The Bible Difficulties and Answers Podcast

Exodus 25:18 – Why Did God Command Golden Cherubim? Exodus' Seeming Contradiction Explained

Episode 168 examines the apparent contradiction between Exodus 20's ban on graven images and Exodus 25's command to make golden cherubim for the Ark of the Covenant. Lance Smith explores context, intent, and biblical examples to show why the prohibition targets idolatry, not divinely authorized symbolism.
The episode surveys scriptural passages, Jewish tradition, archaeological evidence, and related cases (like the bronze serpent and the tabernacle artisans) to explain how the cherubim functioned as God‑ordered symbols pointing to His presence—not objects of worship.
Conclusion: the command demonstrates a distinction between forbidden idols and symbolic representations authorized by God, emphasizing intent and worship rather than a blanket ban on imagery.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
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 
Ehrlich, Carl S. “Make Yourself No Graven Image”: The Second Commandment and Judaism.
BibleHub: Why Does Exodus 25:18 Allow Cherubim? https://biblehub.com/q/why_does_exodus_25_18_allow_cherubim.htm
Veritas Domain: Bible Contradiction? Is it OK to make images? https://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2022/05/28/bible-contradiction-is-it-ok-to-make-images/
Catholic Stand: A Biblical Defense of Religious Images. https://catholicstand.com/a-biblical-defense-of-religious-images/
Trivial Devotion: Hammering Out Cherubim (Exodus 25:18). https://trivialdevotion.blogspot.com/2012/04/hammering-out-cherubim.html
Patheos: Golden Calf & Cherubim: Biblical Contradiction? https://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2020/11/golden-calf-cherubim-biblical-contradiction.html
Cambridge Core: Cherubim: (Re)presenting Transcendence. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/signs-and-society/article/cherubim-representing-transcendence/8D12F23A504B82C14E31C980A301169F
TheTorah.com: The Cherubim: Their Role on the Ark in the Holy of Holies. https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-cherubim-their-role-on-the-ark-in-the-holy-of-holies

Tuesday Contradictions: Matthew 9:13 – From Altars to Atonement: Did God Ever Want Animal Sacrifices?

This episode examines the apparent contradiction between Old Testament animal sacrifices and prophetic and New Testament statements that God desires mercy, not blood. Lance Smith traces the biblical trajectory—from prescribed covenantal rituals to prophetic rebukes of hollow offerings and finally to Christ’s fulfillment of atonement.
Listeners will get a clear, concise explanation of why sacrifices were given, why prophets rejected ritual without repentance, and how Jesus transforms sacrifice into mercy and a life offered to God.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page
Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com 
Skeptics Annotated Bible: https://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/desire.html 
GotQuestions.org: https://www.gotquestions.org/animal-sacrifices.html 
Boyd, Greg. ReKnew: https://reknew.org/2019/09/why-did-god-require-animal-sacrifice-in-the-old-testament/ 
Church Life Journal: https://churchlifejournal.nd.edu/articles/the-sacrifice-of-praise-and-animal-sacrifice/ 
Piper, John. Desiring God: https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/did-jesus-disregard-the-sacrificial-system 
Pigott, Susan. All-Creatures.org: https://www.all-creatures.org/articles/an-tpr-biblicallit.html 
Pharos Journal of Theology: https://www.pharosjot.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_31_105_5__2024.pdf 
SAET: https://www.saet.ac.uk/Christianity/SacrificeandtheOldTestament.pdf 
Journal of Religion & Film: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2288&context=jrf 

