction. They change the natural state of things, creating order out of chaos. Many people have no idea where they are going, and those who do may be going in the wrong direction or multiple directions. It doesn’t matter how fast you are going if you are going in the wrong direction or if you are trying to go everywhere, which ultimately leads to nowhere. Meaningful purpose and intentional direction are as vital to physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health as good nutrition and exercise. Purpose is the “why,” and if you don’t understand the why, all the “what’s” will make little difference. People say, “Life is a journey; enjoy the journey,” but life is especially about getting to the end, reunion with God, receiving the gifts of God’s Son, God’s Spirit, and God’s life, helping others do the same, and in that process becoming more like the Lord. More concisely, it is to partake of the fruit of the tree of life and help others do the same. That’s the destination.

Welcome to “Finding Christ in the Old Testament.” To view the resources connected with this episode, visit https://johnhiltoniii.com/findingchrist. Please like and comment on this episode and subscribe @scripturecentralofficial so you can more easily see the rest of the videos and resources in this course. Whether you're using this course for personal enrichment or to help with "Come, Follow Me," we hope it will be valuable in your studies.

Follow the Israelites through one of the most dramatic turning points in scripture—crossing the Red Sea and entering the wilderness—in this episode of Handmaidens, Harems, and Heroines with Lynne Hilton Wilson. Covering Exodus 14–18, this episode highlights the faith and leadership of women during moments of both triumph and trial. At the center is Miriam, the prophetess, who leads the women of Israel in joyful praise after the Lord delivers His people from Egypt. With timbrels in hand and voices lifted in song, these women model gratitude, unity, and a deep recognition of God’s power in their lives. But the story of these chapters also reminds us that even the faithful can struggle. As the Israelites face hunger, thirst, and uncertainty in the wilderness, murmuring and doubt begin to surface among the people—including their leaders. Miriam’s later experience with disobedience and its consequences invites a deeper discussion about accountability, humility, and the refining process of discipleship. Lynne Hilton Wilson explores how these women teach us not only how to rejoice in God’s blessings, but also how to navigate moments of weakness with faith, repentance, and renewed devotion.

In the last several episodes, we considered the essential problem in life. In this and many of the coming episodes, we will focus on the Solution. We are in essentially the same position as Adam and Eve. We are told not to violate the commandments of God (partake of the fruit of the tree of good and evil), but for whatever reason, we do. We suffer the same consequence (cut off from the tree of life) as we gain the same benefit (the knowledge of good and evil), and we must discover the same and only Solution. We can’t partake of the fruit of the tree of life without going through Christ. Jesus Christ is the solution. He alone bridges the gap. As with all of scripture, the Gospel of John points to Christ and engenders faith in Him, but John especially reveals the Christ who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Join us as we walk through the Gospel of John, uncovering insights into the character of Christ.

Welcome to “Finding Christ in the Old Testament.” To view the resources connected with this episode, visit https://johnhiltoniii.com/findingchrist. Please like and comment on this episode and subscribe @scripturecentralofficial so you can more easily see the rest of the videos and resources in this course. Whether you're using this course for personal enrichment or to help with "Come, Follow Me," we hope it will be valuable in your studies.

Alone, without God, darkness prevails. The natural state of the universe is darkness. That is true for all of us individually and spiritually as it is universally and physically. Sin leads to darkness. When light dims, darkness emerges and in the dark, we are lost and stumble. As said in Proverbs, when we “… leave the paths of uprightness (we) walk in the ways of darkness.” Ignorance and unbelief are also shrouded in darkness. Unbelief and disbelief are often used interchangeably, but they are different. Unbelief is the absence of belief, usually because of ignorance. Disbelief, however, is much darker; it is the unwillingness to believe or the rejection of truth. Unbelief is a vacuum; disbelief is rejection and, of the two, disbelief is far more devastating. Darkness and death never fall so hard and cold as for those who deny truth once revealed by the Holy Ghost. The degree of darkness is probably commensurate with the degree of light denied, but the darkness of disbelief is deeper than the darkness of unbelief or sin. It is one thing to fall short of the truth, but it is far worse to deny it. Transcript/Notes: https://storage.googleapis.com/scripturecentral-prod-strapi-uploads/Episode_7_Final_98ee336703/Episode_7_Final_98ee336703.pdf

