Enstoried

As his life draws to a close in Egypt, Jacob makes one last request to his son Joseph: when I die, take me home to be buried with my ancestors. Jospeh honors his father's dying wish, but the family of Israel are not the only ones who make the long journey to pay their last respects. Today on Enstoried, God's incredible vision for the future of the promised land. Jacob and Joseph lead the way at the end of Genesis, but who is following after them? And what would it really take to get not only Israel there in the end, but every nation in the world?  

In Genesis, the blessing of one's father is a greatly desired thing. Jacob and Esau were rivals in seeking it from their father Isaac. When it comes time for Jacob to bless his twelve sons, who will come away with the lion's share? Today on Enstoried, the future of Israel, as told through the blessings given by Jacob. Some tribes will rise and others will fall, not because of their birthright or who Jacob loves most, but because of who they are already in the process of becoming through God. 

After putting his brothers through a test to see if they've truly changed, Joseph reveals his true identity to them and they begin to reconcile. It's a relief, but the famine that ended up bringing them together is far from over, and everyone isn't out of the woods yet. Today on Enstoried, the family of Israel moves to Egypt. Canaan is still the promised land, but God is presently working out a plan through Joseph to not only advance the promises made to Abraham about preserving his family, but to save the nations through the blessings of Israel. 

Our pasts can come back to haunt us. At least, that's how Joseph's brothers must have felt when they were caught red-handed leaving Egypt for the second time. But is God really out for justice and to punish them for what they did to Joseph all those years ago? Or does he have something truly great in mind? Today on Enstoried, one final test for the sons of Israel. Taking ownership for what they did to Joseph before God will not end in their being condemned. Instead, it is the only way forward on the path that God has set them for the healing of their family and the maintaining of a promise that God made to their ancestors. 

Is revenge a dish best served cold, or not at all? When Joseph's deceitful brothers show up in Egypt looking to survive the famine in Canaan, he'll have the chance to decide. Today on Enstoried, Joseph sees his brothers for the first time in 13 years. Like his father Jacob and uncle Esau, they didn't part on the best of terms. But will their reunion end with Joseph taking care of unfinished business, or will it be the beginning of their family becoming whole once again?

Sometimes, dreams really do come true. But if Joseph is the one telling you what your dreams mean, then they always come true (which can be a good or bad thing). Today on Enstoried, Joseph's ability to interpret dreams earns him more than freedom from prison - it makes him the second most powerful person in all of Egypt. Even though seven years of famine threaten all of the known world, God has put his wise one in a royal position for a time such as this. 

Joseph son of Jacob was a young man with big dreams. He dreamed that someday he would become like a king with others bowing down before him, but he never dreamed he would end up becoming a slave and a prisoner in the meantime. Today on Enstoried, we return to the story of Joseph. His journey away from home seems to get off to a rough start, and while God is with him and blesses him in the middle of hard circumstances, it is the people that God blesses most at this point in the story that might just surprise you.

If there is one tribe from Israel that stands out later in the story of the Bible, it's Judah. The whole southern kingdom of Israel is Judah, Jesus himself is called the Lion of Judah. So Judah must have been a great guy, right? Today on Enstoried, an unflattering look at Judah, son of Jacob. He struggles with his integrity in doing right by his family, but lucky for him he's got a very brave daughter-in-law who will go to great lengths to hold Judah accountable and honor her deceased husband. 

In the Gospels, Jesus says that a prophet is not welcome in his hometown. In Genesis, Joseph learns this truth all too well after he decides to share his prophetic dreams with his family. Today on Enstoried, Joseph leaves home at an early age because he's on bad terms with his brothers. Just like with his father Jacob and uncle Esau, favoritism within the family has a big part to play in the fracture, and God will play a big part in making them whole again. 

The descendants of Jacob's brother Esau cause no small amount of trouble for Israel in the story of the Old Testament. And they get called out for it on more than one occasion by the prophets. In light of this sibling rivalry, do the Edomites truly have hope for the future, or are they just destined to become ancient history? Today on Enstoried, the unchosen people of Genesis. What will be the final word for the people of Esau, after the entire story is told and the mission of the chosen people of Israel is finally accomplished?

