The Bible Difficulties and Answers Podcast

Episode 312 examines the apparent contradiction between Deuteronomy 9:3, which says Israel would quickly conquer the Canaanites, and Deuteronomy 7:22, which says they would be driven out “little by little.” Lance Smith explains how these passages can both be true: God would give Israel decisive military victories quickly, while the actual occupation and settlement of the land would take place gradually.
Drawing from Deuteronomy, Exodus, Joshua, and several scholarly perspectives, this episode distinguishes between the speed of individual victories and the length of the overall conquest. The result is a clearer picture of a conquest that involved both rapid military success and a prolonged process of taking possession of the land.
So was the conquest quick or gradual? The biblical answer is: both, but in different senses.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
buymeacoffee.com/lancesmith 
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page
Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com 
Geisler, Norman L., and Thomas Howe. The Big Book of Bible Difficulties. Baker Books, 1992. Available at: https://a.co/d/7shn4hI 
Cogan, Mordechai. “Israel’s Incomplete Conquest of Canaan.” TheTorah.com, 2022. https://www.thetorah.com/article/israels-incomplete-conquest-of-canaan
“Deuteronomy 7:22 – Little by Little.” Thinking Torah. https://thinkingtorah.com/deuteronomy-7-22-little-by-little/
Guzik, David. “Joshua 10 – The Southern Canaanite Armies Defeated.” Enduring Word. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/joshua-10/
Guzik, David. “Joshua 11 – The Northern Canaanite Armies Defeated.” Enduring Word. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/joshua-11/
Wood, Bryant G. “Conquest Confusion at Yale.” Associates for Biblical Research, 20 November 2012. https://biblearchaeology.org/research-articles/conquest-confusion-at-yale/
Teigen, Ragnar C. “Joshua’s Total Conquest of Canaan: A Theological Rationale.” Consensus 11, no. 4 (1985): Article 4. https://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol11/iss4/4
Keil, C. F., and F. Delitzsch. Commentary on the Old Testament. Public domain. Deuteronomy 9. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/kdo/deuteronomy-9.html

Episode 311 examines a question raised by the Skeptic’s Annotated Bible: Is death final? Lance Smith explores the apparent tension between biblical passages that describe death as the end of earthly life and passages that promise resurrection, judgment, and eternal life.
From Job, Ecclesiastes, and the Psalms to Isaiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel, this episode traces the Bible’s developing picture of death, Sheol, and resurrection. Jesus and Paul then make the answer even clearer: death truly ends this earthly life, but it is not the final destination. The biblical hope is resurrection, followed by final judgment and eternal life.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
buymeacoffee.com/lancesmith 
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page
Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com 
Skeptic’s Annotated Bible – “Is death final?” https://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/mt/outline.html 
T. Desmond Alexander, “The Old Testament View of Life After Death,” Themelios 11.2. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/the-old-testament-view-of-life-after-death/
Daniel M. Danciu, “A Philosophical, Theological, and Biblical Defense of the Hebrew Concept of Resurrection” (PhD diss., Liberty University, 2025). https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7524&context=doctoral
Mitchell Chase, “Does the Old Testament Teach Resurrection Hope?” The Gospel Coalition. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/old-testament-teach-resurrection-hope/
Matthew Y. Emerson, “What Is Sheol?” Desiring God, July 13, 2020. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-is-sheol
Mitchell L. Chase, “Those Who Sleep Shall Awake: The Fullest Old Testament Expression of Resurrection Hope,” Christ Over All. https://christoverall.com/article/concise/those-who-sleep-shall-awake-the-fullest-old-testament-expression-of-resurrection-hope/
N. T. Wright, “Resurrection and Afterlife,” Bible Odyssey. https://www.bibleodyssey.org/articles/resurrection-and-afterlife/
Jinsoo Jeon, “The Underworld in the Ancient Near East and Sheol in the Old Testament.”
Christian Stettler, “The Resurrection of the Body: Its Place in Biblical Theology and Its Meaning for Christian Life and Witness.”

In this episode, Lance Smith walks through Chapter 10 of C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, exploring the Christian virtue of hope. Lewis argues that Christian hope is not escapism, but a genuine longing for Heaven that can actually shape how we live in this world. He also explores whether the deep, unsatisfied longings we experience may point to a reality beyond this life.
The episode examines why we shouldn't despise the good things of this world or make them ultimate, and why biblical images of Heaven—harps, crowns, and gold—should be understood as symbolic glimpses of a reality beyond our present experience.
Lance also considers Lewis's memorable challenge: “Aim at Heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you will get neither.”
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
buymeacoffee.com/lancesmith 
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page
Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com 
Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity. HarperOne, 2001. Available at: https://a.co/d/0eXcvERk
As the series continues, the discussion turns next to the third theological virtue: faith.
 