In this episode of Handmaidens, Harems, and Heroines, host Lynne Hilton Wilson explores the Book of Exodus chapters 7–13, where God’s power is revealed through the dramatic plagues that fall upon Egypt. As Moses confronts Pharaoh again and again, the escalating plagues show that the Lord alone rules heaven and earth, giving Pharaoh repeated opportunities to recognize His authority. For the enslaved Israelites, these events must have strengthened their faith as they witnessed the Lord defending His covenant people. Through these miracles, the narrative builds toward the ultimate act of deliverance—the Passover—foreshadowing the saving power of the Lamb of God. While these chapters center on Moses and Pharaoh, this episode also highlights the often-overlooked experiences of women within Israelite homes during these pivotal moments. Israelite mothers played a crucial role in faithfully preparing the Passover meal, marking their doorposts with the lamb’s blood, and teaching their children the sacred meaning of the night of deliverance. Their quiet obedience and faith helped preserve the covenant within the family and ensured that the memory of God’s saving power would be passed from generation to generation. As Lynne Hilton Wilson explains, these women stand as powerful examples of covenant faith—participating in God’s work of redemption within their homes and pointing symbolically to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Firstborn who delivers all God’s children from spiritual bondage.

Of all the problems we encounter in this life, there is one that towers above them all and is the least understood. The worst of all human conditions in this life is not poverty, sickness, loneliness, abuse, war, or cruelty in all its diabolical variations, as awful as those conditions are. Rather, the worst of all human conditions is also the most common; it is to die. It is to die spiritually. It is to be separated from the presence of God, and in this life, His presence is His Spirit or power. The best of all human conditions is not wealth, fame, prestige, good health, the honors of men, or security as wonderful as some of those things are, the best of all human conditions in this life, is life; it is to be born again, endowed with heavenly power, to “receive the Holy Ghost” which is life, and the source of knowledge, revelation, strength, clarity, love, joy, peace, hope, confidence, faith and almost every other good thing. Our absolute dependence on God for life as well as every other good thing, is true spiritually as well as physically. We all die spiritually, and standing alone, our only and inevitable conclusion is ever-increasing chaos, darkness, and irredeemable death. That universal condition is what King Benjamin called our “awful situation.” It is awful because spiritual death, to be cut off from the presence of God, is both the worst and most common of all human conditions, and there is no way out on our own.

As the Savior’s mortal ministry draws to its sacred climax, the New Testament highlights a devoted group of women whose faith and service quietly shape the final hours of Jesus Christ’s life. In the days leading up to the Crucifixion, women appear as faithful disciples who minister with courage and devotion. The Gospels describe a woman in Bethany—identified as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus—who anoints Jesus with precious ointment, symbolically preparing Him for His burial and demonstrating profound spiritual insight. Other faithful women, including Mary the mother of Jesus and Martha of Bethany, had long served the Savior and supported His ministry. Their acts of hospitality, discipleship, and devotion reflect a pattern of covenant service—women who recognized the Savior and responded with love, generosity, and spiritual sensitivity. At the time of the Crucifixion, when many others had fled in fear, several faithful women remained near the cross, becoming eyewitnesses of the Savior’s sacrifice. Among them were Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Salome, along with other devoted disciples who had followed Him from Galilee and ministered to His needs. Their presence reflects remarkable courage and loyalty as they comfort one another and remain close to the Lord in His final mortal moments. These women would later play crucial roles in the sacred events surrounding His burial and Resurrection, preparing spices and returning to the tomb in loving service. From the preparation of the Last Supper to the sorrowful vigil at Golgotha, the women of the New Testament stand as powerful witnesses of Christ—models of faithful discipleship who served, mourned, and ultimately rejoiced in the triumph of their risen Redeemer.

Welcome to “Finding Christ in the Old Testament.” To view the resources connected with this episode, visit https://johnhiltoniii.com/findingchrist. Please like and comment on this episode and subscribe @scripturecentralofficial so you can more easily see the rest of the videos and resources in this course. Whether you're using this course for personal enrichment or to help with "Come, Follow Me," we hope it will be valuable in your studies.