Genesis, as its name implies, is a book of beginnings. Just as importantly, it is also a book of re-beginnings for humans with God. Today on Enstoried, we will see exactly that in the last of these stories that focus on the life of Jacob. His life hasn't been easy, it's not going to get easy, but for Jacob and all of us who consider him our spiritual forefather, it is a life that will always be marked by the presence of God. 

After an intense reunion with Esau, Jacob and his family return to Canaan and settle down. But when his daughter Dinah soon becomes the victim of an assault, the family must decide how to react. Today on Enstoried, how Jacob responds to injustice against his family, and how it affects his sons. Action and inaction both have consequences, and the combination of the two in this story lead to disastrous results. 

Family reunions - they can be wonderful or they can be stressful. The stressful kind would include seeing a brother for the first time in years who once said he would literally kill you if he ever gets the opportunity. Today on Enstoried, Jacob and Esau meet again 20 years after Jacob left home. Will their relationship pick right back up where it left off, or has Jacob's recent struggle with God given Jacob a reason to expect something better?

They say time heals all wounds. So is 20 years long enough for Esau to forgive his brother Jacob for stealing his blessing and birthright? Well, if he's planning to meet Jacob with 400 men, what would you think? Today on Enstoried, Jacob prepares to reunite with Esau. He prays for God's help, and God definitely helps, just not in the kind of way that Jacob might expect. It's a wrestling match, and Jacob's very own name is on the line. 

Jacob and his family had a good head start, but Laban has caught up and is determined to take back all that he says belongs to him. God will protect Jacob physically, but Laban will try to do all of the damage he can with his words. Today on Enstoried, Laban oversteps his rightful place in the lives of Jacob and his family, but who will prevail in this contest of the gods is a matter of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel's choosing. 

God calls Israel out from beneath the hand of an oppressive authority figure so that God can make Israel his very own family - but it's not the story of the exodus. Today on Enstoried, the first of a two-part look at Jacob and his family getting out of Laban's house. Jacob once again finds himself breaking cultural conventions, and Rachel makes sure she doesn't leave home empty-handed. 

Someone once said, "you can't kid a kidder." Well, that someone never read the story of Jacob and Laban, where Jacob the deceiver becomes the deceived. Today on Enstoried, Jacob goes to Haran with God by his side, but that doesn't mean that Jacob's past isn't coming back to bite him. He'll get the wife he wants, but not in the way that he wants, because in this part of the Genesis story, the firstborn will not be denied their rights. 

Who says you can't go home? That's the song Bon Jovi sings, and the hero of this week's story is hoping against all hope that Bon Jovi is right. Today on Enstoried, Jacob leaves home for the first time. He meets the God of his fathers who promises Jacob that he will be with him and keep him wherever he goes. Home is Jacob's desired destination, but trusting God is the only road to get there. 

Isaac and Rebekah have two sons - Jacob and Esau. But apparently Isaac only has one blessing to give out, and it's causing problems at home. Does it really have to be this way? Today on Enstoried, the underhanded battle to be blessed in the home of Isaac and Rebekah, and the fallout that occurs when one family underestimates God's ability to bless abundantly. 

Like father like son. That old adage was never more true than with the overlapping stories of Abraham and Isaac, who managed not only to make the exact same mistakes, but with the exact same group of people. Today on Enstoried, the promises of God are handed down from Abraham to Isaac. And while King Abimelech has to call out both of them for their potentially disastrous lies, he gets to witness firsthand the blessings of their God and enter into a covenant to become their allies. 

You only get one shot at being born first. That's why twin brothers Jacob and Esau were literally wrestling with each other within the womb, and why their relationship remained contentious for most of their lives. Today on Enstoried, the blessing of being firstborn. Why it mattered then, does it still matter today, and how God tends to handle it more often than not in the Bible. 