Episode 309 examines Deuteronomy 8:2 and asks a difficult question: If God already knows the human heart, why did He lead Israel through forty years in the wilderness to “know” what was in their hearts? Lance Smith explains the difference between God discovering something He did not know and God testing, proving, and bringing into the open what He already knows.
The episode explores biblical and scholarly perspectives on God’s testing, considers how the wilderness trained Israel for life in the Promised Land, and looks at Jesus’ wilderness temptation as a powerful contrast to Israel’s experience. Lance also considers what Deuteronomy 8 may have to say to those walking through their own “wilderness” seasons today.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
buymeacoffee.com/lancesmith 
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page
Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com 
Geisler, Norman L., and Thomas Howe. The Big Book of Bible Difficulties. Baker Books, 1992. Available at: https://a.co/d/7shn4hI 
Piper, John. “If God Knows Our Hearts, Why Does He Test Us?” Desiring God, Ask Pastor John, September 18, 2025. https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/if-god-knows-our-hearts-why-does-he-test-us
Guzik, David. “Study Guide for Deuteronomy 8.” Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/deuteronomy/deuteronomy-8.cfm
“Deuteronomy 8:2–6 Meaning.” TheBibleSays.com. https://thebiblesays.com/en/commentary/deu+8:2
Waxman, Rav Chanoch. “Ekev | Of Divine Tests and a Knowing Heart.” Torat Har Etzion. https://etzion.org.il/en/tanakh/torah/sefer-devarim/parashat-ekev/ekev-divine-tests-and-knowing-heart
“God Awakens Us in the Wilderness.” Desiring God. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/god-awakens-us-in-the-wilderness
Carson, D. A. “Part 4: The Temptation of Jesus.” The Gospel Coalition (Matthew 4:1–11). https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/sermon/part-4-the-temptation-of-jesus-matthew-4-1-11/
Carasik, Michael. “The Limits of Omniscience.” https://drmsh.com/TheNakedBible/Omniscience.pdf

Episode 308 examines a seemingly difficult question: If Jesus tells us to welcome the stranger in Matthew 25:35, why do other passages appear to command Israel to kill strangers?
The answer begins with a simple fact: the English word “stranger” can represent several different Hebrew and Greek terms. Lance Smith looks at the gēr (resident sojourner), nokri/ben-nakar (foreigner or outsider), and zar (unauthorized person), showing why hospitality commands, the judgment against specific Canaanite nations, and restrictions surrounding the tabernacle are addressing different people in different circumstances.
The episode then brings those distinctions back to Matthew 25, showing how Jesus continues the Torah’s call to care for the vulnerable while recognizing that different situations require different responses. The alleged contradiction comes from treating every “stranger” as though the Bible were talking about the same person in every passage.
Sometimes the difficulty isn't in the Bible. It's in the way we read it.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
buymeacoffee.com/lancesmith 
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page
Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com 
Skeptic’s Annotated Bible – “How should strangers be treated?”  https://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/strangers.html 
SlimJim, “Bible Contradiction? How should strangers be treated?” The Domain for Truth, June 24, 2022. https://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2022/06/24/bible-contradiction-how-should-strangers-be-treated/
Jeff A. Benner, “Natives, Strangers, Immigrants and Foreigners,” Ancient Hebrew Research Center. https://www.ancient-hebrew.org/studies-interpretation/natives-strangers-immigrants-and-foreigners.htm
Helga Kisler, Love the Stranger for You Were Strangers: The Development of a Biblical Literary Theme and Motif (PhD diss., Marquette University, 2016). https://epublications.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1687&context=dissertations_mu
Miriam Thielman, “‘You Shall Not Oppress a Resident Alien’: The Conception of Immigrants in the Hebrew Bible” (honors thesis, University of Oregon, 2020). https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/ade7b4dd-6ad7-4d58-b253-04f7f2b3f400/content
Rabbi David Seidenberg, “Loving the Neighbor / Loving the Stranger,” neohasid.org. https://neohasid.org/pdf/NeighborandStranger7.pdf
“What Does the Bible Actually Say About Immigrants and Foreigners?” Logos. https://www.logos.com/grow/hall-biblical-view-foreigners-immigrants/
“Strange Fire in Leviticus 10, and Why It Earned a Death Sentence,” Logos. https://www.logos.com/grow/strange-fire-in-leviticus-10-and-why-it-earned-a-death-sentence/
“The Ethics of Alterity: The Interplay of Deuteronomy 10:18-19 and Matthew 25:34-36 in Biblical Theology.” https://www.predicas.org/en/the-ethics-of-alterity-the-interplay-of-deuteronomy-10-18-19-and-matthew-25-34-36-in-biblical-theology/500760

In this episode, Lance Smith walks through Chapter 9 of C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, exploring charity as Christian love — a matter of the will rather than emotion. Lewis explains why we shouldn't wait until we feel loving before we act lovingly, but instead should “act as if” we loved others and God, because right actions can lead to genuine affection.
Lance examines the difference between natural liking and Christian charity, why even small daily choices can compound into greater good or evil, and why our love for God is not dependent on constantly having strong religious feelings.
The episode closes with a reminder that while our feelings may fluctuate, God's love for us does not.
Next week, the Sunday Series continues with Lewis's discussion of Hope.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
buymeacoffee.com/lancesmith 
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page
Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com 
Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity. HarperOne, 2001. Available at: https://a.co/d/0eXcvERk