Sunday Series-Episode 16: When Philosophy Meets Presence

In this episode of Bible Difficulties and Answers, host Lance Smith examines Exhibit 16 from J. Steve Miller’s Faith is Not Blind (pp. 89–91), sharing remarkable firsthand encounters with God that transformed the lives of Mortimer Adler and Bill Wilson. Adler’s intellectual belief becomes personal during a hospital prayer, while Wilson—co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous—experiences a life-changing vision and immediate sobriety. Miller argues these encounters provide empirical, lasting evidence that supports theism over naturalism, challenging skeptics who dismiss such experiences as merely emotional. The episode invites listeners to reflect on where they’d rate such testimony on a scale from 0 to 10 and to share their own transformative encounters.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page
Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com 
Miller, J. S. (2016). Faith That’s Not Blind: A Practical Guide to Evaluating Spiritual Beliefs. Wisdom Creek Press. Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/gTR0odd 
Keener, C. S. (2011). Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts (Two-Volume Set). Baker Academic. Also at  http://www.craigkeener.com/tag/conversion-from-atheism 
Hartigan, F. (2000). Bill W.: A Biography of Alcoholics Anonymous Cofounder Bill Wilson. Simon & Schuster.
James, W. (1902). The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature. Longmans, Green, and Co.
Schaeffer, F. A. (various works, e.g., 1972). He Is There and He Is Not Silent. Tyndale House Publishers.

Exodus 24:10 – They Saw the God of Israel?

Episode 165 examines Exodus 24:10 and the question: can God be seen? Lance Smith walks through the Sinai theophany, the significance of the brilliant blue lapis lazuli pavement, and how partial visions of God’s glory fit with passages that say no one can see God and live.
The episode connects Old Testament visions to the New Testament revelation in Jesus, explains the covenant context of the vision, and offers practical takeaways on recognizing God’s presence in creation, Scripture, and Christ.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
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 
Enduring Word. Bible Commentary: Exodus 24. Available at: https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/exodus-24/ 
BibleRef. Exodus 24:10. Available at: https://www.bibleref.com/Exodus/24/Exodus-24-10.html 
Aish. Vision of God of Exodus 24:10-11. Available at: https://aish.com/vision-of-god-of-exodus-2410-11/ 
Precept Austin. Exodus 24 Commentary. Available at: https://www.preceptaustin.org/exodus-24-commentary 

Tuesday Contradictions: Matthew 9:10 – Jesus' Dinner Guests: Friend or Foe?

In this episode Lance Smith examines an alleged contradiction about how Jesus treated tax collectors and sinners versus how the church should treat unrepentant believers. Exploring passages from Matthew, Mark, and Luke, he explains the difference between Jesus' outreach to outsiders and Matthew 18's call for church discipline, arguing that the two are complementary: radical hospitality toward nonbelievers and loving accountability within the church.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page
Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com 
Skeptics Annotated Bible. https://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/publicans.html 
GotQuestions.org. “Why did Jesus eat with sinners?” https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-with-sinners.html 
Credo Magazine. “Jesus with Sinners at the Table.” https://credomag.com/2018/01/jesus-with-sinners-at-the-table-2/ 
BibleRef.com. “Matthew 18:17.” https://www.bibleref.com/Matthew/18/Matthew-18-17.html 
Lowery, David. “The Biblical Basis for Church Discipline.” Liberty University Thesis. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2175&context=masters 
Hutton, James. “Jesus Ate with Tax Collectors, Prostitutes, & Other Sinners, and We Can Too.” https://jameslhutton.com/2019/08/05/jesus-ate-with-tax-collectors-prostitutes-other-sinners-we-can-too/ 

Sunday Series-Episode 15: When You "Just Know": Everyday Encounters with God

In this episode Lance Smith unpacks J. Steve Miller's discussion of people who report a direct, non-inferential knowledge that God exists, comparing it to basic beliefs like consciousness and belief in other minds. The episode explores arguments from Alvin Plantinga and William Alston that such religious experiences can be properly basic, addresses skeptical objections, and highlights how these encounters often lead to real transformation.
Smith shares a personal reflection, invites listener responses, and points to further reading for those who want to dive deeper into the philosophy and testimony behind why many people simply 'know' God is real.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page
Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com 
Miller, J. S. (2016). Faith That’s Not Blind: A Practical Guide to Evaluating Spiritual Beliefs. Wisdom Creek Press. Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/gTR0odd 
Nagel, T. (2012). The Philosopher Defends Religion. The New York Review of Books. Available at: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2012/09/27/philosopher-defends-religion/
Plantinga, A. (1993, 2000). Warrant: The Current Debate, Warrant and Proper Function, and Warranted Christian Belief. Oxford University Press.
Alston, W. P. (1991). Perceiving God: The Epistemology of Religious Experience. Cornell University Press. 