Abraham's final act is sending his chief servant back to his homeland to find a wife for his son Isaac. What follows is a beautiful weaving together of the sovereign will of God and human striving. This story is a great example of how the community of God works together to discern what God is doing, and how they can live into his plans. 

Buying real estate in ancient Canaan was not a straightforward business - at least not to people reading about it a few thousand years later. But Abraham will do what he must in order to give his wife Sarah a proper burial. Today on Enstoried, the Abraham story nears its close with the death and burial of Sarah. God not only provides the place Abraham needs to bury his wife, he continues to demonstrate his faithfulness to the promises he made. 

After waiting so very long for his son Isaac to be born, Abraham is asked by God to give him back - by way of sacrifice. Today on Enstoried, we explore the ins and outs of the sacrifice of Isaac. What is a "going up" offering, and is it possible that God has spent the past 25 years with Abraham preparing him for this very moment?

After 25 long years, Sarah gives birth to the son God promised she would have, and she laughs with joy. But the laughter stops when she considers the reality that her son Isaac is not Abraham's first born and will be second in line to Ishmael to inherit the estate. Today on Enstoried, brokenness in the Abraham story. It doesn't get any more human that this, and yet, God is working not in spite of it but through it, blessing everyone involved along the way.

Abraham is not only imperfect - he's deeply flawed, and the Bible tells his story without reservation. In Genesis 20, the Canaanite king Abimelech is tricked by Abraham and Sarah, putting him in a rough spot with God. But God acknowledges the pagan king's innocence and still uses the guilty Abraham to resolve the situation through prayer. And if God can use Abraham in spite of his serious shortcomings and lack of faith, he can use us to be a blessing to others as well. 

When the angels of God go down to visit Sodom, Lot's hospitality mirrors that of Abraham, but it can't make up for the ways of the people of Sodom. Although God moves to save Lot and his family from the destruction, Sodom remains in their hearts and it becomes clear that humanity will need another intercessor than Abraham - one who can ultimately transform the human heart. 

God comes to dinner at Abraham and Sarah's tent to remind them that he meant what he said about them still having a son together, but also to let Abraham in on some inside information: the city of Sodom is about to be overthrown for how corrupt they've become. Not wanting his nephew Lot to be swept away along with the people of Sodom, Abraham successfully negotiates with God to have the city spared if only ten good people can be found there. But will that be enough to save Lot and the rest of the city?

God tells Abraham he's about to have another son, and this time he promises Sarah will be the mother. He also tells Abraham to circumcise himself and his household as a sign of covenant fidelity and a commitment to walk before God and live faithfully to him always. Can Abraham even consistently do that, and if he can't, how will that affect God's covenant with him?

Abraham and Sarah wait 10 years on the promised son before they get desperate and take matters into their own hands. Why would God wait so long when he could give them a son any time he wanted? It turns out there may have been more than one reason. 

After having gone several years without Sarah getting pregnant, Abraham is needing some assurances that God will indeed make good on his promise to give them a child. God could just ask Abraham to continue to take him at his word, or he could choose to commit himself to Abraham by making the strongest type of agreement that people made with one another in the Ancient Near East - cutting a covenant.   Referenced resources:   Introducing Covenant Theology, Michael Horton https://amzn.to/3Jk1Nw5  

Abraham rebounds from his lapse of trusting God down in Egypt by defeating an enemy against all odds in order to rescue his nephew Lot. Afterwards, he is greeted and blessed by a mysterious king named Melchizedek, a worshipper of God living in the land of Canaan. 

God begins the long road of drawing all peoples back to himself, and he chooses to work through an unlikely pair - a 75 year-old man and his wife who will have to learn to trust God more than themselves. 

Genesis 10 foreshadows trouble as humans start to increase again after the flood, culminating in the Tower of Babel story in Genesis 11. Why do the people build it, and what does God think when he see it?

God's covenant with Noah introduces two big changes for life in a post-flood world and paves the way for greater things to come. 