Why does Exodus connect the Sabbath to God’s rest at creation, while Deuteronomy connects it to Israel’s redemption from slavery in Egypt? Is this a contradiction—or are both passages giving legitimate reasons for observing the same command?
In this episode, Lance Smith examines Deuteronomy 5:15 alongside Exodus 20:8–11 and explores how the Sabbath can have a creation-based foundation while also serving as a reminder of Israel’s freedom from Egypt. The command remains the same, but Deuteronomy emphasizes what Israel’s redemption should mean for the way they treat others.
One command. Two complementary reasons: creation and redemption.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
buymeacoffee.com/lancesmith 
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page
Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com 
Geisler, Norman L., and Thomas Howe. The Big Book of Bible Difficulties. Baker Books, 1992. Available at: https://a.co/d/7shn4hI 
Mueller, Ekkehardt. “The Sabbath Commandment in Deuteronomy 5:12–15.” Biblical Research Institute. https://adventistbiblicalresearch.org/articles/the-sabbath-commandment-in-deuteronomy-5-12-15
Haynes, Matthew, and P. Paul Krüger. “Creation Rest: Exodus 20:8–11 and the First Creation Account.” Old Testament Essays 31, no. 1 (2018). https://scielo.org.za/pdf/ote/v31n1/05.pdf
Jančovič, Jozef. “Semantics of the Concentric Sabbath Commandments in Two Decalogue Versions.” Central European Theological Review. https://cetr.hu/semantics-of-the-concentric-sabbath-commandments-in-two-decalogue-versions/
Sivan, Ezra W. Zuckerman. “Three in One: Creation, Exodus, and Equality.” The Lehrhaus, August 3, 2017. https://thelehrhaus.com/scholarship/three-in-one-creation-exodus-and-equality/
Roberts, Alastair. “The Sabbath as a Key to Understanding Biblical Law, Part 1.” The Biblical Mind. https://thebiblicalmind.org/article/sabbath-understanding-biblical-law/
Schachterle, Joshua. “The Two Versions of 10 Commandments: Deuteronomy vs Exodus.” BartEhrman.com. https://www.bartehrman.com/two-versions-of-10-commandments/ 

When was heaven created? The Skeptic’s Annotated Bible points to Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:6–8, Matthew 25:34, and John 14:2 as giving different answers. But are these passages actually talking about the same thing?
In Episode 305, Lance Smith examines the biblical words for “heaven,” including Hebrew shamayim and raqia and Greek ouranos. He looks at the different interpretations of the Genesis creation account, including the ancient Near Eastern view of the firmament, and explains why “prepared” does not mean “created.”
The result is four passages addressing four different questions—not four contradictory dates for when heaven was created.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
buymeacoffee.com/lancesmith 
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page
Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com 
Skeptic’s Annotated Bible – “When was heaven created?”  https://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/heaven.html  
SlimJim, “Bible Contradiction? When was heaven created?” The Domain for Truth, April 21, 2017. https://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2017/04/21/bible-contradiction-when-was-heaven-created/
Simon Turpin, “Heaven? Was Heaven created, if so why and where is it?” Ask John Mackay. https://askjohnmackay.com/heaven-was-heaven-created-if-so-why-and-where-is-it/
Danny R. Faulkner, “The Firmament: What Did God Create on Day 2?” Answers Research Journal 13 (2020): 113–133. https://answersresearchjournal.org/firmament-what-did-god-create-day-2/
GotQuestions, “What did God create on the second day of creation?” https://www.gotquestions.org/what-did-God-create-on-the-second-day.html
Rick Lanser, “Genesis 1 and the Raqia,” Associates for Biblical Research. https://biblearchaeology.org/research-articles/genesis-1-and-the-raqia/
William Lane Craig, “Dealing with Spurious Claims about the Firmament,” Reasonable Faith. https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/dealing-with-spurious-claims-about-the-firmament
Thomas L. Constable, Notes on Genesis. https://soniclight.com/tcon/notes/html/genesis/genesis.htm
BibleAsk, “Are there three heavens?” https://bibleask.org/are-there-three-heavens/
Pete Enns, “The Firmament of Genesis 1 Is Solid but That’s Not the Point,” BioLogos, January 14, 2010. https://biologos.org/articles/the-firmament-of-genesis-1-is-solid-but-thats-not-the-point
Randall W. Younker and Richard M. Davidson, “The Myth of the Solid Heavenly Dome: Another Look at the Hebrew Rāqîaʿ,” Andrews University Seminary Studies 49.1 (2011): 125–147. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3130&context=auss
James-Michael Smith, “Firmament or Expanse? Two Ways to Interpret Genesis 1:6,” Logos. https://www.logos.com/grow/hall-firmament/
John R. Roberts, “The Cosmos Created in Genesis 1,” SIL International.