Exodus 24:9-11--Mount Sinai Mystery: How Did Moses and the Elders 'See' God and Live?

Episode 162 explores the apparent contradiction between Exodus 24:9–11, where Moses and the elders "see the God of Israel" and survive, and Exodus 33:20, which warns that no one can see God’s face and live. The host explains the likely solution: the elders experienced a mediated theophany—a limited, veiled manifestation of God (focusing on the sapphire pavement and divine presence) rather than God’s full, unfiltered essence.
The episode summarizes linguistic, theological, and historical perspectives (Septuagint readings, Hebrew terms, rabbinic and scholarly views) and concludes that God reveals himself in degrees suited to human capacity, offering a coherent way to understand both passages.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
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  
MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible. Thomas Nelson, 1997.
Wyckoff, Eric John. "When Does Translation Become Exegesis? Exodus 24:9-11 in the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint." The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, vol. 74, no. 4, 2012, pp. 675-693.
"How did the Elders of Israel see God and live?" Verse By Verse Ministry International. https://versebyverseministry.org/bible-answers/how-did-the-elders-of-israel-see-god-and-live
"Exodus Chapter 24." Enduring Word Bible Commentary. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/exodus-24/
"Can humans see God and live? (Exodus 33:20 vs. Exodus 24:9-11)." Bible Hub. https://biblehub.com/q/can_humans_see_god_and_survive.htm
"If Exodus 33:11 says Moses spoke with God 'face to face,' how do we reconcile this with Exodus 33:20 where God says no one can see His face and live?" Bible Hub. https://biblehub.com/q/how_does_exodus_33_11_align_with_33_20.htm
"Elders Seeing God." Christian Study Library. https://www.christianstudylibrary.org/article/elders-seeing-god
"Vision of God of Exodus 24:10-11." Aish.com. https://aish.com/vision-of-god-of-exodus-2410-11/
"Did Moses Literally See the Face of God?" Robert Bowman Jr. https://robertbowman.net/2019/06/24/did-moses-literally-see-the-face-of-god/

Tuesday Contradictions: Matthew 9:9 – Matthew or Levi? Unraveling the Tax Collector Mystery

Host Lance Smith explores the apparent name difference in Matthew 9:9 and Mark 2:14/Luke 5:27, explaining how Matthew and Levi likely refer to the same tax collector called by Jesus. The episode examines historical context, naming practices, Gospel parallels, and theological implications, showing how dual names reflect cultural identity rather than contradiction.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page
Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com 
Skeptics Annotated Bible. https://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/levi.html 
Barreto, E. D. (2018). The Apostle Matthew. Bible Odyssey. Available at: https://www.bibleodyssey.org/articles/the-apostle-matthew/ 
Wilson, R. F. (2004). Jesus Calls Levi. JesusWalk Bible Study Series. Available at: https://www.jesuswalk.com/luke/013-levi.htm 
Trigger Man. (2023). What’s in a Name? Matthew, Levi, and the Tension in the Text – Part 1. Trigger Man Blog. Available at: https://triggermanblog.wordpress.com/2023/10/10/whats-in-a-name-matthew-levi-and-the-tension-in-the-text-part-1/ 
Hawk, B. W. (2020). The Recovery of St. Matthew. Word on Fire. Available at: https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/fellows/the-recovery-of-st-matthew/ 
Grant, R. M. (2007). Patristic Traditions About the Evangelist Matthew. The Bible Interpreter. Available at: https://bibleinterp.arizona.edu/articles/patristic-traditions-about-evangelist-matthew 
Hansen, C. (2023). Stephen Boyce on Levi/Matthew. Amateur Exegete. Available at: https://amateurexegete.com/2023/08/07/stephen-boyce-on-levi-matthew-guest-post-by-chrissy-hansen/