Humanity survives the flood through the one man and his family who pass safely through the waters. But can Noah be the faithful covenant partner God is looking for to restore what was lost in the garden?   Referenced resources:   Genesis 1-15 (World Biblical Commentary), Gordon Wenham https://amzn.to/43qkCGX   Old Testament Theology, R.W.L Moberly https://amzn.to/43qkCGX   These are Amazon affiliate links (i.e., Enstoried earns commissions on purchases made through links provided in these show notes)  

Problems in heaven start to mirror problems on earth as things go from bad to worse. All humanity has chosen to go their own way, except for one who chooses to walk with God.   Referenced resources:   The Bootstrap Fallacy, by Robert K. Hudnut https://amzn.to/3IuOng7   These are Amazon affiliate links (i.e., Enstoried earns commissions on purchases made through links provided in these show notes)

Familial patterns of the past are often powerful enough to shape the future. But do they have to? Which of the two family trees of Genesis 4 and 5 will change the course of a world on the brink of ruin?   Referenced resources:   The Pentateuch, Interpreting Biblical Texts, by Terence Fretheim https://amzn.to/49R1V1o   These are Amazon affiliate links (i.e., Enstoried earns commissions on purchases made through links provided in these show notes)  

Cain and his brother Abel live in cursed world as a result of their parents' decision. But when Cain is presented with the same choice - to trust God or his own wisdom - how will he choose, and how will his world change as a result?

What makes for a curse? We look at baseball and the Bible to find two very different stories about curses. The curse from Genesis chapter 3 is the explanation for why our world is the way it is, but also hints at a reason to hope for something far better. 

What is the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? What humans gain and lose from eating from it. 

In this first of three episodes on Genesis 3, we look at the crafty serpent and breakdown his conversation at the tree with the humans. The most effective lies are the ones concealed in truth. 

Continuing on in Genesis 2, God sees that Adam doesn't need to be alone and decides to take action. In this episode, Corey looks at two questions: Who is this newcomer intended to be, and how does the way God creates her help our understanding of who she is, and her relationship to God and Adam?   Resources from this episode:   BibleProject Podcast transcript of Genesis 2 episode: https://d1bsmz3sdihplr.cloudfront.net/media/Podcast%20Transcripts/TBP%20Transcripts/family_of_god/FOG%20E2_Transcript.pdf   The Lost World of Adam and Eve by John Walton https://amzn.to/3TJ68PJ The Five Books of Moses by Robert Alter https://amzn.to/3S44g1p     These are Amazon affiliate links (i.e., Enstoried earns commissions on purchases made through links provided in these show notes)

What are real men made of? Let's read Genesis 2 together and find out! Corey also takes a look at ancient burial practices, spends some time pondering the lyrics of Gavin DeGraw's breakout hit, and sees what the Apostle Paul might have to say about all of it. 

Corey explores sacred time and space in Genesis 1 and 2, what it means for a thing to be sacred, and the relationship between religious and spiritual.   Links to resources:   Sacred Rhythms - Ruth Haley Barton https://amzn.to/48NgvX0   Celebration of Discipline - Richard Foster https://amzn.to/3U36JvX   Habits of the Household - Justin Whitmel Earley https://amzn.to/3tSfrCw     These are Amazon affiliate links (i.e., Enstoried earns commissions on purchases made through links provided in these show notes)  

How to make a world in six days. Plus Corey talks about Spiderman a lot. In this episode, the importance of the Jewish concept of torah as a way of life helps us better see the Bible as a story to be lived into rather than a rulebook. 

On today’s episode, Corey looks at ancient stories of human origins and asks what they are about - were they written mainly to tell us how we got here, or do they tell us something more?    Referenced resources:   Books by John H. Walton:   Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament https://amzn.to/3tGcMvm The Lost World of Genesis One https://amzn.to/3H2F46u The Lost World of Adam and Eve https://amzn.to/3TJ68PJ   These are Amazon affiliate links (i.e., Enstoried earns commissions on purchases made through links provided in these show notes)